{Review} If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

If I Lie 
by Corrine Jackson
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 276
Source: Purchased
Available as of August 28, 2012
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A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.

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.

Rating:

My Review:

Heartbreaking. Intense. Moving. Each of those words can be used to describe If I Lie, but none of them can single-handedly put into words how breathtaking Corrine Jackson's debut novel is.

Sophie Quinn made a promise to her best friend, her boyfriend, Carey. He didn't know the hell she would go through to keep his secret, but she has endured it all for him. When will he get the courage to tell and how much longer before she can get her life back?

Talk about a great friend. After learning the biggest secret her boyfriend could ever have, she agrees to keep it. Sophie didn't know what would come of it. Even when she was called a slut and a traitor, she kept her promise to him because it wasn't her secret to tell. A friend like that is hard to come by. Very few people I know would be able to do that.

If I Lie went above and beyond my expectations. I hoped to be sucked into the story line and I was. The big bomb was dropped early in the story and I wanted needed to know how it would end. I expected the big secret to drop at the end, but it didn't. This fact made the story unique and much different than what I'm used to seeing in most novels. There were flashbacks to enlighten the read to everything leading to the present and instead of telling all of the back story at once, it was revealed slowly, always stopping when it was about to get good. It built up the intensity the further I got and I never wanted to stop reading. I loved that the main focus wasn't all on Sophie being ostracized. We see her outside of school a lot talking with George, a veteran who accepts her, faults and all. 

Overall, If I Lie went beyond my wildest imagination. Corrine Jackson did a magnificent job crafting a novel that I will read over and over again. If you love contemporary young adult you will most certainly enjoy this one. Pick it up ASAP for a truly outstanding read!