Book Review: In Honor by Jessi Kirby

In Honor
Author: Jessi Kirby
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Release Date: May 8th 2012
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Honor receives her brother's last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn's celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.

Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn's last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only 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 him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn. . . and ruggedly good looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn't. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

I honestly enjoy when a genre I normally don't read puts a smile on my face. In Honor affected me in so many great ways. I knew going in that this book should be great since I loved reading Moonglass also by Kirby. You still have a small tiny fear that "What if I don't like it". That was definitely not the case here. I loved In Honor. It was the prefect book to read at the perfect time.  Its truly all kinds of Amazing!! 

In Honor is the story of Honor. She is a recent high school graduate that is set to head off to college in Austin, TX. This should be the happiest time in Honor's life, but it's not. Honor just laid to rest her brother. Her older brother was killed in action over in Iraq. Honor received the news a few weeks before and it still feels very unreal to her. She still believes her brother is overseas but not dead. The amount of grief Honor is feeling, just breaks your heart. From how she describes her brother throughout the book, its like you yourself lost a great family member. He seemed to be the all around good guy that help everyone and always took care of his own. 

Honor finally gets the courage to open a letter that arrived from her brother 3 days after they received the news that he was dead. She opens the letter the day he was laid to rest. She is determined to fulfill what her brother has requested in the letter, so she jets off on her journey. This journey is to take her all the way from TX to CA to catch a final concert that her brother got her tickets for and told Honor to tell the singer about her big bother. She decides skipping orientation week at college is not as important as fulfilling her brothers wishes. So in the drive-way ready to go after she has lie to her aunt she runs into Rusty. Rusty is her brother's ex-best friend. He sits in the passenger side questioning were she is going before passing out from how drunk he is. So Honor leaves with him passed out. Little does Honor know that this road trip will be the trip of a lifetime. A lot can happen in thousands of miles of road with a old Impala and your brother's old drunk friend. Will Honor and Rusty make it to the concert? Is Honor ready to talk about and find out truths that were hidden from her. Sometimes the truth hurts a lot more than the lie. 

This book sealed the deal. What I mean by that is that anything Jessi Kirby publishes, I will read. Her writing is so honest and detailed. I think that is the main reason the book connects immediately with me and probably with anyone who will read it. If you have never read any of Jessi's books, you will want to. Jessi and Holly Cupala write realistic fiction like its no one's business. Mark your calendars for May 8th when In Honor is released.