Jaffle Inc - Book Review

Jaffle Inc
by Heide Goody and Iain Grant

What is it about:
Alice works for Jaffle Tech incorporated, the world’s biggest technology company and the creator of the Jaffle Port, the brain implant that gives users direct access to global communications, social networks and every knowledge source on the planet.
Alice is on Jaffle Standard, the free service offered to all people. All she has to do in return is let Jaffle use a bit of her brain’s processing power. Maybe it’s being used to control satellites. Maybe it’s being used to further space exploration. Maybe it’s helping control self-driving cars on the freeway. Her brain is helping Jaffle help the world. And Jaffle are only using the bits of her brain she doesn’t need…

But when a kind deed goes wrong, Alice gains unauthorised access to her entire brain and discovers what she has been missing out on her entire life: music, art, laughter, love…

Now that she has discovered what her mind is truly capable of, how long will the company bosses let her keep it?

What did I think of it:
When you pick up a book by Heide Goody and Iain Grant you know you're in for a laugh.

Jaffle Inc is both very humorous and a critical look at how easily we give away our rights. Alice is the perfect worker at Jaffle Inc until the moment she accidentally gets her brain reset and she starts to experience things she has never experienced before. As she explores her new found emotions and senses she ends up in lots of hilarious situations. Soon she is on a crusade for those less fortunate and this leads to more chaos.

I loved following her antics and discovering more about the scary world she lives in. There were some really cool other characters as well. I especially liked her selfish landlord, who gets drawn into her adventures whether he wants to or not. I rooted for Alice to succeed in her plans and couldn't put the book down until I finished it. Goody and Grant did a great job at balancing the hilarious nonsense with the more serious subjects, making this a funny and a suspenseful read.

All in all a very entertaining read. I'll be keeping an eye out for what's next for Goody and Grant.

Why should you read it:
It's a funny near future adventure


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Godsquad - Book Review

Godsquad
by Heide Goody and Iain Grant

What is it about:
The Team:
Joan of Arc, the armour-plated teen saint of Orleans.
Francis of Assisi, friend to all the animals whether they like it or not.
St Christopher, the patron saint of travel who by papal decree has never existed – no matter how much he argues otherwise.

The Mission: An impossible prayer has been received by Heaven and it’s a prayer that only Mary, Mother of God, can answer. Unfortunately, Mary hasn’t been seen in decades and is off wandering the Earth somewhere. This elite team of Heavenly saints are sent down to Earth to find Mary before Armageddon is unleashed on an unsuspecting world.

Godsquad:
A breathless comedy road trip from Heaven to France and all points in-between featuring murderous butchers, a coachload of Welsh women, flying portaloos, nuclear missiles, giant rubber dragons, an army of dogs, a very rude balloon and way too much French wine.

What did I think of it:
This book is set in the same world as Clovenhoof, which I very much enjoyed. so when I was given the opportunity to get my hands on a review copy, I jumped at the chance.

And I think I like this book even more than Clovenhoof!

I really liked Joan of Arc. She's a feisty heroine on a mission, but is hampered by her two blundering sidekicks. She's been 19 for centuries, and is dying to do something other than being a saint in Heaven.

Christopher is a really fun character as well. he soon discovers being a saint who never existed has its whole set of problems and perks. Francis was the character I connected with the least, although he does have some funny scenes.

From the start there's lots of action and silliness. I kept snorting at all the strange situations the heroes manage to get into. The humor is leaning a bit towards the banal at times, but not enough to annoy me. Mostly I very much enjoyed this book.

If you take religion seriously, you should stay clear of this book, but if you can handle a bit of humor with your religion, and are looking for a fun and action-packed read, you should give this book a try.

Why should you read it:
It's a funny and action-packed read.


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Circ - Book Review

Circ
by Simon Fairbanks, Maria Mankin, Yasmin Ali, Jason Holloway, Livia Akstein Vioto, Luke Beddow, Danielle Bentley, William Thirsk-Gaskill, Sue Barsby and Giselle Thompson
Edited by Iain Grant

What is it about:
Razvan Popescu lives in a flat overlooking the seaside town of Skegness. He keeps himself to himself and few know the man at all. Even fewer know his past, which he has tried to leave behind in the Romanian woods. But when a tattooed man is found murdered on the beach, it is clear that some of that past has followed him to this tacky seaside town. As battle erupts within the criminal fraternity, dark forces gather around the town and Popescu’s acquaintances find themselves dragged into a world of violence, fire and fairy tales. One thing is certain: the circus has come to town.

