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This is the 1st episode in the first season of Geek Actually, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode was written by Cathy Yardley.
Michelle and Aditi have been friends for ages, but with Michelle as Aditi’s editor for her debut fantasy novel, their relationship is under a bit of strain. Aditi needs to blow off some steam—a hot Tinder date does the trick (and then some). Meanwhile, Taneesha and Elli are both having some job trouble.
Michelle and Aditi have been friends for ages, but with Michelle as Aditi’s editor for her debut fantasy novel, their relationship is under a bit of strain. Aditi needs to blow off some steam—a hot Tinder date does the trick (and then some). Meanwhile, Taneesha and Elli are both having some job trouble.
48 pages, ebook
First published June 7, 2017
About the author
Cathy Yardley
73 books1,296 followersCathy Yardley is an award-winning author of romance, chick lit, and urban fantasy, who has sold over 1.2 million copies of books for publishers like St. Martin's, Avon, and Harlequin. She writes fun, geeky, and diverse characters who believe that underdogs can make good and that sometimes being a little wrong is just right.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
July 1, 2017
Chick lit is hit or miss for me, but after reading the blurb, I was totally on board with the idea of cast of female friends navigating their careers and lives together. To be honest though, I felt like an interloper without gamer cred, I abandoned FF when it transitioned to online only. Yeah, If I want to interact with strangers, I will, but when I want to play a video game that's not it. Now, the geek thing is more a lifestyle gamer reference than career--there is one character doing video game programming.
We have Michelle, the editor responsible for everything for her clients in addition to her job, you know, editing. Again, her interpersonal skills seem to be an issue that's on simmer and the lid's about to blow off. Aditi, the writer in crisis mode for her sequel and not dealing with what's on the table, now. But, surprisingly has the best interpersonal relationship of the bunch. Taneesha, the video game programmer finding out the ugly reality of the startup pufferfish game. Yeah, big fish in little pond is not the same thing. Sidelined? Maybe, and she has a legit gripe. Finally, there's Elli, the cosplay devotee and way younger than her age and frankly, dreadfully poor interpersonal skills. There's living your life and being free--great, and there's tramping through other people's lives with no regard--not so great beyond a certain age, and let's say she's way too old to get a pass.
The eroticism was fairly low for me. I applaud Aditi's mature relationship with her significant other, but the whole issue of not having been clear in the upfront expectations didn't work for me. Wasn't upset, considering the starting point of the interaction, but it just didn't do anything for me.
This is a short serial episode so it's hard to judge, what I'm getting are impressions of characters. Some things I like, some I'm less enamored with. First, the Dalek disrespect is never going to be cool. It's like dissing Harryhausen's FX, just no. Second, and this is a huge me issue, too much publishing insider crapola. Reading about making books while I'm reading one destroys the illusion. Finally, my biggest issue with these women are their choices. Chick lit that revolves around real issues are great, but immaturity and poor decision making that gets blamed on someone else is not cool.
I feel uncomfortable rating such a brief overview of characters; it squeaks through at 3 stars.
~Copy provided by NetGalley~
We have Michelle, the editor responsible for everything for her clients in addition to her job, you know, editing. Again, her interpersonal skills seem to be an issue that's on simmer and the lid's about to blow off. Aditi, the writer in crisis mode for her sequel and not dealing with what's on the table, now. But, surprisingly has the best interpersonal relationship of the bunch. Taneesha, the video game programmer finding out the ugly reality of the startup pufferfish game. Yeah, big fish in little pond is not the same thing. Sidelined? Maybe, and she has a legit gripe. Finally, there's Elli, the cosplay devotee and way younger than her age and frankly, dreadfully poor interpersonal skills. There's living your life and being free--great, and there's tramping through other people's lives with no regard--not so great beyond a certain age, and let's say she's way too old to get a pass.
The eroticism was fairly low for me. I applaud Aditi's mature relationship with her significant other, but the whole issue of not having been clear in the upfront expectations didn't work for me. Wasn't upset, considering the starting point of the interaction, but it just didn't do anything for me.
This is a short serial episode so it's hard to judge, what I'm getting are impressions of characters. Some things I like, some I'm less enamored with. First, the Dalek disrespect is never going to be cool. It's like dissing Harryhausen's FX, just no. Second, and this is a huge me issue, too much publishing insider crapola. Reading about making books while I'm reading one destroys the illusion. Finally, my biggest issue with these women are their choices. Chick lit that revolves around real issues are great, but immaturity and poor decision making that gets blamed on someone else is not cool.
I feel uncomfortable rating such a brief overview of characters; it squeaks through at 3 stars.
~Copy provided by NetGalley~
June 4, 2017
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Props to sraxe for bringing these books to my attention. This was precisely the pop-culture-laden, girl-power fueled, PoC-repped piece of chick-lit crack candy that I didn't even know I'd been craving this whole time. Emphasis 'piece,' because these stories are apparently being released serially, one tantalizing chunk at a time.
There isn't really a plot in WTF. It's more like a slice-of-life story about several different women. Picture Sex and the City, except with geeky women.
+: Michelle is a Filipina science-fiction editor for a publishing company. She does a lot of hand-holding and sometimes doubles as a bounty-hunter, tracking down clients when they go AWOL instead of submitting their drafts.
+: Aditi is one of those AWOL-going writers that Michelle deals with. She initially intended her book to be a standalone and is now stressed because she was only able to sell it as a series, and has no idea where she wants to go with it. Aditi is Indian. She has a very interesting marriage, and some very interesting relationship quirks.
+: Taneesha is a video game programmer for a gaming company that was just acquired by a larger media company. The hierarchical tree is shifting, and she's annoyed to learn that she's about to be screwed. They're keeping her on as a token because she's a woman and black, and increasing her pay to keep her happy, but they're also taking away the responsibilities that gave her challenge and meaning. She is understandably frustrated and annoyed by this. I would be, too.
+: Elli works at a coffee shop where she is routinely hounded by creeps when all she really wants to do is play Pokemon go. She is Jewish (and celebrates Purim!), but she's also the quintessential millennial slacker who doesn't want to work in a cube or follow a routine - all she wants to do is geek out and go to conventions and basically live life by her own schedule.
This was so short. Like, under 100-pages short. I was skeptical about how much Yardley would be able to accomplish in so few pages. I was wrong to doubt. I may have found a writer who rivals Queen Courtney Milan when it comes to owning the "short and sweet" side of fiction. Each character is nuanced and developed, and all the pop-culture references are seriously on fleek. Their problems are relatable, and best of all, Yardley manages to discuss a lot of important feminist issues without being preachy or relying on straw men. Please tell me this is going to be optioned as a TV show. I would watch the static out of it.
I can't wait to read the next two books (which I luckily own!)
Thanks to Netgalley/the publisher for the review copy!
3.5 stars
July 24, 2017
So I thought this serial was cute, but would say that for based on page count I would say this was a little high. I am also going to wait until all the serials for episode one are issued and just buy the whole volume. I am not a big fan of serials since I don't like cliffhanger endings. Heck I hate cliffhanger endings in trilogies too.
"WTF Geek Actually 1.1" goes into a group of friends who stay in touch via messaging (Michelle, Aditi, Taneesha, and Christina). All of these women are in what I guess we could call geek professions, but I think Aditi (sci-fi writer I think) and Michelle (editor at sci-fi publication) are a bit of a stretch. Taneesha is a video game programmer trying to break into the good old boy's network at her job. And Christina is adrift and gets hit on grossly by men while just trying to play Pokemon Go.
I have to say that due to this episode's length, I did not feel like it would be fair to criticize some things I would have in a full length novel. I got to say though, that I was more interested in Taneesha, Christina, and Michelle's stories and hard passed on Aditi's story. I don't know what is going on with Aditi and I found myself not caring. I thought the author just wrote that to shock readers a bit. I was more bored with the sex scenes we got to read about.
I think I empathized the most with Tanesesha because I can't imagine being a woman programmer. The crap she had to take and the crap you know is coming her way looks like it's very interesting story wise.
I hope that Yardley does more with Michelle in the next one. She didn't do much besides try to coax Aditi to write and ignore her husband. Speaking of the husbands, I think that Yardley has to give them some life. They both felt very flat to me throughout this story.
Cheers for geek women everywhere.
"WTF Geek Actually 1.1" goes into a group of friends who stay in touch via messaging (Michelle, Aditi, Taneesha, and Christina). All of these women are in what I guess we could call geek professions, but I think Aditi (sci-fi writer I think) and Michelle (editor at sci-fi publication) are a bit of a stretch. Taneesha is a video game programmer trying to break into the good old boy's network at her job. And Christina is adrift and gets hit on grossly by men while just trying to play Pokemon Go.
I have to say that due to this episode's length, I did not feel like it would be fair to criticize some things I would have in a full length novel. I got to say though, that I was more interested in Taneesha, Christina, and Michelle's stories and hard passed on Aditi's story. I don't know what is going on with Aditi and I found myself not caring. I thought the author just wrote that to shock readers a bit. I was more bored with the sex scenes we got to read about.
I think I empathized the most with Tanesesha because I can't imagine being a woman programmer. The crap she had to take and the crap you know is coming her way looks like it's very interesting story wise.
I hope that Yardley does more with Michelle in the next one. She didn't do much besides try to coax Aditi to write and ignore her husband. Speaking of the husbands, I think that Yardley has to give them some life. They both felt very flat to me throughout this story.
Cheers for geek women everywhere.
September 11, 2017
Okay, so I've just finished this first installment and all I can say is "great idea very badly executed". Granted, this is just the first story of a thirteen part series, but not only does it feel rushed, but I didn't feel a connection with any of the characters.
From just the blurb alone this series should have been right up my alley. Geek chicks? Check. Feminist? Check. Strong female friendships? Check. I love reading about geek chicks since I am one. There's just not enough of them, especially geek chicks of color.
Unfortunately with four different authors who bring a different feel to one very short story, it felt disjointed. Parts of it came off a bit too preachy/woe is me on the problems WoC (and women as a whole) deal with in geek spaces. Much like Player vs Player, these women seem to be victims of sexist (and racist) dudebros rather than taking control and creating their own spaces. In the case of editor Michelle, why allow a fictional version of that noxious Vox Day remain a staple of the publishing company when it's clear that the imprint (owned by another woman) has progressed beyond space babes and guys with ray guns?
Then we had...Taneesha.
I still want to head-desk so hard.
Taneesha is probably the only character I had some interest in, but the stereotyped name-fail just left a totally bad taste in my mouth. I've seen this kind of fail before, often when the Black character in question has an occupation "not usually associated" (insert sarcasm here) with Black people (in this case Taneesha is a game designer. In another book, the Afro-Latino hero was a yoga instructor).
SMDH.
It's like some authors believe the only way we readers are going to know the character isn't the default white person (and isn't a drug dealer, gangbanger or baby mama) is by giving them a stereotypically "ethnic" sounding name.
By the way, I just finished Rich People Problems and most of the Asian characters had Western names. Go freaking figure!!! There was Nick, Rachel, Colin, Araminta, Astrid, and Charlie. Those don't sound Mandarin or Taiwanese to me.
2.5 stars.
From just the blurb alone this series should have been right up my alley. Geek chicks? Check. Feminist? Check. Strong female friendships? Check. I love reading about geek chicks since I am one. There's just not enough of them, especially geek chicks of color.
Unfortunately with four different authors who bring a different feel to one very short story, it felt disjointed. Parts of it came off a bit too preachy/woe is me on the problems WoC (and women as a whole) deal with in geek spaces. Much like Player vs Player, these women seem to be victims of sexist (and racist) dudebros rather than taking control and creating their own spaces. In the case of editor Michelle, why allow a fictional version of that noxious Vox Day remain a staple of the publishing company when it's clear that the imprint (owned by another woman) has progressed beyond space babes and guys with ray guns?
Then we had...Taneesha.
I still want to head-desk so hard.
Taneesha is probably the only character I had some interest in, but the stereotyped name-fail just left a totally bad taste in my mouth. I've seen this kind of fail before, often when the Black character in question has an occupation "not usually associated" (insert sarcasm here) with Black people (in this case Taneesha is a game designer. In another book, the Afro-Latino hero was a yoga instructor).
SMDH.
It's like some authors believe the only way we readers are going to know the character isn't the default white person (and isn't a drug dealer, gangbanger or baby mama) is by giving them a stereotypically "ethnic" sounding name.
By the way, I just finished Rich People Problems and most of the Asian characters had Western names. Go freaking figure!!! There was Nick, Rachel, Colin, Araminta, Astrid, and Charlie. Those don't sound Mandarin or Taiwanese to me.
2.5 stars.
June 22, 2017
Big thanks to Wunderkind PR and Serial Box for the chance to review this hysterically funny and geeky series!
When I was first pitched Geek Actually , the latest from the innovative folks at Serial Box, I was a little hesitant. After all, the covers scream "Contemporary chick lit!" which is definitely not my thing. But upon closer inspection, I realized this could be a lot of fun. And so I dove in. Geek Actually is laugh-out-loud funny and has plenty of things to geek out about. I love the publishing story line in particular (is anyone surprised?), and I was impressed with the female-centric cast of larger-than-life characters. Each episode is a bite-sized glimpse into the lives of five main characters who are online friends in a group chat called Rebel Scum. The entire story arc takes thirteen episodes, and today I'm reviewing episodes # 1-4. If my review whets your appetite to try this series, then head over to Serial Box where you can read Episode # 1, WTF for free!
Synopsis:
I'm having a blast with this series so far, and like other Serial Box stories I've read, these are all bite-sized episodes that last about the same time it takes to watch an hour television show (each episode is about 45-60 pages long). The story follows the lives of five very different women of various ethnic backgrounds and occupations, who are all good friends and help support each other. Think Sex in the City with geeks and you'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect.
Meet the geeks:
Michelle - an editor who works for a science fiction publishing company, she's currently working on her good friend Aditi's debut novel, which her company is positioning as a potential bestseller. Michelle is also newly divorced.
Aditi is about to publish her first novel, and she's working on her second, but the ideas just aren't there yet. In addition to all the pre-publication stress of her book, she's hiding a big secret from her very traditional Indian parents: she's married to her gay best friend, a marriage of convenience that allows her husband Druv to pursue his love life under the cover of being straight.
