RebeccasReads

A Life Lived Ridiculously

I’ve just finished reading “A Life Lived Ridiculously” by author Annabelle R. Charbit. It was a good book; well-written and the story / characters drew me in from the get go.

The premise of “A Life Lived Ridiculously” is this: Maxine (this story’s main character) is a Jewish girl with a serious case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Of course she doesn’t realize this; she’s done all the research on this particular ailment and none of its symptoms correctly fit what she experiences on a painful minute by minute basis. Her parents are constantly on her case to find a man; get married and settle down after all, what woman really needs to hold a PhD in anything? Her younger brother Claude, who has always been her best friend and confidante, has apparently met “Miss Perfect” and has turned his back on his earlier days of debauchery which unfortunately also includes Maxine.

One night at a family dinner party Maxine meets Sam… Sam is a boney stick of a man who comports himself like someone who is fifty not thirty and Maxine is instantly repelled by him. However, time moves on and Sam, desperate to win Maxine’s affections, is ever present in her life until one day she does the unthinkable and actually falls in love with him. It’s at this exact moment that Sam vanishes off the face of the earth. Maxine is frantic; she worries that Sam is dead and she finds herself obsessing about him and becoming more depressed by the day.

I’m not going to give away anymore of the story but suffice it to say that “A Life Lived Ridiculously” was a page turner in a dramatic and very true to life way. I guess my only beef with this book was its title: “A Life Lived Ridiculously.” Throughout its entirety I never felt that any of this fictional tale was ridiculous in fact, more often than not, I found it to be extremely sobering. I know there are people and situations that mirror this story in real life. Regardless, “A Life Lived Ridiculously” was a great read and definitely worth four stars. Probably a “must read” for most single women too…


A Life Lived Ridiculously
Dr. Annabelle R. Charbit
Firefly Publishing & Entertainment (2012)
ISBN 9780984642861
Reviewed by Charline Ratcliff for RebeccasReads (2/12)

Life on Grayson Island

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I asked to review “Life on Grayson Island” by E.R. Champion but having found it listed in the “Humor” section I did expect it to be funny. It was funny…just not as much as I had hoped. Don’t get me wrong; I’m sure there are those who will find this book hilarious but unfortunately I am not one of those people.

The premise of “Life on Grayson Island” is this: Brent Williams has just recently moved to Grayson Island in lieu of completely retiring from the police force. However Grayson Island is also a private island which means that all of the standard infractions that would normally cause some form of citation, ticket or even an arrest do not apply to the “natives” of Grayson Island. Needless to say most of the training and experience that Williams acquired during his stint as Lieutenant for the Department of Defense cannot be applied in his new position as “Special” Policeman of Grayson Island.

Grayson Island is also a crazy island. The people who live there are extremely wealthy and amazingly eccentric. Opinions are provided on an over-the-top regular basis to be made into the island rules for the non-natives to live by and each resident seems to have their own reality which doesn’t mesh with anyone else’s. In summary, two hundred and eight pages of inane antics by the mainly over forty crowd and the question you have to ask yourself is: how long can Brent Williams and his wife deal with the idiocy before they decide enough is enough and move back to a more “normal” part of the country?

All in all “Life on Grayson Island” was a decent read. To be fair the book did manage to hold my attention / keep me occupied on the two hour flight from Oakland to Phoenix. “Life on Grayson Island” was well-written and due in part to the craziness of today’s society the characters were totally believable. At times there was a little too much innuendo / cynicism for my taste but I do understand that’s kind of the premise of the book. Let’s look at how the other half really lives…


Life on Grayson Island
E. R. Champion
Outskirts Press, Inc. (2011)
ISBN 9781432765798
Reviewed by Charline Ratcliff for RebeccasReads (1/12)

The Tea Party & The Tyrant: Liberty v/s Tyranny

“The Tea Party & The Tyrant:L Liberty v/s Tyranny” by Felton (Toby) Williamson, Jr is a compilation of 33 articles and 79 illustrations.  As the author declares, the book has Thomas Paine content presented with a Dr. Seuss format.

In the foreword to the book, Williamson explains that the book “is an attempt to provide a different format that helps the reader to understand a complete meaning and the full implications of complicated text, all with a very enjoyable format.” (Foreword)  The articles in the book came from the commonsense21c.com website.  He took 33 posts and edited them, adding the illustrations to help the reader better understand and to provide enjoyment to the reader.

