Customer Reviews

Wherever Nina Lies

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(35)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It's been two long years since Ellie's older sister Nina has disappeared. Pretty much everyone has given up any hope that Nina will return, but not Ellie. Ellie can't bear to think Nina, her sister whom she loves and idolizes, could be dead. Ellie desperately wants to find Nina, and when she stumbles upon a portrait of her, drawn by Nina, she's certain she's found her clue. With the help of a hot and mysterious stranger named Sean, Ellie sets off on a seemingly wild-goose chase for the whereabouts of her sister. But Ellie isn't prepared for what she learns along the way, regarding her sister and her new love interest Sean. In this suspenseful and fast-paced debut, readers will be swept along with Ellie as she journeys and finds love, lies, and the strength of sisterhood.

I was immensely impressed with this solid debut novel. Weingarten shows a mastery of her skill with words, especially when manipulating the plot. Ellie's cross-country escapade was filled with humor and lust yet also disappointment, anticipation for the next clue, confusion, and danger. I like how the story strings the reader along nicely and then twists nearly completely around. In the back of my mind, I think I expected part of the outcome of Ellie's journey, but I was still shocked when it actually happened. I also really liked the development of both Ellie's and Nina's characters. Ellie is easy to relate to, especially in her sisterly affection, friendship dilemmas, and thoughts of self-preservation, and this increases the reader's sympathy for her as well as interest in her story. The reader gets to know Nina mainly through Ellie's memories and thoughts of her sister, and it creates an image of a wild yet thoughtful girl anyone can love. Some of the minor details of this novel, though, were not as well executed as the plot and development of the major characters. There were some details that never completely added up. Also, Ellie's relationship with her best friend Amanda seemed strange at times, and their problems seemed to magically disappear at the end of the novel. Other than these few aspects, Wherever Nina Lies was an extremely well-written and enjoyable story.

Wherever Nina Lies is very impressive for a first novel, and I hope Weingarten plans to write more novels especially if they're as good as this one. Readers will see this novel as a hybrid between two fantastic novels, How to Be Bad and The Year My Sister Got Lucky, and will not be disappointed in this fantastic story of mystery, romance, suspense, and, most of all, sisterhood.

In the two years since her older sister Nina disappeared, Ellie Wrigley has been plagued with unanswered questions: why would Nina leave? Where is she now? Is she even alive? Everyone has given up on Nina, but Ellie can't let go. So when she finds a drawing, obviously done by Nina, in a thrift store, she commences a crazy, quirky cross-country journey in pursuit of Nina, following the clues she left behind with a most amazing guy she barely knows. But as Ellie gets closer and closer to Nina, she'll find that the truth about her vanishing may be more astonishing than she ever imagined.

Lynn Weingarten has written a delightful, witty, zany, and heartfelt novel. Ellie is a very grounded and authentic character, and her pain at her sister's disappearance is very tangible. The book is peppered with clever clues that aren't too obvious and the book flows easily, bouncing around from one clue to the next, though it never feels like the story revolves around just those clues. Ellie's journey is about much more than just finding her sister: it's about love and grief and relationships and growing up as well. The mystery is solid and well devised and will keep you guessing up until the end, when a shocking twist is revealed that will make you want to reread the book to reexamine the clues and character motivations from an entirely new angle. Weingarten has a catchy, unforgettable style that varies easily from insightful and serious to wacky and hilarious and will make you laugh and think at the same time. Wherever Nina Lies is an entertaining and wonderfully written novel that will have you hooked right away.

This book drew me in from the beginning. It put me right in the shoes of an older teenage girl, analyzing everything and plotting and planning, trying to make things work out the way I thought they should. Nina is Ellie's sister, and she has disappeared. Ellie finds a picture that Nina has drawn, and a clue to her possible whereabouts. Thus begins the search for the mysterious, dazzling, rapturous Nina, as seen through her younger sister's eyes.

I quickly found that once I embarked on Ellie's road trip, I would not be able to put the book down, just as Ellie was so determined to find Nina. The twists and turns throughout the book came at unexpected moments.

I gave it only 4 stars because as much as I did enjoy it, things seemed to come together a little too neatly. I'm not convinced that Ellie would have deciphered the clues as quickly as she did, with ne'er a misstep. Also, I felt I knew Nina, but Ellie, I didn't know quite so well.

This is appropriate for older teens, as the sexual scenes go well beyond experimentation.

All in all, I enjoyed the book. Lynn Weingarten captures the teenage soul and its passion.

If there's one thing I've got to say about this book, it's that it's misleading marketed. Look at the cover. Does it scream "plot-twisty horror thriller" to you? The cut-out ransom letters do look suspicious, but the color-scheme just makes the book look like another fluffy teen YA. NOT SO. (Although I actually do really love the cover, I just find it misleading.) I'm in no way saying that John Green's Paper Towns was a gender-specific book, but this really read like a version of Paper Towns (plus creepyness) written specifically for girls. You have the John Green-esque road trip combined with really great writing, throw in a spooky disappearance, and you get this fantastic book. So, you know, it's late at night and I sit down to read some fluff fiction. This story ends with me staying up far too late, scared out of my mind, but absolutely unable to put the book down. It delves right in to the story, setting everything up very quickly and in a captivating way. The suspense holds up throughout the whole novel, and makes for a really intense read. Following the clues along with the main characters is a blast, and has the reader theorizing throughout the book. There were some minor moments that did appear to be conveniently contrived for the purposes of moving the mystery along, but even those were pretty easy to read past without getting too worked up about it. I just loved the unpredictability of everything that happened, and I can definitively say this this is one of my favorite YA mysteries.

Rating: 5/5

The premise of "Wherever Nina Lies" is interesting. Ellie, after meeting a quirky boy named Sean at a party, decides to go on a cross-country road trip in search of clues for where her missing sister, Nina, may be. However, the book is very hard to get into. I found myself not caring about the situations or what happens to the characters until very late in the book. It was hard to place why I had such a "whatever" attitude about the book, and I began to wonder if it could be the characterization or the dialogue. But, while none of those areas are exceptionally done, they're not bad. What I realized, then, was that it's the prose itself that makes the book weaker than it should be. Weingarten's style in this first person, present tense novel ranges from incredibly insightful to dull, which makes this book, as a whole, inconsistent. While some of the deeper, philosophical things Weingarten's character Ellie thinks are evocative and very true, it doesn't ring true because of the other things the character thinks and says. The author is very present, because each of these moments feel like Weingarten's way of making her book "deeper."

Also, this is a "twist" book. The course of the novel changes dramatically at a few chapters from the end. I thought the change, from the turning point on, made the novel pretty fantastic, and saved it from a truly low grade. However, at the same time, I wish there had been more build-up to it. There was significant clues from the way other people spoke of the person that would change, but the behavior of the person him or herself (no spoilers) didn't give significant hints to what would come, making the change--however gripping it made the book become--inconsistent with the rest of the book.

Is it worth reading? Probably, but there are a lot of better books you should get out of the way first. The overall experience isn't a bad one, because as I said, the last ten or so chapters are pretty great, so the taste the reader is left with is a good one. I just wish that, next time around, Weingarten makes an effort to make her plotting a bit more consistent.

6/10

This book, about a teen-aged girl still mourning her older sister who has been missing for two years, is a good read. The story and characters are interesting, and while it may not be entirely believable, it IS fiction. I did sort of figure out what the ending would be like, but I still found it an interesting read.

As for the fact that it is a teen read, only you can decide what is right for your child. There is some teen drinking involved, though not a lot. Teens sneaking out of the house and lying about where they are. Teens having sex would be the worst of it, and while it is obvious that it is happening, I didn't feel like it was explicit. Just talks about bodies touching, describes sounds, nothing overly specific. Also, a boy stalking a girl, but not in any overly terrifying way, enough to lend the suspense they story needs. My daughter is nearly 14 and pretty mature for her age. I will let her read this though I don't think I would have if she were any younger.

If you get this book for your teen, pick it up and enjoy a suspenseful, easy read!

OMGOSH this is one page turner! The ending really shocked me, I totally did not see that coming! I don't even want to tell you if the ending is a happy one or a sad one, because that might ruin it for you. I read this till 2.30AM! I was lost in time! Gosh, I think next time I should start reading earlier so I can make sure I sleep early.

I really love all these little mysteries and clues, they kept me wondering and my curiousity burning. They're also pretty interesting. There were moments I got so scared and worried, and moments I felt reallyyyy happy for them. And I can feel Ellie's strong love for Nina, they don't know everything about each other, but I feel like they know and understand each other very well, even though it might not be the case in Ellie's POV. I'm impressed! I want a sister-relationship like that now too, thank you.

I love the addition of drawings and some other stuffs, they really made this more interesting. The girls in the drawings aren't really how I imagined them though, I imagined Nina and Ellie to be wayyy more beautiful, more like the girl from the cover. PS: I am disappointed that the beautiful drawings aren't coloured, because I would love to see Nina's hair colours.

It's easy to like all the characters in the book, in fact I loved most of them. Even the one I think everyone should be hating, I didn't hate him/her, I just felt really sorry for him/her.

Conclusion: This book definitely made an impact! In a great way, of course.

PS (this is now the next morning): I actually had a dream about this book, or a similar dream anyway. Wowza!

Review from my book blog, Bookish-Escape: [...]

I can not say enough good things about this book. This is Lynn Weingarten's first book, and it will not be the last I will read by her in the future.
I loved Ellie's character in this book. The book starts off with Ellie working at the coffee shop, she goes to a party with her friend only to meet a guy who shows up at the coffee shop the next day and gives Ellie a ride home. After talking for a little while he offers to drive her to find her sister. And the story really takes off. The guy who drives Ellie is named, Sean. The way they act in the beginning of the book makes me want a relationship like that. But as you read the book and find out more about Sean, you start trying to figure out what is going on. While I was reading I knew there was something different about the book. I was waiting for something big to happen, and when it did-let me just say, I wasn't expecting it.
This is a must read for everyone! A truly amazing book!

Ellie seems to be the only one who hasn't gotten over the disappearance of her older sister, Nina. It happened two years ago, but Ellie hasn't given up hope. She knows her beautiful, crazy and lovable sister is out there somewhere. Then one day Ellie finds a drawing and she knows it's a sign. Ellie doesn't even hesitate before taking off on a road trip with her hot new crush... whom she just met. Ellie experiences a lot on this road trip. Love, lies, hope, and disappoint are just a few.

I really, really liked this book. I love how unique it was and how all the characters had their own voice and were all different. I was really impressed with the different elements the author worked in. There was some romance, mystery and it still all felt real. I liked learning more and more about what happened as I read. I never knew what was going to happen next, and I love that in books. There were also illustrations in the book that were used as clues, which I loved. I had never really seen that done in books before.

I'd completely and totally recommend this to everyone.

Wherever Nina Lies is a true testament to the love and abiding connection between sisters. The constant theme is that things are not always as they seem and that one must trust one's heart, sometimes even above one's eyes and ears.

The storyline was both engaging and believable. I really couldn't put it down until I had finished it.

A quick overview:
The main character, Ellie, desperately misses her sister, Nina, who disappeared two years earlier. Her mother does not seem to want to look for her Nina, as she was a rebellious teenager and the mother believes that she left of her own accord.

At the point that the story takes place, nobody believed that Nina was even still alive until Ellie found a drawing of herself, done by her sister, among the remnants of a donation to a thrift shop.

This scant clue reminds her of her sister's love and leads her on her path to a tremendous mystery.

Nina encounters a young man by the name of Sean who understands what she is enduring because he has lost a brother. Together, they drive cross-country on an adventure that constantly surprises the reader. Even Sean has some real surprises in store for the reader.

This is a really great first novel and I look forward to future writings from the author.

Anyone who has a special relationship with a sister will be enchanted by this book. I know I was.