Member Reviews
NetGalley thank you for the opportunity to read this. It was good. Maybe not me but I can still appreciate the effort put into writing this. Thank you again for the opportunity to read it.
There were a few good quotes but overall I didn't like any of the characters. Hawthorn is a typical teenager full engrossed in herself. I became frustrated with her lack of growth and her inability to even acknowledge how her actions affected everyone around her. I was swept away with the mystery of what really happened to Lizzy, but that was definitely not the main focus of the book and the revelation near the end was a little lackluster.
Well written, I just did not click with the subject.
Hawthorn, named after the tree (not the author), becomes obsessed with her older brother's friend, Homecoming Queen Lizzie Lovett, after being snubbed by her once during her freshman year after unearthing an unrelated affair between another student and a teacher (I think). Years later, Lizzie goes missing, and Hawthorn decides to investigate because Lizzie might have been a werewolf despite no evidence leading to that conclusion. She takes Lizzie's former job and awkwardly befriends her boyfriend, ignores her own best friend and is generally unsupportive of things best friends usually support each other through. I could not stand this narrator. Or the plot. The entire thing was very strange, but not in a fantastic kind of way. I do think the story is relevant to a social media obsessed generation because appearances do not make a reality.
The moral really is to trust your big brother when he tells you that a guy is a loser.
Trigger warning: There is a lot of talk about suicide. Much more often and graphic than expected.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this advanced copy; I apologize for this belated review.
"The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett" by Chelsea Sedoti is a captivating exploration of identity and the complexities of adolescence. The novel follows Hawthorn Creely, an eccentric teenager whose fascination with the disappearance of Lizzie Lovett leads her on a quirky and unpredictable journey. Sedoti skillfully weaves a narrative that blends mystery, coming-of-age, and a touch of magical realism.
Hawthorn is a refreshingly unique protagonist, and Sedoti delves into the struggles of self-discovery and the desire to fit in. The narrative unfolds with a perfect balance of humor and poignancy, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. Sedoti's writing is both insightful and witty, capturing the essence of teenage angst and the quest for meaning.
The exploration of rumors and the nature of truth adds depth to the storyline, challenging readers to question their perceptions. Sedoti's character development is exceptional, and the novel is rich with relatable emotions and experiences.
"The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett" is a thought-provoking and entertaining read that lingers in the mind, leaving readers with a newfound appreciation for the complexity of human connections and the importance of embracing one's true self.
Even though Hawthorn thinks she is the weirdest and most friendless individual at her small town high school, the truth is that she is just .. well .. ordinary. She is as self-absorbed as any typical teenager, and as self-dramatizing.
The author's voice feels very true, although I thought Hawthorn seemed quite a bit younger than her age in her persistent belief in werewolves, and the way she used that belief as a litmus test for her friends.
I expected more from the book, but didn't feel like Hawthorn's great revelations were all that revealing.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I read about half way on this before I went into a reading slump. The book was enjoyable but it just wasnt the right time for me to read it. I plan to try again another time.
An ode to oddity as a character-defining trait. With an unreliable narrator, a prevailing mystery in a small town, and a blurred line between Lizzie Lovett and our protagonist herself, it is difficult to tell where the truth ends and a lie - or obsession - begins. Warmly recommended to all craving some small-town suspense in a YA package.
This YA was a mess! There was no tone set, the MC was a disaster and I felt like the plot fell flat. I hate giving bad reviews, but this book was not anything I would recommend. Thank you though to the publisher for the opportunity to review an early copy in exchange for an honest review!
I really had a great time reading this book! It was a fascinating mystery-of what happened to Lindsey, and I really enjoyed watching Hawthorn tackle it, to try and figure it out. It was such a great read, and I had such a great time with it!
Going in and taking the place of someone who is missing, that's a little bit creepy. To do it to investigate the missing person's life, prove a theory about her disappearance...yeah, it's questionable. But it is fiction, and it is a pretty interesting idea! I had a great time reading about her investigation!
While Hawthorn is learning all these things about Lindsey, how she wasn't as happy as she looked, we're also getting to know Hawthorn at the same time. She's awkward and she's a loner, and I can easily identify with that! But she does grow and stretch her wings in this book, which was great to read.
That ending when we find out exactly what happened to Lizzie? That was pretty heartbreaking. I mean, it definitely could've been worse, but just that what it was...that hurt. But oh, did it make for a really great story!
This was a really great read, and I can't wait for whatever Chelsea Sedoti writes next!
Thank you to source books and net galley for an advanced readers copy. I had a hard time with this book, maybe my expectations were too high. I think part of my disappointment was the protagonist hawthorn. I didn’t connect with her and her actions especially the “romance” with Lizzie’s older boyfriend when she was still a teenager. I also like to have closure in a story and didn’t get it here.
Lizzie Lovett is an “it girl”. She is popular, personality, beautiful, a cheerleader, etc.. Everyone wants to be her and every guy wants to date her. That is the perception of Hawthorne who is her exact opposite.
Hawthorn is having a rough time in high school. Her only friend has a boyfriend of a not-so-nice girl. When Lizzie disappears Hawthornes starts to play detective and come up with her own theories.
Things were not at all what they appeared to be.
I gave this book a three stars because it felt average. I enjoyed it. I finished it. I liked the characters. However, it is not a top favorite or one I would be rushing to suggest to others. I would try more books by this author!
Thank you, NetGalley for the privilege of receiving an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti
Hawthorne is one of the most unbearable characters I've ever read about. She hates pretty much everyone and wants everyone to suffer. She's super judgmental and mean, She makes fun of cultural/spiritual practices from multiple cultures. The treatment of mental illness was horrific. I have no idea why this was published.
Hawthorn wasn't trying to insert herself into a missing person's investigation. Or maybe she was. But that's only because Lizzie Lovett's disappearance is the one fascinating mystery their sleepy town has ever had. Bad things don't happen to popular girls like Lizzie Lovett, and Hawthorn is convinced she'll turn up at any moment-which means the time for speculation is now.
So Hawthorn comes up with her own theory for Lizzie's disappearance. A theory way too absurd to take seriously...at first. The more Hawthorn talks, the more she believes. And what better way to collect evidence than to immerse herself in Lizzie's life? Like getting a job at the diner where Lizzie worked and hanging out with Lizzie's boyfriend. After all, it's not as if he killed her-or did he?
As much as I wanted to absolutely love this book I didn't. It was a pretty quick read, but it felt like something was missing. I thought it was a mystery of some sort, but Lizzie just fantasized what happened instead of going out and investigating like I thought she would.
“There's no such thing as a normal high school experience, Thorny. You assume everyone else is happy all he time and living an ideal life. You don't get that other people are pretending too.”
This was my first book from Chelsea Sedoti but I would give her books another try!
*I received this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
So one thing I've been avoiding lately are all the "this teen girl is missing, dead, or both" books. The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett, with its bright cheery cover, doesn't seem like it'll be ones of those, but guess what? It is! Lizzie is missing and our narrator doesn't care. She really wants everyone to know how much she doesn't care. By talking about it and thinking about it obsessively.
It quickly became obvious to me that this child isn't just annoying; there are multiple mysteries going on here for the reader. This book is layered and engrossing, *if* you can handle Hawthorn. Once I got a feel for her (certain adults will pick up on context clues right away), I spent the whole time mostly angry at her parents.
I received this free eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.
This has been on my TBR pile for so long, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. I really enjoyed the storyline and seeing the characters change throughout the story was a great character development. The plot was great and kept my attention. I'm glad I got the chance to read this and will be on the lookout for more in the future!
ARC
This was a book I couldn’t and didn’t want to put down. Hawthorn had a weird, sickly obsession with Lizzie. If it wasn’t for wanting to find out what happened to Lizzie I would have nixed the book. The author got me til the end.
This was a quirky and fun twist on the mystery / crime genres. An easy read with memorable characters.
This book started off with me being skeptical, but as I was listening to the audiobook version, it surprisingly became more enjoyable and I liked having it in the background. It felt like the type of book you'd listen to when you want to unwind and a simple and quirky story. Or so I thought it would be.
Unfortunately, Hawthorn, the main female lead, is the most annoying, whiney and pathetic character I've had to read —or rather listen to in the first person point of view. Lizzie Lovett was everything Hawthorn had wanted to be, and thought she was her key to being popular as well, but when that didn't work out for her and Lizzie only knew Hawthorn as Rush's younger sister, she vowed to not care about the girl and what she thought. She announced to all who would listen, which was her only friend anyway, that she hated Lizzie. When in reality, she was just uber jealous. So when Lizzie disappears, Hawthorn is like 'Oh My God who cares? Stop talking about her she wasn't anything special!'
When in reality, she of all people is fixated on Lizzie and the fact that she had this amazing life Hawthorn didn't think she deserved because she was privileged. Good looks and popularity, what more can any girl want, right?
Ugh, so yeah, at 12% in, I couldn't take it anymore and decided to stop. If you have a higher tolerance for a whiney and annoying non-popular kid, this book's for you.
I feel like the title for this book was all wrong. Lizzie may have been the catalyst for the story but she wasn't the main character and the title is misleading. I was expecting to actually hear definitive lies from Lizzie, but the focus was on Hawthorn, her obsession with the supernatural, and her inappropriate relationship with Enzo. I wasn't expecting a hanging at the end, and I wish this had come with some kind of trigger warning alerting the reader that there was going to be a graphic suicide like that.
I really enjoyed this one! The characters were well developed and the plot kept me engaged the entire time!