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Of Mice and Money
A comic page-turner about love, drugs, family, and fleeing the law
When Kiva leaves her drug-smuggling husband to start a new life in a mouse-infested farmhouse, she thinks no one from her old life will be able to find her there. But just about everyone does - including her daughter who ran away four years ago, her best friend who pulls her back into illegal activities, and the captain of the smuggling boat who hasn't been paid.
Can she reunite with her daughter, quit being quite such a screw-up, and possibly find true love while being pursued by assorted bad guys?
When Kiva leaves her drug-smuggling husband to start a new life in a mouse-infested farmhouse, she thinks no one from her old life will be able to find her there. But just about everyone does - including her daughter who ran away four years ago, her best friend who pulls her back into illegal activities, and the captain of the smuggling boat who hasn't been paid.
Can she reunite with her daughter, quit being quite such a screw-up, and possibly find true love while being pursued by assorted bad guys?
- GenresHumor
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2014
55 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Winifred Morris
13 books28 followersI've built and remodeled houses and helped plant more than a million trees. I'm also the author of several award-winning children's books published the more traditional way, five picture books and four novels for the young - and young at heart.
But as publishing has changed, I've changed too. I've started writing for adults and let myself get a little wackier. Of Mice and Money is a comic women's book, which I'm told is a contradiction in terms. How come? Bombed is comic romantic suspense. And I'll soon be releasing The Sometime Burglar, a comic romantic novella.
I've also published Living in Suspension, which is a return to my YA roots. It’s not as funny, and I love humor, but it means a lot to me. It’s the story of a struggling teenager, more like Liar which was an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant YA Readers.
But as publishing has changed, I've changed too. I've started writing for adults and let myself get a little wackier. Of Mice and Money is a comic women's book, which I'm told is a contradiction in terms. How come? Bombed is comic romantic suspense. And I'll soon be releasing The Sometime Burglar, a comic romantic novella.
I've also published Living in Suspension, which is a return to my YA roots. It’s not as funny, and I love humor, but it means a lot to me. It’s the story of a struggling teenager, more like Liar which was an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant YA Readers.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 29, 2017
Of Mice and Money is pure caper fiction – fast, fun and ridiculous. No matter how desperate she is, or how far she runs, zany ditzy Kiva just can’t escape the pull of her drug-selling king-pin of a husband’s last big drug deal as it circles the drain. And all that centrifugal force seems to draw the most unexpected people out of the woodwork. Of Mice and Money is jam-packed with adventure and a huge cast of quirky well-drawn characters, and I liked them all. Winifred Morris is a master of compelling inner dialogue, but at times there so much thinking, reasoning, second guessing, self doubt, explaining, recrimination, etc. that I found myself getting impatient and wanting to push the story forward. But that’s a very minor complaint in a story that is so much fun.
September 11, 2019
"I even found a realtor here in Broken Pine--a one-street town just past Postage Stamp, on the way to Bakeoven--who, once he figured out I wasn't lost--at least not geographically--drove me around in his pickup truck and showed me the perfect place." The perfect place for Kiva is a "classic farmhouse," a falling-down, mouse-infested relic on the dry side of Oregon. What better place to hide away with the trunkful of cash she's stolen from her drug-smuggling, soon-to-be-ex-husband Carlton? No one will find her here!
Except everyone does, including her husband, who decides she's purchased the perfect safe-house for his operations, her estranged daughter, who may want to get even for being abandoned, her "ex-hippie" parents, who aspire to selling Thai sticks to seniors in casinos, and the "gorgeous hunk" who's just crawled up out of the ravine in her backyard. And maybe the Feds, who are following her and listening in.
I hate to sound like a snake-oil salesman, but as with Morris's novel Bombed, Of Mice and Money is a cure for what-ails-you. The pages crackle with her understated, self-deprecating humor. Like a snowball rolling down a hill, the story gets funnier as the quirky characters get more entangled in their bizarre goings-on.
If you enjoy the wacky humor of books like Skinny Dip, by Carl Hiaasen, or Lunatics, by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel, you'll find that Of Mice and Money delivers the goods. I personally feel it's way, way better than Prozac, but I have to acknowledge, the FDA has not approved of this review. Enjoy!
Except everyone does, including her husband, who decides she's purchased the perfect safe-house for his operations, her estranged daughter, who may want to get even for being abandoned, her "ex-hippie" parents, who aspire to selling Thai sticks to seniors in casinos, and the "gorgeous hunk" who's just crawled up out of the ravine in her backyard. And maybe the Feds, who are following her and listening in.
I hate to sound like a snake-oil salesman, but as with Morris's novel Bombed, Of Mice and Money is a cure for what-ails-you. The pages crackle with her understated, self-deprecating humor. Like a snowball rolling down a hill, the story gets funnier as the quirky characters get more entangled in their bizarre goings-on.
