Review

Book Review: “The Golden Apple” by Mika Mathews

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Rating: 2 stars

Headline: With too much head-hopping and an overuse of confusing metaphors, The Golden Apple missed the mark for me

Review:

The Golden Apple by Mika Mathews is the second book in the young adult, Fantasy, series “Oaths of Dante”. The story follows on from The Silver Coin with the protagonist, Dante, awakening to find himself transformed into a wolf. Seeking out the famed golden apple to restore peace and balance to the world’s magic is no small task, but accompanied by a gang of accomplices and the magic of Gaia pulsing through his veins, Dante is ready to tackle the next challenge in this thrilling quest.

There are likeable elements of this book. The personality traits of each wolf character certainly help to make the story more colourful; Dante’s sexuality and the character of Cypress (as just two examples) adds needed diversity into the story in a way which is reflective of the wider world we all live in. More of this, please!

The Golden Apple‘s biggest weakness is in its execution of narrative voice. The book is written in third person omniscient (as a reader we see everything taking place at any given time, as if were were a god-like figure). The story’s primary focus is on Dante and his hunt for the golden apple, yet there is so much head hopping it soon becomes incredibly hard to form a relationship with any of the characters. Really the author should have tackled this book in close third person, focusing specifically on Dante’s inner dialogue, feelings and reactions, and blocking out those of all others.

There are also a number of expressions didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Expressions such as “unbearably beautiful laughter” and “Gaia’s majesty flowed through her…subtly and with great love”. There are a lot of them throughout the book and in the vast majority of cases they come across as one liners that may have sounded good in the author’s head but less so for readers.

In truth this book may have been better if it had been merged with either the first or third book in the “Oaths of Dante” series. At only 121 pages long the word count is a bit slim for the expectations of this genre. With strict editing (ideally from an experienced professional) The Golden Apple could shine as a secondary plot of a bigger story arc, however right now it is not something I will be rushing to read again.

AEB Reviews

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Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “The Golden Apple” by Mika Mathews

Purchase Link: “The Golden Apple” by Mika Mathews (Amazon)

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Book Review: “Places We Left Behind” by Jennifer Lang

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Rating: 4 stars

Headline: Places We Left Behind relates the complex relationships of those who dwell in the greys of religion

Review:

Places We Left Behind is the autobiography of Jewish-American author Jennifer Lang. Skipping swiftly over the first eighteen years of her life, the book picks up Lang’s story in Israel, meeting the charming Frenchman Phillippe for the first time. What follows is a 140 page rollercoaster as Lang navigates the tricky line between the religious faith and living a seemingly ordinary existence as an American citizen, culminating in Lang having to make a significant decision, one which will affect the very core of what it means to be a Jewish woman in the twenty-first century.

This book has many likeable qualities, not least Lang’s ability in capturing emotion in a way that is both direct and to the point. Where many authors would skirt over details or shy away from exposing themselves to the reader, Places We Left Behind makes it clear that no matter the romanticism, no relationship is smooth sailing. Even those grounded in a mutual connection of faith and religion can so easily hit turbulence. Lang’s words demonstrate these challenges, placed alongside those who do not fully understand what it means to hold religion as a cornerstone of family life.

Lang’s memoir is dotted in places with poetic excerpts, possibly to add emphasis. Within Places We Left Behind, these were a somewhat distracting, especially after reading long spells of traditional prose formatted in conventional paragraphs. It might be others enjoy the sudden change, but personally it does not hold enough significance versus if they had been written in conventional prose instead.

Places We Left Behind is a interesting memoir for anyone living within, or wanting to better understand, day-to-day Judaism. For those who see faith as black or white, purist believer or not, Places We Left Behind shows us the complex relationships of those who dwell in the grey.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Places We Left Behind” by Jennifer Lang

Purchase Link: “Places We Left Behind” by Jennifer Lang (Amazon)

Author website: israelwriterstudio.com

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Book Review: “How to Write a Business Plan” by Alessandro Bolasco

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Rating: 3 stars

Headline: An informative guide for those with pre-existing knowledge of the corporate world

Review:

I cannot count the number of times I have sat through episodes of the television show “The Apprentice” with my head in my hands. Speaking specifically on the British version, the series routinely includes a particularly challenging episode where prospective investment candidates undergo multiple gruelling interviews where inevitably everyone’s business proposals gets ripped to shreds. Watching through my fingers, all I can think is “do these people even know what a business plan is?”

