Humor

The Reign of the Anti-Santas

Colin Dodds (Dodds Amalgamated, LLC)

| Reviewed by Cristina Prescott

The Reign of the Anti-Santas by Colin Dodds is a unique and audacious Christmas tale that takes readers on a rollercoaster ride through a world where the holiday spirit collides head-on with corporate greed, scandal, and societal change. The story is narrated by Elvin, an elf with a front-row seat to the evolution and devolution of Christmas. Elvin's journey begins when he unwittingly accompanies Santa Claus on a Christmas Eve trip, setting the stage for a decades-long adventure filled with intrigue and danger. Dodds creates a narrative that in...

A Florist Called Daisy

Elsie G. Beya (Atmosphere Press)

| Reviewed by Jane Riley

Daisy is a florist who loves her life the way it is — without a man in it. She is tough, speaks her mind, and possesses sarcasm that stings. But her life changes when she meets Stewart Burns, a frontman for an indie band. While there is obviously nothing to connect the two, Stewart's charm rubs off so easily and quickly on Daisy. The walls she has built around her life begin to crumble like petals as she falls for him. But can she allow herself to be vulnerable and be touched where she hurts deeply or will she risk her life with Stewart? Reade...

Doing Time in California

Dwight Jesmer (Atmosphere Press)

| Reviewed by Daniel Rhodes

Kimo Jones has only three weeks left to complete his sentence in a maximum security prison. Just three weeks! Then he does something incredibly insane: he escapes from prison. The reason might be ridiculous to any sane person, but not for Jones who can't miss playing the annual golf tournament with his friends. During yard duty, he escapes and an encounter with the beautiful Rachel makes his adventure an even more enjoyable one. Along the way, they meet Frank, his friend, Frank's brother, and Frank's wife. Kimo quickly learns that a lot of trag...

Nothing to See Here.

Brendan Walsh (Brendan Walsh)

| Reviewed by Bertin Drizller

Nothing to See Here by Brendan Walsh is a rollicking ride for readers looking for cleverly plotted tales with a strong dose of humor and unforgettable characters. Maxi Dillion goes back to his hometown after being away for twenty-five years in New York. There is speculation from everyone as to why Maxi comes back to live with his eighty-year-old mother. Things are about to take a dramatic turn in his life when he meets Ella, a childhood friend who's always been into him. Ella is a beautiful woman now and the attraction between her and Maxi is a...

Revolution

David Dorrough (David Dorrough)

| Reviewed by Christian Fernandez

Revolution by David Dorrough is a resonant novel with nuanced themes and fascinating characters, set against the backdrop of twenty-first century Los Angeles, California, a thought-provoking novel that is sprinkled with reflections about life and the challenges that middle-aged Americans face.  The existential themes are brilliantly developed and the author has readers thinking about the doldrums of everyday life and what it takes to revolutionize one’s existence. Readers are thrust into the social lives of well-crafted character...

Surrender

Wayne Allen Drake (Independently Published)

| Reviewed by Bertin Drizller

What will you do if you knew with absolute certainty that you only have a month to live? In Surrender by Wayne Allen Drake, twenty-two-year-old Adam Lankershim receives the most devastating diagnosis of his life — he has only a month left to live. As someone who has never felt that life was fair to him, always living with a debilitating sense of bad luck following him, something that has been in the family even before he was born, he now decides to make the most of the days he’s left with. Adam goes to Las Vegas with his best friend, Sara, an...

Reason and Romance

Terrance Layhew (BookBaby)

| Reviewed by Daniel Rhodes

Reason and Romance by Terrance Layhew is an intelligently plotted and expertly executed novel that explores the friction between feeling and reason, following an unusual protagonist who sets out to write his first romance novel and in the process, explores the emotional climates of his heart. George Austen is an author who takes his craft very seriously and doesn’t think that romance is a genre for the likes of him. When challenged to write a romance novel of his own, he creates a plan that involves dating as a means to garner inspiration and r...

A Ghost in a Bottle (Immortology, Book Two)

C.L.R. Draeco (Amaranth Publishing)

| Reviewed by Daniel Rhodes

A Ghost in a Bottle (Immortology, Book Two) by C.L.R. Draeco is a sequel to A Ghost for a Clue and an engaging tale with an irresistible appeal to fans of novels that intelligently meld science fiction, the supernatural, and contemporary fantasy. Bram Morrison is a robotics engineer who has just made a powerful breakthrough — the discovery of a way to cheat death. He has created a software program that enables ghosts to connect with the living, a man who believes in the absurd. He is determined to help souls in the afterlife find their fee...

Fight Naked

Kathy Thorson Gruhn (MBC Publishing)

| Reviewed by Jane Riley

Fight Naked by Kathy Thorson Gruhn is a book that lists all the silly mistakes everybody makes in life and encourages us to laugh wholeheartedly at the absurdity of it all. Do you remember the first time you tried to put on a bra? Or the time you made an ultimate fool of yourself in the eyes of the law? Kathy Thorson Gruhn does! From middle school to high school and even adulthood, humorous and silly encounters seem to follow her no matter where she goes. Therefore, in an attempt to make amends with the universe —which is ad...

Speedy Hurled through Havoc

Dave Letterfly Knoderer (Self)

| Reviewed by Jane Riley

The life of Dave Letterfly Knoderer, filled with agony and despair, takes a drastic but positive turn as he focuses most of his energy on becoming an entertainer and a spiritual seeker. His love for personal expression and horses is what keeps his boat afloat throughout a long journey dotted with toxic relationships. Letterfly has known the importance of dusting himself off and standing up stronger after every setback, and there have been quite a few inspirational acquaintances in his life to remind him of his capabilities and talent. His battl...

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