Audiobook Review: Bell Hammers by Lancelot Schaubert

12/06/202312/06/2023coming-of-age, Historical, historical-fiction, Humor, Lancelot SchaubertLeave a Comment

Author: Lancelot Schaubert
Narrator:
Release Date: 14th March 2023
Genre: Historical fiction, Humour, Coming Of Age
~~Series~~:
Format: Audiobook
Length: 7 hours
Publisher: Vale
Blurb:
PRANKS. OIL. PROTEST. JOKES BETWEEN NEWLYWEDS.
AND ONE HILARIOUS SIEGE OF A MAJOR CORPORATION.
Remmy grows up with Beth in Bellhammer, Illinois as oil and coal companies rob the land of everything that made it paradise. Under his Grandad, he learns how to properly prank his neighbors, friends, and foes. Beth tries to fix Remmy by taking him to church. Under his Daddy, Remmy starts the Bell Hammer Construction Company, which depends on contracts from Texarco Oil.

And Beth argues with him about how to build a better business. Together, Remmy and Beth start to build a great neighborhood of “merry men” carpenters: a paradise of s’mores, porch furniture, newborn babies, and summer trips to Branson where their boys pop the tops off of the neighborhood’s two hundred soda bottles. Their witty banter builds a kind of castle among a growing nostalgia.
Then one of Jim Johnstone’s faulty Texarco oil derricks falls down on their house and poisons their neighborhood’s well.
Poisoned wells escalate to torched dog houses. Torched dog houses escalate to stolen carpentry tools and cancelled contracts. Cancelled contracts escalate to eminent domain. Sick of the attacks from Texaco Oil on his neighborhood, Remmy assembles his merry men:
“We need the world’s greatest prank. One grand glorious jest that’ll bloody the nose of that tyrant. Besides, pranks and jokes don’t got no consequences, right?”

REVIEW

Bell Hammers by Lancelot Schaubert is a unique combination of historical fiction that is interlaced with humor. In this book, the author shares the story of Remmy as he grows up into a man and is exposed to the true realities surrounding him. The author’s deft writing and exceptional observations lend this book an unparalleled quality that makes it both an excellent read (or listen) and a reality check of evils such as corporate corruption that plague our society.

This book is a phenomenal read, especially for anyone who grew up in the good ol’ days but because it is so relatable and mind-blowing and funny, I’d recommend it to each and every reader.

You can also read this review on:

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Audiobook Review: A Dog Of Many Names by Douglas Green

28/03/2022Contemporary Fiction, Douglas GreenLeave a Comment

Author: Douglas Green (Director of The Hiding Place)
Narrator: Kelly McNair
Release Date: 3rd January 2021
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Coming-Of-Age
~~Series~~:
Format: Audiobook
Length: 4 hours and 17 minutes
Publisher: Circuit Breaker Books
Blurb:
Born a runt, Rascal is destined to be an underdog. Despite what looked like an unbreakable bond with the daughter of the family who bred her, Rascal’s devotion is discarded when the mother loses her job, forcing the family into a financial crisis. Bitter and resentful toward a dog they can no longer afford to keep and who was never really wanted, the family throws out the young dog like garbage. Driven out to the country and left roadside, Rascal has nothing but a few pieces of kibble to help her survive the night.

Abandoned and alone, Rascal must learn to fend for herself and embark on a harsh and dangerous journey through wolf terrain in the mountain wilderness of Northern California. Along the way, she meets new families and strangers and is given many names. But will she ever settle with one family and one name? A Dog of Many Names is a courageous story of survival, seen through the eyes of a scared and desperate dog who just wants to love, be loved, and be given one last name.

REVIEW

A Dog Of Many Names by Douglas Green is an inspiring yet gut-wrenching story of a dog who is abandoned and has to fend of herself until she meets new people and families and her journey to find herself and a new home continues.

This book elicited so many emotions in me that at one point it got very, very triggering for me. But I had to get through it as I wanted to know what happens with the story of the beautiful dog that Rascal is. Being an animal activist and someone who actively engages in the rescue missions for cats, I am well aware how people abandon their pets and leave them away from home not caring a lick about what they would do or how they’d survive. So it was deeply disturbing for me to read about it but I appreciated the author’s honesty because these are facts of life and have to be told to people so that they understand that doing so is not only wrong but also inhumane!

Coming to the book – the writing is great and had a very nice flow and the plot was crafted very carefully. Although it was a difficult read because of the concept and my close relation with the rescuing of animals, I am glad that I read this book. It is very informative and agonisingly real and I honestly think it is a must-read.

