27 July 2011

Book Review: The Comeback Girl by Katie Price

Once upon a time, Eden had it all; she was one of the most successful young singers in the UK, and the darling of the pop industry. Life couldn’t have been better. But just two years after a sell-out tour, Eden is regarded as a has-been, better known for her drinking and the kiss-and-tell stories that a string of men have sold to the papers.


Desperate to get back in the big time, Eden begins recording a new album with songwriter Jack Steele, a man who drives her crazy for all the wrong reasons. And then she’s asked to be a judge on the TV talent show Band Ambition. It’s just the break she needs and she’s determined not to mess it up, so falling in love with Stevie, a contestant on the show, is probably not a very good idea. But Eden has always followed her heart, and she is sure Stevie is 'the one'.


But is Eden setting herself up for another fall?

Who in this country doesn't know Katie Price? It isn't a secret that Katie doesn't sit there and slave over a laptop, typing up every word of the story herself. She comes up with the idea for a book and her ghost writer, author Rebecca Farnworth actually writes the book for her. I think its a cheek she has her name on the cover and makes a lot of money from books she doesn't write, and the fact there are plenty of fantastic authors out there who can't get in with the big publishers yet Katie Price can churn out this drivel year after year is grossly unfair. Her stories are easy to read and certainly don't tax your brain but there was something about this book I just couldn't stand. Yes, the cover is bright, glitzy and lovely but that's the only nice thing about this book.


The book is based on the character of Eden. I can't say I know anything about Katie's previous books, bar the two I've forced myself to read but from what I can gather, it's a loose follow on from Katie's other book Crystal. Eden is becoming a judge on talent show Band Ambition, the show which shot Crystal to fame, and Crystal pops up in name throughout this book. Eden was a successful pop star, but the death of her mother sent her off the rails, to drink and spending money like it's going out of fashion, to shacking up with one pointless boyfriend after another (I wonder where Katie Price got these ideas from!!). Eden was hopeless, a real drip that couldn't see good luck when it slapped her in the face and I couldn't stand her. She was selfish and arrogant, and I just hated everything that she stood for, and its worrying to think young girls might be reading this and thinking Eden is someone they want to be.

The book is set partially on the set of Band Ambition, the talent show Eden finds her judging. Nothing new here, it's a bit run-of-the-mill, we've all seen and heard things like this over the press when the big shows such as The X Factor are on and I found myself wishing for something different. I guessed immediately what was going to happen with Eden at the show, and I was right, despite hoping it might go in a different direction. The writing isn't amazing, nothing to write home about, it's almost like Farnworth wrote it in her sleep, her stand alone novels are better than this. It's just very unimaginative and dull, and some of the sex scenes are a bit cringing for me, I just wanted to skip past them.

You can probably tell I didn't really enjoy this book, and I ploughed through it simply to get to the end and be able to review it on here. Yes, I've read a Katie Price novel before and enjoyed it, 2 in fact, but there is something so dislikeable about this one I hated having to read it every time I picked it up. I can't understand why any self-respecting woman would want to been seen reading this utter drivel, and how Katie Price has the gall to call herself an author when she doesn't so much as put pen to paper at all. It's all another money making scheme for her, and it's horrifying to see that her books are outselling books up for prestigious book prizes such as the Booker Prize. In fact, Crystal outsold the entire Booker Prize shortlist put together last year. That is so unbelievably wrong, but I fear as long as this woman continues to "write" this trash, people will keep parting with their hard earned cash for it. I certainly won't be picking up another Katie Price novel after this awful book, and will instead dedicate my time to real authors who write their own books and deserve every penny they make from their work.

Rating: 1/5

17 comments:

  1. Stacey Bennett27 July 2011 at 16:33

    I enjoyed Angel & Crystal but then thought the other books seemed a bit similar to the first ones. I not sure whether this is one I actually want to read or not!!

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  2. Hear, hear! This is why I love you ladies so much! C : ) xx

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  3. goo for you let's have more talented writers getting book deals not just somebody having books written for them because they are famous.

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  4. Pauline Lawless27 July 2011 at 17:43

    Admire your honesty. It is disgraceful. Says a lot about the world we live in that this drivel outsells genuinely good books. Sad!

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  5. Agree with everything on this page so far! Carry on trucking.

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  6. I was interested to see what you thought of it! Her 'writing' doesn't interest me in the slightest and I'd never read one of her books.
    Well said for championing the real writers out there. xx

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  7. Good for you for this completely honest review! I'm American and have very little knowledge of Katie Price (other than what I've read on the gossip blogs that I know I shouldn't lower myself to read, but do it anyway!). I have similar feelings about Lauren Conrad here in the USA. One of my first blog posts was all about celebrity "authors". LC has had books on the NY Times Bestsellers list, something which bothers me to no end. Oh, and don't even get me started on Snooki and her books. Ugh!

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  8. As a writer I admire someone who can lure the public into reading books which are written by someone else and merely outlined on the back of a bus ticket. The answer seems to be get tits , get them out, and hey presto you are away.
    Vacuous, vapid and completely without a shred of talent.
    Still anyone can "do" a book nowadays can't they?

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  9. I love this blog so much because of your complete honesty in reviews.

    I have never really been a fan of Katie Price, for the first few reads I couldn't put my finger on it. But as I read more and more? It's obvious for many of the reasons you've mentioned.

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  10. I think I read one book and it was okay, but come up, move over and give authors that CAN write a chance. I didn't know it was rebecca farmworth that wrote for her.

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  11. Don't disagree with anything you say, but somebody out there is buying these books - that's why they keep publishing them.

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  12. well done chloe, spoiling peoples opinions, i hate you loads

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  13. I have read all of Katie Price's books, they are really good and a fantastic read, her Angel trioligy was the best by far, makes you really want to go to Brighton i love her books and will read all of them

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  14. While I'd rather chew my own foot off than read anything "written" by Jordan have you considered that she might actually be good for the publishing industry? She sells thousands of books, her publishers make money, and hopfully they pass some of that onto publishing new writers. Yes, it's sad that better books sell far fewer copies than hers but I'd rather people were buying books, even bad books, than none at all, and for people who hardly ever read buying a novel because it's written by someone they've heard of may just encourage them to try other, better books too.

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  15. I have read all of katie's books and her auto biographys and she has gone through some really tough things in her life!!!! and u all just give out about her! so what if u dont like the book.... what did u waste ur money for??? u should of read a review first!!!!

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  16. sounds like ur letting ur opinin of katie price cloud ur judgment of the book. she comes up with the idea and dictates into dicafone she just dusnt spend 6-12mnths typing it all out and her name sells fact. i think ur future book reviews shouldnt be so personal this isnt supposed to be a gossip site. ive liked all her other novels as it is easy to read and is a bit of escapism which we all need in this world. and as for the main character not being a good role model her novels are not aimed at children and how many other novels have an unlikable character?? it sounds like the story is about picking urself up and moving on making a few mistakes along the way which lets face it everyone does in life we can all relate to some parts of each of her books and if not its an insight into celeb life which we all do anyway reading gossip mags. look forward to reading this book and her next one which apparently called santa baby.

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  17. You're being really unfair. The books are enjoyable and just because I read her books doesn't mean I don't have any respect for myself. I mean, come on!

    I quite enjoyed Crystal, and as this is a sort of sequel I think I might buy it. You can read my review of Crystal here:

    http://www.trashionista.com/2008/11/book-review-cry.html

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