Review: The Tattooist

Publisher: Cutting Edge Press

Price: £ 14.99

This is the prime example of how a book can be sexy and have erotic scenes without being poorly written! The book isn't there to focus primarily on the select sex scenes, there is a plot and an incredibly fascinating one at that, that deserves and needs to be followed! Also, the whole thing is incredibly well written!

I didn't know at the start if I really liked Fabrice, or hated him. He reminded me a lot of the main character in Perfume whose name escapes me at the moment. He is the main protagonist. He was interesting as you don't really know any thing about him or his history or even how he looks 100% as people's descriptions of him are always slightly different depending on what they focus on in him. In the end I bloody hated him. He is a manipulative bastard who wants to try and dominate and destroy for what he feels is the greater good. I'm sure he is a great tattooist but there is no need to be a monster with it I say! He appears he has to help people change and transform because of one stupid mistake they made with a tattoo they ask him to cover up. 

The novel as a whole was fabulous. I got the feeling of it being three character studies in one. Studies of three very different girls as they all become part of Fabrice's life and his Great Work. The entire thing is very dark, no humour and there is no clear idea for a while what the plot line actually is. That didn't bother me at all, it intrigued me further and kept me reading constantly! 

On occasion I felt that the book was a tad too intellectual for me and that in some ways I have missed certain subtle nuances. However, that hasn't had any impact on my enjoyment of what is a fantastic book! Another cracking master piece from the people of Cutting Edge Press!! BRAVO!

Happy Reading

Book Geek

;-)

P.S. It does make you pretty terrified to get a tattoo!!! Not due to the pain but in case the artist turns in to a psycho!!!

Review: Destined to Play

Publisher: Harper
Price: £ 5.99

In the beginning I was pretty pleased to have been sent this because I haven't read 50 Shades and thought I would like to see what all this mummy porn was about! Anyway, this pleasedness didn't last long. What a load of trash.

I will say the one positive thing first. When the story flashed between present day and uni days, the change in tone was pretty acceptable. I did enjoy the total contrast in AB's language, the age/maturity was shown well.

As characters, AB and JQ were both detestable in their own special ways. The story is written from AB's point of view and she is a feeble and totally obsessive useless wench! She is totally obsessed with JQ and that is particularly annoying because JQ is a slimy, manipulative and bastard faced knob!!! So, yes, both crap and rubbish in their own special ways!!! JQ's language is patronising, calling AB sweetheart and GG (gorgeous girl). How can AB accept this treatment!?! She is WEAK!! I am not convinced it is love, if it were love there would be equality.

There was a pitiful attempt at a plot with the inclusion of JQ's medical research in to curing depression. I mean what the hell! There is no need for such a poorly derived plot. If you want to write erotica, then whey don't you bloody just write it! There is no need to hide it under a poorly constructed plot line. It was also poorly written! The erotica was pretty poor too and was about as erotic as Eastenders. For real kink and interest then read something like Blue Murder at the Pink Parrot. I am sorry, but Destined to Play is not a book to go on to read lists.

The ending was totally ridiculous too btw. I think that people would not read the second one to find out what happens after the cliff hanger. Why would you read the second one when the first one is this bad?!?

I haven't read 50 Shades and to be honest I doubt I ever will. Whilst at Cornwall with my buds this weekend we discussed erotic literature a fair bit, we had a few readings of select passages from 50 Shades and Destined to Play and we all thought both sounded equally pants. Those in the group who have read 50 Shades said how poorly written it is and how it is inconceivable how it was published in the first place...I think money spinner! Anyway, I am mortified that The Boy has brought 50 Shades back from Cornwall to read and 'see what all the fuss is about'. I left Destined to Play there for The Beef to read.

Happy reading (of something else)

Book Geek

:-P

Holiday review!

Hellooooo!
I am now back, officially back, back in a hard core way to get back on with the reading!

To kick it off here is my review of
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN! Both of these reviews are going to be small and brief as I didn't keep notes due to it being my holiday!!!
I was given it by @LottieChase as part of World Book Night 2012.
Here are some pics of it and my reading of it!!

   

I found the translation to be most awkward in the beginning, things didn't read well and it was a tad awkward. This didn't last overly long however, I think this is because I got used to it. The story was quite slow moving in the beginning but I got in to it in the end. It is a compelling yet terribly strange story. You think you know vampires, you don't! LTROI gives you a bit of a new spin on it all. Eli is a bizarre character all round and I found Oskar to be pretty odd after a while too. The older characters of the book (sorry, I can't remember their names but Mummy Geek now has the book and I can't flick back, and I didn't make notes, BALLS) were great. I really really loved them but they made me really sad at the same time. I hope I don't end up like that even though in their own special ways they were happy. I would recommend this book to others, as I did to Mummy Geek, not just because I have a weird vampire obsession or anything like that ( I do but that is not the reason) but because it is one of a kind and should be read!

