Book Review: Sugar Skulls

Sugar Skulls by M.R. Tapia

“Life may be role play, but death is real. There is no act to it. No intermission or encore.”

M.R. Tapia returns with a story that bypasses gore and guts and goes straight to the jugular (the emotional jugular, might I add!!)

Sugar Skulls tells the tale of a dead man. Micah’s life is laid out before him as he contemplates why he has ended up sat in conversation with death himself. Just as the dead have to face many challenges through the nine levels of the Aztec underworld, So does Micah.

Sugar Skulls hit me hard to be honest guys! imagine being sat down and having everything you’ve done wrong in life being retold to you. Reliving everything that you wanted to forget and having your heartbreaks highlighted…now THAT is a nightmare! and this is exactly what happens to poor Micah (I ended up feeling so sorry for him even though he comes across as a bit of a deadbeat…but who am I to judge!!!)

Micah: a grown man dependant on his family and their unconditional love and support which he has grown to take advantage of by abusing anything and everything. If it wasn’t for his parents he would have ‘crumbled under his own weight long ago’ which brings to light a lot of home truths about society, which is what I love about M.R. Tapia’s work, the mixture of horror and hard hitting truths is like a cold hard slap in the face to wake you up and look around.

As mentioned before, the nine levels of the Aztec underworld are explored as Micah goes through his own afterlife journey, which adds a mythical element to this twisted tale.

So, why should you read ‘Sugar Skulls’? because it’s HORRIFYING (that’s a compliment!!) it made my tummy churn and it also made me reflect a lot. Tapia’s ability to capture today’s society is so vivid and shocking, talking of humans being ‘dead-alive’ with their numbing routines and just proving that the daily grind can zap all colour from life. It’s also a good read because it’s SPOOKY!!!! and I know y’all love to be creeped out!!

Where to buy this book:

Purchase ‘Sugar Skulls’ on Amazon

Check out my review of ‘The Die-Fi Experiment ‘ another great story from M.R. Tapia

Don’t forget to follow me on my social media! Don’t be shy!!

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WHERE HAVE I BEEN?!

Oh wow, 2018 has been relentless!! but I’m back and ready to annoy you all with my chit chat!!

so! where have I been you might ask??!!!! (I ask myself the same question, especially when I need to write an essay and my brain has wandered off) Assignments have been the main thing eating up my time since January, in fact, this year of studying has been very challenging for me, and at times I felt like giving in…BUT I pursued and PASSED MY THIRD YEAR!! I’m very excited to start my fourth year as I shall be studying the classical world of Ancient Greece and Rome! (anyone else studying with the Open University feel free to message me so we can cry about our life choices together!!).

It hasn’t been all bad though!! I’ve had some amazing life experiences. I went to America last October and had the trip of a lifetime. I stayed in California and met up with some friends who I have known for well over 5 years, went to Disneyland, MET MICKEY MOUSE!! and spent far too much money in Target!! I then travelled up to Seattle and stayed with another one of my close friends who I had never met before and we celebrated Halloween together (and eat so many cupcakes oh god!)

There is another thing in my life that I have been so excited to write about and share with you guys!!!!! I’M IN LOVE!! WITH THIS HUMAN:

We aim to spend the rest of our lives having as many pets as possible, getting a mudlarking licence, eating all the Halloumi this world has to offer and genuinely just living in our happy li’l gay bubble!! I LOVE YOU HOBBIT (I’m assuming she’s gonna read this because I’m obviously her favourite writer!!) (I’m joking omg I’m not that narcissistic!)

So now that I have returned what should you all expect? more book reviews of course!!! I have some really cool books to show you guys and will be posting a review weekly!!

I am so sorry for my long absence, I’ve missed you guys so much!! I can’t wait to get back into my book world and create some more MAGIC!! (get it….cause my blog name is chloeemagic?? I’ll stop trying to be funny I promise!!)

Follow me on social media so we can catch up!!

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THE BOOK THIEF WAS ROBBED!!

Anyone one remembers my first blog post where I promised to do a 30 questions book challenge? yeah, I almost forgot too!! BUT I’m here to address something that has plagued my existence for quite some time!!

number 14 on this book challenge is: Book turned into a movie and completely desecrated….

THE BOOK THIEF

This book is humanity itself. I know it’s technically YA fiction (although to me it’s historical fiction because its message is universal).

Each character is beautifully woven into the tapestry of the pages. And Death’s hard to hear, ‘fly on the wall’ narration of the book thief’s life as she (Liesel Meminger) arrives on Himmel street.

