I'm torn on this book. On the one hand the stories are entertaining, funny and thought provoking. On the other hand some are a bit jumbled and weird.
Short stories will always be hit and miss of course. There were a few that genuinely made me laugh out loud.
The themes of race and religion are pretty strong and there is sex and swearing in there too. So be warned. It's not always an easy fun read. The more I read the more I liked it. I'll be thinking about it for a while.

This Advanced Reader’s Copy was provided by BookBuzz.net via NetGalley. F*** My Brain! Will be released on May 15th, 2023.


Also, there will be SPOILERS, so I’m letting you know in case you didn’t see the spoiler tag.


F*** My Brain! by Amir Shaheen was a pretty out-there book, and I’m glad I read the synopsis before jumping in. The book is broken into three chapters, each filled with short stories ranging from 3 to 8 pages. My favorite story from Chapter 1: Brain Mush was Mustafa’s Timemachine. This could be considered a cop-out because it’s the book's first story, but it does a great job of hooking you in, and it pretty much sets you up to the insanity of the other stories. In spite of being insane, it’s well-paced and the most straight forward as well hilarious. My favorite story from Chapter 2: One Brain Cell was Taco Friday. In a collection of short stories, there are guaranteed hits or misses. Taco Friday continued the weirdness in a slump of okay stories with a punchline that elevated the story. I don’t have a favorite story from Chapter 3: Brain Damage because this chapter was shorter, and the theme of Religion produced an equal quality of shorts.

The stories are eclectic, and you never know where each story is going to go. But a lot of the stories, especially in Chapter 3, cover relations between Norway and the Muslim community. These stories were interesting and sad, but it takes the horribleness and injects humor into them, and they don’t feel like they detract from the lessons, which is surprising. Because these stories can get really weird and out there, but you understand what the author is trying to convey, which is cool. I don’t think every story is a winner, which could be because of the story's length or the joke's not being particularly funny. But when a story hits, it hits, and I find myself laughing at 5 in the morning.

Learning about a different culture and a new way of writing was interesting. I don’t think this book will be for everyone because of the surrealist and out-there humor, but it could be a lost-in-translation kind of thing. Who knows. I’d give F*** My Brain! by Amir Shaheen a 3 out of 5.

"F*** My Brain!" is a wildly entertaining and thought-provoking collection of stories that will leave you laughing, gasping, and pondering the meaning of life all at once. Amir Shaheen's unique voice and perspective shine through in every page, creating a world that is both surreal and relatable. The stories touch on themes of identity, culture, and belonging, capturing the struggles of growing up between two worlds with honesty and humor. This is a book that will make you think, make you laugh, and ultimately leave you feeling inspired.

An unconventional and hilarious collection of stories by writer and comedian Amir Shaheen. These absurd and surreal tales explore themes of identity, culture, and the challenges of growing up between two worlds. With his unique blend of humor and insight, Shaheen offers a fresh perspective on the human experience and invites readers to step outside of their comfort zones and embrace the absurdity of life.