Shizzle, Inc by Ana Spoke
Publisher: Ana Spoke
Publication Date: September 4, 2015
Welcome to my most ambiguous book review to date (at least I hope it is). And, why so? you may ask. Because today, your friendly book reviewer will be taking you on a journey of dual personality reviewing. Again, why? you may ask. Because “we” think that you are either going to love this book or hate it. As such, “love” and “hate” will be offering their opinions of Shizzle, Inc.
First, a brief unbiased synopsis: Isabella Maxwell, Isa, has one main goal: to win back Brad, her high school boyfriend. In order to do that, she has to become a celebrity because he said that once he became a football player that he couldn’t date just anyone. It had to be a model or a celebrity. After watching a late-night paid commercial for Shizzle, Inc., in which the CEO, Mr. Hue, says that they are looking to hire a new Shizzle, Inc., assistant, Isa decides this could lead her on the path to celebrity status.
The “Love” reviewer. I needed a break from serious fiction and serious “life.” This book was funny. It was like an Anna Faris movie, but in book form with the crazy dumb blonde getting into all kinds of hijinks. Isa gets herself into incredible situations and by dumb luck manages to get out of them and somehow get out of them and win. She says stupid things and yet is rewarded, but becomes principled. There are lots of laughs and jokes. Shizzle, Inc. is pure escapist fun. It’s launched at a frenetic pace, so hold on. Turn off your brain, read, and enjoy.
“If life really were like a box of chocolates, then every now and then, when you bit into one, there’d be a turd inside.”
The “Hate” reviewer. Do we really need a book in which the heroine is so self-absorbed that she thinks everyone is in love with her when no one is? Or one in which the heroine has seemingly no functioning brain cells? Or one in which the first word a Japanese man says is: “Herro” instead of “hello?”
The book is manic. There are bits in which it seems all of the characters are verging on hysteria and that’s even before the climax.
Authors shouldn’t do all of their research regarding life in the US based on tv. Some states do have drive through liquor stores (for decades and more decades) and brew thrus for that matter. (Yes, thanks to NCIS, people are still converging on Virginia Beach looking for the beautiful cliffs there that overlook the Atlantic Ocean. Fail.)
The dialogue is inconsistent. The action is somewhere “southeastern” US with intermittent “y’alls” thrown in. A lot of the jokes are recycled. If you read, watch tv or movies, you’re probably familiar with most of them.
Read this and your IQ may suffer.
The “Ambiguous” reviewer: Want escapism that’s funny? Read it. Know that you will hate anything that’s politically incorrect even if there’s a chance it might be ironic? Don’t read it. Want to laugh about steak tartare even though you know all of the jokes? Read it. Hate vulgar? Don’t read it. Loved Bruce Almighty? Read it. Loved Contact? Don’t read it.
Any more questions? Are we clear?
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Patchwork Press in exchange for an honest review.
ratings:
The Love reviewer: 
(4 out of 5 butterflies)
The Hate reviewer: 
(2 butterflies and a ladybug out of 5 butterflies)
The Ambiguous reviewer: (3 butterflies and a ladybug out of 5 butterflies)