Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Secret to Lying

by Todd Mitchell (Goodreads Author)

3.66 of 5 stars 3.66 · rating details · 262 ratings · 79 reviews

A teenage boy’s self-reinvention gets out of control in a sharp, funny, poignant, and compulsively readable novel that gives a familiar theme a surprising twist.

James was the guy no one noticed — just another fifteen-year-old in a small town. So when he gets into an academy for gifted students, he decides to leave his boring past behind. In a boarding school full of nerds...more

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published June 8th 2010 by Candlewick Press

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

YA Novels of 2010

277th out of 611 books — 2,643 voters

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Boarding School Stories

96th out of 321 books — 382 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 924)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Nov 17, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by John Jacobson aka "R.J. Jacobs" for TeensReadToo.com

Moving to ASMA (American Science and Mathematics Academy) gave James a chance to change himself. No longer would he be the nerdy guy who didn't get a date or any attention. No longer would he be invisible. Instead, James can start a new life. Through lying.

Suddenly, James is seen as someone exciting. Sure, he's going to a school for math and science, but there is a definite sense of coolness about him now. He hangs out with his room...more Reviewed by John Jacobson aka "R.J. Jacobs" for TeensReadToo.com

Moving to ASMA (American Science and Mathematics Academy) gave James a chance to change himself. No longer would he be the nerdy guy who didn't get a date or any attention. No longer would he be invisible. Instead, James can start a new life. Through lying.

Suddenly, James is seen as someone exciting. Sure, he's going to a school for math and science, but there is a definite sense of coolness about him now. He hangs out with his roommate, Dickie, and another boy dubbed Heinous. Together, they are a group of three troublemakers who pull off the occasional theatrical display and somehow manage to be respected by some at ASMA.

James also has something else going on at school. Or someone else. Ellie, aka the Ice Queen, is one of the most popular sophomore girls. She expertly ignores him, but he can't help but like her. His lies grow as his crush on her grows, and soon he finds himself talking to a mysterious stranger on IM named ghost44. He also begins to have strange dreams where he fights demons for two strangers named Nick and Kiana. Who is ghost44, and how can James manage to keep his real identity throughout all of the lying?

Mitchell creates a character the reader is intrigued by. James keeps his distance as the center of our story, and remains an enigma throughout. From the first page we see him build up an identity that isn't really his, pretending to have gotten into street fights and even cutting himself. It's rather a slow trend into his depression, and it's very dark and broken - much like the cover of the novel. He's rather unlikable sometimes, but the author's intent is rather obvious. As the reader, you are not supposed to like this journey at the beginning. James is, after all, denouncing himself.

I also appreciated the way he worked on relationships. James is curious about sex and does date someone named Jessica early on, but he quickly recognizes his feelings for her aren't really romantic. He is honest about this, and it was nice not to have a love triangle going on, or having a main character convince themselves that they should, in fact, be in love with said person. Mitchell treated the relationships realistically, and that was a highlight for me. I also enjoyed the friendship between Heinous, Dickie, and James. It was close but not super-close. It felt realistic considering the emotional distance James has and the way that teenagers have superficial relationships.

Some parts of the novel were not very exciting; this definitely isn't an action-adventure novel. James' emotional distance also hinders the reading experience somewhat, as you don't always feel emotionally invested in his story. There is also a level of complexity in the novel that, while interesting, makes it hard to get into for this type of read. The dreams are short and fairly average, but with ghost 44...they will make the reader try and search hard for a message that will not be easily apparent at the beginning of the novel. Overall, it is just a slower experience for the reader. It may hinder some, but it makes the book a deeper and more interesting read.

If you are looking for a book that is completely original with a gritty take on teenagerdom, THE SECRET TO LYING is right up your alley. (less)

like 1 like · see review

Aug 26, 2012 Meaghan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-young-adult-fiction, boarding-school, read-in-2010

I got this book free from Librarything Early Reviewers.

