Textual Healing

Author: Eric Smith
ISBN: 978-1-4520-6245-7
Publisher: Author House
Purchase Link: Textual Healing
Source: Author for Review

Synopsis:
Few people have to deal with a haiku-speaking flower-shop-owning ninja every day on their way to work. Unfortunately for Andrew Connor, he is one of those people.

And poor Andrew, his week has been a rough one. His former bestseller, Chasing Fireflies, is on clearance at Barnes & Noble for $1.37, his girlfriend left him for a corporate America action figure, and he's been tricked into joining Textual Healing, a support group for writers who can't seem to write anymore.

Dealing with his employees at his failing used bookshop, a strange new love interest from the Midwest, and a pet sugar-glider that has somehow managed to destroy his entire apartment... when will he ever find the time to put pen to paper again?

A quirky comedy set in present day New York and New Jersey, Textual Healing follows the story of Andrew, a self-deprecating, once famous author, his small bookstore in Hoboken, and the colorful characters that surround him.

Review:
I really enjoyed this novel for a number of different reasons which I outline below. It has been sitting in my review pile for longer than intended, due to my move, which threw off my reading pattern. When I finished this title I was left wishing I was able to read it sooner. It was a highly enjoyable read. Here’s a rundown of the novel.

Originality- This title is highly original in concept as well as the storyline. The novel reminds me of chick-lit in terms of the relationship plot, but has humor mixed within. Don’t be confused, this isn’t a chick-lit novel, everything about it screams I’m male. I rarely read novels that focus on relationships (all kinds) with a male lead character. I appreciated and enjoyed the point of view in this novel.

Setting- The novel is set in modern day NYC, but isn't the typical Central Park, middle of Manhattan novel.  Instead it has a real down home feel as the characters delight in the charm of New York City living within Hobokan.  I really enjoyed getting to know the Ace's corner of the city. 

Pace- I quickly read this novel. Overall it has a steady pace that guides the reader along. There were a few sections that didn’t capture my attention as well, but the novel was never boring! I did not find myself distracted by other things.

Humor- Oh my gosh, did I laugh! This novel is hilarious. If you’ve ever wanted to know exactly how guys think and what runs through their minds, read this book! It is simply entertaining to read. I read multiple passages aloud to my husband and he would laugh as well. It was refreshingly honest.

Uniqueness- This story is one you’d normally expect to read in a chick lit novel. There is a break up, a romance, complications etc. However, the roles are reversed since it’s about a guy. I haven’t read many books that have a male lead and “chick-lit” type story that is completely full of testosterone. The book also takes place mostly in the course of one week. This aspect was wonderfully done!

Overall, I laughed, laughed and laughed some more. I found the characters extremely likeable for the most part. The characters are highly original, well developed and interact with each other beautifully. Each brings a sense of charm or oddity to the story. The book could easily be visualized while I read it. If you’re looking for something different or fun, want to break out of your shell or just want a humorous read, this is a great book! I definitely recommend this read.

About the Author:
 Eric Smith is a 28 year old writer/professor from New Jersey, who currently residing in Philadelphia. He teaches composition and literature at Peirce College, runs the popular hyperlocal Philadelphia blog Geekadelphia with a legion of local geeks, and work in publishing.  You can connect with him via his website www.ericsmithrocks.com or Twitter @ericsmithrocks or Facebook.

Special Interest

Author: Aaron T. Knight
ISBN: 978-1439211083
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing
Source: Author for Review
Contributing Reviewer: Megan Bennett

Synopsis from Amazon:
An altruistic scientist discovers a source of perpetual electrical energy that will eliminate the need for fossil fuels. To safe guard the invention he has hidden the formula in sections around the world. Special interest groups scramble for possession of the discovery with comic results.

Megan's Review:

Joe has just relocated after having a broken engagement and being forced out of his accounting job. Everything appears to be getting along nicely with his new life until his flowerbed reveals a mysterious clue to a murder. Soon Joe is involved in a risky operation involving a new energy source that could change how the world operates. Joe soon finds out that there are limited people that he can trust and many special interest groups are after the clues to this energy source and will stop at nothing to obtain the information, not even murder. Joe doesn't want to be involved in this scheme but soon a love interest and his best friend are entangled as well and he finds that he has no choice but to help solve the puzzle.

I have to hand it to the author for coming up with a creative storyline; however, I didn't find that much of the plot was very realistic. Every time a problem arose in the story, there was a quick fix and many of the characters seemed to have just the right set of skills (i.e. a license to fly a plane, and a sports car) at just the right time. The main character, Joe, was not a person that I had much in common with and I started out disliking his personality. I can't say my impression of him improved much throughout the book either, however, I did really like the character Hulk, Joe's best friend. The story was humorous, but at times it took away from the plot and seemed reaching. I read this book in e-format and there were many spelling errors and typos. Also, the dialogue moved from one character and scene to the next without good separation. These errors were distracting and I had to re-read paragraphs to understand what was happening.

Overall I thought the author had a creative idea and I was captivated and wanted to know how the story would end. The characters' motives were hidden well until the end of the book when the author did finally start to place doubt in your mind about who was the good guy and who was the bad guy. The science behind the energy source was unique too - would be nice if such a thing existed! So if you can put aside the distracting errors and don't mind a story that isn't all that realistic, you may enjoy this unique tale.

2.5 out of 5