This book was good, if not a bit predictable. I think teenagers will really fall for its sweet message. It's easy to like Chloe, and her struggles seem real. I am not trying to spoil the book, but there is a plot twist that is really too much, and that's where to book veers off. I think maybe teenagers won't mind the drama.

This book was so different from anything I read in terms of the writing style. It was absolutely beautiful. I absolutely loved listening to Chloe’s story and will be recommending this to anyone looking for that hard hitting contemporary. This made me feel so many things.

Everything I Thought I knew by Shannon Takaoka is a thought provoking and genre bending debut. My eye was caught by the vivid colours of the cover and the painted anatomical heart, it suggested something a little different for the YA genre, and when I read the synopsis I was so intrigued that I needed to read it as soon as possible.
Chloe is a typical seventeen year old girl, working on getting good grades and collage applications as well as training for the school's cross country team when life as she knows it is thrown upside down. She collapses at training and learns that she has a serious heart defect and will need a transplant sooner rather than later if she is to survive. The book then jumps forward to a point where Chloe is six months post transplant, and doing well, unless you count the strange dreams she has been having lately. Yes her life has changed dramatically, she now has to take a fistful of pills every day, and she has had to defer college because she needs to finish Summer school to make up for the time she missed at the end of her senior year., but there are other changes too, for one she has taken up surfing, and is starting to get close to Kai , her instructor. As her nightmares become more vivid, and she starts to remember things that never happened she begins to wonder if she has received more than just a heart from her donor, does she have their memories too?
While the idea of transferring memories or personality traits with a transplanted organ has been pretty soundly debunked by medical science it is still an interesting idea for a book , and I thought it was well developed and explored here. I liked Chloe's character and how her experience post transplant was portrayed, that sense of the new organ being something "other" and her awareness of that at times, and how that played into her decision making and actions. I also liked the way the relationship between Chloe and Kai developed over the course of the book and how it went in a very interesting and original direction. I was not expecting to run into a discussion of theoretical physics and quantum states, but I liked the way it was integrated into the story and I think it could provoke some readers into expanding their knowledge of the topic.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Everything I Thought I Knew is an un-putdownable debut which has a unique and original plot which makes the reader think while drawing them into protagonists life.

tuisgfjbksgfhknhdthytyijniushuirdnyihy. I lost my brain. I lost my mind this book was sooooooooooooooooo good. omg omh mommhmomomhohktghnjnhjitrh

Wow, I sped through this and it surprised me so much! I really loved the journey that we got to take with Chloe after her heart transplant as she starts to change and seems to start absorbing the personality and memories of her donor, which is a really interesting premise. I do have a thing about books where teenagers are just rebellious (as in, I absolutely hate it and it gives me second-hand dread/embarrassment) but this book managed to go about it differently. The twists were great and I really liked the characters.

Here comes a semi unpopular review! This is the first for me to fall in love %75 of a book and then hate the rest of it!

The story of struggling 17 years old Chloe whose life completely changes after she collapses her cross country practice and finds out she has a rare heart disease and after her successful transplant she is not the same person who she was before because she doesn’t only get the donor’s heart but also donor’s some special memories or abilities ( she never ride a motorcycle in her life but now she can) is a promising start!

We may read some similar story concepts or watch movies about a person’s characteristic changes after seeing the thin line between life and death.

But what I truly enjoyed about the book was the realistic approach of the author about college applications, the burden the young adults carry, the over demanding responsibilities and pressures they have to face for forming better future plans for themselves.

When I read Chloe and her high school friends’ detailedly planned, extremely busy daily schedules and how they push themselves hard to compete with each other and miss to enjoy their best times of their lives, I wholeheartedly empathize with them.

And now Chloe is out of race, feeling shaken because as all of her friends move their lives, she seems lost. She goes to summer school for extra credit and catch up the time she lost and she befriends misfit Jane: the girl who doesn’t give any f*ck what the other people think about her. She secretly starts taking surfing lessons and having a crush on secretive, mysterious instructor Kai. She starts to ride motorbikes, getting a heart shape tattoo, smoking pot, attending parties, befriending surfers.