The content of “The Tea Party & The Tyrant: Liberty v/s Tyranny” has a very “on the soapbox” type feel to it.  While it is clear which “side” the author is on on the issues he does present some very thought-provoking points.  I think that those who agree with Williamson will definitely enjoy his writings.  Those who are on the opposite side of the fence may not feel the same way.  Williamson, however, is quite aware of this, and even says in the book that “The illustrations can be used to aggravate self-righteous ‘Progressives’ and wannabe Tyrants …” (Foreword).

In the politically charged climate in which we live, I could see some people getting quite fired up after reading “The Tea Party & The Tyrant: Liberty v/s Tyranny.”  I think that it will be quite controversial, but that appears to be Williamson’s point as the style in which he wrote the book is quite conducive to controversy.

The Tea Party & The Tyrant: Liberty v/s Tyranny
Felton (Toby) Williamson, Jr.
CreateSpace (2011)
ISBN 9781463560492
Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebecca’s Reads (06/11)

Cure Your Democracy: The Infection, Spread, and Treatment of Contagious Opinions

“Cure Your Democracy: The Infection, Spread, and Treatment of Contagious Opinions” by John Cooker, MRI is a political humor book.  Throughout his research, Cooker has identified two “viruses” which he deems as highly contagious:  Democratitus and Democratosis.  These viruses are associated with the positions one holds on the conservative to liberal political spectrum.    

Cooker opens the book by telling the reader that:  “There’s an epidemic sweeping across America but no one’s taking it seriously.  The infected look like normal Americans, at first, familiar and approachable.  But then they open their mouths and foreign words leap out known only to inhabitants of their special Nation, a distinct code only they understand; left coaster, mama grizzly, Obamacare, drill baby drill, death panels, nanny state, treehugger, nukular, smoke and mirrors, Orwellian, refudiate; or PC, gay rights, luddite, inclusiveness, Neocon, global village, teabagger, glass ceiling, junk science, public option, I didn’t inhale.”  (p.9)  He then goes on to describe each “virus” and provide related examples and stories.

I think Cooker’s work is a very timely piece.  Currently I live in Wisconsin, which as of late has become quite the politically charged state with battles waging over diminishing the rights of unions.  Heated debates have taken place on the grounds of the state capitol between the deeply polarized sides.  I appreciated Cooker’s humorous take on the partisan arguing in our nation.  The way that he describes the different “viruses” is quite amusing and in most cases spot on.  I believe that “Cure Your Democracy: The Infection, Spread, and Treatment of Contagious Opinions” is a great book to help diffuse a little of the current tension that exists in America today.

Cure Your Democracy: The Infection, Spread, and Treatment of Contagious Opinions
John Cooker, MRI
Spin Doctor Press (2011)
ISBN 9780983572404
Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebecca’s Reads (06/11)

Law and Peace

The title of this book is a misnomer? With law and lawyers how can peace ever prevail…and more importantly how can lawyers live in a world of peace. I am reminded of the work “Utopia”  wherein it is remarked that there are no lawyers in Utopia…for lawyers are persons who take advantage of misfortune- and Utopia is the perfect society, the only society were law and peace prevails.

Having read “Law and Disorder” a couple of years back, I knew that the author Tim Kevan has the stuff in him to give you a punch…but what  “Law and Peace” provides is not merely a punch, but a real kick that will knock you over.

BabyBarista the protagonist whom we first met in “Law and Disorder” has learned the hard tricks of the trade…lying, cheating and all other underhand dealings to become a good lawyer. But BabyB is deep in financial trouble. He has to get out quick- come clean and save his neck…otherwise everything would be downhill. So does BabyB deal with it? Like a good lawyer he engages in shifty deals, blackmail and some share dealing techniques the types of which one might not even have heard in Wall Street.

What follows is a hilariously funny read which satires the legal profession to its maximum. Not since the days of A. P. Herbert and Laurance Polak has the humorous side of law been so much explored.  The demise of John Mortimer a couple of years back left a void in pure legal fiction….and now that vacuum has been filled. Welcome Tim Kevan, the John Mortimer of the 21st century.

Law and Peace
Tim Kevan
Tim Kevan
ISBN 9781408814215
Reviewed by Narayan Radhakrishnan for Rebecca's Reads (6/11)

The Call

Derald Hamilton’s novel, “The Call,” is told through the eyes of the main character Ishmael O’Donnell.  O’Donnell grew up in a military family and moved around quite a bit when he was young.  He had a twin brother who had died when they were toddlers.  Upon his brother’s death, his brother’s spirit entered Ishmael’s body and continued to maintain residence there throughout Ishmael’s life.  Ishmael’s father was not the best role model in the world as he continually sought out other women during times of deployment, even fathering another woman’s child.  This dysfunctional upbringing greatly influenced all aspects of Ishmael’s life.

