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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This book was so much fun to read. I don't normally read contemporary fiction and most of my mystery novel experience has been in the form of Sherlock Holmes. I found this book to be so refreshing. It felt so nice to read a teenager that was a teenager not the chosen one or responsible for the fate of the world. Nick's, I mean Tony's choices and actions are heavy but not unbearably heavy. Although Its been a few weeks I'm still mourning the death of Eli (partly because we share a name) and hoping for Reya to live her best life. I kinda wish this book had a sequel but since it was released 6 years ago I don't think we'll be getting one.
Fast-paced and intense YA. It surprised me MULTIPLE times!
3.3 stars
To start off this review, Lamar Giles actually lives really close to where I do and went to a university that a lot of people I know go to, which is super ambiguous but really cool imo. This kind of is like a little bit thriller/mystery, and I enjoyed it. I thought it was interesting. It wasn't my favorite book in the world to be honest, but I didn't guess who was the murderer in the end until near the end, which is an aspect I enjoy about mysteries. If it's too easy for me to guess, then it's way too easy for thriller/mystery fanatics, so I like a little bit of a surprise at the end. I also really liked how there are lots of PoC characters, which is rare I find in books. It wasn't absolutely gripping, but it was nice.
To start off this review, Lamar Giles actually lives really close to where I do and went to a university that a lot of people I know go to, which is super ambiguous but really cool imo. This kind of is like a little bit thriller/mystery, and I enjoyed it. I thought it was interesting. It wasn't my favorite book in the world to be honest, but I didn't guess who was the murderer in the end until near the end, which is an aspect I enjoy about mysteries. If it's too easy for me to guess, then it's way too easy for thriller/mystery fanatics, so I like a little bit of a surprise at the end. I also really liked how there are lots of PoC characters, which is rare I find in books. It wasn't absolutely gripping, but it was nice.
4.25 stars.
A wonderful debut. This book deals with Nick Pearson who isn't actually Nick. His real name is Tony and his father is a former mobster who has turned state's witness and has now been placed in the Witness Protection program, or WitSec for short.
Trying to figure out who you are as a teen is hard enough, but having to pretend to be somebody you completely aren't is even harder. Where does the persona and the real meet? Where do they divide?
The plot of this book is a murder mystery. Is his mobster dad involved? If so, why?
But the real story is Nick/Tony coming into his own right. Learning how to navigate between who we really are and who we are pretending to be. And in Nick's case, the difference between the two are worlds apart.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was some of the characters felt flat to me. Zach, the bully at school and his cronies played no real role in this book. They were only there to make things difficult for our protagonist. And without giving away any spoilers, let's just say I didn't by the killer's motivation. And the ending dragged on a bit.
But other than that, a great book. Great voice. I really enjoyed Nick as a main character and hope to be able to read about him again.
A wonderful debut. This book deals with Nick Pearson who isn't actually Nick. His real name is Tony and his father is a former mobster who has turned state's witness and has now been placed in the Witness Protection program, or WitSec for short.
Trying to figure out who you are as a teen is hard enough, but having to pretend to be somebody you completely aren't is even harder. Where does the persona and the real meet? Where do they divide?
The plot of this book is a murder mystery. Is his mobster dad involved? If so, why?
But the real story is Nick/Tony coming into his own right. Learning how to navigate between who we really are and who we are pretending to be. And in Nick's case, the difference between the two are worlds apart.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was some of the characters felt flat to me. Zach, the bully at school and his cronies played no real role in this book. They were only there to make things difficult for our protagonist. And without giving away any spoilers, let's just say I didn't by the killer's motivation. And the ending dragged on a bit.
But other than that, a great book. Great voice. I really enjoyed Nick as a main character and hope to be able to read about him again.
I enjoyed Fake ID for a few reasons--really good characterizations, a diverse cast of characters who aren't racial/ethnic caricatures, and a witness protection plot that was believable. I particularly liked Reya, who is incredibly strong-willed and quite smart. Only one real thing to complain about, and this is my personal issue: I hate obvious foreshadowing, and this book ends nearly every chapter with a line to foreshadow what's coming.
Liars, Inc. meets The Outliers meets Dark Places.
Overall, an okay thriller. Full of red herrings and gave me whiplash when the killer was revealed. The characters felt like cardboard at times, some of the story's elements were also kind of cheesy, and I was uncomfortable with the depiction of female characters in this book (I get that it's from the point of view of a teenage boy, but still, I was uncomfortable), but still a mystery-thriller worthy of the term.
Overall, an okay thriller. Full of red herrings and gave me whiplash when the killer was revealed. The characters felt like cardboard at times, some of the story's elements were also kind of cheesy, and I was uncomfortable with the depiction of female characters in this book (I get that it's from the point of view of a teenage boy, but still, I was uncomfortable), but still a mystery-thriller worthy of the term.