Review: Bitterblue

Publisher: Gollancz
Price: £ 12.99


This was sent to me for review by the lovely @jon_weir!! He is a good Tweeter to follow by the way!!

Anyway, this is the third book in a trilogy. I haven't read the first two and to be honest, I don't think I lost any enjoyment from not having read any of the others. Things were explained thoroughly and continuously! The only big I didn't get right away was Gracelings and their Graces, however, that cleared up pretty quick! I do love fantasy and I enjoy a YA book so rolling the two together seemed like a perfect idea!! :-) I do think I maybe would read the first two if they came along. However, now I've read this one I may have ruined them for myself!

There wasn't a clear sense of time or period which did prevent me slightly from being completely drawn in to the story. When a word was used that seemed out of place, for example Balls, cropped up, it flung me out of the story and back to the real world. That was a tad disappointing. However, I spoke to a book publishing friend of mine about that and she said that this has become the on trend thing to do at the moment. I will have to get used to it!

I found the story interesting and compelling to read. The odd bit was very upsetting and distressing and I do think that they may be a bit too brutal for a young adult audience. I'm not sure that people that young should be reading such upsetting things. Yet, maybe the brutal inclusion of certain things made this book more enjoyable for me as a more adult person (dunno if 25 counts as adult really.)

I loved several of the characters including Giddon, Teddy and Saf. OOO, I also loved Death and Lovejoy. However, I didn't really get down with Bitterblue herself. I found her to be really winey and feeble and a bit pathetic. All she did was cry and mope and rant 'oooooooh poor me I'm the queen, oh poor me no one tells me anything, oh poor me I had a horrible Dad.' Shut up and pull yourself together girl! You have loads of power and you know what to do and how to do it!! Bloody hell, pull yourself together!

Overall, I enjoyed the read. It had everything expected of a YA fantasy novel and didn't leave any things hanging that made me think what the hell!

Happy Reading

Book Geek
:-)

Review: Storm of Swords: Part 1: Steel and Snow

Paperback: £ 8.99
Publisher: Harper Voyager


I DIDN'T THINK THIS SERIES COULD GET ANY BETTER BUT IT ONLY BLOODY WELL HAS!!!

This is the best book of the series so far! Oh my God! It is incredible.

Martin has introduced yet more new POV characters. This variety is brilliant and thoroughly enjoyable as you get to see every single facet of the entire world and what is going on with the fight for the throne(s). The story is hugely complex now and there are literally hundreds of characters and some of the names do sound very similar but persevere and you will know them all pretty soon....especially if you are obsessed as I am and talk about it all to the time to your boy, assistant, production manager, boy's flat mate, twitter followers, etc etc.

Tyrion and Dany are still my absolute faves!!! Dany has redeemed herself and is now has my love again! Sansa has manned up yet more and I am most pleased about this. Even though she was winey bint I did have a little soft spot for her in the beginning, it was deep down, deep, deep down and well hidden. Catelyn is rather annoying at the moment, she is now the winey bint.

There are some great twists and turns in this book that I did not see coming and they have only made the story even more intriguing and enjoyable! There is not one area that I have thought rubbish or pointless or totally unnecessary to the plot. I have been shocked, saddened and I've even laughed on an occasion or two. One line said to Sansa in particular made me laugh hysterically in the gym and everyone looked at me like I was a right weirdo!

I'm once again not going to say too much as I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone and I fear that I'll just be repeating myself from the previous 2 reviews of parts 1 and 2. I seriously cannot wait to read book 2 of part three!

Oh also, I'm a total willy! Whilst getting ready for work on Friday last week I was looking at my book shelf and caught the first line of the blurb on the 2nd book of part 5 and have totally ruined one major thing for myself!!! I'm so annoyed I was that thick!!!

Anyway, read these books now, this very second, go on, on your way to the book shop with you! Yes you, yes now, no arguing, go!!!!

HAPPY READING!!

Book Geek
:-p

World Book Night: My Big Fat Book Adventure

In honour of World Book Night, I thought I'd share my Big Fat Book Adventure with you all.

Be warned, it isn't that exciting.....

Here is my book choice:

Isn't it a beauty??

Friday 20th April
11:30 pm ish: The boy is here at last!! I'm explaining the concept of World Book Night to him. I tell him I'm a Giver, to which he bursts out laughing....perverted mind that boy.

Saturday 21st April
3:15 pm ish: Go to Farnham Waterstones with the boy to collect my books! He keeps giggling that I'm a giver. The Waterstones ladies are thrilled I'm there to collect my books. They make a joke about the back room being filled with World Book Night boxes. One lady also says how happy she is to see so many people in Farnham love reading and want to share books they love with their community.

3:20 pm ish: Waitrose is next to Waterstones and we need to pick up food for dinner. The books are put in the end of the trolley and get a lovely tour of the supermarket. They obviously enjoy it thoroughly.

