This was a disappointing and unnecessary addition to We Were Liars extended universe. The story was bogged down by weak characterization and flimsy, predictable plotting.

3.5/5 Stars

It's been nearly a decade since I read We Were Liars, yet from the very first page I was reminded of how striking Lockhart's writing and storytelling is. This book follows Matilda who receives a mysterious email from a man claiming he's her father. She's invited to Martha's Vineyard to meet him, but instead discovers a brother and two new friends. From there, in the vein of We Were Liars, Matilda tries to untangle the mystery of what has drawn everyone to her father's castle and what has kept him away.

This is a very character-driven novel, and I truly enjoyed each character. Tatum was charming, Brock was the kind of person you want as a friend, and Meer was so incredibly wholesome and sweet (the personification of 'uwu'). June was infuriating but still well-developed as I felt her motives and actions were understandable if frustrating.

The writing style won't be for everyone, and at times I wasn't sure it was for me. The blend of poetry (breaking lines mid-sentence and laying it out like verse) takes some getting used to, but it does help the story read faster (I'm just not convinced it's necessary). There was never a scene where I had trouble picturing the setting, the actions, or the food surrounding the characters, and I found myself forgetting that I was not, tragically, spending my own summer in an island mansion. There is also a heavy dose of mid-2000s nostalgia (Angry Birds and "Call Me Maybe") which was fun. The interwoven mythology and fairytales--which the author acknowledges in her note stemming form her love of being referential--were some of my favorite aspects. It reminded me of the films in Night Film, where you get 'mini stories' within a larger novel.

I enjoyed my time with this book, but I did have some issues with the mystery elements. Sometimes Matilda felt too accepting and passive (like, "Hey, X just happened to me and that's weird but moving on!"), and the plot is not one where we are discovering clues and piecing it together: instead the big reveals are told to Matilda--and us--by other characters. We felt less involved in the action and more just like a bystander. If Matilda had taken a more active role in the plot, I think this would have easily been a 4 star or higher rating.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for review!

When Matilda receives an email from her renowned artist father, whom she has never met, inviting her to his home because he would like to properly meet her, she becomes intrigued. Upon her arrival, she meets her half-brother, Meer, who is very excited to finally meet her. She also meets his mother, June, and two other boys who live with them, Brock & Tatum. But nowhere is her father to be found. They tell her that he will show up whenever he shows up, that’s just the way he is. But as the days go on, she knows that something is not right with this household and she aims to find out what is going on. I found this book to be okay. I wanted to read it because I read the other two in the series. It does bring the Sinclair family back and does reveal some interesting things about them.

Many thanks to NetGalley & Delacorte Press for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I really enjoyed the direct connections to We Were Liars, especially after the Amazon Prime release. I wish there was a little more development in the characters, but overall, I think the YA readership will dive in and love the story.

E. Lockhart continues her masterful commentary of an elite world most will never see in We Fell Apart. Readers can expect her signature endearing characters, evocative beach gothic atmosphere, and of course, stunning twists that remind us why we are all still enraptured with the decadent yet rotten world of the Sinclairs.

Having read and loved all of E. Lockhart’s books I can truly state this is my favorite! This is perfect for those who have familiarity with her We Were Liars and Family of Liars books. This is for anyone who wants a fast paced, keep you on the edge of your seat, intelligent YA book. A winner!

OMG. Okay so first off I knowwwww she said it’s not a sequel, and it’s “not” but then she does have the spoiler warning at the beginning for being spoiled if you have not read we were liars. But I feel like this is an interconnected standalone and maybe she’s saying they have no relation due to the plot twist at the end. Which I called ONE and wow to be right. But the beginning had me ready, the middle was a little slow being at the castle so much but I guess that really puts you in the MC position, and the last 3/4 of the book had me gripping and page turning and wow it was great. Curious to see if this comes into play at all with the show we were liars.

I have really enjoyed every E. Lockhart book I have picked up! We Fell Apart is no different. From a tame beginning to the tangled web of details (and lies, because would it be an E. Lockhart book without at least a few lies?) all the way to the bittersweet end.

I'm so glad that the third installation of this series featured twists just as the other two did. I didn't see the main twist coming in this one, and I could NOT have predicted the ending.

The main character Matilda is a hurricane of emotions and a very DIY attitude. She is this whirlwind of thoughts and emotions throughout the story. I really loved her poetic thoughts throughout the story!

I liked the way this book tied in to the book 1 and book 2. But; there isn't direct interaction from the earlier books' characters to those in this book and I think those fans that are looking for those interactions will find this book lacking. But if you dive into this book knowing that - this book will speak for itself and set itself apart.

I have a big backlog of reviews I SHOULD be posting, but with the show, We Were Liars, on Prime - I thought I should get your amped for this new one from E. Lockhart instead.

★★

A continuation into the world of  We Were Liars from E. Lockhart. Follow Matilda as she accepts the invitation from her long lost father, who also happens to be an extremely famous painter.

Luckily, the show We Were Liars came out to make this story a bit more relevant. I did read the book We Were Liars, but I’ll admit I didn’t remember much of any of it as it’s been so long. So it was great that the show came out so all the characters were very fresh to me. (PS the show is very well done, in my opinion, I would highly recommend watching.)

The author gives a note in the beginning stating that there are spoilers in this book for We Were Liars, but this book is still very standalone. One hundred percent agree with the author. Do not read this book, until you read We Were Liars. And also, this is my biggest problem with the book and more or less the theme of this review.

Why? 

Why connect the two worlds? Or have it in the same world as the Sinclairs but don’t have it so connected. I’ll avoid any spoilers here, but the connection between the characters in We Fell Apart and the Sinclairs in We Were Liars was absolutely unnecessary.  It felt forced and awkward and an added layer that was simply stupid. It didn’t add anything to the story.

Speaking of characters, I thought the character Holland was dumb. Maybe there was a point to her at the beginning of the book to add that tension with father Kingsley, but to have her come back into the story, her reveal and her scenes felt like a waste of time. 

I also really disliked the character Tatum. I thought he was written very surface level, but the reader was supposed to feel he was deeper than he was. As a very young girl driven story, Tatum, and (sadly) most boys in a young girl's life, are very important in shaping their character. Tatum needed to be spot on and for me, he wasn't built that way.

I would have liked the story more if it was just about Matilda finding her long lost family. All the characters were unique enough and interesting enough and played together enough where there was plenty of substance. (Even the characters I dislike mentioned above.) It could’ve been an interesting book if the author didn’t try to hitchhike it on We Were Liars. 

I mean, look how much I have mentioned We Were Liars in this review alone?

The twist that connects the two stories felt like a lazy jab. (Kingsley) It wasn’t clever. It wasn’t anything a reader could deduce for themselves. It was absolutely silly. And again totally unnecessary.

So I’m struggling. If the author wrote this more as a standalone, it would’ve been a solid 3 star book. Because she tried to connect the two stories in such an awkward manner, I have to rate it 2 stars. My morals won’t let me go higher than that. 

If you really miss the story, We Were Liars, you might absolutely adore this book. For everyone else, I wouldn’t recommend.

Amazon Link - Barnes&Noble Link - Goodreads Link

Stats: xxx pages - Expected publication November 4, 2025

**Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Still in the world of We Were Liars, this book follows Matilda. Matilda lives with her mom’s ex boyfriend while her mom jumps from boyfriend to boyfriend leaving her behind. One day, Matilda received an email from Kingsley Cello, a famous painter, claiming to be her dad. Matilda was invited by Kingsley to come meet him. Out of curiosity and much to her mom’s displeasure, Matilda went and visited Kingsley’s home but Kingsley’s not there and she met Meer, her stepbrother, and his friends.

This still gives me summer vibes but out of all the three books this is unfortunately my least favorite. This just felt long and bland for me. The twist at the end was good though but so many scenes just felt like forever. Still a good read though

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC 🫶🏻

I was very skeptical about this book seeing as the first book came out over 10 years ago and I was concerned this would just be a cash grab. I would rate this a solid 3 stars. I am glad I read it, but it didn't hit the same way the first one did. The story should definitely be over after this one (please don't extend it). I also want to mention, I was 10 years younger when I read the first one, so perhaps this YA novel was not my cup of tea at the age of 30. I do think people who are reading this series for the first time will really love and connect to the book.

We Fell Apart is the third in the We Were Liars series and is stand alone-ish (there will be spoilers if you haven't yet read the first book but if you're okay with that, then dig in!) An interesting premise and highly atmospheric, E. Lockhart's writing is as ever, crisp, smart, and, at times, lyrical. As ever, the plot twist will catch the reader by surprise. I think the characters were not as layered as they could be.

I was excited to receive this ARC because I loved the first book and excitedly watched the second book also! This book sadly just didn’t live up to the first. I found it a little bit boring and quite predictable. I didn’t get the same vibes and excitement as I did reading the first book!

**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: dementia, death, parental neglect

I read We Were Liars when it first published in 2014 and the tv series just came out on Amazon Prime so I did watch that and it refreshed my memory! I’m glad that show aired because jumping into We Fell Apart was easy as the Sinclair family and Beechwood was fresh in my mind.

We Fell Apart takes us back to Beechwood, just as the event of We Were Liars have concluded. Matilda gets an email from the dad she never knew and he asks her to come meet him at Hidden Beach, where he lives. Matilda has had quite a life with a mom who has basically chosen boyfriends over her – to the point after her mom decides to move away again with another guy, Matilda chooses to stay with her last boyfriend, a really nice guy who doesn’t mind having Matilda around.

Matilda goes to Hidden Beach and learns about this accident that happened with the Sinclairs. She meets her half-brother, his mom, and two other guys living at the run-down house. The summer is going by great but Matilda knows something isn’t right. Where is her dad? Why is the house so run-down? Why is June (Meer, her half-brother’s mom), not taking care of the boys and the house? What is going on at Hidden Beach.

I was sucked into this world again, and honestly love the family secrets in this world the Sinclairs built. The story moves quickly and the reveal in the end is shocking. It makes you question everyone’s motives and choices they’ve made to keep the secret they have been holding. I like Matilda and how she questions what is going on at the house. Also, there is a little romance but that’s not the focus. I thought it was also interesting how June thought she was this carefree, nonconforming wife because she didn’t want to be the Tipper Sinclair kind of housewife but in the end, was trapped in her own partnership with Kingsley. I felt like there were a lot of full circles with this book.

I did think the story moved too quickly though, it felt rushed and some moments – like when Holland (a Sinclair who befriends Matilda at the start of the book) takes her in and explains all about the Sinclairs. It was a lot of telling, and info-dumping.


Final Thoughts:

I actually enjoyed this one a lot because I had just watched the show and I was brought back to this place of summer, sun, family and most of all the secrets. Matilda knows something isn’t right at Hidden Beach and the reveal is devastating for her. I did like that there was a happy ending instead of another tragic one, though there is tragedy. Overall, a good addition to the series.

I think I'm getting to the point in my life of having taught so many YA novels that I've become somewhat jaded about the tropes within the stories. So, when a certain character first meets another character and can't stand them I can go along with the dichotomy. However, when said character starts to find the character they despised attractive, with sandy blond streaked hair, and muscles that are naturally built from being out in the ocean all day long I find myself rolling my eyes. I mean, I know this is the way it's going to go, but man, it's annoying sometimes. So, that relationship, while lame and annoying and very predictable, turned my off of the book, the relationship between Matilda, Meer, June, and Kingsley was very intriguing and drew me in and had me staying until the end.