After exploring Ishmael’s younger years and watching him as he grows, the next part of the book explores Ishmael’s life after he decides to go to seminary.  Hamilton’s satirical account of the seminary community is particularly interesting and humorous.  The characters are very unique and not the types that you would expect in the seminary setting.  That is one thing that I love, when I am presented with the unexpected, as it always makes for an interesting read.  In a letter that accompanied the book for review, Hamilton said that he drew upon his personal experiences in seminary training when writing “The Call.”  It is neat to have an “insider’s view” into the seminary world.

“The Call” is definitely an entertaining book and while the cover and synopsis look and sound quite serious, the book actually has humor in it as well.  I enjoyed reading about the protagonist Ishmael’s life through Hamilton’s captivating writing.  If you are intrigued by the unexpected, then I recommend giving “The Call” a try.

The Call
Derald Hamilton
D Hamilton Books (2010)
ISBN 9780984619207
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (05/11)

Glorify Each Day

“Glorify Each Day” by John Banks is not a book that I would pick up just by looking at the cover. By the sounds of the title and looks of the cover, it would appear to be some type of religious or self-help book. Let me assure you, however, that it is neither. Although when I did receive the book I had to flip it over and read the back just to be sure that it was the fictional book that I thought it was. Any of the religious connotations that the title may give will be quickly washed away when you read the opening pages. In them, the main character Tommy (“Teach”) is eight years old and he severely abuses his family pet to the point that he thinks that it is dead. Reading this part made my stomach churn, but I chose to move forward and read on and I am glad I did. What follows is a very gripping story of a man who had never gotten over his first love. He thinks of her constantly and it has a profound impact on his life and on the other relationships that he has. The book goes back and forth between past events in Teach’s life and current day events. He teaches a GED class full of quite an interesting array of individuals whom we get to know better through reading the essays that they write for his class. Banks does a wonderful job at creating a fascinating cast of characters. I really enjoyed the different mix of people and found their lives and insights to be quite thought-provoking. “Glorify Each Day” is quite a unique work of fiction. Banks has woven an intricate novel whose pieces all fit quite neatly together in the end. Although there are some parts in the book that may be offensive to some readers, I believe that the novel is a worthwhile read.

Glorify Each Day
John Banks
819 Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9780983333401
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (4/11)

The Simple Man's Burden

I’ve spent the last three days toiling…trying to figure out how to write a good review for “The Simple Man’s Burden” by author Vergil Den. Unfortunately I was stumped then and I’m still stumped now.

Where do I begin? Well, the cover was unusual. The book’s title “The Simple Man’s Burden” was underlined however when I looked closer I saw that the “underline” was actually a metal closet rod from which both a pressed man’s suit and eleven empty hangers hung. Below that were the words “Observations and Reflections from Within the Complex.” Mm hmm… Interesting… I wondered if I was going to open the book and find myself reading about some Communist compound that everyone who was unfortunate enough to be stuck inside was trying to escape. Maybe that feeling was the author’s intent; if so, then kudos to him. I flipped the book over and read the back. The author’s comment that “he is a recovering Empty Suit” threw me for a loop but at least the jacket’s artwork made perfect sense now.

In “The Simple Man’s Burden” the author wants us to follow along and experience a day in the life of a quietly desperate company man. This unhappy man, who is a management consultant, shares with us his dark and cynical thoughts about this absurd and unpredictable day. Did I mention that these thoughts are supposed to be humorous? According to the jacket they are supposed to be “bizarrely humorous” and have been compared to “Bloom County,” “Office Space,” and “Monty Python.” While I haven’t seen “Bloom County” I have watched “Monty Python” and “Office Space.” I may not have laughed at everything they contained but I did laugh at some. That’s more that I can say for this book which elicited from me a total of one half-hearted snicker during its entirety.

Sadly, I found “The Simple Man’s Burden” a burden to read. The author, Vergil Den, seems intent on writing in a very pompous and garrulous manner. He has a plethora of gratuitously polysyllabic words of which ubiquitous seems to be one of his favorites. He drones on and on about the wrongs of almost everything and it seems as if nothing is safe from his overly critical opinion and let me reiterate his opinion even though more often than not he presents it as fact. A tiny example: his bold assertion that all ESs (Empty Suits) are golfers. Has he met every single “ES” in the world? Maybe a better statement would be that he’s sure all ESs are golfers…not that they are. And honestly does it really matter if they are or aren’t? And just out of curiosity…isn’t labeling a form of discrimination?

