This is our monthly book of the month chat, which Kenya and I (Alicia) do with D.T. Dyllin (also known as Dara) and Megan D. Martin. For the month of June, Dara decided that we should read
The Opportunist, by Tarryn Fisher. Enjoy! And try not to think less of us afterward.
THE OPPORTUNIST
by Tarryn Fisher
Olivia Kaspen is a sharp tongued manipulator used to always getting what she wants. With just one exception-Caleb Drake, the one she foolishly let slip away. After a chance encounter brings Caleb back into her life, Olivia finds herself wanting a second chance with her first love, and asking herself how far she is willing to go to get him back. Her only problem is a red head named Leah, Caleb's new love. Olivia must fight for what was once hers, and in the process discover that sometimes love falls short of redemption.
Dara: Okay are we ready to chat about the BOTM or what??
Kenya: :-)
Alicia: Yep. You get to lead the discussion!
Kenya: *sigh
Dara: Alright, you guys asked for it. Buahahaha!
Kenya: I was going to masturbate to Bukkake but I guess I can do this.
Megan: Wait I'm trying to get in to my kindle quotes. I marked ones I liked.
Alicia: Oh, I have no quotes. I like the part where it ended.
Kenya: I think I found a few in the sludge of trash!!
Dara: Okay...so I'll start out by letting everyone know that June's Book of the Month was my pick and it was The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher.
Kenya: VaginaPunk writers are always focused on our craft.
Megan: Where do you go for that.... I don't even remember how to access them.
Alicia: Shush, Kenya. Grown folks are talking.
Dara: Focus people!!! Grrr!
Alicia: Well, grown folks and Dara.
Kenya: Yes, ma'm.
Megan: Okay okay sorrrry.
Dara: Sooo...anywho... What did you guys think about Olivia & Caleb?
Alicia: They both sucked as people.
Megan: They were both fucked up. I loved them.
Alicia: They were manipulative when all they needed to do was be honest.
Dara: LOL! I think their flaws are what made the story so interesting.
Alicia: And their backstories didn't support their behavior.
Megan: Yes honesty would have saved them years of heartache.
Alicia: Which is why I couldn't sympathize.
Kenya: At first I was intrigued by Olivia. Granted she was so utterly depressing but I was okay with it, until the dreaded flashbacks began. :-(
Dara: What about their back stories did you find to not support the story, Alicia?
Alicia: So Olivia had a tough time with a cheating drunk father. Understandably it would be difficult for her to get close to men after that. However, this doesn't explain all of her manipulations and lies. I just didn't feel like the backstory was fleshed out enough to make her complete and total bitchiness sympathetic.
Dara: I think Olivia's past
does explain her behavior. Here's why...
Alicia: She wasn't protecting herself. She was manipulating to get what she wanted, because her needs came above everything else.
Dara: We all agree she had Daddy issues... and well she was her own worst enemy.
Alicia: Yes, agreed.
Dara: She didn't want to want Caleb, so she pushed him away.
Alicia: Yeah, and that part I get.
Dara: But then she wanted him so she did whatever she could to get him back. Lie, cheat etc...
Megan: She definitely didn't want to want him, but she didn’t want to share him.
Kenya: If there were no flashbacks I would have probably liked the story so much more.
Alicia: ‘Cause she was a lying, manipulative, selfish bi-yatch.
Dara: I don't sympathize with her. I don't like her, but I understand her character. There's a difference.
Kenya: :-o @ Alicia
Alicia: We're not talking about the awful flashbacks yet, Kenya! Stay on point!
Kenya: Fine.
Megan: She did try to be honest...but he wouldn't let her because he was also lying...which didn't bother me.
Alicia: Oh please. She never tried! And he never tried! They just told themselves they did.
Megan: I liked the dynamic that he had been lying all along. I really didn't expect it.
Kenya: I'm more impressed with the fact that Dara can read books with fucked up heroines, hate them, and continue reading. I have to like her.
I thought it made him lamer, Megan.
Dara: I like fucked up characters because they're realistic.
Alicia: By the end of the book, I didn't care about either of them.
What?! Realistic?
Dara: I'm tired of authors always writing characters that everyone will like.
Megan: When the book ended, I felt like a crack addict. I needed to know more.
Dara: Make me want to read the story and I will regardless of the characters.
Alicia: Realistic? Are you kidding me? Nice, sympathetic people are realistic too. That's a lame excuse!
Megan: Yes, I liked that they were so unlikable. I didn't want to like them, but I couldn't help it.
Dara: Yes, sympathetic people are realistic, but I get tired of reading about them all the time. :p
Alicia: So much romance now is like a contest for the Whose Protagonist Can Be the Biggest Ass award. And Olivia and Caleb are both in the running for this prize. I get tired of reading about manipulative jerks.
Dara: @ Alicia Buahahaha!
Alicia: Who are these people? And why don't they get punched in the face more often? (not that I condone punching people in the face)
Megan: LOL
Dara: Okay...lets talk about the flashbacks to make Kenya happy.
Kenya: lol
Dara: I personally liked the flashbacks.
Kenya: VAGINAPUNK!
Alicia: Oh gods.
Megan: Lord.
Kenya: So yeah. One flashback is cool.
Alicia: Decide where your story starts, and start it there. If half of your book is flashbacks, maybe you are telling the wrong story.
Kenya: But I didn't enjoy following how they got together, and all the other crap that came with it.
Dara: Well how do you feel about punching people in the face now, Alicia? *thinks of Kenya*
Alicia: If you want to tell the backstory, then make that your book.
Kenya: Yes @Alicia
Megan: I liked the flashbacks as well. It became clear that flashbacks are very much her writing style.
Kenya: It should have started at the beginning. *is no longer Megan's friend.
Megan: I felt like they flowed well with the way the story played out. *wahhhh
Alicia: So we're just going excuse this ADHD because it's her "writing style"?
Dara: I agree with Megan. I
loved this book.
Kenya: Urine flows. That doesn't mean it is great entertainment
Megan: Yes, the next book is even better you guys… seriously
Alicia: You know what? I am going to put two adverbs in each sentence of my next book. And all of you will love it, because maybe it's my gods-damned writing style!
Lmao@ Kenya & urine
Dara: Maybe I would love it Alicia. Buahahah!
Megan: Urine can be entertaining
Kenya: lol
Alicia: Oh gods.
Dara: Why don't you try it and see? :p
Kenya: :-o
Alicia: You're hopeless. Why do I even try? *hangs head*
Megan: LOL
Dara: I really don't know. Lol! Anywho... Okay thoughts on Leah?
Megan: I dislike her.
Alicia: Leah was the only semi-reasonable character in the book. She was manipulative too, but logically so. She was explainable.
Megan: But she is definitely a complex character.
Dara: I just wanted to smash Leah's face in. Just sayin'.
Alicia: She's practically engaged to this dude, who one day wakes up and doesn't remember her, so she acts possessive and bitchy. I get that. I felt sorry for her. But I liked her as a character.
Dara: Leah knew he was in love with someone else from the get go.
Alicia: Where the heck is Kenya?
Kenya: I had to pee. Wtf?
Megan: Yes, under those pretenses, I agree. But after reading Dirty Red, I don't.
See urine is fun!
Dara: She's having a VaginaPunk rally somewhere.
Alicia: See, this is how interesting this book is to Kenya.
Megan: LOL @ Dara
Kenya: lmao
Alicia: We're not talking about Dirty Red right now. That’s a different book. x-(
Kenya: Leah was the only redeemable character!
Alicia: Exactly. Thank you, Kenya.
Dara: Leah was pathetic.
Megan: Sometimes you just have to know when to let go. Leah is an idiot who couldn't figure that out.
Alicia: Woah! What did you just say?!
Dara: Exactly, Megan!
Kenya: Reading this was like participating in a bukkake scene. It's supposed to be sexy, but in the end, loads of sperm clings to your face.
Alicia: I mean, ‘cause yeah, Olivia and Caleb
totally knew when to let go. Smdh.
Oh my God, Kenya.
Kenya: (That metaphor seemed relevant at the time.)
Megan: They were meant to be together. It was letting go in a different sense. Leah was hanging on to something she never had to begin with.
Dara: But they loved each other... Leah loved Caleb, but he loved Olivia. Let it go girl.
Megan: LOL Kenya!!!! hahaha
Dara: Again... I agree with Megan.
Alicia: 'Cause love conquers all? (Imagine sarcasm dripping from this question.)
Megan: I agree, Dara!
Dara: Yes, actually love does concur all. :p
Megan: In most cases...it should! This is romance!
Alicia: You know what conquers all? When both people are not manipulative jerks.
Megan: LOL
Alicia: The only sense in which these two people were meant to be with each other is to stop them from ruining anyone else's life.
Dara: See they're both manipulative jerks. They fit together perfectly. :D
Alicia: They should both go away on an island and hide from the rest of the world.
Megan: Hahaha! I would go away with Caleb any day. As long as Olivia wasn't invited.
Alicia: Only they'd tell so many lies and hate each other, so they'd end up on opposite sides of the island...and the world would be better for it.
Dara: As long as they go to that island together then I'll be happy. ;)
Kenya: :-/
Megan: LOL @ Alicia
Dara: Oh Megan, don't turn into Leah 2.0. lol
Alicia: Okay. *breathes deeply* Woo-sah. I’m calm now.
Megan: bahahaha
Dara: Any additional thoughts or points before you all give ratings?
Kenya: Nope. Not besides…
Alicia: I don't want to get worked up again.
Kenya: Vagina punk.
Alicia: Oh gods. You are so fired from the next chat.
Megan: This book made me feel like an addict. Can't wait for Thief to come out.
Alicia: An addict? You mean, as in, you needed to be cured?
Dara: I'm going to bitch slap the vagina punk out of Kenya. You heard it here first folks. ;)
Megan: As in I needed MORE, Alicia... MORE!
Alicia: I feel sorry for you.
Dara: I can't wait for book three!
Alicia: Rehab is waiting.
Megan: LOL
Dara: I won't go to rehab, no, no, no...Say it with me, Megan!
Megan: No no no!
Kenya: lol
Alicia: I have to pee. Can we give ratings already?
Kenya: Party pooper.
Alicia: Well you already peed. So shush.
Dara: Yeeeesss... Ratings please.
Alicia: 1.5 stars. It got an extra 0.5 for an ending I could appreciate. Otherwise it would have been only 1 star.
Kenya: 1 star. She gets it for writing the book and having the determination to complete it.
Megan: I would give this book more than 5 stars if I could.
Dara: If I rated books publicly, I would give it 5+ stars.
Kenya: I would slap you if I could @Megan. Clearly you both are sickos!!
Megan: Hahahahaha please do @ Kenya.
Megan: Dara and I have good taste. That's all.
Alicia: I just lost all respect for you two, M & D.
Wait, wait. No I didn't. It's the same respect as it was before. :P
Megan: LOL
Dara: Well it goes to show how one book can get such different reactions from people.
Megan: Lol thanks, Alicia. Yes. Definitely, Dara!
Alicia: Okay, time for peeing. I'm out!
Dara: Alright have fun! Buahaha!
Megan: LOL! Bye, ladies!
Dara: Bye!
Kenya: :-)
