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sm055906's review against another edition
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Drug use
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Child death
brookey8888's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was good. I really didn’t know what to expect when I went into this but I enjoyed it. The writing style is odd like we were liars were, but after a while you just get used to how it’s written. I honestly really like the main character and she did nothing wrong I mean she did but I forgive her. This also made me tear up at the end. I think if you enjoyed we were liars you should pick this up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, Violence, Murder, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Mental illness, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship
sxrxh_lenx's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Rape, Drug use, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, and Grief
tgndcy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Drug abuse, Murder, Alcoholism, and Death
Moderate: Rape
annathesockaholic's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Murder, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide
jillkaarlela's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Even though this is considered a “prequel” you need to read “we were liars” before reading this book. Similar to the other book, I wouldn't say that I particularly enjoyed this book, but I was slightly intrigued. I also wouldn’t say this this book was as shocking of a plot twist as the first one. The author wrote in the bonus material of the first book that she would rather make a reader angry/upset and throw the book across the room than bore them, which makes so much sense. Although, her book, “genuine fraud” was quite boring. Anyways, I might read any future books in this series out of curiosity but I wouldn’t say that I particularly recommend or enjoy this book very much.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Drug use, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
Minor: Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Cursing
mysterymom40's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Addiction
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Violence, Sexual content, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Minor: Medical content, Sexual assault, Blood, Toxic friendship, Death, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, and Infidelity
franchesqua_levi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read we were liars at the start of this year, it was the book that got me out of my reading slump that lasted years, so of course I had to read the prequel.
We were liars made me cry so much and for some reason I thought family of liars was basically going to be a copy and paste of we were liars. I was so wrong. This book made me so angry with it that I wanted to toss the book across my room. For the past week, all you could hear coming from my room was, "NO" "HOW DARE YOU!!?" And a lot of screaming. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to feel something, but someone who isn't much of a crier.
I'm not vey good with trigger warnings, but I would say that some of the main ones are rape and death.
We were liars made me cry so much and for some reason I thought family of liars was basically going to be a copy and paste of we were liars. I was so wrong. This book made me so angry with it that I wanted to toss the book across my room. For the past week, all you could hear coming from my room was, "NO" "HOW DARE YOU!!?" And a lot of screaming. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to feel something, but someone who isn't much of a crier.
I'm not vey good with trigger warnings, but I would say that some of the main ones are rape and death.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Rape, Murder, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Homophobia, and Self harm
arthur_ant18's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, Homophobia, Misogyny, Gaslighting, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Sexual content, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
onceuponabookcase's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I was sent this proof for free by Hot Key Books for the purposes of providing an honest review.
WARNING! I cannot review this book without spoiling We Were Liars. Read no further if you're planning on reading this series and don't want it spoilt for you.
I'd been so looking forward to reading Family of Liars by E. Lockhart since it was first announced. I dragged my heels a bit on reading We Were Liars, but I absolutely adored it, and wasn't going to make the same mistake with it's prequel. And it was so bloody good! Just as twisty and surprising as the first book!
It's summer, 1987. Carrie Sinclair is 17, her sister Penny 16, and her sister Bess 14. As always, the Sinclair family have returned to their island of Beechwood. But this summer is different; it's the first summer without Rosemary. Rosemary was their youngest sister, but she died last summer, drowned, when she was 10. The Sinclair family doesn't talk about their feelings; they move forward, they choose joy, they go back to being normal. But Carrie isn't coping so well. She is grieving, but unable to express her grief, because no-one wants to talk about it, they just want to move on, leave it behind. Live Rosemary behind. But Carrie can't do that. Because it turns out Rosemary isn't gone, she's still at Beechwood, sometimes, waiting for Carrie. But that's not the only thing different about this summer. It's the summer after Carrie's jaw surgery, it's the summer she self-medicates, and it's the summer a group of boys join them. It's a summer of betrayal, and a summer of liars.
This book is so, so good! The story is different, the reason for the story is different, but the Sinclair family is so familiar. I didn't know what to expect with Family of Liars. I thought we'd probably end up with twists we absolutely didn't see, which we do, but not what the story is about. With We Were Liars, it doesn't take long to realise it's the mystery around what happened the summer two years previously; what was the accident Cady was in? And why can't she remember? With Family of Liars, there's no real hint of what this story is about, except for the fact that that it involves a group of boys. And it's the story of the worst thing Carrie has ever done - because Carrie is actually telling this story to the ghost of her dead son Johnny, who has asked her for it.
In 1987, things are different from what we know from We Were Liars. Beechwood is owned by the girls' dad, Harris, and also Harris' brother, Dean. They each have a house, and each year they bring both their families - Dean bringing his daughter Yardley, same age as Carrie, and son Tomkin, who's 11. There is Clairmont, but none of the other houses we know have been built yet. But there's Pevensie, for Dean and his family, and Goose Cottage, for guests. The atmosphere is different. Everyone seems to get on pretty well. While the Sinclair sisters aren't super close, they're quite different from the aunts we know We Were Liars, who were constantly bickering one year over who got what once their father died, to being brought together by the deaths and near deaths of their children. This year, Yardley brings her boyfriend George and two of his friends, Major and Pfeff.
