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iz609010's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
greene_house_gases's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
indigoivee's review
3.0
Amazing.
This was a thrilling suspense which delved into the dark secrets of the coastal town of the teenagers of Gardiners Bay. With a mix of contemporary, horror, mystery, suspense, and thriller elements, this book keeps us on the edge of their seats.
The story follows Jenna Dallas and Adam Cole as they uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of a mutual friend Colleen O'Dell. As Jenna's best friend becomes a suspect, Jenna takes it upon herself to investigate and finds a web of scandals that lead back to Preston Prep School and Rookwood reform school. Adam, a student at Rookwood, joins Jenna in their quest for answers, even if it means putting their trust in each other.
The author skillfully builds suspense throughout the dual narrative, keeping us engaged and guessing until the very end. The complex web of lies and secrets adds layers of intrigue to the plot, making it an exciting read. The author’s writing style is descriptive and immersive, allowing readers to vividly experience the coastal town and its inhabitants.
Alternating between Jenna and Adam's points of view provides a deeper understanding of their characters and motivations. Their evolving relationship with each other and the people they had once considered friends, only adds an additional layer of complexity to the story.
It was a good read, I enjoyed the way this mystery unfolded, especially with Adam’s biased and unreliable point of view in contrast to Jenna’s straightforward and earnest one. But to have them fall in love with each other, Adam falling first and hard, made it all the more enticing and sweet in the end. They deserved happiness and they surely deserved each other.
Favourite quote: “Turns out blood isn’t thicker than water, after all. All of us here, we’re in this together. We’ll go down in flames, together, too. A burning inferno. Screaming in the night about the things that came before.”
This was a thrilling suspense which delved into the dark secrets of the coastal town of the teenagers of Gardiners Bay. With a mix of contemporary, horror, mystery, suspense, and thriller elements, this book keeps us on the edge of their seats.
The story follows Jenna Dallas and Adam Cole as they uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of a mutual friend Colleen O'Dell. As Jenna's best friend becomes a suspect, Jenna takes it upon herself to investigate and finds a web of scandals that lead back to Preston Prep School and Rookwood reform school. Adam, a student at Rookwood, joins Jenna in their quest for answers, even if it means putting their trust in each other.
The author skillfully builds suspense throughout the dual narrative, keeping us engaged and guessing until the very end. The complex web of lies and secrets adds layers of intrigue to the plot, making it an exciting read. The author’s writing style is descriptive and immersive, allowing readers to vividly experience the coastal town and its inhabitants.
Alternating between Jenna and Adam's points of view provides a deeper understanding of their characters and motivations. Their evolving relationship with each other and the people they had once considered friends, only adds an additional layer of complexity to the story.
It was a good read, I enjoyed the way this mystery unfolded, especially with Adam’s biased and unreliable point of view in contrast to Jenna’s straightforward and earnest one. But to have them fall in love with each other, Adam falling first and hard, made it all the more enticing and sweet in the end. They deserved happiness and they surely deserved each other.
Favourite quote: “Turns out blood isn’t thicker than water, after all. All of us here, we’re in this together. We’ll go down in flames, together, too. A burning inferno. Screaming in the night about the things that came before.”
purple676's review
2.0
I’m only giving it 2 stars because i liked some of the characters and it was a fast read but the thriller mystery aspect of it was very cliche.
hikool101's review
3.0
Okay, this was basic and honestly rather bland, but for some reason unbeknownst to me I also didn't really mind, which made it enjoyable. 7/10
chapters_and_pages's review
4.0
Thank you to the author, Gabriella Lepore, for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! It was right up my street and it did not disappoint!
This Is Why We Lie follows two teens, Jenna and Adam, after their small town is completely turned upside down by their discovery of Colleen’s body. As her best friend becomes a suspect, Jenna is determined to discover what really happened to Colleen, no matter the scandals she may uncover with Adam by her side. Adam is more than used to being judged by people, as a student at Rookwood Reform School it’s inevitable, but now with police questioning him and his friends about Colleen’s murder, he’ll do whatever it takes to protect them.
I loved both Jenna and Adam! They were both very interesting characters and I found that I really enjoyed the dual POV in this case, it was very easy to follow and I never found myself questioning whose chapter I was reading. I would have loved to see a little more of a Jenna and Adam outside of the big mystery. I also really enjoyed the side characters featured and I would have liked to see a little more of them! While this book did feature a romance, I did like how it didn’t take away for the actual storyline while still showing the development between Jenna and Adam and making it a realistic and enjoyable pairing.
I’m a big fan of these types of books and this one did not disappoint! I must admit, even though I can often guess who the culprit is, I really wasn’t sure about this one, my suspicions kept changing and honestly it made for a more enjoyable read! Also, the little additions like interviews and text messages really added to the story.
While I do feel that the ending was a little rushed, I really enjoyed this book! Honestly, if I didn’t have a busy work week while reading this, I would have easily finished it in a day… easily… it was that good!
Overall this is a great YA mystery/thriller! I think it’s also great for people wanting to delve into the genre but don’t really know where to start and perfect for fans of Karen M. McManus and Holly Jackson! Highly recommended!
I really enjoyed this book! It was right up my street and it did not disappoint!
This Is Why We Lie follows two teens, Jenna and Adam, after their small town is completely turned upside down by their discovery of Colleen’s body. As her best friend becomes a suspect, Jenna is determined to discover what really happened to Colleen, no matter the scandals she may uncover with Adam by her side. Adam is more than used to being judged by people, as a student at Rookwood Reform School it’s inevitable, but now with police questioning him and his friends about Colleen’s murder, he’ll do whatever it takes to protect them.
I loved both Jenna and Adam! They were both very interesting characters and I found that I really enjoyed the dual POV in this case, it was very easy to follow and I never found myself questioning whose chapter I was reading. I would have loved to see a little more of a Jenna and Adam outside of the big mystery. I also really enjoyed the side characters featured and I would have liked to see a little more of them! While this book did feature a romance, I did like how it didn’t take away for the actual storyline while still showing the development between Jenna and Adam and making it a realistic and enjoyable pairing.
I’m a big fan of these types of books and this one did not disappoint! I must admit, even though I can often guess who the culprit is, I really wasn’t sure about this one, my suspicions kept changing and honestly it made for a more enjoyable read! Also, the little additions like interviews and text messages really added to the story.
While I do feel that the ending was a little rushed, I really enjoyed this book! Honestly, if I didn’t have a busy work week while reading this, I would have easily finished it in a day… easily… it was that good!
Overall this is a great YA mystery/thriller! I think it’s also great for people wanting to delve into the genre but don’t really know where to start and perfect for fans of Karen M. McManus and Holly Jackson! Highly recommended!