This was very tense mystery thriller that kept me on the edge of seat. The narrator did such a good job of creating very different voices for every character which is hard to do. I devoured this on audio and am very excited to recommend to fans of books like One of Us is Lying and Pretty Little Liars.

Jessie Weaver's debut novel is a fantastic addition to the YA thriller genre. When Summer Cartwright, a popular social media influencer, is found dead at her own Halloween party, no one is safe from suspicion. To become as popular as Summer, you've got to make some frenemies along the way, and Summer has plenty of them.

Live Your Best Lie definitely has a One of Us is Lying/Serial vibe. But what makes this book stand out from the influx of books within this genre is the way that Ms. Weaver very obviously understands today's teenagers. Her characters are as socially conscious as they are self-serving, and everyone is suspect because everyone is somewhat morally gray.

My favorite aspect of Ms. Weaver's writing, though, is her representation of diverse characters. I was specifically captivated by a minor character, Oscar. He has spina bifida (as does my young son), but she doesn't allow his disability to define his absolutely enchanting and hilarious personality. Rather than write in Oscar as someone to be pitied, he is instead an athletic and hilarious ladies man who is one of the most likable people in a very diverse cast of characters. I'm excited that my son will be able to open the pages of what I anticipate to be a very popular YA novel and feel represented. Likewise, I feel as though most young people will find characters within this novel that resonate with each of them.

*I'd like to thank NetGalley and Disney Audiobooks for an Audio ARC of this novel in exchange for a non-biased review*

One group of friends and so many secrets.

This YA thriller follows the murder a social media influencer and finding her killer among her group of (faux) friends. With social media posts still being posted from her account sharing all her friends and families secrets (and teasers from her upcoming memoir) it has the whole group working together to find out who did it and/or why they are being framed. Is it the ex who broke her heart? The borderline stalker underclass man who wants to be her? The girl she’s blackmailing about her future? Her best friend who shattered her? Her shady/not present parents? Her brother who maybe doesn’t miss her like he should? So many questions. So many motives.

This book! Definitely read it but still have so many questions…..

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book.

Summer Cartwright is a 16-year-old influencer living a charmed Hollywood, California life. She's rich, well-connected, and she just signed a massive book deal for an upcoming tell-all style memoir. When a new post from Summer's Instagram account announces that the social media star will be dead in the next five minutes, the guests are her Halloween party think it's just part of the entertainment. Her friends know different. That's not Summer's brand. Something is wrong. There were right-Summer was actually dead. As the police begin to investigate, those closest to Summer begin their own search for the killer. The suspect list keeps growing as the motive for the murder appears to be the book she was working on. If Summer was dead, would the book and the dark secrets it was set to reveal go away?

Told from the points of view of Summer's bff, Grace, Summer's ex-boyfriend Adam, Summer's number one fan, Cora, and her one-time roommate, Lanie, Live Your Best Lie is a twisted, suspenseful debut. The narrator does an excellent job of juggling the various character points of view as well as flashbacks, but the inclusion of social media posts and comments, police interviews, and newspaper articles make for an interesting read. A delightfully wicked read as well as a timely cautionary tale-social media never tells the whole story and influencers only show what they want you to see.

Hand this to fans of Karen McManus and Maureen Johnson and anyone else who likes to solve the puzzle along with the characters. The clues are there for the clever reader, but so are the red herrings. Readers who make it to the end will be rewarded with a final twist you won't see coming.

Audiobook Review - While there seems to be many YA mysteries involving the death of an influencer on the market 'Live Your Best Lie' stands out and tells its own story. The characters are complicated and all suspect for their own reasons. However, it isn't until the final pages that readers learn who the real murderer is and what their motives were. Hand this to teens who enjoy mysteries that feature social media posts.