Bernard Jan's Blog - Posts Tagged "fiction"

A Christmas Outing by Jonathan Hill

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I happened to be on a tram on my morning ride to work when David's mother rip-opens the parcel her daughter has sent as a gift from Australia and pulls out of it a vibrating pink penis with a gift-tag around it. David stares open-mouthed at the sight of it, his boyfriend Jamie drops the remains of the biscuit he is eating in his lap, David's dad is laughing. David's mother looks from her husband to penis and from penis to her husband and asks, confused, “What . . . What is it?!” This propels David's dad into an even louder laughter, which is followed by a sudden blare of rap music ringtone from his phone he still doesn't know how to turn off.

At this point David is really annoyed at his futile attempts and all distraction. It is all too much for him so he yells: “I’m gay and I’m going out with Jamie and I love hiiiiiiiiim!” This scene is an ultimate climax of a hilariously funny novella A Christmas Outing by Jonathan Hill.

It is Christmas market time and 19-year-old David is going to visit it with his parents. This time, though, his boyfriend Jamie is coming along. David has something very important to announce to his parents tonight and Jamie is there to support him. Coming out to his parents is too complicated and not easy at all and Jamie is going to be there to be by his side and help him in any way he can.

A Christmas Outing is teeming with funny scenes and brilliant and comic dialogues of one dysfunctional family which is trying to survive Christmas time. A dominating mother and a submissive father who keep arguing about every little thing (sounds familiar, anybody?!), David's Psycho Sister who fled as far away as possible from her family and who sends sex stuff as gifts to her parents – her mom especially, and David who is the whole evening laboriously plotting a plan to admit to his parents that he is different, that he has a boyfriend, so he can be accepted and be himself more than he ever was.

Jonathan Hill is a master of building a suspense and expectation around David's coming out. He makes us smile, giggle, snort and laugh from one situation to another throughout this whole heartwarming and honest comedy short story that will make everybody feel good despite the serious issue of coming out which it covers in order for everyone who is and feel different to become recognized and labeled within the set and acknowledged categories of our society. His characters are very functional, realistic and alive, and we have certainly met their real-life versions at some point in our lives.

After Not Just a Boy, A Christmas Outing is another smashing success by Jonathan Hill I had luck and pleasure of reading. My pleasure would be even greater if I didn't have to suppress funny sounds that were threatening to burst out of me in a hysterical laughter in a tram full of people when David from the screen of my smartphone mused: My sister is on the other side of the world, in a different time zone and season and still she manages to piss on the bonfire I haven’t yet lit.

Wonderful, simply wonderful!! Five grins as big and shiny as five stars!

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

p.s. Jonathan, maybe I should come out and admit that I fell in love with your writing?! (Here comes another big grin which you can see only with your mind's eye!)



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Bernard Jan

Watching Glass Shatter by James J. Cudney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I’m glad that the first book I’ve read in the new year is the book from the author I very much respect and love reading, James J. Cudney. I can say nothing but praise for his debut novel Watching Glass Shatter, a moving family drama with strong and memorable characters, which I’ve read after all his other books published to this day.

Two letters that Benjamin Glass leaves to his wife Olivia after his unexpected death, explode with a threat of shattering the whole family. Supported by her sister Diane, Olivia struggles with many family secrets she learns about while visiting each of her five sons. Will she be able to reunite them as a family as each secret cuts her heart like a shattered piece of glass?

Watching Glass Shatter is an impressive portrait of the Glass family members with their real problems, successes and quickly-to-like personalities. It is a story of sadness, pain and love, but also a story of humanity and determination to rise from the sorrow and differences and build a garden where everyone will belong and bloom.

A note to the author: I uncovered Ben’s secret already in Chapter 2 after the family gathering to read his will. That should be a compliment, for you allowed me to connect and empathize with Ben’s sons and their personal situations so early in the book. Thanks and kudos!

BJ
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Bernard Jan



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History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I have to read Adam Silvera’s books when I’m alone. No riding in a tram, no one beside me. Just me and the stillness of the night. When tears can run freely because it’s impossible to stop them. Another dagger through the heart. Theo, Griffin, Wade Jackson, Adam. Well done, all of you.

History remains with the people who will appreciate it most. You didn’t get your history wrong, Griff.

My last words? Reading this book is emotional suicide, but it’s a beautiful way to die.

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

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Bernard Jan

The Bone Gate by Rory Michaelson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Once bitten twice shy doesn’t apply to books by Rory Michaelson. Quite on the contrary, for their Lesser Known Monsters series I would rather say, hit me, baby, one more time!

Joking aside, I am not joking. Unlike some authors who fall victims to their later books in the series, Rory has upgraded Lesser Known Monsters to The Bone Gate, adding a few spicy The Little Book of Lesser Known Monsters short stories in between their two novels.

Rory’s queer, paranormal romance, horror, dark fantasy cuisine is gourmet. It is a three-star Michelin literary gastronomy.

From jokes, funny dialogues, giggling and LOLs as an appetizer, The Bone Gate warms up to a suspenseful, dark, bloody, and raw main course squirming on your plate with decaying and foul-smelling body remains. If your stomach is not full and rising after licking your fingers on the last page of the book, Rory will serve you a hungry expectation of a delicious dessert, The Thorn Earth (Lesser Known Monsters Book 3) coming out in 2022.

I am overjoyed and grateful to the author for receiving a complimentary copy of The Bone Gate. And for the time I enjoyed spending with this entertaining, funny, dark, and scary story while holding a beautifully designed paperback in my hands.

Kudos to the author Rory Michaelson, illustrator Axel Toth, and Rory’s and my book designer Dean Cole!

I have purchased an eBook and received a paperback at no cost and with no obligation toward the author. When I like a book this much, I will shout from the rooftops about it. This is my honest review, as honest as it gets.

BJ
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Bernard Jan



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Cruel Summer won the Honorable Mention Award in the Young Adult–Social Issues category in 2021 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest!

Readers’ Favorite recognizes Cruel Summer by Bernard Jan in its annual international book award contest, currently available at Amazon here.

The Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest featured thousands of contestants from over a dozen countries, ranging from new independent authors to NYT best-sellers and celebrities.

Readers’ Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.

Readers’ Favorite receive thousands of entries from all over the world. Because of these large submission numbers, they are able to break down their contest into 140+ genres, and each genre is judged separately, ensuring that books only compete against books of their same genre for a fairer and more accurate competition. They receive submissions from independent authors, small publishers, and publishing giants such as Random House, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, with contestants that range from the first-time, self-published author to New York Times bestsellers like J.A. Jance, James Rollins, and #1 best-selling author Daniel Silva, as well as celebrity authors like Jim Carrey (Bruce Almighty), Henry Winkler (Happy Days), and Eriq La Salle (E.R., Coming to America).

“When the right books are picked as winners we pay attention. We will be spreading the word about Readers' Favorite.”—Karen A., Editor for Penguin Random House

Readers’ Favorite is proud to announce that Cruel Summer by Bernard Jan won the Honorable Mention Award in the Young Adult–Social Issues category.

You can learn more about Bernard Jan and Cruel Summer at Reader’s Favorite where you can read reviews and the author’s biography, as well as connect with the author directly or through their website and social media pages.

“Bernard did a wonderful job of creating a beautifully written and compelling story that is very descriptive so that the reader feels immersed in the story. I enjoyed the detailed skateboarding stunt instructions at the start of each chapter. His characters were brilliantly written and very compelling.”—Rolanda Lyles for Readers’ Favorite

Please check out Cruel Summer at BookAwards.Com.

Thank you.

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

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Bernard Jan

Sleigh Bell Tower by James J. Cudney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Sleigh Bell Tower: Murder at the Campus Holiday Gala (Braxton Campus Mysteries #8)
by James J. Cudney is an incredible book. When I thought the author said it all in his previous seven books, he surprised us with another cozy mystery delight of a book.

A carefully and finely plotted mystery, Sleigh Bell Tower gives us a small army of interesting characters, a taste and smell of holiday festivities, a dispute over the proposed landsite to build a new boutique hotel, a suspense of a new murder, twists and turns of an exciting amateur sleuthing, pleasant creeps of paranormal, and a lot a lot of humor, family drama and intrigue (my favorite parts).

The most stellar part of the book is again Kellan’s and Nana D’s relationship. I wanted to start my review with quoting some of their dialogue, because already from the first opening lines of Chapter 1, Nana D and Kellan shine in being sassy wisecrackers. But as I flew through the book, pulled by its great promises, I realized that wouldn’t be possible. My review would end up pages and pages long as I would copy-paste all their hilarious thoughts and conversation. Their dialogues are brilliant, cunning, and contagiously funny, almost unreal! Both Kellan and Nana D are utterly charming and strong characters you must love. It hurts your bowels while you laugh at their verbal fights and outwitting. I would like to know if there are real Kellan and Nana D in the author’s life and not only in his imagination because they are more lively, convincing, and tangible than some real people I know.

Thank you, Kellan, and Nana D, for all the laughter, guffaws, and smiles; thank you, Jay, for yet another humorous and adorable hit from the Braxton Campus Mysteries!

BJ
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Bernard Jan

After receiving Readers’ Favorite Honorable Mention Award 2021, being second in the YA and Middle Grade book category in the TCK Publishing Reader’s Choice Awards 2021 contest and the 2021 Best Book Cover Award finalist in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards cover contest in the Children/Young Adult category, Cruel Summer gets another recognition.

Cruel Summer is the Finalist in the 2021 Wishing Shelf Book Awards!

The Wishing Shelf Book Awards was set up ten years ago by children’s author, Billy Bob Buttons. Based in the UK, it is different from most other book awards as it is run by authors and the books are judged by reading groups, not professionals in the publishing industry.

I thank the readers who chose Cruel Summer to be among thirty-four finalists in the Books for Teenagers category and Billy Bob Buttons for the lovely certificate and medal!

Congratulations to all the finalists in all eight categories of the 2021 Wishing Shelf Book Awards.

Click here for the list of all finalists.

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

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Bernard Jan