Penny Pinching Tips for the Morally Bankrupt

Read the first half-dozen shorts and was thinking it was OK, bearable, not bad - not laugh-out-loud funny but amusing, witty and cynical. Then I hit the short called "Signs", which grabbed me by the throat, gave a good squeeze and didn't let go until it was done. Overall, it's an odd collection of sometimes-funny, sometimes-twisted and sometimes-angry shorts that make you think. And there's so much in there that you won't feel bad skipping one that doesn't appeal to you. Definitely NOT everyone's cup of tea (as you can tell from the individuals with their 1-star reviews) but I loved it.

I can't praise this book too highly. Entertaining, thought provoking, wickedly funny. I couldn't put it down and I was sorry when I got to the end. Brilliant author.

Goodness… where to start with my review of Penny Pinching Tips for the Morally Bankrupt. This is probably the most diverse book of short stories I’ve come across, and with such a range of eclectic stories, among the 43 in this volume, there’s bound to be something in there for everyone. There are some longer pieces while others are very short, only a page or two.I loved Libby Marshalls writing style, it’s lean, punchy and very good, and her sense of humour, which is quick and darkly mischievous. Her ideas are highly original and Marshall writes what many of us may think but hesitate to express.Did I love every story? No. But I loved, or liked, the majority, and certainly enough that when I finished I went to Marshall’s website to see what else I could find to read on there.Despite what the title, and cover, may have you believe this is most definitely a work of fiction. If you’re looking to save money, look elsewhere, this is not for you, unless, of course, you happen to be morally bankrupt, in which case…Addictive page turning has meant I got through this book of unique gems quickly and I don’t hesitate to recommend it to all those who don’t mind the occasional sexual reference and F word and who long to read something that little bit different.

This is probably the first collection of short stories I’ve ever read, and I had such a good experience that I will definitely be doing it again in the future. Libby Marshall has a seriously twisted sense of humour, and I loved it. The stories themselves were very short, with the longest being maybe twenty pages, and the majority being about five.I couldn’t possibly cover all the stories in this review, but some of my favourite were: Act Of God, where a recently homeless woman has a morbid, yet uplifting conversation with a Sears employee about buying a fridge; Signs, in which a woman has become dependant on a sign that tells her what her current emotion is; 90 Day Fiance: Dracula (the title really speaks for itself).One of the key draws of this collection was its black humour. Its ironic, sarcastic and sometimes snide nature lined up well with the type of book I enjoy reading. I felt that it would probably be best enjoyed by a young, liberal audience.The nature of reading short stories means that you will inevitably enjoy some of them more than others, and it was no different for me. There were a handful of the 43 stories that I didn’t like very much, and a number that I thought were mediocre or didn’t fully grasp. However, that’s the beauty of an anthology: the next one is a fresh start. Moreover, the extremely varied nature of the stories means that there is a significant chance you will find ones that you enjoy.The stories themselves were very imaginative and out there. On multiple occasions I was astounded by just how strange the premise of one was. However, there were also plenty that were beautifully simplistic, although no less poignant. They covered a wide range of themes, with jokes on almost every topic relevant to the current social climate.Due to just how short the stories were, the characters were often quite archetypal, although in some ways that was good. Playing into such stereotypes allowed the humour to be punchier and sharper, I thought. The dialogue was excellently constructed to give a sense of the character in the shortest space possible. However, a few of the characters were a bit deeper in some of the longer stories, which again was nice for the sake of variety.Overall, I’d give the collection a 5.5 out of 7. There were plenty of stories that I liked and a few that I loved. The experimental ones that didn’t quite work for me were easily overlooked. If you haven’t read a short story anthology, this is a really easy place to start.Many thanks to Rosie Amber and Libby Marshall for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received this from Voracious readers in return for an honest review. To be totally honest I didn’t know what to expect.There are 43 stories or other pieces of writing, some of which had me laughing out loud. Some gave me pause for thought. Most I loved, with only the occasional piece I am still a little unsure how I feel about.All in all I recommend this book as some light relief from what is, at the time of writing this review, a serious worldwide situation.When you think that you’ve reached the end keep turning the pages as there is more to come.