Taneesha is a talented coder whose gaming company has just been bought out, and now the new management is forcing her into the background. Sexism sucks! Taneesha knows she's the best and most creative coder in the company but no one will give her the chance to prove it.
Elli still lives with her parents and goes from job to job, staying just long enough to make enough money for her next cosplay costume. She's a free spirit with a knack and a passion for costume design, but her parents are anything but thrilled with her life choices.
Christina is a young assistant to an actor in a TV show, a job that gives her the freedom to go after her passions. And right now her passion is her latest charge, a beautiful and spoiled actress named Viv.
Each episode is divided up into chapters that focus on each of the women, so the reader gets to move back and forth and get to know them. The authors helpfully label the chapters with their names: "Michelle" or "Taneesha" so it's easy to jump back into each girl's story. I found myself looking forward to each of the stories for different reasons. I think I'm most intrigued by Taneesha at this point. She's the underdog at the moment, and the injustices she's experiencing at her job are really pissing me off! But I can tell her sharp and creative mind will make her come out on top eventually.
I also love Michelle's story line. I love reading anything to do with publishing, and it was fun to see some insider action. One of the funnier moments was when Michelle tells Aditi that as part of her publishing contract, she's obligated to write a certain number of guest posts for blogs—but she's struggling because she has to keep saying the same things over and over. I'm sure any book blogger who has hosted an author will get a kick out of that!
I'd have to say my least favorite character right now is Christina. She's pretty far from my own personality so it was very hard to relate to her. She does drugs, has impromptu sex with women, and pretty much seems to live the clichéd Hollywood lifestyle. But speaking of sex, and at this point I have to mention that this is definitely an adult story, there are some smoking hot sex scenes, which I was not expecting!
And if you're a gamer, you are really going to enjoy Geek Actually . Taneesha and her brother are heavily into gaming, and there are several chapters in the first four episodes that revolve around gaming. I'm not a gamer myself, but there is a lot of name dropping and anyone who's ever played a video game is going to find something familiar here.
Elli is probably the funniest character. She's just naive enough that her fumbles with finding and trying to keep jobs made me laugh out loud. I won't go into details, but one of my favorite chapters involves Elli getting a (very short-lived) job at a mattress store. And that's all I'm going to say, you'll have to read it for yourself!
Each episode is written by one of four authors, and I have to say I love the way their writing styles blend together seamlessly. I'm also impressed that each author can write in all five of the characters' voices and make these episodes read so smoothly.
Geek Actually is off to a great start! This is definitely popcorn fiction, so if you're looking for some quick, light summer reading material, then this is a perfect series to start right now. The authors have introduced several story arcs and I am curious to see where they will go, although at this point I don't yet have a sense of the "big picture."
About the authors:
CATHY YARDLEY has traditionally published 18 novels in women’s fiction, Chick Lit, romance, and urban fantasy. Her upcoming releases allow her to showcase her inner fangirl, acting as writer and “showrunner” for Serial Box publishing’s episodic Geek Actually and publishing her geek-inspired rom com series Fandom Hearts with St. Martin’s Press. She’s been quoted in the Chicago Tribune, the Washington Post, and the SF Guardian, among others. Cathy has presented workshops at the Emerald City Writers Conference and the New England Writers Conference, and at several RWA chapters, including Sacramento, Monterey Bay, Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle. She was the only speaker representing the romance genre at the California Writers Club's annual "East of Eden" conference. In 2017 she was a speaker at the Surrey International Conference in Vancouver, B.C. and the Writer Unboxed UnConference in Salem, MA. She has written for large circulation blogs such as Helping Writers Become Authors, The Book Designer, and Leo Babauta’s Write to Done, and is a regular columnist for Writer Unboxed. Website | Twitter
MELISSA BLUE's writing career started on a typewriter one month after her son was born. This would have been an idyllic situation for a writer if it had been 1985, not 2004. She penned that first contemporary romance, upgraded to a computer and hasn't looked back since. Her published works include the Under The Kilt and Dirty Sexy Geeks series, among many others. Outside of writing, Blue is a mother of two rambunctious children. She lives in California where the wine is good and, despite popular belief, is not always sunny. Website | Twitter
CECILIA TAN writes about her many passions, from erotic fantasy to baseball, from her home in the Boston area. She is the author of many books, including the award-winning books Slow Surrender, Daron’s Guitar Chronicles, and The Prince’s Boy. Her upcoming urban fantasy series with Tor Books launches in September 2018 with the first book, Initiates of the Blood. She has edited over 50 anthologies of erotica for Red Silk Editions, Thunder’s Mouth Press, Blue Moon Books, Masquerade Books, Ravenous Romance, and for the publishing house she founded, Circlet Press. Her short fiction has appeared in Ms. Magazine, Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine, Best American Erotica, and many other places. She has served as publications director for SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) since 2011. Website | Twitter
RACHEL STUHLER hails from Rochester, NY and has worked extensively in the film business. She was a writer on Hallmark Channel's “McBride” series and has written on a dozen more movies for television, including Lifetime's popular Kristin's Christmas Past and the TV adaptation of Janette Oke's Love Takes Wing. In 2015, her first novel, Absolutely True Lies, was released by Touchstone. She continues to work in TV while living in Los Angeles and is busy plotting her next move in world domination. Website | TwitterThis review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
When I was first pitched Geek Actually , the latest from the innovative folks at Serial Box, I was a little hesitant. After all, the covers scream "Contemporary chick lit!" which is definitely not my thing. But upon closer inspection, I realized this could be a lot of fun. And so I dove in. Geek Actually is laugh-out-loud funny and has plenty of things to geek out about. I love the publishing story line in particular (is anyone surprised?), and I was impressed with the female-centric cast of larger-than-life characters. Each episode is a bite-sized glimpse into the lives of five main characters who are online friends in a group chat called Rebel Scum. The entire story arc takes thirteen episodes, and today I'm reviewing episodes # 1-4. If my review whets your appetite to try this series, then head over to Serial Box where you can read Episode # 1, WTF for free!
Synopsis:
Geek Actually is a sexy, geeky contemporary women’s fiction series that follows the lives of five diverse, nerdy women as they navigate work, love, life, and the internet. For fans who love both Sex and the City as well as Star Wars, for anyone who knows that sci-fi can be sultry and that “gamer” is not gender specific - this serial will turn you on, rile you up, and leave you with five new friends.
I'm having a blast with this series so far, and like other Serial Box stories I've read, these are all bite-sized episodes that last about the same time it takes to watch an hour television show (each episode is about 45-60 pages long). The story follows the lives of five very different women of various ethnic backgrounds and occupations, who are all good friends and help support each other. Think Sex in the City with geeks and you'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect.
Meet the geeks:
Michelle - an editor who works for a science fiction publishing company, she's currently working on her good friend Aditi's debut novel, which her company is positioning as a potential bestseller. Michelle is also newly divorced.
Aditi is about to publish her first novel, and she's working on her second, but the ideas just aren't there yet. In addition to all the pre-publication stress of her book, she's hiding a big secret from her very traditional Indian parents: she's married to her gay best friend, a marriage of convenience that allows her husband Druv to pursue his love life under the cover of being straight.
Taneesha is a talented coder whose gaming company has just been bought out, and now the new management is forcing her into the background. Sexism sucks! Taneesha knows she's the best and most creative coder in the company but no one will give her the chance to prove it.
Elli still lives with her parents and goes from job to job, staying just long enough to make enough money for her next cosplay costume. She's a free spirit with a knack and a passion for costume design, but her parents are anything but thrilled with her life choices.
Christina is a young assistant to an actor in a TV show, a job that gives her the freedom to go after her passions. And right now her passion is her latest charge, a beautiful and spoiled actress named Viv.
Each episode is divided up into chapters that focus on each of the women, so the reader gets to move back and forth and get to know them. The authors helpfully label the chapters with their names: "Michelle" or "Taneesha" so it's easy to jump back into each girl's story. I found myself looking forward to each of the stories for different reasons. I think I'm most intrigued by Taneesha at this point. She's the underdog at the moment, and the injustices she's experiencing at her job are really pissing me off! But I can tell her sharp and creative mind will make her come out on top eventually.
I also love Michelle's story line. I love reading anything to do with publishing, and it was fun to see some insider action. One of the funnier moments was when Michelle tells Aditi that as part of her publishing contract, she's obligated to write a certain number of guest posts for blogs—but she's struggling because she has to keep saying the same things over and over. I'm sure any book blogger who has hosted an author will get a kick out of that!
I'd have to say my least favorite character right now is Christina. She's pretty far from my own personality so it was very hard to relate to her. She does drugs, has impromptu sex with women, and pretty much seems to live the clichéd Hollywood lifestyle. But speaking of sex, and at this point I have to mention that this is definitely an adult story, there are some smoking hot sex scenes, which I was not expecting!
And if you're a gamer, you are really going to enjoy Geek Actually . Taneesha and her brother are heavily into gaming, and there are several chapters in the first four episodes that revolve around gaming. I'm not a gamer myself, but there is a lot of name dropping and anyone who's ever played a video game is going to find something familiar here.
Elli is probably the funniest character. She's just naive enough that her fumbles with finding and trying to keep jobs made me laugh out loud. I won't go into details, but one of my favorite chapters involves Elli getting a (very short-lived) job at a mattress store. And that's all I'm going to say, you'll have to read it for yourself!
Each episode is written by one of four authors, and I have to say I love the way their writing styles blend together seamlessly. I'm also impressed that each author can write in all five of the characters' voices and make these episodes read so smoothly.
Geek Actually is off to a great start! This is definitely popcorn fiction, so if you're looking for some quick, light summer reading material, then this is a perfect series to start right now. The authors have introduced several story arcs and I am curious to see where they will go, although at this point I don't yet have a sense of the "big picture."
Purchase Geek Actually: Serial Box | Amazon
About the authors:
CATHY YARDLEY has traditionally published 18 novels in women’s fiction, Chick Lit, romance, and urban fantasy. Her upcoming releases allow her to showcase her inner fangirl, acting as writer and “showrunner” for Serial Box publishing’s episodic Geek Actually and publishing her geek-inspired rom com series Fandom Hearts with St. Martin’s Press. She’s been quoted in the Chicago Tribune, the Washington Post, and the SF Guardian, among others. Cathy has presented workshops at the Emerald City Writers Conference and the New England Writers Conference, and at several RWA chapters, including Sacramento, Monterey Bay, Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle. She was the only speaker representing the romance genre at the California Writers Club's annual "East of Eden" conference. In 2017 she was a speaker at the Surrey International Conference in Vancouver, B.C. and the Writer Unboxed UnConference in Salem, MA. She has written for large circulation blogs such as Helping Writers Become Authors, The Book Designer, and Leo Babauta’s Write to Done, and is a regular columnist for Writer Unboxed. Website | TwitterMELISSA BLUE's writing career started on a typewriter one month after her son was born. This would have been an idyllic situation for a writer if it had been 1985, not 2004. She penned that first contemporary romance, upgraded to a computer and hasn't looked back since. Her published works include the Under The Kilt and Dirty Sexy Geeks series, among many others. Outside of writing, Blue is a mother of two rambunctious children. She lives in California where the wine is good and, despite popular belief, is not always sunny. Website | TwitterCECILIA TAN writes about her many passions, from erotic fantasy to baseball, from her home in the Boston area. She is the author of many books, including the award-winning books Slow Surrender, Daron’s Guitar Chronicles, and The Prince’s Boy. Her upcoming urban fantasy series with Tor Books launches in September 2018 with the first book, Initiates of the Blood. She has edited over 50 anthologies of erotica for Red Silk Editions, Thunder’s Mouth Press, Blue Moon Books, Masquerade Books, Ravenous Romance, and for the publishing house she founded, Circlet Press. Her short fiction has appeared in Ms. Magazine, Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine, Best American Erotica, and many other places. She has served as publications director for SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) since 2011. Website | Twitter
RACHEL STUHLER hails from Rochester, NY and has worked extensively in the film business. She was a writer on Hallmark Channel's “McBride” series and has written on a dozen more movies for television, including Lifetime's popular Kristin's Christmas Past and the TV adaptation of Janette Oke's Love Takes Wing. In 2015, her first novel, Absolutely True Lies, was released by Touchstone. She continues to work in TV while living in Los Angeles and is busy plotting her next move in world domination. Website | TwitterThis review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy
August 6, 2017
2.5 Stars
This is a fun start to an interesting concept of series.
The idea is that is like a TV show with geeky heroines and romance. I love Yardley and many of the writers but I hate serials. However, I am always up for trying something new.
This might have worked but it is more Chic Lit of Women's Fiction/Drama than romance.
And I don't get enough time to really invest in the characters so as charming as this world is I am far from all in.
I will read several more in the series to see if it improves.
I was given this book for my honest review. So, there you have it.
This is a fun start to an interesting concept of series.
The idea is that is like a TV show with geeky heroines and romance. I love Yardley and many of the writers but I hate serials. However, I am always up for trying something new.
This might have worked but it is more Chic Lit of Women's Fiction/Drama than romance.
And I don't get enough time to really invest in the characters so as charming as this world is I am far from all in.
I will read several more in the series to see if it improves.
I was given this book for my honest review. So, there you have it.
June 19, 2017
This was everything I didn't know I needed in my life! Geeky, adult serial set in all the fandom worlds with a diverse cast of women. This is a weekly serial from SerialBox and the first episode is free, so check it out!
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
August 11, 2017
This first episode was a fun fast read. I enjoyed the diverse characters. My faves are Christina Taneesha and Michelle. I didn't know what to expect but I definitely liked the friendship and how much they helped each other out. I'm not sure if I like this serial style of writing but I am curious to see what happens next for the group.
