Reviews
Apex Reviews
www.apexreviews.net
Negro In Nam: My Father’s Tale
Michael Bernoudy
ISBN: 9780982384541
Blu Phi’er Publishing
Reviewed By Morgan Drake
Official Apex Reviews Rating: Four out of five stars
After having survived the horrors of segregation, the rigors of basic training, and two previous grueling stints in Vietnam, Army Sergeant Michael Bernoudy seems able to handle anything thrown his way; however, during his third tour of duty, his unit is ambushed in a vicious attack – and he magically awakens in a strange new world for which nothing could have prepared him. Soon, Bernoudy finds himself under the watchful eye of the elderly Ming Ling, daughter of the evil emperor The Purple Dragon, as she trains him to help overthrow the brutal tyrant. Little does Bernoudy know, though, the success of his mission will not only determine the fate of his new adopted world – but that of his old one as well...
Wildly imaginative, Negro In Nam is nothing if not creative. In it, author Michael Bernoudy takes what starts out as a moving account of his father’s troubled upbringing and turns it into a fantastical allegory of magic, action, romance, and suspense. Though clearly stating that the veracity of the story is to be determined by the individual reader, Bernoudy crafts his winding tale in such compelling fashion, it becomes difficult to decide just how much of it is true and how much is make-believe. Regardless of your ultimate opinion, Negro In Nam is no doubt a solidly entertaining read, one that is sure to stick with you long after the final page has been turned. Indulge and enjoy.
Apex Reviews
www.apexreviews.net
Twenty Virgins In Heaven
Michael Bernoudy
ISBN: 9780982384534
Blu Phi’er Publishing
Reviewed By Josee Morgan
Official Apex Reviews Rating: Five out of Five Stars
Try as he might, Tyrone just can’t seem to win for losing: his New Orleans based private law practice is struggling, his finances are strained, and he knows no peace in his on-again/off-again relationship with Kyvonne, his daughter’s mother. His luck begins to change, though, when a wealthy Arab by the name of Abdullah retains his services in order to prepare wills for a large number of his affluent associates. Asking no questions, Tyrone readily accepts Abdullah’s generous offer - and he’s soon making more money than he could ever imagine...in short, life is good.
However, when the attacks of September 11th occur, Tyrone just happens to notice that Abdullah previously had him prepare wills for all 19 of the terrorist hijackers. Furthermore, over the course of the next few years, countless murders and other strange occurrences begin happening all over the city of New Orleans-all of which are mysteriously connected in some way to Abdullah. Before he knows it, Tyrone finds himself caught in the middle of a sinister spiritual plot with consequences that affect not only New Orleans - but the entire world - and he’s forced to take desperate measures to save his own life and those he holds most dear as the pulsing winds of Hurricane Katrina beckon just off the Gulf Coast.
Book Two of the Kaleidoscope series, Twenty Virgins In Heaven is a superbly crafted instant classic. In it, author Michael Bernoudy does an outstanding job of combining compelling plotlines with expertly developed characters to tell an imaginative story unlike any the reader may imagine. Furthermore, the tight, fast-paced action of Twenty Virgins is sure to keep you rapt in the throes of Bernoudy’s breath-taking narrative style, leaving you craving even more once the final page is regrettably turned.
Complete with elusive vampires, stinging political commentary, and shapeshifting ancient poet-warriors, Twenty Virgins In Heaven is a dynamic literary treat for the mind and heart. Highly recommended.
Apex Reviews
www.apexreviews.net
A Taste Of Love
Michael Bernoudy
ISBN: 9780982384565
Blu Phi’er Publishing
Reviewed By Kenya Dow
Official Apex Reviews Rating: Four out of five stars
For nearly a decade, Tyrone Jarreaux has made life a living hell for his wife, Kyvonne. From lies to deceit to infidelity, her trifling husband has put her through it all. However, just when she doesn’t think he can do anything more to hurt her – he rides out the worst of Hurricane Katrina laid up with another woman. After finally reaching her breaking point, Kyvonne decides to leave Tyrone for good – but not before exacting a bit of long-overdue revenge first...with the unknown machinations of a woman scorned against him, Tyrone has no idea of the impending wrath he’ll soon endure – all for a little taste of love...
Book 3 in the Kaleidoscope series, A Taste Of Love is quite the intriguing read. In his typical, trademark fashion, author Michael Bernoudy blends the worlds of the natural and spiritual to craft a curiously supernatural tale that stretches the bounds of the imagination. Incorporating the practical manifestations of biblical scripture, Bernoudy interweaves an added element of mystery and suspense to his imaginative tale, seasoning his narrative with a not-so-subtle metaphorical twist. In the end, A Taste Of Love reads like a Biblical soap opera come to modern-day life, with just enough spiritual depth and hidden meaning to keep things interesting. An engaging piece of creative storytelling.
Apex Reviews
www.apexreviews.net
Tales Of Love And Woe
Lawrence Strickland
ISBN: 9780977203451
Blu Phi’er Publishing
Reviewed By Josee Morgan
Official Apex Reviews Rating: Four out of five stars
Composed of two equally compelling short stories, Tales Of Love And Woe presents the reader with vivid accounts of the positive and negative ways in which love often influences us - as well as the unpredictable consequences of each.
In the first offering, “Curse Of The Woman,” young Turrell is the heir apparent of the ever-expanding Turroko Empire. As he cuts his imperial teeth in the heart of gruesome battles and their ensuing political ramifications, he is joined by his trusted cousin, Turron, who stands side-by-side with him through the best and worst of times.
However, when Turrell agrees to an arranged marriage in order to solidify a tenuous political alliance, little does he know that Turron has quite the intimate history with his bride-to-be - which ultimately leads to the most disastrous of global consequences.
The second offering in the collection, “Karma,” chronicles the adventures and misadventures of K’angol, an ancient merchant trader with a fierce, ruthless streak. Betrayed by love at the height of his prime, K’angol soon undergoes a series of dramatic reinventions, including slave, master thief, architect, and ultimate monarch - all the while learning invaluable lessons about the mercurial nature of love. In the end, K’angol gains the kind of deep insight and wisdom that can only come from a life thoroughly lived - and not simply studied.
In Tales Of Love And Woe, author Lawrence Strickland has crafted a moving volume of poetic prose sure to tug at the heartstrings of any reader. Though his chosen subjects are larger-than-life personas from long-ago civilizations, the reader will nonetheless identify with the pure emotional and spiritual turmoil they each experience in their endless pursuits of true love and happiness; such are the same pursuits that define all of us, all-too-often guiding our everyday decisions as we make our way down the nebulous path of life.
Though peppered throughout with various grammatical and typographical errors, Tales Of Love And Woe still shines for its cogent storytelling and even more powerful, vivid characters. Kudos to Strickland for crafting such enjoyable, heart-rending tales.
Feathered Quill Book Reviews
http://www.featheredquill.com/
Ninjas & Vamps
By: Michael L. Bernoudy, Jr.
Publisher: Blu Phi'er Publishing, LLC
Publication Date: December 2017
ISBN: 978-0985837815
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: February 5, 2018
A move from the inner city to the backwoods of Arkansas forms the backdrop for a very unique and interesting story penned by author Michael L. Bernoudy.
Antonio Anderson (Tony or "T" to his friends) lived in South Central L.A. with his father Winchester. There's no mother in this tale, as she left when Tony was three years old. His father, however, always had a woman by his side, some good (one was a great cook), some a little less noteworthy. This was the life Tony was used to, and all went along as expected until Tony's grandmother became ill. Father and son soon had to pack up their lives and move cross-country to Lewisville, Arkansas to care for the ailing woman.
Nothing could be more of a culture shock for a young man used to the streets of South Central than moving over 1500 miles to a tiny, sleepy town in Arkansas. As Tony settled into his new life, it quickly became apparent that he had a lot to learn about life in a small town.
Tony's Arkansas family was an interesting bunch, especially his aunt Bebe and cousin Opal. Both women taught at Tony's school so there was no escaping his relatives. The teen described Opal as "creepy" with her fixation on supernatural beings from Africa, especially the African vampire. Meanwhile, Bebe was in charge of Tony's gym class and she was a taskmaster who pushed her nephew harder than any of her other students. Still, while there were some things that made life in the small town hard for Tony, he did make the football team and soon settled into life in Lewisville, thanks to some new friends that helped him adjust.