She’s changing but she also starts to remember another person’s memories: having nightmares about them. For stopping her night terrors and solving the puzzle about her new characteristics, she has to find her donor’s family for her closure. But as she finds out the truth; she will feel like somebody pulled the rug from under her feet.( I felt the same but not in good way)

The shocking twist of the book has so many plot holes and so many similarities with Emma Thompson’s screenplay ( I’m not gonna give the movie’s name for not giving spoilers) which also disappointed me but even that movie has a positive and heartwarming conclusion. But this book’s questioning ending didn’t fit with my expectations. I just screamed: WTH!!!!!!

There are so many great and likable elements about the book starting with characters, the realistic approach to the challenges the young adults face and the emotional depth of the story. But jaw dropping realization and ending disappointed me.

So I’m giving first %75 : 4 stars
Last %25 of the book: 2 stars
Average: 3 stars!

I still want to read more works of the author because I enjoyed the plot idea, her emotionally capturing, moving storytelling skills and character buildings.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for sharing this ARC with me in exchange my honest opinions.

This book was so different and unique and honestly I couldn't recommend it enough!

A story about a seventeen year old girl, Chloe who needs a new heart. After her heart transplant she starts to get flashbacks from memories the doesn't remember every experiencing. That's when she sets out to look for her heart donor.

This book was just amazing. This was a young adult contemporary with a twist and I loved it. Except for a small portion in the middle when I couldn't understand what was happening, I enjoyed the book a lot. The twist was unexpected but very exciting to read. This book also made me feel emotional and was also heartbreaking at times. Definitely worth reading till the end!

I thought this book was pretty good until the ending. The ending was weird and didn't seem to fit with the book at all. It was a little bit confusing and I still don't fully understand what I read. There didn't seem to be any consequences for the characters actions and being pulled over on the motorcycle and having to go to court wasn't even mentioned again. It was an easy quick read.

Holy moly, what an emotional roller coaster it’s been reading this book.

Everything I Thought I Knew tells the story of Chloe Russell, who one day collapses on her school track and learns that she has a heart problem. Eight months later, she has a new heart and is starting to develop memories that aren’t her own.

Honestly, I had no clue where Everything I Thought I Knew was going at first. I just assumed that it was a contemporary novel about a girl who learns more about herself and life after receiving a heart transplant. BUT BOY, WAS THIS NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING. I did not expect Shannon Takaoka to take it where she took it, but she did, and I honestly am here for it. I thought it was a really creative ending that I didn’t see coming.

I really enjoyed this book. I love that Chloe questions everything around her and how the book also poses big questions for the reader to ponder as well. I love the idea of cellular memory and I think it’s so cool to be able to have these memories that aren’t your own.

One issue I had with Everything I Thought I Knew is that it’s very very detailed, to the point where I skimmed at some paragraphs. Whenever Chloe introduces a new topic in a chapter, she lists a bunch of details that are associated with it, and I just thought that it was not necessary and made it more cliche.

Overall, Everything I Thought I Knew was such a thought provoking and interesting read. I’m still reeling over everything that just happened and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to read this book.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for you honest opinion and review. I really enjoyed this book. I was able to finish it in one sitting. I enjoyed Chole’s character, and I definitely did not see the end coming. I would recommend this to anyone

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of EVERYTHING I THOUGHT I KNEW by Shannon Takaoka in exchange for my honest review.***

After Chloe’s heart transplant, she struggles to find her new normal. The former honor student now has no patience for summer school. She begins taking surfing lessons with the mysterious Kai, something the Before Chloe would have never done. Additionally, New Chloe, now a risk taker, has difficulty connection with her former self.

Depression after heart transplant is fairly common. Many theories touching on biological, psychological, medication induced float around and there’s not one definitive reason, which makes sense because the same is true for depression not following transplants. I found Chloe’s journey to be expected until a big twist proved me wrong.

I would have probably enjoyed EVERYTHING I THOUGHT I KNEW more without the twist, but won’t go into the reasons why because that would be a spoiler. I usually enjoy twists, especially ones I never saw coming. I just didn’t like this one.

Chloe’s was authentic and true to character. Outsiders may assume transplant recipients to be zestfully grateful to be alive, but the guilt over not feeling that way when the donor died can compound the adjustment. Some of her choices were worse because of her transplant and the meds she needed to be okay, which I’m not condoning.

Shannon Takaoka’s writing style kept me stuck to the story, not wanting to put down my device because I needed to know what happened next. I can picture EVERYTHING I THOUGHT I KNEW as a movie that teens will flock to see.

