Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

Title: Pretty Little Liars
Author: Sara Shepard
Published: August 2007

My Rating: 4 stars
Tags: YA | Girls | Series (Book One)
Includes: Profanity, Sexual Content, Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Homosexuality, Eating Disorders

First Lines: "Someone finally bought the DiLaurentises' old house," Emily Fields's mother said. It was Saturday afternoon, and Mrs. Fields sat at the kitchen table, bifocals perched on her nose, calmly doing her bills.

I have never really been the type of reader interested in those girly, cliche series like Gossip Girl, Private, The Clique series, etc. So when my two friends were urging me over and over to pick up a copy of Pretty Little Liars, the first in the series, I have to admit that I wasn't convinced at first. However, once I went to Borders to get some new books, I saw it staring at me from the bookshelf...and what do you think I did next? Yep, I bought it. (:

After just reading the first chapter, I was HOOKED. Sure, even though it seems like another typical girl series with the "rich/snobby/stuck-up" characters, I really enjoyed this book. The author covered just about every single problem/scenerio a lot of teenagers face in their lives: body image and eating disorders, trying to figure out if you're straight or lesbian, parent and family issues, finding love in all the wrong places, cutting to deal with emotional pain, oh and your everyday disapperance of your best friend.

...................

Yes you read that right. After just the first chapter, Alison, the leader of the seventh grade 5-girl-clique has gone missing. The girl who knew everyone's secrets, and swore to take them to the grave. Meet Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna; four girls who were inseperable in middle school but have long since moved on since their best friend Alison's disapearance.

But, life changes suddenly for all four of the girls once they start getting strange emails and texts from someone anonymous, who calls themself "A". With each chapter, readers will discover the truths under each lie the girls have told in the past, until all of them somehow connect. Each girl has her own story and her own secrets, that will leave you wishing for more.

As soon as I finished the last page of the book - which I loved the cliffhanger ending, by the way - I was desperate to read the next book in the series. I like the variety of plots going on; the storyline never bored me or dragged along. This is definitely a girls' book though, I don't think guys would enjoy it. The author doesn't hold back when describing make-out sessions, and she introduces each chapter with the exact detail of what the characters are wearing.

There were some very awkward moments in the book though while I was reading it in public - like at school - where I was practically covering up the whole page with my hand so people looking over my shoulder wouldn't be able to read it and ask what the heck I was reading! (Yes, I get embarrassed easily.) I think this is one of those books that you either love or hate; and I fell into the "love" category. My two friends who had originally told me about this series, were ecstatic to hear that I really liked it. This is just the beginning of a great new series!

Book Supplied by: Bought it at Borders! :)