Review: In Honor - Jessi Kirby

In Honor - Jessi Kirby
Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers - May 8, 2012
Reading level: Ages 14 and up

"Hours after her brother’s military funeral, Honor opens the last letter Finn ever sent. In her grief, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously decides to go to California to fulfill it."

"Honor gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen Rusty in ages, but it’s obvious he is as arrogant and stubborn as ever—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. Despite Honor’s better judgment, the two set off together on a voyage from Texas to California. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn’s memory—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?"

In Honor has been on my to-read list since last fall and it was worth the wait.  It was a great YA Contemporary with heartbreak, self discovery and closure. 

Plenty of reviewers have compared Rusty to Tim Riggins and the comparison is perfect.  Rusty is the Tim Riggins of the book world.  (If you haven't seen Friday Night Lights (the television show), you're missing out and need to watch it ASAP!)

The rode trip in "Paula" was the most enjoyable part of the book.  The situations Rusty and Honor became entangled in were realistic and entertaining.  Their relationship blossomed during the road trip and that was the main element of the book.  

Honor and Rusty were fantastic characters.  It was easy to understand their heartbreak and loved to see them move on and find closure together.  Even though Finn was gone, Kirby did a great job at making his character complete.  We got to know him well through his letter and Honor's memories.

The lack of romantic gestures was the only disappointment of In Honor.  There was only one kiss and while it was fitting, it would have been nice to see more romance between Honor and Rusty.

I loved In Honor and have read it twice since it's release.  I would recommend this book to YA Contemporary fans or a YA fan looking for a good read.  

PAGE'S RATING: 4.5/5

Review: Something Like Normal - Trish Doller

Something Like Normal - Trish Doller
Bloomsbury USA Childrens - June 19, 2012
Reading level: Ages 14 and up

"When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero."

Something Like Normal was realistic and captivating.  It was my first YA with a male POV.  I was hesitant about understanding a story with a male perspective but I was blown away.  I loved reading the story through Travis's eyes and through the eyes of a Marine. >

Travis is one of the most authentic narrators I have ever read.  I felt like I knew him.  I wanted to protect him from Paige and his father and tell Ryan to grow up.  His relationship with his mother was great.  I'm glad they were able to support each other.  Together they were able to overcome their problems and move on. 

I loved the relationship between Harper and Travis.  They fit together so well. They were both dealt with difficult situations but were able to find ground and move on.

It was great how Doller built the relationship between Travis and Charlie.  We were able to get to know Charlie in flashbacks and through meeting his family.  The dynamic between the two was beautiful and it was heartbreaking to see Travis deal with the loss of his best friend.

It's amazing how well Doller has captured these young Marines in this story.  I started watching the Generation Kill series for about the 10th time a couple of weeks ago and Charlie,  Moss and Kevlar said and did things that were exactly like the guys on GK.  

I didn't like not having closure to the relationship between Ryan and Travis.  Were they not on speaking terms at the end?  I wish there was resolution to their relationship.  

Something Like Normal was a fantastic debut.  Very well done, Trish Doller!  I can't wait for your next book.  Count me pre-ordered!

PAGE'S RATING: 5/5