I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review
I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review
June 2, 2017
As soon as I saw this book on Netgalley, I knew I had to read it as I too am a geek and proud of it. I am a book geek, a movie geek and love my superheroes and also am a big fan of what I call Geek Chic Lit. In Geek Actually, we meet four best friends who all one way or another fall into the geek world. We have Michelle who is a book publisher and her OTT geek loving boss Gwen , Aditi who is Michelle's friend and an author with her publishing company , Christina who is Michelle's sister and works as a PA on film sets around Hollywood , Taneesha who works as a Game coder and Elli who is flighty and dreams for cosplay and conventions. In WTF, Elli and Taneesha are going through career changes and Michelle and Aditi butt heads. I found that this book focused more on Elli - now that she has earned enough money for her next convention and cosplay outfit - it's sayonara to the coffee shop. Taneesha's gaming company has just been brought out by a major mogul, and she has been asked to come on board, but of course, it looks like she is there to be a glorified staff member. Michelle and Aditi are going through their trials and tribulations from moving out husbands, cheating and deadlines looming. I found Geek quite a fast read and enjoyable as I could relate to some of what the characters are going through. I am looking forward to reading more of Geek Actually as it is released as currently I only have access to the first three episodes. Geek Actually - perfect for the inner geek in all of us.
May 15, 2017
I received a free copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This was a pretty fun little short story, although it's not the kind of thing I usually read. Seriously, I never read anything that isn't straight up scifi/fantasy or at least magical realism, I don't even really have a goodreads shelf to put this on. I loved how real the characters felt, a very diverse cast of women dealing with problems every geeky girl can relate to. I was kind of worried because NetGalley had it under the erotica category, but there is only one sex scene in the last chapter [a few pages long] and you can easily skip past it [I kind of skimmed]. Just make sure you read the very last page-ish after the sex scene. Overall I'm not crazy about the serial publication style but I might try a few more of these.
This was a pretty fun little short story, although it's not the kind of thing I usually read. Seriously, I never read anything that isn't straight up scifi/fantasy or at least magical realism, I don't even really have a goodreads shelf to put this on. I loved how real the characters felt, a very diverse cast of women dealing with problems every geeky girl can relate to. I was kind of worried because NetGalley had it under the erotica category, but there is only one sex scene in the last chapter [a few pages long] and you can easily skip past it [I kind of skimmed]. Just make sure you read the very last page-ish after the sex scene. Overall I'm not crazy about the serial publication style but I might try a few more of these.
June 25, 2017
Maybe you missed my obsession coverage of ReMade, a YA weekly serial that I gushed over for 15 weeks in the fall/winter. NOT A PROBLEM because we are back today with another amazing serial - Geek Actually!
I've been intrigued by the other serials but it wasn't until I saw Geek Actually that I pulled the trigger. An ongoing series focused around a group of geeky women? Yes. YES. Sign me up.
In WTF, we are introduced to Michelle, the editor trying to hold together the deadline, Aditi, her friend who is learning the ropes of being a fantasy writer (clue: it's more than just the writing!), Neesha, the gaming engineer who is living in a man's world, and Elli, who is basically me haha.
I loved getting a little window into their lives (especially Aditi, who gives us a little more insight at the end of the episode). I enjoyed seeing this set of women with diverse "geekdoms" come together and overall just live their lives. Make no mistake, this is an adult serial that checks all the boxes!
Come back weekly for mini reviews, including next week when I will review 1.2 and 1.3 together! As always, the first episode is free on audio and ebook - so you can try it out!
I've been intrigued by the other serials but it wasn't until I saw Geek Actually that I pulled the trigger. An ongoing series focused around a group of geeky women? Yes. YES. Sign me up.
In WTF, we are introduced to Michelle, the editor trying to hold together the deadline, Aditi, her friend who is learning the ropes of being a fantasy writer (clue: it's more than just the writing!), Neesha, the gaming engineer who is living in a man's world, and Elli, who is basically me haha.
I loved getting a little window into their lives (especially Aditi, who gives us a little more insight at the end of the episode). I enjoyed seeing this set of women with diverse "geekdoms" come together and overall just live their lives. Make no mistake, this is an adult serial that checks all the boxes!
Come back weekly for mini reviews, including next week when I will review 1.2 and 1.3 together! As always, the first episode is free on audio and ebook - so you can try it out!
August 21, 2017
WTF
Geek Actually, Book 1.1
I Picked Up This Book Because: The titles in this series intrigued me.
The Characters:
Aditi Sodhi, Christina Webber, Elli Kelman, Michelle Andrada, Taneesha Adams:
The Story:
This seems to be more of an introduction to the ladies than anything else. A peek into their lives to see who they are and what they are about and what is going on. It’s a lot. I’m very curious about Aditi and Michelle. I love Taneesha. And I can’t wait to learn more about Elli and Christina.
The Random Thoughts:
The Score Card:
3.75 Stars
Geek Actually, Book 1.1
I Picked Up This Book Because: The titles in this series intrigued me.
The Characters:
Aditi Sodhi, Christina Webber, Elli Kelman, Michelle Andrada, Taneesha Adams:
The Story:
This seems to be more of an introduction to the ladies than anything else. A peek into their lives to see who they are and what they are about and what is going on. It’s a lot. I’m very curious about Aditi and Michelle. I love Taneesha. And I can’t wait to learn more about Elli and Christina.
The Random Thoughts:
The Score Card:
3.75 Stars
October 7, 2017
*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy from Netgalley and Serial Box in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way
This is the first installment in the Geek Actually serial, the pilot if you may, and we get to meet five women: Michelle, Aditi, Taneesha, Elli and Christina. They're friends (Michelle and Christina are actually half-sisters) and we get to observe them navigating their lives. It kind of reminded me of Sex And The City, which intrigued me.
This book was told from multiple POVs, with an accent on Michelle and Aditi. I'm thinking that each episode focuses more on one of the women than the other, which is interesting. I connected a lot more with Taneesha, to be honest. She's a woman, she's a black woman, and she's a video game programmer, so she basically holds the job that once upon a time I wanted, and there's a scene with her and her bosses that is so painful and infuriating that I wanted to jump into the book and slap both of those idiots. I was also insanely curious about Aditi and her relationship with someone important in her life.
I felt like this was a bit too short for my taste, but I could see myself reading the rest of the installments. Since it was a pilot installment, I can't exactly say I was in love with the story, but it's good enough to make me curious about the rest of it.
This is the first installment in the Geek Actually serial, the pilot if you may, and we get to meet five women: Michelle, Aditi, Taneesha, Elli and Christina. They're friends (Michelle and Christina are actually half-sisters) and we get to observe them navigating their lives. It kind of reminded me of Sex And The City, which intrigued me.
This book was told from multiple POVs, with an accent on Michelle and Aditi. I'm thinking that each episode focuses more on one of the women than the other, which is interesting. I connected a lot more with Taneesha, to be honest. She's a woman, she's a black woman, and she's a video game programmer, so she basically holds the job that once upon a time I wanted, and there's a scene with her and her bosses that is so painful and infuriating that I wanted to jump into the book and slap both of those idiots. I was also insanely curious about Aditi and her relationship with someone important in her life.
I felt like this was a bit too short for my taste, but I could see myself reading the rest of the installments. Since it was a pilot installment, I can't exactly say I was in love with the story, but it's good enough to make me curious about the rest of it.
May 1, 2019
3 stars | it wasn’t mind-blowingly good, but it was entertaining enough for me to want to read more.
