Donnerstag, 12. Juni 2014

The Real Thing - Cassie Mae

Title: The Real Thing
Author:
Cassie Mae
Rating: 4/5

Thanks to NetGallery and Random House Publishing Group (Loveswept) for giving me a chance to read this before the official release.

Eric Matua has one friend—his best friend and childhood sweetheart, who needs a place to stay for the summer. Mia Johnson has thousands of friends—who live in her computer. Along with her email chats and Facebook notifications, Mia also devours romance novels, spending countless hours with fictional characters, dreaming of her own Romeo to sweep her off her feet. When she starts receiving supersweet messages from a stranger who thinks she’s someone else, Mia begins to believe that real love is possible outside her virtual world.

When the two friends become roommates, Mia finds herself falling harder than she ever thought she could. But Eric keeps his desires locked away, unsure of himself and his ability to give his best friend what she deserves in a boyfriend. As her advances are continually spurned, Mia splits her time between Eric and her computer. But she soon realizes she’s about to lose the only real thing she’s ever had.
Big hugs to April Flores who accepted my request on this one. I was so afraid I might not be allowed to read this book before the official publication date, and I think my lungs might have stopped working for a bit after I got the email. Thank you so much!

I told my future best author friend (short: BAFF) Cassie Mae I would write this review today. And yeah, I'm gonna be her BAFF along with Theresa Paolo, better believe it bitches. Haha, oh my. I should skip the gangster language.

However, I wish I could use gifs and pictures and even post the cover and all that stuff, but no can do. My internet hates me that much, yes. I wish I had my regular internet back. Companies should be more cooperative, I tell you.

First things first. I'll probably forget the second and third and fourth and so on... Whatever. I have to mention that I love the title The Real Thing. Why? Well, I am a huge Gwen Stefani fan (having a German website about her) and I just can't help but think of one of her songs, which is also called The Real Thing. I have no idea if Cassie Mae knows that song, yet the story in it is kind of similar to the book. Okay, actually it isn't. It's not about a computer addict and a guy who has to overcome his past relationship. It's a song about two lovers and ohhhh! You should definitely see the video she shooted for that song as footage for her Harajuku Lovers Tour. Fine, I'm spilling too much Gwen Stefani information here. I'm sorry. Or not. You'll never know. Give it a try - the song and the video. Please.

Back to Cassie Mae's work. I'm a fan of her work. Everything she writes comes out funny and light and yet the heros and heroines are mostly dealing with serious problems. And some are dealing with teenagers problems. The funny thing is, you can always relate to the characters. So, when I started The Real Thing I thought it was another light read by one of my favourite authors. It was... Not what I expected.

It was still flawless, let me tell you. But it was also so different from what Cassie Mae usually writes. It's more mature, the characters are older, there is no high school, there are no innocent crushes and there are (and holy cow, that's a happy dance worth) dirty and naughty thoughts. Take a breath, take a breath.

I think there never was a character that messed with my feelings as much as Emilia, wanting to hate her and feeling sorry for her within the blink of an eye. It's so weird. Well, I am weird, that explains it all. Whenever I read her picking up her phone and staring at the computer screen, I became really really mad. It's good when the reader developes some strong emotions, right? Yeah, I wanted to punch her and spit at her and whatever else I could have thought of. The fact that I couldn't hurt my poor eBook reader left my unsatisfied and I am so not a violent person. I may be surrounded by a lot (coming to think in what district of my city I'm living), but I'm not. I like to avoid confilicts at all cost. Emilia was an addicted and I think people underestimate the fact that looking at your cell phone all the time is an issue. Of course, I think the media intends to over-talk the whole thing and actually forces people right into that addiction. I think Cassie Mae delt well with Emilia's addition and I also think it was important she made Emilia see her own flaws, wanting to change them then.

Question: Is there a single male character in Cassie Mae's books that I don't fall in love with? There sure isn't. Each and every of her male characters are great. And how did she come up with such an unusual name too? I can't pronounce it or even write it. I'll call him Eric just like everyone else. In the beginning, you don't get to see his weak side. You get to see a boy that's in love with his best friend, acting like a typical twenty year old. And when you find out what's wrong with him, you'll find yourself asking if that's even possible. If strange things like that really happen, especially to boys. Another awesome idea of the author to choose this kind of issue for the hero in the story. It's so uncommon and yet so... I don't know. I'm running out of adjectives. It's different and great. I liked that a lot. By the way, is it okay if I just picture all of her male characters looking like Dylan O'Brien? I think they'd like that (and I can certainly say Cassie Mae is a hundred percent fine with that too, haha).

And though the book is more mature than her other books, Cassie Mae hasn't turned her back on funny comments and extra funny scenes. I'm glad for that because those things make her books hers. You know what I mean? It wouldn't be a Cassie Mae book without her humour.

I think that's it. Here is a long story short: I loved it and not just because I love Cassie Mae, but because the story was great, the writing was flawless as always and I wouldn't want to change a thing about the book, I think. Cassie Mae fans will love it. Please buy it. Please read it a hundred times and then some more. Please read it to your friends. Please read it to your family (book choose the members wisely, some scenes may not be so... family-reading-like). Adore Cassie Mae. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Make sure to read her other books.

Is that too much promotion? Not like I care, just wanted to make sure I support her enough. :)

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