Author: My Housemate's a Mermaid (Alice E. Bennett)

Book Review: “The Dog Stays and Other Stories” by Marjan Sierhuis

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Rating: 4 stars

Headline: From laughter to tears, this is a book you will want to keep picking up

Review

In recent years the popularity of the short story has boomed. And it is easy to see why, some readers want their fiction in quick hits, some authors don’t need 500 pages to get a message across. Spurred on by the increased number of writing competitions favouring themselves to shorter bodies of text, authors across the world are seeing new possibilities in creative writing and picking up their short story pens.

The Dog Stays and Other Stories by the Canadian author Marjan Sierhuis is a broad and varied collection of stories, ranging from the semi-humourous “Mrs. Claus”, where an exhausted wife tries to persuade her husband to, for once, take a holiday (vacation) at Christmas, to those such as “Scott’s Mother” that confront the topic of human mortality head on. When it comes to Sierhuis’ writing, it would seem nothing is off the table.

Regardless of content, a contestant pattern emerges throughout in the strength of the author’s writing. Sierhuis’ writing is poetic and crisp, deploying familiar writing approaches time and time again to great effect. “The Summer of 2026” is one of my personal favourites for its clear sense of place, conveyed in only a brief few sentences. You can almost feel the sweat dribbling down your neck as you turn the page. With collections like these it can sometimes feel like the author has just thrown words on a page and barely given the copy a second glance. Quite the reverse, The Dog Stays and Other Stories is anything but a first draft.

An slight advisory to prospective readers is that the contents of this book are made up entirely of flash (or micro) fiction. Flash fiction is anything that comes in at under 500 words, short stories normally vary between 1000 and 5000 words. With that in mind, those looking for a bit more of a yarn to their tales may be disappointed. That said, this is a well written book with stories that remain engaging throughout. From laughter to tears, The Dog Stays and Other Stories is a book you will want to keep picking up.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “The Dog Stays and Other Stories” by Marjan Sierhuis

Purchase Link: “The Dog Stays and Other Stories” by Marjan Sierhuis (Amazon)

Author website: https://www.marjansierhuis.ca/

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Pottering about in Watford and London

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Cast your mind back to a time before Christmas (Why? Because I may have forgot I was wearing a Christmas jumper at the time and it makes continuity a bit of a nightmare)…

Boyfriend Ben and I had a great time visiting The Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour in Watford. A year in the making (not joking), we had lots of fun exploring the Harry Potter sets and Ben telling me what it meant.

(Just don’t tell anyone I stopped reading the HP series when I was about 15 and a third into Order of the Phoenix.)

Jokes aside, we both had a really good time (so much so it’s got me wanting to watch the films again, much to Ben’s delight).

I also drank too much butterbeer and the foam puffed out my cheeks like a moustached chipmunk.

Watford wasn’t too shabby as a place either! Especially the cocktails…

From Watford, we went back down to London and spent a few days there. This included a birthday surprise from Ben when he took me to a lovely restaurant on the Thames, followed by a night of laughs watching The Play That Goes Wrong on the West End.

And the birthday celebrations were rounded off with cake and a cat.

We had a wonderful time with plenty of memories to carry with us into 2024. That, and copious amounts of toiletries I took from the various hotel rooms (sorry, not sorry).

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Book Review: “The Vitality System” by Kyle Gonzalez

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Rating: 4 stars

Headline: Delivered with skill and confidence, The Vitality System is a lifestyle bible

Review:

The Vitality System by Kyle Gonzalez is, at its heart, a relatively simple self-help guide with aims which are anything but. Broken down into four key areas (known as “The Core Four”): Movement, Nutrition, Recovery and Lifestyle, the target audience of this book is anyone who wants to hit a reset button on their life, content which is prefaced by what Gonzalez’s refers to as the “Foundational Principles”, empirical-type enablers which help readers unlock the true value of the Core Four (e.g. Exploration, Experimentation and Evolution). While on the surface the headings seem obvious and straightforward, very quickly you realise there is more than meets the eye on the Core Four (and with about fifty pages dedicated to each, it is also a case of more than meets the page!) For those struggling with the amount of content, there is a section towards the end of the book which provides an executive summary of the Core Four, alongside additional resources to support ongoing personal growth and development.

There is a lot of valuable insight in this book and with plenty of useful tips and guidance on how to make small and manageable changes. The book can be a little overwhelming in places and personally I would warn against trying to tackle all the content in one sitting. It is better digested when consumed in smaller chunks. Gonzalez’s writing style is informed and reassuring in tone in a way that gently reminds readers long-lasting change can never be seen as a quick-win (hence the equal importance of adopting the right lifestyle and thereby mindset as well as doing and eating the right things). Gonzalez is clear in this aspect, he is not here to encourage readers to boil the ocean.

As a trained health and wellness practitioner with a background in sports, Gonzalez places himself in a strong position to write this book. Through his detailed descriptions and summaries to the scientific breakdown of nutritional food groups and regions of the brain, you can feel the invested blood, sweat and tears ooze off every written page. This is a man who has poured his heart and soul into producing a book of immense quality and standing.

Delivered with skill and confidence, The Vitality System is not merely a book, it is a lifestyle bible.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “The Vitality System” by Kyle Gonzalez

Purchase Link: “The Vitality System” by Kyle Gonzalez (Amazon)

Author Website: https://thevitalitysystem.co/

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Book Review: “Mama’s Notebook” by Skye Ryan

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Rating: 4 stars

Headline: Mama’s Notebook makes for a lovely addition to any stationery collection

Review:

When someone like me reads as many books as I do (coupled with all the reviews that come with them), sometimes it can be hard to keep on top of everything. With my latest read I think I may well have found the answer to my chaotic prayers.

Mama’s Notebook is a lovely addition to any stationery collection. Comprised of eighty-four pages, this notebook of mostly lined pages give structure and order, a place to jot down thoughts or snippets of information. The latter third of the book contains a multitude of organisational resources, including an expense and exercise tracker, a spot for ticking off “to-do’s” and, my personal favourite, a reading list for jotting down titles and recording a star score rating for each.

The top of each lined page is accompanied by a small heart drawing and the curvature of the heading fonts for the most part make this notebook best placed for a female target market (which should come as no surprise, given the title of this publication is Mama’s Notebook). The varying font typeface in the latter third (where tables and grids are more prevalent) seem to suggest the content may have been reused from other publications. It would have been good to see a little more design consistency in this department.

Other than a brief acknowledgement at the start that the book was made with the author’s mother in mind, content does not jump out as applicable only to women and/or women who have had children. There is nothing pointing towards night time routine and family meal planning, local sports fixtures or other commitments a parent may face into. With that in mind this notebook is fairly generic and applicable to all.

Mama’s Notebook is a neat little item, perfect for those wanting to sort out the basic chores of everyday life.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Mama’s Notebook” by Skye Ryan

Purchase Link: “Mama’s Notebook” by Skye Ryan (Amazon)

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Book Review: “The Wish That Saved Christmas” by Kate A Harvey

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Rating: 3 stars

Headline: The Wish That Saved Christmas is a likeable book that needed a bit more editing in places

Review:

The Wish That Saved Christmas is a children’s story penned by London-based debut author Kate Harvey. Set in the fictional town of Hope’s End, the story starts in the run-up to Christmas day, where many of the residents have been struck by a mystery illness. One of the sickness-stricken residents includes the dad of protagonist Emma, leaving her and her mother Sara scrambling to find the rent money or else risk eviction and relocation to the significantly less likeable town of Pewksbury. In desperation, Emma takes her her toy doll Nell to the town’s central Christmas tree and makes a wish. Little does anyone in the sleepy town realise that Emma’s plea is about to unlock a whole lot of magic, magic which may well save the town from more than just one eviction…

This is a fun story to read, full of lovely flowing descriptions and energetic dialogue that is bound to captivate younger readers as they progress through the story to the thrilling climax. The illustrations at the top of each chapter are also a nice touch which helps to hint at what adventure awaits in the chapter yet to come.