I don't really want to say too much else about it, because it's so much better to find out as you read. You know something is going to happen at some point, because of Carrie's conversation with Johnny at the beginning of the book, but as you're reading along, it's just a summer. Until it's not. There are shocking revelations and incredible twists, one after the other! Honestly, I wasn't sure what Lockhart could do with Family of Liars considering the twists of We Were Liars. How do you beat, or at least equal, that in regards to the shock-factor? But my god, does she manage it! It's bloody incredible; you're still reeling from one thing, only to be hit with another! Lockhart is absolutely the queen of twists and mystery, and will have your jaw on the floor! It's such an emotional rollercoaster! I didn't see any of it coming, and it was just so, so good! And because it was so good, I hope Lockhart doesn't stop. I hope she goes back another generation, to when Harris or Tipper were teenagers. I just want more!
Family of Liars is a bloody fantastic prequel to We Were Liars, and it absolutely will not disappoint! Those who raved about We Were Liars are definitely going to want to pick this one up, just prepare to have your mind blown!
WARNING! I cannot review this book without spoiling We Were Liars. Read no further if you're planning on reading this series and don't want it spoilt for you.
I'd been so looking forward to reading Family of Liars by E. Lockhart since it was first announced. I dragged my heels a bit on reading We Were Liars, but I absolutely adored it, and wasn't going to make the same mistake with it's prequel. And it was so bloody good! Just as twisty and surprising as the first book!
It's summer, 1987. Carrie Sinclair is 17, her sister Penny 16, and her sister Bess 14. As always, the Sinclair family have returned to their island of Beechwood. But this summer is different; it's the first summer without Rosemary. Rosemary was their youngest sister, but she died last summer, drowned, when she was 10. The Sinclair family doesn't talk about their feelings; they move forward, they choose joy, they go back to being normal. But Carrie isn't coping so well. She is grieving, but unable to express her grief, because no-one wants to talk about it, they just want to move on, leave it behind. Live Rosemary behind. But Carrie can't do that. Because it turns out Rosemary isn't gone, she's still at Beechwood, sometimes, waiting for Carrie. But that's not the only thing different about this summer. It's the summer after Carrie's jaw surgery, it's the summer she self-medicates, and it's the summer a group of boys join them. It's a summer of betrayal, and a summer of liars.
This book is so, so good! The story is different, the reason for the story is different, but the Sinclair family is so familiar. I didn't know what to expect with Family of Liars. I thought we'd probably end up with twists we absolutely didn't see, which we do, but not what the story is about. With We Were Liars, it doesn't take long to realise it's the mystery around what happened the summer two years previously; what was the accident Cady was in? And why can't she remember? With Family of Liars, there's no real hint of what this story is about, except for the fact that that it involves a group of boys. And it's the story of the worst thing Carrie has ever done - because Carrie is actually telling this story to the ghost of her dead son Johnny, who has asked her for it.
In 1987, things are different from what we know from We Were Liars. Beechwood is owned by the girls' dad, Harris, and also Harris' brother, Dean. They each have a house, and each year they bring both their families - Dean bringing his daughter Yardley, same age as Carrie, and son Tomkin, who's 11. There is Clairmont, but none of the other houses we know have been built yet. But there's Pevensie, for Dean and his family, and Goose Cottage, for guests. The atmosphere is different. Everyone seems to get on pretty well. While the Sinclair sisters aren't super close, they're quite different from the aunts we know We Were Liars, who were constantly bickering one year over who got what once their father died, to being brought together by the deaths and near deaths of their children. This year, Yardley brings her boyfriend George and two of his friends, Major and Pfeff.
I don't really want to say too much else about it, because it's so much better to find out as you read. You know something is going to happen at some point, because of Carrie's conversation with Johnny at the beginning of the book, but as you're reading along, it's just a summer. Until it's not. There are shocking revelations and incredible twists, one after the other! Honestly, I wasn't sure what Lockhart could do with Family of Liars considering the twists of We Were Liars. How do you beat, or at least equal, that in regards to the shock-factor? But my god, does she manage it! It's bloody incredible; you're still reeling from one thing, only to be hit with another! Lockhart is absolutely the queen of twists and mystery, and will have your jaw on the floor! It's such an emotional rollercoaster! I didn't see any of it coming, and it was just so, so good! And because it was so good, I hope Lockhart doesn't stop. I hope she goes back another generation, to when Harris or Tipper were teenagers. I just want more!
Family of Liars is a bloody fantastic prequel to We Were Liars, and it absolutely will not disappoint! Those who raved about We Were Liars are definitely going to want to pick this one up, just prepare to have your mind blown!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Alcoholism