Showing posts with label J. K. Rock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label J. K. Rock. Show all posts

ARC Review: Camp Payback by J. K. Rock

Title: Camp Payback (Camp Boyfriend #2)
Author(s): J. K. Rock
Publication: April 29th 2014 by Spencer Hill Press
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the kind publisher..


Alex has big plans for camp this year, starting with making it the best summer ever. Having fun and breaking some rules will get her the payback she wants against her parents and her ex-boyfriend. Because of his disgusting texts, she's headed to a super strict all-girls school in the fall. Then she meets Javier and revenge doesn't seem nearly as important as getting to know the troubled loner determined to keep a low profile at camp. But Alex's trouble-magnet personality and Javier's need to stay in the background don't mix nearly as well as their irresistible chemistry. With her home life eroding under her feet and her last year of summer camp speeding to a close, Alex wants to make her mark on the world and squeeze every bit of fun out of her time with Javier. Too bad her old plans for revenge turn back on her just in time to ruin everything. Will she lose Javier too?


-- My Rating --
4/5 Oscars: Really liked it.

-- My Thoughts --

     I loved getting back into the lives of these characters in a companion novel to the amazing and sweet Camp Boyfriend (my review here).
     Alexandra is tired of listening to her parents and trying and trying (but failing) to be the wholesome kid that they want. So, she is thrilled to be going back to her friends this summer at Camp Juniper Point. But what she doesn't expect is the new chief's assistant; the troubled, hot-as-sin boy, Javier. And she definitely doesn't expect sparks to fly between them after a surprise encounter.
     Okay, so I was quite surprised to know that the second book  would be about Alex, Lauren's best friend. But it was probable from the beginning since we don't get much of a background about Alex in the first book. There is the whole idea that her parents are bloggers and that really made love the story even more. Her parents are the strict kinds and they blog about everything rebellious that their daughter does and every good thing that her perfect older brother does.
     When this story starts, all Alex wants is revenge on her ex-boyfriend and a chance to rebel without her parents' continuous hold on her life. You end up not liking her at first. She is a lot different from the quite attitude of Lauren. Alex is talkative, big-mouthed, but open-hearted and sincere. You end up loving her as the story progresses and she definitely goes through a lot of changes over the course of the book.
     I love that J.K.Rock's books are not just about one fixed story-line, but they revolve around a lot of issues. There is the issue of divorced parents, sex, revenge, and the ignorance of privacy. The authors never fails to entertain me with her valuable lessons learned throughout their books. And it is quite surprising to know that they are two authors collaborating on this book. J. and K. (Rock is the family name). I am always a fan of authors writing together, and it seems that I have been reading a lot of collaborated works lately, but J. K. Rock's work is seamless.

     I loved the ending and how everything turned out. not to many loose ends and not everything resolved out. I wouldn't want to change a thing, and I am definitely waiting to see if the authors are writing another companion novel, because i am definitely reading it.

ARC Review: Camp Boyfriend by J. K. Rock

Title: Camp Boyfriend (Camp Boyfriend #1)
Author: J. K. Rock
Publication: July 2nd 2013 by Spencer Hill Contemporary
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the kind publisher


The summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.

They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all, her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.

But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?



-- My Rating --
4/5 Oscars: Really liked it

-- My Thoughts --

     I read this book a while ago but never got around to reviewing it. Then, I got the second companion novel to this one, so I decided to finally jot down my thoughts.
     Lauren transferred from her old school to a new one. but she also changed from the geeky girl to the beautiful, most popular girl at school. But deep inside, she is the same old Lauren and she wants nothing more than going back to Camp Juniper Point and to her old friends and to her secret camp boyfriend, Seth. But there is also Matt, her boyfriend in her new school, whom she always thought was a dump jock, but has feelings deeper than she could imagine.
     When I dived into this book, I expected one of those cute, happy-feel contemporary novels with no deep subject. But I was dead wrong. This is a contemporary novel about love, about finding your true self, about being kind and good to other people. It delivers tons of powerful messages and I could not have been happier with the outcome.
     I loved the main characters. They are almost-stereotypical. But then, when the story progresses, you get to see that this wasn't the author's main point. She developed a whole bunch of three-dimensional supporting cast of characters. Lauren is a brave, kind, although confused girl. She acts like a teenager, and it feels real. But the ones who really added to the story are Seth and Matt. I absolutely adored Matt and how much he cared for Lauren but didn't know how to show her. This book wouldn't have been the same without him.
     The plot revolves around a lot of different subjects and that has really added to the story. There is friendship, family, finding yourself, and love. I really wouldn't want to change anything about this book. It was a wonderful experience and I am so happy to be able to read the second companion books, Camp Payback!