 A great read, with fantastic and tensed fight scenes.
Blurb: “The most dangerous women in the world dare the most dangerous place in the world. The Shingora, a place known and dreaded by all, the name driving those who hear it to mutter prayers and make signs for protection. None who have gone to that island ever came back… until now. The trade guilds sent an expedition there, hoping to find a wellspring of natural resources. Only one man returned, his experience having reduced him to gibbering madness. Now the guilds are sending a new expedition, three hundred strong and armed for war, to learn the fate of the previous one and rescue the survivors… if there are any. Joining them are the Chosen sisters: Aleena Kurrin, the Battle Queen, gifted by the gods in war, and Baezha Ambrose, the Witch Queen, gifted by the gods in magic. Sworn to recover any survivors, they are joined by a host of new friends and brave an island teeming with bizarre creatures. And on the Shingora, everything kills. Yet an even darker discovery awaits them in the Shingora’s depths, an unnatural horror far worse than anything the island’s sinister reputation ever hinted at. And while immersed in all the island’s perils, a traitor threatens the company from within. With treacherous enemies at their backs and engulfed by a horde of abominations, the sisters will be tested as they’ve never been tested before… and even those Chosen by the gods have their breaking point.” Though listed as book 3 of the series Sisters of the Storm, this is a stand-alone novel. Packed with a great adventure, an almost impossible goal to achieve, a team of warriors, sorcerers, physicists, and a great dose of magic, this book is a ‘hell’ of a ride. The best people were carefully selected for a mission to the island Shingora, named also 'The eight hell' as no one ever returned alive from there. The offered payment was impressive as the job seemed a tough one. Will they succeed? Will they return to be actually paid or they will have the same destiny as anyone else that set foot on Shingora? The characters, the scenes, and all the descriptions are wonderfully done. There are two main characters: Baezha Ambrose, a gifted sorceress, and Aleena Kurrin, her adoptive sister, a gifted warrior. Beautiful, talented, gifted, intelligent, super-powerful and yet sensitive. The success of the missions depended a lot on them. They were soon the target of gossip and constant verbal and physical attack. Graff was the main reason behind. He was a guild member but paid by someone else to prevent the success of the mission as there were certain people that wanted things to stay unchanged on the island. In fantasy or real world, humans have the same characteristics and most of the time the good ones win. Despite the fact that a big part of the story is filled with action, magic, and alchemy I was pleasantly surprised seeing that the author tackled a bit of humor and lots of emotions too. I don’t want to reveal more as not to spoil the fun of reading. I do want to congratulate the author on his writing skills and abundant imagination. Quotes from this book: “Suggestion spells only work on minds susceptible to them,” Baezha said. “Any other mind would realize it when someone tried to use one on them. If you’re worried about me using one on you and Reegan, it’s obvious I haven’t.” “How?” Reegan demanded. “Because I would’ve suggested you and Graff make love before the main mast at mid-day, yowling like cats.” A few chuckles bubbled through the crowd.” “But I warn you now,” she said, her voice hardening, “do not mistake my patience for weakness. When my patience is spent, it is utterly spent. There will be no room for compromise or negotiation, I will accept no excuses or justifications from you, and whatever I do I will do with a clear conscience, because gods know I gave you plenty of opportunities to drop this and leave me in peace.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon
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 Wonderfully written fantasy novel.
Blurb: “A human spirit banished to the body of a cat. Merliss has seen centuries of change, centuries of trouble. Something nasty has come through one of the ley gates. It walks upright. It talks. And it looks like an oversized cat, but as Merliss can attest, it doesn't smell like a cat. It's a cat sidhe on the hunt for slaves, anyone with opposable thumbs. Merliss travels to unknown territories to rescue a friend and encounters more trouble making her way home. The situation on the moors is far more dire than Merliss and her friends could have imagined.” Where can we find human spirits? In this fantasy paranormal adventure, they are in the bodies of animals and birds. The main protagonist is Merliss, a human spirit banished to the body of a cat. She, the cat, is supposed to be centuries old that she alone can’t remember anymore. Already from the beginning, we meet Saerwynn, Farland’s apprentice that she is yet to discover her gifts. The main problem is their encounter with a bad creature, a cat sidhe, a witch that shifted too many times into the shape of a cat. Not at all a regular cat. A mean, killer oversized cat. Merliss decides to go after the sidhe and save Saerwynn but she falls into several traps on the way, bordering with great dangers and we are yet to find if she survived. As the story unfolds we meet other characters too, animals or humans. The story is dark at moments. The descriptions of the places and the characters are wonderfully written. I may not be a big fan of fantasy but the author deserves my respect for his imagination and writing skills. Type of reader: Fans of fantasy adventures searching for something new. Quotes from this book: “Tell me. What do you profit from our bargain?” “Why, a friend,” said the pooka without a moment’s hesitation. “The value of a true friend exceeds their weight in gold or some such wisdom.” “I’ll owe you a favor,” said Saerwynn. “There will be no debts among friends. If you must think of my kindness as a transaction, consider it a favor to Merliss, first among felines of the moor.” “I believe your gifts will bring wisdom to your work. Time will answer. Patience before uncertainty is a hard lesson to learn. Let your gifts guide you in their own time.” “There are many kinds of fear. Sometimes it drives you to feats you didn’t think possible. Sometimes you cower behind it. Fear is natural. You cannot suppress it, but you must be the master of your fear. If it does not work for you, it will kill you.” My rating: 4/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon  Memoirs of nurse training in the 1970'
Blurb: “Hurry up Nurse is a nurse memoir that follows the ups and downs of a trainee nurse in the 1970's. Written with humour and candour, it follows the experiences of the author as she and her friends come to terms with the non-stop hustle and bustle of hospital life. This book treats the reader to a peep behind the scenes as we enter the hospital wards. The author shares the discipline, laughter and inevitable sadness as she learns to cope with the strains of shift work. 'The Sister called to me. 'Nurse Brookes, set up a trolley for a lumbar puncture.' 'I have never set up a trolley for a lumbar puncture Sister.' 'WELL LEARN!' She shouted and stormed of up the ward.” As well as an insight into nurse training, hurry up nurse provides a glimpse into the social history of life in the 1970's and early 1980's. This heart warming book will make you laugh and make you cry. This book is a MUST read for anyone who loves nursing memoirs.” Although this is a memoir, it is written in a conversational style that made it easy to read. I found the writing style of the author relaxing and to this the humor at times surely helped. We are presented with the life of a nurse in the 1970’s. I applaud the author’s honestly saying that she didn't feel the call when she first enrolled in the training for becoming a nurse but she surely find it later. I also applaud her integrity that she seemed to have kept over the years. It takes hard work, tough nerves, good physical condition, a great empathy and much more to make a great nurse. Surely doctors have their big role in curing a person and saving their lives, but nurses’ role should not go ignored. I would compare it with the neck and the head expression. During my high school years, I had a wish to continue my studies either as a nurse or further on as a doctor but life circumstances played their role. Maybe this was an additional reason why I have enjoyed reading this memoir, as I was offered to a detailed insight of how my life may have been, should I have chosen that path and I can say that I wouldn't have regretted. Interesting read that will most probably make me go for the sequel too. Type of reader: Fans of memoirs but also for those wishing to have an insight into the life of a nurse and what was like to work in a hospital in the 1970s. Quotes from this book: “I want to know why you were shouting at me.’ ‘Oh.’ Finally the penny dropped. It had been the first time she had ever used a telephone, and as she was fourteen miles away, she had thought she needed to make up the distance and had shouted at the top of her voice to Matron, who had been almost deafened on the other end of the phone. We were in stitches at this story, imagining the scene and imagining poor Matron with the phone in her hand. She explained this to Matron who saw the funny side of it, reprimanded her and let her go; I expect she chuckled afterwards.” “‘Thanks,’ she said as she drifted off, and that was a reminder of what the job was all about; helping people at their most vulnerable times when all the guards are down. What a privilege and an honour it was to be a nurse, I thought, and somehow I was re-invigorated.” My rating: 4/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon  For the wine lovers.
Blurb: “Biodynamic. Naked. Organic. Laura McLove goes back to school. Spiritual school. She lures Leon - a hot, young, French natural wine expert - with the law of attraction and together they go on the road - Leon in pursuit of wine, Laura in pursuit of him. A "Natural Wine" noir, for lovers of the movie 'Sideways', and writers Bukowski And Fante.” In this book, we are witnessing to an important period in Laura’s life. Searching for a meaning, a spiritual awakening type, and probably a man that will stay, Laura, a 46 year red-haired good looking woman, left London after the death of her mother and moved to the countryside to study agriculture. She didn’t necessarily want to be a farmer but she saw this as an escape from London’s life. She thought and felt that she could be a writer but somehow the time was never right. There she met Leo, a French good looking guy, 17 years younger. The odds of him being interested in her seemed small. But apparently, with the help of the law of attraction, she got the chance to spend a night with him before the school ended. A few days later he invited her to join him on his trip to North America. He wanted to be a bio-dynamic wine producer on his parent’s farm so he was planning to visit vineyards worldwide in order for him to be prepared for his big dream. No, unfortunately, this is not a romance novel, but it does have a happy ending for Laura, despite her suffering a lot on this trip, that could have turned differently. At first, Leo seemed to have lots of positive characteristics, but he turned out completely different. Still, this journey was something that Laura needed. On top of that, she was finally going to write her book, something that she was trying to for a longer time now. With an interesting writing style, with humor and sarcasm at times, full of info for the wine lovers, this book made me enjoy not only MC's thoughts but also the description of all the places mentioned in the book. Type of reader: Fans of bibliographical kind of stories, though this is a work of fiction, with a lot of insight into bio-dynamic wine producing and info about many places in Europe and North America. I found this being an intriguing story, definitely, a must read. Quotes from this book: “The days continued. The sun shone, the rain fell, the water feature trickled its soothing sound in the background, Lilly went out to wander and Lilly came back again. I went to classes. I tried to write, I thought about Leo, I took long walks. I wrote out my gratitude journal. I didn’t go out of my way to try to find him because The Universe would drop him in my lap again, I felt sure.” “I don’t think he was by nature unpleasant. He was popular at college, others would call him ‘such a nice person.’ He had become hard with me. I was dealing with a hard wall, a person who was giving nothing. No kindness. Not normal. I wondered at my ability to attract such an experience. These were my thoughts as I tucked into basmati rice à la Leo. And still I stayed.” “The Universe wasn’t out there, responding to requests. It was in me. It was me. I was in it. A part of my consciousness and the energy that creates worlds was entangled in a quantum mystery. If I had a thought or a wish, it was happening in that quantum field too. If I fully believed in it, what I wanted might come quicker.” My rating: 4/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon  This book was written and published in the Romanian language so, for the time being, my review is for Romanian speaking readers only. Here you can read the review for the first book in the series.
Și totuși, ce ai de făcut pe o insulă pustie? Blurb: „Voiam să mă iubească! Voiam să însemn pentru ea mai mult decât un puști oarecare pe care-l tolera în casa ei. Așa mă considera la început: un puști aiurit, obsedat de sex. Poate că și eram. Istoria penibilă dintre mine și sora ei nu reușise câtuși de puțin să amuțească în mine foamea de trup de femeie care mă mistuia. Eram tânăr, la naiba! Foamea era tot acolo. Iar ea era tot acolo, la îndemână. În primele luni, după ce mă mutasem la ea, îmi potoleam foamea în fiecare noapte, iar foamea reapărea din nou, în noaptea următoare. Oricare altă femeie m-ar fi considerat nebun, dar ea mă accepta așa cum eram.” Citind primul volum am știut deja la ce mă pot aștepta. Nu am fost dezamăgită din nici un punct de vedere. Sarcasmul și umorul negru sunt în continuare prezente, dar din păcate și limbajul vulgar. Sunt conștientă însă că fără acest mod colorat de a relata povestea, autorului i-ar fi fost poate ceva mai greu să ne amuze și să ne enerveze așa de rău. În acest volum avem posibilitatea de a afla evenimente noi din viața lui Tiberiu pe o perioadă de cinci-șase ani. Povestea nu se termină aici. Tiberiu și Eva tot pe insulă sunt. Iar noi, cititorii, putem afirma cu siguranță că Tiberiu nu este o persoană cu calități plăcute și cu siguranță caracterul lui nu pare să îl favorizeze în viață. Modul în care vorbește despre femei în general, homosexuali și femei obeze în special, este abominabil. Sunt momente în care se pare că poate se va schimba. Dar și în acele momente, se întâmplă altceva și mai uimitor și ne schimbăm repede părerea. Dar cel puțin dragostea și respectul lui Tiberiu pentru copii, Gabriela, fiica Miei sau copilul pe care urma să-l nască Laura, îi dă o notă de om normal. Nu avem posibilitatea de a vedea dacă este ceva de termen lung pentru că planurile îi sunt date adesea peste cap de cele mai multe ori fiind singur vinovat. În rest, nici nu e de mirare că a ajuns de atâtea ori la psihiatrie. De cele mai multe ori șocant, dramatic, grotesc și scandalos, și acest roman te ține prins. La momente am avut impresia că e o variantă mai autentică a filmului Borat. În mod sigur prevăd cel puțin încă un volum. Câteva citate din carte: “Am întors niște ochii înlăcrimați spre tipa aia. I-am văzut întâi fața, apoi am coborât privirea ceva mai jos și în momentul acela am înțeles de ce-mi se păruse familiară vocea de la telefon: era șatena din tramvai, tipa cu... ceasurile și era însoțită de același fund mortal. Doctorul îmi promisese c-o să zâmbesc când voi ieși din cabinet, dar eu zâmbeam de pe-acum. Ea, însă, nu zâmbea. Nu avea memoria fețelor.” “Am oftat și m-am îndreptat spre casă. Afurisita de sărăcie s-a ridicat și ea de pe bancă și m-a însoțit. Unde mergeam eu, hop și ea! Mă călca pe nervi. Nu reușeam niciodată să mă obișnuiesc cu prezența ei.” My rating: 4/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s website  Interesting plot, great descriptions, and nice setting.
Blurb: “They all have a decision to make… After four years, Lucy feels that it is more than time that Matt pops the question. But Matt has an irrational fear of the “M” word and just can’t say the four words she so desperately wants to hear…. Should Lucy wait, or give Matt an ultimatum? And then the gorgeous Jake comes into the picture and things get even more complicated… Olivia has always been unlucky in love, then one day she meets Pierre online. A mysterious Frenchman ... could he be her knight in shining armour? Vic and Sam have been married for years, but suddenly Sam’s new high profile job has him out until all hours. Will he succumb to the thrills of the singles scene? What will Lucy and Matt do? Will Vic decide she’s had enough of being stuck at home with the children? Will Olivia give her heart to someone over the internet? A tongue-in-cheek, fun and light-hearted look into love and relationships.” This beautiful, relaxing book makes you feel that you are watching a romantic comedy movie. The main character, Lucy, is a young, beautiful, funny, clumsy, curious, smart but no so the workaholic type of person, and a good friend to have around. She has also Matt by her side, the guy she is in love with and have been in a relationship for already four years. Something is missing: His wish to commit. This proves to be a really big issue for Lucy as she doesn't feel sure of his love and that he will ever pop the so-long-awaited question. It is due to this exact issue that this novel has some sad parts too and the main reason that drives the action to evolve the way it did. One day, Lucy decides to leave Matt, despite her deep feelings for him. Then, her life moves on, she meets Greg, then Jake, in between she has some real complications in her life due to a Mr. Delano. Is this what she wanted? Did she take the right decision when she left Matt? Is maybe Jake the right guy for her? What about her best friend Olivia? Will she have with Pierre the relationship she hoped for? What about Vic? Will her marriage with Sam be saved? and last, but not least, will she be proposed to? These all are the questions that you will find the answer for if you choose to go to give this novel a try. Quotes: “Jake would be arriving at around noon. I was looking forward to seeing him but had mixed feelings about finding myself with both Jake and Matt here.” “I missed having him around. It seemed that everything was more fun when he was around…” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon  Poignant and gripping novel.
Blurb: “Between the fast-paced New York City, a rural Mississippi town and a charming Pennsylvania college campus filled with secrets, two young girls learn the consequences of growing up too quickly. Amalia Graeme, abused by her mother for most of her life, longs to escape her desolate hometown and fall in love. Contemplating her loss of innocence and conflicting feelings between her boyfriend and the dangerous attraction she’s developed for an older man, Amalia faces life-altering tragedies. Brianna Porter, a sassy, angst-ridden teenager raised in New York City, yearns to find her life’s true purpose, conquer her fear of abandonment, and interpret an intimidating desire for her best friend, Shanelle. Desperate to find the father whom her mother refuses to reveal, Brianna accidentally finds out a shocking truth about her missing parent. Set in alternating chapters two decades apart, the parallels between their lives and the unavoidable collision that is bound to happen is revealed. FATHER FIGURE is an emotional story filled with mystery, romance, and suspense.” This was a truly engaging read. Structured in alternative chapters, it presented the story of two young women living twenty years apart, one desperately trying to run away and forget her past, the other one eager to find answers about her past and her true sexuality. Twenty years ago, Amalia suffered from the actions and words of an abusive mother. Her father tried to soften the pain, showing more understanding, but unfortunately not brave enough to stand up to his wife. He was the only person that comforted her in her young age. Still, she had to leave Brant and start a new life. Life plays with us often and it played big with Amelia too while she was in college. Instead of starting a new beautiful life, being happily in-love, she experienced a series of events that made her run away. What was supposed to be her way out proved to be another painful period. What did she do? She ran away and decided to keep the past buried. Was this the best decision? Did she manage to finally be happy and live a careless life? Was love again in the cards for her? The future will show. Now, twenty years later, Brianna was about to start college and turning 18 made her wish to find out who her father is stronger. She was at a point in life where she wanted to find answers about herself too, including her true sexuality. She felt the need to find out more about her family. Do we really need to know where we come from to know who we are? Humorous at times, this beautifully written and perfectly paced story deals with many themes (aggressive behaviors, physical and emotional abuse, family issues, sexuality, etc) that are far from being happy, but are definitely a part of the real life. The characters are strong, well-described, and unique. The twists and turns, with a dash of mystery, are often unexpected. A real page-turner and another proof that the author is one of my favorites. Quotes: “She can never know the truth. I'm not even sure I know the whole truth. I promise you with all my heart that I'll keep the past buried in the past for her sake and for yours. If she ever needs to know who her father is, I'll tell her you disappeared—that I never had a chance to find you, but you were a good man. A good man I will love until the day I die.” “Life just happens sometimes. You can't predict it. You don't know where it will drop you off unexpectedly. You only get to pick up the pieces when it's all said and done.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s website  Humorous, heart-touching story.
Blurb: “He's a tall, burly carpenter who will be a great mother someday, with a little unexpected supernatural help. Lloyd has reached the age of 32 years, seven months, four days, and six hours without finding Miss Right and converting her into Mrs. Lloyd Schifflebein. Yes, Schifflebein. A name that is unromantic, unspellable, and way too long for signing checks and the backs of credit cards. Even if Miss Right appears, there is another impediment to wedded bliss: Lloyd obsesses over his six children. He doesn’t have them yet, but he is working on it. He has been filing adoption applications all his adult life. This leads many people to deduce that Lloyd Schifflebein is crazy. Big and strong, sure. Cute, maybe, but loony nonetheless. Somehow Lloyd finally convinces the Social Worker From Hell that he really is good father-material. Soon the Schifflebein household is a circus, with six special kids and their six neurotic pet bunnies. To become a forever family, however, they must pass a probationary period with surprise inspections at any time. Then things begin to go wrong: The Teapot arrives. The one that is certain to get Lloyd get officially labeled “insane,” removing any chance of successful adoptions. Miss Right appears, but she is engaged to someone else. Lloyd’s enemies attack him with false accusations and numerous lawsuits. The government takes away Lloyd’s children, pending his day in court. In his fight to keep his children, his livelihood, and his beloved bride, Lloyd definitely needs supernatural help – even if it comes in the form of a snarky, talking Teapot.” Oh goodness, what a sweet story! This was one of the cutest, funniest, heart-warming story I have ever read. The author’s easiness to write humorous lines is amazing, but I have to admit that the story brought also tears to my eyes at times. Despite the paranormal touch of the teapot talking and cooking tea by itself, I would love to see that Lloyd exists in real life. His past made him determined to adopt and take care of six young-children. He prepared all his adult life for this and despite the fact that people had him for being crazy, he never gave up. Were all his wishes fulfilled? I invite you to find out for yourself. For me it was definitely a gripping read that I would love to see turned into a movie one day. Well done! * At the time of this review the ebook is FREE on Amazon so I encourage you to grab your copy and see for yourselves how amazing it is. Quotes: “Lloyd had a philosophy: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If it ain’t on clearance (defined as at least 70 percent off), don’t buy it. If it’s less than 50 years old, it’s too good to get rid of. If it’s more than 50 years old, it’s an antique and therefore too valuable to get rid of. It was a blessing that Lloyd had never married because his philosophy probably would have driven some poor female to commit murder sooner or later….Despite his positive attributes, however, Lloyd had reached the age of thirty-two years, seven months, four days, and six hours without finding Miss Right” “Supernatural assurance had surrounded Lloyd Schifflebein since the day in his early teens when he realized, calmly, that no divinely-inspired couple would ever appear to adopt him into their warm, sunny, house full of hugs and homemade cookies. Lloyd’s joy and comfort from that day forward had been his absolute certainty that he was going to provide that home for six very special children someday.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon  Cozy mystery with unique and charming characters.