I could continue indefinitely with my criticism but I won’t. Suffice it to say that I neither enjoyed nor agreed with the message in “The Simple Man’s Burden.” And lastly, I found the author’s voice to be exceptionally critical, disdainful, condescending, and mean-spirited toward mankind in general.

The Simple Man's Burden
Vergil Den
Aventine Press (2010)
ISBN 9781593307004
Reviewed by Charline Ratcliff for RebeccasReads (3/11)

BOOMERS Tales from the Subjected Plain

I’m unsure where to begin in my review of “BOOMERS Tales from the Subjected Plain.” A week or so ago I was asked if I would be interested in reviewing this title by author F. Korn. I did my usual research and while I found the book’s cover to be unappealing at least the jacket blurb seemed…different and unusual…so I agreed. “BOOMERS Tales from the Subjected Plain” is supposed to be a daytime soap opera set in a time before high-speed internet when, for the “Boomer” generation Friday nights meant singles bars and Sunday nights were for singles at church. Anyway, my copy arrived and I found a secluded corner and began to read.

First things first; I read the two short passages Korn provided in lieu of a dedication. The first, a quote from Paradise Lost, was interesting and I idly wondered if that was where the author derived some inspiration for part of the book’s title. The second paragraph, from Heinrich Heine, was in German and I was slightly taken aback. Couldn’t Korn have provided an English translation for those of us who aren’t fluent in German? Well… Okay… Fine… I chalked it up to the author’s artistic style and continued reading.

Next came the Prologue; I’m sure I had a look of complete bewilderment on my face as I read it. Once I’d managed to work my way through those three pages I immediately flipped the book over to read the back cover again. Nope, it hadn’t changed; it was still understandable. This is more than I can say for the Prologue or even for the remainder of the book. In all honesty, if the jacket blurb had read the same way that this entire book reads I would have turned the review request down in about three seconds flat.

My eyes continued down the back cover when I was stopped by the words “he has published poetry and prose in a variety of journals.” Mm hmm… The universe is starting to make sense again. While I appreciate the fact that there are many types of genres for books I also understand that there are some unspoken rules for writing which really shouldn’t be broken. For instance, poetry can be a wonderful tapestry of words that can elicit powerful imagery or heartfelt emotions. I’m sure anyone who has ever read poetry understands the way it “flows.” The way it conveys its message in short clips that in any other genre would require much more explanation and/or description. In other words one wouldn’t right a novel the same way one would write a poem. Or at least one shouldn’t. Books usually tell a story - the key word in this sentence being tell. Unfortunately “BOOMERS Tales from the Subjected Plain” reads like a cross between an eclectic foreign poem recently translated into English and the hastily scribbled notes a psychoanalyst might take during a session with his or her client. “BOOMERS Tales from the Subjected Plain” might have been “darkly humorous” and have had “unforgettable characters” as promised on the back cover if the author had actually taken the time to bring each person to life instead of providing us with a clinical dossier that seemed to lack all the key elements.

To sum up? “BOOMERS Tales from the Subjected Plain” was a very weird read for me. Because of how it was written I felt as though I was being forced to read it at a break-neck pace not to mention that I found the writing style itself to be severely lacking and peculiarly composed…

BOOMERS Tales from the Subjected Plain
F. Korn
Lapsus House (2011)
ISBN 9781608447640
Reviewed by Charline Ratcliff for RebeccasReads (3/11)

Flashes and Specks

Before I even began reading the actual book I knew that “Flashes and Specks” by Mark Pogodzinski was going to be different.  First, the book does not have chapters; it has “episodes.”  It has 35 of them to be exact with some of the episodes having Prologues or Epilogues.

Another element that caught my eye was on the page immediately after the cover of the book.  On this page, Pogodzinski lists quotes from various reviews that he has received for the novel already.  Intermingled among reviews from Amazon are fun quotes from various people in his life.  For instance, one reads, “It’s very nice, dear.  No, I didn’t read the whole thing.  I really prefer mysteries set in Scotland.- Author’s mother.”  I really enjoyed the author’s sense of humor and my interest was piqued already after reading this page.

The actual body of the novel is very unique and the characters are quite intriguing.  Just to give a little snippet, the opening episode begins when the main character Henry is younger and is at the funeral of his cousin who had committed suicide.  One of the aunts is talking about the cousin in a negative light.  The cousin appears to Henry standing behind the aunt and proceeds to make her choke on the roll that she was eating.  His cousin will continue to appear to him throughout his life.  What follows in the rest of the book is just as unusual as the opening episode.

