Review: Wicked (Pretty Little Liars: Book Five) by Sara Shepard

Title: Wicked

Author: Sara Shepard

Series: Pretty Little Liars #5

Publishers: Harper Teen

Date of Publication: 25th Nov, 2008

Genre: YA, Suspense

Format: Library Binding

Length: 312 pages

My Source: E-book

Synopsis

In idyllic Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four very pretty girls just can't help but be bad. . . . Hanna will do anything to be Rosewood's queen bee. Spencer's digging up her family's secrets. Emily can't stop thinking about her new boyfriend. And Aria approves a little too strongly of her mom's taste in men. Now that Ali's killer is finally behind bars, the girls think they're safe. But those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. And they should know by now that I'm always watching. . . .

Review

I am actually very disappointed after reading this book. I loved the mystery that surrounded the previous books of the series, but after reading this one, I've lost the interest to read the sequels. 

As the last book "Unbelievable" revealed the identity of A and Alison's killer (presumably wrong though!), I was wondering what happens next in the story. That's why I started reading this one.

From the very beginning, it was BORING. At some point I thought I might not be able to finish the book but thankfully I did, though it look much more time than usual. The prequels have already built the characters of these girls- Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Emily, so it was monotonic to read the same kind of things over again. 

Moreover, the incidents were way too predictable. 

Like Spencer's parents being mad at her for confessing the truth about the Golden Orchid thing (it was obvious! What did she think? Her parents would be proud of her for being honest? Duh! Even after finding out the truth the Hastings insisted on keeping the secret safe, they didn't even rebuke Spencer for stealing Melissa's essay. So it was obvious their reaction would be like this, if not worse!). Being unmentioned in her grandmother's will, Spencer finds out that she is adopted child, that too with the help of Andrew Campbell!

Hanna is all the same- typical, annoying-wanting to be popular. Kate wants to befriend her and she agrees and ends up being friends with Naomi and Riley; only to realize later that Kate's proposal was not quite fruitful for her (as usual!). And this bitch ignores Lucas for all these stupid popularity thing after all that Lucas has done for her! So damn irritating!

Aria is stuck with her mother's boyfriend Xavier. 

And Emily is now attracted towards a boy! 

I loved the character of Lucas. He is thoroughly adorable and seems like the only sensible human being. 

As things turn out to be, it ends in a note where they found Ian dead, so obviously, Ian's not Ali's killer. So who is it? (Personally I think its Jason, Ali's brother. Its just intuition).

Also the girls are getting texts from new A again. So who the hell are sending those creepy notes?

I don't know and I won't know for some time now as I've no plan to read the next book soon. I feel like it'd have been better if I abandoned the series after book 4.

About The Author

Sara Shepard graduated from NYU and has an MFA from Brooklyn College. She currently lives in Tucson, Arizona. Sara's Pretty Little Liars novels were inspired by her upbringing in Philadelphia's Main Line.

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Review: Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars: Book Four) by Sara Shepard

Title: Unbelievable

Series: Pretty Little Liars #4

Author: Sara Shepard

Publishers: Harper Teen

Date of Publication: 1st January, 2008

Genre: Young Adult, Suspense

Format: Hardcover

Length: 335 pages

My Source: Ebook

Synopsis

Behind Rosewood's grand facades, where the air smells like apples and Chanel No. 5 and infinity pools sparkle in landscaped backyards, nothing is as it seems. It was here, back in seventh grade, that five best friends shared everything--Seven jeans, MAC makeup, and their deepest, darkest secrets. For Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily, it was a dream come true . . . until Alison, the most beautiful of them all, suddenly vanished.

Now someone named A has turned their charmed lives into a living nightmare. Emily has been shipped off to her hyper-conservative cousins in Iowa. Aria is stuck living with her dad and his home-wrecker girlfriend. And Spencer fears she had something to do with Alison's murder. But Hanna's fate is far worse than all of that--she's clinging to life in the hospital, because "she knew too much."

With A's threats turning dangerous and Ali's killer still on the loose, the girls must uncover the truth--about A, about Ali, and about what happened to Hanna--before they become A's next victims. But as they unravel Rosewood's mysteries and secrets, will it bring an end to the horror . . . or is this just the beginning?

Review

I finished this book just minutes before writing this book and I still have goosebumps on my skin. It is breathtaking and it is UNBELIEVABLE indeed!

Hanna Marin is in a coma, struggling to come out of the endless dreams of Ali the night before her death.  Spencer Hastings realized she has memory blanks - usually after something traumatic.  Like when she pushed Melissa down the stairs.  Or when she pushed Ali outside the barn the night she disappeared. Emily Fields is staying with her major conservative aunt and uncle in Iowa, and she just can't change who she is. Aria Montgomery is forced to live with her dad and his crazy artistic girlfriend - while Ezra is in jail for having sex with a student.  A's had her revenge...and it only gets worse.

Ezra gets out of jail, but with Aria and her inability to let him go, there isn't very many choices left.  And the appearance of Jenna Cavennaugh in her art class at the campus is just weird.  Mona Vanderwall comes with a shocking truth that leaves the rest of the girls dazed - and she tries to make up for fighting with Hanna at her party.  Spencer is on her way to winning the Golden Orchid, and Melissa seems like she's forgiven her, but Spencer can't help but think that there's more going on than meets the eye.  Emily crashes a party in Iowa and meets a slut named Trisha - leaving poor Maya to ruin up in Rosewood.  Hanna finally wakes up from her coma - too bad she can't remember who hit her with the car.  A's just getting started with these girls, and with the completion of Shepard's first story arc, we see how things really go down in Rosewood.

Every review I do of this series, I always go back to the characters.  How catty and bitchy and surprisingly real they are.  Each and every one of them is believable in their drama, though in normal books this stuff would easily be thrown out as extra and barely even plausible.  While this book is a step down from Perfect for me in terms of excitement, I really liked what Shepard did with the characters.  Hanna is starting to fall for a guy that isn't popular at all, which is a really fun trope I like to see in these books - especially when the guy in question is adorable.  Spencer and her relationship with Melissa is also really cool.  I love the *zing* of their sisterly bond, even though it's really insane. Aria and her parents separation, the guilt of The Jenna Thing, and her father's new girl toy, are all really deep, and I like that Shepard doesn't shy away from what would happen in those situations.  It's also a really interesting way of A's punishment as opposed to some of the other girl's (like Hanna or Spencer's) almost twisted ones.  Emily is obviously supposed to relate to the set questioning their sexuality, and in this installment Shepard uses a trope of finding another love interest, which is one I don't really like.  Mostly because I felt like Maya and Emily had a great relationship beforehand.  In all honesty though, it would happen to a teenager, and while that's sad, I understand why Shepard was able to put that plot point in - though the ending was way too convenient for my tastes. 

The climax happens at Hanna's welcome back party arranged by Mona and Spencer! Mona kind of bonds with these 4 girls as she tells Spencer that she's been getting texts from A as well! Finally Hanna recovers the missing part of her memory of the night of her accident and instantly remembers who A is!

Guess who? I don't think you want me to tell you and ruin your suspense and urge to read this one! So I won't.

One question popped in my mind that why would A (when you get to know who A is, you'll understand what I mean to say) text Hanna from a familiar no.? Though Shepard gives an explanation for this later in the book, it wasn't quite convincing! After all the effort she has made to terrify these girls and establish her existence, how could have A done such a stupid mistake? Also it seems a bit queer that a single person kept stalking four girls, for what seemed to be 24*7, at a time! May be I'll get these explanations in the next books.

If you've have read the previous books of the series, you must read this (of course you'll even if I don't tell you to! :P)! And if you read this, you're bound to read the next and the series goes on!

One thing is for sure that despite of the little flaws, you're gonna love this book- after all it reveals A, it reveals who killed Ali!

About The Author

Sara Shepard graduated from NYU and has an MFA from Brooklyn College. She currently lives in Tucson, Arizona. Sara's Pretty Little Liars novels were inspired by her upbringing in Philadelphia's Main Line.

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Review: Perfect (Pretty Little Liars: Book Three) by Sara Shepard

Title: Perfect

Series: Pretty Little Liars #3

Author: Sara Shepard

Publishers: Harper Teen

Date of Publication: September, 2007

Genre: Young Adult, Suspense

Format: Paperback

Length: 298 pages

My Source: Ebook.

Synopsis

In Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four perfect-looking girls aren't nearly as perfect as they seem.

Aria can't resist her forbidden ex. Hanna is on the verge of losing her BFF. Emily is freaking out over a simple kiss. And Spencer can't keep her hands off anything that belongs to her sister.

Lucky me. I know these pretty little liars better than they know themselves. But it's hard keeping all of their secrets to myself. They better do as I say . . . or else!

Review

Honestly, I had to read this book. After reading the previous two it was mandatory to read this one! 

