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May 14, 2008

Hannah rated it:

Whale Season is a kalidescope of heart-warming craziness. A kind-hearted serial killer offers his new buddy the Hallmark card of death, honey bees swarm a comotose used RV salesman, a boy bonds with a hat wearing aligator and so, so much more. Nicole Kelby writes southern-fried Monty Python.

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Nov 25, 2007

Bethany rated it:

This book was a quick read - large print, large margins, and largely lacking. I felt like it would have worked better as a short story... there wasn't enough substance for a novel. I didn't buy the characters or the plot. I also felt like it was trying too hard to be quirky. I'm a big fan of quirky, but something about this book bugged me. Maybe. It. Was. All. The. One. Word. Sentences. I feel like I should have enjoyed this book more than I did. Maybe I was just in the wrong kind of mood for it More...

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Jul 25, 2008

Alex rated it:

I had high expectations for this Florida Gonzo Fiction wannabe. Unfortunately, as a first time novelist, the author struggled with her characters, the story and transitions between threads. As a Florida Gonzo/Mystery aficianado, I was disappointed.

I read this in the paperback edition which is my preference but the "book group" discussion questions at the end were a complete turn-off.

I will hesitate to pursue the latest release, currently available only in har

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Aug 02, 2010

Sheri S. rated it:

This book wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible either. It was an original and interesting idea, I just thought it was going to be better than it was. It was a great premise of a story, but I don't know, it just seemed to be lacking something! It was full of wacky characters in a wacky town with a wacky storyline and the book jacket said it said it was "a laugh-out-loud read", but I wasn't laughing!!! I think maybe the serial killer, mental illness issues and down-and-out bad luck made More...

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May 06, 2010

Donna rated it:

I read this book in less than three hours. I would consider it is a novella rather than a full-fledged novel. I hate when books have huge print and big margins and are 300 pages long when they should have been 150. It seems like false advertising.

This book is in that quirky South Florida genre done so well by Carl Hiaasen. This definitely suffers by comparison. That may seem unfair, but if you're going to write a book like Carl Hiaasen, you have to expect to be compared to Carl H More...

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Dec 17, 2009

Megs rated it:

This book still makes me laugh. I love the fact that on the cover it shows a picture of Jesus with the thumbs up recommending this book. This mystery has humor, romance, intrigue, murder, mystery and a kick butt surprise ending

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Feb 05, 2010

Chrisiant rated it:

This book felt like Dave Barry's novels but less predictable jokes, Christopher Moore's novels but with a little more heart and a little less zany (just a little) and some of the flavor of Carl Hiassen with I'm not sure what missing because I've only read a little Carl Hiassen so far. All that to say, charming and amusing with plenty of plot twists and not a few chuckle-out-loud moments. It must be something about South Florida, but that location plus a bunch of hapless misfits and a Jesus ser More...

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Sep 17, 2009

Erica rated it:

This was exactly what I needed. This is an easy read, but it's thoughtful and hilarious too. Basically it's a bunch of off-beat characters thrown together in a wacky circumstance. The author digs just deep enough into each character to allow you to connect with them, but I found myself with enough room to vaguely attach the characters to people I know in real life.

The setting is perfect. Dinky beach towns in Florida fascinate me. This book is exactly how I picture them. (No offense, More...

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Apr 25, 2011

Shaun rated it:

Odd book this was. Reminiscent of something Christopher Moore would put out in between writing the likes of Lamb and Fool. Whale Season is certainly entertaining and would make a good "beach blanket book".
Between sleazy, hapless used RV salesman, Strip clubs/diners, and serial killer religious figures, this short book will definitely make you chuckle.

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Aug 06, 2008

Dy_goddess rated it:

This was the first book I read by NM Kelby, I heard about it through Dwight Yoakam's Fan Club message board.
This book made me laugh out loud so often, it was crazazy!
What can I say: you have to read it. NM Kelby has THE most interesting and different characters, just quirky and one-of-a-kind folks that we can all relate them to someone we know in real life. Love that!
Jesus shows up in a small town in Florida on Christmas Eve for a quick game of poker, he manages to meet Jimmy More...

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Feb 20, 2009

Melissa rated it:

This is the second Kelby book I have read - the first was Murder at the Bad Girl's Bar and Grill and I love them!! Whale Harbor is a small town in Florida where there have never been any whales. There is, however, a Jesus who shows up on his birthday, a Las Vegas card dealer with a mysterious scar, and a Buddhist blues man.

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Jul 24, 2010

Arielle rated it:

The characters were caricatures, the writing was frustrating and the plot just crossed too far over the line of believability without giving any explanation. It was a quick read, but Hiaasen -- though he gets repetitive -- is a much better choice if you're looking for quirky + crime + Florida, for the beach or otherwise.

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Jun 07, 2009

Erin rated it:

This was part of the "dirty Florida" genre...showing you what it's like in forgotten tourist towns filled with seedy locals. In this book, a serial killer comes to town masquerading as Jesus and changes the lives of various locals in strange ways. An entertaining, unexpected read.

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Mar 11, 2011

Amy rated it:

This was a book club selection and I tried, but I couldn't finish it. I didn't care for the writing and it was like the author was trying too hard to be like Carl Hiaasen or Dave Barry and paled in comparison. And I don't even like Hiaasen all that much (read one, you've read 'em all).

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Jun 09, 2009

Sharon rated it:

This book was very much in the style of Carl Hiassan (with whom the author apparently consulted). Set in Florida and filled with a motley array of characters, it is a bit dark with a serial murder subplot, but is inventive and enjoyable, nonetheless.

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Jan 29, 2012

Sarah rated it:

Kind of a quirky mash up of Garrison Keillor and Christopher Moore. The story takes place in a small Florida town, which was probably a large part of the appeal for me as the Floridian in me could totally picture the various off the wall characters (Florida is just weird in many ways). The characters lend the Keillor feel as each is dysfunctional and offbeat in their own way and yet they don’t come across as “characters”. The idea of Jesus coming to town on Christmas in a RV, setting into play a More...

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Jan 19, 2010

Alice rated it:

This book was very much in the style of Carl Hiassan (with whom the author apparently consulted). Set in Florida and filled with a motley array of characters, it is a bit dark with a serial murder subplot, but is inventive and enjoyable, nonetheless.

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Apr 06, 2010

Book Concierge rated it:

A quirky novel reminiscent of Carl Hiaasen. Whan Jesus shows up on Christmas Eve in Whale Harbor, things start to happen. An unlikely serial killer is just the beginning.

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Feb 23, 2009

Tee rated it:

A bookclub pick. Interesting characters and a twist at the end.I loved the characters in this book. From the down on his luck Leon, to strip bar owner Dahmer to the Ricardo "Jesus" Garcia and every character in between. But my favorite is Jimmy Ray, a beliver in buddism. He sees good in everything and everyone, even the crazy "Jesus". This book is a funny and a delightful read

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Jan 17, 2009

Amy rated it:

Whale Season tells a moving story of love, loss and redemption, through eccentric characters including a small-time poker hustler, an aging jazz musician and a man who thinks he's Jesus. Kelby has a gift with description and dialogue.

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Jun 26, 2009

Barbara rated it:

small-town Florida. Notes what happens to a town where the expressway bypasses the town. Serial murderer named "Jesus"

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Jul 28, 2011

Joyceling added it

Funny little book. Fast read. Wacky Florida in B level book behind those of Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey.

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Mar 23, 2009

Mick rated it:

I guess you could put this in the Carl Hiaasen catagorie but it definitely suffers by comparison.

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Nov 20, 2008

Marfita rated it:

Carl Hiaasen does it better, and even he doesn't hit on all cylinders all the time.

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May 19, 2010

Reading rated it:

Christopher Moore-like. Strange, a little dark in places, but interesting & funny.

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Jul 24, 2009

Victoria rated it:

Dark, funny book that was so quirky that I just couldn't put it down.

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Sep 26, 2010

Sherry rated it:

Hilarious light read. Loved it. Easy and so funny.

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Jul 31, 2009

Rachel rated it:

Fun, entertaining, well written with some good twists.

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Dec 17, 2009

Elizabeth rated it:

This book was a very quick read--I finished it in a matter of hours. It certainly had a very interesting plot (I can't say I have ever found work of fiction about a schizophrenic sociopath "trapped" in Jesus' body), and I enjoyed it while reading it. I found myself caring for the characters, and got caught up in the twists and turns. The ending left something to be desired, and there were several avenues that were alluded to but never explored, including information from the past ab More...

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Nov 03, 2010

Cindy rated it:

This was fun and quirky but not simpleminded.

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