Just as things seemed to be going well for Tony, while attending a party along with lots of other kids from the high school, a white girl was attacked. That attack ended the party, but it also started a rash of disappearances of white girls in the town. Something was going on, and that "something" would soon drag Tony, his good friends, and "creepy" Opal and "taskmaster" Bebe into the fight of their lives.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading Ninjas & Vamps as the back cover implied something was going on in the small town Tony was moving to - but what? My curiosity was piqued and I admit that the unexpected twists in the story took me by surprise. Action, suspense, and likeable characters that the author carefully developed made the story enjoyable. In the Forward, the author warns that he switches from "...my narrator voice to my homeboy voice, [so] don't get too frustrated." This switch back and forth was part of what made the story real and enjoyable. The one downfall to Ninjas & Vamps is that there are numerous editorial errors that frequently interrupted the flow of the story. With a careful re-edit, this story could really take off.
Quill says: Ninjas & Vamps has a lot of potential, and with a careful review by an editor, it could be a really fantastic story.
Stained Glass Windows: Memoirs of a Cheater
By: Michael L. Bernoudy, Jr.
Publisher: Blu Phi'er Publishing, LLC
Publication Date: January 2018
ISBN: 978-0-9858378-2-2
Review by: Holly Connors
Review Date: March 10, 2018
Author Michael Bernoudy delivers a deeply honest, no-holds-barred story of his life in his memoir, Stained Glass Windows.
This memoir is divided into six sections, each representing an important stage in the author's life. From "Loss of Innocence" through the final "Hope for the Future," these sections take the reader through a vast array of experiences and events. Within each section are chapters, all named for women who have been a part of Mr. Bernoudy's life - relatives, teachers, his much-loved three daughters, wives (yes, more than one), as well as a long list of lovers.
Mr. Bernoudy begins his story with his earliest memories - "...the happiest times in my life, when it was just my mom and me." His parents, both Vietnam vets, were not a well-matched pair and there was tension in the marriage. Because money was tight, Mr. Bernoudy's mother went back to the military and this led to feelings of abandonment. He spent time with his father, and then his grandmother, but like any young child, he missed his mother. This sense of longing for his mother, desiring closeness and yet not getting that much needed contact, the author explains, would have a profound impact on his own future relationships with women.
The author next moves on to his life in Lewisville, Arkansas (having moved from Los Angeles at the age of five or six). As a city kid trying to adjust to life in a sleepy southern town, there were challenges met and struggles to overcome. For his last two years of high school, Mr. Bernoudy became a rapper and his group actually made an album. But it was the trouble he got into, and the fighting, during those final years of high school that got the author expelled. It was R.O.T.C. that saved the young man from trouble and within the walls of the R.O.T.C. building where he felt he belonged.
As the pages turn, Mr. Bernoudy shares many events that other writers might hesitate to share. He tells of the time his friend Dell brought two very hot young women to his house. Dell soon left again, taking one of the girls with him. Mr. Bernoudy and the other woman had a wild night and it wasn't until several days later that he learned the girl was underage. He was arrested and was soon a convicted felon - he was now listed as a sex offender. This had a ripple effect on his life; keeping him from going to law school and getting him discharged from the military. But the author continued to struggle onwards and he did eventually get that law degree and not only practice law, but have his own law firm. Along the way were lessons learned, woman dated, and career choices made.
Stained Glass Windows takes the reader through a whirlwind of emotions as the author shares his deepest desires, wants, and needs throughout the book. With 37 chapters, there are a lot of women and events chronicled in this memoir. The intimate scenes, and there are many, are not overly explicit, because the author is focusing on the relationships rather than the physical events. While many of the women chronicled in this memoir only appear for a few pages, and thus it's hard to get to know them, the author does a nice job of bringing to life several more prominent women, such as Mona, his wife, then ex-wife, a woman who moved out a total of twelve times.
When I received this book for review, I admit that I thought a memoir of a cheater wouldn't be to my liking, but I was pleasantly surprised to find myself drawn into the story. Mr. Bernoudy has a knack for writing as though he is talking to a friend over drinks at the local bar, sharing stories of his life. The story had a nice, easy flow and was an interesting read that left me thinking about how a few life choices can alter everything to follow.
Quill says: A very personal story that entertains while also providing a cautionary tale of one man's mistake