The first thing I noticed about this book was the beautiful cover. Then I read the blurb and it sounded like a good read. I started the book over the weekend but sadly I just couldn’t get into the story. I thought maybe I was heading towards a slump so I put the book down for a few days. I came back and still couldn’t get invested into the story which is sad because my blogger friend loved this book and highly recommended the story. I know there is a will not leave feedback section but I prefer to post here as to why I couldn’t leave feedback since I attempted to read the book.

I really enjoyed Sawyer as a character. She was smart and tough but had a softer side to her as well. I thought her development throughout the story was great and seemed genuine as she came to care for her cousin and the other debutantes. I thought the story was told well through flash backs that kept the reader intrigued. I also enjoyed that the focus of the story was more on Sawyer’s relationships with her mother, Lily, and Lillian instead of with a boy. My only criticism is that the ending was sudden with a giant twist that didn’t seem wholly necessary. I would recommend this book for anyone who is already a fan of Jennifer Lynn Barnes or anyone who is looking for a book filled with secrets and intrigue but limited on the romance.

Jennifer brings it again and again with this book! I love her other books but this one had so much in it. I mean secrets, lies, scandals, and big time skeletons in the closet that no one wants to come out but everything done in the dark comes to the light.

We get to meet Sawyer who is raised by her mother who is a flake to say the least. She had Sawyer when she was 17 and her family disowned her because they came from wealth and the family didn't want a scandal on their hands. So Sawyer grows up in a normal life doing everything for herself and taking care of herself by being a mechanic. Then one day her grandmother seeks her out and tells her she will pay her to be a part of the Debutantes Season.

At first Sawyer is skeptical but she sees the chance to find out who her father is because her mother refuses to tell her. As she delves into the world of money, scandal, and lies Sawyer soon finds out that people will do anything to keep the skeletons in their closets. No one wants her meddling with the past because things will come out that people tried to hide so well.

Will Sawyer be able to find out the truth of who her father is? Or will they do anything to keep the secrets in the closet? This is a must read and I need book two like ASAP!

ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes is one of my favorite authors. I loved the Naturals Series as well as The Fixer, so I jumped at the chance to read this one. It was promoted as a Pretty Little Liars type of book and I’m a fan of the show so I was sure I’d love it.

Unfortunately, it was a letdown for me. I just couldn’t connect with Sawyer or any of the other characters in this book. It let me feeling unsettled and unable to feel an emotional connection or investment in the plot. The mystery didn’t seem as urgent or interesting as I was expecting and overall it just seemed off somehow. I kept starting it and then putting it down because it didn’t hold my interest. I thought maybe it was because this was just a different style of book than I was used to from the author, or maybe my expectations were too high. But it just didn’t grip me like her other ones did and I couldn’t stay motivated to keep reading.

The skipping between present time and flashbacks was confusing too. I ended up with a DNF for this book since I ran out of time before the pub date. Since I have to give it a star rating, I’m giving this 3 stars even though I didn’t finish it. Since I’ve loved every other Jennifer Lynn Barnes book I’ve read so I’m sure it’s at least a 3 Star. I will probably try this one again at a later date. (I’m a mood reader so maybe it just wasn’t the right book for me at the time.) If the description of the book appeals to you, then you will probably enjoy it. I plan on giving it another try later. All the other books I’ve read by this author have been 4 or 5 Star reads for me so I’m sure this is just a case It not being the right fit for me at the time, instead of a bad book. (I don’t think this author is capable of writing anything less than a three star read.;) Thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC to me in exchange for an honest review.

This book had some very funny scenes, and a decent mystery. I struggled with the "who's my daddy" plot. The character was 18 and arguably had a right to be told by her mother. The fact that this was stretched out through the whole book felt kind of ridiculous as a result.

I enjoyed this book! Highly recommended for fans of drama filled YA novels. I liked the mystery aspect of it. I really liked this author.

This novel immediately spoke to me when I read the synopsis and I knew I had to pick it up! I'm a sucker for all things YA drama and Little White Lies was FULL off drama! I was immediately hooked and became totally wrapped up in the story. The characters were fun and entertaining and you never knew what they would do next. Sawyer was definitely my favorite character and I loved reading about her throughout the novel.

All in all, Little White Lies was a fun an entertaining read and I would definitely recommend it if you are a fan of drama filled YA reads. I thought it was a fun mixture of Riverdale and Pretty Little Liars, so if you liked either of those then I would definitely pick it up. Thanks to Freeform and NetGalley for sending this novel in exchange for and honest review.

Rating 4/5

Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Publishing for the advance Kindle copy of this book. It is out tomorrow (10/6/18)! All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5. I love this author, and her story was entertaining as always. A group of debutantes get tangled up in corruption and crime. It did drag a little bit for my taste, but it will certainly appeal to its intended young adult audience. I recommend it for grades 9+.

Absolutely loved it. Jennifer Lynn Barnes has yet to disappoint me with her work and this was no exception. Though Little White Lies is lighter than The Naturals (which is the most recent I've read from her otherwise) it's fun and full of lovely, deep, rich characters. Hilarious moments and side-plots galore that only served to enhance this already intriguing story. I know I'll be coming back to this one sooner rather than later for sure.

Gossip Girl meets Steel Magnolias, Little White Lies is a social family drama set in the American South with a mystery element. It is full of twists that keep you reading, and characters that jump off the page. At 18 years old, Sawyer Taft works as a mechanic and tries to stay grounded for her flighty mother who is always off with her newest flame. Unexpectedly, her estranged grandmother shows up and offers her a deal: $500K to pay for college in exchange for 9 months of Sawyer living in her home and participating in the debutante season. Given the chance to afford college and perhaps uncover the identity of her biological father, Sawyer accepts and is thrust into an unfamiliar world of social niceties with a dark underbelly.

I really enjoyed the plot of the book and many of the characters were incredibly entertaining. Lillian Taft is the unflappable matriarch of the family and none of Sawyers outrageous behavior makes her blink. There are also some really wonderful female friendships that develop through the course of the book which I appreciated. I did think that the dual timeline was an unnecessary addition and a linear plot would have worked well. Overall, it was a fun, quick read with great characters and a twisty plot. I received an early review copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This book is a YA contemporary with a unique premise and there is no romance which is a breathe of fresh air.

Sawyer a girl born in the wrong side of the tracks was a swooped in to come back and live with her grandmother while she undergoes debutante season as she signed a 500k contract. However the story shifts from there as there are mysteries and lies that need to be resolved.

What mysteries you may asked?

Who is Sawyer Tafts father? She spends most of the book following the breadcrumbs her mom left her with a photo from her sister’s debutante season. She gets a few paternity tests and a few clues but we don’t know until the end who was Sawyer’s father.
What happened a few months prior that left a club worker in a coma? Why does Campbell need an alibi? Why Walker dropped out of school and broke up with Lliy?

We spent a bulk of the book unraveling the mystery. It was a bit Nancy Drew-esque.

What I wish we had was more debutante season events. We had a few but it seems like we jumped months without events. I wished we dived deeper into them.

My favorite character was Sadie Grace. She was so sweet. I loved that she broke out in ballet poses when she got nervous. I wished we had more of her.

The ending left with more questions than answers. I hope that there is a second book in the series.

My feels: if you are looking for a fun YA contemporary with no romance but a bit of mystery then pick this book up. It’s a great read.

A review will be posted on What to Read Next Blog on November 6, 2018.

3.5 stars - As usual, Jennifer Lynn Barnes delivers on quality prose that makes for a cracking read and a great cast of characters. I think trope-wise, this isn't as good of an alignment for me as her Naturals series is, and I'm always a hard sell for a dual timeline. That being said, I liked the ending twist, am interested in continuing the series, and would recommend this for people who are looking for YA mysteries with quality writing

While this book had a lot of promise, LITTLE WHITE LIES didn't live up to what I had hoped to get from it. While I agree that it is reminiscent of PRETTY LITTLE LIARS and satirical works like BEAUTY QUEENS, overall I just didn't quite connect with Sawyer, Lily, or Sadie Grace. I was hoping it would be heavier on the satire of pageantry and the debutante culture, but instead if was a bit more about a lackluster set of mysteries. The first was what happened to the pearl necklace, and the second was who is Sawyer's biological father. And neither really took me in. Overall, I was a little bit bored with this book. And then the ended was so abrupt and such a maddening cliffhanger I was frustrated more than anything else.

All that said, I can definitely see myself bringing this title up for teen readers who are looking for soapy and sudsy fare, with a little bit of a mystery thrown in.

*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

Three words to describe this book, I AM OBSESSED. I stumbled upon Jennifer Lynn Barnes when she first published The Fixer and I have been devouring her novels since then. I saw Little White Lies being mentioned on social media and immediately knew I had to have it! This book blew me away, southern bells, money, power plays, and plot twists had me on the edge of my seat. I was captivated by the glitz and glamour of the debutante world and exhilarated by the endless bombshells and revelations.

This is Jennifer Lynn Barnes at her best yet. I am struggling to put into words how good this book was. I think what I love most about this book is that romance isn't necessary, the numerous plots, characters, and drama are more than strong enough to stand on their own. Sawyer is a strong, take no crap heroine and I am so excited to see what she uncovers next. Her dynamic personality and sheer determination was admirable, watching her transform but remain true to herself was awe-inspiring, and seeing her raise h*ll in such a prim and proper place had me laughing-out-loud.

Sawyer isn't the only amazing character though and I could write a short story about how wonderful most of the characters are. Boone provided the perfect amount of comic relief, Sadie-Grace was as sweet as pie and oblivious to everything, Walker and Nick were puzzles I wanted to solve (still waiting to solve Nick), Campbell was the perfect anti-villian, but the real scene stealer was non-other than Lillian Taft...Sawyer's Grandma. That woman is sassy, has eyes in the back of her head, and every conversation left me with more questions than answers. I do believe that's exactly how Sawyer felt too.