Meh. Although this sounds like the kind of thing I ought to like -- boarding school novels, psychologically troubled teens -- I really couldn't get into it. Half the time it felt like a ripoff of Looking for Alaska , and I figured out ghost44's identity almost right away. I might pick up this author again, depending -- I think he has promise, anyway, even if I didn't like this book. The book didn't suck, it just wasn't as good as it could ha...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 ALD Teens rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction, issue-based

Catherine's Response:
Beginning this book, I expected a fairly shallow look at how a boy goes from zero to popular kid with a few minor hiccups and well-played pranks along the way. I got so much more than that. Instead I found myself immersed in a story about the struggles of dealing with isolation, loneliness, and control. Todd Mitchell examines some of the most difficult and controversial parts of being a teenager, such as having sex for the first time, self-image issues that can lead to eati...more Catherine's Response:
Beginning this book, I expected a fairly shallow look at how a boy goes from zero to popular kid with a few minor hiccups and well-played pranks along the way. I got so much more than that. Instead I found myself immersed in a story about the struggles of dealing with isolation, loneliness, and control. Todd Mitchell examines some of the most difficult and controversial parts of being a teenager, such as having sex for the first time, self-image issues that can lead to eating disorders, and feelings of isolation that can lead to cutting, without ever making the book feel too heavy. I loved the cast of characters he has created. The quirky band of geeks had a great dynamic and added just the right amount of humor to balance out the heavier themes.
While James is not always completely likeable, I could certainly sympathize with his inner struggles, loneliness, and need for acceptance. I found myself rooting for him to get the girl and overcome his demons. I appreciated the metaphors in the dream sequences but at times they felt a little too blatant and forced. Mitchell does a good job of taking a realistic look at teens’ emotions and needs. I appreciated that he didn’t neatly make all of James’s problems disappear in the end. I also liked that he showed the healing process begin and James’s realization that there are adults who care about him, especially his father and school counselor. While it was not without flaws, this was a very good, thought-provoking novel.

A Quick Pitch:
Have you ever felt like a complete and total outsider at school? And that if you could just move to a new place, things would be different? Meet James. Written in a combination of dream sequences, Instant Messages, and prose, James tells his story.
He’s always been a nobody, a zero, the kid that everyone forgets. When he gets the chance to attend an elite public boarding school for the ultra-smart (somewhat ironically named ASMA), he decides it’s time to change his image. It starts as just a few lies about his old life but soon he has a reputation as a street-fighting, car-stealing rebel. The best part is everyone seems to believe him, …well, except for the beautiful Ellie Frost and the mysterious ghost 44 (an anonymous IM presence), but it doesn’t really matter. James finally has friends and he’s hooking up with Jess, a hot rebel girl at school!
Life should be perfect but James still feels isolated. Ghost44 seems to be the only one who wants to know the real James. He starts cutting himself just to feel something. Then the crazy dreams start. In his dreams, he’s a demon-fighting hero. But the lines of dreaming and reality are beginning to blur. If James can’t get things under control, he might find himself trapped in his own web of lies.
(less)

like · see review

Jul 16, 2012 Amy Y. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-2013

The Secret to Lying by Todd Mitchell is about a young sophomore named James who enrolls into the American Science And Mathematics Academy, a private boarding school where all the gifted students attend. After James's past from his old school, James creates his new self by inventing lies about his life and accomplishments. Now, everyone thinks that the life of new James are all true, but suddenly, an IM pop-up whose screen-name is ghost44 knows about James's harmless lies and tries to make James...more

like · see review

Jan 28, 2011 Tammy Dahle rated it 4 of 5 stars

My Thoughts:
This is the second book this month that I have read about teenagers reinventing themselves. I think that's a fantasy all dream of doing at one time or another. I know I did. Especially during those teenage years when most are trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be.
James gets a second shot to reinvent himself when he is transfered to a new school with a new set of peers. James makes up a brand new past and dives in to his new life determined to be someone different...more

like · see review

Jan 13, 2011 Danielle Larca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

When James Turner gets into the American Science and Mathematics Society, he sees it as an opportunity to reinvent himself. At his old school, James was nearly invisible, but at ASMA he makes up stories about his past life, letting his new peers see him as a street-fighting, car-stealing, bad-ass. For the first time in his life, James is noticed. At first it's innocent; a couple of pranks, sneaking into his girlfriend's room, staging a protest over the cafeteria food. But no matter what he does,...more

like · see review

Nov 10, 2010 Christi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Summary: James Turner is a typical teenage boy, the type no one cares to notice. When he starts going to a new school, American Science and Mathematics Academy, he creates a new identity for himself, explaining away the cuts on his arms and his sour demeanor as the products of a “rebel, punk, street fighter.” The entire school falls for his lies with the exception of the popular and unimpressed Ellie Frost as well as an omniscient online presence named ghost44. James falls deeper and deeper into...more

like · see review

Jun 13, 2010 Kari rated it 4 of 5 stars

A train wreck waiting to happen and an artful blurring between reality and fantasy, The Secret To Lying masterfully delves into one teen’s struggle to be noticed. The boy who was often forgotten, James finds himself at a new school with a fresh start. With opportunity ample before him, he holds nothing back in the stories he comes up with regarding his past- until it becomes too much even for him.

On a shallow level, this book is about lying and reaping what’s been sown. On the deeper level Mitch...more A train wreck waiting to happen and an artful blurring between reality and fantasy, The Secret To Lying masterfully delves into one teen’s struggle to be noticed. The boy who was often forgotten, James finds himself at a new school with a fresh start. With opportunity ample before him, he holds nothing back in the stories he comes up with regarding his past- until it becomes too much even for him.

On a shallow level, this book is about lying and reaping what’s been sown. On the deeper level Mitchell incorporated, this book is the epitome of teenage confusion and a struggle to find one’s self. A coming of age novel mixed with moralistic questions, The Secret To Lying is a refreshing read for any age. James’ internal struggles, debates and fears aren’t hidden, clearly driving much of his actions throughout the book. Unable to see far enough in the future to realize the path he is on and resistant to help, James does nothing but continue to delve deeper into the darkness that threatens to engulf him.

James is masterfully done, making a complete character change early on as soon as he starts at his new school before developing through great strides by the end of the book. There are three different characters seen throughout centered with this one person and Mitchell has created a unique, memorable and promising method to bring about each one. Subtly touching on many areas of psychological, rationalization and motivations, James is a character any teenager- male or female- will relate to. Even the most outwardly confident teen will find some consolation in James’ struggles and from an outside perspective, his decisions and chosen methods to deal with the demons battling inside him can easily be identified as inept. From inside James’ head, however, the reader can easily understand the drives behind his lying and other things he does. Mitchell holds nothing back when he puts this character on display, creating a strong emotional connection between reader and damaged character.

In his journey to finding himself, James encounters a range of characters and because of the ASMA school setting, the social groups are different. This is a place where the geeks can be bold without repercussion, the nerds can be popular and being smart is idealized rather than ostracized. In some ways, James attending a boarding high school is much like a college freshman, suddenly rapt with new opportunities and no parental supervision. While some handle it smoothly, others go overboard and given his mental state starting at the school, James’ actions are easily understood.

Enter Jess, a punk style girl who shows interest in him and though an attraction is there, it is clear to both the reader and even James other things are off and missing. This relationship is a fluid example of teenage emotions, torn between a desire to be with someone and confusion over what they should be feeling. A lack of one thing and an upsurge of another create turmoil within James, pulling the reader along for the ride and leaving them as unsure about the outcome as James. Confounding James further is his inexplicable reactions and feelings towards Ellie, a popular girl dubbed as The Ice Queen. He is both annoyed and infatuated by her, unable to sift through and understand his reactions. James’ interactions with both Jess and Ellie are enjoyable though at times painful and help pull the plot and character development along beautifully.

Mixed in with the lies and uncertainty are numerous scenes of teenage pranks, banter, and companionship. There are several humorous scenes throughout the book, breaking up the serious aspect of the book. From shopping trips with his mother to an entire scene played out in the cafeteria as a stand against the food, James and his friends find themselves in some very entertaining situations that remind the reader of the characters' ages and though they are at a school for math and science, they are still teenagers.

Hosting a wide variety of characters with some interesting nicknames- from Cheese to Heinous to Muppet- The Secret To Lying is a smooth read along a tumultuous road rapt with rises and falls. The description and detail of James’ dreams paints a magnificent picture for the reader and the slow shifting of that world into James’ waking one is handled seamlessly. The integration of the actions of his dreams into the real world events is a brilliant method to tie everything together. Bold writing that gives a very strong mental voice to this smart but confused and unmotivated main character coupled with an endearing plot that very cleverly manipulates the lines between dreaming and awake, fiction and reality create a perfect novel for an emotional ride the reader is guaranteed to remain on until the ending.(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 31, 2010 TinasBookReviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

High school sophomore James arrives at the American Science and Mathematics Academy boarding school (yes we are finally seeing a YA dork academy and not the gothic, creepy one normal to this genre) looking for a fresh start and a new life. James takes the opportunity to reinvent himself to the students. Instead of the nobody he was, he claims “rebel outsider” whom spent the majority of his time as a freshman, street fighting and stealing cars. Of course this places James in the ranks of drool-wo...more High school sophomore James arrives at the American Science and Mathematics Academy boarding school (yes we are finally seeing a YA dork academy and not the gothic, creepy one normal to this genre) looking for a fresh start and a new life. James takes the opportunity to reinvent himself to the students. Instead of the nobody he was, he claims “rebel outsider” whom spent the majority of his time as a freshman, street fighting and stealing cars. Of course this places James in the ranks of drool-worthy stardom amongst the herd of nerds at this school and it’s not long before he stands out as a true rebel. While James finds some quick pleasure in the lies and friendships based upon his faulty exterior, inside he is a very sad and confused guy. Disturbing nightmares begin to take a toll on James as fantasy begins to mix with his reality. Sword fights in the dream land become real razors in the bathroom. Teachers, students and friends try to reach out and help James but addicted to his own destruction, he aimlessly tosses away one relationship after the other.

Mitchell’s use of the dark dreams and paranormal demon fighting were as I understood it- used metaphorically to link James mental turmoil in wanting to be that someone and the self-destruction of his cutting together. I understand why these elements were used but I felt it almost didn’t fit in with the coming of age story delivered. Not that this was a bad thing, but had it been left out it wouldn’t have been missed.

The Secret to Lying was a surprisingly humorous and almost heart breaking look into a young man’s mind of low self esteem and self-discovery. Todd Mitchell’s writing was fantastic, I felt he sincerely knew how to talk to the young teen, but was also able to pull me (a woman no longer a teen) back to a time in my life where James was highly relatable and recognizable. James is the average teen, and what I liked about this book even with the tad bit of paranormal flair on the side- he remains average. Never does James launch into this unbelievable super-hero of a guy but becomes the super-hero of overcoming real life issues. The ending for me was very heartfelt and left me with a sense of hope for the future life of this character.(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 16, 2010 Christine rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Secret to Lying, is about a boy who doesn't feel that he fits in at his school or even at home. He feels overlooked everywhere he goes, until he is offered the chance to go to a new school. A boarding school for nerds actually. James figures anything would be better than his life the way it is, so when the next school year starts, he is living in a dorm and starting over at a new school. The thing is, James believes that his life was too boring to let anyone know about his actual life, so in...more

like 2 likes · see review

Oct 25, 2011 Veronica rated it 3 of 5 stars

To be honest, I didn't know what to make of this book. I felt like I drifted through it in James' desperation; the desperation of being alive and not buying it. I found it interesting how the author managed to implant a real-life experience into a surreal concotion of labyrinthine dreams and knowing that it's easier to run away from yourself than to face yourself but that escape is just impossible. I suppose that this isn't the type of book I normally read. It didn't put me on the safe side of a...more

like · see review

Mar 30, 2011 Anila rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: galleys-are-win, reviewed, save-me-from-the-tropes

Much as I appreciate the recommendations of my friends, at this point I'm going to ignore everything they say about Todd Mitchell because they are unforgivably biased. You see, he's a local author and he's done a lot of writing programs with the library for teens, some of which I've attended and enjoyed. But because many of my fellow library-goers know him in person, I think they may be prejudiced towards his books. I enjoyed Traitor King, but it wasn't as mind-blowing as they led me to believe....more Much as I appreciate the recommendations of my friends, at this point I'm going to ignore everything they say about Todd Mitchell because they are unforgivably biased. You see, he's a local author and he's done a lot of writing programs with the library for teens, some of which I've attended and enjoyed. But because many of my fellow library-goers know him in person, I think they may be prejudiced towards his books. I enjoyed Traitor King, but it wasn't as mind-blowing as they led me to believe... and so it shouldn't have been a surprise that this wasn't either.

