Book Review - The Lying Game, by Sara Shepard

Released: Dec 2010

Publisher:  HarperTeen
Audience: YA
Genre: Mystery
Source: NetGalley

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Summary from Goodreads:

I had a life anyone would kill for.
 
Then someone did.
 
The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.
 
Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?
 
From Sara Shepard, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars books, comes a riveting new series about secrets, lies, and killer consequences.
 
Let the lying game begin.

Review:

Talk about twisted & creepy! This book pulled me in from the start. I never read mystery or suspense novels because I scare easily, so I was surprised with how much I liked this one. Yes, the premise of a long-lost twin coming into town & so easily convincing everyone that she's her twin sister is far-fetched. From their personalities alone, they sound like such opposites that this doesn't even being to seem plausible. However, the author engaged me so well with the story that I was willing, for the most part, to ignore the impossibility of the situation.

Shepard did a wonderful job putting the reader inside Emma's head & making it feel like you were experiencing all the anxiety, hope, & fear along with her. I sat up late many nights needing to know what happened next (possibly to calm my own anxiety & come to a good stopping point where I could fall asleep without needing to keep the lights on). This book kept me turning the pages. My heart literally raced with the suspense - I just couldn't conceive of how twisted & horrible this "game" was that the girls were playing. I thought I had things figured out one moment & then was completely surprised at the new possibile answers to the mystery.

My one complaint is that this book ended with such a cliffhanger. I still don't know what's going on! I'll definitely read the sequel. While cliffhangers often frustrate me, I'm fine with the need to read the next book in the series to see how things play out. Sara Shepard engaged me enough with her characters & story that I'm anxious to get to the next one.

4/5

"At least she had a clear picture of what the Lying Game was now: Girl Scouts for psychopaths." 
 ~ Sara Shepard, The Lying Game

Review - Unearthly, by Cynthia Hand

Title: Unearthly

Author: Cynthia Hand
Released: Jan 2011

Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company

Pages: 341

Rating: 4/5
Source: NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon

Summary from Goodreads

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

Review:

I don't know why, but I'm having such a difficult time writing a review for this book! I mean, it was really good, but I just can't seem to put my thoughts into words without giving anything away.

The only books I've read that touch on the subject of angels are Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series. Other than that, my experience with paranormal beings has been with vampires, wolves, shadowhunters, wizards & any other creature in the Harry Potter series. So, what were my thoughts on reading a book about a part-angel, part-teenage human girl? It was refreshing. This story was not dark like so many others in its genre. Sure there were dark moments, but overall, it had such a light, happy feel to it.

I loved the main character, Clara. While first getting to know her, I worried she was going to be another whiny, awkward, swooning girl. At times she showed hints of this (what teenage girl hasn't?), but as I got to know her, I realized that while not perfect, she was strong, independent, self-sufficient, competitive, & easy to relate to. She was awesome!

While this book can be categorized as paranormal fantasy, & the overall premise of the story had to do with Clara & her angel purpose on Earth, I was amazed by Hand's ability to make it so realistic. So much of the focus was on the characters & what it's like to be a teenager - trying to get a boy's attention, making friends, fitting in, & being teased by the Gilbert Blythe of Jackson Hole, WY (when said boy called her "Carrots," I'm pretty sure I started rooting for him right then & there!). At the same time, Hand threw in magical qualities: flying, visions, glowing, hair having an almost life-like mind of its own. This book felt more like magical realism than paranormal fantasy, & I loved that about it. It made it easier to escape in the story & feel as though it could really happen.

Another thing I appreciated about Hand's story was the fact that she didn't make the romance aspect of it ridiculous. It felt natural & was very well-developed. It wasn't about fantasy, obsession, love at first sight, & lust (well, maybe a little), but rather, they were equals & grew close through actually spending time together & getting to know each other. And while the swoon-worthy boys were comical at times in their stereotypes, I enjoyed them. Tucker especially made my list of literary crushes, while I imagine Christian isn't far behind!

I am so excited for the next book in this series to come out! Unearthly left us with some unanswered questions, & I can't wait to see where this story goes! I wish I could just relive the story all over again - if this were a movie, I would have pushed "replay" as soon as I finished watching it, just so I could experience it all over again.

4/5

"So often we only do what we think is expected of us, when we are capable of so much more." ~ Cynthia Hand, Unearthly