Blurb: “When an extra ticket becomes available to attend the dress rehearsal of Braxton's King Lear production, Kellan tags along with Nana D and her buddies, sisters-in-law Eustacia and Gwendolyn Paddington, to show support for the rest of the Paddington family. When one of them appears to have a heart attack in the middle of the second act, Nana D raises her suspicions and asks Kellan to investigate who killed her friend. Amidst family members suddenly in debt and a secret rendezvous between an unlikely pair, Kellan learns the Paddingtons might not be as clean-cut as everyone thinks. But did one of them commit murder for an inheritance? Kellan's back in his second adventure since returning home to Pennsylvania. With his personal life in upheaval and his new boss, Myriam, making life difficult, will he be able to find a killer or will he get caught up in his own version of stage fright?” “Broken Heart Attack” is the second book in the “Braxton Campus Mysteries” series, which at this moment contain four books, but can be all read as standalone. The course of events got me interested from the very beginning. Kellan, the main character, is easily lifelike. He seems to be a really cool guy, friendly, polite, thoughtful, smart and funny. I loved the type of relationship Kellan has with his grandmother. Nana D is quite the character, definitely not like the majority of people her age. She is in her seventies and planning to run for mayor. When her friend Gwendolyn dies during the King Lear play, and the suspicious cause of death is born, Nana D. is the one insisting Kellan to help find the murderer. “The things I did for my family were getting way too weird.”- says Kellan. With intertwining stories and events, the mystery is evolving. The road is not easy. Kellan has to deal with the Paddington clan. Sheriff April doesn't seem to be on his side but this will not stop him on his mission. Luckily, he is good at being nosy and sometimes a good eavesdropper. Sometimes it seems he can’t catch a break. He has to deal with drama around the family of his no longer present wife. I would love to say more but I am afraid it may be a spoiler. However, Kellan’s daughter is sweet and smart. Luckily, Kellan has his parents, grandmother and sister around that help him baby sit while he’s busy with lots of stuff. He is not only working on the case finding out who the murderer is, but he is dealing with his private drama, helping for Nana’s mayoral campaign, he is being a great supporter for his sister, and he is trying to have some social life between his daily job and all the other interests and obligations. This mystery had me on my toes, kept me swaying between the suspects almost till the very end. Through details, settings, and the most lovable characters the reader will fall instantly in love with reading this mystery. I will be looking for the other books in the series to see what is Kellan up to again. My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s website  “Are you a devil? Are you a witch? Judge the soul of my enemies, Mrs Jittery Twitch.”
Blurb: “ How twisted do you like your fairy tales? A half-woman, half-cockroach fused in a bizarre gardening accident? That would be Mrs Jittery Twitch, dwelling in the shadows of our misdeeds. If in danger, you can call upon her help… all she asks is your soul as payment. But she’s just a legend, so no need to worry. Barry Harris is a 28-year-old man, still living with his dear old mum in a little flat above a hairdresser. His obsession with Star Trek and the martial arts won’t help him when he’s forced out on a date. And nobody knows about the weird string of events that’s about to put everyone’s lives in danger. A trio of samurai warriors and the strangest offer of help lead Barry on a perilous mission to save the day.” Wow! What a strange ride. The book starts with a conversation between Barry and Brian. Then Jittery Twitch is mentioned. “Are you a devil? Are you a witch? Judge the soul of my enemies, Mrs. Jittery Twitch.” - this should be the line when someone would need her help. I read the following chapters trying to figure out when will Jittery presence be needed. I didn’t like Barry, the main character, but I thought Molly, his mom, was hilarious. She loves metal music and watches Xena. Her cooking style is even stranger. Then we are introduced to Jo. Soon after she was kidnapped by some samurai. Without her medication, Jo has only three days to live. Barry, Molly, Merrill (Jo’s aunt), and the doctor are part of the rescue team. Will manage in time? Can Barry save her from the samurais with his ninja knowledge? Why are the ninjas attacking in the first place? And then we have the neighbor's dog. The author constantly keeps readers on their toes with some weird situations or comments, strange attacks, unexpected twists, and some graphic violence. When I started reading I didn’t have any idea if I would enjoy it or not and I rarely feel like that about a book. The footnotes seemed at first unpractical and are slowing down the pace, but then they actually made me laugh eagerly checking the next one. The course of events in the second part of the book got my interest. The author is asking the reader to pay attention and guess who the narrator is. I have to admit. I didn’t guess it but I am not going to reveal it so you can play your own game. It was fun finding out though. Despite the dark humor and some sarcasm that I enjoyed, I felt that was something missing to the plot that would make me like it more. Or I may not be entirely the right target? Anyhow, I am glad I experienced something different, twisted and ...did I say different? :) The author’s excellent comedic writing amused me. My rating: 3/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon |
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Message to you:In order to be a good writer, one has to read a lot. And I do and I love it....and I chose to share my readings with you. Feel free to share with me any of the books you have read or wrote, if I find them interesting I will add them to my list. I'll post my reviews on Goodreads, Amazon and all my social accounts. |
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