Title: Losing It
Author: Cora Carmack
Series: Losing It, book #1
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: February 26, 2013
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon |
Barnes & Noble
Virginity.
Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren’t embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She’d left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.
GAH! Where was this book when I needed it all those years ago?!?
Losing It was such a fun, light-hearted look at one young woman's misadventures while attempting to ensure she graduates from college
without her virginity intact. And it might have saved me some embarrassment back in the day. At the very least, I could have used the sense of camaraderie I gleaned from this book back then.
Losing It is sexy, but it's not all about sex. Sure, there's some of that in there -- guaranteeing that you won't want a younger audience reading it -- but a big part of this book focuses on friendships and relationships and how they evolve into more...or into nothing at all.
Losing It is honest and thoughtful, but it's also full of hilariously mortifying moments that make the story all that more genuine. Oh, and all the Shakespeare references...be still my heart! Some were comical and some were tragic, just like the man's plays, but all in all, their inclusion in the story was perfection.
My bestest reading buddy Em and I decided to knock a review book off our list whilst reading together, and we'd both eagerly been anticipating
Losing It. You can tell from our status updates on Goodreads (
here and
here) that we both had a lot of fun with this story, but in the beginning we had no idea just how much win this book would be when we deigned to read a mere five chapters a night. We did okay that first night, despite a rather horrendous stopping point. The second night, we caved and read two night's worth of chapters. At the end of the third night, we had finished the book. There was no holding ourselves back with this one.
Losing It has everything I'm looking for in a great contemporary novel: realistic and witty and sometimes terribly awkward characters, a great plot full of
uh-oh! and
oh, yeah! moments, and clever dialogue full of awesome banter. Plus, it's set in Texas, which you can never go wrong with in my book. :) This is one of those novels that I want to set aside for my daughter for when the time is right...like ten years from now. It's full of astute observations from a slightly snarky protagonist, and it's the kind of story that I like to think will really help get some tough points across when it comes time to discuss the merits of waiting for the right person.
I am super stoked that this novel garnered so much attention as an indie that it was picked up by an imprint of HarperCollins. I was even more excited to see that the cover for the companion novel
Faking It was revealed on the very same day that Em and I started our little read-along. I imagine
that read-along will go even quicker than this one did. (Em and I seriously have no self-control...but we're okay with that.) At any rate, I definitely recommend
Losing It if you're a fan of awkwardly enjoyable reads. (Um, I meant the book...don't go out and, um, "lose it" just because you enjoy reading awkward books. Or do...who am I to tell you what to do?)
/awkward ramble
Rating: 
Favorite Quotes:
“Are you waiting for an invitation?” I asked, eyeing him standing carefully outside my door. “Is this the part where you tell me you’re a vampire?”
He chuckled. “No, I promise the paleness is only because I’m British.”
“Four.
That’s the number of people who saw me hiding around the corner from my own apartment in just a skirt and a bra.
Eleven.
That’s the number of ant bites I got on my shoeless feet.
Twenty-seven.
That’s the number of times I was tempted to do myself physical harm because I am an IDIOT.
One.
That’s the number of times I tried not to cry, but failed.”
“Some relationships just end. Like a star, they burn bright and brilliant, and then nothing in particular goes wrong, they just reach their end. They burn out.”
“I had no one, but Hamlet. Who hated me with the fire of a thousand suns.”
“He was flabbergasted. That was the best word. His flabber had been thoroughly gasted.”
“I mean not that there's anything... I mean we didn't actually... um, make the beast with two backs and all that.”
***Be sure to stop by the For the Love of Swoon Giveaway Hop...I'm giving away a copy of Losing It!!!***
Friday, October 18, 2013
Review: Finding It by Cora Carmack
Author: Cora Carmack
Series: Losing It, book #3
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: October 15, 2013
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
From the outside, Finding It sounded like a fun book, one that would have me cracking up like the first two books in this series about a group of actors on the cusp of graduation and trying to find themselves. But this book dealt with some serious issues. The fact that this book is no laughing matter had me taken aback, especially since out of all the characters in the previous books, I thought Kelsey was the most fun-loving and easy-going of the bunch.
But appearances can be deceiving. You can just look at Kelsey and Hunt in this book to see that. Both have secrets and deeper issues to come to grips with, but in the process, they kind of lose themselves in each other. I think Jackson Hunt may be my favorite love interest from Cora Carmack thus far. Yes, even more so than the accented Garrick. I love a tough guy with a softer side, and that describes Hunt to a tee. He was a little possessive at times, and it kind of bothered me that Kelsey let him get away with it, but considering her upbringing, I guess it was to be expected.
Kelsey, on the other hand, was probably my least favorite protagonist in the whole series. She was so hard to connect with, and not simply because of the methods with which she handled her own problems. She was a bit needy but also a bit forceful, and if I hadn't seen her as Bliss's best friend in Losing It, I might have said she didn't have any redeeming qualities, especially with the way she treated people while on her travels, going so far as to refer to her hostel "friends" as cardboard cut-outs. Well, gee, no wonder this trip isn't turning out to be the soul-searching experience you were hoping for.
The romance was hawt, I'll give it that, once it finally got rolling. It was obvious that the attraction was immediate and went both ways, but it took a bit for the couple to actually get together. There are secrets on both sides, though I don't think it will be difficult for most readers to figure out what they are early on. And one party simply wants to run from theirs, while the other does their best to keep theirs buried. It's not an "issues book", but both characters do have their share of them.
Though the storyline was predictable, it didn't bother me to know what was coming. I mean, honestly, I don't really read these books for their superb stories. It's more about the characters and their interactions for me, and unlike the first two books in this series, I just didn't have as much fun with these characters. I'm still a fan, though, and I will still be checking out the novella from Hunt's point-of-view...yum.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
{Promo} Finding It by Cora Carmack: Release Day Launch + Giveaway
I don't read a lot of new adult novels, but one series that I've had a lot of fun with is Cora Carmack's LOSING IT. Today, we're celebrating the release of the third book in the series, Finding It, which is Kelsey's story. Check out the details below and help Cora celebrate her book's birthday by entering the giveaway!
Author: Cora Carmack
Series: Losing It, book #3
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: October 15, 2013 -- THAT'S TODAY!!!
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Are you excited yet? ;0)
Sunday, July 28, 2013
{Short Story Sunday} {New Adult} Review: Keeping Her by Cora Carmack
And so, every Sunday for the foreseeable future, I would like to highlight short stories and novellas set in worlds I've already come to love and learn a little more about some of the secondary characters in my favorite novels. I'll be underscoring some of my favorite aspects of these short works of fiction, in addition to offering up a mini review of each work.
This week I'm featuring an alternate perspective from the Losing It series:
Author: Cora Carmack
Series: Losing It, book #1.5
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: August 13, 2013
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
But from the moment the pair lands in London, new snags just keep cropping up: a disapproving mother-in-law-to-be, more than one (mostly) minor mishap, and the realization that perhaps they aren't quite as ready for their future as they thought.
As it turns out, the only thing harder than finding love is keeping it.
Oh, Garrick. What is there not to love about this guy? He's sweet, totally enamored with the klutzy, blushing Bliss, and then there's the accent. *sigh* And now we get to read from his point-of-view! Well, technically, *I* already read several of the pivotal scenes in Losing It from Garrick's POV, as well as the first chapter of Keeping Her, so I already knew what I was getting myself into with this one. Or so I thought.
But Keeping Her isn't just from Garrick's perspective. It's also split with Bliss's as she freaks out at the mere thought of meeting Garrick's mother. It's actually hilarious to go back-and-forth between Garrick's seemingly calm facade and Bliss's anxiety. At first, I was kinda sad that it wasn't all from Garrick's POV, but I think it worked out better this way.
Best of all were all of the new characters we get to meet, even if they are fleeting. Garrick's best mates were charming and funny, and I especially liked the razzing they gave Bliss about being "hot for teacher". And then Garrick's mother...she was scary at first. And I was absolutely certain this trip to meet the parents was going to end in disaster, especially when Garrick's exes showed up, but the story ended on the perfect note.
I love Bliss and Garrick and their whole relationship, even if it was a little taboo in the beginning. I was glad to see them turn up in Faking It and I hope we get another glimpse of them in Finding It, though I don't know how likely that is with Kelsey halfway around the world. Which is why I was so glad to get this novella from Cora Carmack. Such a fun series!
Rating:
I'm Cora Carmack, a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. I've done a multitude of things in my life -- boring jobs (like working retail), fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). I enjoy placing my characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. My first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today Bestseller.
Find Cora:
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Monday, June 3, 2013
{New Adult} Review: Faking It by Cora Carmack
Author: Cora Carmack
Series: Losing It, book #2
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Source: received from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.
I loved Losing It when I read it earlier this year. It was my first foray into New Adult, which I'd admittedly been a little hesitant to try, but I ended up really enjoying it. And guess what? I loved Faking It even more!
I'm just going to put this out there. This book reminded me of a much more adult version of Lola and the Boy Next Door. Two characters whose personalities are completely at odds with each other. Check. An undeniable attraction. Check. Awkward situations that keep putting them in each other's paths. Check. And just like with Lola, I enjoyed every second of it.
I was entirely bummed for Cade in Losing It and I wanted to see him get his own happy ending. When he decided to transplant himself to Philadelphia with Bliss and Garrick, I thought there was absolutely no chance of that happening. He'd essentially put himself on the path to self-destruction, but if he hadn't, he'd never have met Max.
Max and Cade made a great couple. Not perfect, mind you, but their opposite natures complemented each other. You'd think that they'd be at odds with each other constantly, and though their dispositions do make for great banter, the only time they have any problems are when they're trying to face down cold, hard truths together. And the fact that they can do so without walking away cements their awesome coupledom in my eyes.
Cade is the epitome of a good guy. The one your mama wants you to bring home but that you think would bore you to tears. But he so wouldn't. At least, he wouldn't bore me. I like good guys, too. Bad boys are fun, but good guys are for keeps. ;0) Max is troubled. I appreciated her as a main character more than Bliss because she was less awkward and her actions didn't lead to constant cringing. The way Max presents herself, that's who I always wanted to be. The way Bliss was...well, that's more like the real me. But Max's character was still realistic. Her harsh exterior is just a mask...that girl has a lot of hidden depths. And it took a nice guy like Cade to break through her barriers.
Needless to say, I will definitely be picking up the next companion novel in this series, which is from Kelsey's point-of-view. I'm also dying for the novella from Garrick's POV. Ah, hell...I'm dying for anything and everything from this author. Which is why I'm stalking her blog as she slowly but surely releases pivotal scenes in Losing It from Garrick's perspective. Swoons are forthcoming! And some laughs, I'm sure. This author knows how to write some swoons, but she never forgets the laughs, either!
Rating:
I'm Cora Carmack, a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. I've done a multitude of things in my life -- boring jobs (like working retail), fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). I enjoy placing my characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. My first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today Bestseller.
Find Cora:
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Waiting on Wednesday: Faking It by Cora Carmack & Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's WoW selection is...
Author: Cora Carmack
Series: Losing It, book #2
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.
Why Jen's waiting: I am fairly new to the new adult genre, but it's growing on me. I really enjoyed Losing It when I read it with Em earlier this year, and I'm glad we get to see Cade's story now. I loved his character in the first book, and though I like how that story ended for the main characters, I still wanted Cade to get his own happily ever after.
Author: Trish Doller
Series: n/a
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.
Why Mendy's waiting: I love stories like this, depressing and tragic, yet still hopeful. And I love the cover and title. J says I really need to pick up Something Like Normal...
What are you waiting on this week? Feel free to share it in the comments or leave a link so we can stop by!
Monday, February 18, 2013
{New Adult} Review: Losing It by Cora Carmack
Author: Cora Carmack
Series: Losing It, book #1
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: February 26, 2013
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren’t embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She’d left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.
GAH! Where was this book when I needed it all those years ago?!? Losing It was such a fun, light-hearted look at one young woman's misadventures while attempting to ensure she graduates from college without her virginity intact. And it might have saved me some embarrassment back in the day. At the very least, I could have used the sense of camaraderie I gleaned from this book back then.
Losing It is sexy, but it's not all about sex. Sure, there's some of that in there -- guaranteeing that you won't want a younger audience reading it -- but a big part of this book focuses on friendships and relationships and how they evolve into more...or into nothing at all. Losing It is honest and thoughtful, but it's also full of hilariously mortifying moments that make the story all that more genuine. Oh, and all the Shakespeare references...be still my heart! Some were comical and some were tragic, just like the man's plays, but all in all, their inclusion in the story was perfection.
My bestest reading buddy Em and I decided to knock a review book off our list whilst reading together, and we'd both eagerly been anticipating Losing It. You can tell from our status updates on Goodreads (here and here) that we both had a lot of fun with this story, but in the beginning we had no idea just how much win this book would be when we deigned to read a mere five chapters a night. We did okay that first night, despite a rather horrendous stopping point. The second night, we caved and read two night's worth of chapters. At the end of the third night, we had finished the book. There was no holding ourselves back with this one.
Losing It has everything I'm looking for in a great contemporary novel: realistic and witty and sometimes terribly awkward characters, a great plot full of uh-oh! and oh, yeah! moments, and clever dialogue full of awesome banter. Plus, it's set in Texas, which you can never go wrong with in my book. :) This is one of those novels that I want to set aside for my daughter for when the time is right...like ten years from now. It's full of astute observations from a slightly snarky protagonist, and it's the kind of story that I like to think will really help get some tough points across when it comes time to discuss the merits of waiting for the right person.
I am super stoked that this novel garnered so much attention as an indie that it was picked up by an imprint of HarperCollins. I was even more excited to see that the cover for the companion novel Faking It was revealed on the very same day that Em and I started our little read-along. I imagine that read-along will go even quicker than this one did. (Em and I seriously have no self-control...but we're okay with that.) At any rate, I definitely recommend Losing It if you're a fan of awkwardly enjoyable reads. (Um, I meant the book...don't go out and, um, "lose it" just because you enjoy reading awkward books. Or do...who am I to tell you what to do?)
/awkward ramble
Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
“Are you waiting for an invitation?” I asked, eyeing him standing carefully outside my door. “Is this the part where you tell me you’re a vampire?”
He chuckled. “No, I promise the paleness is only because I’m British.”
“Four.
That’s the number of people who saw me hiding around the corner from my own apartment in just a skirt and a bra.
Eleven.
That’s the number of ant bites I got on my shoeless feet.
Twenty-seven.
That’s the number of times I was tempted to do myself physical harm because I am an IDIOT.
One.
That’s the number of times I tried not to cry, but failed.”
“Some relationships just end. Like a star, they burn bright and brilliant, and then nothing in particular goes wrong, they just reach their end. They burn out.”
“I had no one, but Hamlet. Who hated me with the fire of a thousand suns.”
“He was flabbergasted. That was the best word. His flabber had been thoroughly gasted.”
“I mean not that there's anything... I mean we didn't actually... um, make the beast with two backs and all that.”
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starryeyedjen
- I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
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