I have these toe-curling scenes playing in my head as I reach for How to Write a Business Plan. A fellow British national, Alessandro Bosasco even refers to the television show “Dragon’s Den” (the UK version of “Shark Tank”) as another example of people being very publicly grilled before deciding whether or not to invest in a start-up business. This book is intended as an antidote to the condition of poor planning, a no-nonsense guide to writing a business proposal from calculating turnover projections to the basic structure of what a business plan should follow.

This is informative book is assisted by a large number of illustrative spreadsheets and screengrabs, produced for a fictional case study (a business in the catering industry). While there is a lot to digest here…there is also a lot to digest here! Personally I found it difficult to read and interpret the spreadsheets and data sets, having to scroll back and forth between pages to interpret the wording in bulky paragraphs and match it with the visual content. While the portrait orientation of books can be space limiting (especially for Excel spreadsheets), it can be equally difficult to interpret on a digital device when the same images are flipped horizontally.

Good for those already possessing a level of business acumen, more fresh-faced readers may struggle when it comes to How to Write a Business Plan. Another level of granular detail, annotated images and breaking down the workings out between certain figures would have made it more accessible. With a few revisions I can see this being a highly popular guide in future editions.

AEB Reviews

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Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “How to Write a Business Plan” by Alessandro Bolasco

Purchase Link: “How to Write a Business Plan” by Alessandro Bolasco (Amazon)

Author Website: https://www.bolasco-consulting.com/

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Book Review: “The Truth About Melasma” by Janett Juwien

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Rating: 5 stars

Headline: All the best parts of an extended internet search, rolled into one handy to use guide

Review:

Science has come a long way in recent years when it comes to the treatment of illness and disease but, needless to say, it still has a long way to go yet, not least with conditions that disproportionately affected women and girls. As someone who has been diagnosed with endometriosis, I very much know the feeling of being lost in the Wild West of that prescriptive medicine can offer.

Janett Juwien, a trained cosmetic scientist, aesthetician and owner of both a bachelor of science and multiple renowned beauty salons in Germany and Australia has turned her years of expertise into writing in her new self-help guide, The Truth About Melasma. Melasma is a skin condition that affects skin pigmentation, usually on the face and, in the majority of cases, women (although it is worth noting about 20% of those with the condition are male). In this handy guide that comes in at just under 200 pages, Juwien analyses both the causes of the condition and the treatments that can help alleviate symptoms. This includes not only medicated options but also lifestyle changes and vitamin supplements that are cheap and readily accessible.

There is a lot to like with this book. It is highly visual, with colour illustrations and tables to bring to life some of the dryer facts and figures. Coming from a very much non-scientific background I have to take the book’s guidance on face value, however every single assertion made in The Truth About Melasma is fully supported with research footnotes that provide the ability to conduct independent research. That, coupled with the author’s own scientific knowledge and experience provides a needed dose of reassurance to any reader.

This guide feels like all the best parts of an extended Google search on Melasma, rolled into one handy to use guide. That considered, The Truth About Melasma is something I would recommend to anyone, male and female, who suffers with this skin complaint. With some of the guidance in this book, you cannot go far wrong.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “The Truth About Melasma” by Janett Juwien

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Author Website: Ecvilibria – Holistic Beauty Confidante

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Book Review: “Following the Boar” by Matthew Howard

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Rating: 2 Stars

Headline: Too much in too few words: this short story is wounded by its lack of descriptive text

Review:

Matthew Howard’s story Following the Boar: An Ancient Historical Fiction Short Read (hereafter Following the Boar) is a short read and to the point. It tells the story of Borvo, a Scottish warrior, who must prepare for battle against a strange and fearsome enemy who has been massacring the local population and invading lands. As the clan travels toward the battlefield, Borvo and his father rally additional comrades to join the fight, including warriors who swear allegiance to his uncle, Breenus. Together the combined forces travel on in a climatic battle with the enemy of steal.

The main problem I have with this short story is in the quantity of content. In Following the Boar, the author, Howard, has attempted to pack in far too many events into too a short space of time, at the detriment of the descriptive text. Reading through this story I get no sense of place and I struggle to follow the movements of the characters. It is impossible for me to visualise the appearance (and number) of warriors coming from the different fractions; so much focus is made on the three central characters I kept forgetting they were there until suddenly they appear on the battlefield. The protagonist Borvo has no development; even in short stories the reader needs strands of insight to help flesh out the image of the main characters, their personality, drivers and beliefs. Sadly there is none of that here.

One example – the story starts with Borvo waking up on the floor. Why is the protagonist sleeping on the floor? His father is the chieftain of the clan, he even asks his son about his “first taste of poverty”, so what was the cause to place Borvo in humble surroundings?

Without the essential sprinklings of insight and description, it is hard to comprehend why characters make the choices they do and the reader is left feeling disengaged with what limited action takes place. When the ending occurs, somewhat abruptly, it leaves for only feelings of dissatisfaction, as opposed to clamouring for more.

Howard should take this short story as a pause for reflection. The existing story arch would make a good basis for a historic novel or, with elements removed, could be refined into a succinct short story. Improvement needed, but within the muddy battlefield there are glimmers of potential.

AEB Reviews

Links

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – Follow the Boar: An Ancient Historical Fiction Short Read

Purchase Link: Following the Boar: An Ancient Historical Fiction Short Read (Amazon)

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Book Review: “Intuitive Tarot 101” by Claudia Amendola Alzraa

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Rating: 4 stars

Headline: Destiny is on the cards in this simple to navigate guide to Tarot reading

Review:

About six years ago I went through a phase when I was obsessed with reality TV. During an episode of “The Real Housewives”, one of the women invited a practitioner into her house to perform Tarot card readings. I was fascinated by it (less so by the women, who for the whole five minute segment, wouldn’t stop screaming).

Intuitive Tarot 101 would have been perfect for me back then. Written by Claudia Amendola Alzraa, who herself proudly boasts years of extensive Tarot reading experience (starting back when she was twelve years old), this guide aims to give its audience an introduction to the basics of Tarot card reading. Built specifically on the Rider Waite style of card design (the most popular style used by readers), Alzraa opens with a clear set of objectives. These include (but are not limited to): learning the foundation of each card and the hidden symbolism in each, trusting intuition and building those all important reading skills. The book takes readers on a journey to explain the process of Tarot reading (aka “the journey of The Fool”), accumulating in a frequently asked question section towards the end, where the author addresses some of the finer points around the act of Tarot reading (e.g. knowing when and how much to charge clients for services offered).

This is a straightforward guide, with comprehensive tables used to break down the symbolism of each card in a clear and direct manner. At just under a hundred pages in length it really is the definition of a ‘introductory 101’ for new joiners to the world of Tarot. The nuance around symbolism would have benefitted with accompanying visuals, as the book makes the assumption that anyone reading it will already owns a deck of Rider Waite cards.

A nicely packaged guide overall and an interesting area of spirituality I enjoyed reading on. That said, I don’t see The Real Housewives trying to book me for their Tarot readings anytime soon.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Intuitive Tarot 101” by Claudia Amendola Alzraa

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Poetry Review: “Bubblegum heart & other elastic things” by Quazaye Konkel

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Rating: 5 stars

Headline: Whether poetry is based on true events or the work of utter fiction is irrelevant when it’s as captivating as this

Review:

Penned by the biracial, bipolar and bisexual poet Quazaye Konkel, Bubblegum heart & other elastic things is a collection that take readers on a story of love won and lost. Beginning with the initial feelings of passion and lust that come with any fledging relationship, Konkel moves through the lines of the opening poem “venus de milwaukee” with ease. These joyful moments are shown in subsequent poems, perhaps peaking with “bubblegum heart”, a midpoint piece where the narrator declares their love for an unnamed individual. By the time readers reach “jinx” there is already a sense that something is going wrong, that the relationship is unravelling and spiralling out of control.

“I didn’t mean to jinx it // when I asked if you were // okay… // I only meant // to kiss it // better”

But even in the lows there is much to be grateful for. In “seasons of loving”, readers are presented with an individual reflecting on the positives of a failed relationship as much as the negatives that ultimately led to its deterioration. It is beautifully written and fitting closing poem for this charming collection.

There is a lot to like with Konkel’s collection, particularly in the strength of the narrator’s voice which follows through all of the poems. The reader is transported on a journey and in doing so builds a strong relationship with the narrator, almost as much as the narrator does with its unnamed love interest. The pacing is good and the varied use of poetic forms keeps the mood and tempo engaging.

It is not often a collection of poetry focuses on one narrative voice working through a linear journey but Bubblegum heart & other elastic things succeeds in captivating readers in a story of joy and struggle. Whether poetry is based on true events or is the work of utter fiction is irrelevant when it is as captivating as this.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Bubblegum heart & other elastic things” by Quazaye Konkel

Purchase Link: “Bubblegum heart & other elastic things” by Quazaye Konkel (Amazon)

Author Website: Quazi Writes – thoughts. feelings. poetry.

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Children’s Book Review: “The Mayor of Murrimba” by Jonathan Hall

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Rating: 2 stars

Headline: The use of AI illustrations opens up a can of ethical worms in this wordy picture book

Review:

The Mayor of Murrimba is a children’s picture book by the Australian-born author Jonathan Hall. The story revolves around Shelly McGee, the much loved equine mayor of Murrimba which is inhabited by a range of colourful animal characters. In Murrimba, the mayor can only run for two terms after which the townsfolk must vote for a new mayor. With big horseshoes to fill, who will be the victorious successor to Shelly’s reign?

While pitching itself as a picture book, it is hard to know exactly what audience The Mayor of Murrimba is pivoting itself towards. The large amount of words per page suggest an older child demographic (age eight – ten), whereas the large number of colourful pictures are more common in books read by younger readers and their parents. The introductory section which describes how to read the book is confusing, longwinded and shouldn’t be needed in a picture book. Within the body of the story rhyming couplets come across as forced at times and the need to footnote explanations for some of the more nuanced references just seems to miss the point. For example, a meaty paragraph to explain the history of the Dickens classic “A Tale of Two Cities”.

All of the illustrations are derived from artificial intelligence (AI) software. AI generates illustrative content by scouring the internet which, while on the surface might seem like a nifty hack, its has also become the subject of multiple copyright lawsuits. This, after claims that AI generators steal the work of artists and fail to pay royalties for the subsequent use of the output. If you take a second glance at the images in this book it shows, from bears in clown costumes holding a single balloon to insects with oversized honeycomb eyes, some of the images are quite spooky.

To make this book of a engaging standard, the author needs to rethink the amount and complexity of the copy. The story arch needs to be workshopped to improve the pacing, sent to parents and children for feedback and refinement. A skilled children’s artist should be brought onto this project to produce the illustrative content, even if it means reducing the overall page length to balance the increased production costs.

The use of AI may open up new doors, but using it to cut corners on design is not something that will sit easy within publishing.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “The Mayor of Murrimba” by Jonathan Hall

Purchase Link: “The Mayor of Murrimba” by Jonathan Hall (Amazon)

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Book Review: “Control Menopause Before it Controls You” by Melissa Ann

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Rating: 5 stars

Headline: This book succeeds in breaking down stigma and rebuilding it with positivity and confidence

Review:

They say only two things certain in life, death and taxes. If my recent reading has reaffirmed anything, it is to only reinforce that that phase was very much penned by a man (I’m looking at you, Benjamin Franklin). Because, for half the world’s population there is another inevitable life stage, the menopause.

