A rather slow start, and the ending came about rather quickly, but it is definitely the kind of book I can see appealing to teen readers.
Our main character is playing hide and seek with her twin brothers when she finds the news article wedged in her father's desk. It tells the story of her father finding an abandoned baby. Putting two and two together to make five, she immediately jumps to the conclusion that she is adopted and starts trying to find out the story behind the news article.
Her friends are keen to help her discover the truth, and their amateur sleuthing leads her to a number of unexpected discoveries.
Without giving too much away, this is a story that doesn't spend much time expanding on anything other than the details focused on at a specific moment. A number of the characters are not particularly fleshed out, and the ending felt abrupt.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this prior to publication.

This book follows a trend I've been seeing a lot lately in YA murder mysteries - alternating timelines between when the crime or whatever happened, and present day, and I'm here for it. I think it lends a lot to the story and really helps you get an almost behind the scenes look at what was going on when the crimes were committed that can help you piece together what's happening in the present day. For majority of the book I could not at all figure out what was going on. In fact, of the major three plot points in this book, I only ended up figuring out one of them about a chapter or two before it was revealed. I really enjoy it when it I can't figure out what's going on, or only pick up on it a bit later on. This was a very interesting read and I will definitely recommend it.

I really enjoyed this!

Pearl finds a newspaper clipping in her father’s study one day while playing hide and seek with her twin brothers and best friend, Danny. According to the article, Pearl’s father found an abandoned baby 16 years ago. The problem is that Pearl has never heard this story before. She begins to question everything and what unravels is a world full of secrets and lies. Murder, deception, a mugging and an inappropriate student /teacher relationship. How does Pearl fit into all of this and where does that leave her with her family?

Told between present day and flashbacks to 2007, this story is fast paced and gripping. I was hooked pretty quickly and rushed to the end!

There wasn’t much mystery as I feel it all unfolds pretty quick and there’s quite a few pieces, however I found it entertaining and interesting. It was pretty predictable, but I was surprised by the end!

I wouldn’t really call this a thriller as nothing thrilling really happened, but it was a bit of a mystery that was tied up in a perfect little bow.

Overall, this is a real page turner and I think fans of YA will enjoy it!

I'm a bit undecided on my rating for this. There were times that I felt fully invested, and then times when I wasn't. Although this is a YA novel, I believe the character development still could have been stronger. I didn't exactly feel connected to any of the characters, and the protagonist was described as being clumsy and accident prone, to the point of it being ridiculous. I don't know if it was my lack of investment in the end, but it seemed a little convoluted for the targeted age group. Overall, it was a good storyline and okay read, just not my personal preference in execution. Three Stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Hashtag Press, for this ARC.

This book has such a good twist at the end!!!! I loved this book and it was another one that I couldn't stop reading. I love mystery books and this one was full of intrigue. Pearl finds a hidden newspaper clipping in her dad's desk drawer. The clipping is all about the time her dad found a baby outside of the hospital. Pearl has noticed that she is different from the rest of her family and immediately assumes the baby is her. This starts her off on a massive hunt for the truth, opening several cans of worms on the way. These mysteries are what kept me reading until late into the night. I was so curious to find out what was the truth and what was lies. I would totally recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery. Although once again I feel it is a book that teaches us that we need to talk to each other and not make up stories in our minds.

This was so sweet and believable! I was really rooting for these kids. It truly felt like a coming of age novel.
Pearl doesn't feel like she belongs to her mom ever since her mom had her twin brothers, who are cute little manaces. When she finds a news clipping about her dad finding a baby she decides to investigate. She discovers a murder, a fire, and a whole conspiracy.
It was lovely.

"It All Started with a Lie" is a gripping tale about the devastating implications of a single falsehood. The author expertly constructs a complicated web of intrigue, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. As Pearl goes on a mission to discover the truth about her father's secret, the story takes unexpected turns, resulting in surprising disclosures. With its captivating plot, well-drawn characters, and thought-provoking ideas, this book is a must-read for fans of suspenseful and twist-filled stories.rhis has to be an amazing mystery thriller book especially if your in a book slump and don't know what to read.

Thank you netgalley and PR Ltd

Even though I’m an adult, I still enjoy YA books and It All Started With a Lie was one of them. I definitely did not expect some of the twists and reveals. Definitely different from other books I’ve previously read

Oh wow, what a mess. I don’t think I’ve read a thriller that was less thrilling. Somehow, it still fell flat, even with all the attempted curveballs and misdirects. In the final few chapters, we finally get the reveal with not one but two plot twists, one of which was completely predictable and the other out of the left fucking field. At the end of the day, the story could’ve been saved with decent narration, but we didn’t really get that either.

Also, was I the only one who thought Pearl was in love with Danny?

Great story, lots of twists and enjoyed the two timelines running alongside in a very clear way. Mostly quick paced, there was a little bit in the middle where it slowed really down however the ending more then made up for it!

This was a satisfying teen mystery/drama that was easy to read and get involved with. I liked that the story kept its focus on the mystery and didn't get bogged down on the introduction of a new friend to the friendship group. I expected this to drag out for longer but it was dealt with fairly quickly yet realistically. The characters were easy to like and the chapters dealing with the past didn't give too much away. There was just enough to get the reader thinking. Some nice little twists at the end although I feel there was a bit of a plot hole in the final action scene.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I could not put this book down. It starts with Pearl finding old newspaper clippings in her father’s study and leads to her and her friends looking into a murder, a mystery girl and an abandoned baby. I loved the story, the friendships and the secrets. I didn’t see the ending coming but it was absolutely perfect! Looking forward to reading more from this author

Thank you NetGalley and Hashtag Press for this advanced copy! Unfortunately I had to dnf this book. NOT because it was bad but because it was a little too juvenile for me. I think It All Started With A Lie would be a great thriller for young adults! I have nothing bad to say!

Thank you Netgalley and the author/publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review.

This book was a fun and pretty short read. It had me changing my guess on the ending multiple times throughout the book. There were a lot of characters which were hard to keep track of a couple times but overall I really enjoyed it and was happy to read it before it came out!

Thank you NetGalley and Hashtag press for the advanced copy to read. All of these opinions are my own.

This book had a great story with a lot of mystery and intrigue and made me remember one of my favorite books from when I was much younger, The Face On The Milk Carton. The incident of Pearl finding a picture of her father holding a baby that he found abandoned at the same time that Pearl was born created a fast paced story of pearl trying to uncover her origin story and how it relates to the mysterious baby that was found. She tries to identify the baby while uncovering other buried secrets that her family and neighbors are keeping. In a story where Pearl has to question if she can trust the people she loves most, join her to unravel this mystery, which involves a secret love, hidden agendas, and disguised identities…

I really enjoyed the layers to this story and how Pearl and her group of friends had to come up with creative ways to unravel the mystery while overcoming obstacles along the way. I like how the author layered the past with the present so that there seemed to be an echo within the characters and situations. I particularly enjoyed the strong bond between Pearl and her dad and I was happy to the see the strength of the bond Pearl had with her mom over time. I liked how it showcased that some relationships are more complicated than others but that the bond is still as strong in the end.

While I thought this book had a really intriguing plot, I think it could have been executed a bit more smoothly.

For starters, I felt like this read like a middle school/high school diary. The internal dialogue and constant questioning of self felt very repetitive and like the writer desperately wanted the reader to be in the main characters shoes but instead it felt forced and shallow because a true emotional connection with the characters was never established.

Which leads me to my second point… I had zero ability to connect with any of the characters. They all annoyed me and I couldn’t care less about any of them and the main character just felt tiresome and exhausting. She jumped to conclusions so fast that my neck hurt trying to keep up. She would have an idea and the next page it became fact. And then sometimes those ideas became awkward. Like how she found out she MIGHT have an uncle ty but then like two pages later she AND HER FRIENDS are just fully referring to him as uncle ty. And then she just refers to other adults as though they are on the same level such as sarah and Dave. She referred to them so casually that I had to read back and remind myself who they were and why they were significant. And when I remembered that they were adults and parents of the main characters friend… I was shocked to remember the age difference and casually the character referred to them as their first names. SHE HAD JUST MET THEM

And that brings me to another point. The random confession. For years and years this crime has gone unsolved and then randomly some high school kids put together some loosely related clues And then with dramatically jumping to conclusions they potentially solve the crime but Sarah’s confession is just so over the top. Like why after all these years does she choose to just unload all of these intricate details, with most not having to be shared but she just unloads like she has this conscious, which would be fine if the author made us care about either sarah or pearl but she didn’t. If anything the confession feels awkward and displaced and made me feel more uncomfortable than like I was finding the solution to a mystery.

I guess my true singular complaint was that that there didn’t seem to be a clear audience for this story. The dialogue felt very juvenile and shallow but then adults were treated as equals to teens and f bombs were tossed around super casually. I couldn’t tell if the author was speaking more to younger or older teens and it made it confusing to me as a reader because the narrator felt unstable since she didn’t seem to remain a consistent age or maturity.

