A good prequel to the original. Not quite as good with the plot twist, you knew what was going to happen. Maybe not quite how, but you knew someone was going to die. This really is the worst family.

I am so grateful to be back in this world. I love any book that isn't afraid to trust it's readers to be at least a little bit smart. This book was exactly the kind of doozy I was hoping for.

Ghosts, real or imagined, still haunt a person, and Carrie Sinclair is haunted by her past, her dead sister, and her son. Although dubbed as a prequel to E. Lockhart's novel "We Were Liars," this book could stand alone. In fact, "Family of Liars" delivers a much more compelling story of the Sinclair family. Set on an island near Martha's Vineyard during the mid-1980's, Lockhart develops a good beach read as told by the narrator, Carrie (Caroline) Sinclair, who spends the summer with her parents and two surviving sisters. Much to her surprise, her cousin shows up with three teenage boys in tow. As predicted, a love triangle or a love knot ensues, and the lying begins. We see that not only is Carrie hiding parts of herself but every member of her family has a destructive secret of some sort.

Lockhart as created a great summer book. She sprinkles in elements of 80's pop culture along with ridiculous names that you would expect people who own islands to have such as Yardley and Pfeff. The characters take sunrise cruises in the ocean and have parties where everyone wears white and hunts for lemons. I believe that Lockhart develops much more believable characters in this novel as compared to "We were Liars." The whimsical setting and the just-enough suspense make this a book that is hard to put down. In addition, Lockhart is able to capture how grief affects each person differently, which means "coping" with substances and/or sex. This shows that even "perfect" families have secrets.

As a high school English teacher, I definitely will recommend this title for my students to read! I also will recommend that my book club of educators read this too.

I would like to thank the publisher Random House Children's Books and Netgalley for granting me access to the Advanced Copy..

I started seeing We Were Liars all over TikTok so when I heard there was a prequel coming out, I knew I needed to start these immediately!

We Were Liars takes place in the present and Family of Liars takes us on a journey through the past that was full of summer love, adventures and of coarse, secrets!!

While this one wasn’t as shocking as the first, both of these make for quick and entertaining reads making them the perfect series for your summer TBR!

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for goodreads

i loved this book. we were liars will always have a special place in my heart because it was one of the first YA mysteries that really hooked me, but i feel like this book was definitely better written and overall more fun! i love that the story was told from the aunt’s perspective, not the mom’s

"Family of Liars" is the summer thriller I have been waiting for. E. Lockhart captures the reader from the very first page, taking the elusive Carrie we first met in We Were Liars, and bringing her to the forefront to share her own secrets. And my goodness, what secrets she has been keeping. I was not at all prepared for the final act of this novel and was *stunned* by the final chapters. It was the best kind of thriller where I was surprised by every new twist but closed the novel thinking it could not have played out any other way.

The story begins with a simple request, the same one countless children have asked their parents, "tell me a story." This seemingly innocent question quickly morphs into a more dangerous one, "tell me the story of the worst thing you've ever done." In the quiet of the night on Beechwood Island, Carrie finds herself speaking of long-buried deeds that can only be shared on the darkest of nights. She unravels a story that shows the worst of herself, of her sisters, of the Sinclairs, and even the biggest fans of "We Were Liars" aren't ready for what's lain in wait all of these years...

Literally read this in the span of an afternoon. I couldn’t put it down. This was thrilling and kept me guessing.

As a high school librarian I felt obligated to read this. I mean, We Were Liars is on heavy circulation at our school of 3600 kids. Is this worth adding to your collection for those wanting to continue their journey with the Sinclair family tree? Yeah, we are totally buying this. Does it have the same 'shock factor' that our YA reading kiddos love? Enough to keep them turning those pages. You know what else high schoolers love. Drama. Oh, and even more than that. SHORT BOOKS. So this book gets several checks on my book buying criteria knocked off and I know I'll have quite a few (sometimes reluctant) readers who would spend a few hours whipping through this one just for the chance to return to the Sinclair family vacation home (pre-fire, of course!).
Thanks for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for a free eARC copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

I love e. lockhart. "We Were Liars" remains as one of my favorite books. I loved this prequel-- and had one hangup throughout the entire book. Since there are spoilers to book 1 in the series, why is this (published after book 1) written as book 0? It's my only complaint of the book-- that this should be book 2 in the series and just be a flashback.

