Janet Gurtler

4.5 stars.

The Truth about Us by Janet Gurtler is the perfect example of why young adult fiction is popular among readers of all ages. The storyline has relevant topics that are handled with sensitivity and a lack of angst. The characters are sympathetic and likeable with real life problems to overcome. There is very little drama which is difficult to accomplish when dealing with teenagers, but since the issues are realistic, there is no need to add extra turmoil. The romance is very sweet show more and worth fighting for although the odds are stacked against a happily ever after. When all of these elements are combined together, the resulting story is engaging, thought-provoking and incredibly heartwarming.

Jess West used to have a perfect life but for the last couple of years, her family has slowly been falling apart. Her mom is deeply depressed and unable to function. Her father is working long hours and he is frequently out of town on business trips. Her sister spends most of her time at her boyfriend's house. She lost her best friend and to keep her loneliness at bay, Jess has been hanging out with a boy crazy, out of control party girl. Jess has been pushing her boundaries for quite some time and after her father finds up when she has been up to, he gets her a volunteer job at a soup kitchen to keep her out of trouble.

Jess has a few reservations about her volunteer job. She is from a wealthy family and she has little experience with poverty. Working with people who are down on their luck is a little humbling, but it provides her with some much needed insight into the lives of the less fortunate. Her initial misconceptions about the soup kitchen clientele give way to surprising friendships, and eventually, romance. But Jess discovers that not everyone supports their relationship and she learns the hard way that some people are worth fighting for.

The Truth About Us by Janet Gurtler is a beautiful journey of self discovery and healing for Jess, her family and her friends. The introduction of real life, relevant social issues gives the storyline depth and provides an opportunity for the characters to grow through their experiences. The romance aspect of the storyline is understated but crucial to the overall plot. It is a multi-layered and complex story that I highly recommend to readers of all ages. show less

Jaz has secrets. Deep secrets that she is afraid to share with anyone else. After all, she has been let down and ostracized before. Who's to say that by letting anyone new in it won't happen again? Cue a story that is stunningly written, and heartrendingly intriguing. From page one I was involved in Jaz's life. I read long into the night, unwilling to stop until I flipped that very last page.

One of the reasons I've fallen in love with contemporary fiction is how amazing and real the show more characters can be. In If I Tell, Janet Gurtler shows this beautifully with each character that she builds. Jaz and the people around her are all vivid depictions of teenage life. In fact, Jaz herself is a character that I don't see very often but hope to see more of. Raised by her grandmother in a small, and rather racially prejudice, town Jaz has it tough. She constantly feels bullied by her peers, and doesn't feel like she really fits in anywhere. For Jaz, being biracial isn't something to be proud of. It's just another bump in her road to fitting in and leading a "normal" life.

To add it it all, her life happens to be populated with some rather interesting and unique people. There's Lacey, an older girl whose promiscuity and drinking habits hide a dark past. There's Simon, the boyfriend that Jaz isn't sure her mother should have, especially after what she witnessed. Then there is sweet Jackson. The boy who is labeled a "bad boy" by all the people around him, but who doesn't quite seem to fit the bill. Each one of these characters leads Jaz on her road to self-discovery, and helps her learn that what is on the outside is only a small part of what a person truly is.

Truth be told, this book deals with a lot of really tough themes that I think need to be addressed for teens. Janet Gurtler doesn't sugar coat anything at all, which I really admired her for. Racial prejudice, broken families, and isolation are all addressed in this book. Jaz's life isn't easy, and it's through this struggle that we get to see her grow. However things aren't all stormy. There are also themes of love, self-worth, and even understanding woven in as well. If I Tell is a delightfully balanced book from start to finish. It's the type that will have you smiling one moment, and tearing up the next.

Overall this was a quick, sweet, and amazing read. As I said I read it straight through and loved every minute of it! Jaz is a character that I really fell in love with. I hope to see more like her, and thank Janet Gurtler for letting me meet her in the first place. show less

Oh my. I don’t know what I liked best about this book – the utter and wretched amazing emotion that this book conveys, the growth and development the characters throughout the book, or the humour that balances out the heartbreak in this novel. Loved it all!

I think what Gurtler does best is make the topic of cancer accessible – not making light of the disease, but also not making it an utterly depressing story. It’s a fine line an author would need to tread in this case, and Gurtler show more did a really good job of it.

The characters in this story were all really well developed too – as I mentioned before, there’s so much character growth and development in it. I mean, there would really have to be – the main character’s sister has serious bone cancer. Obviously that would have a crazy affect on the whole family. Some of the characters buckled under the stress while Tess, the wonderful Tess, came out as the shining star in the end.

So, I cried from pretty much the beginning of the book until the end. And the part that made me sob the most was totally not what I was expecting – surprise, this book is going to tear your heart out because of something you can’t see coming! Don’t want to spoil anyone, but not too many authors could have pulled that other event off without it seeming like there was just too much going on in the novel.

The Bottom Line: Best young adults book I’ve read this year. Highly recommended – but remember a kleenex box! I will need to remember to read more of Gurtler’s books!

Review crossposted from: http://books.moonsoar.com/archives/2011/11/09/im-not-her/ show less

Who I Kissed is an heart wrenching story of coping with grief. Not the grief of a family recovering after the premature death of a son and brother, but the guilt and torment faced by the girl who accidentally kills him with one innocent kiss.

While at one of the few parties Samantha has decided to attend, she notices the boy who was watching her swim the other day. In a moment of weakness, they end up sharing a kiss that proves fatal. Alex goes into anaphylaxis and is pronounced dead on the show more way to the hospital. All because Sam kissed him after eating a peanut butter sandwich.

Some people read the synopsis and have a moment of disbelief, as if the story couldn't possibly be good because the premise is so odd. If any variation of this thought pops into your head, immediately grab hold of it and fling. Or better yet, set it on fire and burry the ashes. Who I Kissed is so much more than the story of a boy dying from an allergic reaction. Not only does Samantha have to deal with the tormenting of her peers, the mass media attention, the hurt appearance of Alex's sister in the hall way, the dissolution of an important friendship, and the fading of her dreams, but these events are all added to the important family matters that have been filed away and ignored. The story isn't about Alex, it isn't even about server peanut allergies. Not to downplay Alex's role, but he is more of an instigator to events than the subject of the novel itself.

I love this book so much that I am getting confused just thinking about it. I have read and reviewed Gurtler's first two novels, I'm Not Her and If I Tell , both of which I very much so enjoyed, but Who I Kissed definitely takes the cake. I appreciated how real Sam's emotions were. She wasn't put down by the media attention or the ridicule of classmates, but rather she was destroyed by herself. It is her choice to limit her dreams and happiness. It is her who doesn't want to feel better, who thinks she has to suffer for what she did. She is continually torn between wanting to be punished and wanting to forget. Before she confronts Alex's family, she really has to deal with herself first.

Don't for a minute think that the plot is going to fall the usual contemporary pattern of: problem, drama, getting better, solution. It rises and falls, and drags emotions every which way. Just in case you needed one more incentive to pick up this novel.

If you love contemporary novels, or even moderately like them, Who I Kissed should be moved to the top of your to-read pile. show less