Even If I Fall

November 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-The author's latest follows Brooke, a girl who in dealing with the aftermath of her brother Jason's murder conviction, finds herself turning to Heath-the boy whose brother was murdered. Since the trial, Brooke's family has been isolated, harassed, and judged by everyone in her small Texas town. Her father spends all day in the basement, her mother is pretending everything is fine, and her younger sister has shut down. Without anyone to talk to, Brooke is silently grappling with the loss of her friends, in-person school, her missed opportunity to skate professionally, and most importantly, her big brother Jason. After a happenstance meeting, she begins to bond with Heath. She feels something is off about the details of that fateful night. Brooke confronts her feelings and family, and risks losing Heath, to find out the truth about the night her brother ruined their lives. The book starts off slowly, laying lots of groundwork and presenting character descriptions. Halfway through, the focus of the book shifts from Brooke's present-day to the page-turning account of the murder itself. Overall, Johnson manages to deliver book that feels authentic and realistic with a satisfying ending. VERDICT A good choice for where contemporary fiction and thrillers laced with romance circulate well. Recommended for general purchase.-Elizabeth Portillo, Easton Public Library, CT

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2018
The one person who completely understands what Brooke is going through is the one person she's not supposed to talk to.After her brother, Jason, is convicted of murdering his best friend, Cal, life has stopped for Brooke and her family. Ostracized throughout their small Texas town, the only person she socializes with is newcomer Maggie, a half-Korean, half-white beauty vlogging teen. But Brooke doesn't tell Maggie the cause of her mother's hypervigilance, her father's retreat into work, or her sister's reticence. Brooke too, has let Jason's conviction imprison her, derailing her dream of ice skating professionally. When she sees Heath, Cal's younger brother, stranded on the side of the road, she gives him a ride into town and chances a connection with someone she knows is just as, if not more, broken. Through a mix of emotions, Brooke and Heath continue to meet in secret and slowly develop a friendship that threatens to become more even though they both know it cannot be. And when Brooke learns that there may be more to Cal's murder than they all know, she can't let this knowledge go even though it has the potential to cause even more pain to their families and shatter Brooke and Heath's fragile understanding. Johnson (The First to Know, 2017, etc.) spins a tale of broken people and stirring complexity. With the exception of Maggie, characters are white.Emotional page-turner. (Fiction. 12-18)

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November 15, 2018
Grades 9-12 True to form, Johnson (The First to Know, 2017) brings to life a family in distress along with a tantalizing mystery in her latest novel. Brooke Covington is trying to be the glue her family needs her to be in the wake of disaster. With her older brother, Jason, in jail for murdering his best friend and her parents and younger sister each isolating themselves in their own way, Brooke is prepared to give up her dream of ice-skating professionally to keep everyone from spiraling apart. But a burgeoning relationship with Jason's late best friend's younger brother makes things even more complicated. Captivating and emotional, this story creates a beautiful tapestry of secrets and lies and explores how a family goes on when the unthinkable is a coldhearted reality. Brooke's story is a real page-turner, with fully fleshed-out characters and naturally flowing dialogue. Johnson's latest is a great choice for fans of character-driven stories and complex family dynamics, with a mystery that readers will try to uncover right alongside the protagonist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)