And this might be me being picky, but I feel like the author wanted the main character to come across as one of those adorably clumsy characters who just happen to get hurt in the oddest way but also it’s used to create a bond to the character and move along the story. In this situation it just felt distracting. Like oh my gosh something is happening that might be interesting better make the main character look adorably dumb and clumsy so we can play off these redundant tropes and do the whole damsel in distress bit but also use this to make something typically impossible and unbelievable happen but it’s ok because the main character was cute…

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I’m thankful for the advanced copy and glad I was able to read this fast paced mystery that seemed to unfold right before my eyes. While I think stronger character development would have made this overall story more successful, I enjoyed myself and would recommend this to anyone who likes family drama/mystery stories where the unexpected can happen and anyone could be guilty…

I received an advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This YA book is somewhat interesting but more concerning in my opinion for the developing brain of a young adult to be reading.
Overall, I believe that by disregarding the severity of mental illness and ignoring the significance of a student with an obsessive personality stalking a teacher, that ultimately led to an innocent person’s death is not a book I would recommend for any young person to read. The author is basically condoning the above and ending the story with no consequences or repercussions of any of these actions/behaviors.

It all started with a lie is an enthralling young adult (YA) thriller that strikes a chord more profoundly on the psychological aspect rather than through overt action or horror. Before I dive deeper into my thoughts on this book, I need to address a significant point of critique that impacted my reading experience. The entire narrative could have been concluded after just 10% of the book had the protagonist, Pearl, taken the seemingly simple step of communicating with her parents. This plot device, while crucial for the story's progression, was, in my opinion, a glaring oversight. Of course, had Pearl taken this route, the story would have reached its denouement much earlier than intended. The author attempts to provide justifications for Pearl's reluctance to engage in this vital conversation, yet I found these reasons to be insufficiently convincing and lacking in depth to warrant the ensuing complications.

However, should one be able to suspend disbelief over this narrative choice and overlook the bypassing of a more logical path of communication, the book presents itself as a compelling read. The author's writing style is notably youthful and cohesive, effectively capturing the essence of its characters and the world they inhabit. The characters themselves are crafted with a relatable and endearing touch, making it easy for readers to empathize with their situations and root for their successes.

Furthermore, the construction of mystery and secrets within the story is executed with a level of finesse that genuinely engaged me, weaving a web of intrigue that is both captivating and thrilling. After overcoming my initial skepticism regarding the foundational premise of the narrative, I found myself thoroughly engrossed in the unfolding drama and mystery. The book managed to captivate my attention completely.

Particularly commendable is the author's ability to maintain a delicate balance between suspense and character development (and Pearls fears).

In conclusion, "It all started with a lie" stands as a solid recommendation from me, especially for those new to the YA mystery genre. Its few narrative shortcomings are largely overshadowed by its strengths, namely the engaging writing style, well-developed characters, and a gripping plot that promises to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Pearl has a good family life until she comes across a news article featuring a picture of her father holding a baby that he found outside a hospital. Because she is young (!), and because the baby would have been her age now, Pearl quickly begins to suspect that her family has been lying to her.

This kicks off a major "investigation" and a deep dive into secrets, lies and suspicion. Not surprisingly some aspects of the search end in tears, while others reveal unexpected findings.

Overall, this was an interesting read, though it was initially hard to get into. The pacing could certainly have been improved. But it was ultimately quite enjoyable.

I had to sit on this one a little bit before reviewing. There were a lot of things I did enjoy this book, such as the quick pacing and the use of text messages to show the different timelines - that was new for me! While the storyline had an interesting premise, something about the execution didn't work for me. I felt like there were so many characters and so much action that it wasn't well-developed when it could have had a bigger impact if things slowed down a bit and focused on less at once. All of that being said, I enjoyed the level of suspense and the twists that were thrown into the story - I think a lot of my middle schoolers will enjoy this one!

After reading over 20%, I had to dnf It All Started With a Lie. Though I am a huge fan of the mystery/thriller genre and enjoy a YA teen detective at the front of a mystery, this novel felt like it was written for an even younger audience. The language lacked maturity, and the fast-paced plot felt forced. The main character, a stereotypical girl swooning over a boy best friend, finds a picture of her father holding a baby while playing with her brothers and instantly suspects he’s hiding a big story from her. Instead of talking to the father because “Well, he would’ve told me”, she contacts everyone else and lazily tries to connects other events together that have absolutely no connection to one another, still without talking to her parents. A novel being YA does not mean characters and plot cannot be lazily and immaturely written, especially if you are writing a mystery, which demands maturity and thoughtfulness in and of itself, and since this novel lacked both, I did not feel that I could continue reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hashtag Press for the advanced reader copy of this novel.