The Liar Society by Lisa & Laura Roecker

      Title: The Liar Society
Author: Lisa & Laura Roecker
Pages: 358
Publisher: Source Books
Format: arc paperback
Release Date: March 1st 2011
Source: For Review (thank you :D )
Rating: 4 out 5 stars

Kate Lowry didn't think dead best friends could send e-mails. But when she gets an e-mail from Grace, she’s not so sure. 

To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu 

Sent: Sun 9/14 11:59 PM 

From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu 

Subject: (no subject) 

Kate, 

I'm here… 

sort of. 

Find Cameron. 

He knows. 

I shouldn't be writing. 

Don't tell. 

They'll hurt you. 

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. But secrets haunt the halls of her elite private school. Secrets people will do anything to protect. Even if it means getting rid of the girl trying to solve a murder...

My immediate reaction when I first this I was like "Pretty Little Liars rip off". I formally take it back. I am so sorry! It was all about the mystery and finding the killer of her best friend, trying to achieve justice.


The plot was jam packed. It was a little slow to start but once it hit 100 pages it had be gasping and additively reading! Not much was happening to start with and the clues were few and far between and they didn't make much sense. When the clues started to come together everything got more exciting because it seemed so close yet so far away.

Kate was a great character. I could empathise with her and whilst she was greiving, she wasn't whiny, annoying or depressed. It was a nice change. She is the type of girl I would want as my friend.

Her two knights in not so shining armour were great too. I loved Liam and his swoon worthiness and he was just a great character. He also didn't feel randomly thrown in there, I felt like he had a purpose. Seth was definitely in there for the comedy factor. He was hilarious and always making me laugh.


The characters were just generally great and I really like Taylor and her posse. Again, they felt deliberately placed instead of just thrown in for the sake of it. it annoys me when characters have no purpose!


The writing style was good and it felt like it was a teenager narrating through it which was great. It flowed nicely and whilst it was exceptional it was good none the less.


The ending was great. It took me completely by surprise and I was like....."WHAT!" It definitely wasn't clear cut and I understood why the plot had to be so complex. the ending definitely warranted the extra star!


Overall it was a really fun read and if you are into mystery, romance and swoonworthy boys then this is for you!

A lot of you showed interest in seeing some video reviews so I have done one for The Liar Society. It is my first video review so excuse it being awful :)


4 out of 5 stars

Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine

Title: Broken Soup

Author: Jenny Valentine

Pages: 256

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release Date: January 7th 2008

Source: Review Copy (Thanks HarperCollins!!!)

An intriguing, compelling and moving new novel from the award-winning author of Finding Violet Park. When the good-looking boy with the American accent presses the dropped negative into Rowan's hand, she's sure it's all a big mistake. But next moment he's gone, lost in the crowd of bustling shoppers. And she can't afford to lose her place in the checkout queue -- after all, if she doesn't take the groceries home, nobody else will. Rowan has more responsibilities than most girls her age. These days, she pretty much looks after her little sister single-handedly -- which doesn't leave much time for friends or fun. So when she finds out that Bee from school saw the whole thing, it piques her curiosity. Who was the boy? Why was he so insistent that the negative belonged to Rowan?

This was such a touching novel. It was beautifully written and very emotional. The subject matter was sensitive and had me at tears until the very last page. It is full of grief and sadness and happiness and just pure inspiration.

Rowan was a great protagonist. I wanted to be as strong as her. Her strength made her so appealing. She reminded me of Katniss from The Hunger Games (you know, without the hunting and slaughter). She wasn't perfect (lets face it, who is?) She was real and strong and had so much love in her heart. 

Stroma was the most gorgeous little girl. She played such a central role to the plot. I want her as my little sister. I am serious. She was so innocent yet mature at the same time. 

Harper was great. I found him quite inspirational. Some of the things he said really got me thinking, nodding along with him. He was definitely a bit of a saving grace.

I would go on and on about characters but I fear I may bore you. Each character felt really developed and really important to the story. She didn't just throw in characters, they were meticulously placed.

The premise of the novel sounded very interesting. Mysterious. I didn't know what I should expect. A girl finds a negative. I had countless ideas about what it could be about; a cheating boyfriend, embarrassing drunk picture, parents indiscretions. I had no idea that the story was going to go so much deeper. The raw emotion in the book was such amazing. I felt everything that Rowan was feeling.

The construction of the novel was wonderful. There was a lot of juxtaposition of happy scenes with sad ones, sending my emotions up to Mars and back. She also managed to keep me guessing. There was one moment in the book when I knew something was going to happen. And it did. But there were still more surprises. The whole story felt loved. Hand crafted and well cared for. It was beautifully touching and a wonderful novel about grief and dealing with it. 

I thoroughly recommend this book, especially if you are dealing with the loss of someone close to you. It helps create an understanding about how others are feeling as well yourself. It was beautifully written and incredibly touching.

