Teens deserve better fiction than this.
⭐️⭐️
The Blurb:
Tell the truth. Or face the consequences.
One year ago, there was a party.
At the party, someone died.
Five teens all played a part and up until now, no one has told the truth.
But tonight, the five survivors arrive at an isolated mansion in the hills, expecting to compete in a contest with a $50,000 grand prize. Of course…some things are too good to be true. They were each so desperate for the prize, they didn’t question the odd, rather exclusive invitation until it was too late.
Instead, they realize they’ve been lured together by a person bent on revenge who wants to finally unravel the truth about what actually happened that deadly night, one year ago.
Five arrived, but not all can leave.
Will the truth set them free? Or will their lies destroy them all?
The Review
What I usually like about young adult fiction is that it is so much better than television made for 'young adults'. Books tend to be allowed more freedom to explore real teen issues, while shiny, glossy (usually American) teen dramas have become more than a bit cliché. Everyone has to be beautiful, someone always dies (one of the main reasons I gave up on watching the O.C) not to mention the drama, the intense introspective monologues, the revenge and retribution.
Having said all that, I do like thrillers and intrigue, and most of all, books that give me serious chills. From the blurb, I was hoping that I would get more of that and less of the aforementioned banalities. Unfortunately not.
The story starts out really well and I was suitably hooked. It was definitely creepy enough and there was a lot of mystery and intrigue. So far so good.
But once the invited teens arrived at the 'party' it all started to go downhill from there. The internal monologues of the characters analyzing their every emotion and action around them got really tiring. There were a couple of sizable plot holes that just couldn't be ignored and the last third became farcical and loss the 'creepy credibility' it had worked hard to build to that point. The characters were described as being razor sharp smart, and then yet they did annoyingly stupid things that had me eye rolling several times.
If you're a fan of a really cheesy horror film (think - 'I know what you did last summer') and enjoy the predictable nature and the quick, cheap thrills it gives you, then go ahead. You'll enjoy the heck out of this.
This lie will kill you was published on 27th December 2018 by Simon and Schuster UK Children's.
Thanks the to Publisher and Netgalley for this preview copy in return for an honest review.
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