If you enjoy the wacky humor of books like Skinny Dip, by Carl Hiaasen, or Lunatics, by Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel, you'll find that Of Mice and Money delivers the goods. I personally feel it's way, way better than Prozac, but I have to acknowledge, the FDA has not approved of this review. Enjoy!
October 21, 2014
I am reviewing this book after receiving a free copy of it, and agreeing to review it.
I should start by saying that I feel extremely lucky that this is the first book I get to review, because I truly enjoyed it, making this review really easy to write!
My overall comment is that, if the description appeals to you, you don’t need to hesitate and should read this book immediately: it is well-written and well-made. The writing is good, easy, fluid and oftentimes lightly sarcastic/ironic, making the book a fast and enjoyable read. The storyline is efficient and the storytelling well-conducted. In other words: this is a solid, serious piece of writing. The characters are believable, with interesting and not overly predictable personalities overall.
Now to the (few) minuses:
As a foreigner (and this is really something an American might not feel) I feel like the book is very US-centric from a cultural point of view, which is generally not a problem except when there is an attempt to include foreign characters (the Thai girl).
Then, and this is a personal appreciation which most readers might not agree with, the overall mood is a little too “decadent” to my taste: the characters are either truants or losers from a professional standpoint, most of them have addiction issues… a little too dark / depressing for me, and somewhat hard to relate to.
My biggest critic however is that the storyline with the Thai girl isn’t resolved! I get that she’s fulfilled her purpose within the plot (though at some point I really hoped the novel would turn to a strong girls teamup with the mom, the daughter and the Thai girl against the truants), but I was expecting some closure here. If not something along the lines of a true female friendship…
But again, overall, a very enjoyable read!
I should start by saying that I feel extremely lucky that this is the first book I get to review, because I truly enjoyed it, making this review really easy to write!
My overall comment is that, if the description appeals to you, you don’t need to hesitate and should read this book immediately: it is well-written and well-made. The writing is good, easy, fluid and oftentimes lightly sarcastic/ironic, making the book a fast and enjoyable read. The storyline is efficient and the storytelling well-conducted. In other words: this is a solid, serious piece of writing. The characters are believable, with interesting and not overly predictable personalities overall.
Now to the (few) minuses:
As a foreigner (and this is really something an American might not feel) I feel like the book is very US-centric from a cultural point of view, which is generally not a problem except when there is an attempt to include foreign characters (the Thai girl).
Then, and this is a personal appreciation which most readers might not agree with, the overall mood is a little too “decadent” to my taste: the characters are either truants or losers from a professional standpoint, most of them have addiction issues… a little too dark / depressing for me, and somewhat hard to relate to.
My biggest critic however is that the storyline with the Thai girl isn’t resolved! I get that she’s fulfilled her purpose within the plot (though at some point I really hoped the novel would turn to a strong girls teamup with the mom, the daughter and the Thai girl against the truants), but I was expecting some closure here. If not something along the lines of a true female friendship…
But again, overall, a very enjoyable read!
December 1, 2014
“Because sometimes when somebody most needs to be rescued, they just don’t see it that way.” (Location 3607).
Of Mice and Money is the story of Kiva, daughter of hippy parents, mother to a daughter who ran away when she was 16. Kiva had her share of issues growing up, but the problems she faces now are much, much worse. Her husband is a high end drug-smuggler and she attempts to get away from him by moving to a small town. She buys a decrepit mouse-ridden house in the country, but her problems follow her there and blossom into something even Kiva couldn’t imagine.
Kiva just doesn’t seem to have a head for consequences. She goes along with what’s happening, even though she does try to get away from it all. Everything just seems to fall into her lap, creating problem after problem for her and though she grew up on rocky ground, she still doesn’t always make the right decisions. Kiva is likeable, but a little bland as a person. Her situations range from downright scary to somewhat mild, and yet her reaction is always the same. Maybe she has seen so much in her life that she is nonplussed when confronted by drug smuggling, snooping neighbors, a daughter she hasn’t seen in four years showing up on her door, etc.
Kiva, and her story, are told in a fun light manner that is easy to read. I really enjoyed the perspective on the relationships presented. From Kiva and her parents to Kiva and her daughter to Kiva and the men in her life, it was quite entertaining. It is great to see a less than perfect main character who’s flaws are real and grand and obtrusive into her life, but giving her much room to grow and learn.
My only question is what happened to Po the Thai woman?
Of Mice and Money is the story of Kiva, daughter of hippy parents, mother to a daughter who ran away when she was 16. Kiva had her share of issues growing up, but the problems she faces now are much, much worse. Her husband is a high end drug-smuggler and she attempts to get away from him by moving to a small town. She buys a decrepit mouse-ridden house in the country, but her problems follow her there and blossom into something even Kiva couldn’t imagine.
Kiva just doesn’t seem to have a head for consequences. She goes along with what’s happening, even though she does try to get away from it all. Everything just seems to fall into her lap, creating problem after problem for her and though she grew up on rocky ground, she still doesn’t always make the right decisions. Kiva is likeable, but a little bland as a person. Her situations range from downright scary to somewhat mild, and yet her reaction is always the same. Maybe she has seen so much in her life that she is nonplussed when confronted by drug smuggling, snooping neighbors, a daughter she hasn’t seen in four years showing up on her door, etc.
Kiva, and her story, are told in a fun light manner that is easy to read. I really enjoyed the perspective on the relationships presented. From Kiva and her parents to Kiva and her daughter to Kiva and the men in her life, it was quite entertaining. It is great to see a less than perfect main character who’s flaws are real and grand and obtrusive into her life, but giving her much room to grow and learn.
My only question is what happened to Po the Thai woman?
May 22, 2017
I have received a free copy of this book in exchange for a non-reciprocal review.
When I started reading this book, I must admit I found myself having a very difficult time with it. To start, the prologue was just awful. I just could not pin any interest in it. It is confusing, way too brief to seem to matter, and just not interesting enough to hook me.
However, out of obligation, I trudged on. And I am glad I did.
Though I just plain did not like the main character at the beginning, as time went on, I began to sympathize with her. She really is a hapless, quirky, neurotic wino. She's materialistic, has the worst taste in men, and infuriating in how clueless she is. But then, if you can really sit back and realize that real people are usually clueless, emotionally messy, hysterically flawed, impulsive, and make very obvious mistakes, then you can, at the very least, feel she is a believable character.
On a side note of believable characters- I think Amy is spot on. You can feel how she blames her mother for everything, the grudges she holds, how she is strong-willed and pushy, and broody. She really wrote her well as the snitty little daughter that misunderstands everything.
There ARE some grammatical issues and a lot of punctuation errors. However, I think that the biggest issue with this book is flow. There are a lot of moments that seemed forced. These moments are ones that almost made me put it down. There were inconsistencies, things that were not elaborated on enough or at all, things that were TOO elaborated on that didn't matter in the end.
By the middle of the book, though, she seemed to pick up her confidence and stopped forcing it out because it flowed so much better and I began to really enjoy it.
So, if you like a comedy of errors type of storyline and a neurotic, wine-guzzling, fish-out-of-water character, then you will probably enjoy giving this a read.
When I started reading this book, I must admit I found myself having a very difficult time with it. To start, the prologue was just awful. I just could not pin any interest in it. It is confusing, way too brief to seem to matter, and just not interesting enough to hook me.
However, out of obligation, I trudged on. And I am glad I did.
Though I just plain did not like the main character at the beginning, as time went on, I began to sympathize with her. She really is a hapless, quirky, neurotic wino. She's materialistic, has the worst taste in men, and infuriating in how clueless she is. But then, if you can really sit back and realize that real people are usually clueless, emotionally messy, hysterically flawed, impulsive, and make very obvious mistakes, then you can, at the very least, feel she is a believable character.
On a side note of believable characters- I think Amy is spot on. You can feel how she blames her mother for everything, the grudges she holds, how she is strong-willed and pushy, and broody. She really wrote her well as the snitty little daughter that misunderstands everything.
There ARE some grammatical issues and a lot of punctuation errors. However, I think that the biggest issue with this book is flow. There are a lot of moments that seemed forced. These moments are ones that almost made me put it down. There were inconsistencies, things that were not elaborated on enough or at all, things that were TOO elaborated on that didn't matter in the end.
By the middle of the book, though, she seemed to pick up her confidence and stopped forcing it out because it flowed so much better and I began to really enjoy it.
So, if you like a comedy of errors type of storyline and a neurotic, wine-guzzling, fish-out-of-water character, then you will probably enjoy giving this a read.
December 26, 2014
I received a free copy of this book for an honest, non-reciprocal review.
While the blurb I read for this book refers to a comic page-turner, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was so much more. There is humour in the story, but it is also at times, serious, sentimental and even action-filled. It is also well-written, told in a sometimes sarcastic first person narration which keeps the story moving along and kept me engaged through-out.
The story is told for the most part by Kiva, a mid-thirties mother of a rebellious late-teens daughter, as well as the wife of a drug importer. Afraid that the police may turn up any day on her door step, she steals some money from her husband and runs off to the boonies of Oregon to start her life anew.
But the sins of her past will not let her go: whether it’s her daughter with whom she has a relationship that can best be described as complicated, or the business associates of her former husband who are looking for a missing drug shipment, there is little hope for her to find any peace in her new world.
The strength of the story is Kiva’s character: at first she’s an immature, emotional mess, who rushes into decisions with little planning or thought given to the possible consequences. She is, in effect, a very human woman doing her best to keep her complicated life together, and as the story progresses she manages to overcome her own failings, and eventually finds the strength to solve all her problems.
The many other characters in this book are also well-drawn, and most have several layers to them which are revealed as the story unfolds. There are some surprises in the plot, but nothing that seems forced or implausible, and it took little time for me to get totally wrapped up in the lives of Kiva and the motley crew that shows up on her doorstep. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.
While the blurb I read for this book refers to a comic page-turner, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was so much more. There is humour in the story, but it is also at times, serious, sentimental and even action-filled. It is also well-written, told in a sometimes sarcastic first person narration which keeps the story moving along and kept me engaged through-out.
The story is told for the most part by Kiva, a mid-thirties mother of a rebellious late-teens daughter, as well as the wife of a drug importer. Afraid that the police may turn up any day on her door step, she steals some money from her husband and runs off to the boonies of Oregon to start her life anew.
But the sins of her past will not let her go: whether it’s her daughter with whom she has a relationship that can best be described as complicated, or the business associates of her former husband who are looking for a missing drug shipment, there is little hope for her to find any peace in her new world.
The strength of the story is Kiva’s character: at first she’s an immature, emotional mess, who rushes into decisions with little planning or thought given to the possible consequences. She is, in effect, a very human woman doing her best to keep her complicated life together, and as the story progresses she manages to overcome her own failings, and eventually finds the strength to solve all her problems.
The many other characters in this book are also well-drawn, and most have several layers to them which are revealed as the story unfolds. There are some surprises in the plot, but nothing that seems forced or implausible, and it took little time for me to get totally wrapped up in the lives of Kiva and the motley crew that shows up on her doorstep. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.
August 19, 2019
Funny, fast-paced, and oh-so-easy to read, Of Mice and Money is a joyride from the moment Kiva jumps into her car and hits the accelerator, until the sweet and ultimately satisfying ending. Oh sure, there are a few bumpy spots along the way, but that’s part of any good road trip, isn’t it? It’s certainly true for Kiva.
On the run from her drug-dealing husband, Kiva decides to simplify her life by taking her expensive car, loads of expensive clothes, and a trunk full of money back to a place where her life was sweeter. She buys a run-down old house near a town where she’d once lived with her now-estranged daughter and tries to start anew. Of course, that’s hard to do for someone who is a reactor, not a thinker. But it doesn’t take long for Kiva to learn that no matter how far or fast a person tries to run away from their problems, they always catch up. Especially if there’s a tracking device on their car.
The characters Kiva meets along the way are just as unique and well-realized as the ones who follow her on her journey. And the house itself, rundown and mouse-infested, is as much a character as Kiva herself.
Well-written, with a fun plot filled with unpredictable twists and turns, Of Mice and Money is a great read for someone looking for a momentary escape from their own reality.
On the run from her drug-dealing husband, Kiva decides to simplify her life by taking her expensive car, loads of expensive clothes, and a trunk full of money back to a place where her life was sweeter. She buys a run-down old house near a town where she’d once lived with her now-estranged daughter and tries to start anew. Of course, that’s hard to do for someone who is a reactor, not a thinker. But it doesn’t take long for Kiva to learn that no matter how far or fast a person tries to run away from their problems, they always catch up. Especially if there’s a tracking device on their car.
The characters Kiva meets along the way are just as unique and well-realized as the ones who follow her on her journey. And the house itself, rundown and mouse-infested, is as much a character as Kiva herself.
Well-written, with a fun plot filled with unpredictable twists and turns, Of Mice and Money is a great read for someone looking for a momentary escape from their own reality.
August 18, 2019
Reading the first few chapters of Winifred Morris’s “Of Mice and Money” was like diving into a fru-fru drink. One of those vaguely tropical numbers served up in a bathtub-sized glass, with scads of crushed ice, and big chunks of fruit, and the requisite paper umbrella. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. Sometimes you want light and refreshing, especially on a hot summer day. Or at least until the room starts spinning, and you suddenly realize; this thing packs a punch.
Maybe the tip-off was when we discover that our heroine Kiva holds a fondness for the Ramones. Or perhaps it’s the fact that this tale of international drug running is set in a sleepy, secluded sneeze of a town in rural eastern Oregon. The snippets of raw humor. Surprising moments of grace. We soon realize that both Kiva and her author refuse to be pigeonholed. That what at first seems like a lighthearted romp has in fact a much deeper agenda.
Our first clue is the arrival of Amy, Kiva’s estranged daughter, looking, it seems, to settle old scores, or maybe just open old wounds. Followed in turn by an unexpected visit from Kiva’s own parents, itinerant hippies now roaming the land in a patchouli-scented Gulf Stream. Unexpectedly caught between two generations, Kiva can’t help but see her own failings. The way that she’s let everyone down, especially herself.
In conveying these truths, Morris never grows heavy-handed or maudlin. The story still bubbles along. But nonetheless we soon realize that the real prize Kiva seeks isn’t the missing truckload of Thai sticks, or the money she stole from her ex, but just a chance to start over. To find a house that’s finally level, a man who will ring true, and to catch a glimpse, so long denied, of what family really means.
Maybe the tip-off was when we discover that our heroine Kiva holds a fondness for the Ramones. Or perhaps it’s the fact that this tale of international drug running is set in a sleepy, secluded sneeze of a town in rural eastern Oregon. The snippets of raw humor. Surprising moments of grace. We soon realize that both Kiva and her author refuse to be pigeonholed. That what at first seems like a lighthearted romp has in fact a much deeper agenda.
Our first clue is the arrival of Amy, Kiva’s estranged daughter, looking, it seems, to settle old scores, or maybe just open old wounds. Followed in turn by an unexpected visit from Kiva’s own parents, itinerant hippies now roaming the land in a patchouli-scented Gulf Stream. Unexpectedly caught between two generations, Kiva can’t help but see her own failings. The way that she’s let everyone down, especially herself.
In conveying these truths, Morris never grows heavy-handed or maudlin. The story still bubbles along. But nonetheless we soon realize that the real prize Kiva seeks isn’t the missing truckload of Thai sticks, or the money she stole from her ex, but just a chance to start over. To find a house that’s finally level, a man who will ring true, and to catch a glimpse, so long denied, of what family really means.
October 10, 2014
A roller coaster ride of thrills, laughs, zings, face palms and heart-strings being tugged. The reader follows Kiva as she tries her best to set her life in order (starting with getting rid of mice and termites in her new house), to make amends with her estranged daughter and to break free of her shady past. Kiva has plenty of flaws and big heart full of love that she doesn't always know what to do with, and I loved watching her get into tight spots and have to try and get herself back out.
The author touches on some pretty serious subjects: substance abuse, drug trafficking, dysfunctional families and violence. However, she does this aplomb and clarity so the reader has a quick grasp of the situation without having to dwell on sordid details. There are also plenty of laughs - I had to stop reading several times before I could continue. I'm not sure how she managed to research some of this stuff without getting arrested. I don't want to know.
The characters have depth and personality, even the secondary ones. The dialogue moves the story along in a snappy way, and it was terribly refreshing to read a book that shows instead of tells the whole story.
The only negative aspects would maybe be some details and scenes in the middle that dragged a bit, but not too much, and unfortunately, the book cover. Yeah, I know, don't judge....
I can highly recommend this book to lovers of chick-lit who like their characters to be seriously flawed and living life on the wild side. I received this book for free from the author in exchange for a review.
The author touches on some pretty serious subjects: substance abuse, drug trafficking, dysfunctional families and violence. However, she does this aplomb and clarity so the reader has a quick grasp of the situation without having to dwell on sordid details. There are also plenty of laughs - I had to stop reading several times before I could continue. I'm not sure how she managed to research some of this stuff without getting arrested. I don't want to know.
The characters have depth and personality, even the secondary ones. The dialogue moves the story along in a snappy way, and it was terribly refreshing to read a book that shows instead of tells the whole story.
The only negative aspects would maybe be some details and scenes in the middle that dragged a bit, but not too much, and unfortunately, the book cover. Yeah, I know, don't judge....
I can highly recommend this book to lovers of chick-lit who like their characters to be seriously flawed and living life on the wild side. I received this book for free from the author in exchange for a review.
October 19, 2015
Free copy received in exchange for non-reciprocal honest review.
Fun fast read. Overall I enjoyed the book, even though it took some time to get into the plot.
The main character, Kiva, leaves her criminal husband after stealing a huge amount of cash from his desk. With the cash she stole she purchases a ramshackle, mouse infested house on the dry side of Oregon. Throughout the story Kiva is making every effort to re-start her life without the criminal elements, but she can't seem to escape the characters she tried to leave behind.
After her run-away daughter, Amy, (now grown) shows up unexpectedly she tries to re-connect, but continually makes mistakes in her attempts to rebuild a relationship. One character after another shows up to what Kiva thought would be a secret hideaway, some welcome, others not so much. Eventually Kiva is reluctantly drug back into illegal doings while she tries to help herself and her best friend's husband.