Then again, E. Lockhart writes in a way that scrambles my brain in the best ways possible, so maybe if there is another in the series it will make sense as to why this one was number zero.

Loved that it was from the viewpoint of one sis-- with the twists and turns to really show reality, and to confirm that yes, this is a family of liars.

I initially started this book as an ebook, but I couldn't get into it. Luckily I got the oppportunity to listen to the audiobook, and it made all the difference. Although I still had a hard time getting into the story in the beginning, it quickly picked up pace and I fully enjoyed it. Can highly recommend!

This prequel to We Were Liars might actually be better than the original. Great YA summer read. One of those books that make you remember all of the angst and discomfort of being a teen but wrapped up in a tale told by an adult. Some definite twists that should be expected by anyone who has ever read a book by Lockhart. Well written characters, imaginative plot, good read.

DNF at 20%

Let's start with the good--very atmospheric. I felt rooted in the moody East Coast island that Sinclair family owns. And I certainly understood the generational wealth and overall "old money" mentality.

With that said, I had a lot of trouble with the way in which this story is told. The narration, names, etc. all lend to the idea that this is taking place in the 1950s or 60s, not the 1980s. The way the teens interact with each other--even their vocabulary--feels so far removed from the time period in which it is set.

I also didn't connect to Caroline as a character at all. I realize that the narrator is supposed to be Caroline now, as an older person, reflecting on her youth, but she felt both simultaneously too old and too young. The "now" version seemed like a grandmother to the We Were Liars set, not a mother. And in her flashbacks, she seems like a 12yo, not the oldest among the children. I just couldn't grasp the character--and for me, if I can't stay rooted in a character, I can't stick with the story.

I would recommend to fans of the original if what they were drawn to the most was the family dynamic. If they are looking for a similar mystery/reveal, I would steer them to other mysteries.

Oh boy, I loved this book. I never thought it would live up We Were Liars but I think it did that and more. The way Lockhart writes made me feel like I was on the island with the characters watching things unfold. It was heartbreaking but gritty in the best way.

I loved Family of Liars almost as much as We were liars! Both books were great and I’m glad the author decided to give us the back story. I especially enjoyed the ghost appearances throughout the story. Definitely a must read and I will recommend to all of my patrons and friends.

I read We Were Liars when it was published years ago and was blown away by the books. I feel that Family of Liars tried to capture that same feel but failed. It felt forced and that maybe it was written to appease the Booktok fame that We Were Liars is currently experiencing with a new audience.

Loved seeing a prequel of we were liars. It was nice to see into the lives of the family and how it all started.

I read We Were Liars many moons ago and was super pumped to hear that this prequel was coming out. It took a moment but soon I was wrapped right back up in the drama of these people and this family of extreme privilege.

It was a bit slow going at first but picked up
steam and was really intriguing when discussing the secrets families have and how far they are willing to go for one another

Family of Liars fell flat for me. I like that the book ties into its predecessor in that even the older members of the family have secrets. Even Tipper has secrets. The big reveal just did not have the same wow factor as the surprise in We Were Liars. I was anticipating something bigger. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, but it was forgettable. I can see my students enjoying this book though.

Was so excited to get an ARC for this book because I loved We Were Liars so much! I love that this book takes place years before the other one with the parent’s POV. It gave a good insight as to why the family acts the way they do and how the island changed over time. Of course it had a big plot twist and kept you wanting more!

Wonderfully written and a great companion to the first book. This will go over very well with my patrons. I love that we're told from the get go that she's a liar, but we believe her whole story....until she admits her lies. The unreliability of Carrie but the hope that she does in fact tell us the truth, is the gift of this book.