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Review: Wilderness of Sinners

Price: 77p (ebook)

Publisher: Self

I seem to be getting in to memoir type travel type coming of age stories lately. TG's story is one of these too, but it involves some scary punk arsed kids stuck in a military style boot rehabilitation camp in the arse end of Arizona! TG needs a job, needs a change, needs a break and is fixated on the USA, psychology and escaping the UK rat race...or at least the fight to enter it. This was enough to get me going with the book as I am also a tad obsessed with the USA. 

In the book we follow TG over a year at Vision Quest working with boys who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law for everything from rape to gang activities. Some of the kids are no worse than the staff. The relationships that develop and don't develop between TG and the kids and other staff and in his personal life are great to follow and watch with a voyeuristic type of intrigue! TG changes over the year both personally and professionally and this is clearly displayed in the narrative.

There are some hints of nostalgia in the book, as TG is now writing with 20 years retrospective. However, there doesn't seem to be any regret, or even a hint of it and that is not only a relief but uplifting!

This was indeed an enjoyable read about a normal lad who needs a change and bloody well goes out and gets one. There are some charming and wonderful characters and some classic moments. The fact that this is a year of someone's life, a real life, makes it all the more enjoyable and accessible!

Happy Reading

Book Geek

;-)

p.s. I had developed a bit of a crush on young TG by the end of it!!

Review: The Drowning of Arthur Braxton

Publisher: The Friday Project

Price: £ 7.99

In the beginning, I will admit, I had no idea what the hell was happening in this book. I was bemused and confused, yet totally in love with CS's style of writing. She adopts the voice of kids of a certain age really well. I was totally convinced that I was reading the rambling thoughts of teenagers in love and desperate for sex and security.

I was surprised to see the sections alternate between narrative and a script. I thought the script would detract from me immersing myself in the book, but it didn't. It kept me even more intrigued and absorbed.

The influence of legends and myths and fairytales was glorious, subtle and, well, so subtle that they are so interwoven that on occasion you don't even notice them until you really think about it. They could indeed be missed at first glance! However, have no fear, you will notice them and then appreciate the intelligence of this book even more.

This is a myth/legend/fairytale for the now, for the present! It's charming, funny, sad and witty. It keeps you intrigued and interested even if you don't always know why and displays the great talent that CS is!

Happy Reading

Book Geek

:-D

Review: Rogue; The Clone Rebellion 2

Publisher: Titan Books

Price: £ 7.99

Harris is back but, to an extent not as we know him in part 2 of Clone Rebellion. I read part 1 back in April and it was a stonker I was not expecting!

Part 2 took me a little while to get in to which was surprising as I was glued to part 1 even though I was in Beijing for the first time!!! That should be a clear indication of how much I enjoyed it. However, when the ball got rolling in Rogue I was thrust into the crazy and political world of space and cloning once again. This is book is all out action, all out war and all out politics. It is a mile a minute, which may not be for all, but if scifi is your bag you will have to get on this series straight away.

Harris is developed so convincingly and surprisingly in this book. It is great to see him become more of a 3D person rather than just a 2D clone and kill bot. He has a heart, a soul and emotions. Something we don't altogether see in the first book, or at least not convincingly or to this extent. I was also over joyed by the return of Ray Freeman as I have a massive crush on him....this may be aided by the fact that in my head he looks like Idris Elba. Oh, also, when I read about Robert Thurston I can't help but picture Ed Sheeran...hmmmm.

Anyway...

The ending is worth reading the book for if nothing else. I was shocked to my very core!!!! I didn't see it coming and I really cannot wait to receive the next book from those lovely people at Titan Books! I am so intrigued to see where we go next on this mad journey through space!

Happy Reading

Book Geek
:-)

Review: The Dinner

Price: £ 7.99

Publisher: Atlantic Books

This is the story of two brothers, their wives, their children and a discussion over a dinner. It's a book of two halves, two very different halves that none the less work together PERFECTLY!

I wasn't really all that taken with the first half of the book. The Lohman brothers pissed me off, their turbulent relationship annoyed me. The mundane diner and rememberings + Paul's internal monologues were actually a bit tedious. BUT! BUT, then it all changes!

The description of the incident that the parents are discussing changes the novel completely. It becomes so incredibly compelling and gripping it is actually a shock! Paul becomes a completely different person, a dark and scary and dangerous person. Claire becomes the world's most supportive, protective and caring mother ever. Serge turns in to an even bigger tool (and I really didn't think that was possible) and Babette stays as the tricky one to get.The novel is wonderfully constructed and the characters are gloriously developed. Some ambiguity is still present at the end but nothing to irritate or leave you hanging. 

This book is compelling and different, exciting and distressing all at the same time! A book I feel parents in particular will enjoy. It is however, defo a book that will be enjoyed by all. It questions love, family and morals and keeps you wanting more.

Happy Reading

Book Geek

:-)

Review: Snorri & Frosti

I am afraid that I am unsure of the details

I have only read one other piece by BM and that was Pig Iron and I bloody loved it! This novella feels completely different to PI and it displays BM's talents even further. This is a day in the life of two elderly brothers Snorri & Frosti.

The piece makes the mundane totally beautiful and charming and glorious to read. The relationship between the two elderly brothers is tender and funny and awkward and enchanting all at the same time and shows the clear skill of BM's writing and his fondness for the two old men. It is heartbreaking to see that they couldn't really cope without one another and that their lives are as happy and as full as they need them to be.

This is an extraordinary novella that I loved to tiny little pieces and if you are a BM fan or not, you need to read it! It is just truly glorious in every way!

I won't write much more as it is only a short piece and I don't want to ruin anyone's heartache and joy and all that stuff you will feel whilst reading!

Happy Reading

Book Geek

:-)

Review: My Not So Shameful Sex Secrets

Price: £ 3.60

Publisher: Carina

Hmmmm I'm on the fence with this book. Hmmmm! I think I had placed it on too much of a pedestal and had my own ideas as to what it would be about. 

I'll run with the positives. It was great to see someone being so candid about EVERYTHING to do with their life...well their sex life. GOTN holds absolutely nothing back and she lays herself completely bare for all to see which is really refreshing and brave. This is one thing I do highly have to commend GOTN on. I also really enjoyed some of the 'morals' (in search of a better word) that were voiced at the end of the chapters. Especially the chapters about GOTN's first forays in to the world of boys and sex. These parts seemed a bit like a guide for girls on boys and provided reassurance that yes, everyone has kinks and people won't always find you weird! The gender debates were also to my liking to an extent as people do need to say more often that yes, girls want the same things boys do and there is no longer an need for anyone to be ashamed about that.

The things that made me a bit sad about this book and hindered my enjoyment were two fold. Sometimes I felt a bit like I was being yelled at and told off. I was being chastised for something I didn't think or say! And the second one was sometimes, the language used was a bit gratuitous and could have not been toned down, but at least altered so that the in your face sentences and phrases were not on repeat.

So, yeah, I still don't know what to make of it in total. But as I said a very heartfelt and open piece of writing that will have your jaw dropping and cringe levels bubbling, and will just make you want to go urrrggghhhhaaarrrrggghhh for several reasons.

Happy Reading

Book Geek

:-p

Review: Undertaking Love

Price: 99p (ebook)

Publisher: Authonomy

You probs all know that Chick Lit isn't really my thing. HOWEVER, when I saw Harper Collins offering this for review I thought it sounded like it could be a laugh and maybe get me to change my mind and broaden my horizons towards the CL genre. This is the story of wedding chapel owner Marla and the devilishly handsome undertaker Gabe. It's a story of their relationships and the relationships of the people around them.

In the beginning this book didn't really grab me but I think that was because I was being a bit too judgmental and was basking in my preconceived ideas. However, despite all that, I got in to the book and began to enjoy it. The characters and plot seem to fit the perfect CL formula and that was cracking. It was light for the most part and there was indeed a cracking amount of comedy. It was worth reading for the man sized box of tissues comment alone! I completely warmed to this book by the end and was really invested in the characters. Jonny was glorious as was Dora. In particular Dora.

Well done KF on writing a CL novel that I enjoyed and found thoroughly entertaining! You may have changed my prejudices!!

BRAVO!!!

Happy Reading

Book Geek

Review: Dead Ever After

Publisher: Gollancz

Price: £ 18.99 (hardback)

And so, we have come to the end of an era! I really and truly have enjoyed all of the Southern Vampire Mysteries and I for one am very sad that CH has decided to make them no more. I feel like I have watched Sookie change and develop over years as you would a friend or relative as they grow up and experience a bunch of crazy shit! I'll miss her and Eric and Bill and Pam and Eric and Sam and Tara and did I say Eric?

Anyway, on with this book...

It's really different from the other SVM books from the start and that is pretty damn awesome. It's fun to see CH experimenting with a new style and approach to make the final novel really different! The entire thing isn't seen through the eyes of Sookie and it isn't all written in the first person. That makes it even more entertaining and interesting in my eyes.

As always there is action, romance, twists and adventure and that is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. There are cameo appearances by pretty much every character you would expect to see and that's nice too as you get to give them a final farewell and good luck pat on the back....I know, it seems like I think these guys are real, but when you have dedicated as many hours to them as I have you would too!

The ending of the book has brought some controversy if the press are to be believed and to an extent I can see why. There are some die hard mental fans out there who, I'd imagine wanted to see something else happen. In my mind there were 2, maybe 3 ways CH could finish the series. For me any of them would have worked...I would have been satisfied with one over the others but, I would have been delighted with any of them and so I am! The ending is one of the main options I expected and I am most pleased with it.

If you are a fan of the series, read it, you have to reach the conclusion and if you haven't delved in to these books before why not give them a shot?

Happy Reading

Book Geek

:-)

Review: That Bear Ate My Pants

Price: ebook £ 1.99

Publisher: Various Things

I have finished it! I bet TJS never thought this day would come! But the Kindle helped!

This is a charmingly personal story of one man and his adventures in Ecuador at an animal sanctuary. It's funny and endearing and down right weird at times but it's sooooo lovely. It reads like a diary or letters to home and that fills it with such warmth that it's loveable.

The adventures that TJS had and the people and animals he met all sound amazing in their own unique ways. To an extent, this is a bit of a coming of age novel but I bet it has something to suit everyone and will be enjoyed by all. I suppose it's travel writing and the only travel writing I'd ever read before was Bill Bryson....but this book makes BB's look like boring dull drivel!

A gorgeous, funny, weird and wonderful heart warming read that will have you sniggering, awwwing and cringing allllll over the place. Worth a read for all those reasons and many more!

Happy Reading

Book Geek

:-)

Reading Habits

I have been inspired to steal a blog topic from Scott Pack of @meandmybigmouth/@fridayproject fame and Big Green Book Shop's Simon (@biggreenbooks). I don't know if any of you will particularly care about my Reading and Book habits but I don't care, here are 10:

1. I never fold pages to mark my place - IT IS A CRIME.

2. I get so, so excited when I am far enough in to a book, it is possible to crack the spine. If a spine ain't broken, the book ain't been read properly.

3. 95% of the books I read are fiction.

4. I've never read a book twice.

5. I never go anywhere without a book - not even the gym or supermarket.

6. I go to bed as early as possible as bed is my favourite place to read.

7. 90% of the time, I can't read on trains for more than 5 mins as I fall asleep.

8. If I'm reading a portion of a book with LOTS of speech, I don't read the bits that aren't speech.

9. I judge people who don't read at all VERY harshly.

10. The only place I can read when home alone is in bed. This is because I get so absorbed in books I don't feel safe/secure any where other than bed.

Book Geek
:-)

Review: The Fire Witness

Publisher: Blue Door

Price: NOT SURE SORRY

Just wow, bloody wow! I read The Hypnotist a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it but TFW is a whole other level, this is one incredibly talented literary couple! The story is of Joona Linna as he attempts to solve two murders as well as battle his own past daemons! I am even more in love with Joona than I was before, he is a wonderful character and the development of him as a person and his back ground story was exquisite in this book!

The entire novel is a real page turner and you don't want to put it down. There are shocking plot twists and events that you never thought would happen. Also, when the main plot finishes, the book doesn't end there and you are propelled towards what can only be the set up for the next book which I really cannot wait to read.

The translation was spot on also, a few weird turns of phrases but otherwise excellent in its execution! WHOOP!!!

An entirely creepy, upsetting, thrilling and shocking read that kept me turning pages for hours and gripped from start to finish! I am defo going to hunt down the middle book which I have some how neglected to read and I really cannot wait for the next one. TFW is an excellent read but not for the faint hearted by any means!

Happy Reading

Book Geek

:-o