This book was so fun, refreshing, and unique. The story starts off with Sawyer's hunt for her father and I am still reeling from how it all plays out. Let's just say that I would have never seen that coming. I was bouncing between a constant state of giggles and utter shock throughout the book. Not to mention I have a million more questions and am already dying for more! This book was just bless-your-heart perfection and I can't wait for the next one!

4 1/2 stars

I am such a sucker for precocious teenagers who are smart, irreverent, and know how to manipulate the system. Sawyer Taft, the heroine, in Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ Little White Lies is just such a teenager.

Little White Lies introduces Sawyer, a very likable character, who agrees to terms given to her by her very appropriate grandmother so that she can discover who her father is. Along the way, however, she stumbles upon scandals even larger than she could have imagined.

For me, this was every inch the definition of a page-turner. I loved discovering details as I went along and then when I thought I’d learned the truth to discover that I had not, well, that wasn’t dissatisfying, but intriguing. And, despite the fact that I am a veritable hater of cliff-hangers, to know that this one has a sequel was whipped cream on pie.

The characterization was very good. I loved the fact that no one was just good or evil. Thank you. I love characters having layers because real people do.

As for Sawyer Taft, let’s just say that she’s like the debutante version of Veronica Mars, smart-mouthed but savvy enough to know when she shouldn’t be.

And now, this is a reverse YMMV (your mileage may vary) because some readers were not as enamored as me. I don’t know. I don’t lie to you (at least to my knowledge?). I couldn’t put this book down. When I had the opportunity, I read it. I found it fun and satisfying. In fact, if the next one were available, I’d be reading that rather than writing a review. When the writing, plot, and characterization come together, I read as a reader rather than a writer, if that makes sense. When you read as writer, you tend to tear things apart, but I never experienced that here. So, I’ll leave it with YMMV.

If you’re a fan of YA novels, you will like this. Also, if you like cozy mysteries, you will probably like this regardless of the fact that it’s YA. If you’re a fan of Veronica Mars, you will like this. I also understand that people who like Pretty Little Liars (I’ve never seen or read it), will like this—that’s up to you. I don’t know who will hate this…people who don’t like novels about debutantes, Veronica Mars-like characters, people who love senators…your discretion.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Scandalous! LITTLE WHITE LIES was both charming and thrilling. Had me on edge the entire time, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Loved it. Best book of 2018, HANDS DOWN!

In the same class as Gossip Girl, Little White Lies offers a taste of wealth, cliques, competition, and secrets. Sawyer Taft, 18 year old non-debutante, is up to the task--or is she? The story is a well-paced, fun escape from the dull lives most people lead. Barnes is good at serving up twists and turns. Consider this a soap opera for the teen set.

Posted to Goodreads: For a more in-depth review watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE1WkLZaaX4&feature=youtu.be

Eighteen-year -old Sawyer has spent her life living with just her mother. Sawyer never wanted the wealthy family who had kicked her teenage mother out of their lives for getting pregnant. However, when Sawyer's grandmother appears on her doorstep and offers Sawyer a $500,000 trust to attend the college of her choice Sawyer reluctant returns to the world of her mother's childhood to participate in this year's debutant season. If Sawyer can fulfill off her grandmother's demands her life will be changed and she may final solve the mystery of who is her father.

I was sucked into this book from the first chapter. Jennifer Lynn Barnes has created an incredibly fast paced mystery that has a twisty plot and a glossy setting. The characters, especially Sawyer were wonderful smart and their plotting was at time devious and hilarious. My only issue with this book was that the paternity mystery reveal didn't quite leave up to the rest of the story. Yet, even with that issue "Little White Lies" was a fun book that fans of Barnes should add to their TBR list

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sawyer is an eighteen year old girl that has grown up quickly, taking care of her mom & their household, while getting her GED & getting a job as an auto mechanic. She is surprised by her grandmother showing up at her door one day, offering her a six figure contract to come live with her & participate in debutante season. Surprisingly, she says yes, and quickly becomes immersed in a group of young women who are sweet, but are hiding A LOT - the main thing being that they've kidnapped one of their fellow debutantes, so they can blackmail her into keeping their secrets. The story develops from there, going into a couple of different story lines. We follow Sawyer's journey to find out who her dad is, and the secrets are slowly uncovered, showing why these debutantes are all so determined to keep things hidden. Eventually, everything merges, and our questions are answered.

I thought this book was so fun! I really enjoyed the storyline, and I loved the main characters (Sawyer mostly, but all the debutantes as well). I thought that the ending was a little bit rushed & left me wanting more, but I liked how the author got to that point. I thought that the debutantes' shenanigans were entertaining, and that all of the "bless your hearts" and sweet Southern hospitality was great! I loved the mystery that was woven throughout, but that it still left my heart feeling warm.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc via netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

Such a great, light hearted read that still had some twists and turns! I loved seeing the debutante season with all the intrigue involved with all of the families. It reminded me of Gossip Girl. I loved Sawyer's personality and I loved that she found some true friends within her birth family.