Monday, January 13, 2014

The Geek's Guide to Dating by Eric Smith - Review


First up... book cover.  I love it so much.  I think of myself as a geek and so I was in!!  I mean YES!  A friend, myself and my husband sat around reading this book aloud and laughing so hard. Here is the goodreads description:

You keep your action figures in their original packaging. Your bedsheets are officially licensed Star Wars merchandise. You’re hooked on Elder Scrolls and Metal Gear but now you’ve discovered an even bigger obsession: the new girl who just moved in down the hall. What’s a geek to do? Take some tips from Eric Smith in The Geek’s Guide to Dating. This hilarious primer leads geeks of all ages through the perils and pitfalls of meeting women, going on dates, getting serious, breaking up, and establishing a successful lifelong relationship (hint: it’s time to invest in new bedsheets). Full of whimsical 8-bit illustrations, The Geek’s Guide to Dating will teach fanboys everywhere to love long and prosper. 

First off let me say.. I am a girl. I am a girl who is a geek. This book is not really written for girls. Just men. You can take what is written and put a girl in the place of situations... but it's still not totally for girls. There is a page that Smith writes to the geek girls reading apologizing but he does say it's written by a geek guy for geek guys. Also.. there is A LOT of geek terminology in this book so well if you aren't a geek you just won't get it.

I play a lot of Dungeons and Dragons.  So I like how when you would read along things were given points (like +3 Wind-open mind).  The book talks about what kind of geek you are.  You read through it and pick which one... I would say I am a book geek (there were a few more geeks in there I think I am, but since this is mainly a book blog I'll pick that one). I love it... it says for weaknesses "your eyes will immediately dart to the bookcase when you walk into someone's home for the first time.  You know you're not suppose to judge a book by it's cover, but you can't help it.  You're only human (unlike the protagonists of the Twilight book set you're casting your judgey glance on). Instead of treating someone's taste in reading matter as a red flag, use it as a jumping off point to ask questions." I thought this was funny!


I love that in another chapter asking someone out is compared to the tracks in Mario Kart. The tracks are named (Telephone Talkin', Social Media Schomoozin, In Person Parley, ) they are assigned a difficult level, the Terrain is described and then there are track tips.  As a gamer I get a real kick out of this.  I haven't been on the dating scene in many many years.  15 years in fact.  Wow.  This book though is still fun to read.  Dating is so different now I don't know what I would do! I met my husband in high school so that was easy.  Now... though.. with facebook, cell phones, skype (am I aging myself here).  I think it would be crazy.

There is a song playlist with geeky tunes (songs from Zelda and Halo) that will get you ready for the date night.  The book also provides a Chose Your Own Adventure section (best books ever) where you read along and make choices for your date night. If you chose the wrong choice Game Over... good choice you're the winner!  Plus Easter Eggs are given (Easter Eggs for those that don't know are little surprises found in games/movies/books).

I read this book cover to cover.  Usually with these niche books I skim them and read what's interests me.  The whole book was entertaining to me.  Even the parts about men and grooming for the date.  The references to geek culture entertained me enough to just read through it all.  I pretty much understood every reference made = I am an epic geek~! Let's be honest though.. Smith now needs to write a book for married people.  There was even a nice ending in the book about breaking up and how to do it.  For people who are more mature you probably don't need this part... but people who haven't dumped a lot of people it's nice advice.


The art work in the book is fun too.  A bunch of 8 bit drawing in it are cute. Like the cover they pull the reader in.  Since my book came from the library I couldn't see the cover underneath the slipcase but googled it and sure enough people have pictures of it up. The author Eric Smith runs the website Geekadelphia which I have been checking out and is fun. I wish he would move to where I live and start up a website here!

Seriously pick this book up, for the men in your life.  I will say it's not totally for women so you may want to just pick it up from the library for them to enjoy!!

The crystal ball says:



Sun is shinning!!!  Great day to go outside and read this book.





25 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this book too, even tho it wasn't written for girls. i think it was funny enough for anyone to read, especially if they are nerdy. Great review!

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    1. I love this book too.. it is a perfect gift for the single geeks in everyone's life. I do wish there were maybe like a few more tips for women, but then the author probably would've had to have a co-author sooo more a hassle when it comes to publishing.

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  2. I know don't judge a book from its cover..... but I've already decided that I'LL TOTALLY LOVE THIS just from it's title and cover!! Your review of everything in it just confirms that!

    I think its awesome that geekiness can be applied to something...erm... "practical"! Is there's an advice to answer a girls "I love you" with "I know"? No? Wow!! There's even a boss level in chapter 7 too!!

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    1. OMG the boss level is hilarious. I mean... if you can get the girl to go on the date with asking her face to face = boss level! I am glad others are excited about reading it... really when we read it with friends everyone was laughing out loud.

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  3. I totally want to read this book too, although I'm more a nerd than geek. I'll buy it for the Hubs and read it myself. He is a geek, but I'm not sure I want him dating! lol

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    1. LOL! I am married... and haven't been on the dating scene in many many years. I still liked the chapters though about dating locations. It gave me some ideas for my husband and I so it will be beneficial for those who are dating exclusively too.

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  4. Wow! Awesome book even if I have never heard of it. But my question is, is it non-fiction? I really don't read those books because I don't know, I read books to escape. And non-fictions wouldn't really server the purpose.

    I love that this book is a like a version of a computer game, only that it's about dating. I'm still single though so I am not sure if it would work for me. Hahahaha.

    Great review, Angie! I wouldn't be surprised if your husband will give you the moon tomorrow.

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    1. Well .. I mean it is nonfiction but not like what you are thinking. It's more of a .. well I don't know. Now I'm confused as to how to explain it. LOL... I guess it falls more under the self-help category but still super fun to read. My husband should give me the moon!!! :)

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  5. This book looks hilarious! I'm a geek girl, too, and not a geek guy, but I have to check this book out.

    That's for the review.

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    1. Geek girls will laugh and have fun too. Some of the advice is clearly catered to guys though (like the BO part... ladies never have that do we???). So ladies... we can just skim those parts.

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  6. That's awesome you read this one all the way through. I'm a nerd for sure, but I don't think I'd understand all of the geeky mentions.

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    1. You may get some... I think even if you don't know the geek terms the book is still fun to read. What if you ever date a geek guy?? You can get a little advice here.

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  7. I don't remember where I first saw this book, but it looked cute then and it does now :-). Great review, and it's good to know that it's for geek guys written by a geek guy. I think it still sounds really great!
    Ninja Girl

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    1. Yea.. I wouldn't probably gift it to a girl. She might be like... um.. ...I am a girl. Fun for a girl to check out from the library or even have in a guest bedroom!

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  8. This book looks so adorable. I am glad that you enjoyed it. I need to check it out.

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  9. I don't know if I would classify myself as a geek but I like "geeky" (I prefer to say nerdy) things and it seems like all booklovers would be considered geeks so I guess I am one. I like the whole levels thing and the Mario Kart references. I wouldn't get the Dungeon and Dragons references because that's not me. I would think it would be easier to just ask a boy or girl out who you know likes the same things. Of course this might be difficult for nerdy boys who spend all day playing video games as well as anyone really because it must be terrifying... I've never dated anyone so this might be interesting to look at. Nice review (:

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    1. LOL... yes that is kind of the point of the book. Those people who don't leave the house. It even tells you how to leave the house! What's funny is there is even a chapter about people meeting on an online game (like World of Warcraft) and how to see if you can get more serious. Like .. does the girl just join up with you to get the treasure and then leave?? Or does she try to find areas in the game to just chat with you. Fun!

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  10. And this just made my morning. Thank you Angela! :-)

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    1. It is a great book!! We had a lot of fun reading it out loud. A friend of mine said... oh yea I am getting this for my brother! It's perfect for us geeks.

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  11. I have to get this book!!! I loved this review and I'm so happy you found this and reviewed it. I'm a geek myself and this is now a must read for me. I'm sure I will do exactly what you did and read this with my wife and a friend of ours. Thank you for posting this.

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    1. I think I first saw it ... on Netgalley?? I can't remember. Then I saw some people reading it on goodreads and the cover is what really sold me. You guys should all for sure read this out loud. We skimmed through it and read aloud the funniest parts. It is even more fun if you know people who are the exact examples in this book!

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    2. I can't wait to get this now. Really bummed I didn't see it on NetGalley. This would have been great to get through there.

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  12. This sounds really cute..he needs to write a girls guide then lol

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    1. I know... though I think if he did girl's might be like "you don't know since you aren't a girl". Lose lose sometimes for people!

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