I kind of can't even handle how ridiculously pulpy this series is so far. Patient Zero pretends to a kind of scientrism, wherein the zombie outbreak our intrepid heroes race to thwart has, like, a modicum of scientific plausibility, I guess. Baltimore cop and chiseled jaw hero Joe Ledger gets tapped by one of those shadowy X filesy governmental organizations to track down a terrorist with a name like The Jackal. The leader of said alphabet soup organization eats cookies as his ominous tic; Joe has to murder a terrorist twice in a week; international pharma phuckers are the absolute worst. Patient Zero is good fun, with lots of kickass and a fullblown zombie outbreak to salve your need for bloodshed. 

 

But it's The Dragon Factory which really swings for the cheap seats. There's literal Nazis, genetically engineered chimera, Neanderthals, evil albino twins with a side of incest, clones, and more, so much more. SO MUCH MORE. I kept cackling through this novel, unable to believe how fucking bonkers everything was, and just when I got a handle on it, it would get MORE BONKERS. Uff da, I haven't had as much fun with something this silly in a long time. I'm going to read the shit out every single Joe Ledger novel as long as they stay this goofy, 

Breaking Free of Bonkers: How to Lead in... I am so happy that I was among the first ones to have the chance to read this book.

Since I am working in a big organisation, as an administrator, I find myself into various situations constantly. Me and my team often find mistakes that are in the system, which makes it not work - or BONKERS :D

This book helped me understand how things (don't)work in an organisation, and how to realise that, get over it, understand it, and start using it in your advantage.

It's a wonderful book full of examples that I could relate to, making you realise that all big organisations work in a different - but also same way, and they all have their gaps full of bonkers.

I would definitely recommend it to every person working in a big organisation, to every person curious about big organisations, to every person that wants to become a leader and learn a few tips and tricks, to every person that loves learning.

I had a great time reading this book! :)

 

Despite it's "outlandish" plot that ends up being developed in a contemporary romance setting _ always a tricky thing _ the author was able to tell an original story _okay, there was the Drop Dead Diva TV series that starts with basically the same premise..but apparently this book was released in 2008, so you do the math.. _ without crossing the borders into the "cheesy land" or the "borderline ridicule" path.

 

There's acclaimed authors whose works I love _okay...normally love  _ but when they try to mix some sort of fantasy aspect, with a contemporary setting...for me, they just crash and burn!

 

This was definitely not the case with Michelle Holman's story!

With a great cast of characters _ amazing really! _ and with emotions running wild, this is a great story about family and what would happen if we were given a second chance to live...but in another body, and with a completely different life. But never forgetting the life, and the family we left behind...

 

I honestly wasn't expecting it, but this story sure left me teary- eyed in quite a few moments:

The relationship and the bonds between Lisa and her family are extremely well done, and in the end, the only thing that would have made me enjoy this story even more, would probably have been if Lisa's and Dan's interest in one another, had taken a little more time to develop.

 

The writing does it's job....although it can be a little too descriptive at times, like when Dan is thinking about Linda, and we get a whole lot of outfits descriptions!

So yes, I wasn't crazy about the writing style, but despite that, the story is definitely worth reading.

 

I would love nothing else than to share some phrases with you guys, but I read the Portuguese version, and I am afraid that by translating it back to English, I might inadvertently change the original writing!

 

Bottom Line: A story that I really liked reading. It kept me up until five in the morning ...and I would love to read the "sequel" to this story, now with a different set of characters: Barefoot

 

I can only hope that the Portuguese Publishing House, Quinta Essência, will publish the sequel as well, because I have the inkling, that an original Harper Collins New Zealand edition will be way too expensive! :(

 

My suggestion guys?

Learn Portuguese! That way you can buy and read this edition, which is way less expensive! :)

 

 

This was like receiving a moneyshot facial of closure for me and I loved it! Perhaps I should explain...

For years, nay, decades now I've been a fan of Jennifer Saunders, her hit show Absolutely Fabulous and the myriad of satellite projects revolving about her. I enjoyed the work she did with her comedy partner Dawn French. Before that I was a fan of the '80s British tv series The Young Ones, and when I realized both women had appeared in episodes of that show I wanted to know how that came about. Later I would discover the show Girls On Top and wonder where that fit in, it being so very much like The Young Ones, and how was it Tracy Ullman was a part of that project. I'd heard through the grapevine that Saunders and Young Ones star Adrian Edmondson were married. Was that before, during or after they met in the '80s? Did they meet in the '80s or was there prior history? These are all inconsequential questions that only a fan would give a shit about, and that's the target of Bonkers: My Life in Laughs.

