Book Review: Pretty Little Liars Book 1 by Sara Shepard

“When someone covets something they desire and lust over it.Usually it's something they can't have. You've always had that problem...”

― Sara Shepard, Pretty Little Liars 

Sara Shepard is the author of the Pretty Little Liars young adult book series. The series, which began with the first book of the same name published in 2006, centers on the lives of Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin, Aria Montgomery, and Emily Fields.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

 Spencer covets her sister's boyfriend. Aria's fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily's crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful. But they've all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished.

How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and the dirty secrets they've kept. And guess what? I'm telling.

My reaction to the novel...

Let me start by saying that this novel astonished me. Young adult books occasionally include demeaning childish elements. The phrases are very straightforward, and it seems as though the author doesn't value the reader's knowledge enough to provide any level of complexity. But in this novel, it felt like high school without being overly simplistic. That is very appreciated.

Since I truly want to see the series, I've made the decision to read this novel first. To me, reading it before watching it is crucial. I don't know why I only came upon these novels, despite the fact that I am aware of how long this book series and its television adaptation have been running.

The plot is excellent; it is thrilling and captivating. I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did. I was very mistaken when I assumed it would be about whining, privileged teens dealing with high school drama. The plot seemed oddly compelling. The females are insane! I can't believe some of the things they did when they were so young. The tale revolves mostly around the secrets these females possess. Each chapter was written from the perspectives of Spencer, Aria, Hanna, or Emily, which I found to be wonderful. I adore each of them as a character.

Pretty Little Liars moved quickly in my head throughout the whole day. It was really difficult for me to put it down, and once I did, I pondered it throughout the remainder of the day. I was curious to learn what would happen next, and I'm ready to read it all through so I can watch the complete TV show. Since this book contains many serious subjects, I would only suggest it to adults and older adolescents. Although I think it is more of a remorseful novel, I really did love it! I'm eager to read the other books in the series.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4/5)

“You know what they say about hope. It breeds eternal misery!”

Hope may create sorrow because we occasionally wish for things to happen to us that are impossible to happen, especially when we wish for them. Our hopes will be crushed. Our dream has been dashed, therefore we won't be able to deal right away. Though hope offers light to everybody, it may also serve as a catalyst for our descent into darkness.