Really, why were these people whose opinions I trust praising this so highly? What, exactly, is the allure? This story is disjointed, awkward, poorly crafted, and cliched. The interesting concepts are buried beneath what I can only assume is the result of a compulsion to make a Book About Issues Teens Have Today. The pacing is all wrong. And the worst problem? The MC is STUPID.

First off, the thing that showed promise: the concept of James's dream world. As a lens through which his personal issues could be viewed, it could have been amazing. As an independent fantasy story, it could have been fascinating. What happened, though, was that it was used inconsistently and poorly. If the battles between James and the demons are a reflection of his inner struggle, I EXPECTED TO SEE MORE OF THEM. Glossing over them with summarial statements is not okay. And then there's the obvious correlation between the dreams and real life which was frankly a little bit too exact. Metaphors should be a bit more of a stretch. Is it too much to ask that this be something thought-provoking?

And now the bad stuff. Why in the name of all that is holy was James cutting himself? This is a FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE and I have NO FREAKING IDEA why he was self-mutilating, or even that he was depressed until he first picked up that razor blade. And even after his narration did not seem like the narrative of someone in deep depression or with any other psychological disorder.
NEW RULE: EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO WRITE ABOUT TEEN ISSUES, SELF-MUTILATION, OR EATING DISORDERS IS REQUIRED TO READ Wintergirls.
If I'd understood why James did what he did, I might have sympathized with him. If he hadn't been such a tremendous idiot, I might have sympathized with him. If he hadn't destroyed himself for NO GOOD REASON I might have sympathized with him. As it is- remind me why I give a shit? OH RIGHT. I don't.

And then there was Ellie. Now, speaking of coming out of nowhere... way to spring her issues on us at the ending, Mr. Mitchell. With no hint whatsoever that it might be coming. No spoilers, but it wouldn't have been that hard. People noticed James's issues, which were much less physical. Someone had to have noticed Ellie.

I suppose this could have been better if it had been longer- you know, if there had been any actual character development. I'm fairly sure this is shorter than Mitchell's middle-grade novel, which simply doesn't make sense. It should have been longer, more nuanced, and more polished.

One final positive thing: The kids at ASMA were interesting and far better characterized than any of the main characters. (Note that I'm not talking about anyone in particular but the faceless student body, which nonetheless seemed interesting.

So. No more Mitchell on recommendations of local friends. If I hear good things via GR, maybe. Maaaaaybe. This was a big disappointment.(less)

like 3 likes · see review

Jan 21, 2011 Suzanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: peach-consideration

James is the kind of kid who plays on the football team but never gets an H on his locker from the cheerleaders--and no one even notices but him. Stuck in obscurity in corn field, Illinois, James yearns for so much more and thinks his prayers have been answered when his good test scores get him admitted to a public gifted boarding school. With a wise-cracking roommate and a whole new bad boy identity he cultivates through lying and pranks, he soon has a reputation, and that's way better than hav...more

like · see review

Jul 01, 2010 Ariadne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-lit, authors-i-ve-met

The real secret to Todd Mitchell’s book, The Secret to Lying, is that while it is shelved in the teen fiction section most adults would probably find it just as enjoyable and relevant. The story follows James Turner as he attempts to find a balance between who he is and who he wants to be. Invisible and ignored, James gets an opportunity to reinvent himself when he goes to a new school. His yearning to be noticed leads him to lie about his past and who he is, and as the lies snowball his eccentr...more

like 2 likes · see review

Aug 18, 2010 Vy rated it 4 of 5 stars

In this coming-of-age story, James starts a new school and uses that opportunity to create a different persona, based on a series of lies. As one would predict, this doesn't work out so well, and he struggles to figure out who he really is and how to end his self-destructive behavior.

I don't read a lot of fiction, but I was drawn to this book because I went to a high school that is very similar to the one James enters (which is based on one the author attended). It was good to be reminded of wha...more

like 1 like · see review

Aug 13, 2012 Cameryn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 8th-grade

All that James wanted was to get noticed. James was just another 15 year old in a small town that no one noticed. So when he gets into a school for gifted children he decides to change that. In a school full of geeks and nerds it’s not hard for James to become cool. He pulls a few pranks, tells outrageous lies, and dyes his hair purple which impresses everyone, expect for the beautiful “Ice Queen” and the mysterious ghost44, someone on IM who sees right through his new identity. Not long after r...more

like · see review

Feb 01, 2011 Charlie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Here's a review I wrote for www.matterdaily.org:

Todd Mitchell

Written by Charlie Malone
Monday, 27 December 2010

“The geeks let me be whatever I imagined.”secret_to_lying

This realization gives teen-aged James Turner permission to become anyone he wants at his new high school. At any moment it seems James might get lost, damaged, or destroyed by his reinvention of himself. Young adulthood can be terminal. This truth gives The Secret to Lying its drive.

Aiming this book at high school-aged young adul...more

like · see review

Aug 17, 2010 P.M. rated it 2 of 5 stars

James Turner is bland, anonymous, and unremarkable at his high school. When he gets a chance to attend a prestigious boarding school for advanced students, he decides to re-invent himself. He creates an identity as a street fighter, car-wrecker, law-breaking juvenile delinquent. He makes new acquaintances such as roommate Dickie Lang, Cheese, Muppet, and Heinous. He gets involved in a relationship with world-wise, tattooed Jessica Keen but he secretly yearns for the Ice Queen, Ellie Frost. A mys...more

like · see review

Sep 06, 2012 Kim rated it 2 of 5 stars

I though this book was very bland, I did not get sucked into it like I thought I was going to. The title, "The Secret To lying" Is an eye-catching one, I must addmit.
Some parts in the book did make me laugh, just the whole book.. was how some people say a "dead" book. It doesnt hook the reader in. It doesnt leave many cliff hangers, 'Ghost44' was way to obvious.. It would have hooked me more if they didnt make that soooo obvious. Dickie made me laugh out of all the characters (most books dont...more

like · see review

Jan 15, 2012 Jessi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen, fantasy, contemporary-fiction, issues

This book was very Jungian and made me want to go scoop up a Joseph Campbell book and immerse myself in archetype and dream theory. Overall it was an enjoyable read. I appreciated that it dealt with something that many people experience - depression and anxiety without a "good reason." James, who suffers from extreme loneliness and disassociation, also feels guilty for these feelings because he comes from a nice, normal background. To compensate, he creates a false persona when he transfers to a...more

like · see review

Oct 20, 2011 .s added it

At first I thought this book was just going to be about James and his problem with lieing when he moves to a new school. As I continued to read ferther on into the book I actually started to like it. In The Secret To Lying, James, a very smart high school student moves to a school for every gifted people. He then meets Ellie, the so called Ice Queen. He then falls in love with Ellie, but hes told so many lies that not even James him self really knows who he is anymore. Towrads the end of the boo...more

like · see review

Apr 13, 2013 Elana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen

When James leaves home to start his Sophomore year at a science and math boarding school his life starts to change. He starts the new school year telling lies about his past so that he seems interesting to his new friends; he no longer wants to be the guy that no one notices. Despite his best intentions, these attempts at being noticed quickly spiral out of control and James is faced with possible explusion and the more difficult task of facing the truth.

Part realistic fiction, part dreamscape f...more

like · see review

Jun 08, 2012 Brooke rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thought this was an interesting treatment of a 15-year-old boy trying to be someone through lying. His psychological state deteriorates until he is in over his head. The book has some good things to say - but I won't be able to recommend it much because older teens won't read it (most won't read about teens younger then themselves)and the treatment of sex, while not explicit, is too liberal for most younger teens in my community (and I would be one of those mother's who wouldn't want a younger...more

like · see review

Jul 08, 2011 Leah rated it 3 of 5 stars

While I'm not one to read teen literature, I had the opportunity to meet the author and decided to read the book. It was well written and the moral of the story itself was quite good. The moral being that lying and pretending to be someone you are not can chip away tiny bits of you until you don't know who you are. While I enjoyed it a bit, it was an exceedingly easy read, (which is not something I normally enjoy), and it became slow and boring about half way through. I'd recommend reading this...more

like · see review

Aug 28, 2010 Fey McMahan rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who is or was a teen

Simply put, The Secret to Lying, by Todd Mitchell, was amazing. Rarely do I encounter a YA book that so accurately captures the challenges and thrills of being a teen. It’s been a few years since I’ve been a teenager, but this book brought it all back to me – the awkward struggle to fit in, the desire to be unique and exceptional in some way, the playfulness and seriousness of friendships and new love. This book has it all. And although the book primarily hones in on the struggles of a teenage b...more

like 1 like · see review

Jan 01, 2012 Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, realistic-fiction, young-adult

The secret to lying is to believe the lie yourself

James Turner is overlooked by everyone at his school, so he jumps at the chance to go to a boarding school for talented math/science kids. He figures that there he can re-invent himself. Which he does, by lying about pretty much everything. The only problem is that he still feels pretty empty inside so he pulls all sorts of pranks and stupid stunts, as well as by cutting.

Well-written, a good read. Interesting to have a male cutter for once, seems...more

like · see review

Oct 04, 2012 Krisanne Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really loved Mitchell's voice. In my opinion, he totally nailed the angst of James trying to fit in, and be different, and be cool, and have a decent conversation with the gorgeous unreachable girl on campus. The cafeteria scene and other pranks in the book are worth reading, and often times had me giggling so much that my students glared at me during reading time. I loved Mitchell's descriptions of the characters in the book and especially the nicknames he invents. The book left me wanting so...more

like · see review

Mar 17, 2012 Susan P rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction

James has always been a geeky outsider at his public high school, so when he gets the chance to transfer to a boarding school for math and science he jumps at the chance. He decides that his image needs a makeover as well, so he reinvents himself as a cool, troubled kid with a past. At first he is popular, but it gets harder and harder to live with all the lies. Even in his dreams he struggles to determine what is real and what is not.

Todd is a local author who will be our other keynote speaker...more

like · see review

Dec 25, 2010 Lizza rated it 3 of 5 stars

Won the ARC copy.

The Secret to Lying is about an average teenage boy--James--who decides to reinvent himself by lying to his new schoolmates and pretending to be a rebel. Soon, the lies pile up, and it becomes hard to discern the lies from reality. James deals with various teenage issues: confusion about one's identity, fitting in, being comfortable about one's self. Most of us have experienced the "Who Am I/Where do I Belong" phase in life. The book reminds us that there is life beyond high sch...more

like · see review

Nov 09, 2011 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 30 31 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (8)

More editions...

Genres

Young Adult

21 users

Realistic Fiction

10 users

School Stories > Boarding School

7 users

Romance

4 users

Young Adult > Teen

4 users

Adult

3 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

2 users

Young Adult > High School

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Hothouse
by Chris Lynch
Stranded
by J.T. Dutton
The Julian Game
by Adele Griffin
Beat the Band
by Don Calame
The Daykeeper's Grimoire
by Christy Raedeke

About Todd Mitchell

In high school, I was voted "Most Likely To Go Insane." I don't think I've succeeded in that department yet. As far as I know, I write books for young adults and teach creative writing at Colorado State University. This goes to show that we can't all live up to our high school expectations.

My first book for young adults, The Secret to Lying, was just released in June, 2010 by Candlewick Press. I...more

More about Todd Mitchell...

Books by Todd Mitchell

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Secret to Lying

4 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Secret to Lying

“It was the people who tried to seem normal all the time who were really messed up” — 8 people liked it

“ghost44: It's only when it's dark out that we can see the stars shine.” — 4 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Secret to Lying
avg rating	preview: The Secret to Lying Goodreads rating: 3.66 (262 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7077991-the-secret-to-lying?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320504927l/7077991.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7077991-the-secret-to-lying?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Secret to Lying by Todd Mitchell[/url]

The Secret to Lying

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website