Georgia ♥ 's Reviews > Painted Faces
Painted Faces (Painted Faces, #1)
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by
Georgia ♥ 's review
bookshelves: arc-copy-to-review, 2012, love-the-cover, abused-hero-or-and-heroine, contemporary, favourite-cause-it-is-unique, in-love-with, lol-chuckle-worthy, sobbing-mess, tattoos-and-piercing, the-sound-of-my-heart-breaking
Dec 18, 2012
bookshelves: arc-copy-to-review, 2012, love-the-cover, abused-hero-or-and-heroine, contemporary, favourite-cause-it-is-unique, in-love-with, lol-chuckle-worthy, sobbing-mess, tattoos-and-piercing, the-sound-of-my-heart-breaking
Copy, courtesy of L.H. Cosway in exchange for a honest review!
5 UNIQUE & LIBERATING STARS
A controversial and open-minding romance. A story of how two imperfect people can be perfect for each other. I found myself crying and laughing, cheering from the sidelines and cursing. An original tale about a man and a woman where sometimes the "roles" aren't what defines them...
Before continuing with my review, I don't want to lie to you... I didn't immediately go for this story. I know and understand that having the hero depicted as a drag queen is causing some concerns. It bothered me too, it made my stomach twist. But I took a chance and it paid off. It paid me off with a book that goes amongst my favorites and a hero that I'll never forget.
I urge you to give him the benefit of the doubt and let him give you a glimpse behind the facade, to the sobbing boy who is heartbroken and afraid.
“We all paint on a face to show the world,” Nicholas replies philosophically. “For some of us, that's quite literal.”
And let's not forget that female and male, good and bad, darkness and light are balanced because a tiny piece from one is always embedded deep within the other...
Freda aka Fred: Our heroine is the girl next door. She has the knack of blurting out the most inappropriate things and takes no bullshit. She is a little plump and because of this she has a serious case of low self-esteem. But our amazing girl is a snarky bitch who covers for the scared, shy girl inside.
When you're attracted to someone, extreme behaviour can be sort of...appealing. If Edward Cullen had been ugly, I'm sure Bella Swan wouldn't have been quite so smitten with him coming into her bedroom to watch her sleep at night. We females can be strange, shallow creatures when the mood takes us.
Nicholas aka Vivica aka Viv:To put it bluntly, a beautiful mess... Our hero is a cabaret performance. He does it dressed up as a woman. He is scared and scarred. He lost his mother as a boy and to console himself he was dressing up as her. He suffered terrible abuse and addictions. He fights depression and loneliness. But make no mistake, he is all man, unapologetic, protective and blatant. Glorious in and out of his work uniform.
So a drag queen performer... Unusual, yes. Disturbing, at first.
There is no question of his sexuality!!! None at all. Of his sanity... well maybe.
I get that some men want to dress up as woman because they want to be a woman. I don't want to be a woman though, at least not when I'm off the stage. I perform for the catharsis, because it's freeing.
For me, a drag queen dresses as a women purely for performance and that's what I think of myself as being. A transvestite or a cross dresser could be a man who wears women's clothing because it's a fetish.” “So it's not a fetish thing for you?” He smirks. “Nope ”.
They meet and the attraction is instant but how you give all of you to someone when you aren't whole? When there are pieces missing? So, they become best friends. They play, they banter, they have fun and somewhere along the way, they fall in love.
But love isn't a balmy day. Is a hurricane and stirs passions, change minds and fights as a wildcat. And sometimes, really special times, prevails.
I'd come to the realisation that I love Nicholas. All it took was for him to save me from being mangled by a car. But I know that's not the only reason why I love him. I love him because he makes me laugh when I don't feel like laughing. I love him because he challenges my view of what a man is. I love him because I know I shouldn't love him and that he'll break my heart. I love him because he's a complete and total anomaly. I love him because I want to kill the sadness inside him more than I want anything else in the world. ~ Freda
“I love you Freda,” he breathes. “It feels like nobody in the history of the world has loved another person as much as I love you. I love you so much it hurts. You make me smile, you make me laugh, you make me burn.” ~ Nicholas
The Irish/Dublin setting is charming and the perfect background for this colourful story. The whole book is in Freda's POV and feels like reading her diary and hearing her innermost thoughts. But the prologue and the epilogue are pure Nicholas. Perfectly imperfect Nicholas in all his ups and lows, all his glory.
♪♫Imperfect;
that's all that I'll ever be;
And god knows that's alright with me,
'Cause I know there's
No one greater
And everybody's imperfect,
When you trying to live in harmony,
but the song of life
Is out of key;
Just be perfectly imperfect. ♪♫ ~ Imperfect by Mariah Carey
Thank you L.H. Cosway for this amazing read, for suggesting it to me and for trusting me to review it. Also kudos for the best dedication I have read in a while. It set me in the right mood to enjoy your book.
I highly recommend this story! Don't let it disturb you, give it a try and I think you'll agree with me!!!
5 UNIQUE & LIBERATING STARS
A controversial and open-minding romance. A story of how two imperfect people can be perfect for each other. I found myself crying and laughing, cheering from the sidelines and cursing. An original tale about a man and a woman where sometimes the "roles" aren't what defines them...
Before continuing with my review, I don't want to lie to you... I didn't immediately go for this story. I know and understand that having the hero depicted as a drag queen is causing some concerns. It bothered me too, it made my stomach twist. But I took a chance and it paid off. It paid me off with a book that goes amongst my favorites and a hero that I'll never forget.
I urge you to give him the benefit of the doubt and let him give you a glimpse behind the facade, to the sobbing boy who is heartbroken and afraid.
“We all paint on a face to show the world,” Nicholas replies philosophically. “For some of us, that's quite literal.”
And let's not forget that female and male, good and bad, darkness and light are balanced because a tiny piece from one is always embedded deep within the other...
Freda aka Fred: Our heroine is the girl next door. She has the knack of blurting out the most inappropriate things and takes no bullshit. She is a little plump and because of this she has a serious case of low self-esteem. But our amazing girl is a snarky bitch who covers for the scared, shy girl inside.
When you're attracted to someone, extreme behaviour can be sort of...appealing. If Edward Cullen had been ugly, I'm sure Bella Swan wouldn't have been quite so smitten with him coming into her bedroom to watch her sleep at night. We females can be strange, shallow creatures when the mood takes us.
Nicholas aka Vivica aka Viv:To put it bluntly, a beautiful mess... Our hero is a cabaret performance. He does it dressed up as a woman. He is scared and scarred. He lost his mother as a boy and to console himself he was dressing up as her. He suffered terrible abuse and addictions. He fights depression and loneliness. But make no mistake, he is all man, unapologetic, protective and blatant. Glorious in and out of his work uniform.
So a drag queen performer... Unusual, yes. Disturbing, at first.
There is no question of his sexuality!!! None at all. Of his sanity... well maybe.
I get that some men want to dress up as woman because they want to be a woman. I don't want to be a woman though, at least not when I'm off the stage. I perform for the catharsis, because it's freeing.
For me, a drag queen dresses as a women purely for performance and that's what I think of myself as being. A transvestite or a cross dresser could be a man who wears women's clothing because it's a fetish.” “So it's not a fetish thing for you?” He smirks. “Nope ”.
They meet and the attraction is instant but how you give all of you to someone when you aren't whole? When there are pieces missing? So, they become best friends. They play, they banter, they have fun and somewhere along the way, they fall in love.
But love isn't a balmy day. Is a hurricane and stirs passions, change minds and fights as a wildcat. And sometimes, really special times, prevails.
I'd come to the realisation that I love Nicholas. All it took was for him to save me from being mangled by a car. But I know that's not the only reason why I love him. I love him because he makes me laugh when I don't feel like laughing. I love him because he challenges my view of what a man is. I love him because I know I shouldn't love him and that he'll break my heart. I love him because he's a complete and total anomaly. I love him because I want to kill the sadness inside him more than I want anything else in the world. ~ Freda
“I love you Freda,” he breathes. “It feels like nobody in the history of the world has loved another person as much as I love you. I love you so much it hurts. You make me smile, you make me laugh, you make me burn.” ~ Nicholas
The Irish/Dublin setting is charming and the perfect background for this colourful story. The whole book is in Freda's POV and feels like reading her diary and hearing her innermost thoughts. But the prologue and the epilogue are pure Nicholas. Perfectly imperfect Nicholas in all his ups and lows, all his glory.
