Archive for the ‘Humor’ Category

Review: A Ghostly Murder – Tonya Kappes

Thursday, January 14th, 2016
A Ghostly Murder
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Witness (September 29, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062374931
ISBN-13: 978-0062374936
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Synopsis:

Once again Emma Lee finds herself trying to help a recently departed spirit solve their murder in order to cross over.

Characters:

Emma Lee Raines – Undertaker and communicator with the dead.
Mamie Sue Preston –

Review

This is the fourth and unless things change, final entry in Ms. Kappes Ghostly Southern Mysteries, and like all the rest was a blast to read. As a reader of the whole series, I’ve been able to watch the characters grow. The Emma in this book has much higher self esteem and is more comfortable in her role.

Each of these books, while connected, can also be read as standalones. However, each book will kind of spoil the one prior by mentioning some of the events that occurred, so if you get the chance to read them in order, I’d do so.

I’d rate this for all ages, as there doesn’t seem to be much objectionable outside of the murder, and the violence from those attempting to stop Emma’s investigations. However, none of the violence is graphic, and is more along the lines of what you’d find in a Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew story.

If you like cozy mysteries with a sense of humor, grab this series. Be sure to drop back in and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

Tonya KappesFor years, USA today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Lucy at Harper Collins for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

2 people like this post.

Review: A Ghostly Demise – Tonya Kappes

Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
A Ghostly Demise
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Witness (August 25, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062374915
ISBN-13: 978-0062374912
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Synopsis:

Once again Emma Lee finds herself trying to help a recently departed spirit solve their murder in order to cross over.

Characters:

Cephus Hardy – Recently departed.
Emma Lee Raines – Undertaker and communicator with the dead.

Review

This is the third entry in Ms. Kappes Ghostly Southern Mysteries, and like all the rest was a ton of fun. Emma Raines, and the cast of characters are just enjoyable, and the humor just adds to the storyline. As a reader, I really get the feel of this small town, and really like all the oddball characters.

Like all the rest, there are various subplots involving Emma’s grandmother, her run for mayor, and someone trying to sabotage her campaign. The grandmother out of all the characters, is one of the most fun. None of the characters are really cookie cutter, but each has their own distinct appearance and likeability factor.

If you are into cozy mysteries with a sense of humor, you’d love this series. I can’t think of anything objectionable in it. So check it out and be sure to let us know what you thought.

About the Author

Tonya KappesFor years, USA today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Lucy at Harper Collins for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

1 people like this post.

Review: How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You – The Oatmeal

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015
How to Tell If Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You
Paperback: 136 pages
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing; Pap/Pstr edition (October 9, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1449410243
ISBN-13: 978-1449410247
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Review

Anyone that has ever owned a cat, will find things to chuckle at in this book. From signs on how to tell your cat is trying to kill you, to cartoons about cats at work. Some of the jokes are much funnier than others, but they all strike a chord of truthfulness. For yourself as a cat lover, or for the cat lover in your life, you definitely want to check this book out. Be warned though, there are some comic bits with very strong language, so this is definitely for adults.

About the Author

Brilliantly whimsical yet oddly informative, TheOatmeal.com is an entertainment Web site full of comics, quizzes, and stories. The site gets more than 5 million unique page views a month; 250,000 blogs and Web sites have linked to it. TheOatmeal.com is written, drawn, and coded by Matthew Inman, a king of all trades when it comes to the Web. Matthew lives in Seattle, Washington. He subsists on a steady diet of crickets and whiskey. He enjoys long walks on the beach, gravity, and breathing heavily through his mouth. His dislikes include scurvy, typhoons, and tapeworm medication.

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

1 people like this post.

Review: The Wobbit – Harvard Lampoon

Tuesday, December 24th, 2013
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Touchstone (November 26, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1476763674
ISBN-13: 978-1476763675
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Characters:

Billy Bagboy – A Wobbit.
Dumbledalf – A Wizard

Synopsis:

A Wobbit is called into a special YOLO to stop Puff the Magic Dragon in this parody of The Hobbit.

Review

I had very mixed feeling about this. While some of the jokes I did find myself chuckling over, a lot of the humor seemed very dated. For instance, there was a Kirstie Alley fat joke, Richard Nixon was a character, and other things along those lines. Some of the most up to date cultural references involve more modern movies and stories. There was a lot of Harry Potter jokes, and at times some of the jokes were recycled to the point where they didn’t seem to continue to be humorous.

Perhaps in my old age, I’m losing my sense of humor, but to me it just didn’t strike the right chords on the humor scale. For that I’d recommend it for strong fans of the Tolkien Series, or of movie parodies. This is from the same authors as Nightlight, but for me I expected more. Maybe my expectations were too high, or I was in the wrong mood. Regardless, this isn’t quite one I’d recommend for everyone, but I’m sure there are some who’d love it.

About the Author

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to at for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: Death is a Cabernet – Ken Dalton

Thursday, February 7th, 2013
Paperback: 330 pages
Publisher: Different Drummer Press (September 14, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0578091984
ISBN-13: 978-0578091983
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Characters:

J. Pinkus “Pinky” Delmont – Defense Attorney
Benate “Bear” Zabarle – Part time Bartender/Investigator
Florence “Flo” Sonderlund – Bear’s girlfriend/Tech helper.
Willow Stone – Chief Deputy District Attorney

Synopsis:

The maker of one of Pinky’s favorite wines is found floating in a vat of Cabernet. Pinky and Bear are off to wine country to find out who killed him, and what secrets were being hidden in the winery.

Review

This is the third entry in the Pink and the Bear mystery series. This one like the previous entries is filled with humor and action. This time around we also see the addition of a precocious young girl who Bear and Flo meet when they rent a cabin near a lake. I’ve read all three of these novels so far for a book tour for Mr. Dalton, and each one has been an enjoyable and fun experience. This one is no different. Overall, I’d say Bear and Flo have quickly become my favorites, while Pinky just seems to be there to control the storyline.

If you are into mysteries, particular comic mysteries such as the Stephanie Plum series, then you should definitely check this one out. I’d rate it for older teens adults to the language and situations. It does come recommended though, so if you read it, be sure to drop back by and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

Ken Dalton was born in 1938 at Hollywood Hospital. He grew up with his parents, his older sister, Pat, and younger brother, Richard in Los Angeles. The year 1938 informs the quick reader that Ken’s older than a lot of people, but younger than some.

In a turn of bad luck, the dreaded Polio virus found Ken.

At the end of World War ll, Ken’s family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a year where he learned how to live through snow blizzards, avoid walking through the large pile of coal in the basement, and how to survive life as an Army Officer’s brat on a base called Fort Warren.

By the age of sixteen, after eleven years of operations, therapy, and braces, Ken’s luck changed dramatically when he met the girl of his dreams at a party. A few years later they married, produced three wonderful children, and settled into a happy life in Southern California.

In 1966, Ken, who worked as a technician for Pacific Bell, and his family left Southern California for the green hills of Sonoma County where they bought a home in Sebastopol surrounded with apple trees. A few years later, Ken and Arlene built a new home on three and a half acres. They raised cows, pigs, and learned how to build outstanding fences. While their children grew, they hosted two exchange students, Eva Reimers from Sweden, and Tanja Wuttke from Germany, both of whom are still loved members of the Dalton clan. Also during those years, Ken was promoted to management at Pacific Bell. He eventually ended up responsible for all the central offices, sixty-three, in an area that covered five counties.

In 1977, Ken, Arlene, Bob Wiltermood, and his wife Norma, designed, built, and operated a 2000 case winery named Pommeraie Vineyards. They produced award winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. However, after Bob died, the winery was sold. Ken and Arlene moved to a hilltop in Healdsburg.

With the winery gone, and time on their hands, Ken and Arlene started to perform with the Camp Rose Players. Twenty years and forty productions later, both are still acting and singing.

Life was good. All Ken had to do was learn some lines and bow when the audience applauded.

Then, ten years ago, Ken started to write. His first article was published in Golf Illustrated in August 1996. More golf articles followed in national and regional magazines including Golf Magazine and Fairways and Greens.

After a two-year stint on the County Grand Jury, Ken felt the need to begin his first novel.

Now, after a decade of struggle to learn the craft of writing, Ken has become the publishing world’s latest overnight sensation.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Nicole at Tribute Books for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: The Big Show Stopper – Ken Dalton

Tuesday, January 8th, 2013
Paperback: 296 pages
Publisher: Different Drummer Press (September 16, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0578054590
ISBN-13: 978-0578054599
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Characters:

J. Pinkus “Pinky” Delmont – Defense Attorney
Benate “Bear” Zabarle – Part time Bartender/Investigator
Florence “Flo” Sonderlund – Bear’s girlfriend/Tech helper.
Willow Stone – Chief Deputy District Attorney

Synopsis:

After their last adventure, Bear decides to treat Flo to a night on the town, followed by a concert by the nation’s top artist Brady Blackstone. But unknown to them, tonight will be his last performance. They will be witnesses to the murder that kicks off their next adventure.

Review

Once again a mystery strong on characters and humor, while having a somewhat simple plot. Brady Blackstone is dead. But it’s up to Pinky, Bear, and Flo to figure out who killed him and why? Bear and Flo are sent to follow the band around on it’s tour and question suspects. Meanwhile, Pinky, as he tends to do it seems, takes the hard part of the job by going to wine festivals and foreign locals. There’s plenty of the financial swindlings from bear, the introduction of a new character to perhaps permanently or temporarily replace an old one, and then there’s Flo, who I think tends to be one of the most entertaining parts of this series.

If you like lighthearted mysteries along the line of Stephanie Plum, then I think you should grab any one of the books in Pinky and the Bear series. This is the second book in the series, the last one having been reviewed last week. Next Thursday we’ll be bringing you book through, followed the following Tuesday by the last and newest in the series so far.

So mystery fans, run out there and grab a copy and let us know what you thought. Do to language, content, etc. I would give this one a rating of PG-13. That Bear can have quite the mouth on him sometimes, which some may find offensive.

About the Author

Ken Dalton was born in 1938 at Hollywood Hospital. He grew up with his parents, his older sister, Pat, and younger brother, Richard in Los Angeles. The year 1938 informs the quick reader that Ken’s older than a lot of people, but younger than some.

In a turn of bad luck, the dreaded Polio virus found Ken.

At the end of World War ll, Ken’s family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a year where he learned how to live through snow blizzards, avoid walking through the large pile of coal in the basement, and how to survive life as an Army Officer’s brat on a base called Fort Warren.

By the age of sixteen, after eleven years of operations, therapy, and braces, Ken’s luck changed dramatically when he met the girl of his dreams at a party. A few years later they married, produced three wonderful children, and settled into a happy life in Southern California.

In 1966, Ken, who worked as a technician for Pacific Bell, and his family left Southern California for the green hills of Sonoma County where they bought a home in Sebastopol surrounded with apple trees. A few years later, Ken and Arlene built a new home on three and a half acres. They raised cows, pigs, and learned how to build outstanding fences. While their children grew, they hosted two exchange students, Eva Reimers from Sweden, and Tanja Wuttke from Germany, both of whom are still loved members of the Dalton clan. Also during those years, Ken was promoted to management at Pacific Bell. He eventually ended up responsible for all the central offices, sixty-three, in an area that covered five counties.

In 1977, Ken, Arlene, Bob Wiltermood, and his wife Norma, designed, built, and operated a 2000 case winery named Pommeraie Vineyards. They produced award winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. However, after Bob died, the winery was sold. Ken and Arlene moved to a hilltop in Healdsburg.

With the winery gone, and time on their hands, Ken and Arlene started to perform with the Camp Rose Players. Twenty years and forty productions later, both are still acting and singing.

Life was good. All Ken had to do was learn some lines and bow when the audience applauded.

Then, ten years ago, Ken started to write. His first article was published in Golf Illustrated in August 1996. More golf articles followed in national and regional magazines including Golf Magazine and Fairways and Greens.

After a two-year stint on the County Grand Jury, Ken felt the need to begin his first novel.

Now, after a decade of struggle to learn the craft of writing, Ken has become the publishing world’s latest overnight sensation.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Nicole at Tribute Books for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: The Bloody Birthright – Ken Dalton

Thursday, January 3rd, 2013
Paperback: 292 pages
Publisher: Different Drummer Press (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0578034441
ISBN-13: 978-0578034447
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Characters:

J. Pinkus “Pinky” Delmont – Defense Attorney
Benate “Bear” Zabarle – Part time Bartender/Investigator
Florence “Flo” Sonderlund – Bear’s girlfriend/Tech helper.
Willow Stone – Chief Deputy District Attorney

Synopsis:

One brother is murdered, a second is killed in an accident? The son of the murdered man is arrested and the evidence looks bad. That is when Pinky Delmont arrives on the scene, determined to prove the man’s innocence, but most of all, collect a large payment for his services.

Review

I loved these characters. Like the similar Stephanie Plum series, the characters are light hearted. The stories are serious, but the author manages to throw some light humor into the interractions of the various characters. You can visualize one character irritating another, or feeling impressed by their knowledge. The plot is strong enough to keep you interested, without being so complicated that you find yourself lost.

The mystery was fun, but Bear, Flo and Pinky were the highlights. I found myself at the end looking for their next adventure. In an unusual pattern for us, we will be reviewing all four of the books in this series over the next two weeks. So stop back by on Tuesday to see our review of the next book.

I’d definitely grab this if you like light mysteries. I’d rate it PG-13 for language and content.

About the Author

Ken Dalton was born in 1938 at Hollywood Hospital. He grew up with his parents, his older sister, Pat, and younger brother, Richard in Los Angeles. The year 1938 informs the quick reader that Ken’s older than a lot of people, but younger than some.

In a turn of bad luck, the dreaded Polio virus found Ken.

At the end of World War ll, Ken’s family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a year where he learned how to live through snow blizzards, avoid walking through the large pile of coal in the basement, and how to survive life as an Army Officer’s brat on a base called Fort Warren.

By the age of sixteen, after eleven years of operations, therapy, and braces, Ken’s luck changed dramatically when he met the girl of his dreams at a party. A few years later they married, produced three wonderful children, and settled into a happy life in Southern California.

In 1966, Ken, who worked as a technician for Pacific Bell, and his family left Southern California for the green hills of Sonoma County where they bought a home in Sebastopol surrounded with apple trees. A few years later, Ken and Arlene built a new home on three and a half acres. They raised cows, pigs, and learned how to build outstanding fences. While their children grew, they hosted two exchange students, Eva Reimers from Sweden, and Tanja Wuttke from Germany, both of whom are still loved members of the Dalton clan. Also during those years, Ken was promoted to management at Pacific Bell. He eventually ended up responsible for all the central offices, sixty-three, in an area that covered five counties.

In 1977, Ken, Arlene, Bob Wiltermood, and his wife Norma, designed, built, and operated a 2000 case winery named Pommeraie Vineyards. They produced award winning Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. However, after Bob died, the winery was sold. Ken and Arlene moved to a hilltop in Healdsburg.

With the winery gone, and time on their hands, Ken and Arlene started to perform with the Camp Rose Players. Twenty years and forty productions later, both are still acting and singing.

Life was good. All Ken had to do was learn some lines and bow when the audience applauded.

Then, ten years ago, Ken started to write. His first article was published in Golf Illustrated in August 1996. More golf articles followed in national and regional magazines including Golf Magazine and Fairways and Greens.

After a two-year stint on the County Grand Jury, Ken felt the need to begin his first novel.

Now, after a decade of struggle to learn the craft of writing, Ken has become the publishing world’s latest overnight sensation.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Nicole at Tribute Books for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

1 people like this post.

Review: The Aspen 2 Million – John Morris

Tuesday, July 24th, 2012
Print Length: 281 pages
Publisher: Publish Green (May 10, 2012)
English
Order E-book here:
amazon

Characters:

Morgan Somerville – A motivational instructor.
Risa Wentworth – Owns 1/2 of House with Morgan.

Synopsis:

Morgan Somerville is living a carefree life in a ramshackle house in Aspen. Then he meets Risa Wentworth. From there his life continues to go downhill. Her dog is killed. Morgan is blamed, and sued for a million dollars. The lawyers are also requesting that he be forced to leave town. His laywer says he can’t win and his only hope is to pay the million, find out Risa’s dirty secret, or get her to fall in love with him. He opts for the latter, while at the same time preparing himself to enter and win a golf tournament known as the Aspen 2 Million Winner-take-all.

Review

This was a fun story. It was a lighthearted story along the lines of what one would see in a romantic comedy. The characters and their interactions were often entertaining, and as a reader I cared about Morgan and wanted to find out how his life ended up.

If there were one drawback, it was the author’s writing style. He had a habit in the narrative of describing each character as looking like a specific celebrity. If it had just been Risa for example, thinking Morgan looked like Matthew McConaghey, there wouldn’t have been an issue. However it was with the introduction of every single character, and as a reader it really tended to pull me out of the world that Mr. Morris had created.

While there is that one drawback, I still found the situations and events to be humorous and the book did keep me entertained which is about all you can ask of any author. I think the author did leave things at the end open ended, and were he to do a sequel story, I’d definitely give it another shot.

I can recommend it for those who might like a light summer day’s reading. There was some language/situations that might not be appropriate for young readers. For the most part though, I think you might enjoy it, if you can get by the one flaw I mentioned.

John Morris’  Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Morris/392376524117530

The  Aspen 2-Million Winner-Take-All Blog Tour Site:
http://the-aspen.blogspot.com/

Tribute  Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

Kindle buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0082EL6JA?tag=tributebooks-20

Nook  buy link:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=dcSBhG3Rj8w&subid=&offerid=239662.1&type=10&tmpid=8432&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%252Fw%252Fthe-aspen-2-million-winner-take-all-john-morris%252F1110764389%253Fean%253D2940014415729

iBookstore  buy link:
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=dcSBhG3Rj8w&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fbook%252Faspen-2-million-winner-take%252Fid526795549%253Fmt%253D11%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30

Also  available through Kobo, Sony, ebooks.com and http://search.overdrive.com/classic/retail/

About the Author

John Morris lives in Aspen, Colorado, with his loving wife and two wonderful children. Having worked many of the same cowboy / construction / bartender / ski-patrol jobs as his fictional counterpart Morgan, he can vouch for how easy it is for a good-looking guy to get in trouble there.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Nicole at Tribute Books for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: Goats Eat Cans: Volume 1 – Steven Novak

Saturday, April 7th, 2012
Paperback: 344 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (February 19, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1469969475
ISBN-13: 978-1469969473
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Review:

Steven Novak has written what amounts to a comic memoir of his life.  Through a series of essays he takes us through the various stages, from pre-adolescence on through.

As a reader we get to experience many of his adventures, or I should say mis-adventures, dealing with everything a person normally experiences throughout their life.  One of the most memorable scenes I can recall from the book was his first attempt at losing his virginity and how he ended up in a cast as the result.

For an entertaining read I’d recommend it.  It is strictly for adults though.  There is a lot of of strong language, some potty humor, and adult situations.  For that I’d say older teens and adults would be the primary audience.

About the Author

Born in Chicago Illinois, Steven Novak has spent the whole of his life creating. After attending The Columbus College of Art and Design for four years he moved to California where he married his wife. The pair have been together for nearly a decade. He likes pizza. He’s sort of a nerd. He has terrible luck and worse personal hygiene. He also hates having to write bios about himself. He thinks bios are stupid. His work can be found online at www.novakillustration.com

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Leyane at FSB Associates for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Giveaway – Street Boners – Gavin McInnes

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

Thanks to Anna at Hachette Book group I”m able to offer my readers 3 copies of this book.  To enter, follow these simple rules:

1) One Entry if you’re a follower [You can follow through Google Friend connect to the right, you can also sign up to follow through Twitter or Facebook].
2) An Additonal Entry if you blog about this contest.
3) An Additonal Entry if you’re a new follower.
4) One entry each for posting on facebook and/or twitter.
5) Must leave a comment letting me know how you follow me, blog link to this post, facebook/twitter link, etc.
6) Contest will continue until June 2, 2010.
7) This giveaway is open to residents of US and Canada. No PO Box addresses (street mailing only).

Read our review here.

1 people like this post.