Things I'd Rather Do Than Die

by Christine Hurley Deriso

Overview

Jade Fulton and Ethan Garrett are opposites in every sense of the word. Ethan is an all-American poster boy—a star athlete dating the most popular girl in school and a devout Christian. Jade keeps mostly to herself. She abhors joining “things,” hates everyone at their high school except her best friend, Gia, and considers herself agnostic.

When Ethan and Jade find themselves locked in an aerobics room overnight, their confinement forces them to push past the labels they’ve given each other. Jock. Loner. Jesus freak. Skeptic. Golden boy. Intellectual. Amid hours of arguing, philosophizing, and silly game playing, Ethan and Jade learn there's a lot more to the other person than meets the eye.

After that night, life returns to normal and each goes back to their regular lives. Still, neither one can shake the unexpected bond they formed and they can’t help but question what they’ve been taught to believe, who they want to be, and where their hearts truly lie.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781635830224
Publisher:	North Star Editions
Publication date:	09/18/2018
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Christine Hurley Deriso is an award-winning author of YA novels, including Tragedy Girl, Thirty Sunsets, and Then I Met My Sister. She has also contributed to Ladies’ Home Journal, Parents, and other national magazines. She lives and writes in South Carolina. Visit her online at www.christinehurleyderiso.com.

Editorial Reviews

06/25/2018
Schoolmates Jade and Ethan, who run in very different social circles, get locked overnight in the gym where Jade works after a robbery occurs there. They spend the entire time talking and getting to know one another, but complications await these new friends once they are let out: Jade’s father has cancer and might die, and Ethan, whose home life is rocky at best, has a jealous girlfriend, Brianne, who is unhappy about his connection to Jade. As Brianne becomes more overbearing, Ethan questions their relationship yet can’t seem to let it go, even as he begins to fall for Jade. Ethan’s character is defined by popularity and football, as well as his devout Christianity, which makes Jade wary (“If there’s a God, maybe what he really values is people keeping an open mind,” she says). The faith-related conversations can, at times, be didactic, and Deriso’s prose is occasionally heavy-handed and clichéd. Still, despite the looming tragedy and family difficulties that permeate the characters’ lives, Jade and Ethan’s believable dialogue and the quick switches between their perspectives make this a fast, light read. Ages 14–up. Agent: Andrea Somberg, Harvey Klinger. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"The main characters are both complex and delightful. An inspirational read that readers can appreciate." — Booklist

"Deriso alternates viewpoints seamlessly, providing Jade and Ethan with unique voices and personalities to tell their intertwining stories. For fans of tear-jerking realism." —School Library Journal

“Jade and Ethan’s believable dialogue and the quick switches between their perspectives make this a fast, light read.” —Publishers Weekly

"This feel-good book uses heart and humor to tell a romantic story that is all about breaking stereotypes and making room for genuine connections." —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

07/01/2018
Gr 9 Up—After being robbed of their cell phones at gunpoint and then locked in the gym overnight, Jade and Ethan are forced to bear each other's company for eight long hours. And if that's not enough, when they finally get out, everyone seems to think that they did more than just talk— and that includes Ethan's girlfriend. Ethan and Jade are determined to move on from the harrowing experience, but it's hard to do so when they've seen each other in a different light. Ethan isn't just some jock with a great body and the perfect girlfriend, and Jade isn't an ice queen with a successful family. They won't make it through their senior year without the lessons they learn from one another. Deriso alternates viewpoints seamlessly, providing Jade and Ethan with unique voices and personalities to tell their intertwining stories. Ethan sometimes comes across as a less-developed protagonist, but the strength of Jade's characterization makes up for what his lacks. Jade's family and the love interests' different social standings allows for discussion of race and class. VERDICT A refreshing take on old tropes creates a coming-of-age story for fans of tear-jerking realism.—Ruth Shaw, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL

School Library Journal

2018-06-20
Jade and Ethan overcome misperceptions about one another in this lighthearted romance that explores race, class, religion, and identity.Jade is a multiracial girl of African, European, and Cherokee descent with a Filipina stepmother in a blended Catholic, Protestant, and agnostic family. She often feels not black enough for black people and not white enough for white people. Ethan is a nondenominational evangelical white Christian who has perfect Ken-doll looks and is your typical all-American football player. Jade thinks he's a privileged dumb jock and out-of-touch Jesus freak. Ethan thinks she's a snobby atheist who's too cool to know he exists. Neither of them is right about any of these details. On an unfortunate day when Ethan comes into the gym where Jade works right at closing time, the pair is held up by a burglar. After narrowly escaping with their lives, the two are locked together in an aerobics room for 8 hours by the intruder...plenty of time for them to shatter their mutual misconceptions and plant the seeds for a budding romance. This feel-good book asks the reader to suspend disbelief at times but uses heart and humor to tell a romantic story that is all about breaking stereotypes and making room for genuine connections.Fans of Zora and Nicky by Claudia Mair Burney (David C. Cook, 2008) will enjoy this faith-based love story. (Romance. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews