46% Better Than Dave

It’s Keeping Up With The Jones in a book!!! Read it!! You will love every page like I did. Amazing job!!

This is my third Alastair Puddick story and still I’m impressed. I really care about his antiheroes, flawed characters that for some reason or other - usually their inner-self struggle with what the world throws at them. After George Thring and Freddie Winters, this time it’s all about Dave Brookman. We meet Dave and his family at the point when his new neighbour moves in, by some twisted fate also called Dave Brookman. Neighbour-Dave and his family are seemingly all that our Dave aspires to: ace career, big bucks, flashy cars, great hair, gorgeous wife - the kind of uber-Joneses that bring Dave’s world crashing down into a smouldering heap.
This, to me, is the most agonising, personal, gut-wrenching, heartfelt of Puddick’s novels to date. A self-imposed ego inferno, but surely there is hope for Dave?
PS: and pssst...it’s the “sole of your shoes” in chapter 4

I read this in a day and thoroughly enjoyed it! Dave Brookman’s life is great, he has a lovely wife and 2 children and a career he is good at. This all changes when he gets a new neighbour, also called Dave Brookman, who seems to be doing considerably better in life than the original. Original Dave made me laugh and at times feel really frustrated with him, I quite identified with his wife throughout! Though this is an easy, funny read, this book does make you stop and consider our constant need to compare ourselves to others and measure ourselves against self imposed factors. I’ll be going to read the author’s other books right away.

Intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable; Puddick's novel centers around Dave Brookman's life and turmoil as he meets his new neighbour, also called Dave Brookman, who seems to be doing considerably better in life than the original, 46% better than the original, to be exact. A witty and unique take on the the literary doppelgänger archetype that questions the constant need of human beings to constantly compare themselves to other, to measure themselves against self-imposed factors.

A fun, funny read. This is not high art, but it is told in an interesting way. It is a good light read with interesting characters and storyline. I plan to read the other books by this author.

I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!

3.5 stars...This was entertaining, and I'm going to read the author's other novels. But it did have some issues. One burning question I'd love to know the answer to is why there was a cool or cold breeze going up the main character's pants leg every other chapter.

Alastair Puddick has another humorous take on modern life in his latest book with Dave having the mid life crisis from hell. When his doppelganger moves in next door this triggers emotions that have no logic thinking he is facing the biggest challenge to his own self esteem.
Underlying the story is a subtle lesson cleverly managed with humour to understand what is important in our lives and appreciating all the good points. Except when driving behind a slow moving car with an elderly person at the wheel in the wrong lane as Dave finds out.
This is NetGalley / Raven Books read

This is such a funny and well written book. It’s a very easy read and I was instantly drawn into the storyline. I had a lot of laughs, and some sad moments. I will definitely be recommending this book to friends and will be buying the two other books that Alastair Puddick has written.

There are a few typos here and there, these need to be sorted before publishing the book.

Publisher’s description: Dave Brookman’s new next-door neighbour is ruining his life. Because in a bizarre coincidence, he’s also called Dave Brookman, he’s the same age and he even grew up in the same town. There is one big difference, though – this new Dave is vastly more successful in every way.

As Dave starts questioning everything about himself, suddenly his perfect life seems a lot less than perfect. And what starts as friendly rivalry soon turns into obsessive jealousy and crazy behaviour that could see Dave lose it all.

Can he get a grip before it’s too late?

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The best way for me to describe Alastair Puddick’s “46% Better Than Dave” is that it’s the adult version of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.” When Greg Heffley grows up, he’s going to be Dave Brookman. The hilariously sad and pathetic turn of events that is Dave’s life after the new Dave Brookman moves in is all because of his own idiocy. Just as Greg Heffley has grandiose plans and ideas that end up with him failing 10 times worse than he could ever have anticipated, Dave makes one bad decision after the next, and even though WE can absolutely see what’s coming, Dave doesn’t seem to have a clue.

I loved this! It was such a quick read, kept me laughing, and I just couldn’t help but feel sorry for Dave. What a fantastically fun read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Raven Crest Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This title is scheduled for release on October 15, 2019.

Imagine if Bridget Jones were a middle-aged man. That's Dave Brookman. He's happy with his life, his job, his wife and two kids. Then a guy moves in next door with the same name -and he's a better dresser, has a nicer car and his wife was a model. This sends Dave the narrator into a huge spiral of self-doubt and he undertakes a massive upheaval of his life.

There are some very funny spots where I giggled out loud. Other parts drag on and on.

A quick, light read. Perfect for summer.

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.*

It was great having a different type of book to read. I love romance and thrillers, but this was totally different. You start to feel for Dave, and understand what he’s going through...... but can also see the errors he keeps making along the way. It was a fun, lighthearted read with a happy ending.

This was an entertaining and funny read that was perfect for my current mood. As an occasional mood reader it’s not often I’ll find a book that meets my mood perfectly but this book was it!

The premise of two Dave Brockman’s with significantly different lives that are entangled due to location (they’re neighbours) was one that I couldn’t pass up! The original Dave was hilariously funny and made me honestly laugh my ass off at times. His constant comparison to the other Dave got a bit frustrating during the middle of the book but then it made me realise that this is something we do as a society ALL DAY. How do we not frustrate ourselves with it? It was only as I was ranting about this to my blog partner that we realised more than half our days are spent comparing ourselves in one way or another - from twitter, insta, blogs, DRIVING, eating etc. It’s never ending! I loved this book’s take on the notion of constantly and subconsciously (as well as consciously) comparing ourselves and this helped me to relate better to Dave as a reader.

Overall the book was well written and highly enjoyable at times. There were a few quirks that got my attention and made me snigger - like the wind blowing up Dave’s pants almost constantly. That was an odd description… and WAY overused in this book but it was also pretty funny at times so I didn’t totally mind it. The pacing was a little bit off during the middle of the book and it dragged some but not enough to force me to put the book down so perhaps it was just my patience level. I tend to prefer more fast-paced books.

If you’re keen on a book that’s witty, relatable and a humorous example of modern life then this is one you should definitely try!

A light look at one man's attempt to improve his life after comparing himself unfavourably with a new neighbour. A comment on how materialistic we have become as a society but in a very light hearted story. His wife's story is well written and she is a character you sympathise with. It is good to have a story in this genre that has a male central character.

At first I nearly dismissed this as another whiny bloke book, but I am glad I carried on as it did get better. Dave discovers his new neighbour has exactly the same name and background as himself and goes into meltdown trying to prove himself better. Along the way he nearly loses everything, but realises what is important.

Soooo! This one is so out of my general pick of the week that it’s not even funny. Although the book itself is funny. So, about this book, someone on GoodReads called it the adult version of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.” and I think it’s pretty on point.

This book uses the literary doppelgänger trope winningly, Dave Brookman is a victim of his plans and ideas. When another Dave moves in the neighbourhood, our Dave starts to feel a bit odd (but obvious) and a bit intimidated/sad because the other Dave apparently has everything this Dave doesn’t. A successful career, a model wife and everything that suddenly seems to be what our Dave wanted his life to be.

I think I read it quickly but didn’t update it on GoodReads promptly. (Story of my life) It’s not super new but it’s certainly interesting and entertaining enough that I kinda flew through it. Underneath the humorous take on the situation, there’s a serious thread running throughout the story. It gives focus to how much we compare our lives and everything in life with others, with those we think are superior to us or living better on self-imposed criteria and eligibility.

While this is a fairly good book, there were parts that I felt dragged a bit, at times too many times for my comfort. I did giggle and snort and it’s a solid 3.5 stars for me but I wish it was edited a bit better so that the flow was better. Overall, a fun and quick read and something that makes you think once you are finished reading.