Aida Brassington

*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Patrick Boyle is 19 and his birthdate has come up in the Vietnam lottery. He is one day away from having to report for his physical before heading off to boot camp when he takes a tumble down the steps in his home and dies. That’s one way to get out of going to war. As he figures out that he’s really dead, Patrick then becomes confused as to why he’s still hanging out at home. Shouldn’t he be off to the great beyond? And he keeps wondering as the years pass and he has no way to leave the house. When Sara Oswald buys the house 40 years later, Patrick finally has something to break up the monotony, but when she starts channeling his memories things get really weird. What does it all mean? And can a ghost fall in love?

This story started out with an excellent premise. Patrick has a freak fall and now he’s a ghost stuck in his house. No matter what he tries he can’t leave the confines of the house. His mother can’t face staying there, so they move, but don’t sell. It’s a wonder Patrick didn’t go nutsy-poo being on his own for 40 years with little to keep him occupied. When Sara moves in things get even more interesting. And then…blerg. Patrick falls in love with Sara, Sara falls in love with Patrick and it turns into a sickly lovefest. “No, I love you more.” “No, I love you more.” Ad nauseam. Just shoot me now. They don’t bother trying to figure out anything that’s happening to Patrick. Oh, no. They’re too busy fawning all over each other. It went from being an exciting read to an absolute snoozefest. The bitchy sister made me want to snap her neck, Sara’s spinelessness made me want to shake her and Patrick’s obsession with Sara made me want to castrate him. And the ending? Dafuq?! I can only say that this story was quite the letdown for me.… (mehr)

Reviewed on These Pretty Words Nov 4th.

Descriptive. That’s the one word that comes to mind when I think of Aida’s debut novel – a touching tale of a nineteen year old young man who dies on the very first page. What comes after that almost disturbingly detailed account of a simple fall down a flight of stairs is a beautiful and unique look at life… and love… after death.

Patrick haunts his childhood home for decades, alone and isolated from the rest of the world… until the day Sara walks in the door. Almost immediately she seems to have a sense of something or someone in the house, watching her, interacting with her. She does what many of us have probably done at one point or another – she talks to the nothing around her. And she absolutely captivates the dead young man still roaming the shag-carpeted halls.

This book absolutely drowns you in the emotions of its characters. From the loneliness and sorrow of a long-dead Patrick, trapped in the same house he died in, to the anguish of the heartbroken Sara. Through the sweetness of falling in love and the bitterness of lost dreams. From the pain of feeling disconnected from everyone to finding that special someone who gets it… gets you. Even if he is dead.

The bad: Take everything you think you know about ghosts and throw it all out the window. The world Aida builds includes touching… kissing… sleeping. It’s a fresh view on life after death, and I absolutely loved it!

The characters are written true and bold, with flaws and quirks that make them stand right up off the page. The plot is intriguing and keeps the reader engaged right from the first page. The writing is witty, a bit snarky at times, and utterly captivating. I definitely recommend buying this lovely, unique, wonderful novel and giving it a read. It’s well worth the time. I’d love to see a sequel written, Miss Aida.… (mehr)

Received book from author for a fair and honest review: 3½ stars/5 stars

Aida Brassington’s Chasing Fools is a light read with a bit of romance, humor, suspense, a seriously colorful cast of characters, and some really weird food. Since this adult novel absolutely revolves around its large cast of characters, I thought it best to provide you, dear reader, with a rundown of who’s who.

Varda: cheese maker, Gino’s girlfriend, the bane of Flora’s existence and former exotic food smuggler. Yes, that is apparently a real job ☺ Varda is strong-willed, mouthy, and absolutely in love with two things: cheese and Gino.

Gino: Varda’s hopelessly romantic boyfriend and Tommy’s brother. He’s an Italian Catholic from Philly, with a penchant for wearing really bad clothes and using words like “homeslice”. Gino is sweet and delightfully oblivious to his own lameness; he actually thinks the super saggy pants are awesome and calling people “homeslice” is still cool.

Tommy: Gino’s gay brother and Ryan’s boyfriend. Hands down, Tommy is one of my favorite characters in this novel. He is sweet, feisty, often squeamish, but willing to walk through Hell for his family and friends. Tommy’s strength lies in his love of his family, and his devotion to Ryan. You just can’t help but love him.

Ryan: Tommy’s boyfriend. Ryan is a darling who adores Tommy and is willing to go along with any crazy plan, as long as it helps Tommy and makes him happy. Lucky for Tommy, Ryan’s parents have a shady background, and a skill set that comes in quite handy.

Anthony C.: What a pig! Anthony C. is a slob of a man, who fancies himself a connected man of the mob. Anthony loves weird, exotic, and often seriously disgusting foods, which he has Varda procure for him. Anthony’s girth is only overshadowed by two things: his incompetence and his stupidity. I laughed out loud at a few of his stupid moves.

Flora: Holy cats! Flora is a beautifully written Italian Catholic widow who is absolutely certain Varda is no good for her son Gino. The things that come out of this woman’s mouth are as hysterical as they are offensive. I am not quite sure how Varda manages to control her need to punch Flora in the nose ☺

Nana: I loves me some Nana! While Nana doesn’t make much of an appearance early in the novel, when she does show up, she’s there to play. Nana is a great character with a rather surprising background, and once Nana really gets going, even her family is a bit frightened by her.

Bottom line: Chasing Fools plot is a bit weak for me, but it is carried through by the delight of this novel, its characters. Brassington has put together such a weird set of people and circumstances that what initially seems to be rather odd and far-fetched somehow comes together in the end and makes perfect if warped sense. The novel’s pacing is good, the unfolding of the plot is not rushed, and all of the characters have ample time to develop and fit themselves into their place within the plot. With this being said, I still wasn’t jumping up and down with anticipation to plow through this one. I liked the story, I really liked the characters, but I was left with an overall impression of this being an OK read. Would I recommend it? Yeah, I would, but I honestly can’t say it should be pushed to the top of your TBR list.… (mehr)