If I Lie / Corrine Jackson, Simon Pulse 2012 9781442454132.
What an amazing book this turned out to be. Even though you are let in
on the big secret very early on, the author does such an amazing job of
weaving the story, you are mesmerized until the very last page. Quinn
and Carey are the perfect couple. They've grown up in a military culture
where almost every family in town has someone in the Marines, someone
who was killed in action , or someone who served and still acts
military. Carey has been the perfect boyfriend, or so Quinn thinks until
the night she discovers differently. Her reaction to the news, results
in her going to their mutual best friend Blake and spending the night
with him as much to help convince herself she's still desirable as in
reaction to the shock she just received. When Carey comes to her beaten
and full of despair the next day, Quinn makes a painful decision to
stick with him for the time being. Blake, seeing them together again
that night at a football game, becomes extremely angry and confronts
her. Their resulting interaction beneath the stands quickly turns
passionate and someone snaps a photo that shows Quinn nearly unclothed
and in a compromising position with him, but the only thing in the
picture that might identify Blake is a tattoo that only he, Quinn and
Carey know he has.
The bulk of the book occurs after Carey is reported missing in
Afghanistan while on a Marine mission. Quinn, already a social pariah
after the compromising photo has been posted on Facebook, now has to run
a daily gauntlet of hate and scorn, not only at school, but at home
where her ex-marine dad is still holding in his own pain from the day
Quinn's mother, who could no longer tolerate his rigid obsession with
the corps, ran off with his brother. At first, Quinn deals with the
daily assaults by trying to appease and be as invisible as possible, but
that strategy quickly becomes next to impossible for her to follow. The
only person who doesn't judge her is George, an elderly veteran spending
his last days at the local veteran's hospital where Quinn has been
ordered by her father to do community service. The way their developing
relationship is handled by the author is one of the highlights of the
book. George is irascible as can be, but Quinn sees through this as they
learn each has something to give the other. George gives her the
emotional support found nowhere else in her life, as well as teaching
her to become a pretty good photographer. In return, Quinn gives him the
mobility and extra hands he needs to continue helping other veterans at
the hospital record their stories for the National Veterans' History
Project.
When Carey is rescued by other marines, the news sets numerous events in
motion. Quinn has kept her promise to him not to reveal the secret that
set her on her disastrous course the night before the photo, but has
gotten nothing but grief and hatred in return. How they resolve this,
how she sorts out her relationship with Blake , who has secretly (well
maybe not so secretly) loved her all along, what happens when her mother
comes back into her life unexpectedly, what happens when she finally
reaches her breaking point with her punitive dad and how everything
shakes out at the end make for one awesome read. This is a book both
adults and young adults who like a reality-based romance with plenty of
tension will thoroughly enjoy.
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Check out my eBook The Wizard of Simonton Pond,
http://www.ebookdiscovery.com/JohnClark.html
Interesting thoughts at http://sennebec.livejournal.com/
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