Review: Faking It by Cora Carmack

Title: Faking It (Losing It #2)
Author: Cora Carmack
Pages: 304 pages
Format acquired: Paperback
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Publication date: June 4th 2013
Source: Received from publisher (Thanks, Sarah!)
Buy the book: Amazon / Barnes and Noble



Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.

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.

(Image and summary taken from Goodreads.)

Review:

I am a HUGE Cora Carmack fan, like, seriously. My day isn't complete if I don't check her Twitter or Facebook page at least twice a day. Creepy, I know. I never said I wasn't... Enough about my obviousness creepiness though, let's get down to business. *hums the Mulan song* As I was saying, I love Cora Carmack. Her books are an equal mix of hilarious dialogue and awkwardly sweet romance. It's like her trademark, it's not a Cora Carmack book if it isn't laughter inducing or aww-worthy. And Faking It was both... x∞. I thought that I loved Losing It, but I was wrong. This is what love is (what I am feeling for Faking It.)

Looking at the cover of Faking It, you can already tell that it's a whole lot sexier than Losing It and you know that there's badassery right around the corner. All of these are true and are facts. So yes, there's a lot of steam and even a bit of action in this book but what I can guarantee you is, a whole lot of hilarity. You get a healthy dose of the Cora Carmack humor that will have you laughing like a nut. #Truth There's always something so authentic and not forced about the execution of the characters' quips and banter that makes it so funny. And it's not just your plain old humor, there's sarcastic humor, weird humor that no one really gets, humor-humor, funny humor, and a bunch of other humors that only Cora Carmack can tell you about. But don't you worry, child. Faking It isn't really a comedy, it's a romance first so you better watch out. (Parental guidance if advised but please, don't read this book beside your parents.)

Simple logic: Max + Max = BADASS 

That's a fact, children. But if you add Cade you the equation, you'd probably get a Sintax Error, no joke. Max is just the type of girl that good enough on her own, you know? That if you tried to add something foreign to the mix, it ends up getting confusing. (But don't worry, Cade does fit into the equation.) One really special thing about Max that differentiates her from other badass or broken female protags is not her ability to beguile you with her singing voice, but her super badass tattoo (how many times have I used "badass", not enough!) It's a tree, that's all I am saying. The thing with Max is that she has a leash around her neck placed by her parents. She depends on her parents for financial support because she wants to pursue her dream of rockstardom and all that leads to her chance encounter with Mr. Golden Boy, Cade (more on him later.) It's true that the only person who can release Max from the shackles binding her to her parents is Max, but she really can't. She needs them but she also doesn't want to need them. It's one of those unavoidable things people end up doing because they're desperate. I really felt sorry for Max as she was struggling to accept her fate. And the fact that Max's parents pressure her to be like her perfect older sister, who died btw (not a spoiler, don't worry.) It's all very saddening. Max carries a burden that no one understood... Until Cade.

I honestly didn't think that I'd love Cade this much. He wasn't anybody in Losing It aside from being Bliss's best friend who had more than platonic feelings for her... And I liked Garrick more than him. But now, I see the error of my ways. Cade is one of the most selfless and kind guys I have ever read about. He has this facade of being happy when he really isn't because he doesn't want to worry or alarm anyone, and he always puts others first. He's the perfect gentleman, someone who is respectful and polite... Not. While Cade might be those things, he has a dark and sexy side as well. Major score! He only shows his true self with Max which is just sooo sweet! They both have sides of each other that they're trying to hide from other people's eyes but are open to showing each other who they really are. And Cade definitely has a lot to show. All the pent up realness is enough to make him burst, I'm sure. I just love Cade. Like, love love loooove him. Wheeeee~! Oh, and wait till you read about Milo! That guy makes me LOL... awkwardly. LOL

I think the reason why I enjoyed this so much more than Losing It (which is saying a lot) is because the story is more raw and filled with tension. There's so much emotions flowing in the story that isn't just coming from Max and Cade's obvious sexual tension but from the other characters as well. Faking It was so much deeper than I expected it to be, it was so intense and it seriously left a dent in my heart. I laughed, cried and felt with characters. I was surprised by how invested I became with Max and Cade, I cheered for them and I wept for them, as well. This book will take you places.

And can I just share a quote from the book? It goes like this: "We should live like we smoke - inhale the present and exhale the past." It really struck me and I completely love it. It's something that you can learn to live by if you feel like you can't get over something that happened to you. Sometimes it's important to remember that it's the 'nows' that we have to think about and not the 'thens'.

Cora Carmack has outdone herself. Well played, cat lady, well played. I would be so flabbergasted if I enjoy Finding It more than Faking It because this book is... wow. That review up there, it's not even half of what I felt and what I'm feeling. There are just so many things left unsaid but trust me, this book is worth it. It's worth everything. *smooshes Cora Carmack* I can't wait for more!

Rating:

Also, here is a little drawing I did for Max and Cade. Hee!