Review: The Lost Boys - Lilian Carmine

The Lost Boys by Lilian Carmine, published by Ebury Press on 26th September 2013 

Goodreads synopsis:
Fate has brought them together. But will it also keep them apart? Having moved to a strange town, 17-year-old Joey Gray is feeling a little lost, until she meets a cute, mysterious boy near her new home. But there’s a very good reason why Tristan Halloway is always to be found roaming in the local graveyard.

Review:
Girls, ghosts and forbidden love.  All the ingredients for what should be a stellar read but which for me, didn't quite live up to my admittedly high expectations.  'The Lost Boys' was a Wattpad sensation for author Lilian Carmine and this book is the first in a trilogy featuring main character Joey and the handsome but ghostly Tristan. 

Described as being perfect for fans of Stephenie Meyer and Lauren Kate, I really wanted to love this title but it didn't sweep me off my feet as I was hoping it would.  It focuses on teenager Joey who at the start of the book meets Tristan in the graveyard near to her house.  I won't spoil you with what happens next except to say that the two share a very unusual bond which leads to them going off to attend boarding school together.  The latter half of the book centres on Joey's friendships with the other boys at the school, as well as her budding romance with Tristan. 

My main issue with this book is that I found some of the dialogue to be extremely stilted.  This could possibly be because the author is Brazilian.  It just didn't flow off the page particularly well, so I found it difficult to become fully immersed in the story or to care hugely about the characters. 

Although this title wasn't for me, there are millions of Wattpad readers that have fallen in love with Joey and her boys and would disagree with me, so I would suggest that if it piques your interest, you give it a try for yourself.  It will appeal to fans of paranormal romance and ghostly love affairs. 

Review: Losing It - Cora Carmack

Losing It by Cora Carmack, published by Ebury on 28th March 2013

Goodreads synopsis:
As far as Bliss Edwards can tell, she's the last virgin standing, certainly amongst her friends. And she's determined to deal with the 'problem' as quickly and simply as possible.

But her plan for a no-strings one night stand turns out to be anything but simple. Especially when she arrives for her first class and recognises her hot new British professor.

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

Review:
This is one of my favourite books of the year so far and a brilliant addition to the New Adult genre.  Sweet, funny and romantic, I was totally swept away by the story.  I'm planning a re-read very soon so that I can enjoy 'Losing It' all over again.

The plot centres around 22 year old Bliss Edwards who has decided that it's high time she stopped being a virgin and finally had sex.  She sets out to find an uncomplicated guy who she can do the deed with but on a night out with one of her best friends, she meets a handsome British guy in a bar who she has unbelievable chemistry with.  The only problem is that Garrick turns out to be Bliss's new theatre professor and that's where things start getting a whole lot more complicated than she bargained for. 

I've read a lot of New Adult books lately and quite often they deal with some pretty heavy themes.  I loved this book because it was just a feel-good read from start to finish.  Bliss gets herself into some quite unusual situations at times and it was funny watching her attempt to extricate herself from them.  She's not perfect and she sometimes makes the wrong decisions, but she is a hugely appealing character who I really loved.  As for Garrick, wow!  I defy you not to fall head over heels for him!  He has a sexy British accent, he reads Shakespeare, he says all the right things at the right time and he's quite in touch with his feelings.  He's my perfect guy!  I enjoyed seeing how the relationship between the two of them developed and I was rooting for them the whole way through. 

I liked the setting of the story too, which took place mainly at Bliss's college where she is a theatre major.  There were some interesting behind the scenes insights into the theatre world and I thought it was clever how some of the plays they were rehearsing mirrored what was happening with Bliss's own emotions.      

The ending could not have been more perfect and left me with a huge smile on my face and a fuzzy warm feeling inside. I couldn't have asked for more and I think it delivered everything that fans of the story would have been hoping for!  

'Losing It' is one of my top books of 2013 and is a 5 star read!  It has wonderful characters, a sizzling romance, a brilliant plot and so many memorable moments that it would be hard to pick a favourite.  I'm hugely impressed by the fact that this is Cora Carmack's debut novel, as I adored her easy writing style.  I'm so looking forward to reading her next book 'Faking It' which follows Bliss's friend Cade.  I will also be keeping my eyes open for literally anything else she writes in the future as I know already I'll want to read it.