Blog Tour: Knee Deep by Jolene Perry

Hello everyone! On the blog today is the blog tour stop of Knee Deep by Jolene Perry. Another amazing contemporary by the fabulous Jolene! I have already read this book, and let me summarize my feelings for it: LOVE. 

 

Jolene grew up in Wasilla, Alaska. She graduated from Southern Utah University with a degree in political science and French, which she used to teach math to middle schoolers.

After living in Washington, Utah and Las Vegas, she now resides in Alaska with her husband, and two children. Aside from writing, Jolene sews, plays the guitar, sings when forced, and spends as much time outside as possible.

She is also the author of The Next Door Boys and Night Sky. Check out my review of The Next Door Boys Here, and Night Sky Here

Follow Jolene on Blog | Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter
Find Knee Deep on Website | Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

 

Title: Knee Deep

Author: Jolene Perry

Publisher: Tribute Books

Publication Date: May 1st, 2012

Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)

Challenges: Contemporary

Source: Publisher
Format: Digital ARC

Pages: 196

Shawn is the guy Ronnie Bird promised her life to at the age of fourteen. He's her soul mate. He's more uptight every day, but it's not his fault. His family life is stressful, and she's adding to it. She just needs to be more understanding, and he'll start to be the boy she fell in love with. She won’t give up on someone she’s loved for so long.

Luke is her best friend, and the guy she hangs with to watch girlie movies in her large blanketopias. He's the guy she can confide in before she even goes to her girlfriends, and the guy who she's playing opposite in Romeo and Juliet. Now her chest flutters every time he gets too close. This is new. Is Ronnie falling for him? Or is Juliet? The lines are getting blurry, but leaving one guy for another is not something that a girl like Ronnie does.

Shawn’s outbursts are starting to give her bruises, and Luke’s heart breaks as Ronnie remains torn. While her thoughts and feelings swirl around the lines between friendship and forever, she’s about to lose them both.

I've really hit the jackpot with Knee Deep. I have been getting quite restless with the amount of repetitive contemporaries i've been reading lately and was dying to read one that just emotionally affected me, and Knee Deep was the one. I always say how I always look for the realistic aspect of contemporaries. The story revolves around the beginning of an abusive relationship and how the female protagonist is in denial and can't admit to herself that her boyfriend, her childhood sweetheart, would do such a thing. While the protagonist might have pissed me off because of her denial and obvious attachment to her boyfriend, coming from a reader who is a feminist, I do understand why she chose to keep on giving him a second, a third, and a fourth chance, hoping he would go back to being the Shawn she loved. 

The writing of the story gripped me, I was so invested in all the characters, including Shawn, and wanted to know how this situation came to be. I must say, I also liked the protagonist, Ronnie. Like I said, I would usually have hated a character like her, but the reality of the situation is that many women have gone through such abusive relationships, some couldn't end it, others wouldn't end it, while a few actually walk out. So in the end Ronnie is one of the brave ones and I give her credit for that. I also liked the development between Ronnie and her guy friend Luke. A contemporary YA wouldn't be one without a romantic line and this is where Luke steps in. I loved how he was so nice and a true friend to Ronnie. Being hot doesn't hurt of course. The scenes between the two were sweet, carefree, and just what they should be for a 17 year old girl! The contrast between Luke and Shawn's scenes were mind boggling. 

Jolene Perry has wrote yet another fantastic contemporary. Knee Deep definitely went deep emotionally for me and I am sure for the thousands of girls that have witnessed an abusive relationship whether through family, friends, or word of mouth. This is what I love about YA contemporaries, they convey messages to us girls that make us stronger, independent, and to stay true to ourselves and love ourselves. I would recommend Knee Deep to all contemporary readers and also girls in general. This is a book you don't want to miss out on!

5 musical notes!