My one issue with the story, and the reason I felt I couldn't give it five stars, was Kiva's unquenchable horniness. She mentions how long it's been since she's had sex numerous times, though nothing explicit, I found it a bit off-putting how she rubbed up against basically every male in the story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a funny/bumbling female main character who is far from perfect.
Fun fast read. Overall I enjoyed the book, even though it took some time to get into the plot.
The main character, Kiva, leaves her criminal husband after stealing a huge amount of cash from his desk. With the cash she stole she purchases a ramshackle, mouse infested house on the dry side of Oregon. Throughout the story Kiva is making every effort to re-start her life without the criminal elements, but she can't seem to escape the characters she tried to leave behind.
After her run-away daughter, Amy, (now grown) shows up unexpectedly she tries to re-connect, but continually makes mistakes in her attempts to rebuild a relationship. One character after another shows up to what Kiva thought would be a secret hideaway, some welcome, others not so much. Eventually Kiva is reluctantly drug back into illegal doings while she tries to help herself and her best friend's husband.
My one issue with the story, and the reason I felt I couldn't give it five stars, was Kiva's unquenchable horniness. She mentions how long it's been since she's had sex numerous times, though nothing explicit, I found it a bit off-putting how she rubbed up against basically every male in the story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a funny/bumbling female main character who is far from perfect.
November 7, 2014
Fraught with fun!
Mere words cannot describe this zany tale, although I suppose I'll have to find a way to make them do. Winifred Morris reveals what goes on behind the eyes of a dizzy blonde (with mouse-brown hair) who has more problems in her life than a juggler would know what to do with. Mice, marijuana, men, money and an estranged but much-loved daughter form a framework fraught with fun, and a few guns. Aimed at woman readers, it achieves a wider appeal; however, I must confess that for a while there in the middle it all seemed a bit much. Then again, the ending left me laughing with delight, so I have to say it's well worth reading. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy for an objective and non-reciprocal review.
Mere words cannot describe this zany tale, although I suppose I'll have to find a way to make them do. Winifred Morris reveals what goes on behind the eyes of a dizzy blonde (with mouse-brown hair) who has more problems in her life than a juggler would know what to do with. Mice, marijuana, men, money and an estranged but much-loved daughter form a framework fraught with fun, and a few guns. Aimed at woman readers, it achieves a wider appeal; however, I must confess that for a while there in the middle it all seemed a bit much. Then again, the ending left me laughing with delight, so I have to say it's well worth reading. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy for an objective and non-reciprocal review.
November 28, 2015
Wow
Boy was I surprised. This book is great. A really good read. So many twists and turns. Funny. Entertaining. Loved the characters.
5 stars for originality and a delightful way to spend my evening.
Boy was I surprised. This book is great. A really good read. So many twists and turns. Funny. Entertaining. Loved the characters.
5 stars for originality and a delightful way to spend my evening.
March 24, 2019
Enjoyable story about being on the edge of a big crime but not being directly involved in the repercussions of the crime. Instead you have a woman who leaves her husband and tries to make a better life for herself. The fact that she is funded by stolen drug money never seems wrong to her! At times this is funny, other times it is sad and even confusing. (Keeping the characters of her husband's world was challenging at times.) I did love the ending and am glad I read the book!
December 18, 2017
I thought that this book was a well written classic filled with suspense and hardship of two hardworking men. Both George and Lennie were unique and the plot was ell thought out and well written.
December 9, 2014
Reviewed By Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers’ Favorite (Readers' Favorite was kind enough to do this 5 star review, and I've posted it since Anne-Marie Reynolds doesn't have an account on Goodreads - Winnie)
Of Mice and Money by Winifred Morris is a comic story of love and drugs. Kiva decides enough is enough and leaves her drug-smuggling husband, Carlton – without actually telling him. Over the years, she has stashed away some money and finds a whole lot more in a desk drawer, allowing her to purchase a run-down, mouse-infested house in the woods. It’s the perfect place to stay hidden and she sets about making a new life for herself – until her husband shows up. Then her long-lost daughter Amy appears out of the blue, an old friend who gets her involved in drug smuggling again and an employee of her husband who hasn’t been paid and wants his money. If that weren’t bad enough, Kiva’s hippy parents show up in a huge motor home and from there things turn into a comic-book caper of drugs and running from the baddies and the law. Add Howie and his mother into the mix and you have the makings of what promises to be a story reminiscent of a comedy sketch on TV.
Of Mice and Money by Winifred Morris is a very funny story, following Kiva and her bid to break away from her husband. It’s a story that anyone who has been through a similar bid to escape, to find themselves and to reconnect with their family again should be able to relate to. I must say I found it a little slow to begin with, but it soon picked up pace and roared off. The first part of the book lets you get to know the characters and understand how they fit into the story later on. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it and was quite disappointed when it ended – I hope there’s more where that came from.