With The Wish That Saved Christmas it is the page length that forms the biggest stumbling block for me. At 164 pages of average-sized font feels is a bit too content-heavy for the intended seven to ten age readership, and at points it results in the pacing feeling a bit off. While nicely written, the additional storylines did not always progress the story line quite as timely as it could have done.

Another element that feels a bit off is the book’s starting point and early scene setting. Given so much is said through inter-character dialogue on the attractiveness of Hope’s End, it feels difficult to visualise the appeal as a reader. A few more descriptive paragraphs in the first couple of pages would have helped a great deal with solidifying the charm of Hope’s End and raising the odds of what the family would lose should they move to the neighbouring town of Pewksbury.

The Wish That Saved Christmas is a likeable book for advanced readers within the primary / elementary school bracket or as a bedtime read for parents and children to fully appreciate the charm this book has to offer.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “The Wish That Saved Christmas” by Kate A Harvey

Purchase Link: “The Wish That Saved Christmas” by Kate A Harvey (Amazon)

Author Website: Therapy Toolbox

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Christmas Merriment

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With all the Christmas happenings going on, I thought I’d already drafted and scheduled a Christmas post. Turns out I hadn’t, hence why with barely more than 24 hours to go I’m typing this.

Happy Christmas and merry New Year.

I hope you all have a happy, joyful, merry, wonderful, safe, yada-yada-yada Christmas and New Year. I’m going to be away from the website during this period while I spend time relaxing with friends and family (and focusing on other writing and reading exploits).

Next week there will be not one, but two book reviews going live, so keep your eyes peeled for those. I will see you again in the new year.

Now, where’s the nearest coffee shop?

Best wishes,

AEB

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Children’s Book Review: “Eustace and the Christmas Swim” by Remo Perini & Martyn Thrussell (Illustrated by Danny O’Leary)

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Rating: 1 Star

Headline: A frozen pond storyline that gave me the chills

Review:

Eustace and the Christmas Swim by Remo Perini and Martyn Thrussell (Illustrated by Danny O’Leary) is a children’s picture book that tells the story of Eustace, an eleven-year-old child who lives in the town of Snowsville. The factory in town has closed down, so in December Eustace writes to Santa to ask him to restore happiness. At the same time, Eustace launches himself into a plan to thaw out the frozen lake so that he and the townsfolk can enjoy swimming in it once more.

From the design down to the fundamental plot, I have difficulty interpreting the messaging behind this children’s story. After being told by his father that the frozen lake cannot be melted, the young Eustace is then left alone in the house with the family dog, Widget. The driving plot of Eustace warming up the frozen lake neither made sense, nor sat well with me. Given the artic surrounding conditions, I got the shivers watching all the scantily clad people diving into the lake! I also couldn’t tell what the messaging was for younger readers. Even if it is dressed up as a fantastical children’s book, the parallels with reality (made more so by the life-like drawings) could be seen to encourage children to play on ice or think it’s safe to swim in ice-cold water.

Image compositions are made up of a combination of painted landscape backgrounds with separately drawn figures overlayed. While in places this works to good effect (for instance when Eustace is sat in the workshop, where it adds atmosphere and depth), for the majority of the time the overlay is at best strange and at worst, unnerving. Figure placement is hap-hazard, worsening in scenes featuring large crowds. I am quite sure I have seen a number of the townsfolk of Snowsville in fashion catalogues (particularly the woman who chooses to bathe in a bikini). Finally, for a children’s book there is too much copy on each page to maintain interest.

Eustace and the Christmas Swim is a book that has been written by, I am sure, a very well-meaning author who aspired to have their name accredited with authorship. It is not the first book to do this, nor will it be the last. In terms of suitability for other readers though, it is not something I would readily recommend. The frozen pond storyline just gives me too many chills.

AEB Reviews

Links

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Eustace and the Christmas Swim” by Remo Perini (and others)

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“The Alice Show”

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I’ve been going through old video material. Some it used for assorted MHAM posts, others filmed in the moment, yet never used. (Believe it or not, even I have a version of a cutting room floor!)

