After reading the small “first look” of this book on the Bookish website, I knew I wanted to read the whole thing--and the book did NOT disappoint! Lies You Never Told Me is a twisty, turny, nightmare-type masterpiece with just the right amount of suspense and mystery to keep you flipping pages (there’s a reason people stay up all night to finish it!).
This story is unbelievable. I have to admit: I figured out the Major Twist on page 95. I know this, because I was so mad at myself for nailing it down so early on! This is not a jab at Donaldson--her mystery is phenomenal. I’m just that good at figuring out major plot points…
But seriously, this plot is so good. You really should be guessing clear until the very end! It’s action-packed, and frighteningly plausible. The interplay of the storylines is so complex and intriguing. This book has all the tenants of old mysteries with a modern and youthful twist.
The characters are also grand! Donaldson does a GREAT job of helping you love the good guys and making you hate the bad guys (and she leaves you guessing about a few that seem to fall in between…). One of my favorite characters is Vivi, who is just so wonderful. In fact, if I were to offer up any kind of a critique, it would be that I would have liked to see her fleshed out more on the page. Gabe and Elyse are excellent protagonists, who keep you engaged with their stories all the way through. This cast is wonderful, and I can’t praise it enough.
So, it’s probably no surprise at this point that I loved Donaldson’s writing in this book. Her style is fast and quick-witted. Despite the dark themes of the text, I found myself laughing out loud at more than one point. The language and dialogue feels authentic, and Gabe and Elyse’s voices are easily distinguished from each other. And, as previously mentioned, the plot is dealt at the perfect pace--just the right amount of information is dished out at just the right time.
In short, I’m totally fangirling over this book. I highly recommend it to all mystery lovers, even if you aren’t into YA--while the book may be set in high school, the themes are for anyone.
Also, I want more!!! Jennifer Donaldson did such a good job, I hope to see more books from her in the (please let it be near) future!!
This story is unbelievable. I have to admit: I figured out the Major Twist on page 95. I know this, because I was so mad at myself for nailing it down so early on! This is not a jab at Donaldson--her mystery is phenomenal. I’m just that good at figuring out major plot points…
But seriously, this plot is so good. You really should be guessing clear until the very end! It’s action-packed, and frighteningly plausible. The interplay of the storylines is so complex and intriguing. This book has all the tenants of old mysteries with a modern and youthful twist.
The characters are also grand! Donaldson does a GREAT job of helping you love the good guys and making you hate the bad guys (and she leaves you guessing about a few that seem to fall in between…). One of my favorite characters is Vivi, who is just so wonderful. In fact, if I were to offer up any kind of a critique, it would be that I would have liked to see her fleshed out more on the page. Gabe and Elyse are excellent protagonists, who keep you engaged with their stories all the way through. This cast is wonderful, and I can’t praise it enough.
So, it’s probably no surprise at this point that I loved Donaldson’s writing in this book. Her style is fast and quick-witted. Despite the dark themes of the text, I found myself laughing out loud at more than one point. The language and dialogue feels authentic, and Gabe and Elyse’s voices are easily distinguished from each other. And, as previously mentioned, the plot is dealt at the perfect pace--just the right amount of information is dished out at just the right time.
In short, I’m totally fangirling over this book. I highly recommend it to all mystery lovers, even if you aren’t into YA--while the book may be set in high school, the themes are for anyone.
Also, I want more!!! Jennifer Donaldson did such a good job, I hope to see more books from her in the (please let it be near) future!!