July 30, 2020
I had never heard of a book serial before. I've heard of book series, but never a book serial. For those that are like me and are just hearing it for the first time, a book serial is written in "episodes" - a shorter story. Each episode is published on its own, but it created a story arc that, when completed, can be a full novel, called a "season."
I received Season 1, Episode 1 of Geek Actually from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I have been a Cathy Yardley fan since my mid-20's (I'm now pushing 40). After college, I started to buy books to get back into reading, and one of them was LA Woman by Yardley. I was hooked. It's one of my favorites that introduced me to the "chick lit" publisher Red Dress Ink, and the genre as a whole. So when I saw her name pop up as one of the writer's of Geek Actually, I had to request it! A play on Love, Actually. A boss bitch on the cover. I'm in!
ALL THE THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY: After learning about serials, I discovered this was the first of 13 episodes. For anyone that knows me, you know that I love a good sequel. And 12 "sequels" would put me over the edge. This serial tells the story of 5 friends:
1) Michelle - an editor with a sci-fi/fantasy publisher
2) Aditi - a writer that just happens to be published by Michelle's publishing house, who is going through some writer's block
3) Taneesha - a video game programmer who is experiencing the sexist side of working in a "bro" world
4) Christina - she's not featured as much until the second episode, but she's there, working in Hollywood, behind the scenes.
5) Elli - living in her parent's basement, working a job until she gets enough money to make costumes for the next "con" (like Comic-Con, not like Ocean's Eleven). Looks like someone has some growing up to do.
I did enjoy the first installment of this serial - the stories are interwoven and stand alone nicely. I was drawn into their world and left the episode wanting to hang out with them more. There is some naughty-business mixed in, because every woman needs that side of her as well! I enjoyed it so much, I bought the whole series to continue my adventures with them. I'm just about to start episode 4 and wooooo - it's been an adventure so far!
WHAT MADE ME SCRATCH MY HEAD: NetGalley classified this episode as "erotica" which now makes me think that NetGalley is sitting their clutching its pearls because I would classify this more as a steamy women's fiction. This is nowhere near 50 Shades territory, so please don't let that put you off of it.
FINAL THOUGHTS: If you're like me, and like women's fiction, or stories about women figuring out their place in this world, then this may be a serial for you. You can read it in bite-sized chunks and never miss a beat. Embrace your inner geek and give this one a try!
I received Season 1, Episode 1 of Geek Actually from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I have been a Cathy Yardley fan since my mid-20's (I'm now pushing 40). After college, I started to buy books to get back into reading, and one of them was LA Woman by Yardley. I was hooked. It's one of my favorites that introduced me to the "chick lit" publisher Red Dress Ink, and the genre as a whole. So when I saw her name pop up as one of the writer's of Geek Actually, I had to request it! A play on Love, Actually. A boss bitch on the cover. I'm in!
ALL THE THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY: After learning about serials, I discovered this was the first of 13 episodes. For anyone that knows me, you know that I love a good sequel. And 12 "sequels" would put me over the edge. This serial tells the story of 5 friends:
1) Michelle - an editor with a sci-fi/fantasy publisher
2) Aditi - a writer that just happens to be published by Michelle's publishing house, who is going through some writer's block
3) Taneesha - a video game programmer who is experiencing the sexist side of working in a "bro" world
4) Christina - she's not featured as much until the second episode, but she's there, working in Hollywood, behind the scenes.
5) Elli - living in her parent's basement, working a job until she gets enough money to make costumes for the next "con" (like Comic-Con, not like Ocean's Eleven). Looks like someone has some growing up to do.
I did enjoy the first installment of this serial - the stories are interwoven and stand alone nicely. I was drawn into their world and left the episode wanting to hang out with them more. There is some naughty-business mixed in, because every woman needs that side of her as well! I enjoyed it so much, I bought the whole series to continue my adventures with them. I'm just about to start episode 4 and wooooo - it's been an adventure so far!
WHAT MADE ME SCRATCH MY HEAD: NetGalley classified this episode as "erotica" which now makes me think that NetGalley is sitting their clutching its pearls because I would classify this more as a steamy women's fiction. This is nowhere near 50 Shades territory, so please don't let that put you off of it.
FINAL THOUGHTS: If you're like me, and like women's fiction, or stories about women figuring out their place in this world, then this may be a serial for you. You can read it in bite-sized chunks and never miss a beat. Embrace your inner geek and give this one a try!
July 1, 2017
When I had first read through the basic description of what the series would be about and just the tiny snippets of the characters, I was hooked. I jumped right in and started to build my relationship with these women as I read about their hardships and struggles. The more time I spent with them, the more I realized that I could see a part of myself in every single one of these women.
I saw myself in Michelle as she tried to pick up the pieces of her crumbling marriage while embracing a new realm of sexuality.
I saw myself in Taneesha as she sat surrounded by a company full of men and tried to make her voice heard only to be shut down and shut out.
I saw myself in Aditi as she sat in front of her computer with the crushing pressure on her shoulders of having so many projects and not a single ounce of inspiration to guide her.
I saw myself in Christina as she wound herself up in what she thought was a fling and suddenly found her heart going a completely different direction than she expected.
I saw myself in Elli as she embraced the world of cosplay and video games while turning a blind eye to the adult world.
I was both shocked and thrilled by the references to modern pop culture: Pokemon Go, cosplay, and the chat program, Slack, to name a few. I’ve played Pokemon Go, I’ve cosplayed, and I use Slack in my 9–5 job, but I never imagined I would see these references in any publication.
It’s the little things that are interwoven throughout the pages of this series that really captured me. It felt extremely modern and realistic, as if I were just taking a quick peek into someone’s real life today. There wasn’t anything that felt fake about any one of these women and their situations.
Feminism is definitely a very strong theme in this series, and I feel like it was very well done. The theme was very clear without being shoved down my throat. Even when Aditi goes as far as to write a very powerful and passionate blog article with strong, feminist points, I still felt like it was very tastefully done.
The authors did great to promote feminism in a way that promoted a message for equality rather than feminine supremacy.
10/10 Would Read Again. I absolutely recommend this series to everyone, especially my geeky ladies out there.
I saw myself in Michelle as she tried to pick up the pieces of her crumbling marriage while embracing a new realm of sexuality.
I saw myself in Taneesha as she sat surrounded by a company full of men and tried to make her voice heard only to be shut down and shut out.
I saw myself in Aditi as she sat in front of her computer with the crushing pressure on her shoulders of having so many projects and not a single ounce of inspiration to guide her.
I saw myself in Christina as she wound herself up in what she thought was a fling and suddenly found her heart going a completely different direction than she expected.
I saw myself in Elli as she embraced the world of cosplay and video games while turning a blind eye to the adult world.
I was both shocked and thrilled by the references to modern pop culture: Pokemon Go, cosplay, and the chat program, Slack, to name a few. I’ve played Pokemon Go, I’ve cosplayed, and I use Slack in my 9–5 job, but I never imagined I would see these references in any publication.
It’s the little things that are interwoven throughout the pages of this series that really captured me. It felt extremely modern and realistic, as if I were just taking a quick peek into someone’s real life today. There wasn’t anything that felt fake about any one of these women and their situations.
Feminism is definitely a very strong theme in this series, and I feel like it was very well done. The theme was very clear without being shoved down my throat. Even when Aditi goes as far as to write a very powerful and passionate blog article with strong, feminist points, I still felt like it was very tastefully done.
The authors did great to promote feminism in a way that promoted a message for equality rather than feminine supremacy.
10/10 Would Read Again. I absolutely recommend this series to everyone, especially my geeky ladies out there.
May 24, 2017
I got this, the first episode of the serial, from NetGalley. I had already installed Serial Box a few months ago and found the concept very attractive, but for some reason I never got hooked. It cost me a lot of effort to get through the first 70% of this episode. I only kept reading because I’m no quitter. Well, I am –sometimes- but this was so short that I wasn’t going to let it beat me. To me, the first ¾ and the last ¼ were two different books. The first half was dull, the next quarter was mildly interesting and the last quarter hooked me and now I’m considering reading the next episode. It does have a lot of potential, but the writing seemed too plain, high school plain, and it took me way too long to get into it. Some of the character storylines make me want to carry on reading, I’d love to read a book entirely about their stories, but I don’t even remember the details of the rest (and I’ve only finished reading it half an hour ago). I really don’t know if the interest I have on some of the characters will make me pick up the next episode, really. I had high hopes for this one, but it fell short. Having said that, it’s extremely refreshing to find literature that’s unapologetically feminist and has such a diverse cast of characters. That tilts the scales towards picking up the next one, especially to find out what’s the deal with Aditi and what happens with Taneesha. What the heck! Expect my review of the second instalment.
May 9, 2017
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I heard this first book in an upcoming, ongoing serial (from Serial Box) described to me as a more geeky, modern version of Sex and the City. I think that description hits it directly on the head. While the women in this book seem to be younger than the women in SATC, the characters will be more immediately likeable than the characters of GIRLS (which was often described as a millenial SATC), and more diverse.
As in SATC, the cultural commentary is there, but with a heavier focus on geek culture (Doctor Who! World of Warcraft! Pokemon Go! - it was nice to see many of my hobbies and interests represented) and elements of modern feminism. There is still some romance and commentary on modern relationships (how WOULD SATC write about Tinder, anyway? This serial might show us). While there wasn't quite as much interaction between the four women, this is a shorter read, since it's a first installment of a larger "season" of stories.
In any case, I enjoyed it and enjoyed the format - there was some power packed in there among what could have been written as all fluff, and it works well as a serial. It kind of felt like reading a tv episode, which is what I was looking for. I am interested and want to see where the story goes!
I heard this first book in an upcoming, ongoing serial (from Serial Box) described to me as a more geeky, modern version of Sex and the City. I think that description hits it directly on the head. While the women in this book seem to be younger than the women in SATC, the characters will be more immediately likeable than the characters of GIRLS (which was often described as a millenial SATC), and more diverse.
As in SATC, the cultural commentary is there, but with a heavier focus on geek culture (Doctor Who! World of Warcraft! Pokemon Go! - it was nice to see many of my hobbies and interests represented) and elements of modern feminism. There is still some romance and commentary on modern relationships (how WOULD SATC write about Tinder, anyway? This serial might show us). While there wasn't quite as much interaction between the four women, this is a shorter read, since it's a first installment of a larger "season" of stories.
In any case, I enjoyed it and enjoyed the format - there was some power packed in there among what could have been written as all fluff, and it works well as a serial. It kind of felt like reading a tv episode, which is what I was looking for. I am interested and want to see where the story goes!
January 16, 2018
Well, this was a quick and fun read. The first installment in the Geek Actually series introduces us to five geeky friends and the struggles they face in their lives, and sets up some drama to be developed in the next books.
This relies a lot on characters to keep your interest, as it’s their day-to-day we’re following. We have the editor Michelle, the game developer Taneesha, the writer Aditi, the Peter Pan Elli and Christina, the only girl who doesn’t get her own PoV and I wish I knew more about. They’re diverse women with different battles to fight in their careers, which I appreciate, but, sadly, I couldn’t connect or care much about them (except for Michelle, who’s got a lot going on). Having an inside look at their conflicts as females in the workplace was nice as well, but it wasn’t enough to keep me engaged and make me excited for the next episodes.
That said, this is quite short and entertaining for the most part, so despite not caring much I still had a good reading experience. Maybe its introductory nature was the issue and now that the problems were set up the narrative will get more interesting, but I’m not sure if I’ll make the effort just for the one character I actually liked.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This relies a lot on characters to keep your interest, as it’s their day-to-day we’re following. We have the editor Michelle, the game developer Taneesha, the writer Aditi, the Peter Pan Elli and Christina, the only girl who doesn’t get her own PoV and I wish I knew more about. They’re diverse women with different battles to fight in their careers, which I appreciate, but, sadly, I couldn’t connect or care much about them (except for Michelle, who’s got a lot going on). Having an inside look at their conflicts as females in the workplace was nice as well, but it wasn’t enough to keep me engaged and make me excited for the next episodes.
That said, this is quite short and entertaining for the most part, so despite not caring much I still had a good reading experience. Maybe its introductory nature was the issue and now that the problems were set up the narrative will get more interesting, but I’m not sure if I’ll make the effort just for the one character I actually liked.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2017
This was one of those books I randomly stumbled upon on Net Galley and had to read. While it was a short read, I'm still unsure of how I feel about it. On one hand, it's great to see a story focused on so many different types of female characters. However, it also felt like a story that should have been expanded to novel length rather than a serial series
With that said, this first episode did wonderfully capture what it's like for females in geek industries. Having worked as an EIC on a geek site for two years, and now working as a freelance writer on another, I know how difficult it can be to be accepted by males in the industry and the story managed to capture the unpleasant confrontations that tend to happen from time to time. (Seriously, I had plenty of Michelle moments as an editor; and I've had plenty of Aditi moments when it comes to writing.) Where the story fell short for me was in the romance aspect. The relationships were poorly constructed, and lacked any real background to make sense of the events that take place within this first episode.
I do plan to follow the series through though, as it looks to be a fun read, but I'm hoping for more character development going forward so I can actually come to care about these characters.
With that said, this first episode did wonderfully capture what it's like for females in geek industries. Having worked as an EIC on a geek site for two years, and now working as a freelance writer on another, I know how difficult it can be to be accepted by males in the industry and the story managed to capture the unpleasant confrontations that tend to happen from time to time. (Seriously, I had plenty of Michelle moments as an editor; and I've had plenty of Aditi moments when it comes to writing.) Where the story fell short for me was in the romance aspect. The relationships were poorly constructed, and lacked any real background to make sense of the events that take place within this first episode.
I do plan to follow the series through though, as it looks to be a fun read, but I'm hoping for more character development going forward so I can actually come to care about these characters.
May 10, 2017
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
So, this is an entire new concept to me, the entire serial-deal we've got going on here. In case anyone else is as unfamiliar with the concept as I was, the basic gist is that each instalment is meant to be read in around 40 minutes and with a new instalment released once a week, basically mimicking the duration and schedule of a TV show. So we're returning to the days of old when authors would publish their works in parts over the course of several weeks, but in a 21st century TV-show kinda way.
