jojo_fiction_'s reviews
10 reviews

The Keepers of Elendiel: A middle grade portal fantasy by Bailee Williams

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adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

The Keepers of Elendiel by Bailee Williams

2.5/3 stars

(ARC REVIEWER)

________________

Emery has always had strange dreams. But of course they were nothing more than that, dreams. Until one day a stranger appears, proving to her that these dreams had more meaning to them than she realised. This stranger whisks her away to a strange land and Emery discovers her hidden powers, all while facing new dangers, leading her right to the middle of an ancient battle between darkness and light.

________________

I am so excited to be an ARC reader for this book, and so honoured to be able to help promote this author's hard work.

I also want to say that any critique I have for this book is not meant to discourage the author. I think that they have a wonderful writing style and am so excited to read any future works they create.

_________________

The world that Williams has built is a really intriguing one. The plot was interesting, the magic system was a cool concept, and the writing style had some really beautiful moments.

Honestly, I just wish there was more. I think if there was one thing that I could say about this book that made it just not hit as strongly with me, it was the use of telling, not showing. We are told she is not “normal” which is all she wants to be, but we aren't shown it. In her friendship with the other characters, they are suddenly comfortable with each other very quickly and it's after being told explicitly to us. I really liked the bits of lore we did get and how that affected the current situations, but I really just wanted to see more of this world and more of the character’s personalities and I felt like I wasn't getting that.

The pacing seemed rushed and underdeveloped, even for a middle grade novel. There are a few scenes in the book that I was really happy with (for one example, I really enjoyed the cliff climbing scene, and a few of the ending chapters), and the events in these scenes were developed in a way that was showing as opposed to telling and fleshed out the character dynamics in a more natural way. The very last chapter however was again quite rushed, it would have been nice to have an epilogue (maybe from her mom’s or the villain’s pov) as a way to tie things together as I felt it ended quite abruptly.

Looking at the characters, the same issues arise. With our MC Emery, the bulk of her personal character motivation is that she wants to be normal. Yet we don't see any personality traits or hobbies that lead to any instances or examples of her not being normal, aside from not having a father in her life. Otherwise she is a very typical MC; She wants her family back and doesn't want this power and new responsibilities.

Aaron was quite flat in my opinion. He was supposed to be the supportive adult in Emery’s life in this new world, but he tends to just go along with what Emery decides to do unless they need conflict within the plot.

I really liked Nathan! But I wish there was just more to him, and more instances where he can show his personality. So I hope in the sequel we get more of his character development.

I won't talk too much about the other characters in order to avoid spoilers but there was a consistent lack of fleshing out the other characters and their emotional connections to the other characters, I really just wanted more from them.

This book is marketed as being inspired by Percy Jackson, Narnia, and Keeper Of the Lost Cities. Which is definitely true, but I think there might be a bit too much of an influence. There are a few scenes in particular that are almost direct copies of the events of the other books, which was quite jarring to read.

_________________

In conclusion, I'm giving it a rating of 2.5/3 stars. I think that the foundation of this book is amazing, but in my opinion it needs to be more fleshed out. Despite my critiques, I did enjoy this book! I can see how much care was put into this story and I think that for a debut book, it really shows the potential that this author has. I have full faith that her writing is going to get better and better with each book she writes and I am so excited to read the rest of Emery’s story and see how her journey progresses.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

4.5 stars

“‘Is that all?’ she whispered.

Gansey closed his eyes. ‘That's all there is.’”

Blue Sargent comes from a family of psychics, but her own abilities are limited to amplifying the powers of others. On the feast of St. Mark, while helping her aunt speak to the spirits of those who are to die within the next 12 months, she sees a spirit for the first time. The spirit of a boy named Gansey. The problem is, when a non-seer sees a spirit, it means one of two things: they are either their true love, or they are the ones who kill them.

Gansey is a student at the elite private school Aglionby. Despite the prestigious lifestyles of those around him, Gansey is only interested in one thing: finding the lost tomb of the Welsh King Glendower. He and his friends, Adam, Ronan and Noah, take their search to the local psychic’s home. There, these mysterious boys and their quest draw Blue in, and their fates become tangled together in a web full of mysteries and magic.

————————————

This wasn't my first time reading this book. I had tried when I was younger when it was just getting popular, but I guess I was just too young to fully absorb what was happening. However, I am so glad I decided to give it another shot.

This book was really good! However, it was a bit slow plot wise at the start. Stiefvater takes her time making sure we are properly introduced to the characters, and their dynamics with each other, before really moving us along to focus more on the plot. Now, I personally love character based stories, so I didn't mind the slow start to the action. But if you are someone who likes a little more focus on plot/action as opposed to the characters, this might not be your cup of tea, or it just might be harder for you to get into.

In terms of the style, Stiefvater has such a wonderful way with words that really draws you in. I love books that make me feel enveloped by a feeling of magic and mystery and The Raven Boys makes even the more mundane aspects of the town feel like it is covered in magic.

I also enjoy it when fantasy books have a magic system that is off putting and doesn't make logical sense all the time. It's not all sunshine and rainbows. In this case it's ghosts and spirits, stepping out of linear time, and trees that speak Latin to you.

Stiefvater gives us characters that we can't help but love. They all have good intentions, and care deeply about each other, but are dealing with different levels of pain or toxic environments that cause them to make decisions that often clash with each other. The friendships are really what sell this story. The playful dynamics that start with the 4 boys are increased when Blue joins the mix. All of these characters are closed off in one way or another, and I can't wait to see how they slowly open up to each other and further flesh out these already amazing characters. My only critique of the characters is that of Blue’s characterization. I'm not quite sure how I feel about her, but the way she is portrayed can sometimes come across as “not like other girls”. Which could just be due to the trends that were around when this book was released, but I'm still hoping she will become more developed as the series goes on.

My only critique of the book’s writing itself would be the difference in pacing from the beginning and the end, as I mentioned before. By putting such a focus on the characters in the beginning, when the plot starts to pick up it is a noticeable change that might be jarring to readers.

All in all, I can't wait to read the next book, especially since we get to see more of Ronan’s character (who I have a feeling will become my favourite character).

Content Warnings

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Secret History by Donna Tartt
5/5 Stars

When Richard arrives at Hampden, a college in New England, to continue his education, he is instantly intrigued by a small group of other students. Isolated from the others, these students studied Greek under the eclectic Professor Julian. As Richard joins the group, disregarding the other students at his school and the “normal” way of life, he is brought into the world of aestheticized academia in a way he had never experienced before. Which led him down a path that resulted in more death and tragedy than he could have ever expected.

I went into this book with pretty high expectations. It seems that every time fall comes around the genre of Dark Academia comes with it, and at the forefront of the books that are recommended is The Secret History.

And I was not disappointed! From its beautiful writing style, to its suspense and mystery, to its pretentious characters, every part of this book had me wanting more. I am always a sucker for unreliable narrators and Richard truly delivers that. Half the time he's on drugs or he's ill, or just not privy to information, or he is intentionally making himself seem to be simply an observer. But how uninvolved he really is, is up for debate.

This book pokes fun at those aspects of academia that are prevalent, especially in the liberal arts and classical studies. This sense of personal superiority over one’s peers with nothing backing up that claim. These unlikable characters somehow worm their way into our hearts to the point that we start to have pity on them, only for something to happen that slaps us with the reality of their awfulness. The suspense builds slowly, and the ending is the actualization of all the characters' worst fears. In the end, they are nothing but a group of mediocre students pretending that they were on the same level as the ancient Greeks, and then, like a Greek tragedy, they become the things they hated or feared the most.

There is a comical amount of contradiction within this book between the characters' views of themselves vs how they really are. They talk about comparing themselves to the Greeks, to the philosophers and poets. They talk of rituals and wealth. But they drink champagne out of a teapot and eat maraschino cherries out of the jar. Richard himself says that he has always been drawn to the sublime, beauty, the aesthetic…yet he does coke in a burger king parking lot, and gets drunk at college parties, like many other young adults would in university. Appearing to be smart and wealthy is the goal of these students, but one refuses to do the SAT because it doesn't fit his aesthetic, and none of them are actually concerned when it comes to their grades, they only tried so hard in order to win the praise of their professor, whom in their eyes, is the peak of authority and aesthetic appreciation. All of this showing the difference between their make believe ideas vs the real world.

This book has many amazing themes, like obsession, isolation, social class, beauty, and it is a good critique of the elitist attitude that can occur in academia. While I don't think it perfectly encapsulated all the issues that can be found (only a brief glimpse into the issue of sexism, and no mention of racism in academia), its place as one of the most influential books within the dark academia genre is well deserved, and has paved the way for many more books with more in depth themes and critiques to be made.

A sign of a good book for me is how often I think about it. If you want to read a book that sticks with you, for days or weeks after you finish, this is the book for you. I have not stopped thinking about it or talking to my friends about it since I finished it. Although I will say if you don't like books with long chapters, this might not be the best. I was surprised that this book only contained 8 chapters and is approx 559 pages.

Other books that I have been told are similar in themes and style are If We Were Villains by M.L Rio and Babel by R.F. Kuang, so those are being added to my to-be-read pile immediately. And I'm planning on scouring my local bookstores for any more books by Donna Tartt. With The Secret History being an easy 5 stars for me I'm sure the rest of her books will blow me away as well.

Content Warnings

The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan, Mark Oshiro

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro

3.5 Stars

I love the Percy Jackson world, and with the TV show currently airing, I am falling (no pun intended) right back into my PJO phase. So I figured, what would be a better time to read the Nico and Will standalone that has been sitting on my shelf for months than this?

And like most Rick Riordan books, I breezed through this in under 2 days. The writing style was a bit different as it is also co-written by Mark Oshiro, but overall didn't make too much of an impact on my reading experience.

As for the story itself, I have a lot of thoughts, so bear with me.

The overall plot itself…was kinda weak.

The threat of Nyx, who, despite being stated as being more powerful than Gaea, was underwhelming.

I feel like this book was mostly for the characters and their development, which is fine! But for a Percy Jackson book, I expected just a bit more plot, or at least more stakes. (Although I'm sure for standalones it must be much harder to do so I'm trying not to judge too harshly on that.)

The main conflict of the story seemed to be between Will and Nico and them becoming more secure in their relationship

(as opposed to the literal goddess of darkness)

. They seemed to be annoyed at each other for the majority of the book. Their lack of trust within the relationship, and inability to see each others’ perspectives on a few things, added more to the conflict than

Nyx

for the majority of the book.

The real place this book shines is in its themes and in the development of the characters.

The emphasis of taking care of one's mental health (especially for demigods who have been through so much), is something that really needs to be seen in more middle grade novels.

Discussions of grief, depression, loneliness, guilt, shame, and the fear of change were all subjects that were touched on. The concept of processing grief was really a wonderful aspect of this book, as Nico, who had lost basically everyone who was important to him, was finally able to begin to work through these emotions, and learn to rely on others for support.

The concept of change was an interesting aspect to the book that I really liked. Change is difficult for anybody, things like changes in environments and situations, the change in how you view yourself, how others view you, and the ability to make the conscious choice to change. And I think for a book that focuses around two queer characters it was a fitting topic. As the conversation with Piper at the end shows, sexuality and/or gender expression is fluid and can change as you grow and there is nothing wrong with that. It was a good way to end the story with this final acceptance of change not being a bad thing, but an opportunity to grow into yourself more fully depending on your stage in life.

Since the book was focused around queer characters, the co-author, Mark Oshiro, was absolutely needed. As Riordan said on his website about the book: “It was really important to me that writing a book entirely from the perspective of two queer characters, I collaborated with a great queer author who could bring perspective, authenticity, and a different set of writing strengths to the project.”

When writing about experiences that are not your own you absolutely need to look to outside sources who do have that experience and/or knowledge. One thing I appreciate about Riordan’s growth as a writer is that despite his rough start with proper representation, he is very open to the fact that as he now includes new characters from a variety of backgrounds, sexualities, and genders, he reaches out to those who can help him portray these characters properly.

I can't finish this review without including my one big critique of this book. Which is an issue with consistency which can be seen in other Percy Jackson books.

In Son of Neptune, Bianca is said to have chosen to be reincarnated, which leads to Nico finding Haze and helping her leave the underworld. But in this book, during the last dream Nico has, she tells him that she is in Elysium. In this book the change allows for Nico to receive some type of closure. However, in regards to how that impacts the overarching story, it complicates it a lot. If Bianca never chose to be reincarnated, Nico would have tried to bring her back from the dead instead of Hazel as he claimed to have tried. I am confused on how this plot line could have slipped through the cracks, but in terms of how it affects this standalone, it's not too big of a deal.

In conclusion, I did enjoy this! Going back into the world of demigods made me feel very nostalgic, and the book was fun for what it was. I wouldn't put it on my list of favourites, but overall I think it was a fun read with important messages.

Content Warnings

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

“For us the places we went were home. We didn't care if they were good or evil or neutral or what. We cared about the fact that for the first time, we didn't have to pretend to be something we weren't, We just got to be. That made all the difference in the world”

We hear stories of children travelling to new worlds, having fantastic adventures, but always in the end Alice came back from Wonderland, Lucy came back through the Wardrobe, and Wendy flew through her window back to her nursery. But what happens to these children that come back? They are changed, trying to adjust to their old world, a world that does not accept them as well as the stories they bring back with them.

And so, for these lost souls, there is Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children. For those children who cannot adjust into the world they are in, where desperate parents send them away to “cure” them of their delusions. In actuality, it is a chance to be around others who know what it's like to be away from the place they consider as home and to heal and adjust in their own time. But not all is as it seems, and when students begin to die in violent ways, the students left behind must find a way to survive, to discover who among them is to blame, and who is next to die.

________________________________________

I absolutely loved this book. It was short, which often makes it harder for me to feel anything towards the characters due to the short amount of time there is for character development, but McGuire did a fantastic job of bringing these characters to life. Nancy, Kade, Jack and Jill, Sumi, and Chris were all diverse, interesting and complex characters with different motivations, issues, and morals. The complexities of their situations, being ripped away from their homes not once but twice, and how that trauma affects people differently is a really cool concept that was explored in this world and I hope that the rest of the books continue to address that subject.

The only reason this isn't a 5 star book for me is that I found some parts of the writing to be a bit jarring. Most of the time it was lovely, all flowing together and being in a cohesive tone, but there were a few sections where conversations were happening that just seemed choppy or out of place. Things being said for the sake of being said as opposed to flowing into the story in a more natural way which I would have preferred. Those sections took me out of the story a bit but not enough to make me dislike the book. Overall I loved it! There were moments where I had to just sit the book down and contemplate the quote I had just read due to how moving and raw it was. It was a fantastic read with good LGBTQ+ representation as well and I can't wait to pick up the rest of the series.

Content Warnings

City of Ghosts by V.E. Schwab

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Cassidy Blake did not die. But she did drown.

Ever since that day she has been able to go across the veil that separates the living and the dead. When her ghost hunting parents take her to Scotland, she and her best friend Jacob (who just so happens to be a ghost), find that there is much more to Cassidy’s gift than she originally thought. And just how much they stand to lose.

I haven't read a middle grade book in a few years, but knowing that this was written by my favourite author, I just had to give it a shot. And I wasn't disappointed! Although written for a younger audience I could still see the distinct style and themes of V. E. Schwab’s writing that I enjoyed. Her descriptions of Edinburgh made me feel as if I was walking down the streets and exploring old castles right alongside Cass and Jacob. And despite its more simplistic plot and characters, I still managed to get immersed in the story. I enjoyed this so much as an adult and I know if I had read this when I was a kid I would have been obsessed, so I will definitely be picking up the rest of this series.

A super quick read, but with a good story, lovable characters, and a wonderful friendship dynamic between Cass and Jacob that I think both younger kids and older will enjoy.

Content Warnings

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

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adventurous dark funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

For her final project in high school, teenager Pippa Fitz-Amobi decides to take it upon herself to clear the name of Sal Singh, accused of murdering his girlfriend Andie Bell 5 years ago. However, only a few days after Andie went missing, Sal killed himself after sending a text claiming his guilt and in the end, Andie’s body was never found. Pip connects with friends and family of both Andie and Sal trying to discover more about the night Andie disappeared, despite someone trying to stop her at every turn.

Overall this book was a solid read. Interesting characters, lots of twists and secrets from both suspects and friends. The pacing was quick and it was hard to put down at the end of a chapter because it just left you wanting more. I loved that she worked with Sal’s brother, they balanced each other out and made a great team.

There needs to be a little bit of a suspension of belief with this story, but overall it was a really good mystery! Pip repeatedly breaks the law to prove that someone is innocent…I mean, not the best course of action but it reminded me of Nancy Drew and Stevie Bell, doing slightly questionable things for the greater good. The lack of good police work was laughable and not at all what would have happened if this was a real case. However for a fun YA novel this isn't a deal breaker. It is a fun mystery, with twists and turns and a wide array of characters with different motivations. Pip is a likeable protagonist who has both good and bad personality traits which just made her seem more realistic and her characterization contributes really well towards moving the plot forward in an engaging way.

If you’re a fan of One of Us is Lying, or Truly Devious, I think this is just the kind of book you’d enjoy.

Content Warnings

I Know You Remember by Jennifer Donaldson

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challenging dark 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? Yes

4.5

Ruth has just moved back to her childhood town in Alaska after the tragic death of her mother. Surrounded by her formerly absentee father and his new family, all Ruth wants is to be reunited with her childhood best friend, Zahra. But just days before Ruth returns home, Zahra is seen leaving a party, drunk and wandering into the woods, and disappears. In an attempt to find her missing friend she joins Zahra’s friend group, and Ruth has to come to terms with not only the physical disappearance of her old friend, but also the disappearance of the girl she thought she knew in her memories. She discovers just how little she knows about this new version of her old friend, or, did she just not really know her friend at all?

This book was fantastic. It was gripping, full of twists and turns and I was completely shell shocked by the plot twist at the end. In hindsight I could see the hints but I just never picked up on them until everything was explained. It was exactly what I love in a mystery. This book really got into my head, which honestly is the mark of a good story in my mind, for it to stick with me, and for me to keep thinking about it, even a few days after I finished reading it. I read it all in one day, I honestly couldn't put it down!

One thing I didn't love was the church plot line. It was very extreme (I know there are many extremist churches out there, that's not what I had issues believing), but I think it was too unbelievable that Ruth’s dad would be so passionate about that particular church, and for there to be no reasoning as to why. I understand the Step-mom’s loyalty to the community as opposed to the pastor and the teachings but I just didn't understand the dad’s logic. And I felt like there was no conclusion with the rest of the religious plot line. Everything just went on as before. A very minor criticism in the long run but it took me out of the story a bit while reading it.

Overall, if you’re a fan of YA mysteries/thrillers, I think this is just the kind of book you’d enjoy!

As I write this spoiler/rant section it is midnight and I have just finished reading this book. I haven't felt so shaken by a book in a long, long time. Maybe because Ruth was so believable, even in her own thoughts? And you really get into her head. I remember thinking it was weird that she didn't seem too bothered by her mom dying but oh my god I had no idea that she killed her. I just thought she was numbing herself to the pain, and distracting herself from feeling anything by focusing completely on Zahra. I was disgusted to have been rooting for this character, to want her to be reunited with her friend. This book was so fun to read, even if it shook me up, I want to go back and reread it to see all the hints I missed when I first read it.

Rating: 4.5/5

Content warnings: Violence, child death, religious trauma, mental illness

Minor: addiction, drug abuse

Content Warnings

The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson

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adventurous funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

The 4th book in the Truly Devious series follows Stevie and her friends from Ellingham: Janelle, Nate, and Stevie’s boyfriend David. During their summer vacation away from Ellingham, Stevie is invited to work at a summer camp called Sunny Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls. She is asked to solve The Box in the Woods murders, an unsolved murder case involving 4 teenagers from the late 1970’s.

Dealing with poorly handled past investigations, small town secrets, and of course, high school relationship drama, Stevie finds herself in a very different environment than Ellingham, and a murder case that is still raw and fresh in the hearts of the citizens of Barlow Corners.

-----

How?? How does Maureen Johnston keep writing books that rope me in completely?
First it was books 1-3 of the Truly Devious series and now this?? The summer camp setting, the small town vibes, NATE!! I'm obsessed.

Maybe its because I grew up going to summer camps like that (minus the murder), or that I live in a small town, (or maybe it’s just cuz I watched fear street 1978 recently) but I was really able to visualize the setting and the small town characters so well. I was on the edge of my seat and I definitely gasped out loud a few times at some of the plot twists and revelations. I liked that I was able to follow along with the mystery pretty easily, but not to the point that everything was obvious (there's lots of notes in the margins of this book with my different theories lol). I also really liked the flashback chapters going back and forth from past and present. I think that it tied the plot together well and kept things moving at a really good pace and also gave us the information we needed from the past to be able to fill in the blanks in the present.

