Review: In Honor by Jessi Kirby

Title: In Honor
Author: Jessi Kirby
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publishing Date: May 8th 2012
Pages: 240
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Series: Stand Alone
Source: Hardcover

Goodreads Summary:
A devastating loss leads to an unexpected road trip in this novel from the author of Moonglass, whose voice Sarah Dessen says “is fresh and wise, all at once.”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?

Review:

Realistic Fiction is on m y list this year to read. This was a great addition to my new collection. Great book about accepting, forgiving, and healing.

The story is about Honor, she just graduated and plans to go to college in Texas when she finds out her brother was killed overseas. Honor and her brother Finn grew up with their aunt, their parents dying when they were young. Only a year apart they did pretty much everything together with their best friend Rusty, well up until they all became teenagers. Honor and Finn stayed close and it was hard on Honor when Finn decided to join the military instead of college.

About a week before Honor is to leave for her school orientation she receives the news, attends the funeral, and finds a letter that her brother mailed her before he died. In the letter were tickets to her favorite singer’s last concert in California. She decides that she must fulfill her brother’s last wish. She plans to hit the road, go to the concert, try and meet the singer, and head home in time for her first class. What she didn’t have planned was Rusty, her brother’s best friend to tag along. Nothing goes right on this road trip for Honor and Rusty except for the healing.

Honor is a great character, Rusty is a great character. I loved the tension between them throughout the book. Rusty started as the jerk but by the end I was in love too. Honor is very stubborn and very independent and this causes tons of friction along the way. She is angrier than she thought, hurting more than she imagined possible, and scared to live without her brother. I cannot relate to the issue, but I was able to relate to Honor. The book felt very real and very honest, even if the road trip is a little bit over the top.

The book was a very quick read, it was emotional but not too emotional. I had a few times of watery eyes but I had more laughs and smiles then sadness. I liked the fact that the book spent more time on the healing than on the feeling. I very much enjoyed this book.

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