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Pretty Little Liars #1
Pretty Little Liars
EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO HIDE - ESPECIALLY HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS SPENCER, ARIA, EMILY, AND HANNA
Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful. But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.
How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling.
Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful. But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.
How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling.
286 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2006
7,506 people are currently reading
116k people want to read
About the author
Sara Shepard
127books14.6kfollowersSara Shepard graduated from NYU and has an MFA from Brooklyn College. She has lived in New York City, Brooklyn, Tucson, Arizona, Philadelphia, and now lives in Pittsburgh, PA. Sara's Pretty Little Liars novels were inspired by her upbringing in Philadelphia's Main Line.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 11,477 reviews
January 6, 2011
"Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead."
-Benjamin Franklin.
The first book in the series, Pretty Little Liars, is about five best friends - Emily, Aria, Hanna, Spencer and Alison. Alison is the girl everyone loves, but secretly hates because they’re envious. She is what you could call the secret keeper of the clique, the one that holds the deepest and darkest secrets of each of the girls that nobody else knows and that they wouldn't dare share with another person. During a sleepover in seventh grade, something happens, Alison has walked out the door after a fight and their best friend has disappeared. Rosewood doesn’t seem so picture perfect anymore�
Fast forward a few years later and the four girls are now juniors in high school at Rosewood Day. They have different social groups and none of them have talked since the disappearance of Alison. What brings them together again? Nothing they would have ever guessed. They're all receiving secret messages from an anonymous sender who goes by -A. Not just any messages though - but their secrets that vanished with their best friend and things that are going on in their lives today that they would rather keep hidden.
Emily is testing the bounds of her new friendship with Maya, Aria is doing a little extra credit for English with her teacher, Hanna had vanity insanity and went too far for perfection and old habits are hard to break, and Spencer is getting a little too close to what isn't hers which is her sister's boyfriend. Unless the girls do exactly what -A says, their secrets will become everyone’s news. Who is -A? Why are they doing this? Did their best friend, Alison, come back? What exactly is the big Jenna secret? These are all of the things that are itching to be answered. Read and find out.
This series is for teenage girls and found in the YA section, but I’m out of my teens and still enjoy them a lot. It's a light, fun and easy read that you can definitely read in one sitting because you don't want to put it down until you've found everything out to tie up all the loose ends of the story. Pretty Little Liars has drama and cliffhangers that keep you on your toes and at the edge of your seat.
Next book is Flawless.
-Benjamin Franklin.
The first book in the series, Pretty Little Liars, is about five best friends - Emily, Aria, Hanna, Spencer and Alison. Alison is the girl everyone loves, but secretly hates because they’re envious. She is what you could call the secret keeper of the clique, the one that holds the deepest and darkest secrets of each of the girls that nobody else knows and that they wouldn't dare share with another person. During a sleepover in seventh grade, something happens, Alison has walked out the door after a fight and their best friend has disappeared. Rosewood doesn’t seem so picture perfect anymore�
Fast forward a few years later and the four girls are now juniors in high school at Rosewood Day. They have different social groups and none of them have talked since the disappearance of Alison. What brings them together again? Nothing they would have ever guessed. They're all receiving secret messages from an anonymous sender who goes by -A. Not just any messages though - but their secrets that vanished with their best friend and things that are going on in their lives today that they would rather keep hidden.
Emily is testing the bounds of her new friendship with Maya, Aria is doing a little extra credit for English with her teacher, Hanna had vanity insanity and went too far for perfection and old habits are hard to break, and Spencer is getting a little too close to what isn't hers which is her sister's boyfriend. Unless the girls do exactly what -A says, their secrets will become everyone’s news. Who is -A? Why are they doing this? Did their best friend, Alison, come back? What exactly is the big Jenna secret? These are all of the things that are itching to be answered. Read and find out.
This series is for teenage girls and found in the YA section, but I’m out of my teens and still enjoy them a lot. It's a light, fun and easy read that you can definitely read in one sitting because you don't want to put it down until you've found everything out to tie up all the loose ends of the story. Pretty Little Liars has drama and cliffhangers that keep you on your toes and at the edge of your seat.
Next book is Flawless.
February 2, 2016
(I think it’s extra hilarious to visualize in the context of this book, especially with all of the snarky things she says, because it totally applies to PLL)
Alison
She’s the queen bee who knows how to make the girls feel like they belong, but digs at them to keep them insecure and put them in their place so they’ll never challenge her. Ali is Regina George minus Tina Fey’s writing, in that she’s a toxic manipulator but there isn’t the underlying dark humor or commentary here. She just is who she is, and she has you wrapped around her finger.
Hanna
Hanna basically and now has an eating disorder and steals things.
Spencer
I HATE SPENCER. No apologies. I just do. We’ve all known someone like this, haven’t we? The over-achiever; the person whose only motivation for doing things is because it will look good on a college application. I get that colleges are competitive and you need to pad that résumé, but doesn’t it strike anyone else as phony when someone is doing charity work just to brag about it? Yeah, I have a little rant about that, but there are things you do out of the goodness of your heart and not just because you want recognition for; which is why people like Spencer get on my nerves.
Further, Spencer is hyper-competitive with her sister and is hell-bent on beating her old records. She even makes out with her sister’s fiancé—and while the attraction appears mutual, that is seriously messed up to do to your own sibling. The thing is that the competition is one-sided as Melissa doesn’t even appear to care if her younger sister is trying to blow her own records out of the water. Spencer is basically playing against a ghost, which is really pathetic but all too common these days.
I just see her as deeply unhappy and no amount of awards or good grades will fill her Type A emptiness. Nothing will ever be good enough for people like this, and it turns into a vicious cycle of trying to one-up everyone else—even when nobody else is playing.
Aria
Nothing really special about her (in this first book, at least). She comes back from to the states from being abroad and kinda looks down at how Americans live. Le sigh at all her pretentious ex-pat BS. Also, she hooks up with an older man in a bar—actually, it seems all of the kids are drinking underage and nobody is carding in this community—who just so happens to be her English teacher.
Emily
She’s on the swim team, she’s questioning her sexuality, and her parents are probably racists. She’s a flat character in the book, and she seems like a token one on the show as they change her ethnicity so that she’s both non-white and non-straight. Great going for diversity, I. Marlene King. What’s next? A problematic representation of a trans character?
The Writing
While not the best, it’s certainly fast-paced. Despite all of the name-dropping of brands that makes the story feel dated, there’s a lot of honesty in how [many of] the characters interact. This is the kinda book you can pick up and read if a few hours while you jump on a last minute flight to the beach for the weekend. It’s fluffy and little pulpy, though a pretty solid popcorn read overall.
Alison
She’s the queen bee who knows how to make the girls feel like they belong, but digs at them to keep them insecure and put them in their place so they’ll never challenge her. Ali is Regina George minus Tina Fey’s writing, in that she’s a toxic manipulator but there isn’t the underlying dark humor or commentary here. She just is who she is, and she has you wrapped around her finger.
Hanna
Hanna basically and now has an eating disorder and steals things.
Spencer
I HATE SPENCER. No apologies. I just do. We’ve all known someone like this, haven’t we? The over-achiever; the person whose only motivation for doing things is because it will look good on a college application. I get that colleges are competitive and you need to pad that résumé, but doesn’t it strike anyone else as phony when someone is doing charity work just to brag about it? Yeah, I have a little rant about that, but there are things you do out of the goodness of your heart and not just because you want recognition for; which is why people like Spencer get on my nerves.
Further, Spencer is hyper-competitive with her sister and is hell-bent on beating her old records. She even makes out with her sister’s fiancé—and while the attraction appears mutual, that is seriously messed up to do to your own sibling. The thing is that the competition is one-sided as Melissa doesn’t even appear to care if her younger sister is trying to blow her own records out of the water. Spencer is basically playing against a ghost, which is really pathetic but all too common these days.
I just see her as deeply unhappy and no amount of awards or good grades will fill her Type A emptiness. Nothing will ever be good enough for people like this, and it turns into a vicious cycle of trying to one-up everyone else—even when nobody else is playing.
Aria
Nothing really special about her (in this first book, at least). She comes back from to the states from being abroad and kinda looks down at how Americans live. Le sigh at all her pretentious ex-pat BS. Also, she hooks up with an older man in a bar—actually, it seems all of the kids are drinking underage and nobody is carding in this community—who just so happens to be her English teacher.
Emily
She’s on the swim team, she’s questioning her sexuality, and her parents are probably racists. She’s a flat character in the book, and she seems like a token one on the show as they change her ethnicity so that she’s both non-white and non-straight. Great going for diversity, I. Marlene King. What’s next? A problematic representation of a trans character?
The Writing
While not the best, it’s certainly fast-paced. Despite all of the name-dropping of brands that makes the story feel dated, there’s a lot of honesty in how [many of] the characters interact. This is the kinda book you can pick up and read if a few hours while you jump on a last minute flight to the beach for the weekend. It’s fluffy and little pulpy, though a pretty solid popcorn read overall.
May 24, 2022
Pretty Little Liars (Pretty Little Liars #1), Sara Shepard
Pretty Little Liars is a series of young adult novels by American author Sara Shepard. Beginning with 2006's initial novel of the same name, the series follows the lives of four girls: Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin, Aria Montgomery and Emily Fields.
Three years ago, Alison disappeared after a slumber party, not to be seen since. Her friends at the elite Pennsylvania school mourned her, but they also breathed secret sighs of relief. Each of them guarded a secret that only Alison had known. Now they have other dirty little secrets, secrets that could sink them in their gossip-hungry world. When each of them begins receiving anonymous emails and text messages, panic sets in.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و پنجم ماه جولای سال2016میلادی
عنوان: دروغگویان زیباروی کوچک کتاب نخست از سری به همین نام؛ نویسنده: سارا شپرد؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده21م
شرح ماجرای زندگی چهار دختر جوان باقیمانده به نامهای «اسپنسر هاستینگز»، «هانا مارین»، «آریا مونتگومری» و «امیلی فیلدز» است؛ از این سری مجموعه ی تلویزیونی نیز ساخته شده است؛ داستانها در «رزوود پنسیلوانیا» و درباره ی پنج دختر دروغگوست، که گروه کوچکی را شکل داده اند و با گم شدن «آلیسون» همه چیز به هم میریزد؛ چهار تن باقیمانده از فردی به نام «آ» پیامهای عجیب دریافت که آنها را به فاش کردن دروغهایشان تهدید میکند، رازها درباره ی خیانت، خشونت، مرگ، عشق و ترس هستند
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 09/04/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 02/03/1401هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
Pretty Little Liars is a series of young adult novels by American author Sara Shepard. Beginning with 2006's initial novel of the same name, the series follows the lives of four girls: Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin, Aria Montgomery and Emily Fields.
Three years ago, Alison disappeared after a slumber party, not to be seen since. Her friends at the elite Pennsylvania school mourned her, but they also breathed secret sighs of relief. Each of them guarded a secret that only Alison had known. Now they have other dirty little secrets, secrets that could sink them in their gossip-hungry world. When each of them begins receiving anonymous emails and text messages, panic sets in.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و پنجم ماه جولای سال2016میلادی
عنوان: دروغگویان زیباروی کوچک کتاب نخست از سری به همین نام؛ نویسنده: سارا شپرد؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده21م
شرح ماجرای زندگی چهار دختر جوان باقیمانده به نامهای «اسپنسر هاستینگز»، «هانا مارین»، «آریا مونتگومری» و «امیلی فیلدز» است؛ از این سری مجموعه ی تلویزیونی نیز ساخته شده است؛ داستانها در «رزوود پنسیلوانیا» و درباره ی پنج دختر دروغگوست، که گروه کوچکی را شکل داده اند و با گم شدن «آلیسون» همه چیز به هم میریزد؛ چهار تن باقیمانده از فردی به نام «آ» پیامهای عجیب دریافت که آنها را به فاش کردن دروغهایشان تهدید میکند، رازها درباره ی خیانت، خشونت، مرگ، عشق و ترس هستند
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 09/04/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 02/03/1401هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
October 4, 2012
Before I being, I would like to admit that by choosing to read this book of my own free will, without compulsion or obligation, I made a rod for my own back and have no right to complain about any suffering that followed. Nonetheless, I am going to do so:-
The previous holder of my “most unappealing first sentence of a book series� award was the awe-inspiringly stupid , on grounds of grammar alone, for ’s “I’d been waiting for the vampire for years when he walked into the bar�. However this did at least have the decency , as you have no doubt noticed, to mention a vampire. effortlessly breaks this record with the following:
I very nearly stopped reading immediately. This book is clearly not aimed at me. It’s apparently for horrifyingly vain and privileged US 15/16yr olds who are unable to describe someone of a tanned appearance with any grammatical accuracy. However once I got over the shock I reflected that if someone six years older than me feels justified in writing this and aiming it at the delicate minds of teenagers, then surely I’m justified in criticising it as I see fit? And even if not, who’s going to stop me? To that end, I would like to say that any teenager whose first reaction upon seeing the picture of a missing young girl is to rate her cuteness in relation to their own is in need of urgent psychological help in order to amend the way in which she interacts with the world.
No I didn’t. Where the hell would I get that idea from? The only thing I can even vaguely connect with this is JonBenét Ramsay, and I don’t believe she was missing long enough to be cartonised. Not unless US milk production works a lot faster than I was aware. I guess I just don’t naturally connect kidnapping and popularity contests the way you do, Sara Shepard.
Least Appropriate Item of Clothing for a 13-Year-Old
An “IRISH GIRLS DO IT BETTER baby tee�.
Which I think is a tiny t-shirt? At any rate, not being allowed to wear this by your parents does not make me feel any great sympathy for your strict upbringing. If being disallowed from wearing this is considered a harsh rule, then god knows what the other girls look like.
Most Air-Headed Metaphor
Worst Names
Spencer Hastings (female)
Mona Vanderwaal
Chassey Bledsoe (female)
Phi Templeton (female)
Maya St.Germain
Byron Montgomery
Michelangelo Montgomery
Wren Kim (male)
Ezra Fitz
Casey Kirschner (male)
Alyssa Pennypacker
Devon Arliss (female)
Mason Byers (m)
Most Mysterious Statement
Is this some type of slang term I’m unfamiliar with? It later reoccurs on a magnet in the following form:
Which I can only take to be code of some type.
Least Flattering Assessment of a Nationality
Most Unoriginal “Relevant� Background Song
“Oops I Did it Again� whilst Hanna steals some Tiffany diamonds. Again.
Oddest Response to a One Night Stand
Texting him a haiku at 2:30am.
Most Childish Response to a Medical Conversation
Most Oxymoronic Description
Overall, the book reads like a collection of teen problem pages have come to life and just happen to live in the single most unrealistic and unidentifiably elite town possible. The simplification of every example of teen angst and misery Shepard can come up with into a TV-ready series of vignettes featuring unattainably beautiful and rich heroines who are simultaneously incredibly academic and total airheads and whose lives revolve around brands and boys frankly leaves a very sour taste in the mouth. By making her creations so ridiculously fantastic the author has ensured that not only can a teen reader have no chance of seeing herself in the pages and taking comfort in relation to her own problems, but she is also presented with an unattainable standard of victimhood. What this book tells you is that not only is it fashionable and exciting to have problems like bulimia, self-harm, a tendency to drive drunk and an older man preying on you sexually, but that there’s no excuse to not have the body, wardrobe and hair of a Barbie doll whilst you’re attractively suffering.
The previous holder of my “most unappealing first sentence of a book series� award was the awe-inspiringly stupid , on grounds of grammar alone, for ’s “I’d been waiting for the vampire for years when he walked into the bar�. However this did at least have the decency , as you have no doubt noticed, to mention a vampire. effortlessly breaks this record with the following:
"Imagine it’s a couple of years ago, the summer between seventh and eighth grade. You’re tan from lying out next to your rock-lined pool, you’ve got on your new Juicy sweats (remember when everybody wore those?), and your mind’s on your crush, the boy who goes to that other prep school whose name we won’t mention and who folds jeans at Abercrombie in the mall.�
I very nearly stopped reading immediately. This book is clearly not aimed at me. It’s apparently for horrifyingly vain and privileged US 15/16yr olds who are unable to describe someone of a tanned appearance with any grammatical accuracy. However once I got over the shock I reflected that if someone six years older than me feels justified in writing this and aiming it at the delicate minds of teenagers, then surely I’m justified in criticising it as I see fit? And even if not, who’s going to stop me? To that end, I would like to say that any teenager whose first reaction upon seeing the picture of a missing young girl is to rate her cuteness in relation to their own is in need of urgent psychological help in order to amend the way in which she interacts with the world.
As the book opens we are introduced to five vile, spoilt bitches. Their leader is Alison, (“signature� phrase “I’m Ali and I’m fabulous.�, who is perfect and adored by everyone as well as the kind of girl who enjoys mocking “dorks� to their face and calling her friends fat or a slag. The whole group are not only rich, they are the sort of rich people who snub the nouveau-riche for having the wrong type of mansions and pride themselves on their “noble bloodlines�. They are also absolutely obsessed with Abercrombie (which I believe to be a chain of clothes stores aimed at Sloane Ranger types and given to oppressing minorities and women) and inappropriately sexualised for their age, blushing at older boys and admiring their “totally grope-worthy stomach muscles�, running about naked in cornfields for fun and playing a game called “Olympian Sex Goddesses�. (Having said that, 3½ years later one of them is embarrassed by thinking the term “boob parts� in reference to a bra. So maybe they’re not as mature about sexual matters as they think). Their inane nothings are interrupted when 13-year-old Alison mercifully goes missing, a fact which is reported to the police a mere 36 hours later.
Nobody is particularly bothered by this disappearance, and we move on 3½ years to Alison’s parents throwing all her belongings onto the pavement and leaving, opening the way for a new girl from “San Fran� to move into the neighbourhood and Alison’s bedroom. Thirty seconds later, peer pressure from this new girl with awful taste in music has led Emily to smoking pot, in a scene difficult to take seriously as no one has ever actually offered anyone a joint with the words “Want a hit?� At exactly the same time Aria moves back from Iceland, where she has become a vain Hipster, and immediately commences swanning about driving without a license (on the advice of her mum), whining about how much better European beer is, misusing the word “irony� and sleeping with a stranger in a pub toilet. Will that come back to bite her? Yes, it almost immediately will. Meanwhile fat friend Hanna has developed into an uber-popular bulimic flasher and become best friends with the previously uncool Mona, now an attention-seeking poor-little-rich-girl shoplifter. Finally our fourth heroine Spencer is occupied being jealous of her sister and planning to steal her current boyfriend, the stupidly named English-Korean Wren, as well as talking about such mysterious acronyms as Aps, GPAs, VPs & JVs.
Once everyone’s teen-drama problems are set up (glamorous issues only, none of them ever has a “pimple� or anything dirty like that) they meander about mentioning products, brands and shops every 4th line, most of which I am unaware of and/or not interested in. Suffice to say, they all have an obscene amount of labelled clothes and expensive jewellery to wear whilst they shag their teachers, drink red wine, incongruously quote Sartre and have glamorous panic attacks at the thought of their “dead� friend Alison. The only interruption to this is some vaguely sarky but strangely apposite texts messages and notes each of them receive at inopportune moments, signed ‘A.� Who could it be?
Various cheesy seductions occur (the kiss-on-the-cheek between female friends that goes a little too far, the hot-tub massage on spurious medical grounds) and a seemingly endless parade of fashion designers are mentioned as we hear far too many details of the girls� wardrobes. Characters worry about such difficult to sympathise with issues as how calorie-laden vodka and lemonade is. The girl Emily fancies repetitively mentions how great everything was back in “Cali� once every two minutes and reminisces about cutting herself in order to tick another box on the “teen issues� chart. Spencer continues to encourage the inappropriate behaviour of her sister’s boyfriend, even though he seems somewhat of a stalker-pervert type. During a traditional teen horror movie dream sequence Aria’s doorbell rings to the tune of “American Idiot� by Greenday, which brings a much-needed note of mockery to proceedings. Unfortunately it’s only one note against the symphony of logomania and status obsession. Hanna experiences the kind of drink related total memory loss that only happens on TV even though a car crash is exactly the type of thing that normally leaves a couple of memories, particularly in someone who wasn’t even acting more than mildly tipsy. In summary, a lot of people do stupid things.
The dénouement is the finding of Alison’s body, which turns out to have been buried in a large hole in her own garden, which was filled in for no reason by suspicious builders just after she disappeared. There is no mention of either the builders or her family being questioned regarding this, nor of an internal investigation into what the hell the police were doing totally failing to consider this possibility until the new owners of the house decided to dig up the garden for a new tennis court. This bring our 4 heroines to the same location, namely the memorial service, where they eventually discuss the matter of their knowledgeable stalker. No one actually learns anything, except that all four of them are too stupid to think to turn their phones off at a funeral. The stalker remain unidentified. Their silly dramas drag on. The secret of what exactly they did to their unfortunate victim “Jenna� remains hidden. And everyone wanders off to wait for the next book.
Most Random Accusation Directed at the Reader
“You thought only girls who entered beauty
pageants ended up on the sides of milk cartons.�
No I didn’t. Where the hell would I get that idea from? The only thing I can even vaguely connect with this is JonBenét Ramsay, and I don’t believe she was missing long enough to be cartonised. Not unless US milk production works a lot faster than I was aware. I guess I just don’t naturally connect kidnapping and popularity contests the way you do, Sara Shepard.
Least Appropriate Item of Clothing for a 13-Year-Old
An “IRISH GIRLS DO IT BETTER baby tee�.
Which I think is a tiny t-shirt? At any rate, not being allowed to wear this by your parents does not make me feel any great sympathy for your strict upbringing. If being disallowed from wearing this is considered a harsh rule, then god knows what the other girls look like.
Most Air-Headed Metaphor
“Before Ali, the girls had felt like pleated, high-waisted mom jeans…but then Ali made them feel like the most perfect-fitting Stella McCartneys that no one could afford.�
Worst Names
Spencer Hastings (female)
Mona Vanderwaal
Chassey Bledsoe (female)
Phi Templeton (female)
Maya St.Germain
Byron Montgomery
Michelangelo Montgomery
Wren Kim (male)
Ezra Fitz
Casey Kirschner (male)
Alyssa Pennypacker
Devon Arliss (female)
Mason Byers (m)
Most Mysterious Statement
“She was a nearly straight-A, four-time state champion butterflyer�
Is this some type of slang term I’m unfamiliar with? It later reoccurs on a magnet in the following form:
“COED NAKED BUTTERFLY�
Which I can only take to be code of some type.
Least Flattering Assessment of a Nationality
“he claimed that all Icelandic boys were ‘pussies who rode small, gay horses’�
Most Unoriginal “Relevant� Background Song
“Oops I Did it Again� whilst Hanna steals some Tiffany diamonds. Again.
Oddest Response to a One Night Stand
Texting him a haiku at 2:30am.
Most Childish Response to a Medical Conversation
“Spencer tried not to giggle at the word sac.�
Most Oxymoronic Description
Doringbell Friends, the ultra-hip Quakerschool
Overall, the book reads like a collection of teen problem pages have come to life and just happen to live in the single most unrealistic and unidentifiably elite town possible. The simplification of every example of teen angst and misery Shepard can come up with into a TV-ready series of vignettes featuring unattainably beautiful and rich heroines who are simultaneously incredibly academic and total airheads and whose lives revolve around brands and boys frankly leaves a very sour taste in the mouth. By making her creations so ridiculously fantastic the author has ensured that not only can a teen reader have no chance of seeing herself in the pages and taking comfort in relation to her own problems, but she is also presented with an unattainable standard of victimhood. What this book tells you is that not only is it fashionable and exciting to have problems like bulimia, self-harm, a tendency to drive drunk and an older man preying on you sexually, but that there’s no excuse to not have the body, wardrobe and hair of a Barbie doll whilst you’re attractively suffering.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2023
Teenage girls with secrets, getting into trouble, a missing friend and a mystery stalker. I used to work with someone who was obsessed with Pretty Little Liars, the books and TV show. I made a promise (all those years ago) that I would give it a go. Not my usual kind of read at all, but it was fast-paced, entertaining and fun, and I was surprised by how compulsive it was!
November 19, 2011
This series feels like it'll be a total guilty pleasure. It really reminded me of some of the and books that I read as a teen, and that's definitely a good thing. It's not literary genius but it's fun and easy to read. I started watching the TV show based on this series and I wanted to find out more because the episodes weren't coming out fast enough for me. I didn't feel like reading and watching the same series was redundant, it felt more like they complimented each other. I have to say though, that I didn't get enough answers with this one, I'll definitely be checking out the next book.
This series follows a group of four girls that fell out of touch after the disappearance of their mutual friend. They've all gone their separate ways but something is bringing the girls back together: ominous notes and texts that hint at a secret that only the girl that disappeared would know. Is she watching from the shadows, or, from the grave?
I was surprised at some of the topics this book touched on: death, homosexuality, cutting, drug and alcohol use among minors, improper teacher-student relationships, and bulimia, to name a few. Obviously I'm old enough to read about these things so it didn't bother me, but I thought I'd mention it anyway. I actually really liked how the author threw in these controversial topics; it really added a real feeling to the otherwise absurd plot (absurd in a good way though! Really!)
I can't wait until I can read the next book and find out some more of the puzzle. I am definitely intrigued and I will continue to watch the TV show as well.
This series follows a group of four girls that fell out of touch after the disappearance of their mutual friend. They've all gone their separate ways but something is bringing the girls back together: ominous notes and texts that hint at a secret that only the girl that disappeared would know. Is she watching from the shadows, or, from the grave?
I was surprised at some of the topics this book touched on: death, homosexuality, cutting, drug and alcohol use among minors, improper teacher-student relationships, and bulimia, to name a few. Obviously I'm old enough to read about these things so it didn't bother me, but I thought I'd mention it anyway. I actually really liked how the author threw in these controversial topics; it really added a real feeling to the otherwise absurd plot (absurd in a good way though! Really!)
I can't wait until I can read the next book and find out some more of the puzzle. I am definitely intrigued and I will continue to watch the TV show as well.
August 27, 2021
hi my name is emma and a fun fact about me is that the fictional town from pretty little liars is set like 10 minutes from where i grew up.
my tiny town and the surrounding tiny towns get name checked in this series, and it's for this reason that i feel: my high school experience should have been significantly more exciting.
murder count: 0. blackmail count: 0. stalking: 0. mistaken identity-based plot twists: 0. creepy teachers: okay not 0.
still. the most dramatic thing to occur at my school was the race for biggest teacher's pet, and seeing as we weren't even allowed to know class rank due to our sheer competitiveness being unsafe, that could only do so much.
anyway. these books are so fun, this show was a cultural touchstone, and i will never read or watch or think about either ever again.
part of ye olde i review books i read a long time ago series
my tiny town and the surrounding tiny towns get name checked in this series, and it's for this reason that i feel: my high school experience should have been significantly more exciting.
murder count: 0. blackmail count: 0. stalking: 0. mistaken identity-based plot twists: 0. creepy teachers: okay not 0.
still. the most dramatic thing to occur at my school was the race for biggest teacher's pet, and seeing as we weren't even allowed to know class rank due to our sheer competitiveness being unsafe, that could only do so much.
anyway. these books are so fun, this show was a cultural touchstone, and i will never read or watch or think about either ever again.
part of ye olde i review books i read a long time ago series
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August 15, 2024
|| 3.5 stars ||
Everyone always says that the books are really different from the TV show, so I thought it would be interesting to check this out. However, although I can see that a lot of the relationships, for example, will turn out very unlike the TV show, this first book was extremely similar plot-wise to the first few episodes, so it was all a little predictable and repetitive for me.
That said, I think things will become completely separate later on in this series, so I might just keep at it to get to that point. Because I have to say I do find these books very entertaining. They’re a little trashy, but in a fun and addictive way.
Personally, my favourite chapters were definitely those by Spencer first, then Aria, then Emily, and then Hanna.
-Spencer is a character that is very realistic in how much pressure and loneliness she feels. She works so hard, but her parents will never truly acknowledge or love her, always favoring her sister over her, and that understandably breaks her heart. It’s why I kind of understood why she felt it was okay to steal her sister’s boyfriends the way she did� Even though, of course, it shouldn’t be. Besides, her and Wren were honestly kind of cute, even though I actually want her with Andrew. I know he doesn’t have many scenes and he hardly even exists in the TV show, but still. He just seems so utterly adorable and his unrequited crush on Spencer is truly precious. I hope she will start to notice him in the next books, because I know he would be the sweetest boyfriend to her.
-Aria’s gentle and quirky yet confident personality was genuinely nice to read, and I personally like her best out of the four girls. I really want to find out what happens to her next: I hope she’ll eventually dump creepy Ezra for good (who was honestly much worse here than in the TV show) and she’ll find a good guy in the end. Maybe Noel has potential? Even though he seemed to be quite dumb so far.
-Emily is a sweetheart, but she’s a little too passive and therefore kind of boring. I want to care about her, but so far I don’t really. Her swimming is not something I care about, and her relationship with Maya hasn’t really sparked an interest in me yet either.
-With Hanna, I do feel pity and sympathy for her struggles and self-loathing, but I genuinely do not like the person she is right now. That said, Sean deserves to get kicked in the groin for what he said to her and he needs to be knocked off his high-horse so badly. I want to see that happen in the future!
Lastly, I just want to quickly mention that all of these parents are the literal worst. Emily’s parents are racist bigots, Aria’s father is a cheating groomer, Hanna’s mother is a distant workaholic, and Spencer’s parents are cold, unloving and abusive. They all made my blood boil.
'Pretty Little Liars' series:
1. Pretty Little Liars - 3.5 stars
2. Flawless - 3.5 stars
Everyone always says that the books are really different from the TV show, so I thought it would be interesting to check this out. However, although I can see that a lot of the relationships, for example, will turn out very unlike the TV show, this first book was extremely similar plot-wise to the first few episodes, so it was all a little predictable and repetitive for me.
That said, I think things will become completely separate later on in this series, so I might just keep at it to get to that point. Because I have to say I do find these books very entertaining. They’re a little trashy, but in a fun and addictive way.
Personally, my favourite chapters were definitely those by Spencer first, then Aria, then Emily, and then Hanna.
-Spencer is a character that is very realistic in how much pressure and loneliness she feels. She works so hard, but her parents will never truly acknowledge or love her, always favoring her sister over her, and that understandably breaks her heart. It’s why I kind of understood why she felt it was okay to steal her sister’s boyfriends the way she did� Even though, of course, it shouldn’t be. Besides, her and Wren were honestly kind of cute, even though I actually want her with Andrew. I know he doesn’t have many scenes and he hardly even exists in the TV show, but still. He just seems so utterly adorable and his unrequited crush on Spencer is truly precious. I hope she will start to notice him in the next books, because I know he would be the sweetest boyfriend to her.
-Aria’s gentle and quirky yet confident personality was genuinely nice to read, and I personally like her best out of the four girls. I really want to find out what happens to her next: I hope she’ll eventually dump creepy Ezra for good (who was honestly much worse here than in the TV show) and she’ll find a good guy in the end. Maybe Noel has potential? Even though he seemed to be quite dumb so far.
-Emily is a sweetheart, but she’s a little too passive and therefore kind of boring. I want to care about her, but so far I don’t really. Her swimming is not something I care about, and her relationship with Maya hasn’t really sparked an interest in me yet either.
-With Hanna, I do feel pity and sympathy for her struggles and self-loathing, but I genuinely do not like the person she is right now. That said, Sean deserves to get kicked in the groin for what he said to her and he needs to be knocked off his high-horse so badly. I want to see that happen in the future!
Lastly, I just want to quickly mention that all of these parents are the literal worst. Emily’s parents are racist bigots, Aria’s father is a cheating groomer, Hanna’s mother is a distant workaholic, and Spencer’s parents are cold, unloving and abusive. They all made my blood boil.
'Pretty Little Liars' series:
1. Pretty Little Liars - 3.5 stars
2. Flawless - 3.5 stars
July 9, 2010
Okay, I'm hooked. I started watching the TV show when it first came out, and liked it well enough. So I decided to see how the book series would compare.
This book follows a former group of friends three years after their leader, Alison, went missing. Now they are getting mysterious text messages from a person known only as "A". "A" knows secrets only Alison knew and trust me, these girls have plenty of them. Despite being only 16, these girls have more skeletons in their closets than the cast of "Desperate Housewives". The girls have to confront secrets from their past while dealing with issues of their present.
I liked this book perhaps more than I'm willing to admit. Its a guilty pleasure read for sure. The girls are each different and have their own personalities. Aria is the "free spirit" who holds the secret of her dads affair, while trying to hide a tryst of her own. Emily is the demure jock who is questioning her sexuality and overall personality. Hanna is the new queen bee desperate to stay ahead. And Spencer is the competetive over-achiever who is fruitlessly trying to please her parents.
I liked all of the girls, despite their faults. But I did remain unattached from them through out the book. The plot is full of twists and turns and I have absolutely no idea what will happen next.
I'm not sure whether or not I like the TV show or book series more. While they obviously have similarities, they have their fair share of differences, and I think they might be going in different directions. So as of now, I like them both.
Next installment please!
This book follows a former group of friends three years after their leader, Alison, went missing. Now they are getting mysterious text messages from a person known only as "A". "A" knows secrets only Alison knew and trust me, these girls have plenty of them. Despite being only 16, these girls have more skeletons in their closets than the cast of "Desperate Housewives". The girls have to confront secrets from their past while dealing with issues of their present.
I liked this book perhaps more than I'm willing to admit. Its a guilty pleasure read for sure. The girls are each different and have their own personalities. Aria is the "free spirit" who holds the secret of her dads affair, while trying to hide a tryst of her own. Emily is the demure jock who is questioning her sexuality and overall personality. Hanna is the new queen bee desperate to stay ahead. And Spencer is the competetive over-achiever who is fruitlessly trying to please her parents.
I liked all of the girls, despite their faults. But I did remain unattached from them through out the book. The plot is full of twists and turns and I have absolutely no idea what will happen next.
I'm not sure whether or not I like the TV show or book series more. While they obviously have similarities, they have their fair share of differences, and I think they might be going in different directions. So as of now, I like them both.
Next installment please!
April 30, 2015
Find all of my reviews at:
A week or so ago one of my new friends on ŷ asked what was taking me so long to finish Pretty Little Liars. Truth is, I finished it in one day waaaaaaaaaaaay long ago, but my reaction was . . . .
so I never got around to writing a review. Want a sneak peak into the world of Mitchell and Kelly and how to tell if they didn’t like a book????
Yep. Not a note, not a highlight, not a comment, nada. This time the problem stems from one issue and one issue alone . . .
In case you don’t already know (since there are like eleventy trillion of these books and also a television series), Pretty Little Liars is the story of a group of girls whose frenemy, Alison, disappeared during a slumber party. Fast forward three years and each of the girls begins receiving notes/emails/texts threatening to divulge some dirty secrets. Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn.
Now, if I were able to jump in the way-back machine I would probably dig on this series. Not to mention the T.V. show. From my addiction to all things of the 90210 and Melrose Place varieties as a tween, I’m fairly certain I would just lap this shit up too. However, since I’m now 1,000 years old, reading/watching Pretty Little Liars makes me feel more than a bit like this . . .
So yeah. This one gets a low rating because I really just didn’t like it. The writing wasn’t great, the storyline was juvenile and read like middle-grade material, and it was just sooooooo predictable I can only muster up a 2 Star.
A week or so ago one of my new friends on ŷ asked what was taking me so long to finish Pretty Little Liars. Truth is, I finished it in one day waaaaaaaaaaaay long ago, but my reaction was . . . .
so I never got around to writing a review. Want a sneak peak into the world of Mitchell and Kelly and how to tell if they didn’t like a book????
Yep. Not a note, not a highlight, not a comment, nada. This time the problem stems from one issue and one issue alone . . .
In case you don’t already know (since there are like eleventy trillion of these books and also a television series), Pretty Little Liars is the story of a group of girls whose frenemy, Alison, disappeared during a slumber party. Fast forward three years and each of the girls begins receiving notes/emails/texts threatening to divulge some dirty secrets. Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnn.
Now, if I were able to jump in the way-back machine I would probably dig on this series. Not to mention the T.V. show. From my addiction to all things of the 90210 and Melrose Place varieties as a tween, I’m fairly certain I would just lap this shit up too. However, since I’m now 1,000 years old, reading/watching Pretty Little Liars makes me feel more than a bit like this . . .
So yeah. This one gets a low rating because I really just didn’t like it. The writing wasn’t great, the storyline was juvenile and read like middle-grade material, and it was just sooooooo predictable I can only muster up a 2 Star.
February 25, 2013
I'm ashamed to admit I've read this book, and the only reason I'm copping to it is because I need it for my reading challenge. Pretty Little Liars is not the type of book I usually read, but after a friend admitted the show was one of her guilty pleasures, I decided to check out the book. Unfortunately, I got no pleasure from reading this, only guilt and frustration.
Pretty Little Liars tells the story of Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hanna, four girls whose best friend, Alison, disappears one night during a slumber party. After their devastating loss the four girls drift apart, leading their own separate lives. Aria spends two years abroad in Iceland, Spencer immerses herself in her academic and extracurricular actives, Emily focuses on swimming, and Hanna loses weight and becomes the new "it" girl at their posh private school, Rosewood Day. Three years later, each of them begin receiving ominous text messages from someone named A, who threatens to expose their secrets—secrets only Alison knows.
The best thing about this book is the premise. In the hands of a good writer, this could have been an engaging read, but there is not one aspect of the story, other than the mystery, that was handled well. The characters are vapid and shallow, and an extraordinary amount of time is spent describing their appearance, in particular their designer clothing. The messages are appallingly unhealthy. One of the main romances is between Aria and her English teacher, which is presented as "true love" rather than an inappropriate affair between a young girl and a much older man, who as her teacher holds a lot of power over her. There are also implied messages about the importance of being thin, wealthy, and wearing designer labels.
The writing was very clunky and unpolished. The dialogue was unrealistic, particularly when it came to the parents. There was an excessive use of dialogue tags and an excessive use of words other than "said." Characters "squeaked," "whispered," "spat," "murmured," and "threw in" all on one page, in the course of one conversation. While I'm hardly a stickler for the "only use said" rule, I found it very distracting here. Instead of relying on the dialogue itself to show how the characters are speaking, the dialogue tags tell us how the lines are being delivered. Shepard also tends to abuse adverbs throughout the text. Most times they were unnecessary, and sometimes they were downright awkward. In one example, a boy "messily dribbled" beer down his chin. The word "messily" is unneeded because it's implied by the situation.
I won't be reading on in the series, although I'm mildly interested to know who A is. The mystery is intriguing, but I don't care what happens to any of the characters, and I can't suffer through glorified student/teacher relationships, or poor writing to satisfy my curiosity. Those who enjoyed the Gossip Girl series will probably enjoy this one.
Pretty Little Liars tells the story of Aria, Spencer, Emily, and Hanna, four girls whose best friend, Alison, disappears one night during a slumber party. After their devastating loss the four girls drift apart, leading their own separate lives. Aria spends two years abroad in Iceland, Spencer immerses herself in her academic and extracurricular actives, Emily focuses on swimming, and Hanna loses weight and becomes the new "it" girl at their posh private school, Rosewood Day. Three years later, each of them begin receiving ominous text messages from someone named A, who threatens to expose their secrets—secrets only Alison knows.
The best thing about this book is the premise. In the hands of a good writer, this could have been an engaging read, but there is not one aspect of the story, other than the mystery, that was handled well. The characters are vapid and shallow, and an extraordinary amount of time is spent describing their appearance, in particular their designer clothing. The messages are appallingly unhealthy. One of the main romances is between Aria and her English teacher, which is presented as "true love" rather than an inappropriate affair between a young girl and a much older man, who as her teacher holds a lot of power over her. There are also implied messages about the importance of being thin, wealthy, and wearing designer labels.
The writing was very clunky and unpolished. The dialogue was unrealistic, particularly when it came to the parents. There was an excessive use of dialogue tags and an excessive use of words other than "said." Characters "squeaked," "whispered," "spat," "murmured," and "threw in" all on one page, in the course of one conversation. While I'm hardly a stickler for the "only use said" rule, I found it very distracting here. Instead of relying on the dialogue itself to show how the characters are speaking, the dialogue tags tell us how the lines are being delivered. Shepard also tends to abuse adverbs throughout the text. Most times they were unnecessary, and sometimes they were downright awkward. In one example, a boy "messily dribbled" beer down his chin. The word "messily" is unneeded because it's implied by the situation.
I won't be reading on in the series, although I'm mildly interested to know who A is. The mystery is intriguing, but I don't care what happens to any of the characters, and I can't suffer through glorified student/teacher relationships, or poor writing to satisfy my curiosity. Those who enjoyed the Gossip Girl series will probably enjoy this one.
Read
September 8, 2023this was so much fun omfggggg. i’m not rating it because it was written so long ago it just doesn’t feel right? (i would give it 4 stars). this was my first time reading it and i had a BALL ngl, im reading it for a vlog so be on the look out for that and more of my thoughts.
March 3, 2025
I read this years ago and wanted to re-read it for the shits and giggles. I'm glad I did. lol
–ēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēē�
This book follows four high school juniors: Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily. They all have something to hide and now they have to work harder to hide it after they begin to receive messages from someone named A.
Their fifth best friend, Alison DiLaurentis, went missing and she was found in her former backyard, deceased, but A is now threatening to reveal the four girls' deepest, darkest secrets that only Ali knew. It could ruin their lives and we don't want that...right?
–ēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēē�
I'm guessing Sara updated this book because there are references to artists, TV shows, and films that weren't popular or even exist when this book was originally published. Not that I'm complaining or anything.
I think this is really the only book I read years ago that I still enjoy in adulthood. Nine times out of ten, I'm scratching my head and wondering what I liked about the book enough that I called it a favorite. This book appears to be an exception.
I can't wait to figure out what happens to the girls since the last time I paid any attention to this series, there were only 12 books out. I know, I'm dating myself. lol I don't really care, though. I'll say it - I'm in my mid-30s. Bite me. lol
This book is outside of the genre of books I normally stick toward day to day but I do stray from time to time. I did enjoy this book for the simple reason that I enjoy not knowing what's going to happen next. It has been so long since I read this book last that I can't remember anything. Oops?
I think I relate the most to Emily's struggle with her sexual identity since I struggled with mine for years. I'm cringing at the reaction I know her parents are going to have when they find out about her kiss with Maya. Yikes!
I also feel bad for Spencer since I know she didn't mean for the scene with Wren to happen, let alone for her sister to see it. I find Melissa to be a total bitch and the fact that her parents sided with Melissa made my blood boil. It was so gross!
I would recommend this book, for sure, if you like a good thriller. It reminds me a lot of a good James Patterson novel, in that every time you think you know who A is, it turns out you're wrong. I stopped trying to figure it out at one point and so should you. lol
–ēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēē�
This book follows four high school juniors: Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily. They all have something to hide and now they have to work harder to hide it after they begin to receive messages from someone named A.
Their fifth best friend, Alison DiLaurentis, went missing and she was found in her former backyard, deceased, but A is now threatening to reveal the four girls' deepest, darkest secrets that only Ali knew. It could ruin their lives and we don't want that...right?
–ēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēēē�
I'm guessing Sara updated this book because there are references to artists, TV shows, and films that weren't popular or even exist when this book was originally published. Not that I'm complaining or anything.
I think this is really the only book I read years ago that I still enjoy in adulthood. Nine times out of ten, I'm scratching my head and wondering what I liked about the book enough that I called it a favorite. This book appears to be an exception.
I can't wait to figure out what happens to the girls since the last time I paid any attention to this series, there were only 12 books out. I know, I'm dating myself. lol I don't really care, though. I'll say it - I'm in my mid-30s. Bite me. lol
This book is outside of the genre of books I normally stick toward day to day but I do stray from time to time. I did enjoy this book for the simple reason that I enjoy not knowing what's going to happen next. It has been so long since I read this book last that I can't remember anything. Oops?
I think I relate the most to Emily's struggle with her sexual identity since I struggled with mine for years. I'm cringing at the reaction I know her parents are going to have when they find out about her kiss with Maya. Yikes!
I also feel bad for Spencer since I know she didn't mean for the scene with Wren to happen, let alone for her sister to see it. I find Melissa to be a total bitch and the fact that her parents sided with Melissa made my blood boil. It was so gross!
I would recommend this book, for sure, if you like a good thriller. It reminds me a lot of a good James Patterson novel, in that every time you think you know who A is, it turns out you're wrong. I stopped trying to figure it out at one point and so should you. lol
January 8, 2019
Ognuno ha i suoi guilty pleasure.
Videorecensione:
Videorecensione:
January 31, 2008
Pretty Little Liars has been my favorite book I have read so far. It is filled with drama, suspense and mystery, but it also brings together friendship and bravery. Four best friends, Aria, Hanna, Emily and Spencer, are separated by the death of their friend Alison DeLaurentis, as she has mysteriously disappeared. They each shared secrets with Alison and one very important one that nobody could find out: the Jenna secret. All four friends soon drifted apart, but were brought back together when they start receiving mysterious text messages from A. Could A. be Alison? Were all of their secrets about to become secret no more? They must work together to find out who it is soon, because all the information Alison kept confidential is no longer safe.
Aria Montgomery is a free spirit; she became best friends with Alison, Spencer, Emily and Hanna and made documentaries about their friendship. She is crushing on her English teacher and she used to live in Iceland. When she returns home and learns that her friends have all separated, she is shocked to find mysterious texts from A. Now she learns that she must work together with her old friends to find out who A. is, before they tell their old secrets and ruin their lives.
Hanna Marin is the most popular girl in school. She is dating Sean Ackard, the hottest guy in school and she is also best friends with Mona Vanderwahl, together they are the elite clique of the school and they are totally gorgeous, rich and popular, they never used to be though. In the seventh grade, Hanna was chubby, ugly and totally self-conscious about how she looked, and Mona was completely weird, clingy and she desperately wanted to be popular. They both decided that in the summer of seventh they would transform themselves into glamorous, beautiful and totally popular people and they would be best friends for life. They showed up freshman year looking totally hot, and nobody cared about the dirty secrets they used to stay beautiful, nobody that is, until now. Hanna starts receiving terrifying messages from A. that could ruin her perfect reputation and send her life spiraling out-of-control!
Emily is a pale-skinned, redheaded, swim jock. She is the un-girlish of all of her friends and she is constantly attending swim practice and striving to get a swimming scholarship and go to a good school like her sister Carolyn. Emily soon finds out that she is attracted to girls, and when a mysterious text message she receives from A. threatens to display this horrible secret, Emily is forced to stay away from the new girl and her new crush Maya. Will A. tell her deep dark secret? Only time will tell.
Spencer Hastings is your average over-achieving, well-rounded, athletic, smart, beautiful, rich teenage girl. She plays field hockey, does extremely well in school and lives in an amazing house, she has a picture-perfect life, except for one tiny flaw, her menacing older sister, Melissa. Spencer is always trying to live up to Melissa's greatness, be more successful then her, have a cuter boyfriend then her, but when Melissa catches her boyfriend and Spencer making out, Spencer's life is plummeted downhill fast. Then when mysterious text messages from A. start coming, it seems like Spencer's life couldn't get any worse, or can it? Read this totally awesome, action-packed book to find out!
