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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good, October 18, 2009
This review is from: Little Black Lies (Hardcover)
I am such a fan of YA and I was thrilled to be able to add this author to my list of must read authors.
Indeed, with Sara, our main character, author Cohen introduces us to a complex, basically good intetioned girl who has lived a difficult home life with the result that she now feels she must do anything and everything in order to protect herself and more importantly, be accepted by her new bunch of snobby school friends from her elite school. If this means lying - than so be it.
At first, I had a hard time understanding the motivation behind much of Sara's actions, but as we find out more and more about her, I found myself understanding more - if not agreeing with her actions. She is dealing with OCD - which he father suffers from and this alone would be hard enough, but she also has to contend with alot more personal stuff that is slowly revealed to us throughout the book.
I like that the author did not make Sara this perfect little girl - or this rich little girl or this total horrible person - which has kind of been done to death in novels lately. Sara is somewhere in the middle - trying to find her own way.
The writing is good and kept up at a good pace, although I must admit that the first chapter was a little slow - but soon moved on quickly. I also liked that the author made sure to add a little dose of romance for good measure.
Overall, a very good read.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
If you haven't read a book by this author, do it!, October 8, 2010
This review is from: Little Black Lies (Hardcover)
LITTLE BLACK LIES begins with Sara Black, sixteen years old, beginning her first day at Anton High School. It's said that getting into Anton is tougher than getting into Harvard, but Sara gets in mainly because her father is the new janitor. Her father also suffers from OCD, which is why he lost his previous job.
Anton is way different than Sara's last school. There's more pressure and the students come from money. During first period when students were discussing their summer vacation, the class misunderstood when Sara said she moved here from Lundon, like in Massachusetts. They thought she meant London, like in Europe. When she didn't correct the mistake, this lie began a web of deceit. As Sara tiptoes across Anton's social minefield, it's hard to juggle her two personas without getting caught. And that's where she's heading, but not until she hurts the two people who mean more to her in the world - her father and her best friend, Mandy.
Although the plot leans towards the predicable side, the author's way of telling a story is unique and must be experienced to appreciate. Each of the characters are captured so vividly on paper. Also, readers will feel the story's emotions, especially those of Sara, her guilt and pain. It's not a terribly sad story, but one I felt all the way through.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful book., February 14, 2010
This review is from: Little Black Lies (Hardcover)
When Sara Black's OCD father lands a job as a janitor at the elite Anton High, Sara, a junior, is given the opportunity to enroll in the school. Most students have to enroll freshman year. Anton High School is a change from the public high school life she was accustomed to. Most of Anton's students come from privileged lifestyles, so when Sara's classmates mistakenly believe she comes from London, England, instead of Lundon, Massachusetts, she goes along with it. She also does not tell her classmates that the janitor is her father or that her mother ran off with her old science teacher. Soon, however, some of Sara's classmates feel their popularity is threathened by Sara, and her black lies soon catch up to her...
The best thing about Little Black Lies was Cohen's ability to slowly reveal details about Sara's family life, which added up to the bigger picture. These details were scattered around the book, but each time they perfectly flowed with whatever was happening at the moment. I loved reading about how Sara's mother's affair affected her father. Cohen's portrayal of her father's OCD was realistic. I also enjoyed reading about Sara's relationship with her mother.
Sara's classmates were reminiscent of Mean Girls, with Carling being the Queen Bee. Nothing too original, but entertaining nonetheless. I also really liked Leo, Carling's boyfriend, who eventually became the love interest of Sara. Leo's past with Sara's lies were an interesting combination. I only had one major dislike about Little Black Lies. From the beginning, Sara realized her lies were wrong, yet she continued to consciously dig herself into a deeper hole, which completely frustrated me. Despite this, however, I still enjoyed the novel and wanted a sequel. This says a lot considering I am horrible when it comes to finishing series.
Fans of Mean Girls should be sure to look into Little Black Lies.
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