We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

The book We Were Liars, written by E. Lockhart, is about a seventeen-year old girl named Candace who tries to regain her memories that she lost during her fifteenth summer. Candace comes from the Sinclair family, a wealthy family beginning from her grandparents, Harris and Tipper Sinclair. Every summer, Candace and her cousins stay on Beechwood Island, their private island near Martha’s Vineyard. The four houses on the island each belong to one of the four families. 

In the book, the four main characters are Mirren, Johnny, Gat Patil, and Candace. They called themselves “The Liars.” During summer fifteen, Candace was told by her mother that she hit her head while swimming, and the trauma caused her to lose her memory. But some of the fact do not add up together. For example, none of her friends responded to any message she sent during the school year, no one would tell her the events that took place during that summer, the main house was being rebuilt, and her family was constantly fighting After traveling with her father during summer sixteen, Candace returns to the island for summer seventeen and spends the summer trying to remember everything.

This book is a psychological thriller with a mystery twisted into the plot. The ending of the book will leave you surprised, yet satisfied to piece together the missing puzzle pieces.

Written by Arianna, Teen Volunteer

One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus

One of Us Is Lying is a mystery about the mysterious death of Bayview High gossip app creator Simon, who suddenly dies in detention one day. All four other students in detention that day became suspects of the murder and the book follows each of them as their lives unfold following the death of Simon. Each chapter tells each person’s story from their point of view. The stories connect and these four individuals become closer than before trying to figure out who truly is responsible for Simon’s death. This book is one of the best books I have ever read. I decided to read it after recommendations from my sister and friends and I was not disappointed. Each chapter being from a different point of view made the story a lot more compelling as the stories connected.

Throughout the book and the clues given by the characters, I tried to figure out who was responsible for Simon’s death. I finished this book in about two days and was even up until 1 in the morning because I was so eager to discover the outcome. Although it is technically a murder mystery, it is not scary and is often lighthearted at times.

Written by Julia, Teen Volunteer

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars tells the story of the Sinclair family who live on their grandfather’s private island every summer. The group of teenagers call themselves “The Liars” and go on various adventures together all summer long, forming an unbreakable bond. However, when an incident happens to Cadence and causes her to lose most of her memories, she is forced to stay off the island for a few summers. One summer, Cadence begins to slowly recall various events that happened the summer of her accident. Each of the “Liars” are doing their best to help Cadence recall her memories. By the end of the book, what truly happened to Cadence that one summer is revealed and her life is changed forever.

Personally, I loved this book. It is one of the best books I’ve ever read due to the interesting plot and the structure of the book. At first, the book was a little confusing, however, once the truth is revealed, everything comes together seamlessly. The plot was so engaging, and I wanted to read more and more about each person’s story. I could not put down this book while I was reading it because it was so engaging. I finished the book in about two sittings. I would recommend this book to any young adult. It is an easy read, but the plot is complex enough to draw readers in.

Written by Julia, Teen Volunteer