Definition: Where Jess groups together a couple of mini reviews on books she’s bought and recently read.
The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
"Sutton Mercer had a life anyone would kill for – and someone did. But thanks to a view from the afterlife and Emma Paxton, her long-lost twin sister, Sutton has a chance to solve her own murder. Emma slips into Sutton’s old life to piece together her disappearance. But can Emma keep up the charade long enough to discover what really happened to Sutton…or will she become the next victim?
Let the lying games begin."
The first book in this series I had a real love/hate relationship with. The plot kind of reminded me of one of those cheesy teen slasher movies and at the beginning I really questioned how believable it all was and if I was going to continue reading. The thing that I’ve found with this series is that it’s so bad it’s good and there’s something very very addictive about it.
It really took me a while to get into this story and the way that it’s written as it jumps from Emma to Sutton’s perspective at times without any warning or indication that the protagonist has changed and with Emma pretending to be Sutton it can get a little confusing.
I also didn’t really like any of the characters with the exception of Emma. The group of girls the story centres around are the bitchy, mean girl kind making them not very likeable but despite this books faults I absolutely flew through it and ordered and read the second one immediately.
There’s something so addictive about this Mean Girls meets The Lovely Bones meets Sorority Row book and it’s admittedly a fun, fast paced, thrill of a read. All in all there are better young adult thrillers out there at the minute but there’s something very addictive and compelling about this series and that alone may be strong enough to carry me through to the end. 3.5 Stars
Never Have I Ever by Sara Shepard
"MY PERFECT LIFE WAS A LIE.
NOW I’D DO ANYTHING TO UNCOVER THE TRUTH.
Not long ago, I had everything a girl could wish for: amazing friends, an adorable boyfriend, a loving family. But none of them know that I’m gone – that I’m dead. To solve my murder, my long-lost twin sister, Emma, has taken my place. She sleeps in my room, wears my clothes, and calls my parents Mom and Dad. And my killer is watching her every move.
I remember little from my life, just flashes and flickers, so all I can do is follow along as Emma tries to solve the mystery of my disappearance. But the deeper she digs, the more suspects she uncovers. It turns out my friends and I played a lot of games – games that ruined people’s lives. Anyone could want revenge . . . anyone could want me – and now Emma – dead."
This book follows its predecessor on in much the same style with Emma still pretending to be Sutton to unravel the mystery surrounding her twin’s death. Never Have I Ever unearths some new clues and therefore some new suspects and I enjoyed this sequel a little more if only because I was used to the characters and writing style and knew what to expect.
Never Have I Ever picks up literally where The Lying Game left off with no time having passed at all so that the reader is automatically swept back into the action. Sara Shepard takes us in a new direction in this second novel and more is discovered about Sutton and her mysterious death.
This book has all the same thrills and twists as The Lying Game but with a brand new set of clues and suspects. Basically if you loved The Lying Game you’re going to love this one too. All of the faults I found with the first book are still present but so are the things I loved about it too. The Lying Game series is fast turning into my favourite guilty pleasure that maybe I shouldn’t like but I do anyway and I’m already getting impatient for my next fix, flaws and all. 3.5 Stars
I read The Lying Game when it was on Netgalley and I thought it was good fun, although I'm not sure if the second book is on my 'must buy' list. I can barely remember what happened in the first book at this point.
ReplyDeleteI bought The Lying Game last week, but only as the final book in a 3 for £5 offer. I'll probably read it at some point but it seems to have mixed reviews, so I'm in no rush!
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