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klaragon73's review against another edition
5.0
If I Tell affected me on so many levels. Ms. Gurtler concocted a story riddled with complications varying from racial identities to social awkwardism to sexual identities. This story of a young girl who struggles just to survive each day, touched every nerve in my body. The few friends Jaz has she keeps at a distance, ultimately pushing them away causing her own loneliness.
Jasmine Evans is the only biracial person at a tiny school in Washington. Talk about a girl with trust issues…she has them all. Her dad never wanted her, her mom left her with her grandmother, her friends tried to drown her in the fourth grade, seven years later they still torture her, she was nearly raped by a friend, she busted her best friend kissing her pregnant mother’s boyfriend. Can the new boy in town break down the walls she has built or will he too betray her?
Lacey is her best friend who drinks a little too much and throws herself at anyone who looks her way. Even people who are off limits.
Nathan just so happens to be Lacey’s roomate and he has an eye on Jaz.
Simon is Jaz’s mom’s boyfriend. They are expecting a baby and Jasmine would be excited if she could just forget what she saw.
Ashley is the one of Jasmine’s friends who doesn’t want anything from her. The problem is Jaz can’t bring herself to trust anyone.
Jackson is the new bad boy in town with a reputation he earned. He appears honest and wants to be Jaz’s friend. Problem is Jaz may want more than he can offer.
If I Tell is written in the first person from Jaz’s point of view. With Jaz’s multitudes of emotion you are in for quite a ride. The girl who appears to be a loner hiding away picking at a guitar is hiding so much beneath the circle. She grew up a biracial girl in a white household and nobody to help her discover the other half of her. Her granddad is the one person that she could always talk to, but he passed away. This aspect of the story is probably the only part that I couldn’t connect with, not being biracial and all.
Jackson wants nothing more than to be Jaz’s friend but breaking through her tough exterior will prove to be much more difficult than he expects. Never fear though…Jackson is one patient kid who always gets what he wants.
There is so much in this book that any teenager could relate to. I highly recommend it. The writing is powerful and pulls feelings from you that may not be expected. It is the type of book that really makes you think. There were times I had to put the book down because I was embarrassed for Jaz and then there were times I cried for her. In the end…I was just proud of her for owning up to her mistakes and apologizing to those she hurt.
*This is an uncorrected e-proof that was obtained legally by the publisher via Netgalley. There is a possibility that changes could still be made to the finished product.
Jasmine Evans is the only biracial person at a tiny school in Washington. Talk about a girl with trust issues…she has them all. Her dad never wanted her, her mom left her with her grandmother, her friends tried to drown her in the fourth grade, seven years later they still torture her, she was nearly raped by a friend, she busted her best friend kissing her pregnant mother’s boyfriend. Can the new boy in town break down the walls she has built or will he too betray her?
Lacey is her best friend who drinks a little too much and throws herself at anyone who looks her way. Even people who are off limits.
Nathan just so happens to be Lacey’s roomate and he has an eye on Jaz.
Simon is Jaz’s mom’s boyfriend. They are expecting a baby and Jasmine would be excited if she could just forget what she saw.
Ashley is the one of Jasmine’s friends who doesn’t want anything from her. The problem is Jaz can’t bring herself to trust anyone.
Jackson is the new bad boy in town with a reputation he earned. He appears honest and wants to be Jaz’s friend. Problem is Jaz may want more than he can offer.
If I Tell is written in the first person from Jaz’s point of view. With Jaz’s multitudes of emotion you are in for quite a ride. The girl who appears to be a loner hiding away picking at a guitar is hiding so much beneath the circle. She grew up a biracial girl in a white household and nobody to help her discover the other half of her. Her granddad is the one person that she could always talk to, but he passed away. This aspect of the story is probably the only part that I couldn’t connect with, not being biracial and all.
Jackson wants nothing more than to be Jaz’s friend but breaking through her tough exterior will prove to be much more difficult than he expects. Never fear though…Jackson is one patient kid who always gets what he wants.
There is so much in this book that any teenager could relate to. I highly recommend it. The writing is powerful and pulls feelings from you that may not be expected. It is the type of book that really makes you think. There were times I had to put the book down because I was embarrassed for Jaz and then there were times I cried for her. In the end…I was just proud of her for owning up to her mistakes and apologizing to those she hurt.
*This is an uncorrected e-proof that was obtained legally by the publisher via Netgalley. There is a possibility that changes could still be made to the finished product.
jadeeby's review against another edition
3.0
Originally posted at my blog Chasing Empty Pavements
This book was one of those books where I enjoyed it half the time and hated it the other half. There were some parts that I thought were done so well and then there were some things that I thought were kind of off base.
The Good: I think Gurtler has a talent in nailing the language, thoughts and actions of older teenagers. I felt that the characters in this novel were so familiar, so easy to relate to and that is because they so closely resemble teenagers in real life. I always appreciate that authenticity in YA novels, especially contemporary novels. Also the fact that I've been reading a lot of YA Paranomral/Fantasy/Dystopian books lately made the change to contemporary really refreshing. I also thought the issues Gurtler tackles are some that are so important to YA audiences and some of the moral questions brought up were great for what I call "after-reading-thinking." The race issue was obviously one of the biggest issues Gurtler tackles in this novel but it's not always the most important. I thought it was interesting to see Jaz's transformation of her way of thinking and her self-esteem and trust were more interesting and important to focus on! I really thought the big issues that Jaz faces with the *secret* she keeps from her mother is fascinating. I can't help but wonder what I would do if I was in the same situation and I think that was Gurtler's goal....to get her readers thinking about the question themselves.
The Bad: While I did enjoy this book, Jaz really irritating me. It was like... every 5 minutes she was bitching and complaining about being a mixed race and how everyone else was judging her and making her feel like crap. There are a few instances where she has justified reactions but 90% of the time she is being ridiculous. It seemed to me that she was more concerned with her skin color than any of the other characters in the book and that was a huge turn-off for me because it's not exactly tackling a REAL issue it's more skimming the surface on a personal problem. Also, one thing that bugged me is that everyone in the book seemed to come from a broken background. Missing dad, abusive parents, drug-dealing pasts, cheating step fathers. It was like...does anything GOOD ever happen to someone?!
Overall, it's very hard for me to give this book a rating because there were parts that I really appreciated and liked and other parts where I wanted to throw the book across the room because I was so annoyed. So...I'll be generous and give the book a C-. If you are a fan of contemporary novels with issues of race than this might be something you'd enjoy.
**I received this book free from the publisher through www.netgalley.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
This book was one of those books where I enjoyed it half the time and hated it the other half. There were some parts that I thought were done so well and then there were some things that I thought were kind of off base.
The Good: I think Gurtler has a talent in nailing the language, thoughts and actions of older teenagers. I felt that the characters in this novel were so familiar, so easy to relate to and that is because they so closely resemble teenagers in real life. I always appreciate that authenticity in YA novels, especially contemporary novels. Also the fact that I've been reading a lot of YA Paranomral/Fantasy/Dystopian books lately made the change to contemporary really refreshing. I also thought the issues Gurtler tackles are some that are so important to YA audiences and some of the moral questions brought up were great for what I call "after-reading-thinking." The race issue was obviously one of the biggest issues Gurtler tackles in this novel but it's not always the most important. I thought it was interesting to see Jaz's transformation of her way of thinking and her self-esteem and trust were more interesting and important to focus on! I really thought the big issues that Jaz faces with the *secret* she keeps from her mother is fascinating. I can't help but wonder what I would do if I was in the same situation and I think that was Gurtler's goal....to get her readers thinking about the question themselves.
The Bad: While I did enjoy this book, Jaz really irritating me. It was like... every 5 minutes she was bitching and complaining about being a mixed race and how everyone else was judging her and making her feel like crap. There are a few instances where she has justified reactions but 90% of the time she is being ridiculous. It seemed to me that she was more concerned with her skin color than any of the other characters in the book and that was a huge turn-off for me because it's not exactly tackling a REAL issue it's more skimming the surface on a personal problem. Also, one thing that bugged me is that everyone in the book seemed to come from a broken background. Missing dad, abusive parents, drug-dealing pasts, cheating step fathers. It was like...does anything GOOD ever happen to someone?!
Overall, it's very hard for me to give this book a rating because there were parts that I really appreciated and liked and other parts where I wanted to throw the book across the room because I was so annoyed. So...I'll be generous and give the book a C-. If you are a fan of contemporary novels with issues of race than this might be something you'd enjoy.
**I received this book free from the publisher through www.netgalley.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
michalice's review against another edition
3.0
I read the description of If I Tell and thought it sounded like a good read, so I requested it and got accepted. If I Tell follows Jasmine as she tries to cope with trying to fit into her little town. Her father long gone, a Mother who didn't even want her as a baby and her Grandfather, who helped raise her, has passed away. She is the only mixed race person and is not treated nicely by most of the people in the town. At a party she sees her best friend and her Mum's boyfriend together and now has to cope with keeping the secret from her Mum and Simon, but the strain soon shows and it start to affect her relationship with everyone.
I enjoyed getting to see how Jasmine lived and how this one secret eventually affected her relationship with everyone she knows. I did feel sorry for how Jasmine was treated by everyone in her town and although it upset and hurt her, I thought she was a strong person just to persevere with continuing her every day life as best as she could. I really like how she stood up for herself, not only to the bullies but also her friend.
