Review

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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Book Review: “Outsmart the Money Magicians” by Christopher R Manske

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Rating: 3 stars

Headline: Slimmed down a little more, this book could have been a more direct read, without sacrificing quality

Review:

Times are tough, the prices of basic goods are increasing and inflation is shooting higher than the thermostat of my broken boiler. In these most perplexing of financial times, is it truly possible to successfully navigate the complicated world of investments and come out on top? In Christopher R Manske’s recent publication, Outsmart the Money Magicians, the answer in simple; yes, you can.

Spanning nearly 260 pages, Manske leads readers through this prickly subject matter, with the help of fictional case studies and magic tricks to highlight where would-be savers and investors can carefully side step any of the potential risks and potholes.

This book is very informative and Manske’s subject matter and passion for the topic of financial empowerment is clear from the off. Even though the book is written by an American author through an American economic lens, as a British reader it is very easy for me to grasp the hints and tips and understand the general economic principles detailed.

Where I am perhaps slightly less enamoured with this book is in the quantity of words. There are points where it feels like an excessive use of preamble is used to set the scene of the case studies, including the use of contemporary magic tricks which did not always tally up, in my mind, with the black and white financial guidance. Sadly that meant, in places, having to repeatedly read sections due to inadvertently skipping over words. Also, and this could be due to the version I was reviewing, but there are some minor formatting tweaks that need addressing (in the version I was able to review, “<H1>” references existed where headings occurred).

Outsmart the Money Magicians is a good book as an overall package even if I personally I do not feel every word is needed. Slimmed down, this book could have been a snappier and more direct read, without sacrificing the quality of content.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Outsmart the Money Magicians” by Christopher R Manske

Purchase Link: “Outsmart the Money Magicians” by Christopher R Manske (Amazon)

Author website: Outsmart the Money Magicians

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Poetry Review: “The Must-Be-Admired Things” by Gary Miranda

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Rating: 5 stars

Headline: A beautifully diverse range of poems that will melt even the coldest of hearts

Review:

The Must-Be-Admired Things is an anthology of poems by Gary Miranda. A respected poet in his own right, Miranda’s works have featured in a plethora of publications, including the American Scholar, West Coast Review and The New Yorker. This singular title marks a compilation of four previously published books and is a reflection of years of hard work invested by Miranda into his craft. And it is those years of devotion that really shines through because of it.

Miranda’s diverse range of poems, spanning those of only a few stanzas to multiple pages long, draws extensively on lived experiences. Many of the selected poems are further heightened in their imagery by clever observations that reflect the natural world. A particular favourite, “Visibilities” (originally published in Grace Period) brings the two worlds of humanity and fellow creature together to tap into the innocence of humans as being the only species who admire the skill and form of the natural world. After reading this poem, birdwatching trip at the lake will never be the same again.

Every one of the poems in this book is perfectly balanced and weighted. The tempo and bounce to each fits perfectly with the topics at hand (with those tackling harder discussions being punchier and direct, versus those that read with the slow-tempo ease of something written in the back of a rowing boat on calm waters). While reading this title it is incredibly easy to randomly land on a page and find a poem to best suit a mood for any given day. I had begun jotting down some choice lines to drop into my everyday conversations when I had to stop, the pages were filling up that fast.

There are few people who I would dissuade from reading The Must-Be-Admired Things. When then poetry is as carefree as this, it is of no surprise Miranda has as many publishing credits as he does.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “The Must-Be-Admired Things: Collected Poems & Translations”

Purchase Link: “The Must-Be-Admired Things: Collected Poems & Translations” (Amazon)

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Poetry Review: “Dancing Words” by Jocelyne Smallian-Khan

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Rating: 3 stars

Headline: A likeable and pleasant read, with the author’s creativity providing energy and bounce on every page

Review:

Dancing Words is a collection by the poet Jocelyne Smallian-Khan. Smallian-Khan’s thirty one poems are themed around dance and movement, many of which being dedicated to individuals close to the author. Lengths and styles of the poems vary, including haikus, one stanza statements and poems spanning multiple pages.

This is a nice little collection of poems and I am quite sure any reader will find a favourite in amongst the collection. Two standout favourites for me are the short a sweet three liner “Temple Dancer” which considers the movement portrayed in ancient art and “Tannoura, Tannoura, Tannoura”. The latter rates highly for its quirkiness and the author’s decision to twist the words into a circle shape which adds unexpected energy and bounce to the content.

Where I perhaps would have liked more in Smallian-Khan’s work is in her use of description and imagery, which felt frustratingly lacking. In most cases the poems are too short to be given the room to breathe and expand in the reader’s imagination. They are over too soon. The use of international dialect also creates confusion, it makes some of the poems a harder experience to read. It is hard to truly become immersed in poetry if you cannot understand what is being conveyed. That said, I am the first to accept that as a native English speaker with poor grasp on global language this could be a case of reader error.

To the right readership, the type who revel in short and snappy poetry, there is a lot to take away in Dancing Words. Those in search of beefy sagas, poems with ample detail and strong visuals may need to look further afield. It makes for a likeable and pleasant read, just not something that can be so readily debated over in poetry groups.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Dancing Words: A Poetry Collection” by Jocelyne Smallian-Khan

Purchase Link: “Dancing Words: A Poetry Collection” by Jocelyne Smallian-Khan (Amazon)

Author Website: https://jjsk.ca/

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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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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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