Ten To One is a novel writing project in which ten authors write a novel together, seeking the approval of a judging panel and a public vote to keep their character in the story.

What did I think of it:
When I was asked if I wanted to read and review this book, I said yes, because it sounded like an intriguing concept. This book is written by ten authors. Along the way authors and their characters could get voted out of the story, just like happens in some reality shows. So when I picked this book up I expected to read a curiosity to be honest.

To my surprise I was treated to a gripping and powerful story about mistakes, regret and redemption.

Had I planned to see if I could figure out why some characters where voted out of the story, soon I was too involved in the events to do that. Yes, characters died, or disappeared from the story, but in such a natural way that I didn't even notice they had been removed, or if I did, I had the feeling there was no other way this story could have gone.

I had my favorite characters of course. Mungo Joey, a washed-up clown, was my absolute favorite, and I kept rooting for him, hoping he would get through this story alive. This being a book where not all characters make it to the end, I will let you find out for yourself if my hopes were in vain or not.

All in all I really enjoyed this book, and only after I finished it, was I able to backtrack and analyse which characters had been eliminated, and guess about the reasons why. I think these ten authors did a great job in making this story a great one. It might have been written as a sort of competition, but when you read it, you sure won't care about that. It's an intriguing, suspenseful, and beautiful story.

If the Ten To One initiative continues, I will most certainly give the next project a try. I will also investigate the authors who worked on this book, to see what else they have written.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful and suspenseful read.

Clovenhoof - Goodreads Giveaway Alert

There's a giveaway of 2 signed paperback of Clovenhoof on Goodreads!

You can bet I entered and I can advice everyone to enter as well, because Clovenhoof is a really fun book.


Clovenhoof
by Heide Goody & Iain Grant
ebook

Charged with gross incompetence, Satan is fired from his job as Prince of Hell and exiled to that most terrible of places: English suburbia. Forced to live as a human under the name of Jeremy Clovenhoof, the dark lord not only has to contend with the fact that no one recognises him or gives him the credit he deserves but also has to put up with the bookish wargamer next door and the voracious man-eater upstairs.

Heaven, Hell and the city of Birmingham collide in a story that features murder, heavy metal, cannibalism, armed robbers, devious old ladies, Satanists who live with their mums, gentlemen of limited stature, dead vicars, petty archangels, flamethrowers, sex dolls, a blood-soaked school assembly and way too much alcohol.


Enter the giveaway here


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Clovenhoof - Book Review

Clovenhoof
by Heide Goody & Iain Grant
ebook

What is it about:
Charged with gross incompetence, Satan is fired from his job as Prince of Hell and exiled to that most terrible of places: English suburbia. Forced to live as a human under the name of Jeremy Clovenhoof, the dark lord not only has to contend with the fact that no one recognises him or gives him the credit he deserves but also has to put up with the bookish wargamer next door and the voracious man-eater upstairs.

Heaven, Hell and the city of Birmingham collide in a story that features murder, heavy metal, cannibalism, armed robbers, devious old ladies, Satanists who live with their mums, gentlemen of limited stature, dead vicars, petty archangels, flamethrowers, sex dolls, a blood-soaked school assembly and way too much alcohol.

What did I think of it:
This is a really fun read.

The idea of Satan having to live as a human intrigued me, and I must say Goody and Grant did a great job in showing the world as seen through the eyes of Satan. Simple things like shopping, Christmas songs, and going out for a drink were painted in a whole new (and funny) light.

The things Satan/Clovenhoof does were both funny and a little frustrating. You can see things going wrong, and at times I both had to laugh and cringe at his antics and his views on the world. But however outrageous his actions were, I couldn't help rooting for him and hoping he would either win back Hell, or manage to fit in on earth. Because even though some things he does were insensitive and catastrophic: Clovenhoof is a likeable character.

Next to Clovenhoof trying to fit in on earth (and not doing to brilliantly at that) there's some other things going on as well, and I had to keep reading to see where this story would lead. The ending was satisfying, but also leaves room for a very promising sequel.

All in all this is a fun and very enjoyable read. I might pick up more books by Goody and Grant in the future.

Why should you read it:
It's a very funny and entertaining read.


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