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A review by romanaromana
Lying Out Loud by Kody Keplinger
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
3 stars.
(Here are some content warnings. Nothing in this review).
Based on the average rating and reviews here, this was unsurprisingly my least enjoyed Kody Keplinger novel. But there were still perks to be appreciated.
Sonny has perfected the art of lying. Little things like why she's late to work or class, and big things like her dad being in prison and the reason why she can't live at home right now. Even her best friend, Amy, has gotten used to hearing only vague details about Sonny's life. To Sonny's surprise, she finds herself willing to open up to her arch nemesis, Ryder Cross, after a night of messaging on Amy's computer. But there is one huge problem - Ryder likes Amy, and since Sonny forgot whose account she was using that first night, Ryder thinks he has sparked a connection with the girl of his dreams, not her loud-mouthed best friend. Determined to make Ryder realise that he should be with her, Sonny ropes Amy into a complex scheme that will get her what she wants. And, most importantly, will avoid telling the truth.
Sooo the initial premise for Lying Out Loud is pretty strong - uncomplicated but with potential. But Sonny's secrets went on for almost the entirety of the novel despite them quickly losing momentum. It wasn't long before I was frustrated by Sonny's aversion to the truth and struggled to believe her reasonings for prolonging the lies. In the beginning she wasn't even that attached to Ryder, so I didn't understand why she didn't just tell him what had happened. The same goes for the lies she told Amy.
Particularly in the novel's second hald, the plot seemed to race forwards and flit back and forth between the same scenarios, meaning there wasn't much actual progress. It felt almost like a plan - like Keplinger had just written her favourite moments and skipped over the moments which would have helped me understand and care for the characters.
Having said this, I was generally quite pleased by the way Sonny's relationships with Ryder and Amy were presented. I understood why Sonny fell for Ryder in the sense that their conversations were varied, they seemed to genuinely connect on what they discussed and their humour. Equally, I found Amy and Sonny's friendship believable and sweet.
This was in part due to Sonny's narration. Although I didn't particularly like her character, I thought her voice was authentic and Keplinger once again displayed a sound understanding for how real teenagers think and talk, so that was great.
A bit of a mixed bag this one. I don't know how much Keplinger YA I have left to read to be honest, but I'd be down for another. I just hope I don't continue on the downward trajectory I seem to be on with Keplinger books...
(Here are some content warnings. Nothing in this review).
Based on the average rating and reviews here, this was unsurprisingly my least enjoyed Kody Keplinger novel. But there were still perks to be appreciated.
Sonny has perfected the art of lying. Little things like why she's late to work or class, and big things like her dad being in prison and the reason why she can't live at home right now. Even her best friend, Amy, has gotten used to hearing only vague details about Sonny's life. To Sonny's surprise, she finds herself willing to open up to her arch nemesis, Ryder Cross, after a night of messaging on Amy's computer. But there is one huge problem - Ryder likes Amy, and since Sonny forgot whose account she was using that first night, Ryder thinks he has sparked a connection with the girl of his dreams, not her loud-mouthed best friend. Determined to make Ryder realise that he should be with her, Sonny ropes Amy into a complex scheme that will get her what she wants. And, most importantly, will avoid telling the truth.
Sooo the initial premise for Lying Out Loud is pretty strong - uncomplicated but with potential. But Sonny's secrets went on for almost the entirety of the novel despite them quickly losing momentum. It wasn't long before I was frustrated by Sonny's aversion to the truth and struggled to believe her reasonings for prolonging the lies. In the beginning she wasn't even that attached to Ryder, so I didn't understand why she didn't just tell him what had happened. The same goes for the lies she told Amy.
Particularly in the novel's second hald, the plot seemed to race forwards and flit back and forth between the same scenarios, meaning there wasn't much actual progress. It felt almost like a plan - like Keplinger had just written her favourite moments and skipped over the moments which would have helped me understand and care for the characters.
Having said this, I was generally quite pleased by the way Sonny's relationships with Ryder and Amy were presented. I understood why Sonny fell for Ryder in the sense that their conversations were varied, they seemed to genuinely connect on what they discussed and their humour. Equally, I found Amy and Sonny's friendship believable and sweet.
This was in part due to Sonny's narration. Although I didn't particularly like her character, I thought her voice was authentic and Keplinger once again displayed a sound understanding for how real teenagers think and talk, so that was great.
A bit of a mixed bag this one. I don't know how much Keplinger YA I have left to read to be honest, but I'd be down for another. I just hope I don't continue on the downward trajectory I seem to be on with Keplinger books...