The Lying Game (Review)

The Lying Game: The Lying Game | Sara Shepard

Published by: HarperTeen, December 7th 2010

Genre: YA, Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 307

Format: Ebook

Source: Purchased

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, care-free daughter when she hugs my parents goodnight? 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 don't read many contemporary thrillers, or mysteries, or whatever this book actually is. So I don't have much to judge this against. But I REALLY enjoyed it. I expected the bitchiness of the characters to put me off and make me DNF but there's enough intrigue and suspicions to drive the story. And the characters aren't so much bitchy as psychopathic. I expected to guess who the murderer was right away but all the characters are so dodgy that I have No Idea. AND I reaaaaaaaaaaally like the love interest. Like really. He's a solid, supportive guy and he's an astronomer. I want one.

Loved this way more than expected. I'm surprisingly eager to read the next book.

Characters ★★★★☆

Setting/world-building ★★★☆☆

Writing ★★★★☆

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Reading round up (79)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week. 

8th June

I wanted to finish Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen today but it just didn't happen. I read 94 pages and I totally forgot about the guillotine scene!! I still think the book hit a peak in the tunnels and then dipped considerably, though. This ending feels more like a beginning of the next book...

9th June

I skim read the last 70 or so pages of Stolen Songbird and I still really think the ending is WAY less interesting that the labyrinth-almost-beheaded thing. 

I also started Ashes by Ilsa. J. Bick because I was in the mood for something post-apocalyptic. I've read 93 pages and I LOVE IT. So, so cool. Reminds me of The Darkest Minds and The Immortal Rules so far.

10th June

I read 74 pages of Ashes and it's SO GOOD. A love interest was introduced and it ... STRENGTHENED the story. Whaaaaaaaaaaaat. What is happening here???

11th June

Lost track of what I read today. Some pages of Ashes, I think.

12th June

Alright I spoiled myself accidentally with Ashes and now I have no interest in finishing it because that spoiler is the opposite of what I wanted. So I'm stalled at page 242 and sad about it. This was gonna be one of my faves ever, but that had to happen.

I read 16% of The Lying Game, though, and it's still fairly good. The mystery has dropped off a lot, though.

PLUS I started A Thousand Nights by E. J. Johnson. Which is really good so far - and has diverse main characters!!! So that's cheered up my reading list considerably.

13th June

I read 44% of A Thousand Nights, and it is so good. The setting is authentic and just, everything feels respectful of the culture. Thank you, E. K. Johnston.

14th June

Today I finished A Thousand Nights, and it was perfect. I also started A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas, and my galley is missing a bunch of letters that makes some paragraphs difficult to read but I am NOT abandoning this book. 

Books finished this week: 2
Books DNF'd this week: 1

For review:

I'm not listing these or linking them because I'm lazy/ Thanks to Harper Collins + imprints, and Angry Robot for these lovely, shiny galleys.

Amazon Freebies:

The Cure | Stephanie Erickson

Reading round up (78)

Reading round up is a weekly journal where I record my daily reading progress, my thoughts on each book as I read it, and any books I've acquired during the week. 

1st June

Today I read 43% of In The Air Tonight by Lori Handeland, finishing it, and it was really good at the end. I also read 47 pages of With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent, my fave.

2nd June

I read 74 pages of With All My Soul, and I'm continually shocked at how good these books are. Also the cover model looks SO much like Lindsy Fonseca!

3rd June

I finished With All my Soul (166 pages read!), and with it the entire Soul Screamers series, and it killed me. I've literally been brought back as a reaper to type this update from beyond the grave. Tod/Kaylee are too cute. Nash's character development is too important to me. And Sabine/Sophie being adoptive sisters IS SOMETHING ELSE. Thank you, Rachel Vincent, for this absolute gift.

4th June

Today I started my reread of Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen. I now own the pretty paperback, which I am very happy about. I read 57 pages and it's as awesome as I remembered.

I also impulse bought and immediately started reading The Lying Game by Sara Shepard, because I'm LOVING PLL being back and I've been waiting for a kindle sale on her books for ages. I've read 20% and colour me pretty darn interested. Don't go downhill from here, please!!

5th June

I read 89 pages of Stolen Songbird and hello Tristan my love *heart-eyes*. I also read another 9% of The Lying Game, and I think it's about to get cooler.

6th June

I have absolutely no idea what I read today. All my progress and page numbers got mixed up.

7th June

Today I read 16% of The Lying Game, bringing me to 45%, and I am actually really into the love interest. Well played, Sara Shepard, making him interested in astronomy. I also read 96 pages of Stolen Songbird, and my heart is in pain rn.

Books finished this week: 2
Books DNF'd this week: 0

For review:

NOTHING AGAIN!!!!

Hell yiss.

Bought:

The Lying Game | Sara Shepard

Rush | Eve Silver

As you see above, I've already started The Lying Game. It's pretty cool. And I've been wanting to read Rush for YEARS. It's one of those books I never got around to. But I hate the UK cover, and I've just realised it's a game-based sci-fi (I've read three of these and DNF'd all of them) so we'll see...

Chameleon Moon | RoAnna Sylver

Adamant | Emma L. Adams

These are two LONNNNG overdue purchases for me. Chameleon Moon sounds amazing and unique and has HELLA DIVERSITY. And Adamant will count towards my Saruuh Explores NA... project!!!

In The Air Tonight (3 STARS)