Do not drink. Do not eat powdery or crumbly things while reading this book. You are forewarned. …Because you will wind up inhaling something down the wrong pipe as you gasp in a fit of hysteria. Now, not all the episodes in this droll tome will have you grasping your sides, but a fair share of them will. That’s sure. The rest? You’ll nod sagely, recognizing, dare I say, yourself, your in-laws, your neighbors and friends, and, yes, even your sworn enemies.
S. Bradley Stoner nails suburban life to the wall, then proceeds to expose all its undersides in hilarious and, sometimes, uncomfortably candid detail. From the steamed green lady to the gab-gad-about gossip, from the dig-himself-into-the-doghouse dufus to the know-it-all ne’er-do-well, you’ll recognize them all, though the faces you see in your mind’s eye won’t match the faces your neighbor sees when he reads the same lines. But your wife will nod wisely as she quirks a small smile your way when you read her some choice, juicy passage, you seeing yourself in the protagonist’s shoes whilst she’s seeing you . . . never mind.
I give The Square Peg Book a four-star . . . because there are some minor editing issues. S. Bradley Stoner’s a darned fine writer, but, yes, like all of us, he misses some stuff when he knows better. Still, pound for pound, I found no more faults in this work than I find in something put out by HarperCollins, though I know, anymore, that’s not saying much.
About The Reviewer:
D. L. Keur is an artist, a musician, and an author in her own right. Her titles span multiple genres and include science fiction (Aeros), paranormal mainstream and psychological suspense (E. J. Ruek), and Western Romance/Family Saga (C. J. “Country” James).
You can find her and her novels online at DLKeur.com.
Jonathan Brazee is a retired Marine infantry colonel who after years of writing non-fiction, wrote his first novel while serving in Iraq. He independently published it, hoping to sell a few copies to friends and family, and was pleasantly surprised when the book gained traction among the general reading public. Twenty-three novels later, he is now winding down his post-military career overseas to become a full-time writer. A majority of his books have a military bent in science fiction, paranormal, historical fiction, and general fiction, but he has also written non-military scifi and paranormal. He writes three to four hours each day with the help (or despite) the attention of two rescue cats who insist on sitting on his lap or keyboard.
Elisabeth Zguta is an advocate for Independent authors and publishers and encourages all writers to learn the skills needed for today’s book markets and to keep in touch with the new technologies.
Husband, father, and researcher, Ryan Toxopeus spends his free time working on his epic fantasy trilogy, Empire’s Foundation. He started writing the first book, A Noble’s Quest, in 2010 and fell in love with all aspects of storytelling. He focuses on fast paced, character driven plots. His motto: “If I’m bored writing it, others will be bored reading it.”
Samantha Bryant is a middle school Spanish teacher by day and a mom and novelist by night. That makes her a superhero all the time. Her debut novel, Going Through the Change: A Menopausal Superhero Novel is now for sale by Curiosity Quills.
Marva Dasef is a writer living in the Pacific Northwest with her husband. Retired from thirty-five years in the software industry, she has now turned her energies to writing fiction and finds it a much more satisfying occupation.
