Waiting on Wednesday - Beautiful Lies

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesday is a post where you can let people know what upcoming books you're excited about!


This week I am waiting on:


Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman
August 7, 2012 - Walker Childrens

"Rachel and Alice are an extremely rare kind of identical twins—so identical that even their aunt and uncle, whom they’ve lived with since their parents passed away, can’t tell them apart. But the sisters are connected in a way that goes well beyond their surfaces: when one experiences pain, the other exhibits the exact same signs of distress. So when one twin mysteriously disappears, the other immediately knows something is wrong—especially when she starts experiencing serious physical traumas, despite the fact that nobody has touched her. As the search commences to find her sister, the twin left behind must rely on their intense bond to uncover the truth. But is there anyone around her she can trust, when everyone could be a suspect? And ultimately, can she even trust herself? Master storyteller Jessica Warman will keep readers guessing when everything they see—and everything they are told—suddenly becomes unreliable in this page-turning literary thriller."


Why I Want It: I'm a big fan of Jessica Warman, I really enjoy her writing style. Also, this book sounds like it's going to get pretty creepy, and I've been getting into a lot of thrillers this year. Add into that the fact there are identical twins, and I'm all about this.

Also by Jessica Warman: Breathless (2009), Where the Truth Lies (2010), Between (2011)

YA Lit Week Four: Breathless - Jessica Warman - 2009

Read for week four of YA Lit course.

Course Theme for the Week: Integrity: Making Moral Choices (2-16-2011)

Title: Breathless

Author: Jessica Warman

Year: 2009

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers

Date Read: 2-14-2011 (reread)

Overall: * * * 1/2 (3.5/5)

GoodReads Blurb: When Katie Kitrell is shipped off to boarding school, it doesn't take her long to become part of the It Crowd. She's smart, she's cute, and she's a swimming prodigy. What her new friends, roommate, and boyfriend don't know is that Katie has kept a secret about her past—that her schizophrenic older brother, Will, is quickly descending deeper into insanity. As her lie constantly threatens to reveal itself, it's all Katie can do to keep her head above water.

My Review: When I think about this book, I am undecided about how much I liked it. I enjoyed reading it, and there were a few characters that I really liked. But the book as a whole didn't really leave its mark on me. I always hope that there will be something about each book that will distinguish it from all other books, so that I can remember each one. What I most remember about Breathless both times I've read it, is Katie's friend Mazzie. At times it felt like small subplots were introduced and then they trailed off without really developing.

I like Katie's confusion about her life and especially her brother. I understood that it would easier for her to pretend he no longer existed than to accept and explain what he was really like. I haven't read many books recently that really go into the problems siblings can have with each other and the love that siblings share, which can be a really interesting topic.

I'm not sure what age group I would recommend this book to. I don't know if younger teens would be able to understand the complexity of Katie's relationships with the people around her, even her layered friendship with Mazzie. I think older teens might enjoy this story, but I might recommend Warman's other book, Where The Truth Lies, before I would recommend Breathless.

To Purchase: Amazon

Other Books By This Author: Where the Truth Lies (201)

Currently Reading: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Books Read in 2011: 21