Thanks again to HarperCollins for sending me the copy to review :)

4 out of 5 stars

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Title: The Replacement

Author: Brenna Yovanoff

Pages: 375

Release Date: January 6th 2011 (UK)

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Source: For Review (thank you :D)

Rating: 4 out of 5

Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, Mackie comes from a world of tunnels and black, murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattoed princess. He is a replacement - left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago when it was stolen away by the fey. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood and consecrated ground, Mackie is slowly dying in the human world. Mackie would give anything just to be normal, to live quietly amongst humans, practice his bass guitar and spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem, where he must face down the dark creatures and find his rightful place - in our world, or theirs.

This has to be one of the most original books I have ever read. The whole concept completely captivated me. I was drawn it, wanting to know more and more. The book was never slow but it definitely picked up about half way through. 

It wasn't overly scary or creepy. I'm terrified of horror films (yet inflict them on myself anyway) and I found this perfectly fine to read. What did creep me out a bit was the fact that the exterior seemed so perfect but underneath the surface the people in the town were just as bad as the people stealing the babies. 

I loved Mackie. He wasn't particularly brave or noble. He avoided being noticed and kept in the shadows. Definitely not your typical knight in shining armour. All these things just made me love him more. He was real. He had fears. He was a typical teenage boy in that respect, just with a few extra bonuses. 

Tate was another character I liked. She and Mackie's friends were a great addition to the novel. They really added something to the novel and to Mackie. What great friends. Brenna did a great job in showing Mackie's relationship with them.

Yovanoff's writing was so easy to read. There was such fluidity and everything followed seamlessly. I did however find myself confused at points. I don't know if it was to do with me reading it at midnight or if it was even deliberate. I didn't always have a full grasp on what was going on and who knew what but that may have been the point. I don't know.

Overall, it was a really great read. The writing was great, the plot was great, the characters were great. The originality of the novel made it that much more enjoyable. Pick it up today!

I would just like to thank Simon and Schuster for sending me a review copy of the novel. 

4 out of 5 stars

Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Title: Pretty little Liars

Author: Sara Shepard

Pages: 286

Release Date: October 1st 2006

Publisher: Harperteen

Source: Bought

Rating: 4 out of 5

I think it is best that I tell you I love the show and this could have either enhanced or reduced my enjoyment of the book, so just take this into account. I imagine the characters as I saw them in the show therefore I wasn’t always thinking of them exactly how Sara Shepard wrote them to be.

It took me a while to get into it. It started quite slow and it was quite a foreign style of writing to me. It seemed quite simple and childish at first but it became more and more addicting. The brand dropping didn’t really bother me but it took a while to adjust.

My favourite character is Aria. She is so headstrong and confident and I love that in a character. I felt I really grew to understand all the characters really well and despite it being in 3^rd person they all had their own voice in their chapters. It felt really personal when I was reading their chapters, allowing me to see what secrets they were keeping from their friends and themselves.

Because I have seen the show the things that happened in the book weren’t too much of a surprise. The book mirrors the first programme really well. Having said that I still really enjoyed it and some things still caught me my surprise. There is a LOT that happens so there isn't any opportunity to get bored. It moves very fast and keeps you on your toes!

Was it the best written book in the world? No. Did that affect my enjoyment? Not at all. I got so addicted that I sat in the bath reading it for hours, getting wrinkly toes. It pulled me in and I didn’t want to let go. It is all boy drama, secrets, gossip and I have to say I’m a sucker for all this. You should really go pick it up for a fun, light read! I'm so excited to read the next in the series as well!

4 out of 5 stars

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn, David Levithan

Title: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares

Author: Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Release Date: October 26th 2010

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Pages: 260 

Source: Bought

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

“I’ve left some clues for you. 
If you want them, turn the page. If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.” 

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

It was a great novel. Full of Christmas fun and spirit. It wasn’t too cheesy and cliché. It was perfect for what it was. It was full of humour which I did not expect, but loved. I don’t often find books that make me laugh out loud.

I loved Lily. She reminded me of Luna Lovegood. A heart of gold and a little bit odd. She was so cheery and happy and she always made me smile. Just a girl being herself. She reminded me a lot of myself. A bit of an outsider and a lover of Christmas. She was very relatable and I really enjoyed reading her sections of the book.

That being said I loved Dash just as much, if not more. He couldn’t be more opposite to Lily but I loved his sarcasm and his wit. Levithan is such a skilled writer. Dash was funny and amusing and I would definitely like to meet.

I loved the idea of the two of them conversing through the notebook. It allowed them to get to know each other honestly. They could write things they would never say. It was a very creative idea, something I have never seen before.  The two POV’s also added to the book, giving me a better understanding of the characters.

The secondary characters were just as good as Dash and Lily. Boomer was simply fantastic. He had me laughing out loud a lot. Lily’s family members really amused me too. Lily’s brother was great too.

There isn’t really anything negative I can say about it. It was perfect for what it was and that was a cheery Christmas book. I did feel a little spark that made it amazing was missing. It was still a really great read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

4 out of 5 stars