The Great Brownie Bake-off

Here is the next book I read and reviewed. This one is by an author who has been writing since she could grasp a crayon in kindergarten. It was a fun easy read.


                                                                

The Great Brownie Taste-off was exactly what I expected—a sweet (pardon the pun) and easy read.

Yolanda Cater works at the Crown Street Cat Shelter but wants to own a bakery one day. She loves to bake and make other people happy. When her friend tells Yolanda she has a job for her that pays $900 a night Yolanda has to check it out. Of course it is in a strip club but the owner doesn’t think Yolanda can cut it as a stripper … either does she. He offers her a job as a secretary but when she sees the first letter is about closing the cat shelter Yolanda turns it down. Instead she challenges the man to a brownie bakeoff. If he wins his other company, a premade brownie giant, can have the building. If she wins, the cat shelter stays.

There is so much to this story than that. The subplot is really interesting and fun. I won’t go into it all as I don’t want to spoil the story for you, the reader. Just know what you see isn’t all there is.

There was just one small complaint I had as a reader, not one that ruined the book but did make it hard reading in some places. The author uses a lot of description, especially when it comes to clothing. Every time a character reenters the story we get to hear about how they are dressed. It did take a bit from the story and had me skipping some parts of it.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and look forward to more from the author.

Author Philip Nork is also doing reviews for Indie authors

It's been a while since I posted. It is because I now have 8 published books to my credit. The last one, This House is a Home, was published a few weeks ago. Since then I have found that the voices in my head have stopped talking to me. So I will be helping get the word out on new Indie authors by reading and reviewing their books here for a while. I will also post the reviews on Amazon for them.

This all came about when I was approached about doing reviews for another blog. I did two and got great feedback from the authors and the owner of that blog. The third review I submitted was turned down because the owner said I was rude to the author for my comments. After discussing it with her and MANY other authors on some of the groups I am in on Facebook, I decided not to work for that particular blog any more. Now I will read and write HONEST reviews on my own.

Here is the review that got rejected.

Hold the Jerky is one of those books you love and hate at the same time. It is also hard to write a review of.

Trixie is a young bisexual female who has had one too many bad relationships with other women. She decides to take a break from all relationships until she gets the urge. You know the sexual urge. To satisfy it she pairs up with a man she meets in the bar that is located below her apartment. According to Trixie herself, "It is not a gay bar, but most of the customers are in fact gay." 

All Trixie wants is a one night stand but the man in question wants more. After their rendezvous Trixie is swayed by the looks of another girl. One who she sees almost every morning at the coffee shop she stops in on her way to work. While debating what she should do and who she should see, the author does a great job of describing Trixie’s feelings toward both of her would be suitors. The reader begins to form a friendship with all the characters and really wants to know what the outcome will be.

Here is where it gets hard to review. I was just getting into the plot and the characters and developing feelings for what I think will happen … when the story ends. No mention of the man, the woman, Trixie’s decision or what happens next. It just ends. I know this is book 1 of a series but I wonder if it is really book 1or just half a story to get the reader to buy Book 2. 

I would like to give this a 4 star rating. I really enjoyed reading it. However because of how it ends so suddenly with no closure, I want to give it a 2 star review. I will compromise and give it 3 stars. Great writing, great storyline, but please next time have an ending that satisfies the reader.

So what do you think? Is there anything wrong with this review? The many Indie authors who have read it and commented see nothing wrong and actually like the feedback I gave. If you think it was a helpful review please come to the book page and click on the 'this review was helpful button.' 

I will be here often. Not only after I read any new titles but also to add in some of my older reviews.