I don’t know what to say except that I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot went in a direction I didn’t expect, which I didn’t mind in the end. I was expecting the book to be a little more of a lighthearted friendship mystery/thriller, but it was not that. That being said, once I accepted what the plot was, I was still pulled in and enthralled. Excellent writing. The character development was fantastic-so much so that I am still thinking about the characters long after I finished the book; I feel an emotional connection to them, like I know them or that they were my friends. I haven’t felt that way about a book in a long time, so kudos to the author for that. It’s great to experience that again.

Buku pertama di tahun 2020 yang gak sampe habis dibaca.
Alasannya:

1. Gak sesuai sama genrenya yang ‘thriller’, tapi kenyaataanya gak sama sekali, sepanjang baca buku ini gak ada satupun adegan bikin tegang atau sampe baku hantam berdarah-darah
2. Udah gitu isinya bertele-tele banget buat sampe kekonfliknya. Halamannya aja 350 lebih tapi konfliknya ada di halaman 300an, lah kesel kan, baca dari 1-300an juga butuh perjuangan, karna emang astaga bosenin dan gak penting juga itu kenapa cerita masa lalu mereka yang gak nyambung dimasukin????
3. Dan menerut pribadi konflik yang diangkatnya B aja gitu, dan proses terjadi perseteruannya juga B aja, ah udahlah semuanya B ajaaa
4. Gara-gara baca buku ini jadi buat reading slump di buku-buku lainnya, karna takut zonk lagi

This starts out really strong, but for me, by the time they get to the Island, it devolves into cliches.

This one was a 'failure to launch' for me. A familiar premise which, when executed well is REALLY good. The best books I've ever read with this premise of the less-privileged being allowed into the rarefied lives of their more privileged friend(s) are Dominick Dunne's 'A Season in Purgatory' based loosely on the Martha Moxley murder. Another is Donna Tartt's 'A Secret History'. This one could have been so much better, especially since the writer is really, really good. But unfortunately, 'Here We Lie' missed the mark for me.

Some characters were stereotypical, like Lauren's mother. She was so ... flat and one-dimensional-- the political wife, and family matriarch with exacting standards, and a ruthless streak that has her protecting "the family" at all costs, even when it is clear she has little regard for each individual family member.

And on the narration, I really liked Alex McKenna when she narrated 'My Absolute Darling'. Her gravelly, rough voice was made for that book. But here, narrating the part of Megan, she was a little off. Moments that should have been filled with atmosphere and feeling were read in a way that was glib, or ironic. And lighthearted moments were given awkward emphasis and drama. Almost as though she hadn't been given adequate direction about the mood of the story, or, worse yet, hadn't read the entire thing before narrating her parts. The other narrator, Cassandra Campbell, who read the part of Lauren on the other hand was pitch perfect. She had the accent of the Northeastern moneyed class absolutely spot on.

While I liked the book, and liked the stories being told from a first person perspective, I didn’t find it to be overly amazing, or even riveting. It seemed like an everyday type of story, which sucks because of the subject matter. If you’re looking for a story to change your perspective or educate you in this topic, this one isn’t it. But if you’re looking for a way to humanize this topic, maybe this book can help?
It was a good read, just not a great one.

Here We Lie is an incredibly timely read. I do not want to risk spoiling any portion of the plot so I will just say that Here We Lie adds another useful and thoughtful perspective on an ongoing social/political issue dominating the news today. The book touches on numerous thought-provoking topics including female friendships, family ties, male dominance, and the harmful effects of brushing horrible events under the rug instead of addressing them head-on.

I struggled a little with Lauren and Megan’s relationship. Both girls are attempting to find their places in life, but they are such polar opposites and really on’t have what I would call a true friendship – it is more based on lies, privilege (on Lauren’s part), and the fact that they are both intrigued by the other; clearly as the story plays out they don’t really know each other that well. But maybe that is what DeBoard is getting at- ultimately how hard some female relationships can be.

I definitely enjoyed Here We Lie. I received this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

As two young women struggling to separate themselves from their roots and find their own way, Lauren and Megan bond quickly at their all-girls college. Tragic events and miscommunication tear them apart just before senior year. Ms. DeBoard does a great job of displaying both main characters in their own humanity. Friendship, femininity, and family area all brought under the microscope.

Megan, a small town girl eager to escape her Midwestern roots, and Lauren, an elite New Englander stemming from the Mabrey political family, become best friends and roommates when they go away to college. However, from the first few pages, we can see that something has gone very wrong in their past and has altered the course of their friendship. As the girls become more like sisters, they continue constantly trying to impress each other. When Megan stays at the Mabrey family's island for the summer, something mysterious happens that rips them apart. It takes most of the book to get the real story about what happened on the island, and while it wasn't hard to guess, the author did a great job of building up the tension and not making it obvious. While I consider myself to typically be able to figure out a twist, I actually made some incorrect assumptions which made me have to go back and reread a little. While I wasn't completely satisfied with the end, it was realistic, which is refreshing.

Really well written book about college friendships and family. I enjoyed it.