Losing It - Cora Carmack

Pages: 255

Publisher: Ebury Press

Release Date: 28^th March 2013

Edition: UK paperback, review copy

Other Titles in this Series: Faking It, Keeping Her

Bliss Edwards is a virgin.

But her plan for a no-strings, one night stand turns out to be anything but simple. Especially the next day in class when she recognises her hot new professor.

She’d left him – naked in her bed – just 8 hours earlier...

I was initially quite hesitant about reading Losing It, but I ended up thoroughly enjoying it.

This has been pretty popular on my Twitter feed and on the blogs recently but I didn’t really have any desire to read it. I liked the idea of the student/teacher relationship in a college setting but my experiences with NA put me off. Then I had a few people whose recommendations haven’t let me down before tell me I’d like it so I took the plunge and accepted a review offer. I’m glad I did.

Losing It delivered on an element that I always lacking in NA that I think should be a major part of the genre; something that would definitely connect with me and draw me in – the jump into adulthood. Bliss and her friends are in their final semester of college and are facing decisions about their futures and their lives. It’s something I slaved over not too long ago; something that I’m still trying to figure out. I was glad that they were unsure and were struggling to make such decisions and come to terms with the end of being a child.

This sense of growing up was reflected in Bliss’ attitude to sex as well, I think. Being a virgin at twenty-two is unusual  nowadays, but I respected her choice to wait for the right person and I really didn’t like Kelsey, her best friend, for trying t push her into it. Small spoiler ahead so read if you dare: I was so, so glad that she decided against it for her own reasons. She didn’t want to have sex without love and I got that. She was uncomfortable and insecure about anything else and I respected her for that. She chose how to use her body and stood by that and if a girl chooses to go the other way, then good for her as well.

So there you have it. Only the second New Adult novel to strike a chord with me. I already have Keeping Her to read and I’m looking forward to more from Cora Carmack.

Thanks to Ebury/RHCP for the review copy!

Sophie

Book Quiz!

I have something a little different for you today: a YA book quiz!

Underneath, there are eight questions about anything to do with YA novels. Once you’ve answered the questions, send me an email at solittletimeforbooks@googlemail.com with your answers and the subject title ‘Book Quiz’. The first person to get the most questions right will win a little prize! I will stop counting emails sent after 5pm on Friday.

Please don’t Google/look up the answers – it’s just a little something for fun and the prize really will only be something small and fun.

Let the Games begin!

1. In Lucy Christopher’s Stolen, where does Ty take Gemma when he kidnaps her from the airport?

2. Name the six members of the Ace Gang (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson).

3. Why was How I Live Now’s Daisy sent from New York to England?

4. Where was Celaena rescued from at the beginning of Throne of Glass?

5. What are the two fictional towns used by Sarah Dessen in her books?

6. When is Ruta Sepetys’ latest, Out of the Easy, set?

7. What does Harry give Ron after he accidentally drinks poisoned meade in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?

8. What’s the name of Princess Mia’s cat? (The Princess Diaries)

Good luck! And remember, don't cheat!

Sophie

Untold - Sarah Rees Brennan

Pages: 367

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Release Date: 29^th August 2013

Edition: UK paperback, review copy

Other Titles by this Author: The Demon’s Lexicon, The Demon’s Covenant, The Demon’s Surrender, Unspoken

The link between Kami and Jared has been cut. But can their bond ever be truly broken?

On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. The Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways.

But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be?

Once again, Sarah Rees Brennan knocked it out of the park with Untold. I love Kami and Jared and Angela and Rusty and Sorry-in-the-Vale and EVERYTHING.

Unspoken was one of my favourite books last year so a lot was lying on this one. I was slightly worried that it would suffer from Middle Book Syndrome, but I was worrying needlessly. There were the fantastic characters that I fell in love with last year, a gorgeous and magical setting, an epic battle and bucket-loads of sexual tension. Perfection.

I have to admit that I wasn’t a fan of the burgeoning of the love triangle between Kami, Ash and Jared, though it was expected after the socking turn of events at the end of Unspoken. I did love that Kami didn’t mope after Jared, however; it’s just not in her nature. She squashed it down and went about her daily tasks of defeating evil, with some kissing on the side, obviously. And, oh, the kissing! As SRB promised, there was lots of it and the sexual tension was sky high, though I’m not telling you between whom...

Kami is a fierce and lovable heroine and I want to be her best friend. Quick wit, a nose for danger and loyal to a fault; I’d definitely like her fighting in my court. I just really, really love her and I can’t even seem to put into words why exactly that is. She’s such a strong main character and I think she’s the kind of girl that girls should see as a role model. I guess you’ll just have to read it and see what I mean for yourself.

In conclusion, Untold is excellent and I need book three, Unbroken, I believe. Seriously, go and get Unspoken and Untold now.

Thanks to S&S for sending me a review copy.

Sophie

Out and About: Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens

 

 

What: Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens

Where: The Lounge, Leicester Square Theatre

When: 7:30pm, 16^th August

Ticket price: £22

What on earth is it about?

At Saucy Jack’s, the stiletto serial killer has struck again. In the midst of aspiring musicians singing their hearts out in an attempt to get noticed and off the planet, the Space Vixens are called in to investigate. They believe in justice, glitter and the power of disco and the killer will not get away with his crimes any longer.

Opening Act: The Martini Encounter – a trio of singers and ukuleles. They were hilarious and really talented; definitely a brilliant warm to warm up the audience for the humour, sass and sexual innuendos of Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens.

The Show

I really didn't know what to expect from Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens. I hadn’t even heard of it until my friend demanded I accompany her to see it in London the follow Friday night. Now I love a good West End show so I was completely up for it. I am so glad I agreed to go as apparently it’s something of a cult classic and now I know why.

The Lounge is absolutely tiny; nestled in the basement of the Lesicester Square Theatre, there is a small stage, one man bar and around fifty/sixty seats (just a guess at that, but there weren’t too many!). It atmosphere was electric, loud and infectious. Jess and I sat in the second row just to the side as we got there at the very last minute – damn trains! – and the opening act started shortly after we’d settled ourselves with a drink. As I said above, they were fantastic and I was sad to learn that the opening act were being cut as the others that they rotated with weren’t quite making the grade.

The show soon launched into everything camp, glitter and innuendos and the costumes were reflected that perfectly. Full of space-grunge, space opera and copious levels of sparkle, I loved them. Each one captured the characters perfectly.

For some reason I wasn’t expecting the voices of the cast to be as spectacular as if they were in a bigger theatre. That was stupid. They all had fantastic voices, but I was particularly blown away by those of Saucy Jack (played by Ralph Bogard) and Jubilee Climax (played by Jamie Birkett). When Saucy Jack came on for his big number, ‘Tortured Plaything’, me and Jess gaped at each other; amazing. Jubilee had lots of shining moments as one of the Space Vixens and she got better and better as the show went on. As well as the fantastic voices, the lyrics were hilarious. Just as full of ridiculous lines, puns, the ever present innuendos and a great addition to the character and story.

As you can tell, I pretty much loved Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens and the actors involved. Then in the interval I loved it even more. Towards the end of the break, the actors came back out onto the stage while the audience milled around, chatted and got some drinks. They carried on in character, quietly in the background, talking amongst themselves about something that had happened at the end of the first act. It was something I’d never seen it before and those people pre-occupied with procuring alcohol had no idea what was going on! Brilliant.

Afterwards

I was really lucky to get to have drinks in the pub with three members of the cast (Saucy Jack, Sammy and Dr Whackoff) and the producer/director, Stuart Saint, as Jess knew Nigel who played Sammy. It was so nice to get a behind the scenes glimpse into the world of West End theatre. The politics, issues and pressure of everything that wouldn’t even cross the mind of an audience member was fascinating. It was a great end to the evening!

Verdict: 10/10

It was absolutely fantastic and I’d recommend it to everyone with a sense of humour, a love for disco and in need of an evening full of fun.

The run ends on September 15^th so make sure you get your tickets now!

Website|Twitter|Facebook

I was not asked by anyone in the show, promoting the show or involved in it in any way to write about it. I just wanted to share something that I loved!

Photo credit: taken by Georgie Gillard and found on the Leicester Square Theatre Facebook page.

Sophie