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Tony Partly Cloudy
A "literary equivalent of My Cousin Vinny," Tony Partly Cloudy is a fish-out-of-water comedic novel with a distinct Sopranos vibe to it.
The guy's got a degree in meteorology. And he can predict the weather with a level of accuracy that's downright freakish. Still, Tony Bartolicotti - or, as his "connected" friends in Brooklyn call him, Tony Partly Cloudy - can't even get an audition to be a TV weatherman. The problem? He comes across like a Mafia goon: a hulking brute who dresses like a Blues Brother and freely uses "bada bing" as both a noun and an adverb. Not exactly the image most news stations are looking for.
But all that changes when a distantly related mob boss steps in on Tony's behalf. Soon Tony's career starts to take off, as America falls in love with the only weather anchor on TV who would predict "a whole lotta freakin' snow." Then the mob decides to call in the favors they've done for Tony. That's when things get stormy...
Tony Partly Cloudy combines elements of comedy, satire, Mafia lore and romance into a slick, funny novel that readers of Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiaasen will enjoy.
WARNING: contains some profanity, because let's face it: it's hard to get these Mafia guys to talk nice. Forget about it!
The guy's got a degree in meteorology. And he can predict the weather with a level of accuracy that's downright freakish. Still, Tony Bartolicotti - or, as his "connected" friends in Brooklyn call him, Tony Partly Cloudy - can't even get an audition to be a TV weatherman. The problem? He comes across like a Mafia goon: a hulking brute who dresses like a Blues Brother and freely uses "bada bing" as both a noun and an adverb. Not exactly the image most news stations are looking for.
But all that changes when a distantly related mob boss steps in on Tony's behalf. Soon Tony's career starts to take off, as America falls in love with the only weather anchor on TV who would predict "a whole lotta freakin' snow." Then the mob decides to call in the favors they've done for Tony. That's when things get stormy...
Tony Partly Cloudy combines elements of comedy, satire, Mafia lore and romance into a slick, funny novel that readers of Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiaasen will enjoy.
WARNING: contains some profanity, because let's face it: it's hard to get these Mafia guys to talk nice. Forget about it!
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2013
6 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Nick Rollins
1 bookNick Rollins is a Miami native who has survived multiple hurricanes, bad dentistry, and male pattern baldness. An author and blogger who also publishes under another name, Nick continues to live in South Florida, where he can keep his friends close, and his enemies closer.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 22, 2013
Tony has had an instinct for the weather from an early age and wants to work as a forecaster. But the family business wants him to work for it and when the family business is the Mob that isn't an offer you can easily refuse. (Yeah, I know, but the book is full of gangster movie references so I'm allowed at least one!)
So what kind of book is this? It's funny, it's sweary, it's populated by a cast of larger-than-life characters and it has dialogue that's sharper than an Italian suit. It also has that deceptively easy style which any writer knows only comes as a result of lots of hard work.
In case you haven't got the message by now I'll spell it out. This is a freaking good book, you need to read it, capisce?
So what kind of book is this? It's funny, it's sweary, it's populated by a cast of larger-than-life characters and it has dialogue that's sharper than an Italian suit. It also has that deceptively easy style which any writer knows only comes as a result of lots of hard work.
In case you haven't got the message by now I'll spell it out. This is a freaking good book, you need to read it, capisce?
January 4, 2021
This was a fun story! Not one that is out to change the world, but a complete story with good characters in a setting that's easy to envision. A touch of rough times and a hint of daring, showered with dry humor.
June 25, 2017
A meteorologist's crazy life
This book helps to describe the life of a very smart, award winning meteorologist. But he's not just any one whose good,he's gifted and h e has Family in the business. The Italian business.
Its a great story and I finished in 2 days, except for running errands I pretty much read straight thru. It's a very good book.
This book helps to describe the life of a very smart, award winning meteorologist. But he's not just any one whose good,he's gifted and h e has Family in the business. The Italian business.
Its a great story and I finished in 2 days, except for running errands I pretty much read straight thru. It's a very good book.
February 18, 2015
Not a fan of this book. There are so many things that could have been better, but ultimately there really isn't much of a plot.
The story follows young Tony as he grows older and works to become a meteorologist. The side story is that his family is some how connected to the Mafia. This is the first major flaw in the book. It is never clear how his family is a Mafia family. I never really felt that connection, and even Tony seemed confused by it. The Mafia storyline is sort of present here and there, and then all of a sudden becomes a major plot point at about 70% through the book. Even then, it was confusing and not well explained.
Speaking of explanations, some things were very well explained, some were overly explained, and then there were things not explained at all. This includes family connections, how Tony does things, what he is thinking, how things come to be, and how Tony feels about things. Most of the time I was wondering, "huh?"
The biggest problem I had with the book that put a VERY sour taste in my mouth, and a reason some people would definitely not like this book, is the portrayal of the people who live in Key West. There was a lot of phobia and stereotyping going on that seemed forced and unnecessary. Yes, there is a certain vibe and culture in Key West. It's also a huge vacation destination. There is way more to Key West than what is described and pointed out. I almost stopped reading the book after all of this, especially after Tony's night out, because I was quite irritated with the descriptions. Others would be offended, some may say it's on point.
A consistency issue I had, especially toward the middle of the book was with the way Tony spoke. When speaking on camera, Tony used words and phrases that he did not use in his every day dialogue (that we saw) despite claiming that he was being himself. Really? Where was the Mafia talk in other conversations, like Key West? It wasn't until Tony was on camera did that dialect appear.
The last major flaw I will point out is the issue with time. Within chapters, time could fluctuate minutes, days, weeks, months, years. No consistency. It was really weird to read a chapter, and then within the chapter have the time jump several years. What??? Surely important stuff happened within that time period.
This is a definite skip for me. There isn't much to the plot, the characters are inconsistent, and you'll leave the book scratching your head.
The story follows young Tony as he grows older and works to become a meteorologist. The side story is that his family is some how connected to the Mafia. This is the first major flaw in the book. It is never clear how his family is a Mafia family. I never really felt that connection, and even Tony seemed confused by it. The Mafia storyline is sort of present here and there, and then all of a sudden becomes a major plot point at about 70% through the book. Even then, it was confusing and not well explained.
Speaking of explanations, some things were very well explained, some were overly explained, and then there were things not explained at all. This includes family connections, how Tony does things, what he is thinking, how things come to be, and how Tony feels about things. Most of the time I was wondering, "huh?"
The biggest problem I had with the book that put a VERY sour taste in my mouth, and a reason some people would definitely not like this book, is the portrayal of the people who live in Key West. There was a lot of phobia and stereotyping going on that seemed forced and unnecessary. Yes, there is a certain vibe and culture in Key West. It's also a huge vacation destination. There is way more to Key West than what is described and pointed out. I almost stopped reading the book after all of this, especially after Tony's night out, because I was quite irritated with the descriptions. Others would be offended, some may say it's on point.
A consistency issue I had, especially toward the middle of the book was with the way Tony spoke. When speaking on camera, Tony used words and phrases that he did not use in his every day dialogue (that we saw) despite claiming that he was being himself. Really? Where was the Mafia talk in other conversations, like Key West? It wasn't until Tony was on camera did that dialect appear.
The last major flaw I will point out is the issue with time. Within chapters, time could fluctuate minutes, days, weeks, months, years. No consistency. It was really weird to read a chapter, and then within the chapter have the time jump several years. What??? Surely important stuff happened within that time period.
This is a definite skip for me. There isn't much to the plot, the characters are inconsistent, and you'll leave the book scratching your head.
March 12, 2014
If you only have time to read a few books this year, consider making one of them Tony Partly Cloudy. Trust me, you won’t be sorry. This well-paced novel is a mix of crime, romance, satire, and laugh-out-loud humor. And weather—I now know more about forecasting and what goes on behind those TV weather scenes than I ever thought possible. But the real star of this book is its namesake, Tony Partly Cloudy. He’s tough but lovable; street-wise yet vulnerable; and when I finished his story, I wanted more. Thanks for the entertaining read, Nick Rollins.
January 14, 2014
nice read...humorous
March 5, 2014
Sucked
not worth reading. Story very boring. Waste of my time that I will never get back. Glad it was free.
not worth reading. Story very boring. Waste of my time that I will never get back. Glad it was free.
February 4, 2015
Brilliant, off-beat topic that shapes up well and should weather any storm (excuse the pun)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews