We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

I have heard a lot of buzz about this book, and I could not wait to get my hands on a copy. I read one review that said it was better to go into it blindly without knowing too much, so I refrained from reading any more reviews.  I'm so glad I did.

 

Because of that, I will not give away much in my review, because it is the type of book that you really do just have to read without any preconceived expectations. Just know that the book you are about to read will BLOW. YOUR. MIND.

 

We Were Liars takes place on an island, where the prestigious Sinclair family goes every summer.  The cousins look forward to seeing each other every year, as they are the best of friends bound by blood.  Then something happens during their 15th summer that leaves Cadence yearning for answers.  She feels like her whole family is keeping something from her, so she begins trying to put the missing pieces of her puzzle together.  The island is filled with secrets, lies, familial ties, love, and bonds that cannot be broken.

As I was reading this book, I couldn't understand at first what all the hype was about.  I was enjoying it, but it wasn't the "amazing" read I had been expecting.  Then I read further.  All of a sudden, the plot moved along at break-neck speed, and I couldn't put it down.  I had to find out what happened.  E. Lockhart does a wonderful job of building suspense, foreshadowing events to come, and then completely shocking readers with the outcome.  I was blindsided by the final pages.  Usually, I am good at collecting clues and figuring out the endings, but this ending is one that I never saw coming.  I loved it!

At the beginning of the ARC of We Were Liars, the publisher wrote a note saying that it was a book that you would want to discuss with others that had also read it.  A truer statement could not have been made.  I cannot wait for my students and my friends to devour this book the way that I did so we can talk about it.  There is so much to be said, yet mentioning any of it before someone has read the book would ruin it.  I will be buying several copies of this masterpiece for my classroom and book-talking it every chance I get.

The Summer of Letting Go by Gae Polisner

Four years ago, Frankie's little brother Simon drowned while she was supposed to be watching him.  Her mother barely speaks to her, and Frankie blames herself for Simon's death.  Now it is summer.  Frankie's best friend Lisette is preoccupied with her boyfriend, who Frankie secretly longs to kiss.  Frankie is feeling left out and finds herself with plenty of time to miss Simon. 

One day while following her neighbor to the country club because of a hunch she has, Frankie meets four-year-old Frankie Sky who steps in and turns her world upside down.  Frankie Sky seems to have a striking resemblance to Simon, and he seems to know more about Simon than Frankie ever thought possible.  She lands a summer job as a mother's helper to Frankie's mom.  The more she is around the little boy and the more coincidences that pile up, the more Frankie becomes convinced that he is some how a reincarnation of her little brother.

This book is about loss, family, friendship, and the power of hope.  In the midst of a tragedy that changed her world forever, sixteen-year-old Frankie is able to find something to believe in.  She starts to think that some things are just bigger than she is.  This summer, she is finally able to start letting go.

Readers will be able to identify with the believable characters in this exceptional realistic fiction book.  There is sadness that abounds with the loss that resonates throughout the book, but there is also a strong feeling of hope.  Frankie's change throughout the story is so profound, readers will be cheering for her at the end.  Reading The Summer of Letting Go will make readers think about the power of relationships, and how one person can change your perspective - and your life.

I will be highly recommending this book to my students immediately.  I already have readers in mind that I know will devour it.