My review of If I Lie

If I Lie by Corrine Jackson 
Release Date: August 28, 2012
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Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

If I Lie is one of those books that you read and can't forget about. It has a unique and interesting story line that isn't like other YA contemporaries. A few pages in and I was hooked. I couldn't put it down and I cried... a lot. I'm warning you not to read this book in public if you cry easily over sad situations.

If I Lie is set in a small town where volunteering for the military is a pretty big deal and seen as something that many should do. Quinn's boyfriend, Carey, decides to enter the army, and while he's gone, Quinn makes a mistake. She kisses someone who is not Carey, and she gets caught. A few days later and the photo is everywhere, but no one can see the guy she's kissing and Quinn would prefer not to drag someone down with her. She's now a cheater, a traitor and a slut in the eyes of those who use to be her 'friends'. What they don't know about Quinn is that she's innocent, but that would involve telling them a secret of Carey's that she promised not to share. 

I loved the idea of there being this secret that could not be shared because it would betray someone, yet if it is not shared, someone has to suffer. Jackson writes amazingly and draws your attention in after you've only read a few pages. She also has a subtle way of giving hints that just makes you want to power on to find out the secret.

I cried constantly through the book. I started reading the book at night and I spent a lot of time crying and sobbing, then the next morning I was on the bus and followed the exact same routine. (Thank God the bus was empty, otherwise the people around me might have thought I was having a major break down.) 

Quinn was actually a lovely character, who has been through a lot in her life and did not deserve to be persecuted by her friends. Her mother ran off with her uncle when she was younger, her dad ignores her all the time because she reminds him of her mother, and she's alone with no one to talk to. I wanted to put an arm around her and offer her friendship because she seemed utterly lost and alone, apart from her one friend George. He is an old man at the hospital who teaches Quinn all about photography, which is her passion. They have a cute friendship that many will admire.

I enjoyed and cherished every moment of this book because it was very well written. I thought that the characters were all great with a lot more beneath the surface, which is good because no one wants shallow, undeveloped characters, anyway. 

If I Lie is definitely one of my YA contemporary highlights because I felt that the book was realistic and easy to fall into. I was completely and utterly absorbed into it in a matter of pages! It's a book packed full of emotion and unexpected secrets. Corrine Jackson is a wonderful author and I'm keeping an eye out for more of her books.

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