Review: The Lying Game

Title: The Lying Game

Series: The Lying Game

Author: Sara Shepard

Reading Level: YA

Source: Local Library

Remember this post, about me missing Pretty Little Liars? Well, I'm also fan of the sister show, The Lying Game on ABC Family. I haven't read any of the books in that series and I was really missing the show so I broke my own "no-other-books-from-the-library-til-I-read-some-I-already-own" rule and checked out The Lying Game from my library. It was a pretty good read. I don't love the show or books as much as I like Pretty Little Liars but man, oh man, is it growing on me!

As expected, the book is a little different from the show. The book is a little darker, I'd say. I really enjoy the mystery of the story. And what's not to love about spoiled, rich girl drama taken too far? And I love twin stories! I used to be angry my mom didn't have me a twin! Twins just fascinate me for some reason, especially identical ones (this may go back to watching The Parent Trap at a very early age). I really like the way Sara Shepard writes a drama, mystery and she's not bad at a love story either!

My only complaint is even after reading the book, we (the readers) still don't really KNOW anything! Ahhhh! Gotta get the next book soon!

The Lying Game provided me a creative opportunity, which I adore. There's a part where Emma, pretending to be Sutton, goes on a date with Garrett. They stop at a grocery store to get a snack picnic before going to a state park. I decided to get the same items and stage a picnic for the hubs and myself, although our picnic ended up being on the living room floor! (Sometimes you just gotta make do, ya know?)

The shopping list per the book includes "...sparkling cider, black olives, crackers, grapes, trail mix, fancy Australian licorice, and a wedge of Brie..." Sounds pretty random but tasty to me! Here's our spread for our indoor picnic!

"She absentmindedly placed a cracker on the napkin and added two olives for eyes, a trail-mix peanut for a nose, and a piece of licorice for a smile."

And we finished our feast with red velvet cupcakes, Emma's favorites!

I give The Lying Game 4 out of 5 stars. I will totally continue reading this series when I can. And I'll anxiously be awaiting the shows return on ABCFamily.

Review: Wicked

Title: Wicked

Series: Pretty Little Liars Novels

Author: Sara Shepard

Reading Level: YA

Source: Local Library

Fav Quote(s): "And I think I liked you better when your weren't popular. When you were just...normal."

I a HUGE Pretty Little Liars TV show fan on ABC Family. I really, really love the show. I was kind of having withdrawals. Then bam! They hit me with the Halloween episode and suddenly I can't wait for the regular season to come back on in January. I read the first four books in the series about a year ago and just hadn't gotten around to the next one in the series. But after the PLL hiatus became just too much to bare I checked out Wicked from my local library. Augh! I love these! I read Wicked in a matter of couple hours. I still don't know who the second A is. But gah, I love mystery, the cattiness, the fashion, all of it! Mind you the show is different from the books but they are complementary, just remember they are two separate things!

**Possible spoiler alert**

So if you aren't familiar with the series there are four girls who were brought together by their mutual friend Ali. Ali disappears and is later found buried in her family home's back yard. The thing about this friendship was it was based on secrets and Ali was the ring leader. After Ali's body is discovered the other four girls (Spenser, Aria, Hanna, and Emily) start receiving mysterious, knowing texts signed by "A". In books the first 4 books we discover who A is and that character is killed off. Well in Wicked, book 5 the texts start up again and girls think they know who the new A is, until they don't.

The girls each have their own individual problems which somehow A is always in the know about. Spenser's cheating scandal is carried over and she is now worried she is adopted. Aria clearly has some "daddy" issues or something and tends to like older men. Hanna has a different kind of daddy issue and isn't getting along with her step-family-to-be. And Emily, bless her. She thought she was into girls but seems she might be a "switch hitter" to paraphrase Noel Kahn.

One thing I learned from PLL: If you are just honest with people, especially the people you love then there is nothing for A or anyone else to hold over your head. Secrets can be poisonous to any relationship. There are many times when I wish I could just yell at the girls to JUST TELL THE TRUTH! The truth shall set you free!! It's like whatever they get into wouldn't be half as bad if they would just be honest about to begin with.

I give Wicked 4 out of 5 stars. I love the Pretty Little Liars franchise. I just can't get enough!

I made a friendship bracelet by using this tutorial. I was inspired to make this because Ali gave her girls a bracelet after the "Jenna Thing" in the books (and the show, I believe). So this is my quick and easy "Jenna Thing" bracelet!

It also apparently doubles as a bookmark! 

Teaser Tuesday- The Lying Game

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 

Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Emma closed the closet again and rubbed her temples. 

There had to be something here. 

Some kind of proof of what Laurel had done."

~The Lying Game~

by 

Sara Shepard

Teaser Tuesday (Nov. 6)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of 

Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"There was a helpless expression on her face. 'Did you see Ian on TV? He looked so...thin. It's like they didn't even let him eat when he was in jail."

~From Wicked: A Pretty Little Liars Novel

by

Sara Shepard