I don’t really know where to begin with “The Adventures of Warren Steadmill”, which isn’t a bad thing, but rating a book that’s written as a type of parody to classic folktales is just hard! Rosenberg has a distinct style of witty and sarcastic writing that reminds me a great deal of the late Sir Terry Pratchett, even down to the occasional footnote. Everything is whimsical, and silly, and also vaguely serious with some rather dark undertones. But Warren’s tale is a simple one: one of a family growing closer, finding purpose in life, and growing up. Warren falls for a girl and to impress her, he gives up his life of unproductive luxury to become a table maker and win his fair lady’s adoration. But, of course, none of that really works out for him and Warren, poor, sweet, innocent and often dumb, Warren, is left to bumble through an adventure he barely understands that will eventually leave him a hero. Kind of?

****I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for an honest review****

The title of this book pretty much tells you everything you need to know about what you’ll find within its pages. Spoiler alert: earth is screwed. If any humans want to be spared, then our hope lays with Autumn, a klutzy young woman who’s day job is making infomercials, who needs to tell the rest of the human race to take a major chill pill, and come together singing kumbaya so the aliens will swoop down and save us. There’s a reason why this all sounds kind of silly, and that’s because that’s how the book is written (which, come on, is pretty obvious just by LOOKING at the cover, or reading the back blurb). So if you’re tired of all those serious end-of-day’s books, you know, the ones that result in redemption stories as the characters try to get back to normal life, then look no further. This book doesn’t deal with the aftermath of the end of the world (which should be self-explanatory as to why), but rather the humorous lead up to saving what remains of the human race. Who knew you could cram a decent amount of sex, food binge-fests, and bad puns, while the earth gets destroyed?

****I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review****

Growing up, I loved all things King Arthur and Camelot. I loved reading about the different iterations of Morgana from evil Fey Queen to misunderstood guardian Lady of the Lake. I loved reading the more young adult books focusing on Guinevere becoming a warrior queen rather than a damsel in distress. Then for some reason, that really isn’t witty or enlightening, I moved on from Arthur and his Knights of The Round Table, and went on to more Greek and Norse Mythology and on and on. But I am so glad to be getting back into Arthurian fantasy! It reminds me why I loved these books as a kid, and the first book in “The Legends of King Arthur” really hit the spot for a craving I had nearly forgotten about! I don’t know of a single person who hasn’t at least heard of the legends around King Arthur, so I don’t really need to say what this book is about. Suffice it to say, this story follows Arthur on those crucial few “steps” before he can covet his Kingly title, when everything goes wrong, and he has to prove himself worthy to lead his people.

“Life and Other Near-Death Experiences” is the rather humorous journey one woman takes, both literally and figuratively, when she discovers she has cancer. I know it sounds weird, a book that’s meant to be a funny account of a woman diagnosed with a rare cancer while her marriage dissolves around her? But it’s true! Often these kinds of books (that a lot of people call chik-lit or women’s fiction, but I don’t like those “titles”) follow a similar format that is very Lifetime Movie: something truly awful happens, and then someone makes it worse, and then the main character goes on a path of panic fueled self-discovery. Which is what the main character, Libby does. But Pagan writes it in a way that has a unique brand of humor that won’t leave you emotionally drained and devastated at the end of every chapter.