Guest Review by ALISHA TROST

So I have decided to collaborate with more of my fellow friends in the biblio-sphere. So I have decided to join the forces with the lovely Alisha Trost from Rainy Day Reads . I asked her to write a review for the blog and in return I wrote one for hers. You can find both of the reviews on each blog's website. 

So Alisha has picked one of my favourite reads this year - WE WERE LIARS by E. LOCKHART. And here is the review she has written for us. Hope you enjoy reading it. 

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WE WERE LIARS by E. LOCKHART 

( Read & Reviewed by Alisha Trost)

Many thanks to Zuzana Vystrcilova for giving me the opportunity to guest post on her blog! Today I will be reviewing "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart. We Were Liars was given the prestige of being named on of the best YA books by Goodreads. The book was also a National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree. 

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 Summary 

We Were Liars is a haunting story of a group of teenagers who have formed a special bond. Each teen wishes to be accepted and to be free. These teens consider love to be more important than economic and social stands. They are also sad with the prejudice and discrimination that surrounds the world. Each teen is young and has suffered their own personal injustice. This is their story. 

The story is told by a emotional, bewildered, and rejected (almost) eighteen year old young lady, Cadence Sinclair. Cadence had an accident, which she can not remember and it left her with debilitating migraines. Thus far her life is rather boring. She sits in her fancy house in Vermont reading books and taking prescription drugs for her migraines. 

In "We Were Liars" Cadence tells us about the summer when she was fifteen. This was the year that her parents divorced.  Her father, a college professor left. Cadence's mother then took Cadence to Breechwood, their private island (!) where they have an additional extravagant house. 

On the Island lives Cadence's aunts, Bess and Carrie, many cousins, especially Mirren and Johnny who are around Cadence's age. There is also Johnny's friend Gat. Cadence is in love with Gat. These four young adults are known as "The Liars" in the family. 

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She also tells us about summer 15. She was so ready for summer 15 on the island as she believes that Gat likes her as she likes him. However, she is heartbroken to see Gat putting a dried rose into an envelope to send to another girl. 

In part two of the book, Cadence then begins to write stories in where there is always three sisters and a king. These tales on based on the precarious relationships that her aunts and mother have with their father. Cadence also starts giving away her processions, as she knows that there are many people that have need.. 

 Candence spends summer 16 in Europe with her father instead of going to Beechwood. Her cousin Taft calls before she leaves to tell her that Cuddledown, a house on the island is haunted.

In part 3, Cadence's memory starts to return with the help of the other liars. All of them are residing in their aunt's, Bess, house. Bess has moved into New Clairmont to take care of the elderly Harris. Bess's house use to be Harris's house. Cadence is not sure why it was replaced by Bess. So she tries to find out why during her time there. 

Do you want to know what she found out?? If so, I suggest you pick up the book at your local bookstore! :) 

In part four of the book Cadence remembers the horrific details of her accident. She and the other Liars had doused some rooms with gas and torched them. Harris's dogs were trapped and the burned to death. However, that is all she can remember for now.

In the last part of the book, part five, she finally remembers. All of the Liars were trapped inside the rooms too. They all died in the fire and she was the only one who got away. The Liars and all the other people she has been hanging out with during this summer were ghosts. 

She goes to tell the Liars she knows the truth. They're happy that she finally discovered the truth because it's been getting more and more difficult for them to stay. They're tired, and they want to go back to what they describe being "like nothing." Cadence goes  to the beach with them, where they disappear. She then goes back to join the rest of her living family and vows to live out her life  from hence forth with purpose.

                                                                  My Thoughts 

Definitely different from what I usually read! Saying that, many young adults and teens would probably enjoy this book. Readers who enjoy a mysterious book will most likely enjoy this.  
This is not a "happy, lightweight" novel. It is a novel with bittersweet components. There is a little bit of romance in the book, but that is not one of the main parts of the story per se. The writing style of the book is in a poetic form. It is simple, yet complete, complex, and profound. So what are you waiting for?! Go and get this book for the teen/young adult in your life!