Pretty Little Secrets by Sara Shepard
Pretty Little Secrets – A Pretty Little Liars Collection by Sara Shepard 2011
[image error]Publishers always want authors to write holiday books. Not only does Shepard write a Christmas holiday story, she shakes up her style by writing novellas for each of the four characters. So instead of bouncing back and forth with different points of view, we have one pov for a fourth of the book. The story takes place after the first four. Mona or –A is dead and Ian is in jail but all four of the girls are nervous and keep seeing someone who reminds them of Allison. The stories are also tied together by Aminospa, an energy drink that is more than an advertisement placement in each story. Shepherd uses this book to give us more insight into the family lives of each character and why they are so messed up.
Hanna has lost her best friend Mona but what can she say? Mona tried to kill her. She’s always losing someone she loves. Now Lucas, her new love, is going on a family vacation with another family and Brooke is all over Lucas. Then her dad, Isabel and the perfect Kate move in and Hanna starts to eat. We learn Kate was friends with Naomi and Riley, Ali’s old friends before the fab four. Hanna joins a gym to get back into shape and meets instructor Vince. Dinah competes for Vince, but Hanna gets her revenge.
Emily’s family has accepted her lesbianism but her mother is upset her baby Jesus was stolen from the church nativity. They suspect the Merry Elves and she forces Emily to dress as Santa and spy on the elves – Cassie, Lola, Sophie and Heather. She befriends them instead and realizes their lives are as messed up as hers. When Emily joins the gang for a major holiday prank, we know nothing good can come of it but Shepard surprises us again.
Aria joins her dad and brother Mike on a special outing to celebrate the winter solstice but a pregnant Meredith shows up and ruins it. Aria heads home alone but her first boyfriend in Iceland, Hallbjorn, shows up hiding from the law because he tried to save puffins. They head to Atlantic City to elope. Yes, Aria wants to marry him. As part of the wedding package, they go to a show where two panthers are in the act and Hallbjorn is enraged by their mistreatment. With winnings from gambling, he buys Aria a snake ring, and they get married. She wakes up alone in bed and the reader can guess where animal rights activist Hallbjorn has gone.
Spencer, Melissa and her arguing parents head to Florida for the holidays and stay in Nana’s mansion. They run into Mrs. DiLaurentis there. Spencer has memories of Ali in Florida. The sisters, who appear friendly, compete for tennis star Colin. Melissa encourages her to break Colin and his girlfriend Romona up only to claim Colin herself. Melissa really is the sister from hell. But in Shepard fashion, even enemies can be friends – temporarily – and the sisters join forces for a special act of revenge.