Aria Montgomery is a free spirit; she became best friends with Alison, Spencer, Emily and Hanna and made documentaries about their friendship. She is crushing on her English teacher and she used to live in Iceland. When she returns home and learns that her friends have all separated, she is shocked to find mysterious texts from A. Now she learns that she must work together with her old friends to find out who A. is, before they tell their old secrets and ruin their lives.
Hanna Marin is the most popular girl in school. She is dating Sean Ackard, the hottest guy in school and she is also best friends with Mona Vanderwahl, together they are the elite clique of the school and they are totally gorgeous, rich and popular, they never used to be though. In the seventh grade, Hanna was chubby, ugly and totally self-conscious about how she looked, and Mona was completely weird, clingy and she desperately wanted to be popular. They both decided that in the summer of seventh they would transform themselves into glamorous, beautiful and totally popular people and they would be best friends for life. They showed up freshman year looking totally hot, and nobody cared about the dirty secrets they used to stay beautiful, nobody that is, until now. Hanna starts receiving terrifying messages from A. that could ruin her perfect reputation and send her life spiraling out-of-control!
Emily is a pale-skinned, redheaded, swim jock. She is the un-girlish of all of her friends and she is constantly attending swim practice and striving to get a swimming scholarship and go to a good school like her sister Carolyn. Emily soon finds out that she is attracted to girls, and when a mysterious text message she receives from A. threatens to display this horrible secret, Emily is forced to stay away from the new girl and her new crush Maya. Will A. tell her deep dark secret? Only time will tell.
Spencer Hastings is your average over-achieving, well-rounded, athletic, smart, beautiful, rich teenage girl. She plays field hockey, does extremely well in school and lives in an amazing house, she has a picture-perfect life, except for one tiny flaw, her menacing older sister, Melissa. Spencer is always trying to live up to Melissa's greatness, be more successful then her, have a cuter boyfriend then her, but when Melissa catches her boyfriend and Spencer making out, Spencer's life is plummeted downhill fast. Then when mysterious text messages from A. start coming, it seems like Spencer's life couldn't get any worse, or can it? Read this totally awesome, action-packed book to find out!
November 18, 2024
finished nov 18 5.20ish pm!
LOVE THE DRAMAAAAAAA. I gobbled this up 😋
one down, 15 to go!
pre-read
finally gonna try to tackle this 16 book long series 🫡 🥲
LOVE THE DRAMAAAAAAA. I gobbled this up 😋
one down, 15 to go!
pre-read
finally gonna try to tackle this 16 book long series 🫡 🥲
April 1, 2015
I've been a long-time fan of the tv show so I thought I'd give this book series a try.
I don't know if it was because I've seen all those things happening in the tv series, in a much more lengthening and stretching way but this book lacked the thrill the tv show sometimes gives me. I was no surprised at all by anything happening in the book and I expected that there wouldn't be anything that would blow my mind away but I was disappointed by the fact that the characters in the book are a far-cry from those of the tv series. The only character that the book and the character have that is somewhat the same, is Aria. I don't mean they're different looking, they're different characters, different personalities and that was what mainly let me down..
The plot was unraveling fast enough and that's the only good thing, although that was practically the first episode of the tv show, as far as the mystery goes. The writing was mediocre and I thought Mrs. Shepard would be a better author than this. Her characters are swallow (I much prefer those of the tv show) and the writing is a tad bit sloppy and it left me completely indifferent.
My point with this review isn't to compare the tv show to the book but just clarify the major differences between the two. I'm most definitely sure that even if I had read this before watching the tv series I would have still given it three stars.
If you're a fan of the tv series then I don't recommend you read this, I'd say stick with the tv show, instead. If then again, you're interested in or looking for some contemporary ya with shreds of mystery in it and have never heard of the tv show then go ahead and read this, you may actually end up enjoying this.
I don't know if it was because I've seen all those things happening in the tv series, in a much more lengthening and stretching way but this book lacked the thrill the tv show sometimes gives me. I was no surprised at all by anything happening in the book and I expected that there wouldn't be anything that would blow my mind away but I was disappointed by the fact that the characters in the book are a far-cry from those of the tv series. The only character that the book and the character have that is somewhat the same, is Aria. I don't mean they're different looking, they're different characters, different personalities and that was what mainly let me down..
The plot was unraveling fast enough and that's the only good thing, although that was practically the first episode of the tv show, as far as the mystery goes. The writing was mediocre and I thought Mrs. Shepard would be a better author than this. Her characters are swallow (I much prefer those of the tv show) and the writing is a tad bit sloppy and it left me completely indifferent.
My point with this review isn't to compare the tv show to the book but just clarify the major differences between the two. I'm most definitely sure that even if I had read this before watching the tv series I would have still given it three stars.
If you're a fan of the tv series then I don't recommend you read this, I'd say stick with the tv show, instead. If then again, you're interested in or looking for some contemporary ya with shreds of mystery in it and have never heard of the tv show then go ahead and read this, you may actually end up enjoying this.
May 4, 2023
The nostalgia is real with this one. I hate all of the parents, and the characters make such bad choices, but I love them all. You can definitely tell this was written during the trash years of YA though since every piece of clothing or jewellery is called by its full name, brand and everything. Also, there is a lot of shit that's said that wouldn't fly today unless there was a strong character arc of learning and acceptance attached. I haven't read past the ninth book or so yet, so I'm not 100% sure if that ever happens for the shitty characters, but I hope it does.
April 7, 2024
Nobody is more surprised than me about how much I enjoyed this
February 8, 2012
“I'm still here, b!tches. And I know everything."
Once upon a time, five girls were friends: Alison, the ringleader, Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer. Then one day, Alison just up and disappears.
Three years later, the girls begin to receive threatening texts, IMs, and notes about their secrets, past and present. Aria is flirting with the English Teacher; Emily is hanging out more with the new neighbor girl, Hanna has a dirty way of keeping thin, and Spencer is out for her perfect sister's boyfriend. What happened to "A"? And will she ruin their lives?
Contemporary teen lit typically isn't my thing. I'm 28 years old, and I read a bunch of contemporary teen lit back in the day. But "Pretty Little Liars" has always stared at me, wanting me to read it. So one day, I broke down and bought the first book. I started reading...and suddenly, I was finished!
And the verdict? Not that bad!
First off, I want to repeat that I am 28 years old. I can't imagine kids younger than 16 (unless they are exceptionally mature) reading this. It has drugs. It has sex. It has foul language. It has underage drinking. It has stealing, infidelity, lying, figuring out your sexual orientation, some violence, reckless behavior, and other sorts of vices and teenaged problems that just aren't suitable for the younger set. So parents: You have been warned.
Now, if that isn't a problem for you, I think you will find a nifty little book. I was impressed with the writing: clear, easy on the eyes, yet I didn't feel that it was dumbed down. I whipped through this book in a few days (and only that because I had to work, eat, sleep, and drive). I definitely find the writing an improvement on other teen lit (namely the Twilight series).
At the beginning, I had a hard time differentiating the characters from each other, but as I got further into the book, the characters became more and more alive. My favorite was Spencer. She was nerdy (like me), and that is probably where our similarities begin and end. I really felt bad for her, being overshadowed by her older sister, clamoring for her parents to see her and pay attention to her. Aria left to live in Iceland for three years and came back to Rosewood. I can totally feel the trauma of moving--I myself moved when I was 14 and it was rough. Hanna's story pulled at my heartstrings. I know what it's like to be pudgy, and I can understand her desire to be perfect and thin. Lastly, we have Emily, probably my least favorite, but still well done. Emily is the goody-two-shoes--she does everything her parents say and doesn't complain. But secretly, she wants to give up swimming and figure out how she feels about the neighbor girl, Maya. I thought the exploration of her sexuality was well-done. No over the top drama.
The other characters--the various family members and classmates--are seen through the eyes of these girls, and they are pretty well developed too (for secondary characters). I loved Mona's transformation from Outsider to Popular girl; Andrew was sweet (even if he seemed a creepy stalker); Maya was fascinating.
I want to take a moment away and talk about one other thing. A lot of people tend to assume, because you are wealthy, because you have parents and a house and go to school, that you are perfect and put together. And that any conflict you have isn't nearly as bad as, say, that student with leukemia or that teenager from the inner city (not saying that they have it easy BTW). It just frustrates me to no end to see one person's conflict undermined for another person's "more justifiable" conflict. The fact is, life is conflict, life is harsh and filled with trials, whether we live on Park Ave or Haiti. Each person has to work through their inner and outer demons, whether they are struggling with a divorcing parent, fighting an eating disorder, trying to get to school, or whatever.
Some people may brush off the conflicts these girls have because they are "rich girls". They don't have real troubles, just invented ones. While that may be true to some extent, just because the girls' parents are wealthy doesn't make their situations less valid. Just because these girls aren't trying to make ends meet AND go to school or keep a stiff upper lip when they have a terminal illness doesn't mean that their stories can't tell us anything--or that our own conflicts are less important.
*gets off soapbox*
When I first read the back, I was glancing over each girl's "problem" and rolling my eyes. It sounded a lot like the teen novels I had read when I was a kid--only the novels I read never had the main protagonist be afflicted with them. I figured that I would always be an observer, a voyeur, watching these girls but never being involved in their situations.
I was wrong.
The story does suck you in and make you interested in what happens to each girl. Instead of being aloof and unmoving, I found myself drawing closer to these characters and wondering what happened next, frantically turning pages. As for the texts from the mysterious "A"--yeah, that creeped me the hell out.
The book ends on not-quite a cliffhanger. It's a fairly well contained story with an obvious series bait/sequel hook.
And the question I know is on your mind: will I read book 2? Yup, I will. While I love intricate novels, novels that make you think and challenge your perception of the world, I also love books that are just fun, that don't ask more of you than to tune in and listen. And that is what this book was: it was enjoyable time-waster, something to watch at the end of a long day when you don't really want to use your brains too much. If you can get past the language, drugs, alcohol, and sex, then these aren't that bad of books.
