(Knowing Jack Blog Tour) Review + Giveaway

Thanks for stopping by my little stop in the Knowing Jack Blog Tour hosted by Julie of AToMR Blog Tours. Be sure to go over the post because a giveaway awaits you below.

Knowing Jack

by Rachel Curtis

Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Release Date: January 17, 2014

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Author's Website

SYNOPSIS

I am not a slut, although I’ve been called one often enough. Yeah, I spent three months screwing one of my college professors, but I was crazy about the guy. Then he broke up with me.

I am not a bitch, although people like to say I am. I kept our relationship secret. I’m not responsible for telling the university administrators about it, but a lot of students still blame me for getting their favorite professor fired.

I am not a drama queen, although everyone thinks I am now. When I got a few nasty messages, I just deleted them. When I got the threat, I assumed it was someone being stupid. I still think that’s all it was. My parents worry, though, so they hired me a bodyguard. Now Jack follows me around, intimidating everyone who approaches me and looking obnoxiously hot.

This is what I am. I’m Chloe. I’m a twenty-year-old art history major. Kind of shy, although I pretend not to be. Stubborn enough to stay here for my senior year, even though everyone hates me.

And I’m stuck with Jack.

He calls me “Princess,” but I’m not a princess either.

REVIEW

I was really intrigued upon reading Knowing Jack's synopsis thus I signed up for the book tour. Why? Because she fell for her professor and that's very... weird? It was weird as it was intriguing because I've been a fan of forbidden relationships since Twilight and Forbidden and I just can't seem to get enough of forbidden-ness.

Plot: Knowing Jack's plot is good enough, although not that much polished. I'm glad they met on the first few chapters because it's crucial—It makes the reader decide to read and finish the book or to not read it at all. The plot twists were very.. How do you say this...? Predictable? It's as though they weren't plot twists at all. Or they were just so common that I have read other books with plot twists same as the ones in this book. 

Jack: I really liked the interluding chapters written in Jack's POV because it gives me a break in reading from a bratty, bullied girl's POV. Jack's evolution all throughout the book was extraordinary. From the control freak, he went to being outrageous and loving and brave. I love how he reacts when he's Chloe. They have chemistry that makes me want to read and read and read.

Chloe: To be honest, Chloe and I didn't go off to a good start. She was like a drama queen borrowed from Mean Girls. But toward the end of the novel, she became a slightly likeable character. She decided to suck it all up and face the world. Good girl, Chloe.

To sum up, Knowing Jack was a really good read because it's a breath of fresh air. I've never seen a book where a student falls in love with her professor. AND THE ENDING, GAAAAH. I WANT MORE. MORE.

RATING

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel is a writer, a teacher, a romance reader, and a dog-mom. She loves animals and art and hot men with soft hearts under a tough exterior. She tries to write love stories that feel real, even in unlikely circumstances.

Rachel elsewhere: Website | Facebook

Swoon-worthy: Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry #1) by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry #1)

by Simone Elkeles

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Release Date: December 23, 2008

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers

Source: Bought/Own Copy

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Author's Blog

SYNOPSIS

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. 

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

REVIEW

Oh, why did I just read this now? This book was beyond what I expected! Okay, the story maybe a bit cliche, but the way it was written. Elkeles did a GREAT job writing the story! Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down! What can I say? I was so engrossed with the story that I was so annoyed when I was asked to put the book down.

“We're actors in our lives, pretendin' to be who we want people to think we are.” 

First, we meet Brittany. She is a girl living the perfect life the north side of town, but in reality, she has her fair share of problems. At home, she is the one who takes care of her sister, Shelley, who has cerebral palsy, because her mother won't and her father is rarely at home. Alongside that, she also struggles keeping up her perfect image. Okay, enough about that! I like Brittany's character. A lot. From the beginning, I already felt connected to her. I felt her pain for being her parents' barbie doll, her struggle as she tries to make a stand for herself, and her anger towards her parents for using her sister against her. As you see, her life isn't really that perfect at all. She hides behind this false facade to make her parents and friends but as the story progress, we see this facade of her fall. We see her develop into a girl who hardly gives a crap about what people say about her.

And then there's Alex Fuentes, the town's bad boy who lives in the south side of town. He's a hot latino. He's very protective of his family after what happened to his dad who got killed because of a drug deal. Just like Brittany, he also hides behind this false facade of his. Despite the fact that he's in a gang, he's a really nice and intelligent guy. In fact, he doesn't really want to be part of the Latino Blood. He wants to leave the gang and study college, but he knows he can't because of its consequences.

“I'm losing control."

"Mamacita, I've already lost it."

There's no denying there's chemistry between those two. As cliche as it may be, they actually have this love-hate relationship. It was so cute watching them exchange banters. But of course, there's this something preventing them from dating each other. They can't date each other because they live in different sides of the town. If they date each other, Brittany would be judged not only by her friends, but also by her family. The question is will she risk losing her perfect reputation to have Alex by her side? You'll have to read the book to know the answer! *wink*

Basically, I highly recommend this book! The story and characters were greatly written. The plot maybe cliche, but it's really worth reading. I'm definitely looking forward to reading Carlos's book, Rules of Attraction!

REVIEW

Heart touching: The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

The Sky is Everywhere

by Jandy Nelson

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Release Date: March 22, 2011

Publisher: Speak

Source: Bought/Own Copy

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Author's Blog

SYNOPSIS

Lennie plays second clarinet in the school orchestra and has always happily been second fiddle to her charismatic older sister, Bailey. Then Bailey dies suddenly, and Lennie is left at sea without her anchor. Overcome by emotion, Lennie soon finds herself torn between two boys: Bailey's boyfriend, Toby, and Joe, the charming and musically gifted new boy in town. While Toby can't see her without seeing Bailey and Joe sees her only for herself, each offers Lennie something she desperately needs. But ultimately, it's up to Lennie to find her own way toward what she really needs-without Bailey. A remarkable debut novel perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block.

REVIEW

The Sky is Everywhere tells a beautiful story about moving on and finding one’s true self. Lennie used to live behind her sister’s shadows, never making decisions on her own. That’s until her sister suddenly died. Now that her sister’s gone, Lennie is forced to take the spotlight and lead her own life. Along the way, not only does she struggle to cope up with her sister’s death, but also between two boys—one who makes her remember and the other one who makes her forget.

This book. How do I even? I didn't really expect this book to have such a huge impact on me because it’s suggested for fans of Sarah Dessen, and, clearly, I’m not a huge fan of hers. I read this book last month, but I still remember every single bit of it. I read it in just one day. Actually, I read a few pages before that, but I stopped reading it for reasons I can’t seem to remember.  A few days after that did I only read the book for real and damn, I couldn't put it down.

Lennie Walker.  I absolutely loved Lennie’s character. She’s named after the famous John Lennon. She plays the clarinet and she’s also a bookworm and a band geek. She and her sister, Bailey, were very close, so it was really hard for her to live without her sister alongside her. Throughout the book, she struggled and made some bad decisions Yes, it made me want to knock some sense to her, but I didn't do it, not because she’s fictional, but because I understood her.

Toby Shaw. a.k.a. Bailey’s boyfriend who Lennie kissed or who kissed Lennie. Either way, they kissed. Honestly, I thought he was a jerk base from the synopsis because why would you share a kiss with the sister of your dead ex-girlfriend? But when he appeared in the book, my opinion of him turned 360.  He’s a nice guy, seriously. You’ll see why he did it once you read the book.

Joe Fontaine. If I loved Lennie, well, I loved loved Joe Fontaine. What can I say? I was instantly drawn to him from the beginning.  How can I not? He’s a musical genius who just got back from France. He’s a very enthusiastic person. He has long eyelashes. Bat. Bat. Bat. For Lennie, he’s like a breath of fresh air because unlike Toby, he makes her forget about her sorrows and grieves. In short, he’s the perfect book-friend.

If you're looking for a powerful read, then I highly suggest you read The Sky is Everywhere. It's the kind of story that leaves a mark on you whether you like it or not.

                                                                                                                 

RATING

Funny yet realistic: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl

by Rainbow Rowell

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Release Date: September 10, 2013

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Source: Bought/Own Copy

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Author's Website

Synopsis:   

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this
Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

___________________________________________________

Review: 

You know there are some books that once you see the title, you already know it’s a must-read. Well, I consider Fangirl as one of those books. Why? Because, if you don’t know yet, I am a fangirl, and if there’s a book out there that I sure can relate to, I’m sure it would be this book.

And it surely was. 

Cath is what most people call a fangirl. She loves The Simon Snow series to death. She has read it, watched it, collected things about it, and she even writes about it in this page called Fanfixx. And for her, being with her dad and sister, Wren, is enough. Then the unexpected happened. Wren decided that they’ll have to go meet other people, leaving Cath clueless on what to do....

“Look at you. You've got your shit together, you're not scared of anything. I'm scared of everything. And I'm crazy. Like maybe you think I'm a little crazy, but I only ever let people see the tip of my crazy iceberg. Underneath this veneer of slightly crazy and mildly socially retarded, I'm a complete disaster.”

Cath’s probably one of the most relatable characters ever. I knew from the beginning that she would be easy to relate, but I never expected it to be that easy. I must admit, she was a bit of an awkward character at first, but as the story progressed, I started liking her more and more. It was as if she grew on me. She can be very funny and geeky at the same time. There were times when she was stubborn, but,  surprisingly, I didn't find her annoying at all. With the help of her clever tongue and witty mind, I found myself enjoying the story more. 

On the other hand, there is Levi. Oh sweet Levi! I abso-freaking-lutely loved everything about Levi. I loved him from beginning until the end. I want to praise Rainbow Rowell for making Levi nothing like those usual contemporary guys–6 pack abs, oozes sex, etc. He is perfectly flawed to the point it made him perfect. He's the exact opposite of Cath, because, unlike her, Levi is outgoing, friendly and very optimistic. It is very impossible not to fall for him, considering the fact that he's like a ball of sunshine, always there to light you up. 

“You’re never going to find a guy who’s exactly like you—first of all, because that guy never leaves his dorm room.…”

Though Cath and Levi may be very different, they fit each other like it’s the most natural thing in the world. They were just so delightful to watch together! Don’t get me wrong, their relationship wasn’t insta-love. They started out as friends which slowly evolved into something more. To be honest, I actually had no idea that Levi will be Cath’s romantic interest, probably because of Cath’s relationship with Nick, her writing partner. I thought they were just going to be friends, but as Cath and Levi started spending more time together, I slowly realized that Cath has more chemistry with Levi than with Nick. I loved the way Levi handled Cath throughout their relationship, he annoyed Cath at times, but I'm pretty sure Cath enjoyed it. I also loved how their first kiss happened which is one of the most adorable moments in this book. It wasn't cheesy like how most kisses happens in contemporary books—it had just the right amount of sweetness. And when they started seeing each other—oh my Levi-Cath shipping heart—they were like bunnies with Cath always sitting on Levi’s lap. I swear! No human being is capable of not getting smitten by their relationship.

Just like any other book, Fangirl also has its flaws. I feel like the ending could have been better. I expected more from it, but, sadly, it lacks. Nonetheless,  I still think Fangirl is a must-read. It's humor-packed, yet realistic. It made me smiles in many ways, though it also made me cry because of the reality hidden within it. The characters Rainbow Rowell written were perfect for this type of story, and with the help of her writing style, this book is a page-turner.

Rating:

Thrilling and Passionate: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Just One Day

by Gayle Forman

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Release Date: January 8, 2012

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Source: Bought/Own Copy

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Author's Website

Synopsis:   

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

___________________________________________________ Review:

“We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day.”

A daydreaming bibliophile or an aspiring fanfiction writer will often develop a kind of obsession over  a book—that kind of time-consuming obsession that you wish it were your work. To be in that position, I assure you, is not an uncommon reverie. For me, if asked, that certain book would definitely be this one. Because who's idea was it to cram Shakespeare, Paris, a hot guy, and Macarons in less than 300 pages? Me, most probably, but Gayle beat me to it!

Isn't it ironic how easily hard-built walls come down in a span of just one day? How, by one action, we can make or break our entire future? How, in one day, you can both lose and find yourself, coming back a changed person? If you say otherwise, then you would have to read this book, because remember, anything, and I mean anything, can happen in just a day.

The general proclamation echoed all over Paris is it's the city of love. Well, in this story, it truly is, and it isn't.

Allyson is almost to the end of her graduation present, a three week trip touring Europe, which is supposedly the best trip of her life. Or so she'd thought. She's spent the time traveling all of Europe, and now is in London for their last stop. In a fortunate twist of events, she meets Dutch actor Willem and they embark on an unforgettable journey. Under normal circumstances, Allyson would never, ever do such thing, but the past weeks have been a total let-down, and she's ready to take the first risk she's taken in weeks—take Paris, hand in hand with a total stranger.

Perhaps there is one introductory thing I should impart to you right away; I absolutely love the works of the wonderful Gayle Forman. Her past books, If I Stay and Where She Went, were absolutely stunning—both in style and pacing. That being said, I expected nothing less from her, and nothing less was what I got. A thing I love about Gayle is that she can make you feel as though you're wearing the shoes of the character, making you feel what they're feeling as if you've felt that way before (even if you haven't). This is the perfect coming of age novel for those who are in the midst of finding their selves, because their day spent in Paris proved to be a summary of life: unforeseen and continually altering.

Admittedly, the last time I felt such love for a character was when I read Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. Both female protagonists were fragile, and witty. It was really an enjoyable experience, reading from her perspective. She made me laugh at times when she was jealous of girls talking to Willem although having only known him for a day. I am definitely in awe of her character and her growth throughout the novel. From who was left broken from her past experiences, she sure recovered smoothly and became up and running in a period of time, albeit a long one.

Delightful and often times sharp-witted, Willem's character sure attracted many eyes of women both mine and my mom's age. He's the perfect amateur actor who thinks of himself less than what he really is, and that kind of humility is what's hard to find in men nowadays. Although he had his way with women before, Allyson sure changed him for the better. I loved his metaphor with stains because I  totally agree with him. Stains, according to him, cannot be removed.

This is where the beauty of it all lies; everything happening in just one day. The details, the moments of sweetness, and the way Willem sees Allyson's imperfections as perfect. I totally admire the concept of falling in love, finding, and losing yourself all in one day because if she didn't cram it all in 24 hours, the story would have been long and excruciating to read. Call me rude, but I actually would like to experience that than to die and not experience them at all.

Just One Day will make you swoon, cry, laugh hysterically, and cuss. It'll make you feel like you've just had the most expensive gadget in the world, only to have it snatched the second you take it outside of the store. It is the perfect coming of age novel complete with swoon-worthy characters and events that'll make your heart flutter, scream, and break into smithereens. Just One Year will take you on a roller coaster you'll surely enjoy. And with it's ending, you'll be craving for the new book in no time!

Rating: