E. Lockhart

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FAMILY OF LIARS by E. Lockhart

The thrilling prequel to the…New York Times bestseller WE WERE LIARS takes readers back to the story of another summer, another generation, and the secrets that will haunt them for decades to come.

A windswept private island off the coast of Massachusetts.
A hungry ocean, churning with secrets and sorrow.
A fiery, addicted heiress. An irresistible, unpredictable boy.
A summer of unforgivable betrayal and terrible mistakes.

Welcome back to the Sinclair family.
They were always liars.

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Source: Purchased from B&N

★★★★★

I read WE WERE LIARS eight years ago and absolutely loved it. It was devastating, but also amazing. FAMILY OF LIARS is the prequel, but please read the original first to avoid any spoilers. The prequel is all about the previous generation of Sinclairs during their teen years (set in the 1980s), and we get a glimpse of why they are the way they are, and how their grief, guilt, and family dynamics affected their children years later. The writing is gorgeous. I do think the prequel is different in that it’s more of an atmospheric family drama rather than a mystery/thriller, though there are a few surprising twists along the way. I loved this book and didn’t want it to end!

See also: WE WERE LIARS [review]

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WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart

WeWereLiars

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends — the Liars — whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

WE WERE LIARS is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Released: May 13, 2014
Source: Borrowed from the library

★★★★★

WE WERE LIARS is another one of those books where saying much about the plot would give away spoilers. What to say? Well, the story is told from the point of view of Cadence, a teenage girl who spends summers with her family on their private island. Cadence, her two cousins, and a friend, make up a close knit group known as the Liars. During the summer of her 15th year, she’s in an accident that wipes her memory of that time. Her family is secretive about what actually happened to her, so two years later she returns to the island to find answers.

I’m not a big YA reader, so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. The writing was lovely, and I can only say that I was consumed by the story. WE WERE LIARS is a quick read, but not one that’s easily forgotten. And the ending! Left me with a sick feeling. It’s definitely a book that will stay in my thoughts long after finishing.