The first half of the book is about those early days, when Saunders was scrounging about for something to do with her life and Dawn French fell into her lap. They were fortunate enough to come along at a time when a comedy troupe was in need of a female act, and thus they met The Young Ones gang. In these glorious pages, illuminated with the help of a good many photographs, many of my questions were answered. Wonderful coincidences abound. Familiar faces pop up left and right. Hilarious anecdotes explode across the page at regular intervals. It was this first half of the book that had me ready and willing to hand over a 5 star rating to Bonkers.

The second half had me reeling that rating back in. I wasn't surprised. Right at the start Saunders admits she might not have the necessary baggage and skeletons in the closet that would bring her memoir up to the rollercoaster ride, tear-jerker level of autobios often churned out by celebrities and such these days. Hers is actually a fairly normal life. She prefers things a bit low-key. Not a terrible lot of terrible things have happened to her. This is not to say she hasn't had her share of trials, but either they aren't that dramatic or she does an excellent job of under-dramatizing them. The second half isn't bad, it's just that it didn't have me all wrapped up in it as the first half did. I was a little worried though, because at one point Saunders actually begins talking about writing this book. You know you've run out of things to say when that happens. Thankfully, she jumps off that wayward wagon before it flies over the cliff edge and crashes in the canyon below.


Guilt-ridden admission: This was my "Homer" bowling ball gift to my wife this Christmas. Not that she isn't a big Saunders fan, but I bought this book for her for selfish reasons. I wanted to read it.

I’ve known Jennifer Saunders’ work for years and I love her work to pieces! When I heard she had a biography coming out, I just had to have it.
The book starts at the Central School of Speech and Drama where Jennifer followed a course to become a drama Teacher. Every now and then you skip forward because Jennifer remember something, but she always takes you back to where the chapter started out. If you are a lover of chronological happenings in a biography, this may not be the book for you.
She takes us through her life, her career and of course her battle against breast cancer. She doesn’t write a lot of personal things and that is a good thing, she mostly writes about her journey to become who she is in the comedy world. Which is in a way also featuring her personal life, but it’s not like a day to day journal type of personal anecdotes.

I knew Jennifer and Dawn French weren't friends straight away, but they do fit together perfectly comedy wise and in the book you can read how their friendship started to grow. It was fun to read about the things that later turned into the sketches she did. Same with Joanna Lumley, I thought these two knew each other long before Absolutely Fabulous, but they gotten to know each other due to AbFab and also had great chemistry and an amazing friendship followed. In the book Jennifer has a few faxes she and Joanna send to each other and they are so much fun to read!

I loved the book, because in my mind, Jennifer is a strong woman who always knows what to say and when to say it, if it would be on stage or at a job interview. Due to this book I found out that she is very shy and quiet in matters like a job interview, it made me smile as I am much the same. During reading the book, you may notice that Jennifer mostly does things and succeeds in things by sheer luck. And what kind of luck! I think her natural, funny way of things made her the successful person she is today and she certainly did not start out like that or had it happen quickly, she had many struggling moments, but she went through all of it with a “sure, whatever” touch to it. She herself says in the book “I have spent my entire career waiting for the tap on the shoulder. How has she gotten away with it for so many years?“. As I said, luck and her natural funny way!

I find Jennifer a very inspiring person. Being so normal even though she’s known world wide and seeing everything with a positive and sometimes funny feeling. This certainly becomes clear during the chapters on breast cancer. The best moment for the that defined what I felt about her was true was this bit;
“The clinic offered me thing called a cold cap, which is a helmet you wear that is extremely cold – freezing, in fact – and can prevent a good deal of hair loss. I gave it a go, but losing my hear was not a real worry for me. I’ve spent a good portion of my adult life in wigs of one kind or another. Most people don’t really know what my real hair looks like, and are shocked to find out it’s not red and curly”.
I feel this is a Miss Saunders’ way to react to something that, for instance for me, would be devastating as I love my hair. About the moment she actually shaves of the hair she says “Finally Ade and I had matching hairdos“. Now, I know we all deal with things in different ways and sometimes it’s just an ‘act’ to cover a true feeling up, but still. Doing this, thinking this even though you’d cover up a true feeling is for me still inspiring and put a smile on my face!

One of my favorite quotes in the book was by Jennifer’s father: “You can be serious, but you must never, ever take yourself seriously”. Take that quote to heart as there is much truth in it!