I like Lockhart's world that she built and the novels that precede this new one, but man, I still get the whole privileged white family trope out of my brain. All of them. Even in their good deeds and their quest to find themselves, I can't shake that these people have everything and still complain about trivial things... it has crossed my mind that this is intentional. I mean, like Cherry said in The Outsiders, "It's rough all over" but for some that roughness if crazy rough.

I do like Matilda way more than some of the other characters in the Sinclair-verse. She's interesting and humble and her family is messed up in many ways that differ from her counterparts. That's pretty refreshing. I liked the book because of her and didn't like because of her. Again, probably intentional. Anyway, it's a good read. Check it out. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

E. Lockhart’s writing is as sharp and lyrical as ever, and We Fell Apart definitely has that moody, twisty vibe she’s known for. I liked the fragmented style and how the story slowly reveals itself, and there are moments where the tension really works.

That said, the pacing felt uneven and I never fully connected with the characters on an emotional level—by the end, I was more interested in the structure than the actual people in it. The reveal didn’t hit as hard as I wanted, but I still appreciated the creativity in how it was told.

A quick, intriguing read if you enjoy character-driven mysteries with a slightly experimental style, but not one that will stick with me the way We Were Liars did.

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC.

I was so excited to see this was an ARC option on NetGalley because I enjoyed We Were Liars (the book) so much. Sadly, it felt like a reach to connect the Sinclair family and their tragic timeline to this story. I really struggled to finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Author and the Publisher for this ARC!

I really didn’t know where the We Are Liars trilogy would take us but Lockhart did such an amazing job tying all 3 books together. I actually think this was my favorite of the 3. I’m a thriller reader and this definitely gave a bit of thriller vibes.

I did enjoy reading this book but the plot was nothing particularly mind blowing. I didn’t read the other books in this series but was able to jump in without that context, although maybe I would have enjoyed it more. I didn’t love the poetic intrusions throughout and the romance element felt a bit out of place, but from the perspective that this is a YA book those elements probably fit for the intended audience. I would recommend this book for anyone who loved and has read We Were Liars. Thanks to NetGalley, E. Lockhart and Delacorte Press for this book in exchange for an honest review!

Set just five days after the infamous Sinclair house fire, this novel follows 18-year-old Matilda Avalon Klein, a quietly resilient teen preparing to start college and design 3D games.
She lives with her mom's ex-boyfriend, Saar-the only stable adult in her life after her mother abandons her (yet again), this time fleeing to Mexico City and washing her hands of parenting altogether. When Matilda receives an unexpected email from legendary artist Kingsley Cello claiming to be her father-and inviting her to his coastal home on Hidden Beach
-she's skeptical, but curiosity and longing win out.
Upon arriving, she's driven by a moody, unwelcoming young man named Tatum and quickly learns Kingsley is conveniently away in Italy, with no clear return date. The only person who seems to be expecting her is Meer, Kingsley's son and Matilda's half-brother, who is overjoyed by her arrival. In sharp contrast, Meer's mother June is frosty, strict, and clearly unaware of any invitation.
Joining the household are Brock, a former child star in recovery from addiction, and-surprise-Tatum, who turns out to be a permanent fixture in the house, bearing more responsibility than any teen should. Matilda is soon swept into the group's strange but captivating world-trespassing in empty homes, picnicking, and playing experimental games on the eerie island-all while June enforces strange rules, confiscates their phones, and feeds them a strict, herbal-laced diet. Mysterious locked rooms in the house and unsettling truths about her father's past only heighten Matilda's curiosity.
To complicate things further, Matilda is being watched-by Holland, a queer member of the Sinclair family with a hidden agenda and secrets of their own. As Matilda begins to uncover pieces of her father's past, she starts to realize that this house, and the people in it, are far more dangerous and fragile than she imagined. The truth she's chasing could destroy everything.