Name: Rahmat Junaid's review of Losing It by Cora Carmack
Item: Losing It
Rating: 4
Author: Rahmat Junaid

Cora Carmack

Losing It

Lover of Romance 

Rahmat Junaid

Zahra

I had to will myself pretty hard to finish it. I really loved the whole theatre stuff of the story but sadly I couldn't connect to the characters.

Amal Hassan

I liked that the character wasn't the timid, quiet type. She is an actress (so relatively confident) and has lots of friends. It was a welcome change to the typical (90s movie style) girl with little to no friends, who gets no attention from guys. 

Although Bliss does gets attention from the opposite sex, she just never felt the urge to lose her virginity. During her final year at university she decides she does not want to graduate without having lost it. She meets Garrick (a hot Brit) and decides he is the one. But things get awkward fast. I liked the awkwardness, it made me cringe and laugh at the ridiculous things she would do. 

I enjoyed this book, but it was not great. I did not see the point in having the "she doesn't realise her best friend is in love with her" storyline, it seemed irrelevant to me. I also felt like there wasn't enough to Garrick's character besides being British and her teacher, I felt like he was a bit flat, like, I did not swoon over him at any point. Also, normally when a character has an unusual name in a book, there is some sort of back story or explanation to it, however, Bliss is never really explain. It is briefly mentioned when she tells Garrick her name and he asks "Is that a line?" when she says "No" he moves on. Perhaps I am just nit picking. 

Overall, it was a nice quick read, that keeps you entertained throughout.

It was fine, but boring and not that exciting. 

Emma Kamer

Losing it

Jaclyn

"It wasn't until I'd walked halfway across the parking lot that I realized:
1. I wasn't wearing shoes.
A. Or a shirt.
2. I didn't bring my keys. 
A. Or anything really. 
3. I'd just left a complete stranger in my apartment.
A. Naked.

Whoever said one-night stands were supposed to be simple with no strings attached clearly had never met the disaster that was me."   

THIS BOOK WAS HILARIOUS AND SUPER CUTE! I read it in 2 sittings and had SO MUCH. It's light, it quick, very easy to read, and awkward in the best way. 

It's about Bliss who's a theater major entering her final semester of college. She goes out with her best friend with hopes of losing her virginity when she stumbles upon Garrick, a very hot British guy at the bar. He reads Shakespeare and he's got gorgeous blue eyes. Swoon worthy much? It's really fun and awkward the way the whole thing comes about but she ends up almost having sex with him, panics, stutters out something about her Cat (which doesn't have) then leaves him naked in her bed. The next day she goes to class only to realize he's her new performing arts professor. So much awkwardness and absolute hilarity ensues. 

I actually think this would make a fantastic movie. It read like a movie to me. Straight up classic rom com and it's great. 

I thought Bliss was a pretty relatable character. It was really easy to read from her point of view and I really appreciated how awkward she was in certain situations. It was really easy to relate to. I enjoyed her friendship with Cade and Kelsey too. I liked how we got a little into her relationships with her friends and them hanging out. The college atmosphere was a lot of fun to read and Cade! I felt so bad for him because we've all been there. He's so sweet and I'm excited to read more from him in Faking It. 

  "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 think everyone at some point in their life can relate to this type of friendship and it's so bittersweet! 

Then Garrick! Ahhh! Loved him! I liked watching him and Bliss grow more comfortable around each other and I appreciated that there wasn't over the top full of drama. It was very fun to watch them get closer on a personal level and deal with the realistic issues like after graduation and um him being her teacher! They kind of snuck around and that was just funny and very enjoyable. Their banter was really cute too. 

  Are you waiting for an invitation?" I asked, eyeing him standing carefully outside my door. "Is this the part where you tell me your a vampire?" He chuckled. "No, I promise the paleness is only because I'm British."   

Another thing I enjoyed was the theater aspect. That was really interesting and created a fun dynamic, especially between Cade, Bliss and Garrick. 

And Hamlet the cat!! Omg that part was great! If you read it then you what I'm talking about! If not go meet Hamlet the cat! Hahaha

Overall I highly recommend this book if you're in the mood for a fun, cute addicting romance! So so good! I can't wait to read more Cora Carmack! 

  "Sometimes it's the scary things in life that are the most worthwhile."

Lucia silva

No fue lo que yo esperaba y el final fue un poco cliche, PEEEEEEEEEEEEEERO me gusto bastante y fue entretenido. Los personajes estuvieron bien y asi tambien la escritura. Nada que quejarme un buen trabajo para ser el primer libro de la autora (:

Sofie

So let me just start that I had very high expectations for this novel. The cover is great, and it's what initially drew me in in the first place. The premise was promising, and I was not disappointed (okay, maybe a little).

I think I was expecting more of a "Catching Jordan" plot twist. I had hoped there would be. You know, the whole "expectations don't quite meet reality, realization that everything you've been looking for was right in front of you". I wanted Bliss (seriously?) to be disappointed in her covert teacher-student relationship. Reading about it, it felt as though it was all purely physical. 

Bliss was constantly doubting Garrick's feelings for her (which doesn't seem where healthy to me), in addition to the against-the-rules thing they had going on. The fear alone would have stopped me in my tracks, not to mention the age difference. In all honestly, I don't believe they actually said how old Garrick was, just that he had recently graduated from that same college. Still, I place him around 30, which makes him 8 years older than her. It's been done before, but that didn't make it any less appealing.

Here's the plot I was expecting (and hoping for): After engaging in a secret relationship with her professor, Bliss comes to the realization that it's all purely physical. Sure, he makes her body feel good, but she knows that she isn't comfortable in what she can and can't say around him. Once coming to that realization, she finally sees that the one person she is comfortable with, is her best friend, Cade (who had previously confessed his feelings and who she had blown off). Enter a dramatic reunion and confession of love on both sides, big happy ending.

That isn't what I got.

Cade. Oh, my poor baby. The kiss between him and Bliss had my heart fluttering. It was at that point that I was sure they would end up together. It seemed perfect too, this moment of foreshadowing into how great and natural their relationship would be. But no. Things took a "Something Borrowed" turn for the worse. After a fight that was barely a fight, a break up, and them sharing special moments in the bedroom while they're both sick with mono (what are we, 15?), Garrick and Bliss get back together. And Cade stays alone.

All that aside, I still found myself enjoying the book. Sure, I cringed sometimes, but I also laughed out loud, teared up a bit, and really resonated with the protagonist. The world was what I expect any college setting world to be, and it had a realistic ring to it that I appreciated.

Basically, I give this a four-star rating because the writing was good and had barely any grammatical errors.

Lila Harrison

I read the first chapter or two of Losing It awhile ago and set it down because I wasn't feeling it at the moment. Boy am I glad I picked it up again because it was just the type of awkward, hysterical new adult contemporary that I needed!

Despite the title and cheesy cover, this book is not all about sex. Well it is. Kind of. But it's about so much more. Like letting go and taking chances.

I absolutely fell in love with the characters! Bliss was absolutely adorkable! Garrick was a total dreamboat! We don't see much of the supporting characters, but what we do see of them is utterly and completely endearing! <3

Two things that are really strong in the book and work together are the humor and Bliss's voice as a character. The story is told in first person, so we're always in Bliss's head, which is a pretty funny place to be. Carmack hits the voice of a college student--an a very awkward one, at that--right on the nose. Bliss's voice is youthful and deliciously funny. There were so many moments that had me laughing out loud and going, "Oh my god, did she really just say that?!"

AND IT WAS RELATABLE. As a twenty something college student myself I often find it hard to find characters where I can genuinely relate to them. But Bliss was it. She was really down to Earth, human, and balanced. Her reactions always seemed so genuine.

I felt like the book overflowed with heart and a really genuine feeling and that's something special in a book, in anything really. I loved it and would totally recommend it (although note that it is new adult so there are sexy times) to a friend (or total stranger because it's me and I do that)!

I really enjoyed Phoebe Strole's narration! I thought she infused a lot of emotion into her reading and totally nailed the voice of an awkward college student. I could practically picture Bliss's facial expressions because that's how clear Strole made the character's voice! The material translated to audio really well, it wasn't stiff or dry, which is a big thing for me. 

There is one other narrator, at the end, for Garrick, who's not credited anywhere so I have no idea what his name is. Honestly I really disliked his narration. His voice was also a little too high for how I imagined Garrick's and he made Garrick sound really whiny.

Other than that, I thought the book was perfect as an audiobook and I would definitely recommend the format to others!

Final Rating: 3.5 stars

petit-chocobo

Destiny J Tamayo

*****3.5******* I thought it was pretty good but Bliss could be really annoying at times. I also felt their relationship wasn't really well developed.

Sophie Elaina 

This book was enthralling and a very addictive read. Although, I have to say the plot lacked depth and didn't quite have the amount of complexity I was hoping for. However I did fly through it and read it all in one sitting because it was such a light read. And a high point is that since it was very character based, the protagonist was well developed which was great to see. But overall even though it was cute it was still a little too cheesy and predictable for me.

Elaine

At the beginning I was close to putting it down again, as it seemed just like every other generic story and I didn't want to deal with the first scenes. 
But after a few chapters I was hooked. I read this book in one day, which is rare for me. I really liked Bliss and Garrick and how they interacted with each other.
At some points I giggled, and others I held my breath.
I guess this is a good introduction into the new adult genre, as it was my first novel in that genre and I am thinking of picking up another one.

celeste

All I'm going to say is that this was cheesy af, the protagonist was annoying and ridiculous, and the love interest sounded like a douche. It's a quick read, so if you're going through a reading slump it might help, but other than that, there is nothing I found remotely interesting for me to recommend this. I've read a lot of NA books, some good, some bad. But this, however, was just boring and annoying. I still can't get out of my head how the guy constantly used the word 'love' when addressing the main character. Like, ALL THE FUCKING TIME. I'm done.

Clara hash

Chelsea Bates

This book. Wonderful. 

Bliss is a senior in college, in her last semester of school and is still a virgin. She goes out the bar with the sole purpose of losing just that. She meets this smoking guy in the bar, who is reading Shakespeare. Reading Shakespeare in a bar?! Clearly just trying to pick up girls, or just locked out of his apartment. 

They chat it up and she ends up taking him home. Things are going great, until she remembers she has to pick up her "cat" and has to leave. Needless to say she remains a virgin. 

Walking into her class the next day, Garrick, the Shakespeare reader, is her professor! 

  "I feel all the furies of desire" 

Following them through the semester, we see the struggles of the passionate desires Bliss and Garrick have for one another. They just simply cannot resist. (I wouldn't blame her)


  "Like a key into a lock, my body fell into his, fitting perfectly. With my head on his chest, and his arm around my shoulder, I took a deep breath and knew there was no going back"


If you are looking for a light, fun romance, this is the book for you. SO GOOD. 


  "I loved that moment before. It was the height of anticipation and hope. It was like diving off a cliff, knowing what would come after was terrifying and beautiful and the point of living. That momment...it was addicting."

Emily C Peterson

razan 

light cute read perfect for reading slumps

Tiffany Engler

I'm normally really generous about giving decent ratings. This is probably the first book this year that has received such a low rating from me. 

I loved the idea of this book. We all just love a good teacher-student romance. This book and it's story line didn't really feel developed for me.

The characters were so plain. Almost to the point of boring. They didn't have much characteristics to them and they were all almost identical.

The book did have some quirky parts. That's just about the extent of the "good parts" of the book. 

I feel like this book left a lot out. So much could have happened that didn't. It was a disappointing book to say the least. I expected so much more.

Reread as part of my "favorites rereads"! I loved this book just as much the second time around as I did the first. <3 

Review to come.

Fran

Well, what can I say? I liked the book, I liked the story and the characters. The concept of a teacher/student love is nothing new, but I've never read one like this, it was different in a way. I love how Bliss always seems to make a fool out of herself being so clumsy, and how incredibly sexy Garrick is. Who cannot love a guy who always speaks his mind and call you by "love" with his British accent?

Lotta

Meagan

Such a beautiful coming of age story. I could connect to this book and you just fell in love with the main characters. It's a story that happens to many young adults but it's new all at the same time. The way Carmack tells this story is refreshing and beautiful and I found it to be a delightful read.

Lisa ✩ @lifeinlit

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

Eek! Losing It, where have you been all my life?! After receiving both this and its companion story, Faking It, for review, and after a little push from my sister-in-law to make this our next "buddy book" to read together, I decided to jump in and see what everyone was raving about. At first glance I wasn't sure... but after only a few pages I just knew I would love this story.

Our fun-loving, yet reserved protagonist, Bliss, was a joy to read about. Her gorgeous barbie-doll-type BFF Kelsey was hilarious and quite the opposite of Bliss. Her neighbor/teacher/love interest, Garrick, was almost too good to be true, as clique as that is. He loved Shakespear, rode a motorcycle, AND had a British accent. Seriously?! Then there was Bliss' other BFF, Cade, who was a personal fave of mine. Though he had difficulty hiding his feelings, they were genuine and sincere... and 100% for Bliss. The poor guy was a love-sick puppy. Their friendship got quite rocky as it took a turn for the worse when Cade couldn't keep his feelings a secret anymore.

And as far as awesome characters go, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Hamlet... Bliss' fluffy friend (or better termed "enemy") who played a large part in the perma-grin I maintained through large sections of the story. She (Hamlet) just may be my favorite literary cat ever!

Among the hilarious and insanely awkward moments, you will find several loving and touching scenes as well. This was a story about love and friendship, about certain relationships turning into something more, and others dwindling down to almost nothing. Though the story did revolve around the idea of Bliss "losing it" before graduating from college, (the "it" being her virginity), it also carried with it a strong message about waiting for the right time and person, and not "losing it" meaninglessly. Though this was definitely for a maturer audience, this is a book I'm sure mothers would like to share with their daughters when the time is right. Respecting yourself is number one, and that is portrayed beautifully in this story.

New Adult fans everywhere have been raving about this since its release, and I can totally see why. I will be joining that bandwagon now. If you enjoy a fun, silly, romantic story like this, definitely give Losing It a chance. You will NOT be disappointed. :)

Thanks to Edelweiss and William Morrow Paperbacks for the review copy.

Lover of Romance &
Losing It by Cora Carmack

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Losing It by Cora Carmack