The Lying Game (The Lying Game, #1) in Shut Up & Read

Apr 29, 2013 Elise rated it it was ok

Wow you know I think this series is just not going to be up my ally. I did like the book very much but through the whole thing I was thinking how mean every single person in it was. Also the behavior and the reasons they gave for things they did was so juvenile I was appalled. I think I'm too old to enjoy this series and appreciate it like it deserves.

This book was riveting and interesting from the very first page. It was the perfect mix of suspense and mystery. It kept you guessing and on your ...more

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Nov 21, 2010 Stormi (StormReads) rated it really liked it

Since I have never read The Pretty Little Liars series this is my first Sara Shepard book. I wasn't really sure if I was going to like it at first, but then I got hooked into the nasty little lying game.

Sutton was a rich girl, the girl who had it all, but some one killed her. Emma is a poor foster kid who finds out about Sutton and thinks she is going to go and meet her long lost twin sister, but gets herself thrown into the lying game.

When Emma arrives in Tuscan she was expecting to meet her Since I have never read The Pretty Little Liars series this is my first Sara Shepard book. I wasn't really sure if I was going to like it at first, but then I got hooked into the nasty little lying game.

Sutton was a rich girl, the girl who had it all, but some one killed her. Emma is a poor foster kid who finds out about Sutton and thinks she is going to go and meet her long lost twin sister, but gets herself thrown into the lying game.

When Emma arrives in Tuscan she was expecting to meet her sister, but instead she was kidnapped by 'Suttons' friends and taken to a party. Emma has no clue what is going on but later she gets a note telling her Sutton is dead and that she needs to keep playing the role of Sutton or she will be the next one to die. Emma tries to be Sutton, but she finds out really quick that she is nothing like Sutton. While pretending to be Sutton Emma tries to find out what has happened to Sutton.

What Emma finds out is that she is part of a evil bunch of friends. They play pranks on others as well as their only little circle of friends. There is Charlotte (who is not over the guy that is/was going out with Sutton), Madeline (whose brother is missing, what is it that Sutton did to him?), Laurel (Sutton's sister, she has a crush on Thayer, the missing boy), Lillianna and Gabriella (The Twitter Twins, they are sort of in the circle of friends but not allowed membership into The Lying Game).

Emma is thinking she has got herself into a bit more than she can handle when it comes to this group of friends and she also thinks they all have a motive for murder. Emma also doesn't have the same taste in boys because she is not really that fond of Garrett, Suttons boyfriend. She likes Ethan, he is more of a loner like herself and she gets him more than she does anybody else.

The Lying Game really had me wrapped up into the whole deception and drama of everything that happens in the book. The more Emma learns about Sutton, the more she wonders what Sutton has really gotten herself into. Its sort of like who are these people really?? Why would anyone want to be a part of this group of people and who really killed Sutton? I couldn't wait to get to the end but then I should have known it was going to be part of a series. :( I don't mind series, but I hate waiting to find out what happens.

I am sure if your a fan of Pretty Little Liars then you will probably like The Lying Game. I would recommend it to those who like books like this. I really enjoyed it more than I thought I would and can't wait for the next book to come out.
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Feb 06, 2012 Bookish Michelle rated it really liked it

Both of them knew they had a long-lost twin sister on the same day.

Emma found out through her sickening and liar foster brother--on a thrilling video in which Sutton was the main character.

Sutton found out in a more devastating way: appearing in Emma's bathroom and nobody seemed to be able to hear or see her--dead. But she didn't know how it happened and how she died.

Emma's life was not going smooth at all. First, she went to her friend's for a sleepover and there's her mother's note saying that Both of them knew they had a long-lost twin sister on the same day.

Emma found out through her sickening and liar foster brother--on a thrilling video in which Sutton was the main character.

Sutton found out in a more devastating way: appearing in Emma's bathroom and nobody seemed to be able to hear or see her--dead. But she didn't know how it happened and how she died.

Emma's life was not going smooth at all. First, she went to her friend's for a sleepover and there's her mother's note saying that she went for a trip and Emma was left waiting years for her to come back for her. How sad right? I mean how could a mother do that to her own child? I hope she had a valid reason for doing so! What's worse next? Oh yes, having your foster brother for making you a scapegoat for stealing your "mother's" money and then subsequently kicked out of the house.

Of course Emma went to find Sutton. They arranged to meet up through facebook. Emma ended up being "kidnapped" by Sutton's group of friends, apparently mistaking her for Sutton. However, Sutton did not turn up. And things took for a worse turn when she was "forced" to live as Sutton by a note from an unknown sender: "Sutton's dead. Tell no one. Keep playing along... or you're next."

What could Emma do? The only family she'd left was dead--she needed to find out WHO killed her? Was it the person in the video who pulled off Sutton's blindfold? Seems very likely. So... Emma's on it to discover the truth and to solve a murder where anyone could possibly be a suspect. By pretending to be Sutton.

Who killed Sutton?

Suspense is everywhere in the book and there's little clues here and there for you to guess who's the killer. The book is told from the perspective of Sutton's spirit hovering over Emma. So it's like having 2 POV at the same time. A total page-turner and very easy to read. I finished the whole book in less than 4 hours. I kept asking the question "Who? Who? Who?" throughout the book. I'm a little put off by Sutton's boyfriend who seemed kinda desperate and have no mind of his own. Sutton and their little group was perhaps a little... sick... They were pranksters who brought their pranks to the next level. Would have liked Sutton if she wasn't that wild. Emma's a darling--brave and easy to relate to. The best guy in the book? Of course it's Ethan Landry, the "outcast". He played an important part in the book but I cannot spoil the book for you. (Read it on your own!)

I bet you'll ask the question "Then how?" after you've read the first book in the series, "The Lying Game". Try it.

4/5 Stars for The Lyaing Game. Definitely reading book 2! ...more

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