Customer Reviews

Pants on Fire

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sixteen-year-old Eastport High School senior, Katie Ellison, isn't a split personality per se, but she is leading a double life, that would certainly shock many of the people around her who think that she's sweet, kind, and hardworking. Sure, she's all of those things, but she's also a liar, and a cheater. After all, not only is Katie running for Quahog (pronounced koh-hog) Princess, even though she loathes quahogs (clams) with every fiber of her being, but she's also juggling not one, but two super cute, uber-popular boyfriends, and adding insult to injury, she's managed to keep her mouth shut ever since eighth grade regarding the night the words "Tommy Sullivan is a freak" were spray-painted on the wall of the local junior high. Of course, Katie feels badly for keeping the truth to herself for all these years, but her guilt isn't strong enough to come clean. Aside from all that, however, Katie's life appears to be picture perfect. That is, until Tommy Sullivan returns to the tiny town of Eastport, Connecticut, unannounced, and ready to reclaim the fame that has been associated with his name for all these years. Katie instantly knows that Tommy's arrival means nothing but trouble, and vows to steer clear of the infamous guy. Unfortunately, Tommy's plans are quite different than Katie's, and he spends as much time as possible hovering around Katie. The problem is that Tommy seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to Katie, and has a way of deciphering all of Katie's tiny secrets. Secrets that she'd prefer to keep under wraps. But the more Tommy learns, the more frightened Katie becomes. After all, she's managed to keep her tiny indiscretions to herself for all these years, and she certainly doesn't need someone like Tommy Sullivan coming into the picture to destroy her senior year. But, as Tommy digs a little deeper into Katie's so-called secret life, he begins to uncover a slew of secrets that need to stay buried, including the awful truth regarding that faithful night in eighth grade, and the tricky, no-good, drama-filled deceptions she's gotten herself mixed-up in over the years. Now, Katie must find a way to silence Tommy, or at least run him out of town, if she plans on saving face, her reputation, her relationships, and overcoming the agony caused by the legendary Tommy Sullivan, in an attempt to come out on top, and have the senior year she's always dreamed of. Otherwise, she's at risk of being left friendless, boyfriendless, and, quite possibly, in prison, for wanting to ring Tommy's neck!

Meg Cabot manages to always create something splendid whenever she touches pen to paper, and that talent has once again reared its head with the release of PANTS ON FIRE. Like Cabot's Mia Thermopolis, Jess Mastriani, Samantha Madison, Heather Wells, and everyone in between, Katie Ellison is a character who is easy to love from page one. Her outgoing, exuberant personality make her bubbly and upbeat; while the interactions she takes part in with her closest friends - Sidney and Shaniqua - leave you fighting off a serious case of the giggles. While Cabot is oft-times known for her characters living in large cities, such as New York or Washington D.C., where anonymity reigns, this time, she has taken her characters and placed them in the quaint, Old Towne-esque fishing village of Eastport, Connecticut. While small-town backdrops sometimes take the fun out of a story, Cabot manages to make the switch gracefully, and create an enormous amount of small-town drama that will most certainly please readers who find themselves tuning in to various teen TV dramas on a regular basis. Katie and her friends bring a sense of pizzazz to the story, but Tommy Sullivan's arrival in Eastport certainly brings a rebellious side to the tale, which adds a little propane to the flame, and only works to make PANTS ON FIRE even more sizzling. Fabulous characters, combined with Cabot's trademark humor and wit make PANTS ON FIRE a can't-miss novel. A scorching way to kick-off your summer!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Katie is your classic teenage perfectionist--top student, Homecoming Queen hopeful, beauty pageant contestant, football star's girlfriend, movie star's girlfriend. Okay, so maybe her life isn't so perfect after all.

She is cheating on her ultra-perfect boyfriend, thinks her best friend is a ditz and doesn't even like the clams that sustain her hometown's economy. Katie spends her life lying to make everyone like her, and she's miserable.

She's miserable, that is, until her old friend Tommy moves back to town after being run out four years before for a heinous crime no one talks about. Now she just wishes the earth would open up and swallow her and get it over with, especially when she starts getting the tinglies from her head to her toes when she sees what a hottie Tommy has become.

As with any Meg Cabot book, you really get into the mind of the main character. Though Katie does some pretty horrible things, you learn to love her well-meaning deceptions and root for her despite the fact that she doesn't always root for herself.

This is a wonderful book with characters that are true to life and situations that could turn anyone into the blundering idiot that Katie so often becomes when trying to hide her true feelings. The only thing keeping this book from being a perfect five is its close resemblance to other Cabot books--the love stories are becoming a little repetitive--and the ending wraps up just a little too neatly.

A little bit of mystery, a dash of sports, some big fat lies and a lot of fun, "Pants on Fire" is well worth the quiet evening it will take to read.

Now, I don't usually go for stuff like this. No vampires, magic or ninjas, but I really liked this book. I had never read any Meg Cabot until I picked up Prom Nights From Hell (for Stephenie Meyer, of course). What a smart move on Ms Cabots part to contribute to that book. I liked her offering in that, so I decided to give this one a shot. I'm glad I did. It was a very quick read but it totally won me over. I can recall being in situations that were made worse by lies, although not quite to the extent of Katie's, so I could even relate to the book. I loved the small town setting, it made it even more entertaining. Kind of reminded me of a Christopher Guest mockumentary (A Mighty Wind, Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman)with the quahog pageant. All in all, a great job!! I think I'll have to check out some of her other books now.

Katie Ellison is not a liar. It's just that telling the truth is so... tricky. Katie doesn't like quahogs(clams) but she's running for the Quahogs Princess contest, she's making out with Seth but also with Eric. Then to make matters worse, Tommy Sullivan comes back to town. Katie's sure it's for revenge. She's willing to do anything to hang on to her existence. Even if that means telling more lies.

I have to admit, I didn't enjoy this book as much as her other work. I feel like calling out--Where's Meg Cabot? Please come back!

The writing felt rushed and I didn't care if Katie got her life together. I was more interested in Tommy.

I'm hoping her other books that are coming out this summer are better. Thank goodness I checked this book out from the library.

Kate Ellison is beyond average. She is one of the most popular girls at Eastport high and to boot she has brains. The truth is Kate Ellison looks like an angel outside but she has been hiding secrets and lies. She dates one of the most beautiful football players at Eastport high but is secretly making out with another named Eric Flutely. Everything in her life seem to stop when Tommy or Tom as he now wants to be called comes back into town. This is the same guy who ratted out the football team four years ago about them cheating on their S.A.T's. Tommy was her friend but when that happened she tried to seperate herself from him and he was run out of town. Now that his back she is no longer the brace wearing fluffy hair wearing girl. Tommy is also no longer geeky but a hunk. He soon realize the young lady who use to be his friend has changed and is now one of the popular groups at school. Kate begins to wonder why is tommy back if he is going to rat her out about her cheating on her boyfriend Seth(he snooped on her and saw her macking with Eric)or does he know she was involve in writing his name on the school front walls by putting that Tommy is a freak.Things start to change for Kate she begins to question whether she is really in love with Seth or even Eric and if being more popular is more important than being honest. A great read I truly enjoyed it.

Katie Ellison lies --- a lot. She just can't help it. For starters she lies to customers at the Gull 'n Gulp, where she works as a waitress, telling them that the corner booth is reserved for a large party. All the locals know that the booth is reserved for the Quahogs, her school's football team. They have been the state champions for the past 16 years, except for when Katie was in eighth grade and they were disqualified. No one talks about that year --- ever. Quahogs, pronounced Koh-hogs, are also a type of clam revered by the town. There is even a Quahog festival, and Katie is in the running for Quahog princess.

Katie's life sounds fine, even fun. She's been dating football star Seth for four years, and they're ready for an exciting senior year. The problem is, she's making out at least once a day with Eric, a drama club hottie. She just can't bear to break up with either of them. Her super-popular best friend Sydney doesn't even know about Eric.

In reality, Katie doesn't like quahogs, even if they're fried and ground up in batter. And she's secretly saving up for a super professional camera so her parents don't know that the one they gave her for Christmas just isn't good enough.

Katie is barely managing to keep her lies going by the time Tommy Sullivan returns to town. Four years ago, they were best friends and worked together on the school newspaper. Katie was an ace photographer, while Tommy was a reporter. When he learned that the football team was cheating on their SATs, Katie begged him not to run the story and ruin the Quahogs' chances for the championship. He didn't listen to her, and he and his family soon left town. "Tommy Sullivan is a freak" is still spray painted on the side of the gymnasium, and the town can't afford to sandblast it. Plus they don't know who did it. But, of course, Katie does.

Tommy is looking hotter than ever, and Katie thinks he's back for revenge. He follows her around and learns about all her lies. Katie is no longer interested in her two boyfriends and wants very much to kiss Tommy. She has to straighten everything out to fight for what she wants now.

Katie is funny even as she makes lots of crazy mistakes. Readers will be cheering her on as she learns about doing the right thing for herself. Meg Cabot delivers another stand-alone winner with PANTS ON FIRE.

--- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

Tommy Sullivan is Hot! But do we have to have it beaten into our heads on every other page? Every time Tommy showed up, we were treated to a play by play on his looks, clothes and how goofy he made her feel. I felt like saying enough already. When so much stress is placed on a guy's looks, it covers the fact that this is his only redeeming quality.

I started reading this book thinking it's another easy teen read, like Teen Idol or All American Girl. But it's missing two things both of those books had, a loveable lead and a good story line. Frankly, I felt this book was thrown together at the spur of the moment using elements of her other books. The lead character was a bore, stuck on herself, too dramatic and used the word "Totally" and "Seriously" WAAAAAAAY too many times. I found myself skipping huge chunks of her inner dialogue because it was so repetitive. The only reason I finished the book was to see how Seth ended up. In the beginning of the book he's a cute, loving, faithful boyfriend, by the end we're expected to hate him and cheer that she's with someone else because he's "dumb". Is that the kind of role model we really want to read about?

Save your money. Check this one out from the library. If we all do that Meg will be forced to take her time, flesh out her characters and think of a new plot.

This a bit harder to get into compared to Cabot's other teen books. In the beginning I really couldn't stand Katie Ellison, the main character. She seems very clueless, snotty and selfish. As the story progressed she started changing and she became a more likable character for me. Then the book was a breeze to get through and ended up liking it. I really hope Cabot's next teen book will be more like her others.

Even though this book was written for the teenage crowd and I am in my late twenties, I absolutely loved it. I love romantic books / books of love. I had to keep reading as the book makes you want to know what is going to happen next. I could not put it down until I had finished it.

What is it about Meg's books that make them go by so quickly? Less than a day, and poof! I'm done, and wondering what else I could read that compares to it.

I really liked this book though. Kate Ellison was likeable from the beginning, because underneath her lies I knew that she was a good person, and Tommy Sullivan is probably one of the coolest guys I've ever read about, because he actually seems like someone that I would like to get to know in real life, even if he wasn't completely hot.

Plus, the ending was really sweet.