I can understand why she would also want to keep her secret that she saw, but it was better being out in the open. I liked seeing the relationships she had with her close friends, and loved how Lesley stood by her even when Jasmine wasn't being the nicest person. I also liked seeing how the friendship developed between Jasmine and Jackson and how even he had his own secrets.
Although some parts of the story are hard to believe it was mostly an enjoyable read.
I enjoyed getting to see how Jasmine lived and how this one secret eventually affected her relationship with everyone she knows. I did feel sorry for how Jasmine was treated by everyone in her town and although it upset and hurt her, I thought she was a strong person just to persevere with continuing her every day life as best as she could. I really like how she stood up for herself, not only to the bullies but also her friend.
I can understand why she would also want to keep her secret that she saw, but it was better being out in the open. I liked seeing the relationships she had with her close friends, and loved how Lesley stood by her even when Jasmine wasn't being the nicest person. I also liked seeing how the friendship developed between Jasmine and Jackson and how even he had his own secrets.
Although some parts of the story are hard to believe it was mostly an enjoyable read.
rngilmer's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting story, especially the ending, but at times a little hard to believe.
bookgoonie's review against another edition
3.0
Did you read that preview? Jaz catches her mother’s boyfriend making out with her best friend. The crisis is kind of the backdrop for our characters to operate around. This book is more about Jaz’s sense of self.
She is half black-half white. Eventhough her grandfather has raised her in a very nurturing way. She is still plagued with not belonging in her small town. Jaz ostrasizes herself from those around her, granted with some help of the local mean girl. Built some big time walls. Her mom’s boyfriend, Simon, helped her to have pride in her black self. And that is why she is so hurt, when she witnesses his drunken act.
Jackson, new-to-town-out-of-juvie-hot-mysterious-bad-boy, sees the beauty that Jasmine is and sets out to get to know her. You’ll witness a very slow and sweet budding romance. Until Jaz jumps to conclusions, throwing up her old walls and lashes out in the most horrible way. But getting through some of the family crisises swirling around her and time, she grows. She faces the fact that sometimes she is guilty of the acts she has suffered from others. Labels.
She is half black-half white. Eventhough her grandfather has raised her in a very nurturing way. She is still plagued with not belonging in her small town. Jaz ostrasizes herself from those around her, granted with some help of the local mean girl. Built some big time walls. Her mom’s boyfriend, Simon, helped her to have pride in her black self. And that is why she is so hurt, when she witnesses his drunken act.
Jackson, new-to-town-out-of-juvie-hot-mysterious-bad-boy, sees the beauty that Jasmine is and sets out to get to know her. You’ll witness a very slow and sweet budding romance. Until Jaz jumps to conclusions, throwing up her old walls and lashes out in the most horrible way. But getting through some of the family crisises swirling around her and time, she grows. She faces the fact that sometimes she is guilty of the acts she has suffered from others. Labels.
kaitlinshafer's review against another edition
4.0
Check out more reviews on Books to the Sky.
(I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.)
When I first started this book I couldn't believe how big of a brat Jaz (Jasmine's nickname) was being. Yes, I understand that she witnessed something huge, but she didn't have to take it out on everyone around her.
She wasn't very nice to her mother, which made me actually feel really bad for her. But Jaz and her mother never had a real mother/daughter relationship since she was raised by her Grandma. Her mother was only 17 years old when she was born.
Once Jaz shares her secrets from her childhood I started to understand why she acts the way she does. And why she doesn't have very many friends or people she can trust or rely on.
I couldn't imagine being the only biracial student in my entire school. She's picked on from a young age about her skin color and children aren't allow to hang around with girls "like her".
This book hit on some really sensitive subjects, which I thought was great, since they're not something I've read in a YA novel before. There was the fact that Jaz was biracial and her mother developing postpartum depression after the birth of her baby.
I really enjoyed this book even after all of Jaz's brattiness in the beginning. :)
(I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.)
When I first started this book I couldn't believe how big of a brat Jaz (Jasmine's nickname) was being. Yes, I understand that she witnessed something huge, but she didn't have to take it out on everyone around her.
She wasn't very nice to her mother, which made me actually feel really bad for her. But Jaz and her mother never had a real mother/daughter relationship since she was raised by her Grandma. Her mother was only 17 years old when she was born.
Once Jaz shares her secrets from her childhood I started to understand why she acts the way she does. And why she doesn't have very many friends or people she can trust or rely on.
I couldn't imagine being the only biracial student in my entire school. She's picked on from a young age about her skin color and children aren't allow to hang around with girls "like her".
This book hit on some really sensitive subjects, which I thought was great, since they're not something I've read in a YA novel before. There was the fact that Jaz was biracial and her mother developing postpartum depression after the birth of her baby.
