I've been a follower of Jesse Gordon for a couple of years now. The Knack was the first story I ever read by him, and it took me straight back to high school. He has a way with bringing the future into the present, and he doesn't alter the emotions that would truly manifest, nor does he force those emotions. His writing brings you into the reality that he's creating, and it's a fantastic feeling. A little weird at times, especially during the sexual scenes, but fantastic nonetheless. It's a book to be read straight through - it wasn't easy for me to put it down!
I also recommend Timechaser and Steel Garden - both are futuristic, and written in the same style as The Knack, and fabulous reads.

--Kelly Snyder

It's hard to find a real, believable book about adolescence these days. It's always overdone or stereotypical, but The Knack is a different story. There are strong, well-developed characters that provide support for an already compelling storyline. There are intense situations, a solid mix of action, angst, and powerful descriptions. The reader gets a heavy dose of satisfaction as they read through the book, and they are always left wanting more. I highly recommend The Knack for anyone and everyone wanting a good read about accepting who was are, what you've been through, and what's going to happen in the future.

--Carmel March

Without giving too much away, The Knack is about a teenage
boy (Aaron) whose family moves to California midway through
his sophomore year of high school. Forced to cope as quickly
as he can in a new city and at a new school, he meets Kyna.
They become an item, but at a cost. Kyna's emotional baggage
is weighty, and involves not only a disillusioned
ex-boyfriend, but a very unusual affliction as well, and it
changes Aaron forever, physically and emotionally.

This is a solid debut. Jesse seems to know his characters
thoroughly, and he puts them to good use. Aaron is the
sweet, sensitive type, Kyna the grizzled survivor, Joshua
the lost soul. The way these teenagers' lives become
intertwined is pretty wild, but you will be able to relate.
Those of you who have had to endure a move of the middle of
your school year will understand. Those of you who have ever
fallen in love with someone who turned out to be a
completely different person than they let on, you will
understand. The Knack takes you through the entire
adolescent spectrum: angst, love, betrayal, forgiveness, and
ultimately acceptance.

No book is perfect, and there are the occasional rough
edges. Most of these are in the production department. It's
obvious this is a POD and/or self-produced title, but it is
one of the better ones. Content wise, the Kyna-Josh
relationship can be at times emotionally draining, and often
borders on the pair finding petty excuses to torture each
other. Aaron, likewise, doesn't seem to be more than a
retainer for Kyna's affliction. His thoughts and opinions
are valid, but I got the feeling he was more an onlooker
than a mover and shaker.

Regardless, these are real characters, with real lives, real
problems. They just happen to work them out in a surreal
way. Good stuff from Jesse Gordon.

--Joseph Salmen

This novel is certainly an interesting spin on the whole teenage angst thing, though it is not a book for kids -- ie, there are a lot of sexual, violent, and just plain gross-out scenes. But none of it is overdone to the point of cluttering or spoiling the storyline. Jesse's characters are well thought out, particularly Kyna, who genuinely seems to be grappling with her tendency towards promiscuity, and while the plot seems slightly repetitive in some parts towards the end, The Knack genuinely held my interest through to the finish line. Overall, an impressive effort and a good read.

--Diane Cardenas

Devoured in one sitting, this novel cooks. Aaron (the new kid in town), Joshua (a stout heart, if not sound in body), Kyna (the tortured soul), and others, these complex characters are all blessed or cursed with an affliction much more plausible than the blood-sucking fiends of past fiction. Reality plays a big part in The Knack, because who hasn't met such people whose magnetic and forceful personalities take on a preternatural quality for good, and/or evil. Teen concerns flesh out this excellent adult story, with an ending every reader should experience.

--Mark Sutton, author of Central Park, in the Fall