You can also read this review on:

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Amazon

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Book Review: Walking With Peety by Eric O’Grey

15/09/2018Autobiography, Eric O'Grey, memoir, Non-FictionLeave a Comment

Author: Eric O’Grey with Mark Dagostino
Release Date: 10th October 2017
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction, Autobiography, Animals
~~Series~~:
Edition: e-book
Pages: 320
Publisher: Hachette Book Group
Blurb:
Eric met Peety when he was 150 pounds overweight, depressed, and sick. After a lifetime of failed diet attempts, and the onset of serious diabetes due to his weight, Eric went to a new doctor, who surprisingly prescribed a shelter dog. And that’s when Eric met Peety: a middle-aged and forgotten shelter dog who, like Eric, had seen better days. The two adopted each other and began an incredible journey together, and the bond of unconditional love they formed forever changed their lives. Over the next year, just by going on walks, playing together and eating plant-based food, Eric lost 150 pounds, and Peety lost 25. As a result, Eric reversed his type 2 diabetes, got off all medication, became happy and healthy for the first time in his life, and even reconnected with and married his high school sweetheart. WALKING WITH PEETY is perfect for anyone who is ready to make a change in their life and for everyone who knows the joy, love and hope that dogs can bring to human lives. This is more than a tale of mutual rescue, this is an epic story of friendship and strength.

Review

★★★★

Walking With Peety by Eric O’Grey is a beautiful memoir about the author’s journey, along with an adopted dog, full of hope, lots of ups and downs and love.

This book is a beautiful tribute to the love and happiness an animal brings into the life of a person. A very enjoyable book with honestly that reflected in the writing. It was a very touching and warm read. It proved to be a very inspiring story which left me feeling motivated to change a couple of things in my life that I might be taking for granted.

I’d recommend it to the readers of non-fiction genre as well as to those who love animals or are going through rough times and can do with a bit of a pick-me-up.

this review is also posted on Goodreads, NetGalley, and Amazon

Comic Book Review: Apocalypse Meow Meow (ARC)

16/10/2015Book Reviews (by Genre), Children's Fiction, Comics/Graphic Novels, Post Apocalypse5 Comments

23848079

Author: James Proimos III 
Illustrator: James Proimos Jr.
Release Date: 3rd November, 2015 (I received an ARC)
Series: -
Genre: Children's Fiction | Comics | Post Apocalypse
Edition: ascm file
Pages: 224
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA CHildrens
Distributer: 
Source: NetGalley

Blurb

Brownie, Apollo, and their ragtag group of strays have raided the grocery store and defeated some very mean mutts–but now they’ve run out of food. So when the crew discovers a nearby Twonkies factory, and all the Twonkies they could ever eat, they think they’ve got it made.

The only catch is the cat guarding the factory–and this “cat” is MUCH bigger, and far more sophisticated, than any feline they’ve ever met. Can the dogs and their friends defeat their foe and claim the Twonkies for themselves?

The Proimos father-son team returns with another irreverent, dog-filled take on the apocalypse, told in a graphic novel paper-over-board format. The instantly accessible artwork and laughs on each page will charm everyone from the most reluctant reader to the coolest of cats (humans and animals alike)!

Rating

4-stars

Review

description
I had a good laugh reading this comic and would definitely read the other books in the same series.

The book started brilliantly and I adored all the dogs and the cat (meow.) I really enjoyed the quirkiness and the cuteness of the plot and the characters. I absolutely loved the whole thing about the “Twonkies” (with a capital T) and the nude dude.
description
It’s a funny book and that’s what I was expecting from it, so it delivered what it promised and considering that it’s a children’s book, I can’t expect anything more from it.

Having said that, i did feel that the end could have been a little different or a page sooner.
Originally I wanted to give this one a 5-star rating, but before I did I found out that the other books in this comic-series are far funnier than this one, so I thought of giving it a 4-star for now. If later, after reading the other books, I’ll feel that it deserves an added star or half, then I’ll definitely update my review. But for now I think 4-star rating is perfect.

description
Aww… isin’t he adorable!? ❤

You can also read this review at Goodreads.

Book Review: Let The Dogs Out

28/05/201419/07/2014Miscellaneous6 Comments

Author: Violet's Vegan Comics
Release Date: 17 May, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 11835 KB
Print Length: 39
ASIN NO.: BOOKEXPVI4
Publisher: Violet's Vegan Comics