Heart-Shaped Lies follows three girls with nothing in common except for the fact that they’re all dating the same guy. Tommy is an internet heartthrob and popular prank creator. Kiara is the official girlfriend who keeps his image in check and is starting to get fed up with his antics. Priscilla is a beauty influencer and Tommy’s co-star, but she wants to be more. She knows if they get together officially—which he keeps saying he’ll do—they can be an internet power couple. Nevaeh is a pastor’s daughter and a good girl who is dating Tommy online while not knowing who he truly is. When their lives all collide at Sunny World, more than just hearts and reputations are broken. Tommy winds up dead and the pointing fingers all go to three women scorned who claim they had nothing to do with his death.

I personally loved the concept of this book. It’s unique and layered with drama and intrigue, but unfortunately, I wasn’t a huge fan of the execution. The plot is interesting, but I felt the build up to Tommy’s death was too long. Once his death happens, though, the plot picks up and I enjoyed the ending. I personally didn’t see the twist coming and I thought it was well done.

I wasn’t overly fond of any of the characters, but of the three POVs, I liked Kiara the best. Priscilla I found to be a bit annoying and her obsession with Tommy was tiring. I felt bad for Nevaeh because she really had no idea who Tommy was and her storyline is so sad. Whereas I enjoyed that Kiara was starting to pull away from Tommy and realize how toxic and truly awful he was. Once all of the girls are disillusioned about Tommy, I found them all more bearable.

I think there’s a lot of valuable lessons for teenagers in this novel, but especially girls. Some of the topics discussed are very real and prevalent and teens should hopefully get some life lessons out of it. Especially Nevaeh’s storyline with online dating and sending pictures of yourself to people.

Overall, while this wasn’t for me, I think there’s a lot others will enjoy and I think teens will really relate to the characters and love this novel.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Delacorte Press and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Tommy is an influencer know for his pranks, pranks that are questionable at best. And when he turns up dead everyone wants to know who did it. Was it the girlfriend, the other star, or the nice church girl? All had motives as Tommy was manipulative and abusive. He was also a cheater. Each of the three girls will put the pieces together to try and figure out what happened to Tommy all while trying to heal themselves. A whodunnit that also focuses a lot on grief and mental health. Intriguing and will keep you reading to find out who is responsible for Tommy’s death!

I really struggled with this book. The characters are mostly unlikable until the last 10% of the book. The girls are awful to each other the entire time, despite knowing that they are all victims of the same jerk. The pacing was very slow, including tons of descriptions of the characters literally just moving from one place to the next and back again. You never know who to fully trust and that made the side plots/relationships (ie Jason and Alex) feel inauthentic. Much of this felt unrealistic..including and especially how none of these girls see Tommy as a monster for the majority of the novel. I think I could have enjoyed this novel if it was half as long, since there are some good themes in there about social media and teenagers. However, I really had to push myself to finish.

Thrills at every twist and turn! This was a fast paced read that I devoured in one day. I could not put it down!

This was a YA book, so if you go into it with that mindset it's a pretty good story. Tommy is a selfish typical 20ish-year-old frat boy who is an internet prank star. He's also a player and doesn't think about how he affects anyone around him. The story was engaging and I was surprised at the end when the reveal was made. Moral of the story is don't be a cheating jerk and involving multiple people. It won't end well.

Captivating young adult mystery that masterfully blends social media drama with a thrilling whodunit. The story revolves around three high school girls—Kiara, Priscilla, and Nevaeh—who discover they were all dating the same social media prankster, Tommy Harding. When Tommy is found dead, the girls must set aside their differences to uncover the truth behind his murder.

Agyemang’s writing is sharp and engaging, drawing readers into the complex web of secrets and lies. The characters are well-developed and relatable, each bringing their own unique perspective to the story. The alternating viewpoints among the girls add depth and keep the narrative fresh and intriguing.

The plot is fast-paced and full of twists, making it a page-turner from start to finish.

The description of Heart-Shaped Lies really intrigued me, and I hoped that this would be a great addition to the murder mystery genre. Unfortunately, I felt that the characters in the novel weren't developed enough for me to even care about what was happening to them. It took way too long for Tommy to meet his fate and took way too long for the girls to realize that Tommy was a prick.
I'm not really sure what some of the scenes had to do with the actual story line; it just all felt too heavy and cumbersome to finish, but I eventually did finish. Readers won't stay engaged enough to see this one to the end. **sigh**

Heart-Shaped LIes by Elizabeth Agyemang is a fun Ya murder mystery in Sunny World Florida.
The internet prank star Tommy Harding has ended up dead after his senior trip. There is a lot of speculation about who could have done it. The long-suffering girlfriend Kiana, the other internet star Priscilla, or Neveah a girl Tommy catfished.
Tommy is the type of prank internet star that disguises bad behavior under the guise of "just joking". He lies and manipulates every one around him to get his way. He's the kind of guy girls in high school date before they learn better. I wasn't sorry when his character died.
Each of the girls he's manipulating has a reason that they could have killed him and they all have something to hide. Even after his death, the girls seem to have someone stalking them trying to get them to take the blame and tell the truth about what happened.
This book is quite a ride and brings up a lot of high school days spent at theme parks. I recommended this to my teenage daughter who loves a bit of true crime.
Thank you Netgalley for this arc. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

The story centers around three teenage girls, Kiara, Priscilla, and Nevaeh, who are all deeply hurt when their popular classmate, Tommy, is exposed as a cheater. Seeking revenge, they wish him out of their lives. However, their wish takes a sinister turn when Tommy is found dead. As the girls become suspects, they must navigate the complexities of their own friendships and the secrets they've been hiding while trying to uncover the truth.

What I Loved:

Relatable Characters: The three protagonists are well-developed and easy to sympathize with. Their struggles with betrayal, friendship, and self-discovery are universal.
Gripping Plot: Agyemang masterfully weaves a suspenseful narrative that keeps readers guessing until the very end. The twists and turns are unexpected and satisfying.
Social Commentary: The novel offers a thought-provoking exploration of the impact of social media on young people and the dangers of online anonymity.
Strong Female Friendship: The bond between Kiara, Priscilla, and Nevaeh is heartwarming and provides a much-needed sense of support in the face of adversity.
Overall, Heart-Shaped Lies is a thrilling and engaging read that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. Fans of YA mysteries and social commentary will appreciate this thought-provoking novel.

This is a compelling read, I really enjoyed the first 1/2 to 2/3 of this book. I think I needed tighter editing on the last bit.

Had to DNF this one. None of the characters were likable and I was glad the MMC didn't make it from page 1. I couldn't get into it when there was no one really to root for.

I really really thought I would love this one but unfortunately it just was so slow to start that I did not feel the need to pick it up. I had to DNF this one.

John Tucker must die is one of my favorite movies and a Good Girl's Guide to Murder is one of my favorite books so I knew I had to read this. Thanks to Netgalley I was able to and I'm definitely here for it. This did not disappoint.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I was really enthralled with the premise of this book- amusement park, secrets and lies, and pranks of a lifetime. The beginning was pretty slow for me, but it did start to pick up. The twist at the end was good, but the hacker situation was giving Pretty Little Liars. I think the ending could have been a little more suspenseful. Overall, I enjoyed this book and will read more from the author. I think that maybe this book was just not up my alley.

It was a cute mystery that was entertaining enough to keep me intrigued to the end, mostly bc I had to make sure that it wasn't going to end in one of two extremely predictable ways. The characters were as naive as teens can be,which was annoying at times, but that's just the genre for you sometimes. I am very glad my favorite character did not die or turn out to be bad bc that always happens with my favorites.

I have never looked forward to a character dying quite as much as I did Tommy Harding.

This kid is VILE. I had a visceral reaction to him, and I really struggled to understand what Kiara was doing with him for so long. More than once, his bullshit would have been a dealbreaker for me, and yet she stays.

Once Tommy was dead, however, I quite enjoyed this twisty little thriller. The concept was interesting, and I loved the 3-person POV.

Elizabeth Agyemang’s "Heart-Shaped Lies" is a gripping and witty mystery that expertly blends the intrigue of "John Tucker Must Die" with the suspense of "A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder." This novel delves into the lives of three teenage girls who, despite their differences, are bound by their shared connection to the internet's most notorious prankster, Tommy Harding.

Kiara, the academic star and public girlfriend; Priscilla, the beauty influencer and Tommy’s co-star; and Nevaeh, the good girl and pastor’s daughter, find themselves united by betrayal and deception when a viral post reveals Tommy’s duplicity. The girls’ fury and heartbreak take a sinister turn when Tommy’s body is discovered, transforming their personal vendetta into a chilling whodunit.

Agyemang deftly crafts a narrative where humor and darkness coexist, creating a story that is as entertaining as it is suspenseful. The dynamic between the three exes is electric, with each character bringing a unique perspective and a host of secrets to the table. As they navigate their new reality as suspects, the girls must confront not only the truth about Tommy but also about themselves and each other.

The mystery at the heart of "Heart-Shaped Lies" is compelling and unpredictable. The resurgence of Tommy’s deactivated social media account adds an eerie layer to the plot, making the reader question the reliability of every character and the truth behind every revelation. Agyemang’s ability to keep the reader guessing until the very end is a testament to her skill as a storyteller.

"Heart-Shaped Lies" is a standout novel that tackles themes of trust, betrayal, and the dark side of social media with a sharp, tongue-in-cheek approach. Fans of teen mysteries and thrillers will find themselves captivated by this fast-paced, cleverly written book. Elizabeth Agyemang delivers a thrilling read that is both fun and thought-provoking, making "Heart-Shaped Lies" a must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery with a modern twist.

Okay, I loved this book…. It had so many people with motive that it had me thinking about several scenarios and not sure of what direction it was going. I love not being able to predict the ending and being surprised and this book delivered just that

Thank you so much for allowing me to read this book!!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57823511

Amazing read! Enjoyed this from beginning to end. Will most definitely recommend to my book friends!