You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I enjoyed the added depth this prequel gave to characters we met in We Were Liars. The family relationships were interesting and I enjoyed the drama.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

e. lockhart, I am floored!! This is a prequel to “we were liars,” told through Carrie’s eyes, the mother of Johnny. I audiobooked this, and the narration was fantastic. I think lockhart veers away slightly from the writing style in WWL, with fewer cut-off sentences and metaphors. That also could be because I am listening to it as opposed to reading it.
This story touches on the plights of the privileged as the first book does, but I think it does a better job of showcasing just how vain and immoral some of those problems were.
I think the climax of this book is so intriguing, and (without spoilers) they build on a discovery of what happens on Beechwood Island in a great way. I do not have sisters, but I feel this book captured the complexity of sisterly love, from an outsider's perspective at least.

I am still not the biggest fan of the fairytale aspect, but I just finished the I did not see the plot twist coming!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional sad 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: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark hopeful sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I don't think I've ever rated a book 1.5 stars. I genuinely tried to get through it, but about 40% of the way through, I just couldn't. It was too much like We Were Liars. Don't get me wrong - We Were Liars was a really good book, but this one just felt forced. Like, if you want to write a prequel, maybe lay off the ghost theme? Or make it a little bit different? I don't know. That's just my own opinion. I hated it and it ended up being a DNF. I would much rather just read a summary of the book then have to suffer through it.

Edit: I read the summary, and holy crap. It really did get good after I stopped. Which kind of makes me regret my decision, but what the hell was that ending? Like, what? I'm not gonna pick up the book again just to read Carrie's thoughts, but it really was just getting good after I stopped. So if you're looking to pick up this book again, just be warned that it's really slow throughout the first half, but in the second half, it gets really really good.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

SO SO GOOD! i loves the characters and the plot was super suspenseful!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings