Review: The Lying Game

Title: The Lying Game

Author: Sara Shepard

Series: The Lying Game #1

Release Date: December 7^th, 2010

Number of Pages: 307

Publisher: Harper Teen

Source: Bought

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.

I started reading this series mainly because I really really enjoyed the TV show on ABC. Yes, I, once again, decided to watch the series first instead of beginning with Sara Shepard’s novels. I can’t say which one I did prefer, because they were nicely different.

One of the big differences is that Sutton’s dead. She’s dead and Emma is taking her place, trying to find who killed her sister. I like the fact that the TV show didn’t do that, not because it’s not a great idea, but because it would have been strange to just see the ghost of Sutton following Emma around.

Like in the TV show, I don’t like Sutton. I prefer Emma all the way. Why? Sutton seems like such a bitch. Emma is sweeter, nicer and she’s simply more loveable. She wants to help people instead of simply mocking them.

There’s one character that I really like in the TV show that I despised in the book, and it is Laurel. Laurel just came out to me like a complete bitch in the book, where in the TV show, she just looks like a slightly jealous younger sister.

One of the great things about the book is that the mystery is complete. We have no idea who the killer is. They all seem to have a reason to want her dead, which doesn’t help me to like Sutton. How can everyone around you have a reason to kill you…?

Sara Shepard created a series once again where lying can get you in deep trouble. She is a master at writing novel that we’ll keep us guessing who the mean girl is.

Review: Flawless

Title: Flawless

Author: Sara Shepard

Release Date: March 15^th, 2007

Series: Pretty Little Liars #2

Number of Pages: 330

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: Bought

Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. Hanna's obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever.

And why shouldn't I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I'll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I've got enough dirt to bury them alive.

If I thought this books series could get farther than the TV series, I was wrong. I really enjoy this series, but I do prefer the TV show.

The thing is that I can’t connect with any of the characters. They all seem too bratty for me. I wanted to smack them so many times! They annoyed me, yet I couldn’t put the book down, because I was curious. It wasn’t that it was captivating, I was simply curious about what would happen.

The thing that really got me freaking out in this book is probably the Toby story line, simply because I adore him in the show. In the series, he now really freaks me out. It’s probably one of the things I wish was the same as it was in the TV show.

Also, I can’t forget the story line between Spencer and Melissa. I don’t know which one of them is the cruelest one. I probably would say that HE is the horrible one. They both are victims of love in a way. Sigh.

I enjoy reading Sara Shepard’s books, simply because they feel like such a great summer read. It is short, fun and easy to read. It probably wouldn’t be the series I would recommend first when people ask me what they should read next, but it is still fun and light. Perfect to read at the beach.

Maybe I would have enjoyed this series a little more if I hadn’t watched the series before, because I honestly really like the TV show.  

Review: Pretty Little Liars

Title: Pretty Little Liars

Author: Sara Shepard

Release Date: October 1^st, 2006

Series: Pretty Little Liars #1

Number of Pages: 286

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: Bought

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Three years ago, Alison disappeared after a slumber party, not to be seen since. Her friends at the elite Pennsylvania school mourned her, but they also breathed secret sighs of relief. Each of them guarded a secret that only Alison had known. Now they have other dirty little secrets, secrets that could sink them in their gossip-hungry world. When each of them begins receiving anonymous emails and text messages, panic sets in. Are they being betrayed by some one in their circle? Worse yet: Is Alison back? A strong launch for a suspenseful series.

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I had watched the show (and loved it), so I had to give the series a shot. I wasn’t disappointed, but I wasn’t super impressed. It was simply a nice summer read. I read it in one sitting, drinking an iced coffee sitting on a patio at Starbucks. It was entertaining!

The story was good. It kept me captivated, but it wasn’t the book of the years. The ending was okay, but like the series, it doesn’t give you that many answer. (Of course, it is the first in the series, so they can’t really give you everything!)

The characters were great. My favorite has to be Aria. I don’t know why, but I don’t really like Hannah in the book, there was just something annoyed the crap out of me. I don’t know, she just seems more like a b*tch than in the series. (Which is why I should have read the series before…)

The writing was easy to follow, but it kind of got on my nerves that every chapter follows a different character. Still, I got over it pretty fast.

The book was fun. I ended liking it, but I would have probably liked it more if I hadn’t seen the TV show before. 3/5