I just finished reading Crazy Rich Asians. My book club picked it, we wanted to see what all the fuss was about. And it was so cute, and I loved it, and it was a nice break from my usual suspense. But man, that book is kind of dense. It’s over 500 pages of smaller type. So even though it was a fun read, it was a little meatier than my normal 350 page normal font endeavor.
Ya’ll, it took me a SOLID week to read Crazy Rich Asians. To be fair, I’ve had a super busy week. In addition to reading copious amounts of books, I also do PR and marketing freelance work and teach fitness classes. But this week I started teaching at a new gym and I have barely been home at night which is my preferred time to curl up with a good book.
Still, I was a little worried I had lost my speed reading mojo. But I picked up The Lies We Told last night and finished it this afternoon. I still got it! And I’m so excited to share my thoughts on this one!
From the Publisher:
The highly acclaimed author of Watching Edie returns with a new novel of dark psychological suspense that explores how those closest to us have the most to hide…
A daughter
Beth has always known there was something strange about her daughter, Hannah. The lack of emotion, the disturbing behavior, the apparent delight in hurting others…Sometimes Beth is scared of her and what she could be capable of.
A son
Luke comes from the perfect family, with the perfect parents. But one day, he disappears without a trace, and his girlfriend, Clara, is desperate to discover what has happened to him.
A life built on lies
As Clara digs into the past, she realizes that no family is truly perfect, and uncovers a link between Luke’s long-lost sister and a strange girl named Hannah. Now Luke’s life is in danger because of the lies once told and the secrets once kept. Can Clara find him before it’s too late?
My Review:
I knew I had to pick up The Lies We Told because I remember reading Watching Edie, even if I somehow did not review it here and the description sounded so tantalizing to me. Like many books in this genre, Way switches between two narrators and back and forth over a 35-year span.
The first narrator, Beth, desperately wants a child. More than anything in the world. And of course, as a cruel twist of nature, she has trouble attaining that goal. So when she finally has her little girl, Hannah, she throws her whole self into parenting. But as Hannah grows older, she realizes the dream she had isn’t quite turning out how she ha hoped.
Clara, the second narrator, is a rather average, albeit pretty woman in her late twenties whose boyfriend Luke has gone missing. He comes from an amazing family, is well-liked by everyone and seems to just have vanished off the face of the earth after sending her a text that he was on his way home from work.
So how do these women’s lives intersect? The Lies We Told is one of those books that starts your mind churning with the possibilities from the first page. I really could not put this one down. And as the connections started to appear, I found myself turning the pages faster and faster. Way artfully gives the reader just enough to keep them wanting more and kept me on the edge of my seat to the very last page.
I loved this one. The only reason I didn’t rate it higher is because I read so many of these types of books and the plot set-up is so similar. There’s often a couple who is in love, and of course, there is a lie or something that isn’t what it seems. Then there is a brother who we can’t decide if he is good or bad, and parents who harbor deep and crazy secrets. This one totally reminded me of two books I’ve read recently–The Other Woman and Ghosted. Just lots of parallels in the set-up, not necessarily how the book plays out. But hey, I liked those too, so maybe it’s all good.
Special thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for a free e-galley in exchange for my honest review.
This one is out October 9, get your copy!
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