Of Mice and Money by Winifred Morris is a comic story of love and drugs. Kiva decides enough is enough and leaves her drug-smuggling husband, Carlton – without actually telling him. Over the years, she has stashed away some money and finds a whole lot more in a desk drawer, allowing her to purchase a run-down, mouse-infested house in the woods. It’s the perfect place to stay hidden and she sets about making a new life for herself – until her husband shows up. Then her long-lost daughter Amy appears out of the blue, an old friend who gets her involved in drug smuggling again and an employee of her husband who hasn’t been paid and wants his money. If that weren’t bad enough, Kiva’s hippy parents show up in a huge motor home and from there things turn into a comic-book caper of drugs and running from the baddies and the law. Add Howie and his mother into the mix and you have the makings of what promises to be a story reminiscent of a comedy sketch on TV.
Of Mice and Money by Winifred Morris is a very funny story, following Kiva and her bid to break away from her husband. It’s a story that anyone who has been through a similar bid to escape, to find themselves and to reconnect with their family again should be able to relate to. I must say I found it a little slow to begin with, but it soon picked up pace and roared off. The first part of the book lets you get to know the characters and understand how they fit into the story later on. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it and was quite disappointed when it ended – I hope there’s more where that came from.
January 28, 2015
A comic page-turner about a ditsy woman called Kiva who has been hard done-by and is struggling to find her way in life, typically with a madcap and bumbling way of falling into events (or having events conspire against her). Kiva has a daughter who left home at 16 and has split up from her drug-dealer husband to go on the run, briefly, before everyone starts catching up with her - her hippie parents, her daughter moves in, and an array of crooks who variously want her, her house, the stash of drug money she has, or a shipment of drugs which has gone missing and may or may not have been appropriated by her parents to fuel their gambling lifestyle with the geriatric set. Drugs and drug references dominate the story, so if you object on moral grounds then I'd suggest this is perhaps not the book for you.
The pacing was a touch slow to begin with, but the book picked up halfway and raced through to a convoluted, unexpected climax. Generally well written and edited, the strength of the book seems to be the large cast of well-drawn characters who mix and mingle in genuinely comical situations to provide the driving force of the narrative. I must admit, I became frustrated with the main character, Kiva, and her inability to understand the consequences of anything she does/did - she came across as incredibly shallow at times. However she's a genuinely flawed character dealing with life's ups and downs, and her inner dialogue is hilarious, if at times a little overbearing. Her relationship with her daughter Amy is sweet and genuine.
A humourous read which is not too light to deal with some serious topics, this was most enjoyable and I thank the author for a free copy to review their work.
The pacing was a touch slow to begin with, but the book picked up halfway and raced through to a convoluted, unexpected climax. Generally well written and edited, the strength of the book seems to be the large cast of well-drawn characters who mix and mingle in genuinely comical situations to provide the driving force of the narrative. I must admit, I became frustrated with the main character, Kiva, and her inability to understand the consequences of anything she does/did - she came across as incredibly shallow at times. However she's a genuinely flawed character dealing with life's ups and downs, and her inner dialogue is hilarious, if at times a little overbearing. Her relationship with her daughter Amy is sweet and genuine.
A humourous read which is not too light to deal with some serious topics, this was most enjoyable and I thank the author for a free copy to review their work.
December 10, 2014
Drug dealers, Family and Other Freaks.
Kiva tries to escape her messy life married to a drug dealer, but is soon sinking even deeper into the mire of the underworld. The only two rays of hope, being reunited with her long-lost daughter and meeting her new, very hot, neighbour, also seem to turn out not as well as she expected.
On the surface, this appears to be just a fun romp as Kiva tries to untangle the disparate threads of her life. However, we find that this is a backdrop to Kiva coming to terms with love. Not a Hollywood concept of love, but rather true love - the brittle love for her parents; the desperate search for a connection with her daughter; reaching out to someone who doesn't know love; the confusion of love with material comfort and of course, questioning what her own heart is really needing.
In a book full of funny, interesting characters, Kiva is a wonderful creation. I love strong female protagonists and yet I wouldn't necessarily say that she was strong. Kiva certainly doesn't have everything under control, if not the exact opposite, she's pretty much clueless. But it makes her human. What does make her shine is her guts, her resolve to fight for what she wants, even when confronted by a whole toolbox full of spanners thrown into the works.
Well worth reading, since it's a little bit different, particularly the non-Hollywood ending and makes you want to keep an eye out for future works by the author.
Kiva tries to escape her messy life married to a drug dealer, but is soon sinking even deeper into the mire of the underworld. The only two rays of hope, being reunited with her long-lost daughter and meeting her new, very hot, neighbour, also seem to turn out not as well as she expected.
On the surface, this appears to be just a fun romp as Kiva tries to untangle the disparate threads of her life. However, we find that this is a backdrop to Kiva coming to terms with love. Not a Hollywood concept of love, but rather true love - the brittle love for her parents; the desperate search for a connection with her daughter; reaching out to someone who doesn't know love; the confusion of love with material comfort and of course, questioning what her own heart is really needing.
In a book full of funny, interesting characters, Kiva is a wonderful creation. I love strong female protagonists and yet I wouldn't necessarily say that she was strong. Kiva certainly doesn't have everything under control, if not the exact opposite, she's pretty much clueless. But it makes her human. What does make her shine is her guts, her resolve to fight for what she wants, even when confronted by a whole toolbox full of spanners thrown into the works.
Well worth reading, since it's a little bit different, particularly the non-Hollywood ending and makes you want to keep an eye out for future works by the author.
January 4, 2015
Of Mice and Money is an enjoyable read. The main character, Kiva, can't seem to get her life right, can't seem to find what she truly wants. She's clueless about how to deal with problems, whether that's the floors sagging or discovering that her husband is a drug dealer. But what especially drew me to this character is that she is a problem solver and a survivor. No matter how hysterically crazy her solutions were (and this is where the humor in the book lies), she HAD solutions. She never gave up. I came to admire her despite her disorganized mess of a life, and that kept me reading right to the end. This is the depth, the solid core that counterbalances the fluff.
I've lived in central Oregon. The descriptions of the countryside and the attitudes of the residents of the small towns were spot on. Kiva's daughter, Amy, came across perhaps slightly younger than her stated age. She also struck me as a bit of a brat. The other secondary characters were well differentiated and interesting, some likeable and some despicable. They all complicate Kiva's life.
If you're looking for a light read that will make you smile but that also has some meat on the bones, this book is a great choice.
I've lived in central Oregon. The descriptions of the countryside and the attitudes of the residents of the small towns were spot on. Kiva's daughter, Amy, came across perhaps slightly younger than her stated age. She also struck me as a bit of a brat. The other secondary characters were well differentiated and interesting, some likeable and some despicable. They all complicate Kiva's life.
If you're looking for a light read that will make you smile but that also has some meat on the bones, this book is a great choice.
November 19, 2014
I was given this book in exchange for my honest review...
This book was freaking great, it was funny it was super cute and I loved every minute of it(well when I wasn't freaking out about the mice LOL)
Kiva leaves her ex husband who is a drug dealer... and goes on the lamb so to speak. Her roller coaster of a ride is full with some of the craziest twists and turns you can imagine. I got such strange looks while reading this book because out of nowhere I would bust out laughing :)
It was a great read and I am glad the author let me enjoy her wonderful writing. I will most certainly check out more of her stories but this will always be one of my favorites.
This book was freaking great, it was funny it was super cute and I loved every minute of it(well when I wasn't freaking out about the mice LOL)
Kiva leaves her ex husband who is a drug dealer... and goes on the lamb so to speak. Her roller coaster of a ride is full with some of the craziest twists and turns you can imagine. I got such strange looks while reading this book because out of nowhere I would bust out laughing :)
It was a great read and I am glad the author let me enjoy her wonderful writing. I will most certainly check out more of her stories but this will always be one of my favorites.
July 12, 2015
Of Mice and Money takes an often funny look at the adventures of Kiva, the wife of a drug importer, and the crazy world that shadows her when she tries to straighten out her life. Her hippie parents, local country folk, her husband's crooked lawyer, federal agents, pot growers, estranged daughter--Morris spins her characters all into a gripping yarn. Through her trials, Kiva matures and comes to find what is really important to her.
I dinged her a little for language.
I dinged her a little for language.
September 6, 2015
Breezy fun read of a drug dealer’s 37-year old horny wife making a home and hearth away from the spouse in the dry part of Oregon where her past and his crime catches up quickly. A bouquet of shady characters, possible love interests and a troubled daughter keep her busy as she realizes her goals and gets rid of the bad guys.
Warm beach / summer read.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair, unbiased and non-reciprocal review.
Warm beach / summer read.
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair, unbiased and non-reciprocal review.
January 10, 2016
Of Mice and Money is a very zany story. Winifred Morris takes a large cast of characters and dumps them into a crazy situation that moves effortlessly from funny, to sentimental, and sometimes to a place which is a little dark and serious. As chick-lit goes, this reader isn’t a chick and doesn’t often stray into the genre, but he’s pretty pleased he did. Highly recommended for chick-lit fans and just about anybody who enjoys a good story and a good laugh.
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