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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
I felt that some of the scenes in this book were a drag on too long and the "twist" was poorly handled. This book would be great for middle school kids who do not read often and want some actions.
Nick Pearson is a teenager in the witness protection program and while he thinks he's lying low, he runs into trouble right from the start. There's a conspiracy bubbling up in his new hometown and he's in the midst of it. This fast-paced mystery/thriller was pretty great, though I wanted more closure.
The mystery in the story was what probably saved this book for me, even though I figured it out a few pages sooner than I should've. Other than that the characters made it very hard to care about anything else and the portrayal of the female cast was honestly appalling. And these undeserved redemption arcs need to stop.
A teenager in the Witness Protection program gets caught up in a dangerous mystery after his only friend at his new school dies. Lamar Giles keeps the reader engaged with interesting characters and well timed twists.
Fake ID is a well written story about Nick whose family is on their fourth try in the Witness Protection Program. If Nick's father can't stop himself this time from violating the rules of the program, they will be out. Nick's mom has just about had enough and contemplates leaving. As Nick starts classes in his new high school, he immediately makes a new friend and finds himself interested in a girl. His new friend, Eli, runs the school newspaper and is the semi-official greeter for the numerous new students that seem to find their way to Stepton's high school. Nick quickly runs afoul of the school's bully, Zach, when he spends time with Zach's former girlfriend, Reya. These all seem like big problems to Nick until Eli starts talking to him about something called "Whispertown" and seemingly commits suicide in the school newspaper office on a Friday evening when Nick goes on his first official assignment covering the football game for the paper. Finding Eli's body on Monday morning puts Nick in the middle of a town scandal right at the very time he is supposed to be lying low. Trying to prove that Eli didn't commit suicide digs Nick deeper into a town that isn't what it seems.
This book is very interesting and well written with lots of unexpected twists and turns, but I have trouble liking the character of Nick. Much of his trouble stems from his lack of honesty with those around him which seems to run in his family. Overall a good story, but not a very happy one.
This book is very interesting and well written with lots of unexpected twists and turns, but I have trouble liking the character of Nick. Much of his trouble stems from his lack of honesty with those around him which seems to run in his family. Overall a good story, but not a very happy one.
I really love that there are more YA books around with lead characters who aren't all white, but this one still left things to be desired for me.
It was a bit difficult to see past the sexy-lamp-female characters whose main motivation is often looking good for the guys. The main character also has the issue that he's said to have certain traits and doesn't really show them, and the big reveal of the main twist also fell a bit flat.
It was a bit difficult to see past the sexy-lamp-female characters whose main motivation is often looking good for the guys. The main character also has the issue that he's said to have certain traits and doesn't really show them, and the big reveal of the main twist also fell a bit flat.
Spoiler
Like Whispertown- the main twist, and at the end, what was the point of it, really?
I chose this book primarily because the main character’s name is Nick Pearson, which is my last name too! Except Pearson isn’t really his last name, because he’s in the witness protection program. The story starts when Nick and his family move to a new town and Nick starts a new school. On his first day, he meets a beautiful girl and her brainy brother Eli. It turns out Eli has secrets of his own, like that he’s investigating a conspiracy about their town. Nick wants to learn more, but before he can, Eli dies! So Nick has to decide whether or not to continue Eli’s investigation with the help of Reya, Eli’s hot sister.
I thought this story was pretty exciting. I haven’t read many YA thrillers, and this had a lot of good twists. The mystery sucked me in and kept me interested. My favorite parts were probably about Nick’s family, though. His father is a criminal turned informant, which is why they’re in witness protection, and Nick’s feelings about his dad seemed realistically conflicted.The thing that really surprised me was how negatively so many characters viewed people in the witness protection program. I always thought of them as victims, being hunted. But I guess they are people who committed crimes themselves. But hating their kids so much seemed really excessive. It’s not the kids’ fault! There was a moment when a girl screws Nick over and his response is to call her a skank, which I didn’t love, and there are a couple of characters who are described as being fat like it’s their only defining quality, but overall, I was entertained and wanted to keep reading.
I thought this story was pretty exciting. I haven’t read many YA thrillers, and this had a lot of good twists. The mystery sucked me in and kept me interested. My favorite parts were probably about Nick’s family, though. His father is a criminal turned informant, which is why they’re in witness protection, and Nick’s feelings about his dad seemed realistically conflicted.
Think Murder, Think suspense, then read this book carefully
I just finished this, and I was pleasantly surprised! Interesting story, interesting background, interesting plot twists, interesting family-- this had it all. I hope that there is a sequel here, because the ending left too many loose ends, but other than that, no complaints!