The story of Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer continues. Aria's family is in shambles, and her mother can't bear the sight of the daughter who withheld knowledge of her father cheating. Emily struggles with her sexuality and trying to get her parents to accept her. Hanna is falling out with her BFF, Mona. And Spencer perhaps has taken one too many things from Melissa.

These books have been marvelous fun to read. They are wildly entertaining, interesting, and actually quite a bit creepy. This book in particular kept me up WELL past my bedtime and I was continuously being rebuked by my mom (well, partly because she thought I was texting on my cell phone and not reading! Only if she knew this book is far far far more interesting than texting..well say even your BFF!!).

Each girl has a vivid story. Aria knew about her father cheating, but never told her mother. Now, she suffers for that. Sure, it's kinda weird to see a mother so antagonistic to her own flesh and blood, but I still think it is nice to see Aria's mother behaving as a normal human being--flawed and somewhat selfish. Her relationships with Sean and Ezra are all over the place, and you totally won't expect how it ends.

Emily was far more interesting to me this time. She has feelings for Maya...but she can't show them, knowing how her parents would react. When the secret comes out, Emily is threatened with either attending Tree Tops (a homosexuality "reform") or moving to Iowa with her super strict aunt and uncle. Again, her aunt and uncle felt WAY overboard (keeping a list of sins? Eating Cheerios to avoid sexuality?), but then again, there are some WEIRD people out there. As for the conflict Emily has over family and Maya, it's very realistic and not all that unlikely.

Hanna is still one of my favorite characters. I really felt for her as she struggled to keep her relationship with Mona. The poor girl has lost so much--boyfriends, father, her independence and confidence--that she can't bear to lose the girl who stood by her 3 years ago when they both made themselves over.

And then Spencer. What is revealed about her...again, this is the reason I stayed up way too late. I love how her stealing comes to bite her in the butt, and I love the argument she has with Melissa. All too often in books, I feel the characters really hold back in what they yell at each other. Not here.

We meet some new and old characters. Ezra, Sean, Lucas (such a sweet boy!)...they all really grow and develop. They refuse to be 1 Dimensional characters and feel like they have hopes, dreams, and likes of their own. Even "evil" characters like Melissa and Meredith don't feel 100% evil.

But know what? My favourite character is A! If it sounds weird to you, I can't help it! But without A, the book wouldn't have been half as interesting as it is! I LOVE those texts, IMs, notes she sends to the girls! I highlight them all on my ebook reader (ALL of those!). 

And the last chapter of the book! It gave me goosebumps when Spencer recovered her missing memory of the night Ali disappeared. It was unbelievable! And I was like probably that's why the next book is titled "Unbelievable"! Well, I won't give too much details, grab your copy and start reading!

This is not some great literary work, but it is worth reading for sure! At least I'm glued to the series (I'm reading these even when I've lots of ARR books on my list!). If you love suspense, whoa, this series is surely for you. If you haven't already started it, JUST GO FOR IT!!

About The Author

Sara Shepard graduated from NYU and has an MFA from Brooklyn College. She currently lives in Tucson, Arizona. Sara's Pretty Little Liars novels were inspired by her upbringing in Philadelphia's Main Line.

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Review: Flawless (Pretty Little Liars: Book Two) by Sara Shepard

Title: Flawless
Series: Pretty Little Liars #2

Author: Sara Shepard

Publishers: HarperCollins Publishers
Date of Publication: March 15th, 2007

Genre: Young Adult, Suspense

Format: Hardcover

Length: 330 pages

My Source: Ebook (epub)

A Short Synopsis: In the exclusive town of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, where the sweetest smiles hide the darkest secrets, four pretty little liars--Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna--have been very bad girls. . . .

Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. And Hanna's obsession with looking flawless is literally making her sick. But the most horrible secret of all is something so scandalous it could destroy their perfect little lives.

And someone named "A" is threatening to do just that.

At first they thought A was Alison, their friend who vanished three years ago . . . but then Alison turned up dead. So could A be Melissa, Spencer's ultracompetitive sister? Or Maya, who wants Emily all to herself? What about Toby, the mysterious guy who left town right after Alison went missing?