Once upon a time, five girls were friends: Alison, the ringleader, Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer. Then one day, Alison just up and disappears.
Three years later, the girls begin to receive threatening texts, IMs, and notes about their secrets, past and present. Aria is flirting with the English Teacher; Emily is hanging out more with the new neighbor girl, Hanna has a dirty way of keeping thin, and Spencer is out for her perfect sister's boyfriend. What happened to "A"? And will she ruin their lives?
Contemporary teen lit typically isn't my thing. I'm 28 years old, and I read a bunch of contemporary teen lit back in the day. But "Pretty Little Liars" has always stared at me, wanting me to read it. So one day, I broke down and bought the first book. I started reading...and suddenly, I was finished!
And the verdict? Not that bad!
First off, I want to repeat that I am 28 years old. I can't imagine kids younger than 16 (unless they are exceptionally mature) reading this. It has drugs. It has sex. It has foul language. It has underage drinking. It has stealing, infidelity, lying, figuring out your sexual orientation, some violence, reckless behavior, and other sorts of vices and teenaged problems that just aren't suitable for the younger set. So parents: You have been warned.
Now, if that isn't a problem for you, I think you will find a nifty little book. I was impressed with the writing: clear, easy on the eyes, yet I didn't feel that it was dumbed down. I whipped through this book in a few days (and only that because I had to work, eat, sleep, and drive). I definitely find the writing an improvement on other teen lit (namely the Twilight series).
At the beginning, I had a hard time differentiating the characters from each other, but as I got further into the book, the characters became more and more alive. My favorite was Spencer. She was nerdy (like me), and that is probably where our similarities begin and end. I really felt bad for her, being overshadowed by her older sister, clamoring for her parents to see her and pay attention to her. Aria left to live in Iceland for three years and came back to Rosewood. I can totally feel the trauma of moving--I myself moved when I was 14 and it was rough. Hanna's story pulled at my heartstrings. I know what it's like to be pudgy, and I can understand her desire to be perfect and thin. Lastly, we have Emily, probably my least favorite, but still well done. Emily is the goody-two-shoes--she does everything her parents say and doesn't complain. But secretly, she wants to give up swimming and figure out how she feels about the neighbor girl, Maya. I thought the exploration of her sexuality was well-done. No over the top drama.
The other characters--the various family members and classmates--are seen through the eyes of these girls, and they are pretty well developed too (for secondary characters). I loved Mona's transformation from Outsider to Popular girl; Andrew was sweet (even if he seemed a creepy stalker); Maya was fascinating.
I want to take a moment away and talk about one other thing. A lot of people tend to assume, because you are wealthy, because you have parents and a house and go to school, that you are perfect and put together. And that any conflict you have isn't nearly as bad as, say, that student with leukemia or that teenager from the inner city (not saying that they have it easy BTW). It just frustrates me to no end to see one person's conflict undermined for another person's "more justifiable" conflict. The fact is, life is conflict, life is harsh and filled with trials, whether we live on Park Ave or Haiti. Each person has to work through their inner and outer demons, whether they are struggling with a divorcing parent, fighting an eating disorder, trying to get to school, or whatever.
Some people may brush off the conflicts these girls have because they are "rich girls". They don't have real troubles, just invented ones. While that may be true to some extent, just because the girls' parents are wealthy doesn't make their situations less valid. Just because these girls aren't trying to make ends meet AND go to school or keep a stiff upper lip when they have a terminal illness doesn't mean that their stories can't tell us anything--or that our own conflicts are less important.
*gets off soapbox*
When I first read the back, I was glancing over each girl's "problem" and rolling my eyes. It sounded a lot like the teen novels I had read when I was a kid--only the novels I read never had the main protagonist be afflicted with them. I figured that I would always be an observer, a voyeur, watching these girls but never being involved in their situations.
I was wrong.
The story does suck you in and make you interested in what happens to each girl. Instead of being aloof and unmoving, I found myself drawing closer to these characters and wondering what happened next, frantically turning pages. As for the texts from the mysterious "A"--yeah, that creeped me the hell out.
The book ends on not-quite a cliffhanger. It's a fairly well contained story with an obvious series bait/sequel hook.
And the question I know is on your mind: will I read book 2? Yup, I will. While I love intricate novels, novels that make you think and challenge your perception of the world, I also love books that are just fun, that don't ask more of you than to tune in and listen. And that is what this book was: it was enjoyable time-waster, something to watch at the end of a long day when you don't really want to use your brains too much. If you can get past the language, drugs, alcohol, and sex, then these aren't that bad of books.
October 14, 2020
Who is the bored bitch who decided to read this series after watching it TWICE before?
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
So anyway, the book follows the lives of 5 former best friends- Emily, Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Allison. Allison is a queen bee, popular smart and wanted. When Allison first befriends them in 7th grade, the girl's are dazzled to say the least and follow everything she says like a holy grail. But over the years, they realise that many of what Ali says and does is wrong but no one can back out from their friendship now because Ali knows all their secrets. Every little lie they ever told, Ali knows them all.
The books gets off on an interesting start by showing us their friendship and then Ali's disappearance, and then, the disintegration of the friendship of the others.
Hanna, Aria, Spencer and Emily were all very intriguing and realistic characters going through their own troubles. They all had their own secrets that they wanted to hide, but would they go as far as murder?
A
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
So anyway, the book follows the lives of 5 former best friends- Emily, Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Allison. Allison is a queen bee, popular smart and wanted. When Allison first befriends them in 7th grade, the girl's are dazzled to say the least and follow everything she says like a holy grail. But over the years, they realise that many of what Ali says and does is wrong but no one can back out from their friendship now because Ali knows all their secrets. Every little lie they ever told, Ali knows them all.
The books gets off on an interesting start by showing us their friendship and then Ali's disappearance, and then, the disintegration of the friendship of the others.
Hanna, Aria, Spencer and Emily were all very intriguing and realistic characters going through their own troubles. They all had their own secrets that they wanted to hide, but would they go as far as murder?
A
March 26, 2017
Muy entretenido para una lectura ligera, imperdibles.
November 29, 2011
I've really enjoyed the TV series, and I'm anxious to know who A is (DON'T TELL ME). So I thought I'd try reading the Pretty Little Liars book series, by Sara Shepard. There's supposed to be 12 in total, but after reading the first one, I don't think I could take 11 more.
The TV show has good writers. I was not impressed by the writing in the book. The TV versions of the characters are generally flawed but likable. The characters in the book are slutty or unpleasant in other ways or one dimensional. TV Ezra is misguided but lovable, book Ezra is just a jerk with poor self control. All the hair colors are changed, which is good, because nearly everyone in the book is blonde or some shade of blonde or has blonde highlights or blonde tones...yeah.
There were a lot of references to classic literature and music, which seemed inserted to let us know the characters were better educated than they let on. Maybe it was Shepard's attempt to get her readers to read more. They were far out weighed by the brand name dropping. I'm not big on designers or labels, but I'm pretty sure everyone is mentioned in the book somewhere. For giggly girls who spend their afternoons flipping through Teen Vogue and Seventeen, it probably connects to them, but I got rather bored with it.
The TV show has good writers. I was not impressed by the writing in the book. The TV versions of the characters are generally flawed but likable. The characters in the book are slutty or unpleasant in other ways or one dimensional. TV Ezra is misguided but lovable, book Ezra is just a jerk with poor self control. All the hair colors are changed, which is good, because nearly everyone in the book is blonde or some shade of blonde or has blonde highlights or blonde tones...yeah.
There were a lot of references to classic literature and music, which seemed inserted to let us know the characters were better educated than they let on. Maybe it was Shepard's attempt to get her readers to read more. They were far out weighed by the brand name dropping. I'm not big on designers or labels, but I'm pretty sure everyone is mentioned in the book somewhere. For giggly girls who spend their afternoons flipping through Teen Vogue and Seventeen, it probably connects to them, but I got rather bored with it.
July 17, 2010
Overall a cute, quick read. I think (if we were able) I'd give it 3.5 stars.
I wouldn't say it was absolutely enthralling and sucked me into its plot, or that it left me thinking and that the characters were multi-dimensional and had some depth to them. But nonetheless I did enjoy this book.
Pretty Little Liars is the story of four ex-best friends slowly coming together in the wake of being terrorized by the mysterious "A" after the disappearance of their friend Alison years earlier that effectively split up their friendships.
All the girls have secrets of their own, that the others (with the exception of Ali) knew about - Aria is hiding from her mother that her father is cheating, Spencer is in constant competition with her older sister (right down to competing for boyfriends), Emily struggles with her sexual orientation and Hanna is body dysmorphic.
Can they uncover who the mysterious "A" is? Can they still hide their secrets from each other and from everybody else? Can they try to salvage their long-damaged friendships with one another?
Reread: November 2012
I wouldn't say it was absolutely enthralling and sucked me into its plot, or that it left me thinking and that the characters were multi-dimensional and had some depth to them. But nonetheless I did enjoy this book.
Pretty Little Liars is the story of four ex-best friends slowly coming together in the wake of being terrorized by the mysterious "A" after the disappearance of their friend Alison years earlier that effectively split up their friendships.
All the girls have secrets of their own, that the others (with the exception of Ali) knew about - Aria is hiding from her mother that her father is cheating, Spencer is in constant competition with her older sister (right down to competing for boyfriends), Emily struggles with her sexual orientation and Hanna is body dysmorphic.
Can they uncover who the mysterious "A" is? Can they still hide their secrets from each other and from everybody else? Can they try to salvage their long-damaged friendships with one another?
