Customer Reviews

Kisses and Lies (Scarlett Wakefield Series)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Synopsis: Scarlett is a modern day Nancy Drew. In the first book of the series, Scarlett kissed a boy and he died. This book follows Scarlett through the mystery of who poisoned the boy and why they did it. Set in London and remote parts of Scotland, Scarlett is a privileged orphan who loves modern fashion and possibly the gardener's son Jase. Her friend Taylor (an American who has really big shoulders from being on the swim team and doesn't like to wear makeup) is basically her sidekick in mystery solving and by the end of the book the two know who killed the boy from the first book and are ready for their next mystery.

I noticed several reviews which stated that it was imperative to read the first book (Kiss Me Kill Me) first. Er...no. It really isn't. Scarlett summarises the events of the first book many many times, all throughout the book so there is no chance of the reader not being up to date with what's going on. While I sort of enjoyed a YA novel being set in the UK (most are American, so it was a nice change), I got sick of Scarlett's world of privilege pretty fast. She has a lot of money, she's an orphan, her Grandmother wears pearls, she has a trust fund...it just got boring. I also think that the whole "I must go and visit the dead boy's family in their Scottish castle!" was ridiculous. As if a grieving family would invite a girl their son hardly knew to come and stay with them.

I did like the ending - it wasn't wrapped up neatly and the fact that Taylor, Scarlett and another character are all carrying the burden of a secret gives them more character and makes them more interesting. However, I don't know that I'll bother with the rest of this series.

Kisses and Lies was just as good and possibly even better than its predecessor. Also a big recommendation, read the series in order. You don't always have to do that, but I highly suggest with this series that you do. If you remember my review from Kiss Me Kill Me, you'll recall that I had a few problems with the plot, but not enough to keep me from liking the novel. Unfortunately I again had some issues with the plot, but somehow I still found the book entertaining.

Issue number one. Yes, Scarlett I know you are a freaggin orphan. You say that is doesn't bother you, because you barely remember your parents when they died, since you were so young, yet you won't stop whining about it. Another annoying Scarlett habit is her constant questioning of Taylor. Am I depending on Taylor to much... yada, yada, yada... five pages or so... am I depending on Taylor so much.... repeat at least five more times, this part seriously annoyed me so much... it's ticking me off just writing about it. On top of those two less than stellar Scarlett moments, I also found Scarlett doing things that I found very out of character for her, maybe it was just me.

Issue number two. I understand the need for Scarlett to go to Castle Airlie, which was Dan's home, so she can solve the big mystery and all, but I hate the way of her invitation. I mean seriously. She writes a letter to Dan's parents basically inviting herself, because it might help them with closure. Oh and that she has something of his that she would like to give back, which is a lie. Let's examine the relationship between Dan and Scarlett, shall we? That's right there wasn't one! It was a one night stand! Not even that, it was more like a ten-second frencher! What could she possibly know about their son, to give them some kind of closure? And why would they invite her to spend the holiday with them....?

Then of course there is a big revelation about Dan, which I have to say I wasn't really all that surprised. There were some twists that did get me, and I think that is what ultimately made up the novel for me. Apparently there were times where I found the novel to be imperfect, but don't let that overshadow the fact that I still found the novel to be very alluring. The unique characters and Henderson's writing, make up for my few annoyances.

There was one more thing I wanted to address that was bothering me, but really has nothing to do with the novel itself, but the character Taylor. I really love her character, she is really unique. But I was appalled to see some of the comments made about her in other reviews. Taylor is not a girly girl, she likes to work out, she has muscles, she's tough as nails. So obviously that means she is a lesbian. WHAT? Yes, it seems that everyone thinks that Taylor must be a lesbian because she has muscles and doesn't go around crying when she breaks a nail. Let me just start off by saying that I really don't care if she does end up being a lesbian, more power to her, but don't condemn that on her, because of a stereotype. Come on people, I expect more from you.

And now I step down from my soap-box.

this is the second book to the kiss me kill me series and its very intense and i was thrilled too read it. the book i ordered was used and it was in very good condition except for a crease mark in the cover. I am very very pleased.

If Veronica Mars had been born in Chelsea, this would be her story. Scarlett, though often evoking the image of a monkey in the trees, is so realistic that I really feel she exists somewhere in the purple laurel hills of rural England/Scotland.

Lauren Henderson has captured exactly what it's like to be this specific girl in this specific place. The voice of the heroine is so realistic and so interesting that it's hard to put the book down for any reason.

And even though the main mystery of the first 2 books has been solved, I will follow Scarlett into the next 100 mysteries because the author has proven herself up to the task of writing real YA storylines. I just ask that Scarlett spend less of her time up trees in upcoming novels -- if possible!

Ok, this was great book! I think it was an equal, or possibly better than book 1, Kiss Me, Kill Me. It was really easy to get caught up in. Henderson does a great job creating characters that were all different and unique, no character was really the same. Plus, while some parts were predictable, others you couldn't guess.

Though one thing I didn't like was the fact, that Scarlett writes a letter to Dan's family saying I have something of Dan's to give back to you. What the heck? She essentially invites herself to Castle Airlie, and if Dan's family said no, they'd look bad.

Overall though, I recommend both this one, and Kiss Me, Kill Me! They were great books, though I would suggest reading them in order. I received Kiss and Lies in the mail, and started to read it. I didn't understand anything, and then I realized there was a book 1.

"You go to school to learn, not for a fashion show." -- DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince, 1988

Scarlett Wakefield is an orphan living at her paternal grandmother's posh boarding school for girls, Wakefield Hall. Unlike St. Tabitha's (St. Tabby's), Scarlett's previous school, Wakefield Hall stresses academics and high level achievement as opposed to St. Tabby's, which was simply a depository for rich girls, many of whom had a sense of entitlement and extensive knowledge of au courant fashion. Scarlett is an orphan whose parents were killed in an accident in 1996 when she was barely 4.

Scarlett, whom readers met in Kiss Me Kill Me (Scarlett Wakefield Series) was at the center of an unfortunate news story. She cast aside her long time friends to attend a posh party that Nadia Farouk, a member of the rich clique is hosting. Scarlett's decision was prompted by her crush on Dan McAndrew, a boy whom she longed to kiss. Be careful what you wish for as Scarlett DOES attend that party and she does kiss Dan. Sadly for all, Dan dies in her arms right after their kiss. Kind of reminds you of the execrable 1964 song, "Last Kiss."

Plum Saybourne, Scarlett's arch enemy and chief nemesis is also at the party, ever the antagonist. Each time she starts to mix it up with Scarlett, Scarlett invariably cuts her down with cutting edge brilliance.

Scarlett's friend Taylor is always there to watch her back. So is Scarlett's boyfriend, Jase, who is the son of the head gardener. Because Jase is biracial, the school bigots frown on their friendship. To Scarlett's credit and to that of most of the student body, they harbor no such prejudices.

It is Scarlett's two friends who help her continue with her plan to find out how Dan REALLY died. They help her secure passage to Scotland where Dan lived. When she arrives at Ayr, she literally falls into an other facet of the mystery concerning Dan. Castle Airlie, where Dan had lived is a series of interlocking mysteries. An old Scottish castle replete with dungeons and archery windows, it serves as a huge part of the mystery surrounding the McAndrew family.

Dan's brother Callum, their older sister Catriona and the senior McAndrews are a very interesting bunch. Callum was Dan's twin brother and Catriona, 20 is majoring in architecture as she loves Castle Airlie and wants to remain there. Questions about inheritance crop up and it is possible that this might have been a motive in Dan's death. Scarlett does some sleuthing in the castle and uncovers even more possible reasons for why Dan died. The question remains whether or not his death was really accidental.

Masks come off and characters shift positions, like sand in an hourglass. The more answers that Scarlett discovers, even more questions remain lurking under the surface.

The trip to Scotland and the McAndrews' hospitality and willingness to buy Scarlett's cover story that she had something that belonged to Dan showed an amazing show of faith on their part. They clearly were not involved in their son's life and did not seem to be much a part of Callum or Catriona's lives as well. More suspects turn up in this installment.

Lauren Henderson is a genius. She throws in more clever plot twists than that castle has twisting staircases and hallways. Readers are riveted, wanting to know what might be convered in that castle.

Taylor has Scarlett's back at all times. She is a delightful character. One thing that bothered me is that people assumed she was gay simply because she was husky and muscular; liked working out and was not some velvet cushion who wailed upon breaking a nail. Even if she was gay, it doesn't matter. Unlike Plum Saybourne, Scarlett's enemy from St. Tabby's, Taylor is a realist with no sense of entitlement. She and Scarlett come up with some ingenious revenge plots.

Kisses and Lies by Lauren Henderson is the second installment in the Scarlett Wakefield series. I jumped into this book immediately after the first. The first book did not have a conclusion to the conflict so I was anxious to get my hands on this book. This review contains moderate spoilers.

All of my favorite characters had returned for the fun. There were also a few new characters thrown into the mix. Jase (short for Jason) is the son of the groundskeeper at Wakefield Hall. He's very attractive and has a obvious crush on Scarlett that develops with the story but there is a problem. Jase's father wants his son to have nothing to do with Scarlett. A touch of star crossed lovers?

The reader is also introduced to Callum, I will not give away who he is, but Scarlett is taking a bit of a vacation to Scotland to meet with him and his family. She'll go to any lengths to find Dan's killer.

I felt that I had accurately predicted who the killer was in this mini mystery. I was pleased to have come to the incorrect solution. After the first book, I had learned my lesson. I did not read the synopsis on the rear side of the book before I started the story. I did not want anything given to me before I read it myself. The story was far more interesting when it was not predictable.

OVERALL: a very good read & a great addition to the storyline. Four out of Five Stars. I look forward to the third book in this series.

This book picks up right where the last book finished. You may be wondering if the murderer ever gets caught. Does Scarlett and Taylor track down exactly what happened to the boy that died in her arms? You have to read Kiss Me Kill Me first. This book picks up exactly where the previous left off and you'll be lost if you don't read book one first.

In book one Scarlett gets invited to the A group and to a party where she gets to kiss the boy of her dreams. She kisses him and he dies in her arms. She is shipped to her grandmother's house, which is a boarding school, and she decides to take matters into her own hands to figure out what happened to Dan.

I like how this book started right back in to the mystery of who killed Dan. Scarlett and Taylor are already into trouble by chapter three.
Half way through the book it picked up and the pages flew by. Scarlett ends up going and staying with Dan's family after she writes them a letter saying she has something of Dan's to return and wants to talk with them. When she gets there everyone is nice to her except Callum-Dan's twin brother that Scarlett didn't know about- and Lucy, Callum's girlfriend. Callum doesn't like her because he thinks she had something to do with Dan's death. And Lucy doesn't like her because she is jealous of her and Callum. Lucy wants to run the castle with Callum and they need to get married so that is why Lucy doesn't like Scarlett and shoots at her one day in the woods. Scarlett doesn't know it was Lucy until the end of the book.
I had figured out who the killer was around page 230. But it was still a shock at the end and how it played out.
I wish that Scarlett and Callum's relationship would have went farther. After Scarlett left to go to stay with Dan's family, Jase wasn't' really mentioned and I was really rooting for Scarlett and Callum. I understand the whole them not being together because of all that they had been through with Dan and the killer, but to me it would have been perfect because they could have helped each other through everything.
I hope there is another book after this one. I am thinking not since the killer was already identified. But the way the book ended it was left open at the end, either in the way for you to make up your own ending on where Jase and Scarlett's relationship goes and how Plum and Scarlett get along now that Plum is going to Scarlett's school now. Or if their will be more book and more mysteries for Scarlett and Taylor to solve. I am hoping more books since I want Scarlett to get with Callum.

We finally find out what happens to Dan! It is an excellent book that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a good mystery!