Review: The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

I had a life anyone would kill for. Then someone did.

I may not remember much, but I know I led a charmed life. Even in death I'm getting something no one else does: an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never got to meet. Now, in order to figure out what happened to me, Emma needs to become me. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she's the girl he fell in love with? Hug my parents good night like she's their daughter? And can she keep up the charade even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?

Let the lying game begin.

Despite the fact that until I was offered the fourth book in this series for review I had never really been interested in this series, however I am so glad that I finally got around to reading it, this book was fantastic and I can't wait to carry on this series. Even the contemporary style parts of this book are unbelievable, but to be honest I really did not care. This was a fun book, but also a mystery and also kind of gritty read. The plot line was so well organised and the book is pretty well written, I read some reviews that slammed Shepard's writing but though not massively different the writing is not bad in any way.

I did find that this book suffered from absent parent syndrome, Sutton plays all these awful pranks and her parents don't care even though her little sister is often a victim of them. Emma runs off and her foster mother doesn't care, Emma's friend doesn't even care... what is with al the teenagers running around doing outrageously dangerous things and nothing being said about it... seriously!

I also did find that the narration got a bit odd... it's written from dead Sutton's point of view but following Emma so it's saying "Emma did this" which fools you into thinking it's written in third person, then suddenly Sutton will have a thought and it's "I did this" and then you're shocked and despite the fact that it is all in first person from Sutton it does actually seem as though it's tense-switching.

Those really are tiny little nags though. I really really did like this book, the story was fun and gritty and it seemed as though it would really appeal to a YA audience as well as fans of TV shows such as Gossip Girl. I definitely enjoyed it anyway. On with book two! I also really liked the romance, Ethan was amazing, can't wait for more of that!

Overall Rating: B+

Book released 31 March 20122 by HarperCollins Children Books
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (Print)