After conducting an even deeper dig into the Alice archives, I’ve pulled together a compilation video of clips, both seen and unseen. Where possible, I’ve tried to piece together when content was originally filmed and overlay it into each clip. I had more than this, but at 11 minutes long I felt the video was already pushing it beyond the five minutes I’d originally planned (maybe in the future there could be a sequel).

It’s a little bit of a vanity project, but one which I hope some of you may get a chuckle out of.

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Book Review: “The Lovers” by Dana Willow

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Rating: 5 stars

Headline: A triumph of indie-publishing, this haunting thriller will have you completely hooked

Review:

The Lovers by Dana Willow is, at its core, a thriller/horror, filled with passionate romances and supernatural occurrences. Think Gone Girl, with hints of The Lovely Bones, a chilling story where the central female characters are both victim and perpetrator.

The plot follows two women: Olivia, a knowledgeable bookshop owner and Violet, a spiritual being stuck in a form of purgatory while witnessing events in the immediate aftermath of her death. While on the surface the needs and drivers of Olivia and Violet seem to be completely separate from one another, when Olivia enters into a budding relationship with the charismatic and charming car mechanic John, all bets are suddenly off. Despite initial impressions, it would seem there is more than meets the eye to the relationships between the living and the dead, especially when dark magic and tarot cards are involved.

I absolutely loved this book. The writing quality is flawless, the descriptions and sense of place beautifully presented in every page. In each scene you feel very much planted in the location, from the haunting woodlands to the bustling bars next to Olivia’s thriving bookshop. With two female characters sharing a lot of personality traits my concern was whether the tone of voice would be able to adapt, yet Willow as an author conquers this huddle with finesse. It is the first self-published title I have read in a long time where I genuinely could not tell the quality difference between it and any competing traditionally published title in the same genre. It is also one of the few books where I reading quicker than I could turn to pages! As an overall package it really does the independent publishing community proud.

The Lovers is a book I would recommend to anyone who enjoys reading thrillers. Whether you believe in superstition and ghosts or not, this title will have you completely hooked. 5 stars, a must read.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “The Lovers” by Dana Willow

Purchase Link: “The Lovers” by Dana Willow (Amazon)

Author Website: https://www.writerdanawillow.com/

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Poetry Review: “Lovesick & Jaded” by Nicole Camello

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Rating: 3 stars

Headline: As charming as it is bleak, a punchy approach to poetry which reflects a highly pressurised world

Review:

Lovesick & Jaded is a collection of assorted poems penned by Nicole Camello. Born in 1998, Camello started writing poetry in 2020 whilst studying at Westfield State University (America). This anthology from the now Boston-based poet marks her publishing debut, featuring poetry that centres around first-hand experiences and themes of love, identity and belonging.

Camello’s poetry is abrupt and blunt, its punchy style is one that is meant to reflect a challenging world, riddled with a constant sense of stress and demanding expectations. One of my favourite poems from the collection, “burning cigarettes like incense”, presents an author turning to vice like an old friend during a moment of tranquillity. It is as charming as it is bleak.

Where this anthology loses its sense of purpose is in the places where Camello begins to doubt herself. At sporadic intervals there are flashes of autobiographical prose and on other pages singular statements such as “thanks for making it this far” (page 31) and “you deserve someone who appreciates you” (page 91). I am not sure whether these inserts are intended as artistic statements, supportive words to readers or reaffirming words to the author, the purpose is not clear. When the poetry is already quite jarring and angular in style, these distractions only create further confusion and disconnect.

Lovesick & Jaded can be regarded as a good poetry debut from Camello, something to build on when looking to publish subsequent books. In future collections I would like to see poetry that expands horizons, moving away from the author’s own thoughts and feelings and applying them to the world and people around her. Doing so will add more visualisation, possibly soften the edges a little and, hopefully, give Camello the needed self-confidence to not apologise for her own talents.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Lovesick & Jaded”, by Nicole Camello

Purchase Link: “Lovesick & Jaded”, by Nicole Camello (Amazon)

Author Website: https://thottierevival.com/

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