Reread: November 2012
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2025
During COVID, my mom had suddenly died of a cancer none of us knew she had (including herself), and I was under a great deal of stress living with my dad by myself (my brothers were too far away to help). I'd lived alone for 30 years, and suddenly I had a very difficult roommate, on top of which I was experiencing what psychologists call complicated grief. I was going through a major existential crisis. I needed to numb - a lot. I needed to turn off my brain and my heart. Otherwise, I sat there stuffing my face and wondering what the point was in living at all. My solution was to numb with TV and food. I wondered what it would take to switch careers and become a professional TV critic. I spent almost all my nonworking time in front of the TV, and even more so after my dad was killed. The amount of TV I watched is embarrassing. In this case, I watched all seven seasons of this show in a matter of days.
Now that I'm off TV (I take this as a sign of progress), I'm more engaged with the world. But I'm still escaping, which is different than numbing. Now I escape in my books, and I was really curious what this series would be like to read. The TV show was mysterious, salacious, and easy to watch. The book started out so annoying that I started to wonder if I only watched it because it was something to watch. But then I started remembering the storyline and realized the show followed the book pretty well. Before I knew it, the first book was over. I didn't think I was going to want to continue with the second book, but I've already got a hold on it at the library. LOL.
I think what makes this book uncomfortably fun is that it's a teen soap opera. These are children acting as adults, and a lot of it is inappropriate for that age group. (Or at least I think it is - maybe I'm a bit out of touch and this is actually quite normal for them? Gosh I hope not - kids need a chance to be kids!)
3.5, rounding up to 4.
Now that I'm off TV (I take this as a sign of progress), I'm more engaged with the world. But I'm still escaping, which is different than numbing. Now I escape in my books, and I was really curious what this series would be like to read. The TV show was mysterious, salacious, and easy to watch. The book started out so annoying that I started to wonder if I only watched it because it was something to watch. But then I started remembering the storyline and realized the show followed the book pretty well. Before I knew it, the first book was over. I didn't think I was going to want to continue with the second book, but I've already got a hold on it at the library. LOL.
I think what makes this book uncomfortably fun is that it's a teen soap opera. These are children acting as adults, and a lot of it is inappropriate for that age group. (Or at least I think it is - maybe I'm a bit out of touch and this is actually quite normal for them? Gosh I hope not - kids need a chance to be kids!)
3.5, rounding up to 4.
May 29, 2011
Who would want to read a book with a doll on the cover? I mean, isn’t that for like middle graders? WRONG. Pretty Little Liars might start off with the characters in their middle grade years, but before long, they’ve already bloomed into full fledged high school students with personalities of their own.
Hanna, Spencer, Aria and Emily were all nobodies, until Allison found them. Together, they built a friendship, but it was all based on secrets. The only secret the girls didn’t realize was that Allison was the only reason they became friends in the first place. She was their glue; the only thing holding the girls together. Without her, the girls have nothing in common. So what happens without Ali in their lives? They all go their separate routes.
Hanna is the school’s tease. After losing weight, she and Mona have become the best of friends. Emily pays more attention to swimming. She now hangs out with the swim team, and her boyfriend, who just so happens to also be on the swim team. Spencer is still the “best� at everything and her sister’s boyfriends continue to flirt with her. Aria, the unique one of the group, has just returned from Iceland. Her family moved out of the country for two years. Each girl was finally able to find a place in the world, since they are no longer in Ali’s shadow.
So what more do they have in common? Could it be those random texts they’ve been getting from A? But who is A? No one knows. It couldn’t be Alison though could it? I mean she’s gone, right? Whoever A is, she’s definitely someone who clearly knows all the girls� secrets.
The plot is very intriguing and it just keeps the reader wanting more. After reading this book, you are left with an abundance of questions. You just can’t wait until you get your hands on its sequel, Flawless. Pretty Little Liars is a perfect example of a cliffhanger ending, and I loved every minute of it.
Hanna, Spencer, Aria and Emily were all nobodies, until Allison found them. Together, they built a friendship, but it was all based on secrets. The only secret the girls didn’t realize was that Allison was the only reason they became friends in the first place. She was their glue; the only thing holding the girls together. Without her, the girls have nothing in common. So what happens without Ali in their lives? They all go their separate routes.
Hanna is the school’s tease. After losing weight, she and Mona have become the best of friends. Emily pays more attention to swimming. She now hangs out with the swim team, and her boyfriend, who just so happens to also be on the swim team. Spencer is still the “best� at everything and her sister’s boyfriends continue to flirt with her. Aria, the unique one of the group, has just returned from Iceland. Her family moved out of the country for two years. Each girl was finally able to find a place in the world, since they are no longer in Ali’s shadow.
So what more do they have in common? Could it be those random texts they’ve been getting from A? But who is A? No one knows. It couldn’t be Alison though could it? I mean she’s gone, right? Whoever A is, she’s definitely someone who clearly knows all the girls� secrets.
The plot is very intriguing and it just keeps the reader wanting more. After reading this book, you are left with an abundance of questions. You just can’t wait until you get your hands on its sequel, Flawless. Pretty Little Liars is a perfect example of a cliffhanger ending, and I loved every minute of it.
January 23, 2012
Hmmmm. Lots of readers love this series. But to me it read more like a shopping list than a novel: "He rubbed his fingers over the cuff of a hung-up pair of Joseph trousers. She slid her Tiffany Elsa Peretti heart ring up and down her finger . . . Spencer's Sidekick vibrated . . . Emily struggled to operate her Nokia." Even when a body is identified by a ring, it's not just any ring: "She remembered Ali's white-gold initialed ring. Ali's parents had gotten it for her at Tiffany's . . ." As a memorial to the dear departed, there's "a smiling picture of Alison in a tight blue Von Dutch T-shirt and spanking new Sevens." For heaven's sake! Some of the issues faced by the four teen girls (the "liars") are handled well. Emily's questions about her sexual identity, Aria's infatuation with a teacher, Spencer's attraction to her older sister's boyfriend--such issues are all eminently worthy of serious fictional consideration. But those brand names dropped onto every page . . . from Pottery Barn to Eternity anyone?
July 23, 2017
I was a huge fan of the show...that being said there are differences in the book. the characters looking different is the main one. it was a quick read and i really enjoyed it
February 9, 2019
(Source: I own a copy of this book.)
3 years ago, Alison went missing. Nobody knows what happened to her, but now 3 years later, her 4 closest friends start receiving strange messages. Messages that say things that only Alison would know, messages that are signed simply A.
Is Alison really back? Who else could the messages really be from? And if Alison really is back, what does she want?
I watched the first season of this as a TV show and really liked it, but never got around to reading the books. I’m so glad I read this one now though ‘cause it was awesome!
I always think it’s a bit of a gamble reading a book that has been turned into a movie or TV series, as often one will leave you disappointed. Thankfully this wasn’t one of those books!
Firstly I liked the writing in this book, and it seemed really similar to the TV show, so whoever did the crossover for the show did a really good job. I kinda felt like I already knew the characters as I had seen the TV show, and I think this actually made me like the book even more than I perhaps would have done, as I could imagine what was going on a lot better.
The characters all seemed really similar to those in the TV show, although I did think that they seemed maybe a little more friendlier in the TV show than in the book. I also thought that the book maybe didn’t cover as much ground as the first season of the show? But I really can’t remember so I could be miles off here.
I liked the storyline. I thought the mystery over who A. really was really compelling, and I loved trying to guess what would happen next. I couldn’t really remember much about the TV show, but as I was reading through this book, something would happen and I would think ‘I remember that now!� but because I couldn’t remember it initially, this helped keep the mystery in the story.
I have to say that I was quite shocked by what the girls got up to in this story though. We had shoplifting, drinking, affairs with teachers, and all sorts of other stuff, which was pretty crazy, but at the same time really good!
I thought that this book did end in a good place, but there were still so many questions and mysteries unanswered that I really just want to dive into the next one straight away!
Overall; a great YA contemporary mystery.
9 out of 10.
3 years ago, Alison went missing. Nobody knows what happened to her, but now 3 years later, her 4 closest friends start receiving strange messages. Messages that say things that only Alison would know, messages that are signed simply A.
Is Alison really back? Who else could the messages really be from? And if Alison really is back, what does she want?
I watched the first season of this as a TV show and really liked it, but never got around to reading the books. I’m so glad I read this one now though ‘cause it was awesome!
I always think it’s a bit of a gamble reading a book that has been turned into a movie or TV series, as often one will leave you disappointed. Thankfully this wasn’t one of those books!
Firstly I liked the writing in this book, and it seemed really similar to the TV show, so whoever did the crossover for the show did a really good job. I kinda felt like I already knew the characters as I had seen the TV show, and I think this actually made me like the book even more than I perhaps would have done, as I could imagine what was going on a lot better.
The characters all seemed really similar to those in the TV show, although I did think that they seemed maybe a little more friendlier in the TV show than in the book. I also thought that the book maybe didn’t cover as much ground as the first season of the show? But I really can’t remember so I could be miles off here.
I liked the storyline. I thought the mystery over who A. really was really compelling, and I loved trying to guess what would happen next. I couldn’t really remember much about the TV show, but as I was reading through this book, something would happen and I would think ‘I remember that now!� but because I couldn’t remember it initially, this helped keep the mystery in the story.
I have to say that I was quite shocked by what the girls got up to in this story though. We had shoplifting, drinking, affairs with teachers, and all sorts of other stuff, which was pretty crazy, but at the same time really good!
I thought that this book did end in a good place, but there were still so many questions and mysteries unanswered that I really just want to dive into the next one straight away!
Overall; a great YA contemporary mystery.
9 out of 10.
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