Debut author Corrinne Jackson expertly conveys the vulnerability of a character determined to tell the truth with If I Lie.
Quinn's life changed forever when her boyfriend, Carey, enlisted in the army. It was enough to deal with the emotions surrounding his deployment; it was another thing altogether secretly to break up with him days before he left. And when a picture surfaces on the Internet of Quinn with another boy, everyone in Sweethaven, N.C., labels her a traitor. The book opens as Casey is declared MIA. Shunned by her friends and Carey's family, and even the boy she was caught with, Quinn must decide whether to tell the truth about their breakup (which would reveal even more than anyone else knows) or to protect Carey: "[H]e's not here. And I won't break another promise. So I will pretend we were still together when he deployed, lying to our best friend and everyone who hates me for cheating on him."
Readers will instantly connect with Quinn, a hometown sweetheart condemned by most everyone. Through her authentic thoughts and actions, readers see her shift between her options but stay steadfast to her values. Her involvement in other aspects of her life give Quinn a well-rounded, realistic feel, as she battles with an absent mother and a friendship with a veteran that means more than Quinn realizes. Jackson's ability accurately to convey a wide range of emotions will keep readers invested until the final page. --Shanyn Day, blogger at Chick Loves Lit