♪♫Imperfect;
that's all that I'll ever be;
And god knows that's alright with me,
'Cause I know there's
No one greater
And everybody's imperfect,
When you trying to live in harmony,
but the song of life
Is out of key;
Just be perfectly imperfect. ♪♫ ~ Imperfect by Mariah Carey
Thank you L.H. Cosway for this amazing read, for suggesting it to me and for trusting me to review it. Also kudos for the best dedication I have read in a while. It set me in the right mood to enjoy your book.
I highly recommend this story! Don't let it disturb you, give it a try and I think you'll agree with me!!!
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Quotes Georgia ♥ Liked
“It feels like nobody in the history of the world has loved another person as much as I love you. I love you so much it hurts. You make me smile, you make me laugh, you make me burn.”
― Painted Faces
― Painted Faces
Reading Progress
December 18, 2012
– Shelved
December 23, 2012
–
Started Reading
December 23, 2012
– Shelved as:
arc-copy-to-review
December 23, 2012
– Shelved as:
2012
December 23, 2012
– Shelved as:
love-the-cover
December 23, 2012
–
10.0%
""The more the merrier, that's what I always say. Except if it's an orgy; you 've got to be picky in matters of group sex."
"
"
December 26, 2012
– Shelved as:
abused-hero-or-and-heroine
December 26, 2012
– Shelved as:
contemporary
December 26, 2012
– Shelved as:
favourite-cause-it-is-unique
December 26, 2012
– Shelved as:
in-love-with
December 26, 2012
– Shelved as:
lol-chuckle-worthy
December 26, 2012
– Shelved as:
sobbing-mess
December 26, 2012
– Shelved as:
tattoos-and-piercing
December 26, 2012
–
Finished Reading
March 8, 2013
– Shelved as:
the-sound-of-my-heart-breaking
Comments Showing 1-29 of 29 (29 new)
date
newest »
message 1:
by
Duchess Nicole
(new)
-
rated it 4 stars
Dec 26, 2012 07:21PM
Can't wait to hear what you think, Georgia! I just finished it this morning. I really liked it...I see you did too!!!
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Duchess Nicole wrote: "Wonderful review! I hope this catches on...and I love your snuggly gif there at the end!"
Thank you Nicole! I have a good feeling and this book deserves a lot attention!
hehe, a good snuggle cures pretty much anything!
Thank you Nicole! I have a good feeling and this book deserves a lot attention!
hehe, a good snuggle cures pretty much anything!
Debra wrote: "Beautiful review, Georgia!! :)"
Thank you Debra! I hope you'll enjoy it too! Can't wait to hear what you think!
Thank you Debra! I hope you'll enjoy it too! Can't wait to hear what you think!
Dd wrote: "Great review Georgia!!In my TBR!!:))"
Thanks Dd <3! Give it a try and you won't be disappointed. (I hope...) LOL!
Thanks Dd <3! Give it a try and you won't be disappointed. (I hope...) LOL!
Liттlє Lαмв wrote: "Adored your review Georgia! And the song? Lovely. :)"
Thank you Little Lamb! Pure luck with the song... it just fits perfectly with what I have in my mind regarding Nicholas!
Thank you Little Lamb! Pure luck with the song... it just fits perfectly with what I have in my mind regarding Nicholas!
Richa wrote: "Awesome review, Georgia!! Love the gifs! Moving this up in my tbr. :))"
Thanks Richa! I hope you'll enjoy it too! :D
Thanks Richa! I hope you'll enjoy it too! :D
Allison *Will never conquer her tbr list* wrote: "Lovely review, Diving in
,"
Thank you Allison! Enjoy, hon! :D
,"
Thank you Allison! Enjoy, hon! :D