I'm glad to report that reviews for my novel have been great. I hope it is beginning to find an audience. I've reached over 50,000 people on Facebook and it's only cost me $150. In 1998, it would gave cost twice that much to place a small box ad in a magazine. It's easy to create and manage ads on Facebook, although their server is slow and frustrating at times. Being "liked" is also free advertising and every time you send out an ad their friends see it. Facebook ads are what will keep my book alive for now. Who knows? Here are 3 of my reviews:
Confessions is your great read,
December 28, 2011 By EK Amazon Verified Purchase
The title of the book might make you think this is a totally raunchy affair, but it is actually a warm, funny story about the lengths and depths a husband and father will go to make a better life for his family. In this case, it's a Latin man starting a XXX website with his Jewish in-laws. As humorous as that situation sounds on its own, turns out, it's not all fun and games. The moral and ethical struggles that come from the choices Jose (the main character) makes help ground the story. There are moments when I laughed out loud, and moments that are really touching, and, yes, some that are a bit risqué. All together, it works as a highly enjoyable book, even more impressive that it's from a first-time novelist. This book has a lot of heart and soul which is what stands out about it most for me. It's definitely worth a read!
The Truth, June 3, 2012 By Floridian palmita. Amazon Verified Purchase.
"This is a Must Read Book! The Author brings me to places I've never seen, as a Floridian we do not have Bodegas or really have to take a cab or walk anywhere. Luis Mario lets you see the city for what it truly is, he let's you feel his struggles on the outside and within himself. He let's you savor the tastes of the foods in little neighborhoods that people may remember as kids. He describes the sights and sounds of the borough in the most elegant ways as if you are standing right next to him. Today people are going through their own struggles and I can relate to his struggles, family and religious beliefs."
Exploits of cab driver following his dream of becoming wealthy. Amazon Verified Purchase
"One can easily identify with any character living in the Bronx who wants a better life for his family--that desire is universal. Jose's life as a cab driver was both a colourful and depressing one. He appeared a credible character. This story is based on a true one and that came across as obvious in many respects. It was felt however, that the setting--Jose spending three hours in a confessional booth seeking absolution for selling sex having done it all for money--was probably not the most appropriate setting for the telling of this story because it took much, much longer to read the materials than what one has to assume was orally delivered to the priest in that supposed three-hour time-frame. The narrative is a faily long one and so that setting was somewhat incredible. I think perhaps even "Cinco Horas Con Mario", a five hour talk with a dead person, must have been a shorter novel than this one said to be narrated within three hours. The author's writing style in Confessions was witty, entertaining and quite vivid making this an engrossing read. Whether the author intended to present the church/religion as hypocritical is not known but this comes across regardless--the MC believeing he's sinned, confessing but asserting he would do it all again if he had to, and Father Monahan appeasing him by saying he could still get into heaven by letting Jesus into his heart and donating lots of his ill-gotten gains to charity--ten percent. Of course, he must engage in performing Hail Mary's and Acts of Contrition, so many that he would probably end up an old man when he's finished them all. Redeemed, and at peace with himself for having confessed, he leaves the confessional. This novel, while it does make one laugh in many segments, tells a tragic-absurd provocative tale that begs a serious study of man's motives for his actions, good and bad, and the place religion assumes in his life."
Not too shabby? I hope future reviews will be so good. For now, I'll continue writing into the wind.
Luis Mario
Confessions is your great read,
December 28, 2011 By EK Amazon Verified Purchase
The title of the book might make you think this is a totally raunchy affair, but it is actually a warm, funny story about the lengths and depths a husband and father will go to make a better life for his family. In this case, it's a Latin man starting a XXX website with his Jewish in-laws. As humorous as that situation sounds on its own, turns out, it's not all fun and games. The moral and ethical struggles that come from the choices Jose (the main character) makes help ground the story. There are moments when I laughed out loud, and moments that are really touching, and, yes, some that are a bit risqué. All together, it works as a highly enjoyable book, even more impressive that it's from a first-time novelist. This book has a lot of heart and soul which is what stands out about it most for me. It's definitely worth a read!
The Truth, June 3, 2012 By Floridian palmita. Amazon Verified Purchase.
"This is a Must Read Book! The Author brings me to places I've never seen, as a Floridian we do not have Bodegas or really have to take a cab or walk anywhere. Luis Mario lets you see the city for what it truly is, he let's you feel his struggles on the outside and within himself. He let's you savor the tastes of the foods in little neighborhoods that people may remember as kids. He describes the sights and sounds of the borough in the most elegant ways as if you are standing right next to him. Today people are going through their own struggles and I can relate to his struggles, family and religious beliefs."
Exploits of cab driver following his dream of becoming wealthy. Amazon Verified Purchase
"One can easily identify with any character living in the Bronx who wants a better life for his family--that desire is universal. Jose's life as a cab driver was both a colourful and depressing one. He appeared a credible character. This story is based on a true one and that came across as obvious in many respects. It was felt however, that the setting--Jose spending three hours in a confessional booth seeking absolution for selling sex having done it all for money--was probably not the most appropriate setting for the telling of this story because it took much, much longer to read the materials than what one has to assume was orally delivered to the priest in that supposed three-hour time-frame. The narrative is a faily long one and so that setting was somewhat incredible. I think perhaps even "Cinco Horas Con Mario", a five hour talk with a dead person, must have been a shorter novel than this one said to be narrated within three hours. The author's writing style in Confessions was witty, entertaining and quite vivid making this an engrossing read. Whether the author intended to present the church/religion as hypocritical is not known but this comes across regardless--the MC believeing he's sinned, confessing but asserting he would do it all again if he had to, and Father Monahan appeasing him by saying he could still get into heaven by letting Jesus into his heart and donating lots of his ill-gotten gains to charity--ten percent. Of course, he must engage in performing Hail Mary's and Acts of Contrition, so many that he would probably end up an old man when he's finished them all. Redeemed, and at peace with himself for having confessed, he leaves the confessional. This novel, while it does make one laugh in many segments, tells a tragic-absurd provocative tale that begs a serious study of man's motives for his actions, good and bad, and the place religion assumes in his life."
Not too shabby? I hope future reviews will be so good. For now, I'll continue writing into the wind.
Luis Mario