The storyline moves at a fast pace and the subjects and issues that Pogodzinski touches on are truly thought-provoking.  The layout of the novel is original making for an interesting read.  “Flashes and Specks” is a complex story which is philosophical and entertaining in nature.

Flashes and Specks
Mark Pogodzinski
No Frills Press (2010)
ISBN 9780578047119
Reviewed by Kam Aures for Rebecca’s Reads (01/11)

Supermale's Gone and Left Us (Kindle Version)

With a title like “Supermale’s Gone and Left Us” I think anyone would wonder what this book is about regardless of whether it’s their regular reading genre or not. Wouldn’t you? I know I did and needless to say I agreed to review it.

Weighing in at only forty-four pages “Supermale’s Gone and Left us” is definitely not a heavyweight contender, it’s a short book, i.e. a quick read, but those forty-four pages are amazingly descriptive and draw the reader in from the very first sentence. I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw the word “gloomy” used to describe anything other than the weather but there it was in black and white right smack in the middle of page one. “I took in his hangdog face, the sorrowful eyes, the gloomy mouth.” Nice… I was immediately hooked.

So now you’re probably wondering what “Supermale’s Gone and Left Us” is all about. Well, let me tell you. Supermale is the epitome of a superhero. He’s a law abiding citizen, he knows right from wrong and he believes in the innate goodness of the government. Yes, I got a good laugh out of that one myself. Unfortunately for our superhero he has gotten himself incarcerated. No, he didn’t break any laws…unless you count the fact that he’s technically here “illegally” because he never filled out the correct paperwork to gain US citizenship. Mm hmm… Somehow, in this book, I think the laws regarding immigration have gone too far. So now our wonderful superhero is sitting in jail being a model citizen and yet he is being tormented and harassed by prisoners and guards alike. Finally he is placed in solitary confinement for safety reasons; for the safety of the other inmates who keep injuring themselves in their ridiculous attacks on him. He’s the man of steel guys…come on, what did you really expect?

Unfortunately I’m not going to share any more than that though because I really don’t want to give the story away. Suffice it to say that “Supermale’s Gone and Left Us” by author Bob Frey is a great book, it’s very well-written, it’s a sarcastically humorous tale and you can read it via Kindle for only ninety-nice cents. Bargain! Plus, there’s a really nice twist at the end that will make you sit up and go “huh?!?”

Supermale's Gone and Left Us (Kindle Version)
Bob Frey
Van Fleet Books (2010)
ASIN: B004F9PA7K
Reviewed by Charline Ratcliff for RebeccasReads (1/11)

Vivian's Song

I was recently asked if I would be interested in reviewing “Vivian’s Song” by author Tom Pointer. I liked the artwork on the cover and since this is Pointer’s debut novel I agreed to review it.

The premise of “Vivian’s Song” is this: it’s spring, 1998. The residents of a small Missouri town are shocked, horrified, and appalled one morning when they open their newspapers and read that some “New Age” cult group from California is buying land and moving into their predominantly Christian community. The supposed cult leader is Duke Tanner; the book’s main character. He’s a former champion bull rider, a fantastic Cadillac salesman and a Viet Nam vet who hails from Texas. While he does have a “following,” his “congregation” is based upon his concept of creating wealth through the power of thought and, more importantly, he’s got the bank statements to back it up. Apparently he realized the secret of “The Secret” before it became big news a few years back…

Needless to say Duke’s neighbor, who is a staunch conservative Senator, and the local clergy are completely outraged by Duke’s beliefs. They decide to band together in an attempt to run him out of town. Is this America, land of the free, or a religiously hounded 15th century Europe? Of course Duke refuses to be harassed or intimidated and what ensues is the largest clash this small town has ever seen. I’m sure if these guys had actually done their research on Duke they would have realized if the meanest bull alive couldn’t shake him then they didn’t stand a chance…

Overall, I found “Vivian’s Song” to be an interesting read and I can definitely see and understand the message within. As far as the writing style, while I wouldn’t say I was on the edge of my seat, I will say that the story was sufficiently interesting enough for me to overlook the lack of finesse and enjoy it. Also, the book’s formatting was extremely different from what I'm used to seeing in a printed text but at least it was easy to follow. Finally, I found the book’s ending to be somewhat anticlimactic. I personally didn’t enjoy the route the story took near the end but overall “Vivian’s Song” was a decent read and I give it a three star rating.

Vivian's Song
Tom Pointer
CreateSpace (2009)
ISBN 9781442106000
Reviewed by Charline Ratcliff for RebeccasReads (12/10)