First-Impression Friday: The Liar Society

Kate Lowry didn't think dead best friends could send e-mails. But when she gets an e-mail from Grace, she’s not so sure. 

To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu 
Sent: Sun 9/14 11:59 PM 
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu 
Subject: (no subject) 

Kate, 
I'm here… 
sort of. 
Find Cameron. 
He knows. 
I shouldn't be writing. 
Don't tell. 
They'll hurt you. 

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. But secrets haunt the halls of her elite private school. Secrets people will do anything to protect. Even if it means getting rid of the girl trying to solve a murder...

Title: The first time I heard this title I was a little turned off. It sounded a bit much like Pretty Little Liars to me. When I figured out that it was a murder mystery I liked it a little better, but I’m still not a huge fan.

Cover: Normally I don’t like covers like this, but I happen to love this one. It’s fun and funky, even with the pink hair and the short skirt and the corny postboard with the title on it. The only thing that bugs me is that the pearls around her neck were obviously edited in later, rather than actually being worn by the model.

Pitch: Firstly, I really like the idea of the MC’s best friend supposedly being murdered, but then really being alive. The thing is, it seems like the friend actually is dead, and yet is sending an email anyways. This confuses me, and makes me wonder if there’s a paranormal aspect to this. If not, I’m eager to read this book. It sounds fun and spunky and different.

First Sentence: Her email didn’t move or disappear or do any of the creepy things I’d expected an email from a ghost to do.

This is great as an opening sentence. It makes you need to read on and find out why in the world the MC thinks the email is from a ghost. However, it also feels little weird. Why is the MC expecting an email from a ghost? It’s a good first line, just a little too tagline-ish for me.

First Chapter: I like how this throws us right into the story. The MC gets the email from the friend who is supposed to be dead, then immediately starts trying to figure out what’s going on. The only thing I don’t like is that it feels a little too sudden. We don’t have time to get used to the MC and feel for her loss before we’re thrown into the action.

Overall: This seems like the sort of book I’ll finish in a couple days and end up recommending to friends as a fun read. It doesn’t seem like a new favourite, but I am looking forward to it. 

IMM: Week of books that actually arrived IMM

Most of the time when I post an IMM I'm actually talking about books that I just picked up from the library. However, I've won a couple blog contests recently and (thanks to the strike) all the books arrived within two days. So, here's what I got:

This is my very first ARC! I won it through a contest making up the slogan for the official Dashner Army (The Maze Runner, the Scorch Trials, The Death Cure) slogan to go on the merchandise. All in all, it was a pretty cool contest, and while this isn't the sort of book I would normally read, having an ARC is cool.

As you may know, I've already read this book. While I said in my book review that I wouldn't buy it, when I saw a blog contest for it I randomly entered, and I ended up winning. I'm not sure if I'll read it again anytime soon, but I certainly would re-read it, just for Oliver's awesome writing. 

A murder mystery, a girl's boarding school, a kick-ass heroine... While the title was a bit of a turn-off at first (sounded too much like Pretty Little Liars) as soon as I saw the cover and read the synopsis I was hooked. 

Honestly, I don't even remember entering the blog contest that I won this through. When I got this in the mail the other day I went on to Goodreads and found that it was about time travel. Since I love Time Travel, I'm certainly looking forward to this book.

Yes, I've already read this book. And I already have a copy. However, I was lucky enough to win another copy of it through a blog contest, which means that a certain friend of mine will be lucky enough to be getting this for a birthday present.... :)

This was pretty good week for me. I love getting books in the mail, opening the packages and just flipping through the pages or feeling their shiny covers. Maybe that sounds a little weird, but I just love books, the actual, physical books. Yes, I could imagine getting a Kindle, but nothing will ever replace the feeling of new books arriving in the mail. :)