On the surface Melissa Ann’s guide, Control Menopause Before it Controls You is something that screams “female only, men barred!” (and for what it’s worth, the cover design doesn’t help). And yet, this is a guide that could, and should, be read by all genders or all ages. In circa 150 pages, Ann’s book covers all three stages of the menopause: perimenopause, menopause and, finally, post menopause. All three stages are then broken down into guidance, including the bodily changes to expect during and lifestyle improvements that can lessen symptoms. Guidance even goes as far as to recommend particular food categories and exercise routines, spiritual activities to try out and conversations to have with partners.

It this latter point which makes Control Menopause Before it Controls You universal to all. While some sections specifically call on the need for open and frank conversations, it is hard to find any aspect of the book that wouldn’t benefit men in terms of improving their understanding of such a key life stage for women. After all, these are not just the female partners, they are the friends, work colleagues and family members of their male counterparts too.

Discussions around the menopause have come a long way in recent years. In the office I can barely make it ten yards before being hit in the face with a promotional flyer for an upcoming talk on women’s health. It is an improvement, make no mistake, but we still have a long way to go. This is book, with its engaging tone and inclusive terminology, is a good place to start.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Control Menopause Before it Controls You” by Melissa Ann

Purchase Link: “Control Menopause Before it Controls You” by Melissa Ann (Amazon)

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“Joshua and the Promised Land” is so bad it’s beautiful

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Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the 2003 Christian epic “Joshua and the Promised Land”

Image credit: IMDB

But don’t take my word for it (and the high quality design of the DVD cover), check out the film for yourself.

Yes, I am twenty years late to the party. Probably because the creators had tried to bury it.

For those without an hour to spare, here’s a three minute compilation of highlights (although not all off them, otherwise the video would be the same length as the original).

The reviews left by viewers make the 60 minutes of torment all the more worthwhile. Take these examples lifted from Amazon (where you can currently buy a copy of the DVD for c. $190):

5 Stars- This movie was the best that has happened from Christianity. This movie single handedly saved my marriage, better than the Bible you don’t even need to read the Bible after watching movie great for kids to experience Christianity through the best media possible!

5 stars – Me and my wife were considering a divorce prior to seeing this film. We were going through some tough times after we lost our 4th child, Jimothy. Jimothy was the glue that held our “little” family together. After he died, my wife and I just didn’t see each other the same. Then, on one glorious day, a package came to our door. It came in a box, a simple box, there were no special markings or distinguishing figures, just a box. I opened the package and saw what I believed to be a children’s film, I was very very wrong. Joshua the Lion is a tale about adventure, godliness, and most importantly family. After my wife and I saw the mended relationship between Joshua’s parents, we too knew we could save our marriage.

IMDB is a bit more critical on the rankings, but the descriptions are just as brilliantly conceived:

1/10 – This Movie Caused the Great Depression. This movie is so incredibly bad, that it caused the Great Depression. After seeing this movie, people’s faith in companies to provide quality products plummeted. This caused almost every business to go bankrupt, as no one was buying their products. People also lost faith in the banks, as they put so much money into this movie that they had no money to pay back the citizens. This threw the U.S economy into a downward spiral, and left the country in ruins. Overall, I would say that we burn all physical copies of the DVD to get rid of the memories of this tragic time period.

1/10 – Joshua and the reason i ripped all my hair out. This movie was decent until i actually started watching it. This movie made me cry, and not because it was emotional, but because of not only the god awful, horrible, student film quality looking animations, but i was so sad about the 55 minutes of my life that i will never get back, that i am 90% sure that i contracted chronic depression. This movie’s voice acting sounded like Gary Busey with a sinus infection. And what self-righteous 40 year old kindergarden student at the school of animation, thought to themselves, “Oh you know what would be clever? My last name is Lion, so lets make all the characters lions!” This movie looks like somebody decided to make lugaru into a movie and somehow used even worse quality character models than that. Overall this movie is the bane of my existance and i would rather chew gum i found on the bottom of a desk than watch it again.

And so on, and so on.

A few days later I discovered the film had a deleted scene. A deleted scene that makes no sense whatsoever. The YouTuber Saberspark does a great walkthrough of it in a way that makes it just about bearable:

So now you too have this film etched into your collective conscience.

Well…you’re welcome!

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