Sunday 22nd April
11:30 am: Open my lovely box of lovely books!!! The boy is still in bed but I talk at him about them anyway and show him one of the books. I'm VERY excited.

12:18 pm: I've now filled in 10 of the plate pages.....off I go to do more!!!

12:28 pm: Book plates all filled in!!! The boy is doing work. They are also in the bags for life I'm going to lug them in to work in! So organised.

 

7:38 pm: I've dropped the boy off at the station to go home :-( Called my Mum to say hi as haven't spoken to her properly since Thursday (I'm a busy bee). I tell her I picked up my World Book Night books yesterday and I explain the whole concept to her. She asks if I can keep one of the books back to give her when I'm in Wales next. Tell her it will be my pleasure. She knows what World Book Day is though as they hold events for it in her school every year! YAY!

Monday 23rd April - WORLD BOOK NIGHT AND WILLY SHAKES BIRTHDAY
7:00 am: Alarm goes off, of course I hit snooze.

7:08 am: Alarm goes off again, I hit snooze again.

7:16 am: Alarm goes off. I did not hit snooze but decided to actually get up! Well...actually, I fell back asleep till 7:21 am. I then did indeed wake up and carry on with my morning.

8:03 am: Arrive in the office after lugging the bags of books all the way from the car park to the office. Boss, Newest Girl Colleague and Newest Boy Colleague are in the office. Drop the books on each desk.
Newest Girl Colleague has read The Road before but told her that she can pass it on to someone else.
Newest Boy Colleague was most excited to receive it as he has heard good things about the book....not the film. Also said that as so many were being given out in the office the value of the book has significantly dropped.
Left a copy in the kitchen for The Tea Lady as she always talks to me about books. She's odd but lovely.
I now have 2 left!

8:24 am: Swedish Colleague sees the book on her desk and announces that she will read it on the plane when she goes on her work trip next week. However, then starts to worry about it being scary but Newest Girl tells her it's sad not scary.
Sly Colleague is most excited to see it! Thanks me profusely in her usual way. Never know if it's false or not! Sly, very sly!
Miserable Colleague is his usual unenthusiastic self but says thanks.
The Boss tells me that he's read No Country For Old Men and that the bigger boss has read The Road and he is most grateful for the book. The Boss has heard of World Book Night! WOOOOO!

8:56 am: Email from Slut Colleague reads 'Thanks for the book (my name went here) :-D'


10:13 am: Swedish Colleague is really scared that The Road will not let her sleep for a week. But she will give it a go, YAY!!! Maybe in the day time hours with all the lights on though!

11:00 am: Written a note to stick on the book that I'll leave in the gym. Now need to think what to write on a note for the book I'm going to leave in the supermarket.

1:36 pm: I've now written the note to go on my supermarket book and here it is!!!!

5:08 pm: I am changing in the gym. I leave the book avec note on the bench in the changing cubicle I'm in...skills!

6:28 pm: I'm in the supermarket next door to the gym picking up a few bits for dinner and I leave the book in the bread row. I feel like a right willy so don't take the photo till the coast is clear!

7:31 pm: I'm now at home. My books are free and my giving has been done! I hope you enjoyed giving out your books if you were a giver! I hope you enjoy your book thoroughly if you have come across one during your day.

HAPPY READING EVERYONE!!!!

Book Geek 

:-)

Unlikely lines from a political biography

Stolen from here:

Hardback: £ 14.99

Publisher: Boxtree

'We had to leave Downing Street in a hurry that night, because the body in the boot was beginning to smell. A hard night's digging lay ahead of us. "This is no job for a Cabinet Minister," I said. He laughed, picked up the shovel and spat on his hands.'

'What ho, Jeeves! Appoint Gussie Fink-Nottle as my head of security,' said Boris.

'The scent and smoke and sweat of a negotiating chamber are nauseating at three in the morning, thought Ban Ki Moon.'

'I am an invisible man, but that's inevitable when you are Shadow Agricultural Minister.'

'THIS IS GEORGE BUSH. LOOK. PRESIDENT. LOOK. WAR. OOOH. PRETZEL. LOOK. THE END.'

'As the wife, spouse, partner,confidante, soul mate and motivator of Tony Blair, I never expected, supposed, considered, guessed, that one day a book publishing company would ask, request, cajole, persuade, force me to write a book, volume, autobiography, memoir, but they said they'd pay be the word.'

Review: The Quiddity of Will Self, a novel

Publisher: Corsair
Hardback: £ 12.99


This was sent to me by the lovely @corsairpr as a read and review copy.

When I started reading part 1 of this book I thought what the actual bloody hell is going on!?!?! I didn't really get on with the style of writing and the obsession with Will Self. I think that that is sadly because of my lack of interest in the works of Self. I've never read any thing by him and find him to be a bit annoying as a person.

OOO Weird Will Self related anecdote. About 2 weeks before I got my copy of this book, the boy started telling me a story by patronisingly asking me if I knew who Will Self was. Then told me about how his room mate in chambers called Mr Self 'a ghastly prick.' This made me laugh a lot as his room mate is somewhat demure and reserved and rather plummy. (To make a Quiddity reference, 'he can afford expensive fruit.')

Anyway, back to the book. I think because of my complete lack of knowledge when it comes to Self's writings, I thought that parts 1 and 2 were rather ridiculous. Yes it's clearly an homage to the man but I found it stupid and annoying. The Richard of part 1 also creeped me out beyond belief. He made my skin crawl, his obsessions and addictive behaviour really unnerved me. I found Sylvie just as creepy!! URRGH!

HOWEVER, as the book moved on to parts 3 and 4 I enjoyed it a hell of a lot more! Mia's story turned it in to the odd and quirky murder mystery style novel I expected from reading the blurb on the back. I also loved Mia, she was a gorgeous character but there are a few little bits and bobs I'm still wondering about with regards to Mia in part 1 and Mia in part 4. I enjoyed the diary style of part 3 and I also found the story line really really intriguing! Oh and I found bits laugh out loud and sniggeringly funny!!!

Part 5 has confused me a with regards to Sam Mills and the process of the creation of this book. I don't think I'll really understand it unless I can ask Mills the questions I have.

Overall, I think this is a book that will grab Self fans from the start and they'll thoroughly enjoy it. Yet, if you are a Self virgin, do persevere with this book as it does become hugely enjoyable and INTERESTING. I don't believe I've ever read a novel like this before, it is truly unique and in a league of its own. A thoroughly well deserved place!

Happy Reading!

Book Geek
:-)

Things you wouldn't read in a children's book

Cry thief, go on, you want to...

Hardback: £ 14.99

Publisher: Boxtree

'After one too many bangs on the head, Mr Bump suddenly flipped and went on a killing spree!'

'You can call it a wardrobe, to me it's a closet,' said Peter, as he flounced into Narnia.

'Unfortunately the Princess Rapunzel suffered from female alopecia and so the Prince plummeted to a horrible death.'

'Cinderella had two ugly sisters - and one of them went out with Lembit Opik.'

'The wolf huffed and puffed - because he had an allergy to pigs.'

'Chapter One: Janet and John go Feral.'

...and suddenly, Peter Rabbit and all the flopsy bunnies developed Myxomatosis and died horribly.

Review: Malice in Blunderland

Paperback: £ 9.43
Publisher: Cutting Edge


First thing first, to get a taste for the book before you defo decide to read it and buy it, follow @jonnygibbings on twitter. Filth, filth, filth, filth...bit of animal welfare...filth, filth...that should fix you up for Malice!

I first came across this dude on twitter in fact. He'd read my blog on Irvine Welsh's If You Liked School. You'll Love Work. From that conversation and the realisation that he had a book kicking around I rightly concluded that this book would be in the same territory! Whilst it falls in to the grotesque, filthy, stomach churning genre (yes that's now a genre), it isn't quite so subtle and isn't written in a 'literary' style. Mr Gibbings has said it's a bit of a two fingers up at traditional publishing, an example being the book starts on a left hand page and not a right, and that it is indeed.

The grammar and spelling seems to be a two finger salute also. In the beginning I continuously noticed the incorrect use of grammar and misspellings but by the end I was used to them and actually second guessing on occasions if Mr G was in fact using the correct one when he wasn't. This book actually makes you stupid! :-)

As for the story, it's funny, it's disgusting, it's truly ridiculous but most of all it's fun. I imagine that the main character is meant to be Jonny himself and this is possibly loosely or closely based on an actual series of events from his life. I have said to Jonny several times via Twitter that with his life story he could win X-Factor and this is a continuation. Don't read this book if you are one of those sensitive types. You'll either find the violence, sex or descriptions or all three repulsive and disgusting and you may end up scared for life.

Bulldog is a funny arsed bugger. Is he clever? Is he a twat? Is he Mr G's mate? Is he another wrong man, wrong place, wrong time? I dunno, I liked him. I want to know who he is in real life too. Maybe that's a bit too dangerous for an outed dealer though.... Detective Lorner is a character I got on with and seems to be the most normal one of a seriously disturbed and mental lot. Even the barmaid in The Lion is insane as she asks for a picture with a bloke who looks like an accused rapist!

Oh, before I forget, any book that takes the piss out of Justin 'no pubes' Bieber is fine by me. He is a measly little cretin!

Thanks to asparagus legs and the lube incident I'll never be able to look at dairy based goods or paralysed people ever again. This particular incident actually made me feel physically sick and part of me wanted to stop reading the book. This very rarely happens to me in life as I'm rather thick skinned. I think it was the description of the smells that really turned my stomach! Well done Mr G!

