While this isn't a book I would adopt for curriculum, it is a book I will stock in my classroom library, right alongside we were liars. Family of Liars offers a complex look into what I like to call "the mortifying ordeal of being known", where our main character Carrie is forced to face her family's dysfunction as well as her own. Family of Liars offers the same familiar fell of We Were liars in a newer context, and of course features a knee kicking twist. While this book didn't seem as straightforward as the book it preludes, it is still a captivating tale.

I DNF'd this at 30%...just not as gripping as I know E. Lockhart can be...I wanted to love this since I specifically did a re-read of We Were Liars in preparation but this did not hold the same magic or interesting character ties that I was looking for.

I loved we are liars. And I love a good prequel. That being said, this prequel happened way too many years after the original to be relevant. It wad a dnf for me.

This was an intriguing prequel to me because as a reader of We Were Liars, the main plot twist was really shocking. I wasn't sure where E. Lockhart would take this story, but I did enjoy hearing more about the Sinclair family and why things turned out so badly for them in the end. I found this story gripping all the way through and thoroughly enjoyable!

Ever wondered why the Sinclairs are the way they are? Before We Were Liars, there was a Family of Liars. Learn how loss and money shaped the sisters from an early age.

Not as strong as We Are Liars, but a great book none-the-less. Engaging suspenseful read with good twist.

A glimpse into the Sinclare family from another perspective from another time. We learn more about the family's secrets and relationships between each other. If you liked We Were Liars, then you'll enjoy this one as well.

I really love the way E. Lockhart writes. Even if I'm not totally sucked into a storyline, I simply enjoy her atmospheric way of writing. Family of Liars was a great mystery about a dysfunctional family. I didn't particularly see the need to tie it to We Were Liars because I never felt like a connection to the older generation. The end was a surprise and I thought it was wonderful how she tied everything together.

I did enjoy this book but as with the first book I do struggle to see what all the hype is. I defiantly enjoyed this sequel/Prequel more but still just had something a little missing for me.

We Were Liars is a popular book club book - we have 60 copies at our library - so Family of Liars was a must-read. The suspense was there, the opulence was there however, I don't think the same discussions will develop. Still entertaining, deeply psychological, and packaged in an enviable setting.

A perfect prequel to We Were Liars! It has the same tones and feels as the first book with a perfect complimentary story. The same generational wealth leads to more trauma, and all the twists brings a delicious ending. Loved it just as much as the first book!

I wish I would have read We Were Liars closer to reading Family of Liars. I found myself very confused and could not remember back to We Were Liars. I would love to read it so I can have a better understanding of the novel.

I really liked this prequel to We Were Liars. Of course I read We Were Liars several years ago so I needed a refresher on the story but it worked well as a prequel and I ended up liking it a lot.

This was such an interesting follow-up to WE WERE LIARS! In my opinion, prequels are super underrated -- it was fascinating to learn the backstory of the parents we met in Lockhart's first novel. It made me want to go back and reread to connect all the dots. A solid YA book!

Gripping page-turner. What really happened? How did it happen? What are the secrets the Sinclair family has ALWAYS been hiding?
Reading this many years after the original means that I've forgotten some details, but it's interesting to see the ways the stories connect--not just through character, but through place. The family's island has a long history of tragedy, but it's hard to say that it's all accidental. 
Definitely adding to my middle-school collection, where murder mysteries are popular.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Nothing is what it seems and once again proving that being "rich" and having a private island does not bring happiness and major family drama exists at all social levels and times.

Date is made up. I fell behind on reviews.

I really liked this book. I was glad to return to the Island with the family and to learn more of their sordid history and dramas. It was all very depressing, as most of Lockhart's books seem to be, but in a melancholic, privileged life sort of way. I found the narrator predictably unreliable and appreciated there was not a giant twist like in the We Are Liars.

We return to the private island owned by the Sinclair family before the events in "We Were Liars." It's the summer of 1985 and Caroline is dealing with the grief of losing her 10-year-old Rosemary in a drowning accident and the recovery from a painful face surgery that reshaped her bone structure. Both incidents have left Caroline addicted to pills and hallucinating visits from her deceased sister.

Then her cousin arrives on the island with three friends in tow. Lies, betrayals, and secrets lead to a summer that will haunt the family for years to come. It was well-written and thought-provoking. It didn't have the same jaw-dropping twist as "We Were Liars" but it did take a good realistic look at family obligations, loss, and drug use. The Sinclairs do not disappoint as an in-depth look at a dysfunctional family.

Overall a really interesting and surprising story. I never saw the ending coming and literally never knew where the story was going.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the free ARC.

Oh how the rich and powerful can get away with anything. This prequel highlights even more how special the
Sinclair family is but as we know from We Were Liars, not all the glitters is gold.