Stevie was, of course, as quirky and clever as ever. I really like how, unlike her last main case where no one is alive to have a personal connection, Stevie was able to see the real and raw pain of the townspeople. Especially with each new true crime investigation that The Box in the Woods case received throughout the years. It made me think about true crime today and how when discussing the cases of people, especially those that have occurred recently, being sympathetic and respectful to the grieving parties involved needs to be at the forefront.

In terms of the other characters, I really wish there were more Janelle moments. I found her character wasn't really plot central like Nate or even David (and ofc Stevie). She was mainly seen tinkering around the camp and missing her partner who was in Thailand for the summer.

David honestly wasn't in this story too much either and tbh I wasn't mad about it. He didn't really add too much except for some relationship drama when Stevie was supposed to be doing her detective thing. And his character development near the end was slightly better but all in all I'm still not a fan.

NATE THO, oh my god I fell in love. An antisocial king. I don't think I've laughed that much over a character's one liners in a while. (minor spoiler)

Also, finally writing his story out of spite cuz a kid annoyed him into doing it??? Iconic

He was really forced out of his shell in this book and I love his dynamic with Stevie due to them both hating to show their emotions or feelings. I really hope we get to see more of his character in the future.

All in all, a fantastic read and I'm so excited to see what Maureen Johnson has in store for us in her next story Nine Liars.

Content Warnings

Family of Liars by E. Lockhart

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dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
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

4.25

I recommend reading We Were Liars first, as this book has major spoilers for it.

“I have been a liar all my life, you see.

It is not uncommon in my family.”

The life of the rich and privileged, who have nothing to worry about, and can do no wrong (and if they do, no one will ever know).

I was so excited to stumble upon this book in a bookstore, I had no idea it even existed so I kinda lost my mind when I saw it on the shelf. I read We Were Liars years ago and it was one of those books with characters, a setting and plot twists that stay with you. So of course I had to read the prequel.

In Family of Liars, we follow Johnny’s mother, Carrie Sinclair, as she describes: “the worst thing she ever did”. The book shows the way different people handle grief, the complexity of family and what even makes people be considered as family, sisterhood, and how far people are willing to go to protect them.

“We show our love not with honesty or affection, but with loyalty”

I won't explain the details of the plot in case there are any potential readers who don't want to get spoiled, so this will be more like my thoughts about the characters and overarching themes.

I love stories about rich, old money families. Maybe because I like the aesthetic, or more likely because I like examining the inner workings and psychological issues that a lot of these families have. We get insight into all three of the sisters, Carrie more than the others, and despite them not being good people I think they were good characters.The sisters in Family Of Liars, are not supposed to be likeable. They are spoiled, pretty, privileged, and filthy rich. But I think it's easy to forget that despite their privileges they are still just children when this story takes place (17,16 and 14). The events that happen (

like the death of their youngest sister.

) follow them throughout their lives and they are shown to have no healthy grieving processes in order to “protect” the family and their reputation. Instead they bury it inside themselves and the pain leaks out in other ways. Carrie through her drug addiction, Penny through her need for attention, and Bess through her people pleasing nature and need for order and control.

Throughout the story we are introduced to themes that shape the plot and the characters. Grief, and it’s all consuming nature. Family loyalty, no matter what. The dark origins of old money wealth. Appearance vs reality. The book handles these themes not by just telling you they are there, but by having the characters actions governed by them.

I liked how Lockhart used choppy writing and line structure at points throughout the book to show the disordered thought process of Carrie. Both due to grief and the heavy drugs she was on. As well as her back tracking near the end to tell the real story and not what happened in her head. Just like in We Were Liars, we were left wondering how reliable this narrator is, and how much we could actually believe the story we were being told.

“I did say at the start of this story that I am a liar”

One thing I didn't love, or at least don't know how to feel about is, the way ghosts were shown as being real. One thing I loved about We Were Liars was the ambiguity due to the unreliable narrator. Were the other liars ghosts? Or were they a figment of the imagination of a broken and traumatized girl? Family of Liars takes away from that as it seems that ghosts are the answer. Not that it's a bad interpretation, I just liked the open ended idea We Were Liars left us with.

Overall , E.Lockhart did an amazing job handling difficult topics while keeping the same feelings from We Were Liars. Such an outwardly perfect family, perfect island, perfect summer. But something in the back of your mind telling you something is terribly, terribly wrong.

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jojo_fiction_'s reviews 10 reviews

jojo_fiction_'s reviews
10 reviews