Monday, July 8, 2013

The Perfect Game & The Game Changer by J Sterling

So there was this one time that my sister in law suggested I read this book called The Perfect Game so I go on a hunt to find it on Amazon, read the synopsis, and think ehhh its about baseball, I don't feel like reading it right now so I will buy it and put it somewhere in my TBR pile... 
Three weeks later I finally get to this book and kick my own ass for not finding Jack F'ing Carter three weeks sooner because holy shit I fell in love and I fell so effing hard.... 

Then we all gathered together and DEMANDED (pitch forks and all) for another Jack Carter book and because J. Sterling loves us so much she gave us The Game Changer.. 

I'm no dummy, I learn from my mistakes, and didn't hesitate to devour this book as soon as it came on my kindle... 
NOW this leads me to the here and now and my reviews for

The Perfect Game & The Game Changer

He's a game she never intended to play.
And she's the game changer he never knew he needed.
The Perfect Game tells the story of college juniors, Cassie Andrews & Jack Carter. When Cassie meets rising baseball hopeful Jack, she is determined to steer clear of him and his typical cocky attitude. But Jack has other things on his mind... like getting Cassie to give him the time of day.
They're both damaged, filled with mistrust and guarded before they find one another (and themselves) in this emotional journey about love and forgiveness. Strap yourselves for a ride that will not only break your heart, but put it back together.
Sometimes life gets ugly before it gets beautiful...

My Thoughts

I don't know where to start first with this review.. 
Do I start with the plot, characters, setting, the heartbreak.. 
Hmm well since everyone loves him and screams his name I shall talk about the conceited, ever challenging, asshole..

Jack Effing Carter

Welllll what can I say about this sweet, caring, totally misunderstood character..
Ok well maybe not misunderstood because lets face it, hes an asshole and he is very proud to admit it to anyone within hearing distance. 
So there is this asshole baseball player (whaaattt those actually exist???)  
When we first meet Jack, he seemed to be the type of guy that liked to dabble in every girl variety that he could get his hands on, literally.
He was a big man-whore, he didn't meet girls to make love, he met them to do a fuck and dump, no attachments, so that way he was not in any danger of getting hurt or left.
He had a hard past so he has a wall up when it comes to letting others in. 
BUT then he meets, Cassie. 
The green-eyed beauty walked into his life spewing venom from her mouth about how much of a Pig and asshole he was and he never looked back, he was smitten with this kitten (did you like that rhyme?? I'm a regular rapper). 

Cassie Andrews
Well lets say she TRIED to be immune to his charm and whoreish ways but let face it, it's Jack effing Carter..
He is notorious and he doesn't give up on something he wants and he wanted Cassie and he wanted her BAD..

So you guys are like ok so they get together because he wormed his way right into her heart, her pants, and they lived happily ever after.. right?? 
Well,  you are sort of right except they had to completely fall apart before even considering getting back together.
It completely breaks your heart, over and over again. 
You yell at Jack for being the biggest douche-tool, asshole ever and you want to strangle his neck while forming an "I hate Jack Effing Carter" fan club..

Lets say I probably would have been the leader of that group but I also loved him and wanted them to work out. I devoured the book until the very end and had to know what was going to happen 
*I will not turn to the last page to see if they get back together, I will not, I WILL NOT*
PhEWwW we are at the end

I'm laughing, I'm crying, and I want them to have their happily ever after but how can they when Jack did the unthinkable and then it just got worse and worse after that?

Well, if you haven't read it, I'm not going to ruin it for you but just know that you will swoon, cry, laugh, and may need a change of panties... just saying.. 

I also loved the secondary characters Melissa and Dean, they were just as lovable and hilarious as Cassie and Jack.
We kind of get a sense that Melissa and Dean are more than just friends but Ms. Sterling does not give us much info about that so we are left saying hmmmm..
Melissa is Cassie's BFF and she is her conscience, her shoulder, her advice giver and she tells it how it is without holding back. She is everything a best friend should be. 
Dean is Jack's younger brother and confidant. He is the sweet one while Jack is the asshole. You melt when Dean is around and then roll your eyes at Jack. Complete opposites but they balance each other and the book out. Jack's grandparents are also in the book and the amount of love that is portrayed between Jack, Dean, and his grandparents is enough to fill your heart with warmth and smiles.

I was left wanting so much more after I finished this book and I didn't want to give it a 5 because I wanted more at the end. 
THEN I found out there was another one coming out and I said HAAALLLLEEJJUUAAAHHH with angels singing and the clouds opening up, sun shining on my face 

I said OK it's going to be a series, FUCK YEAH, I can totally get down with this shit.. 
Wam Bam Thank you Ma'am..

Which leaves me to the second installment of the Jack Effing Carter Series..

If you haven't read the second book it's ok I won't give away any SPOILERS, I am all about the spoil free reviews..

Jack & Cassie's story continues in the follow up to the Best Selling book, The Perfect Game.
Thrust into the spotlight, Cassie must learn how to navigate the waters of this sometimes unforgiving and cruel world. It's a lifestyle that makes you question your happiness and sanity as the past is never truly far behind.
How do you stay together when the world's trying to tear you apart?

My Thoughts

Ok so if you haven't read The Perfect Game. DO NOT READ THIS.. Do not pass GO, DO NOT collect your $200 dollhairs.. 
No really, I don't want to ruin the first book for you if you haven't read it..

So anyways, in this book we get to see what happened in the 6months that Jack and Cassie were not together after Jack came back for Cassie, before she went to NY. 
We get to see what Jack had to go through while they were apart and all the bullshit he had to overcome so he could come back to Cassie without the added strain of that bitch-whore Chrystle. 
Oh and if you are wondering if Cassie finally gets to set that bitch straight, you will be excited to know that not only does Cassie get a piece of her but so does Melissa and lets just say it was effing EPIC.. 

 Jack effing Carter is now playing on the Mets, he finally has his kitten back and they live happily ever after..
HA YEAH RIGHT
 it wouldn't be a good book without some drama and Ms. Sterling packed on the drama this time.

But I was so damn frustrated with this book and Cassie I wanted to scream and yell but this time it wasn't at Jack, it was at Cassie.

After all the drama Jack and Cassie went through in the first book, I knew Cassie was going to have trust issues but this went further than that with her. She closed herself off from really letting Jack in, her tough/stubborn ass was putting walls upon walls up from the one person she was suppose to let in and never let go.. 
She said she didn't want to bother Jack with all the issues she was having but in truth she was just keeping him out. 
Jack did everything to keep himself on the straight and narrow and Cassie was doing everything to be..well.. Stubborn.

Oh and the subliminal messages that Ms. Sterling put in the book, in her not so subtle way.. 
Point Taken.. 
Women are bitches and catty.. 
Wellllll, we are and we need to do better, we have to love and support, not degrade one another and snub our noses at others who are not like us.. 
Its dumb, stupid, catty, bitchy.. you guys get the picture yet?? 
Get it together ladies, there is a way to be classy and supportive to one another without talking shit about people behind their backs.
But she wasn't done yet.. oh no, no, no.. the other P word that gives people the heebie jeebies... 
PA-PA-RAZZI 
(sorry, my inner lady ga-ga just came out)

God those vultures are horrible, I hate them, and the only celeb news I want I get from Perez Hilton because les-bi-onest he is one fabulous, controversial, gossiper.
I want to be his BFF and he doesn't know it but he wants to be mine too.. 

CALL ME PEREZ ;)

 Anyways, I would never want to become a celebrity and have every single one of my motives questioned. Every male friend I hugged I would be linked too one way or another.. 

"GASSPPP she is dating HIIMM??"
Ugh PUKE.. HATE IT!!

 And that is what Cassie had to go through, living in a bubble for so long she never had to experience that (except at college but that was preschool shit compared to what she has to go through now) but now that she is Jack Effing Carter's girl she is being scrutinized  every step of the way.. 
It's ridiculous and yeah I feel bad she was dealing with that but at the same time she still frustrated me to no end. 
She kept it all bottled up and never told anyone and then when shit got to hard she fled... 
So then now what?? Jack gets left high and dry after everything he did for her to come back to her???
UGGGHHh see.. Frustrating.. I won't go into more, I will let you see what exactly happens and when you do, come back and lets compare notes..

The secondary characters are the same as the first book and we get two added bonuses of Matteo and Trina.
Melissa and Dean are again in this one and they are still flirting with the thin line between being together and being friends. I want to lock them in a closet together and not let them out until they have bumped uglies and are officially together. 
Matteo is HOT and swoon-worthy but also adds his own drama to the story that surprisingly leaves you smiling even after everything happens. 
Trina is like a lil heavenly angel who comes into Cassie's life when she needed it the most and I really wish she was in the book more. 
Gran and Gramps was also still in there and as sweet as ever.. 

"“It’s funny the things you think will last forever when you’re young. I figured I’d work until I died. But even work stops at some point. And you find yourself looking around, taking stock of your life, and you realize that you don’t give a shit about where you worked, or what you did to bring in money, but you care about the lives you touched. The love you shared. The family you created. You care about who is standing beside you when the shit hits the fan.”

Le Sigh.. So sweet
I mean really, they give the best advice and makes me want to call my grandmother just to hear her tell me she loves me but thinks I need Jesus (no really my grandparents are the sweetest and craziest people I have ever had the privilege to be related too..) BUT they are mine and I cherish them..

The ending was complete for me but I wouldn't mind another Jack and Cassie book because I am a selfish book trollop and I always want more of my favorite characters..always!! 
Hell, I just want more from this author and I want it NOW.. 

I don't know why I see so many low star ratings for these two books because they are hilarious, swoon-worthy, and even if they piss you off and frustrate you to no end, at least these books are making you FEEL and that is what a great author does. They make you FEEL
You are PISSED??.... Good they wanted you to be PISSED
You are SAD??... Good they purposely wrote their heart in that book to make you cry.. 
You are FRUSTRATED with the character... AWESOME, because they were too and wanted you to be just as frustrated with them as they were..

My point being:
When a book doesn't make you feel, then you are in trouble.. unless you are feeling bored then thats not an emotion you should be feeling... 
So STOP rating books LOW because you are frustrated with the characters!! 
GAAAHHH 
ok end rant.. 

I am going to give this series a 4.5/5 for right now but my rating can be changed when that third book is OUT.. 

Thats right ladies and gentlemen there is another one coming out and I heard it from Ms. Sterling HERSELF so I promise it is not gossip ;).

If you want to check them out for yourself go here:




2 comments:

  1. Your reviews for this are great, I was on the ledge about reading "The Perfect Game" -- but not they have both moved to the top of my TBR pile - and super excited to read! Thanks for the great review!

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