Anyway, this is my review, it isn't great 'but it's the best I can do'.

Happy Reading

Book Geek!
:-)

Review: The Clash of Kings

Paperback: £ 8.99
Publisher: Harper Voyager

OOOOOOOOOO What an amazing read!!!! I thought I loved Game of Thrones, I'm completely in love with Clash of Kings. I neve thought I would like any book more than Game of Thrones but it appears I have!!

Let me start however with my only criticism!! I fristly thought there wasn't enough of the Dany storyline. What with my being in love with her I was terribly upset that she wasn't about much. But, by the 2nd time she appeared, I wasn't at all happy with her story. It seemed a bit pointless, ridiculous and weird. My Bf's flatmate who has read alllllll the books agrees that they Dany story at this point is a bit daft. Any way, that's the only complaint!!

Moving on...

I love Tyrion. I am actually now in love with him loads and loads! He's funny, charming, obnoxious on occasion and a proper schmooooooozer. He features far more prominiently and for that I am truly thankful. His story lines are also very very exciting and the main thrust, well in my eyes, of the whole plot.

I enjoyed Sansa's story lines more than I did before. She wasn't as winey and useless and wet as she appeared in the first book. Hoooray! I thought I'd end up killing her if she stayed as SHIT!!!!!!! I now hate Theon. That is all I'll say on that matter.

 I thoroughly loved the story. It was action filled and rather violent. Not sure that people without an imagination and a bit of a 8 year old boy side (that is so not meant to sound weird and perverted but it does a bit doesn't it) to them will enjoy it as much as they should. There are of course bits without violence and action...but as the title suggests......not many.

I still think the fact that each chapter is from a single character's point of view. I still think it's a fantastic idea and I think it gives fantastic access to many parts of the tale as a whole! 

I'm sorry this is a short one but I don't want to release spoilers for anyone!!! That would make me a bit of a bitch!

Happy Reading!!

Book Geek
:-P

TV versus The Written Word: Game of Thrones

£ 8.99, Harper Voyager

£25.99, HBO

As series two started in the UK on Monday night I thought I'd get my versus on series 1/book 1 out in the open.


THE WRITTEN WORD
I reviewed this book in March and you can find it here. I will just confirm (similarly to my Hunger Games comparison), I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

TV SHOW
My assistant had it on DVD, raved about it and lent it to me. My boyfriend started watching it about 3 days before me as his flat mate is obsessed with the books/series and told him to watch it. My assistant loves it, my boyfriend loves it and the flat mate loves it. I love the book but am somewhat indifferent to the TV show.

Firstly, the characters and most other things associated with them don't look like I imagined. Catelyn and Ned are too old, Robb and Jon and Bran are too old and Robb isn't auburn enough. The Maester's chains are big dangly necklaces, not tight almost mail like things that choke them. Tyrion is not minging and scary looking, even The Hound is not as grotesque as he should be! The only one I kind of agree with is Drogo, but he has far far far too much guyliner on. Robb is a boy of 15 as is Jon, yet they are fully grown men and the actors are around 25 in real life. Sansa looks alright, however, good God is she one shitty and hammy actress! BLOODY HELL!! The wolf pups were seriously cute though and I really want one...don't think that my lovely cat would be happy about that though.

Things are just wrong when it comes to the story line in places which annoys me. I don't see how things in to the second series are going to make sense as they got, in my eyes anyway, quite integral parts incorrect. I know, I know, I know...when it comes to adaptations for TV/film things do have to change for the sake of plot and continuity etc, but as I said above, I don't see how some things will work in the future now that alterations have been made.

The costumes are good, the script is good as there are lines taken straight out of the book. The sets are pretty good too. However, overall I'm not all that fussed about watching series 2, I think I'll stick with my good old, written words and therefore give it the point!

So the score now stands at: Written Word: 4, TV/Film: 1.5

Happy reading and viewing

Book Geek!

:-)

Unlikely titles for memoirs

EEEEEEEE More funny things from:

Hardback: £ 14.99

Publisher: Boxtree

Paula Radcliffe - Shitting in the Street

I was here all along - Lord Lucan

Our Love - Ant + Dec

A Laugh, A Smile and A Song - Robert Mugabe

Not just a killer - Peter Sutcliffe

Go west - Rose West

18 holes - Tiger Woods

Good Evening, Here is the Huws - Huw Edwards

Me, tits & the mob - Barbara Windsor

Sex, Drugs & Rock 'N' Roll: The true story of my career in politics - Gordon Brown

Salads, Smoothies and Gym Circuits: on tour with Pete Doherty

My Life (well the bits I haven't already sold to magazines) - Kerry Katona

Birds, Booze and Bombs: my life in hiding - Osama bin Laden