I really enjoyed this book even after all of Jaz's brattiness in the beginning. :)
drey72's review against another edition
4.0
drey’s thoughts:
Jaz is seventeen, and the only biracial kid in her small town. At least, as far as she knows. She doesn’t have any friends in school, and is thrown into a whirlpool of emotions when she sees her best friend Lacey making out with her mom’s boyfriend. And that whirlpool gets deeper and wider when she finds out her mom’s pregnant. What a mess!
Jaz can’t confide in anyone–the only two people she’s ever felt comfortable talking to have betrayed her. So she keeps things bottled up, only to find out that she has too many emotions fizzing inside her all at the same time. And her anger leaks out in spurts and splashes as she lashes out at her (former) best friend, at Simon, and even at her mom.
The emotional roller-coaster Jaz is on pulls you along as it goes up (new boy) and down (facing Simon or Lacey) and up (new friend at school) and down (her mom’s emotional state), so much so that you wonder when she’s going to let it all out. Which will happen, of course. The only question is when. And where. And who’s going to get hurt in the process… (ok, that’s more than one question)
This is an addictive read–you can’t put it down until you find out how Jaz fares. Excellent teen read covering topics far and wide, including racism, bullying, depression, self-identity, and trust.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
Jaz is seventeen, and the only biracial kid in her small town. At least, as far as she knows. She doesn’t have any friends in school, and is thrown into a whirlpool of emotions when she sees her best friend Lacey making out with her mom’s boyfriend. And that whirlpool gets deeper and wider when she finds out her mom’s pregnant. What a mess!
Jaz can’t confide in anyone–the only two people she’s ever felt comfortable talking to have betrayed her. So she keeps things bottled up, only to find out that she has too many emotions fizzing inside her all at the same time. And her anger leaks out in spurts and splashes as she lashes out at her (former) best friend, at Simon, and even at her mom.
The emotional roller-coaster Jaz is on pulls you along as it goes up (new boy) and down (facing Simon or Lacey) and up (new friend at school) and down (her mom’s emotional state), so much so that you wonder when she’s going to let it all out. Which will happen, of course. The only question is when. And where. And who’s going to get hurt in the process… (ok, that’s more than one question)
This is an addictive read–you can’t put it down until you find out how Jaz fares. Excellent teen read covering topics far and wide, including racism, bullying, depression, self-identity, and trust.
drey’s rating: Excellent!
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
3.0
I thought the main character, Jaz, was strong and well developed, and the storyline was interesting enough, but there was a lot going on that just didn't work for me. Most of the secondary characters were underdeveloped, and a lot of the subplots were weak. This could have been a knock out if some of the issues within it -- the biracial/acceptance issue Jaz had, the addiction issues many of the teen character struggled with, the fact not a single family in this story was functional -- were just amped up more.
What I think I found kind of weird was that at the end, we find out that Jaz's mom, who was, according to her, worthless, has a horrible bout of post partum depression. I thought this could have been so worked up to make a lot more of who Jaz was make sense. It just wasn't. It was a couple chapters at the end and almost out of the blue.
Characters in this book made good use of therapy for development, which kind of weakened them. Almost everyone, except Jaz and Jackson, had been to therapy or some sort of counseling to help with their problems, and it almost stood in for a way for the full fleshing out of characters.
I think this book falls into the bad flap copy category. The story's much stronger and is more faceted than it leads us to believe. It, like so many other books, relies on the romance to sell the story. Why? The romance is such a minuscule part of this. There are much stronger and more interesting aspects to play up than the romance.
That said, definitely a book with good appeal factors. It's well written and a believable teen voice.
What I think I found kind of weird was that at the end, we find out that Jaz's mom, who was, according to her, worthless, has a horrible bout of post partum depression. I thought this could have been so worked up to make a lot more of who Jaz was make sense. It just wasn't. It was a couple chapters at the end and almost out of the blue.
Characters in this book made good use of therapy for development, which kind of weakened them. Almost everyone, except Jaz and Jackson, had been to therapy or some sort of counseling to help with their problems, and it almost stood in for a way for the full fleshing out of characters.
I think this book falls into the bad flap copy category. The story's much stronger and is more faceted than it leads us to believe. It, like so many other books, relies on the romance to sell the story. Why? The romance is such a minuscule part of this. There are much stronger and more interesting aspects to play up than the romance.
That said, definitely a book with good appeal factors. It's well written and a believable teen voice.
thejay2xa's review against another edition
4.0
finally able to finish this one...
It was a fun and light read, very realistic that it shows how vulnerable a person can be.
full review on http://wefancybooks.blogspot.com
It was a fun and light read, very realistic that it shows how vulnerable a person can be.
full review on http://wefancybooks.blogspot.com