If not for the twist, EVERYTHING I THOUGHT I KNEW would have been a five star review.

Thanks to Candlewick Press for providing an ARC of Everything I Thought I Knew in exchange for an honest reviews.

Books about multi universe? The best.

Everything I Thought I Knew is contemporary with a twist. It's the possibility of being realistic fic mixed with the possibility of being fantasy and I loved it for it.

I don't think I can say much about what I loved about this book without spoiling it because its honestly so unique that everything feels like a spoiler but this book is universally good. I was hesitant to get into it in the beginning but please, please, please, finsih reading it the ending is absolutely beautiful.

I'd definitely recommend this. (it comes out in october so let the countdown begin)

Okay so when I first started this book I honestly didn’t remember the premise of it and I was a bit confused. The writing style at first seemed a bit choppy but once I got into the Main Character’s head it all sort of flowed naturally. It happened pretty quickly so it wasn’t too big of a deal. When I started the book I thought it would just be a solid 3 but something happened in the book that just blew my mind. I honestly had no idea what to expect from the book and was pleasantly surprised!

I’m a sucker for blending sci fi and medicine together so I definitely was intrigued by this idea. I really enjoyed seeing Chloe’s inner mind as she went through this sudden change in her life and then had to deal with repercussions of all the changes. It was a unique way to make it a coming-of-age story but also not have that be the complete focus of the story.

I loved the relationship she forges with her new friends in summer school as well as the relationship with Kai. I’m a sucker for fun character relationships so this was definitely a win!

I can’t really talk about everything that happens in this book without spoiling anything, but I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants something that isn’t completely contemporary but isn’t completely sci-fi either. If you like surfing, motorcycles and tattoos with hidden meanings, making new friends and learning to adapt to change this is the book for you! If you enjoy a little bit of romance with a side of mystery and contemporary, you should definitely pick this up!

A heart-wrenchingly beautiful story. This book will make you question your beliefs, make you believe in the impossible and will make you fall in love with the characters, all at the same time. Chloe, a seventeen year old girl, had to get a heart transplant after she found out that she had ARVD. This is her story of how she came to terms with having someone else's heart beating in her chest, how she fell in love, how she started believing in the impossible. This is a story that deals with friendship, love, loss, and a whole lot of what-ifs. I generally don't like science fiction but this book made me fall in love with science.
If you love to read YA books (with a bit of sci-fi) that will make you ugly-cry then this is the book for you. This book will give you the feels, make your heart beat faster and make you question everything about the universe that you thought you knew.
Personally, I fell in love with Chloe and Kai, fell in love with the waves and fell in love with the book.

I could see the big twist coming a mile away, but it still hit me straight in the feels.
Takaoka really delves into all the complicated feelings that (I'm sure) come along with such a momentous life event as a heart transplant and is not afraid to really get out there with the unexplainable. It leads to some truly emotional moments that made Chloe a relatable and engaging character.
This is truly a poignant read that left me thinking about what makes a person who they are and what lives beyond us.

I enjoyed it. It wasn't your typical teenage Rance and I appreciated that. The characters are as realistic as they can be.

Absolutely wrenching. Jesus I can't believe how fast I sped through this. It reminds me most of Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center in terms of catharsis and healing. Really original and engaging.

Thank you publisher and netgalley for the early copy. I was not able to read this title because it did not have way to send the title to my kindle. I was looking forward to checking it out.

Everything I Thought I Knew was a fast, fun, and compulsively readable book. Chloe, who recently got a heart transplant, keeps experiencing strange memories that don’t belong to her, specifically driving and crashing a motorcycle, seeing a dying woman in a bed, and seeing a gray pit bull. Despite being a cautious, studious girl prior to the heart transplant, she’s started taking more risks, like taking surfing lessons with Kai, a guy she’s slowly falling for.

Chloe as a character was relatable: she was very intelligent and calculating, and her anger and sadness at not being able to experience her senior year of high school and freshman year of college like all of her friends was heartbreaking and realistic.

The theory of cellular memory is very interesting to me, but I’ve only read one other book about it (This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis). I’d recommend this book to anyone who liked This Darkness Mine, although this book is a bit less high-stakes and significantly less frightening/disturbing.

All in all, this was a really fun read (albeit sad at some points), and explored both cellular memory and parallel universes.