This is not really the kind of thing I usually read, but I was promised geekery and feminism, and that's all it takes to reel me in these days. These ladies are geeky. And they're badass. Genuinely badass in a very kick-butt-and-take-names kinda way. A more modern, diverse version of SATC, this episode seems to set up storylines of both open relationships and possibly divorce, tackles body image, feminism, fan-culture and bares some claws at misogyny. I'm so here for this.
So, this is an entire new concept to me, the entire serial-deal we've got going on here. In case anyone else is as unfamiliar with the concept as I was, the basic gist is that each instalment is meant to be read in around 40 minutes and with a new instalment released once a week, basically mimicking the duration and schedule of a TV show. So we're returning to the days of old when authors would publish their works in parts over the course of several weeks, but in a 21st century TV-show kinda way.
This is not really the kind of thing I usually read, but I was promised geekery and feminism, and that's all it takes to reel me in these days. These ladies are geeky. And they're badass. Genuinely badass in a very kick-butt-and-take-names kinda way. A more modern, diverse version of SATC, this episode seems to set up storylines of both open relationships and possibly divorce, tackles body image, feminism, fan-culture and bares some claws at misogyny. I'm so here for this.
May 9, 2017
{I was give a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review}
First of all I have to say this is not what I usually read, and thus I wasn't sure about what this format was like, but the title sounded fun and Geek Actually sounded like a conjunction of two of my favorite things, so I requested it... and I'm so glad I did.
This is a refreshing take on what is like to be an adult fangirl, no stereotypes or tired clichés, just real women navigating their everyday life whilst trying to keep their geek interests intact.
And that is something I can completely relate to, the characters did end up feeling like another one of my friends, and it felt like I was chatting with them, on a girls night out. I am glad of how racism, body image, and meninism in general was tackled.
That cliffhanger at the end means only one thing, I am going to be reading the next few parts for sure.
First of all I have to say this is not what I usually read, and thus I wasn't sure about what this format was like, but the title sounded fun and Geek Actually sounded like a conjunction of two of my favorite things, so I requested it... and I'm so glad I did.
This is a refreshing take on what is like to be an adult fangirl, no stereotypes or tired clichés, just real women navigating their everyday life whilst trying to keep their geek interests intact.
And that is something I can completely relate to, the characters did end up feeling like another one of my friends, and it felt like I was chatting with them, on a girls night out. I am glad of how racism, body image, and meninism in general was tackled.
That cliffhanger at the end means only one thing, I am going to be reading the next few parts for sure.
August 8, 2017
I have never really been caught up in serially published stories or even found many chick-lit books which I completely enjoyed, so I really wasn't expecting to have my socks blown off or anything. However, I am a female nerdy gamer engineer active in fandom (irl, yeah, really) and the premise of this serial caught my attention.
I was really pleasantly surprised. It wasn't just a series of gratuitous sex scenes strung together with badly written segues. It was funny and topical and spot on. Bonus points for the proper use of SJW in context, and the barbed references to the Hugo puppygate drama made me snort until my diet coke almost squirted out my nose.
I had not expected to, but I will check out the next installments. I can admit when I'm wrong.
Three and a half stars. Recommended for us unicorns (female gamer geeks).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
I was really pleasantly surprised. It wasn't just a series of gratuitous sex scenes strung together with badly written segues. It was funny and topical and spot on. Bonus points for the proper use of SJW in context, and the barbed references to the Hugo puppygate drama made me snort until my diet coke almost squirted out my nose.
I had not expected to, but I will check out the next installments. I can admit when I'm wrong.
Three and a half stars. Recommended for us unicorns (female gamer geeks).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
August 9, 2017
Received this from NetGalley free to review. So this is a pretty short read, like something you can flip through an hour or so before bed on on a train commute to work. I liked that the characters were culturally diverse but it's not it's not a book specifically about a racial culture. It's normal everyday strong diverse women and their daily life. The story is a like a slice of their lives which is I guess why it's a series. There's also little geek/nerd references that are thrown in here and there which, as a self proclaimed geek, happen to have enjoyed. I just wish there was more of an engaging story and maybe one or two main characters to focus on.
June 21, 2017
In this episode, we meet all the women and learn a bit about where they’re at in their lives. We see their jobs, husbands and lovers. It’s fun and sexy but it also touches on some heavier topics like body image and sexism. I love the diverse cast of characters and people who I have something in common with.
I have read serial fiction before and it’s a format I enjoy. I like the short episodes that flow together. I’m looking forward to spending more time with these characters. After this introduction I like them but don’t care about them yet. I am interested to see where their stories go.
I have read serial fiction before and it’s a format I enjoy. I like the short episodes that flow together. I’m looking forward to spending more time with these characters. After this introduction I like them but don’t care about them yet. I am interested to see where their stories go.
July 13, 2017
Oooooh this was really good. I don't usually do serials but decided to give this a shot, had no clue what to expect but i loved it! and that ending???? i'm gonna need to go onto episode two for sure.
Of all the women i think Aditi, Taneesha and Michelle are my faves. I did wish we got more of Taneesha in this episode but perhaps we will in the rest?*fingers crossed*
Each woman's voice is so unique, loved that. loved the different aspects of geekiness they bring to their friendship. I need to know what's going on with Aditi and her hubby hmmm. so intrigued!
Of all the women i think Aditi, Taneesha and Michelle are my faves. I did wish we got more of Taneesha in this episode but perhaps we will in the rest?*fingers crossed*
Each woman's voice is so unique, loved that. loved the different aspects of geekiness they bring to their friendship. I need to know what's going on with Aditi and her hubby hmmm. so intrigued!
August 29, 2017
This was a good start to a new series. You get to meet many of the main characters of the books and learn some things about them. You get some insite into there lives and how they all interact with each other. When I first started reading it I wasn't sure I Would enjoy it but as I kept reading I really started to get envolved and had to know what they was next. As with all good books you're left wanting more and left with a cliff hanger at the end. I would recommend this for a quick read!
June 8, 2017
This was good enough that I will continue to listen to the rest of the season. I am SO glad Serial Box finally got an android app, making it much easier for me to download and listen to each installment.
I hate the covers, though, so much so that I almost passed on this, and I am not sure that I really like the narrator. We'll see how the next part goes.
I hate the covers, though, so much so that I almost passed on this, and I am not sure that I really like the narrator. We'll see how the next part goes.
October 7, 2017
I am sorry to say, this book was not my cup of tea. I wanted to like it so much. :(
Interesting concept, solid writing - but I just couldn't connect with the characters.
(Plus, there was that bit of Dalek dissing that was already mentioned by others... that's a no go for someone with a plush Dalek sitting on her desk. :D)
Interesting concept, solid writing - but I just couldn't connect with the characters.
(Plus, there was that bit of Dalek dissing that was already mentioned by others... that's a no go for someone with a plush Dalek sitting on her desk. :D)
May 9, 2017
Fun novella featuring 5 women, geeky in their own ways. With all the geeky pop culture references and the jokes, I really connected to the characters. This novella is really just the set- up for the series and it's got me hooked!
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