One thing's for certain: A's got the dirt to bury them all alive, and with every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message A sends, the girls get a little closer to losing it all. (Link to Goodreads)

My Review: The events of "Flawless" occur immediately after "Pretty Little Liars". The four girls meet after the funeral of their deceased friend and share some of what the mysterious "A" has threatened. They separate, swearing to keep each other posted...but when "A" returns to taunt them, they find themselves unwilling to reveal their deepest secrets. Aria has her eyes on a boy who used to be Hanna's boyfriend. Hanna's actions in the last book come back to haunt her, and she is forced to work in a burn clinic. Her relationships are all over the place--Mona is feeling left out, her dad reappears, her boyfriend dumps her. Spencer's relationship with Wren is proving to be more difficult than she thought...how can she balance all her AP classes AND Wren? And what about how her parents have been ignoring her? And Emily is more confused than ever about who she is when she meets a really hot guy...Toby, the stepbrother of Jenna.

One of the things I like about this series is the characters- all five girls and the subsidiary characters as well. Each girl has her own struggles, her own style, her own likes and dislikes. I love how each one makes excuses for hiding her secrets; I love how each one has a different take on who "A" is; I just love the diversity that is brought to the table.

The thing I find most impressive is how Shepard is able to push the story forward while still keeping it interesting. This is a mystery at heart; to keep the mystery of "A" shrouded for even this long is impressive. And not once does it feel forced. We get to learn more about "The Jenna Thing"--and there is a revelation about "The Jenna Thing" that I expected, but was still shocked to see. And yet, while we learn more about this mysterious event in the girls' past, not once was I bored or no longer interesting in reading more. Instead, I am more curious...I want to know who "A" is!

I don't want to provide every little detail of the book and ruin your interest in reading the book, my review is just a synopsis of why you'll enjoy reading the book.

Also the little flashbacks of past at the beginning of each book is adorable. The story has its own pace. You've to have guts to write a series of 14 books! And Sara Shepard has done that remarkably well! Though sometimes, I repeat, only sometimes things get boring but you can't simply put the book down because of the curiosity like you have to know what happens next! 

And the best part is its such a fast read (all the books of the series actually)! You're just carried away by the flow of events and you're deep inside it without realising! You'll finish reading much sooner than you can think! 

So yes, I'm in love with this book an the series. It may not be perfect but its good enough for sure. I'll recommend it strongly for all YA and suspense lovers! You're gonna cherish it.

About The Author: Sara Shepard graduated from NYU and has an MFA from Brooklyn College. She currently lives in Tucson, Arizona. Sara's Pretty Little Liars novels were inspired by her upbringing in Philadelphia's Main Line. 

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Review: Pretty Little Liars (Pretty Little Liars: Book One) by Sara Shepard

How I Came to Know About this Book: After watching the TV show based on these books.

Format of The Book: Ebook (epub version).

Genre: Suspense, YA, Mystery, Thriller.

Length of the Book: 286 pages (paperback).

Characters of The Book: Alison, Spencer, Emily, Hanna, Aria, (and their respective parents), Mona, Toby, Jenna, Noel, Sean, Ezra, Maya, Kate, Isabel, Mike, Melissa, Wren, Ben, Wilden, Ian Thomas, Carolyn, Meredith and of course 'A'!

A Short Synopsis: 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. Are they being betrayed by some one in their circle? Worse yet: Is Alison back? A strong launch for a suspenseful series.


My Review: 

"Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead." 
-Benjamin Franklin. 

Once upon a time, there were five 'best' friends: Alison, Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer. 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. Then one day, Alison disappears mysteriously during a girls' sleepover night for celebrating the end of their seventh grade. And things change. Aria's family moves to Iceland and their friendship falls apart.

Three years later, the girls begin to receive threatening texts, IMs, and notes about their secrets- past and present from an anonymous source "A".  Aria is flirting with her English teacher Ezra; Emily is hanging out more with the new neighbour girl, Maya (in a way more than just friends do); Hanna has a dirty way of keeping thin, and Spencer is out for her perfect sister Melissa's boyfriend, Wren. 

Initially they begin to think that "A" is Alison and she is back (because the secrets "A" knows were known to Alison only, not even known by the other friends.) But as Ali's dead body is found out under a concrete slab in her house, things change and so do the girls' way of thinking! The four of them- Hanna, Emily, Aria and Spencer are brought together again for the "A" secret but they hesitate to share their 'pretty little' secrets with each other.

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. Hanna's story pulled at my heartstrings. I can understand her desire to be perfect and thin. Lastly, we have Emily, she 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 neighbour 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.

The story does get you hooked 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"-- I highlighted them all and it was they were mysterious as hell, specially the last one: “I'm still here, bitches. And I know everything."

The book ends on not-quite a cliffhanger. It's a fairly well contained story with an obvious series sequel hook.

It was a quick enjoyable read. And if you're into YA and suspense, this book is recommended for you; this is a perfect combo of the duo!

Rating: 

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