Member Reviews
“I think that putting so much fuss into a funeral is a bit like spending all your time worrying about your wedding and none thinking about the actual marriage.”
Oh what a wild ride. This reads like part mystery, part drama, and all round hooking. Every Single Lie starts off on a low point in Beckett’s life, but as things get better in her personal life, the case gets more and complicated. As she builds and mends relationships, she keeps finding out information that leads her to new suspects. Throughout the story, new evidence keeps pushing someone else into the hot seat. Still, Beckett remains the prime suspect, and she is desperate to find the truth in order to clear her name.
Beckett’s emotions are believable, and her actions seem reasonable. Her relationships are rough, but realistic, and give the book some semblance of relatability. Her paranoia and curiosity is razor sharp, though it does hurt those around her at times.
For most of the way, the book is tightly paced. Right at the end, however, it slacks off just a bit. New evidence is brought up but Beckett lags in investigating it; her mind just doesn’t jump to the correct conclusion fast enough. The result was that I figured out the mystery before the main character.
Still, Every Single Lie is an absolutely wild ride rooted firmly in reality. It remains hooking without becoming unbelievable, a delicate and rare balance.
Binged through this in a weekend. Well put together mystery with high tension and engaging, believable characters. I love how the story centers around the dead baby, and how the story critiques (without being heavy-handed) how all the characters exploit the dead baby for their own purposes.
The struggles and hurt we easily overlook, focusing on our own needs, is a great message--signaled by the early lines: "People will show you who they are, if you pay attention. Ignore them at your own peril" and later "No one even cared enough to notice that she existed...Someone should have noticed. Someone should have seen that a student or a daughter--or a friend--was acting strange. Pulling away. But no one...until it was too late..."
A particularly relevant read in these times of division--we all need to be paying more attention and serving one another. There are so many things we all overlook, and so many details readers will overlook--until the reveal at the end. A highly recommended read.
The premise of this book--teen girl finds the body of a newborn in the locker room and the following rumors that ensue--is fantastic! I hadn't read the summary before I read the book. I'd requested based on the cover and hearing about the book online. However, I was really surprised by how engaging the first chapter was and the twist at the end of that chapter. It really hooked me. Beckett is a cool protagonist and very likable. She clearly does not deserve the media attention, rumors, and lies that surround her. I like the family dynamics and how they all strive to be better, even though their journey is quite messy.
Overall, I liked this book but I didn't love it. It went on for too long and I found myself skimming near the end (even when some of the "lies" were revealed). I think that maybe a little less dialogue and one more subplot might pick up the pace. In the end, I really really wanted to love this book. It just wasn't for me. Doesn't mean it won't be for you.
That being said, Vincent is clearly a talented writer and I will be sure to check out her next book.
**Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA for providing me a free ebook for review**
First of all, wow, this book was so engaging!
There seemed to be a plot twist every other chapter and I lived for it! I loved the main character and her relationships with the people surrounding her, the author really described realistic dynamics between them. Rachel Vincent didn’t shy away from difficult topics, in fact the main topic of the book was pretty heavy but it was handled with tact and honesty.
I did see the ending coming so it didn’t shock me but it did take me a while to guess so for a good portion of the book I was actively racking my brain.
Overall, it’s a solid novel and I look forward to reading more from the author!
PS: I will upload my review on Goodreads 30 days before the publication date as requested*
I can’t even put my thoughts into words. This book is absolutely fucking stunning in the most heartbreaking way. This is one of those books that will stay with you long after you’ve finished and maybe even changes you a little bit. Every twist, every secret in this novel was like a little bomb going off in my stomach, even if I had figured out it was going to happen (or thought I had). Words cannot describe the beauty, heartbreak, hopefulness, hopelessness, and grace of this story. It will truly be one for this generation and though maybe not everyone will feel this way, I genuinely think everyone should read it.
Thank You NetGalley Publisher and Author for this gifted ebook.
Summary
Nobody in Beckett's life seems to be telling the whole story. Her boyfriend Jake keeps hiding texts and might be cheating on her. Her father lied about losing his job before his shocking death. And everyone in school seems to be whispering about her and her family behind her back.
Review
What a good YA book.
This is a novel about social media bullying and half-truths and lies.
Crazy emotional book.
i loved it. It was real, raw, and compelling.
4.5 Stars because this was one to remember.
Overall- Great Book
First off, my thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury YA for providing me a digital copy for review.
I absolutely blasted through this book because I simply could not put it down. Right from page one, this story sucked me in and sent me on a roller coaster of emotions. When we first encounter Beckett Burgen, she is breaking into her ex-boyfriend's car to find proof that he's cheated on her. By the end of the day, she's found a dead newborn in the girl's locker room. What happens next is a series of events that truly made me question the significance of social media and the potential it has to ruin people's lives. Beckett is the continual target of malicious rumors suggesting that she is the baby's mother. She receives death threats and hostile glares from the people in her small town, even fully grown adults who ought to know better.
I think we all have circulated rumors at one point or another in our lives. It's human nature to want to gossip and spread what we hear about someone else to those in our lives. This novel really forces you to see the aftermath of spreading such rumors. Nine times out of ten, those rumors turn out to be false, and while we all may know better than to spread gossip, many times we simply cannot help ourselves. Every Single Lie will make me think twice about engaging in it. Overall, a very addicting story that I could not put down. I think this should be required reading for every young person so that they can understand the dangers of social media and spreading rumors without knowing all the facts. Beckett was a strong character who stood up to the challenges she faced. All the characters felt real and three-dimensional. I would highly recommend this to everyone because it has such an important message. Do not skip this when it comes out on January 12, 2021!
I absolutely loved, loved, loved this. I started it at about 5am Monday and finished it at about 3pm that afternoon because I just genuinely could not put it down. It plays with your emotions (in a good way), it takes you through the twists and turns and keeps you guessing and makes you really love Beckett and her family. I haven’t read a Rachael Vincent book before this honestly, but after this I am 100% a fan and I can’t believe I have to wait until 2021 for people to know how absolutely wonderful this book is!
I LOVED THIS BOOK. I was hooked from page one. The premise is that Becket Bergen, our leading lady, find a dead baby in a duffel bag at school. Sadly, after alerting the police, her small town of barely over 4,000 people jumps to the conclusion that it's her baby and she's lying. I'm from a small town. I know that no matter how hard the media tries to protect identities and keep things a secret, everyone always knows. There are no secrets in a small town.
So we follow Beckett and her family being dragged through the mud, as her mother, a cop in charge of the case, tries tp figure out who's really responsible. My one issue with this book was how many different people were accused of being the possible mother/father. It seemed like every 2 or 3 chapters we were accusing someone else but never really coming to any conclusion. It's not till the last like 4 chapters that we find out the truth and boy is it shocking. I honestly could not believe who it ended up being but when I sat back and thought about it the clues really were all there. And that was my favorite part. Not knowing who it truly was until the very end.
Highly recommend to anyone who loves thrillers, contemporary, and being kept on the edge of their seat for the whole ride.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Edelweiss Plus, as well as the publisher, for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.
As soon as I read the synopsis for this one, I was all in. A junior (Beckett Bergan) finds a newborn in the girls locker room of her high school, deceased and left behind in a gym bag. As the media descends on the story, and her mother (the detective in their small town) try to determine if a crime was committed and who her family was, Beckett finds herself caught in the crosshairs. Social media has determined that not only did she find the baby, she left the baby there herself. She was the pregnant teenager and now, according to one especially vicious Twittr account, she is also a #BabyKiller. Between this, and the lies she discovers about her father's last few months before his death almost a year before, she is unsure of who to trust. But Beckett has decided that she is going to find out the truth about this, no matter what. Because by now, everyone is coming after her and she thinks the only way she can clear her name, and move on with her life, is to expose the truth.
I highly recommend this one. The mystery is good, but so is the underlying story about social media, the dynamics of family, and what it means to lie to your family, even if you are trying to help them.
it started off SO WELL, but the ending was such a disappointment. The book truly had a lot of potential, but the premise is interesting. The main character was also a little annoying, and we didn't get a glimpse into ANY of the side character's family life, or background.
When Beckett, a 17 year old girl, finds a dead baby in the girls locker room of her school, everyone assumes it is hers. And in these days of social media, the story about the dead baby and the girl who "found" her go viral. Soon, everyone is calling Beckett a baby killer. Beckett knows the truth, but it seems almost everyone in town and on the internet are against her. Who does the baby really belong to? And why was she left in the locker room? This story will keep readers guessing for a long time. I thought i had it figured out early on, but it took me until about halfway through the book to pay attention to the context clues enough. A great read.
Every Single Lie is a haunting and powerful book that will stay with me for a long time. From the opening of the main character finding a dead baby in her high school locker room to the shocking conclusion I was on the edge of my seat the entire read. Definitely mature content- high school students will love this one!
The day after breaking up with her boyfriend, Jake, because she suspects him from cheating, sixteen year old Beckett finds a dead baby in the school's locker room, inside of her now ex's duffle bag. The baby has to be Jake's right? Why else would it be in his bag? While Becket originally thinks the baby is Jake's, everyone else in their small town thinks the baby belongs to Beckett, thanks to a Twitter account that's going viral.
Beckett's mother is the town's investigator in charge of the case. While she is trying to figure what happened, so is Beckett who's investigating everyone who could be the baby's parents, no matter how close to her they are, she's also still dealing with the death of her father a few months ago, along with the hundreds of people online who are sending her threats thinking she is the baby's mom.
Along with Beckett, other character who are suspected to be the baby's parents include Jake, Beckett's ex-boyfriend (who could have saved so much heart ache by just communicating), there's also Penn (Beckett's brother), his girlfriend, and Amira (Beckett's best friend). I spent most of the book not being sure who would end up being the parents. It kept me guessing until the end. Overall, I liked this and couldn't put the book down once I started.
Apart from pregnancy other serious topics are talked include parent death and addiction.
Review to be posted on goodreads and blog closer to publication date.
Overall, I thought this was a pretty good book. I did guess who left the baby right from the beginning, but I still wasn't totally sure of it until the end. The book definitely deals with some serious topics- suicide, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, and bullying. It's a heavy read, but suspenseful enough to keep you zipping through the book right to the end. I could definitely see some of my teen readers connecting with the characters and some shared experiences (not the locker room part, but the other stuff!) I will most likely buy this book for my library and recommend it to some of my more mature readers.
In the name of literature Gods: I’m so shocked, blabbering meaningless words, extremely shaken to the core. Eyes popped out, jaw dropped, legs turned into jelly. I’m a mess. Actually I’m looking in the mirror and seeing half of my head because the other half is already blown away. I can start my career as B list horror movie star thanks to the help of the book’s tragic and thought provokingly intense, dark , earth shattering story!
I didn’t expect to love this book so much because it’s a real traumatizing dysfunctional, broken family story and it is based on real life experiences of the author’s.
Please don’t forget to read her note after finishing the book. If you don’t like to read dark, heart wrenching, realistic, dramatic stories, you just have to skip it. Because that family members and baby Lullaby Doe’s story may stay in your heart and haunt you forever.
Here’s the close look of the synopsis and introduction of the characters:
It’s narrated by Beckett ( as a old time die hard fan Castle series and Caskett as a couple, I already started to sympathize with her as soon as I read her name) 16 years old, having hard time to find her path at high school jungle. No, her problems are not simple teenage problems what her peers try to deal with. Her father was overdosed and there are rumors out there, he was caught when he was stealing drugs and her cop mother cleaned the mess and used her authority to press charges.
Her best friend Amira parted her way with her and she caught her boyfriend Jake taking suspicious texts. He may be cheating on her.
Yes, she dumbed him and dealing with a heartbreak is just the beginning of the shitty day because at the school, she finds a dead baby corpse inside a gym bag which belongs her boyfriend Jake. The sweater wrapped around the baby may belong to somebody she knows.
After losing her father, the family barely kept it together. Her mother starts to work more, avoiding to spend time at home as her brother Penn pushes himself so hard to leave the city for proper college education and Landry, 13 years old sister, feeding the family, acting like adult, trying to cope in her own ways. But as the tragedy hits the house and death threats come out, their not so normally functioning family need to find a way to face their problems together.
But this blood freezing, extremely shocking experience is just the beginning. As soon as cyber bullying starts: Beckett is declared as baby killer and mother of the child. The town’s people already talks behind her family’s back and now they find another reason to attack and disgrace them.
An account called Crimson Cryer on Twitter targeted Beckett, sharing inside informations about the case. Could there be a snitch at the police station or someone so close to the family?
Beckett knows even though the real identity of the mother comes out, people keep seeing things how they want to see. But she’s still determined to find the truth for the sake of the unknown baby. But some ugly truths may be too hard to absorb or handle.
I guessed some parts of big revelation at the end ( thanks to my extra working spidey spider senses) but I still screamed “WTF” too loud after reading the last chapters.
Well played, emotional, questioning, mind bending, surprising story and I can honestly say it’s already at my top ten YA thriller list of 2021! ( I know it’s too early for that kind of declaration but I couldn’t put this book down and after finishing it, I couldn’t keep thinking about it. My mind is still glued to it. )
I’m rounding up 4.5 to well deserved, highly recommended five stars!
Yes, my friends, I truly loved it! Thanks to Rachel Vincent’s bravery to create this remarkable story from her life experiences and share it with us.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for sharing this incredible ARC with me in exchange my honest thoughts.