Book Review: If I Tell

If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

Published: October 1, 2011

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Source: Library

Synopsis (Goodreads): “It was like watching a train wreck. I wanted to look away but couldn’t take my eyes off them.” IF ONLY …If only I hadn’t gone to that party. I never would have seen what I did. Jackson wouldn’t have driven me home. I wouldn’t have started to fall for a guy just out of reform school. I could go back to pretending everything was normal. I wouldn’t be keeping a secret from my mom that could blow our family apart …

Personal Thoughts: This was one of those books that I had to put down when I finished it and think about it for a while. I have not read any books by Janet Gurtler before this and now that I have, I know that I have been missing out on a great author. Her writing invokes something deep within you, takes a grab of you and won’t let go, even after you have completed the book. It has a distict style that sometimes tells you everything and nothing at the same time. As soon as you started to read, you knew that something major had happened, yet you didn’t know what until later on in the book. That sense of suspense and mystery is there right from the start.

The main character, Jaz, caused herself quite a bit of stress and drama due to what she saw and couldn’t tell anyone. If she told someone about it, she would have saved herself a lot of heartache. Gurtler’s writing style is really unique and through it you able to see the inner struggle of Jaz and those around her. The family struggles, the interracial issues and her friends issues force Jaz to take a closer look of who she really is and evaluate her life, before moving on and trying for a fresh start. There are a few lessons that the author fits into the story to make us, the reader, think about our own views and perspectives and the world around us. This is a book that once it’s put down will still stay with you after you have finished reading it.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Music Wednesday: Wipe Your Eyes by Maroon 5

Wipe Your Eyes by Maroon 5

I’m afraid that I gotta what but I gotta do
But if I let you go, where you gonna go?
We gotta make it change, time to turn the page
Something isn’t right, I don’t wanna fight you
We’ve been through couple times, you know it gets worse
We can turn this around, please let me be first
And as I feel your tears spilling on my shirt
Something isn’t right I don’t wanna fight you

[Chorus]
Hey you, come over and let me embrace you
I know that i’m causing you pain too but
Remember if you need to cry
I’m here to wipe your eyes

Tonight before you fall asleep
I’ll run my thumb across your cheek
Cry ’cause i’m here to wipe your eyes
I know I made you feel this way
You gotta breathe, we’ll be okay
Cry ’cause i’m here to wipe your eyes

Lyrics are a powerful tool that get people’s attention. It can be on an issue, it can be for salvation, heart break or anything that fits wherever you are right now. They teach us, they make us laugh, they make us cry, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. I can’t imagine a world without music. Every day I go through, I listen or hear music all around me. It ingrains memories into my mind and when a particular song is heard, I am transported back to that day when I heard it.

I first heard this song when my sister asked me to listen to it. It reminded me of my sister in many ways. There have been times when things were really dark and gloomy and there have been times when I was so happy I wanted to scream it to the world. The person that was  and always will be there for me no matter what is my sister. She is my best friend, she is my sister, and I love her.

We have been through so much together and some times we didn’t even want to speak to one another, but that didn’t last for long. Aside from a two year age difference, we could be twins because we are so much alike and have similar tastes in a lot of things. Maybe that is why I feel so close to her and why we are inseperable. This song just reinforces what she means to me and vice versa. We have shared a lot of tears and have made each other feel better and  before long, the world didn’t look so bleak. I am thanksful to have such a great sister, who will wipe my tears away and put a smile back on my face.  🙂

Here is a the song from Maroon 5: