Review: Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler

Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler

Release Date: October 1^st, 2012

Number of Pages: 312

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Source: ARC from Publisher

She Never Thought A Kiss Could Kill. . . Samantha is new at school and just recently joined the swim team. She’s been flirting with one of her teammates, Zee, who invites her to a party and just as quickly dumps her for another girl. Hurt, but pretending not to care, she turns to his best friend, Alex, and gives him a kiss. And he dies—right in her arms. Alex was allergic to peanuts, and Samantha had eaten a peanut butter sandwich right before the party. She didn’t know. Overnight, Samantha turns into the school pariah and a media sensation explodes. Consumed with guilt, abandoned by her friends, and in jeopardy of losing her swimming scholarship, she will have to find the inner-strength to forgive herself for the tragedy. 

I never thought I would get as caught in the story of Who I Kissed as much as I did. Wow. What a brilliant novel. It is about grief and guilt. And the strange thing about this book is the idea of someone dying because of something you ate. I think it is part of the reason why you just need to know what will happen, how everything will end for Sam. There’s more going on in the novel than just Sam’s own guilt, which is already a good part of the novel. There’s also everyone’s reaction to Alex’s death, his or her grief. We can’t forget about the media coverage, which add another layer to everything Sam has to go through.

Sam’s pain was simply heartbreaking. The story shows how one little mistake can change your life and the life of others forever. Things aren’t easy for her already, with everything going on. She also doesn’t make thing easier. She ends up punishing herself over his death. We also meet Alex’s family, his best friends and everyone who knew Alex. All those characters were simply gripping, and they simply felt true. The emotions rang true, I could understand the motives behind the actions of the characters, and it’s something that is really important for me. It makes thing believable, even if many will find the idea of someone dying because of a kiss unbelievable.

This was my second novel from Janet Gurtler, and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed. Once again, I was given an amazingly written contemporary book. Janet Gurtler’s style is captivating and addicting. She knows how to balance everything perfectly. The book is in no way boring. There is always going on, leaving us wanting more and more. There’s a mix of drama, guilt and a little touch of romance that will seduce many readers. The ending was slightly predictable since I’ve known people allergic of peanuts, and how affected they can be by only the smell. If you still haven’t read anything by Janet Gurtler, you really should do so soon! Her books are really worth it.

Review: If I Tell

Title: If I Tell

Author: Janet Gurtler

Release Date: October 1st

Series: None

Number of Pages: 256

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Source: NetGalley

Jasmine Evans knows one thing for sure... people make mistakes. After all, she is one. Jaz is the result of a onenight stand between a black football player and a blonde princess. Having a young mother who didn't raise her, a father who wants nothing to do with her and living in a small-minded town where she's never fit in hasn't been easy. But she's been surviving. Until she sees her mom's new boyfriend making out with her own best friend. When do you forgive people for being human or give up on them forever?

That’s not a book where there’s a lot of action, that’s for sure. When you know that, you will probably find this book enjoyable. It is a character driven books, in which I did like the main character to certain extend.

I like her, not personality wise, both mostly because she felt real to me. Her reactions, her fear, her expressions were all things I could imagine someone her age do (and saying that, I feel like I’m talking way younger, but still, you get what I mean.) She’s facing a choice that will affect more than just her. To tell or not to tell. She knows that it may hurt those around her, but wouldn’t it hurt even more to know that she helped hide what was done?

Jasmine is a mess. She is confused about her choice, but she is also affected by the fact that she is biracial in a small town, where she is the only one. Her father has never seen her, nor does he want to, her mom is horribly annoying. Luckily, she has an amazing grandmother, and she is finding some new friends who will probably be good to her.

Jackson was probably the highlight of the book. He is amazing as a character by himself, but he is even more awesome with Jasmine. I really enjoyed this book because of him.

This was the first book I had read of Janet Gurtler. After reading this, I will probably go out and get another book by her, because her style and writing was really great to read. I would definitely recommend it to someone who is looking for a character driven story.