This book has hard, biting imagery of the terrifying and constricting life, not only during WWII but in Nazi Germany.

I love this book so much because of its concept. The book itself is Liesel Meminger’s life through Death’s eyes. In the book, we see the inhuman chaos created by Hiter, the poignant moments of a girl’s life as she turns to thievery as a way of gaining power with words within a world where there is no certainty, and the friendships she makes that change her life forever.

And so when I heard one of my favourite books was going to become a film I was BUZZING LIKE A BEE! ok I was imagining the crisp and cold images that came alive in my imagination as I read the book. I thought how amazing it would be to actually see these beautiful characters come to life and to show the heartache and the happiness as death tells the tale of the book thief.

I WAS SO WRONG.

Death narrates the beginning, maybe a li’l section in the middle, and then he pops up at the end when he comes to collect everyone’s souls. WHERE WAS HE? I know a book can’t be translated 100% into a film and there are changes that need to be made to make it viewable….but??? Death as the narrator is the main concept of the book!

And the characters I had fallen in love with were just stilted characters in a period drama. Liesel never called herself a thief, in fact through the whole film she protested she was just ‘borrowing’ EXCUSE ME… is it called ‘the book borrower’ …nope, thought not!

And oh dear Lord have mercy, RUDY STEINER, my dear little saumensch, you deserved so much better.

And even Max, they down played the terrors he faced… he had nightmares and lived in the basement for over two years because he was hiding from the Nazis!

I feel like the film was made for a certain audience and therefore the creators were dancing around the sensitive and tough subjects. Which is wrong, this story’s combination of humanity and history is what should’ve been portrayed on the screen. The community spirit as a neighbourhood hid in an air raid shelter together, the rationing and the simple pleasures of childhood documented in Liesel and Rudy’s friendship.

This post is becoming far too long and I’m trying not sound too ranty…but this film lets me down so much!!

Don’t get me wrong, the sets and costumes were all amazing, but the plot had no correlation to the book whatsoever (in my opinion).

So yes, that’s question 14 answered, please don’t take offense to me not liking the film!! the beauty of this world is that we’re all different!

Also… if you’ve never read the book, you should totally go buy it now, because it’s one of the best books I’ve EVER read!!

Make sure to follow me on twitter! we can talk about books together!! yahh!

Book Review: I’m the king of the castle

I’m the king of the castle by Susan Hill

“I didn’t want you to come here”

This book was suggested to me by an English teacher I met at Waterloo station a few months ago (I like talking to strangers now idk) and she warned me that it was a pretty messed up book…SHE WAS RIGHT!
This book has taken my belief that all kids are Satan soldiers and ramped it up by about 1000.
Set in a decrepit Manor House called ‘Warings’ it starts with Edmund Hooper, A very posh and entitled child who is annoyed because his dad has hired a woman to become a housekeeper in their newly inherited mouldy Victorian manor (great!), and she is bringing her son, Charles Kingshaw to live at Warings with them. And from this moment it’s just hell, literally anxiety triggering bullying from both Hooper and Kingshaw. They’re both just bloody awful.
This book does have an important message though. Each person living in Warings does not project love and has never really experienced love, which is where all the chaos comes from. But still…this book is mental (I mean it has come from the mind that created ‘the woman in black’ so…).
Susan Hill’s writing is genius. Every sentence is devoid of love or affection and each character danced around the subject of love, or declines any chance at being kind to one another, even Hooper’s dad and Kingshaw’s mum!!

The never ending rivalry between both boys is a twisted view at childhood bullying and it honestly gave me anxiety a few times! The mind games Hooper plays are just psychotic. And Kingshaw is hopelessly lost amongst trying to seem tough and indifferent to each jab from Hooper.
Despite Kingshaw being the victim in this book I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Hooper. Both boys were starved of affection and attention which birthed evil child demons within both of them, and we all know evil child demons, whether metaphorical or physical, are the worst kind.

Also, another thing that worries me is that this book is on school curriculums?! The English teacher who recommended it to me was saying how worried she was that children were reading this at school! (I mean I had to read lord of the flies and holes so I guess it’s not too messed up, but still! What’s wrong in reading children Shakespeare…or Dickens)
I guess I don’t need to say why I think y’all should read this book cause you might have already read it, in which case, I’m sorry I had to make you re-live the trauma!! But it’s a worth a read to remind you how love is important…and if you can, teach kids not to be evil to others and they won’t have fatal accidents or grow up to be weirdos!

Also, Susan Hill’s writing is totally worth a read!!

Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter! I’d love to hear other people’s opinions on the books I review!
Where to buy this book:

Book Review: The Circle

The Circle by Dave Eggers

I’m gonna be honest…I read this book SO QUICKLY in anticipation for the movie…and I’m still VERY confused and slightly let down by the story!!

OK so the story is based around the main character: Mae Holland who is a new employee at the technology power house ‘THE CIRCLE’, and goes from ‘guppy’ to member of the top forty most popular/influential people within the company.

At first, the circle sounds like the ULITMATE business to work for! Mae is given access to the best technology (new phones, laptops, tablets) free healthcare, all that good stuff! But as time goes by, the reader discovers that The circle isn’t all as it seems. Over enthusiastic co workers and prying eyes create a dystopian atmosphere around Mae as she happily walks into the trap that is created within the maze of this ‘all inclusive’ big brother style business.

I was so into this story in the first half of the book, it was creepily similar to the world we live in today (technology taking over our lives, everyone knowing everything about us because of social media and basically our online identities taking over and becoming intertwined). And Mae’s complete compliance with it all made me want to climb into the book and give her a good shake to make her see the complete creepiness of it all!!

But descending into the second half the plot became far too chaotic!! And not in a good way (in my opinion!).

I don’t feel like it was rushed, but the way it was written I just feel like the author had no idea how to end it with the intended impact, considering the strong plot and relatable sub plots, the second half was a complete shift in tone, which is a shame, cause I was so hyped in anticipation for the film!

BUT I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading ‘the circle’ especially if you’re a fan of the dystopian genre.

And my only negative comment about the film is that John Boyega wasn’t given more screen time!!

So if I had to score this book out of ten, I would probably give it a six. It’s the first book I’ve read from Dave Eggers, so perhaps it’s just writings style, I’m definitely not put off and I will read more from him. But this book, unfortunately, did not live up to my expectations.

Where to buy this book:

Book Details:

Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: Penguin; 01 edition (24 April 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 024114650X
ISBN-13: 978-0241146507
Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 2.8 x 19.8 cm

Book Review: Past Mortems

Past Mortems: Life and death behind mortuary doors by Carla Valentine

I don’t know about you guys but I’ve always had a burning anxiety about what happens to your mortal shell after you’ve left it behind and are out there spooking the living daylights out of people (we all have our own afterlife beliefs, I know!).

Whether it’s a morbid human curiosity or a genuine worry, my ignorance was quenched with this book!! Carla Valentine’s book is a telling of her career as an Anatomical Pathology Technologist or mortician (either sound pretty professional and interesting!).

The book speaks of technical terms and procedures that are respectfully carried out on the deceased which is something I have never known, and I find strange since death is the only thing we all have in common. This is what I loved most about this book, and Carla’s explaining of her job and all the other things that go into respectfully handling the dead is such a reassuring read, from a scientific or just a human perspective, there is no awkwardness or jumping around subjects, each process is respectfully explained, leaving no (kidney) stone unturned!! *ba dum tss* (sorry, I just really love puns).

A book that is not only scientific but much more humorous than my stupid pun! Past Mortems has a harmonious balance between darkness and light, Carla Valentine approaches the subject of death with a professional brain and a human heart. Some chapters are deeply moving and show the true strength of an APT (Anatomical Pathology Technician, there are loads of abbreviations involved behind mortuary doors!).

Why I think you should read this book:

INFORMATION! I have a whole new appreciation for a job that I knew very little about! death is such a difficult subject to breach, that in my 23 years of existence I’ve never known what goes into the care and studies of a human after they die. Of course, if you have a queasy disposition when it comes to blood, human organs and scientific jargon, then this might not be the book for you, but I’d still promote it, as APT’s and every other job revolved around death should be applauded and we should know about the brave and hard work they do.
Carla Valentine! I have followed her on Twitter and Instagram for a while, and her ability to approach such subjects as death or medical conditions is a true talent! you can hear the passion for her job in every sentence.
IT’S SUPER BLOODY INTERESTING!

For more information check out Carla Valentine’s official website: The Chick and the Dead

Where to buy this book:

Book Details:

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Sphere (6 April 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0751565326
ISBN-13: 978-0751565324
Product Dimensions: 15.5 x 2.3 x 23.4 cm

Book Review: The Die-Fi Experiment

The Die-Fi Experiment by M.R. Tapia

“I believe that the abominable deterioration of ethical standards stems primarily from the mechanization and depersonalization of our lives, a disastrous byproduct of science and technology. Nostra culpa!” – Albert Einstein

A honeymoon gone wrong? A sick and twisted game show? DEATH? Social media ruining EVERYTHING?! oh…and GORE!! ….these are a few of my favourite things!!

In all seriousness though, my intro to this book review is a basic description of what The Die-Fi Experiment is all about! This book has to have been the goriest thing I’ve ever read! I’ve seen my fair share of horror films, the Saw franchise, ‘Would you Rather’ and ‘Hostel’ but this book throws every gory film I’ve ever seen out of the water!

I applaud M.R. Tapia to be able to create such gory descriptions that literally made me turn away from the page and wince, trying not to imagine myself experience such pain!! but not only did Tapia nail the gore and horror but the underlying message beneath the blood and guts.

The Die-Fi Experiment is a game show streamed through the internet and watched by thousands. The protagonists’ pain being spurred on by the faceless watchers behind a screen. This book is an extreme way of showing how social media and the internet, in general, can become dangerous when put into the wrong hands…or if humans become too revolved around social media.

Tapia’s use of ironic hashtags is something I absolutely loved throughout this book!! something horrifying would be going on, and to sum it up for the internet there’d be a hashtag at the end, for example:

#catsgotmytongue

(obvs you’ll have to read the book for the irony to make any sense! so go read it!!!)

Overall despite feeling very sick at some parts in this book due to the extreme gore, I found it very entertaining! it made you understand the characters as the story progressed and the ending just made you wish they’d never went on their honeymoon!!

Also at the end of The Die-Fi Experiment, there is an excerpt from Tapia’s upcoming and debut novel which comes out on the 2nd November of this year!!! it’s called ‘Sugar Skull’ and the excerpt has me excited for its release!

Purchase the Die- Fi Experiment on Amazon

Book Review: The Things That Grow With Us

The Things That Grow With Us by Jordan Anderson

“Terra autem erat inanis et vacua, et tenebræ erant super faciem abyssi…” – Genesis 1:2

(But the earth was empty and unoccupied, and darknesses were over the face of the abyss)

Being a complete stranger to the horror genre, This collection of short stories is the spookiest, most hair raising grouping of tales I’ve ever read! Jordan Anderson’s eclectic stories explore all of life’s best horror genres and sink them into an eery, treacle like atmosphere.

The seven stories take you on a journey to outer space, where there are horrifying things awaiting, to a place of folklore, and mutations against prejudice. Anderson has done a perfect job of tackling each story with a strong and sharpened eye for the gory and the horrific.

Seeing the world through each protagonist’s eyes shows the reader a world of terrifying possibilties, and the slow descent into that terror is what makes Anderson’s collection of stories grow on you! (sorry about the pun…i had to do it!)

Full of emotion and character’s that mean something, there is more to these tales than just the novelty splat of blood and spooky ghosts that you’d expect from horror, and the impeccably written plot to each one stretches your mind to the capability of these worlds and true terror found within humans.

Now, let’s talk about my favourite parts!! I LOVE aliens, so the very first short story in this collection got my engines revving!! I was so into the story and I was getting vibes that if it were a film, James Cameron would be directing it!

I love Anderson’s writing style, it’s slow and descriptive yet it grabs your attention with its eerie build and plotting. And just as it began, this collection ended with a bang! the last story was like ‘the creepy cabin in the woods’ horror plot but with an amazing storyline, and a human heartbeat!

Now, I’d talk at length about each and every story in this collection but I’d rather you all read it for yourselves!! I hate to be the spoiler alert review blog! go and read The Things That Grow With Us!

Book Review: The Muse

The Muse by Jessie Burton

GUYS!!! JESSIE BURTON IS A LITERARY GENIUS AND THIS BOOK BLEW MY MIND!!

If that opening sentence didn’t get you interested in reading this book, then let me give you the low down….

This book is based around two main characters who live in different eras.

We have Odelle Bastien, who, in 1967 starts a typist job for the Skelton Gallery in London.

We also have Olive Schloss, who, in 1936, is living with her father (successful art dealer) and her mother (fabulously gorgeous, but little bit damaged) in an picturesque finca in rural spain.

How do these two people correlate?

WELL…

Odelle’s new job throws her into the world of the arts. Being a writer herself, she is pushed by her new boss Marjorie Quick to pursue her writing dreams, and Odelle quickly finds her own space in the world after five years of finding her feet in the smoggy city of london, which is a complete contrast from Trinidad, her original home. Now, whilst working for this gallery, Odelle meets Lawrie Scott, a fine, handsome stranger who just so happens to have inherited a VERY mysterious painting. Marjorie Quick, Odelle’s boss (who is also just as mysterious as the painting) claims this painting is attached to Isaac Robles, a SPANISH painter.

(if i could insert dramatic sound fx into this review right now, I WOULD)

SO, this is where Olive Schloss enters into the story. She herself is a budding artist, she has insane painting skills, which are overlooked by her ‘old fashioned’ dad, who doesn’t believe in his daughter’s ability to be a successful artist. THEN THE ROBLES APPEAR. We have Isaac Robles, a rebel without a cause, a daring young socialist with a mucho feugo presence (sorry i’m getting carried away), and his sister Teresa who becomes the Schlosse’s maid, secret keeper, and all round confidant. Isaac ignites Olive, who not only falls madly and deeply for him, but has a hunger to paint due to his presence (it is very mucho fuego!!). Entwined within passion, the growing tension of a country at war with itself and the natural flaws of humans, Olive’s world changes from the moment the Robles are introduced to her.

These two eras are slotted together perfectly as you read on. Not only does Odelle make discoveries about the thirty year old painting, but about everything she has come to know as her world.

And like I said in the dramatic first sentence of this review….this book BLEW MY MIND. It’s plot is insane and perfect. It’s one of those books that tricks you and then once you’ve finished it you just sit in a dark corner for a few days crying (a bit OTT but you get where i’m coming from).

And for anyone who has read Jessie Burton’s first book ‘the miniaturist’ the two cannot be compared. They are both literary masterpieces (in my humble, yet fabulous opinion) for completely different reasons!!

Why I think you should read this book:

The characters! oh wow, the way Jessie Burton has written each character is just awe-inspiring, they each have flaws, talents and secrets that are all meticulously intertwined within the story.
the changes of eras is a breath of fresh air. Just as the story in London is getting too pressurised, you’re transported to rural Spain, where there is a whole other ball game of drama to sink your teeth into!
The unquestionable trust put into Jessie Burton and her writing. The research and the pure talent that has gone into creating this story is utterly amazing.
THE PLOT. It blew my mind for heaven’s sake!
You will genuinely regret not reading this book…genuinely…click on a link below and treat yourself to it….and then message me so we can freak out together about it!!

Where to buy this book:

https://twitter.com/jesskatbee/status/848869067607990272

Book Details:

Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Picador; Main Market Ed. edition (30 Jun. 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 144725094X
ISBN-13: 978-1447250944

Book Review: Strange Medicine

Strange Medicine by Mike Russell

Mike Russell is back to scramble your brains!! this time with tiny little stories…little pills, if you will, that are truly, truly, truly strange.

Reading this collection of short stories is very much like untying yourself from this world and losing sense of gravity, they all make enough sense to be human, but they mainly twist you upside down and leave you stuck to the ceiling with a confusing feeling in your stomach.

within 141 pages, Mike Russell tells 8 stories that all seem to have their own meaning, I feel that if you decipher them enough they are somewhat a cautionary tale…of what? maybe to step out of the normality? the meaning of the subject is in the eye of the beholder.

What I love about Russell’s writing is how detached it is. The characters describe objects to every inch/measurement, and they converse with a soulless eery conviction which adds to the dystopian, ‘strange-ness’ to the short stories. I feel that the lack of context when it comes to characters and their backstories etc. is intentional, how can something be strange if we know every single detail about it?!

I’m not going to explain every short story in extreme detail, because that would ruin the fun for you!! these stories will shake you up and most likely make you stare at a wall for few minutes thinking ‘what is even real anymore??’

So now you’ve read this strange review….go and read Mike Russell’s ‘Strange Medicine’!! I believe no prescription is necessary *wink wink*

Want more strange reads? head on over to strangebooks and take a look at Mike Russell’s other books!! (check out my review for Strungballs here)

Also big shout out to Mike Russell himself for introducing me to Dystopian genre!! i’m making my way through the top classics!! (if anyone feels like sending me Dystopian book recommendations then find me on twitter, or email me!!)

Where to buy this book:

Amazon

Book Details

Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (5 May 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1522945385
ISBN-13: 978-1522945383