The second holiday book was!!!!!!!!!
A DANCE WITH DRAGONS PART 1: SONG OF ICE AND FIRE PART 5
Here are some reading pics!!

      
All hope is not lost! Feast for Crows may have been a pile of shite in comparison with the others in this series but have no fear! DANCE WITH DRAGONS PART 1 RULED!! FFC made me sad, really sad with its tedium! I was afraid all the books coming after it would follow suit but that is not the case! DWD takes you back to the good characters and what they were doing whilst FFC people were doing their thing. There is action, politics, cliff hangers, shocks, twists and turns! I loved every second of it and now cannot wait to read part 2!! (I have even pre ordered the next instalment even though it doesn't even have a release date yet!) I cannot wait to read part 2!! BRING IT ON

OOO, OOOOO, ooooo!!! To end, here is a great sign I saw in Suess's Landing in Islands of Adventure at Universal!!



HAPPY READING!!!!
Book Geek
:-p

Back

Just to let you know that I am back but I haven't quite finished second holiday book so I will blog when it is done!!!

Such a poor effort on my front I know!!!

Blog soon! I PROMISE!!!

Back in two weeks

Sorry everyone!!!
I won't be blogging for the next two weeks as I will be on holiday! I am back on 19th August so be prepared for me to review my holiday reads then!

I would like to thank my lovely Assistant for flat and cat sitting whilst I am away (he will likely never read this but the sentiment is there)!

The books I am reading on holiday are a surprise....it is fun to keep you all in suspenders as usually you know most of the details of my reading life and otherwise!

I will attempt to tweet when wifi comes my way so if you don't already follow me and will miss my company then hook up with @book_geek_says.

Happy Reading!

Book Geek
:-D

Review: Charlotte Markham an the House of Darkling

Publisher: Titan Books

Price: £ 7.99

This novel starts as any novel in the period/gothic collection should. It is unassuming, simple and easy to follow. Also the names fit in to the genre perfectly, they are comic in some respects but aren't really...odd but you'll see what I mean. This is the story of Charlotte Markham, her students, her unrequited love and a crazy arsed other world!

I thoroughly enjoyed Charlotte's sarcasm and the threats she made to the boys when referring to their misbehaviour (it reminded me of a Mummy Geek moment I may share with you one day). Charlotte is of course the heroine but I'm not totally sure that I liked her. The fact that she thinks about Mr Darrow in a soppy way and the continuous feebleness that seems to surround her where he is concerned did tick me off. However, it fits in with the genre of the book. Yes she does end up kicking arse, but she is nimby pimby on occasion.

The actual House of Darkling is not as creepy as you expect upon its first discovery, the place falls more in to the realm of bizarre, but do not be fooled! It gets seriously creepy! As death and politics are discussed in more details in Darkling/The Ending the sinister tone is cemented and you pretty much know where you stand with this book. The not knowing what turn the novel is going to take does provide a lot of the enjoyment, however, when the novel settles, the fact that the debate of death is pivotal is VERY settling as you can relate to it in one way or another....well at least I could. 

There are a few cases of a story in a story and they send you through a wave of different emotions. The first one is VERY creepy and unsettling and starts to draw you in to the creepy realm of Darkling. The second story, despite its grotesque elements is more hopeful. The third one is really really tragic and made me sad. I am not 100% sure I understood the 'morals' of these tails but I think there were some.....

The brilliant conformities to the Bronte type novel were fantastic and you can tell the book was well written as they didn't seem out of place, even when the total craziness began! Boccacino even included the old school sexual tension typical to this type of novel, and I am pleased about that even though it lowered Charlotte on the heroine scale. The people of The Ending trying to recreate/submerse themselves in the more human aspects of life were also brilliant and you could see a hint of parody. OOO I also fully enjoyed the old British sentimentality of a cup of tea solves everything! I know that Boccacino is American and the book is full of Americanisms but I can't help but think that this is a UK based story.

OOOO, also, the ending fitted perfectly in my eyes! And that is all I'm saying about that!

I am sure that there is a lot that could be said about this book and it could be dissected to pieces with genre comparisons, character parallels etc etc, blah blah. That is not me! I like to read a book and enjoy it (or not) and I did enjoy this one!

OOOO OOOO before I go, I read one of the best tweets ever in reference to this book from @hughes_books '2 cups Jane Eyre, 6oz of lovecraft and a tbsp of Tim Burton with ice cream #literarysundae' AMAZING!

Happy Reading

Book Geek
:-p