Andi's ABCs

I've been on a run of really good books lately so I had high hopes for this debut novel but I was really worried based on the hype. I can proudly say this book lived up to my hopes. Simply put I loved it!!! If I Lie was full of emotion and truth that I couldn't put it down. I felt like I was a part of the community that Quinn was living in and my heart shattered for her.

Basically the book is about Quinn, a 17 year old girl, living in a small military town in North Carolina. She has always been the perfect Marine girlfriend to the hometown hero Carey. That is until Quinn is seen kissing someone that isn't Carey. In the blink of an eye she because a modern day Hester Pryne wearing a metaphorical scarlet letter on her chest. Not only is Quinn shunned by the people in town but she is bullied by the kids at school that were at onetime her supposed friends. The thing is, not everything is at it seems with Quinn. She is holding on to a secret so a life isn't destroyed. But as things get worse for her she starts to question just how far she is willing to screw her own life pin the process?!

Straight up what I loved about this book was hands down Quinn. She made this book what it was because I felt everything she was feeling. I understood where she was coming from and what she was going through. She was so believable and relatable. The pain she was selling jumped off the pages and the loneliness she felt was palpable. Here there was this poor girl that had absolutely no one on her side. Every single person that was supposed to be on her side abandoned her and yet she stayed silent. That shows a massive amount of character to me. Keeping a secret that is your own is hard enough but doing it for someone else is an entirely different animal and the fact that she stood her ground no matter the consequence was remarkable.

I also really enjoyed the use of Blake and George in the story. The conflict of emotions that passed through Quinn in regards to Blake broke my heart. She was torn and it was evident why. I really enjoyed that struggle in the book. In regards to George, he was Quinn's one and only sounding board. He was to her what her self centered parents weren't. He was her support system, her only friend and her family. Their relationship was heartwarming and emotional and exactly what added to the strength of this book. George showed Quinn her worth and showed her she was then the small town wanted her believe.

If I Lie was the story of Quinn and the courage she found within to do what she thought was right even at the cost to herself. It was emotional, I cried more then once, and honest and truthful. It showed what secrets can do to someone and how rumors can grow out of control. I loved every single second of this book and read it in one sitting. This is a must read for sure. Don't wait. Listen to the hype and read, read, read!