First, I wouldn’t consider this a third book in a “trilogy” with We Were Liars or Family of Liars. Aptly, I would call it a “distant cousin” of the two books. Same dimension and happening just across the way, with some ties to the Sinclairs, but very much its’ own story. And I guess that’s where it lacks a fifth star for me… this story could have been a bit more in depth, and seemed lacking in parts of the story-developing department- I feel if there was a lesser focus on intentionally trying to tie WWL with WFA, it would have held its own and succeeded.

As always, I am a true fan of E. Lockhart’s relatable writing and at times seemingly poetic prose. I found the characters and their short backstories interesting… truly an “island”/beach of misfit, lost kids. I would suggest fans of We Were Liars pick this book up, because it helps quell the thirst for more things “Sinclair”-ish.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wish i loved these book more. the story is good. i think i struggle with the writing style. thank you Delacorte Press

I wanted to love this, as I loved the other two books from this "world", but maybe that's where I went wrong. I went into reading this misunderstanding and thinking that this is a bigger part of the Liars series, when it reality it lives in that space but isn't a part of the series. Overall it was a decent read, there was a twist that I didn't see coming, and I did enjoy it while reading it on the beach. I did find that the characters were very annoying, but maybe that's just me. Even the secondary characters rubbed me the wrong way, but again that could have just been me. It was well written and again was enjoyable but left me feeling a bit lacking. I will be buying it for my HS library though.

YA vibes but still enjoyable. I probably won’t ever like a book more than We Were Liars but I enjoyed the parts where it spoke of events from the first one. I enjoyed the characters, especially Matilda. I’d highly recommend.

HONEY BUNNS!!!!!! I cannot wait for you to read this 🤩 One thing about @elockhartbooks , you’re never going to see it coming, and that’s all we ever wanted!!! This novel brings us right back to We Were Liars in the best way possible - new characters, new island (next to Beechwood), and the story takes place right after the fire ikyk!!!

This was dark, whimsical and disturbing, a car crash you can’t look away from, but set in a place you really want to visit. There is something very poetic about her writing and it just draws you in. Full of intriguing contradictions with a Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow flare - I didn’t want this book to end!!

This one was amazing!! Slow burn YA drama with a mystery will always set you up for a great time. We Fell Apart adds a emotionally charged, raw element to your TBR. Highly recommend taking the time to dive back into Hidden Beach.

I fell in love with these books when I was 13 and now at 23 I’m getting to revisit the world. And I will forever be obsessed with this world.

This book brought me back into the world of the Sinclairs and I didn’t even know how it was happening at first.

I think this book fits in with the other two so well but it exists on its own just as well.

I hope that new fans that fell in love with this world because of the show are able to enjoy this book as much as I did.

E. Lockhart returns with We Fell Apart, a stand-alone novel set in the We Were Liars universe but you don’t need to have read the previous books to enjoy this one. It follows Matilda Klein, a serious gamer and design student, who receives an email from the father she’s never known and is suddenly thrown into a mysterious summer on Hidden Beach. There, she meets her quiet half-brother Meer and a cast of characters who all seem to be carrying secrets of their own.

This book is haunting, introspective, and full of emotional undercurrents. I loved how Lockhart tackled themes of identity, family, and artistic ambition. Matilda’s bond with Meer was a highlight quiet, awkward, and genuinely moving. The setting is atmospheric and gothic in tone, which added depth and tension to the story.

However, the poetic narration didn’t always feel like a natural fit for Matilda’s personality, and some side characters (like Brock and June) felt a bit underdeveloped. While I was intrigued, the mystery didn’t have quite the urgency I expected, and parts of the pacing felt a little slow.

That said, the emotional payoff was still satisfying, and readers who enjoy layered, reflective YA stories with light suspense and strong sibling dynamics will definitely connect with this one. It’s more of a slow burn than a dramatic reveal, and that’s what made it stick with me.

Super excited to read this book in the world of We Were Liars. I think I should have reread the first book because it had been a long time. I think it started off with a lot of potential but it was a little boring overall.

This was my favorite so far! The tension was palpable. The pace was perfect. The atmosphere was excellent. The romance tropes were everything. I love enemies to lovers. While not a fan of slow burn, this needed to be a slow burn. A beautifully written story about a deeply messed up family. I loved the emotionally raw aspect of this story as well. The only thing I disliked was the scene with the animal harm. That really affected me and I wish I had known that was happening so i could have avoided it. But yeah, aside from that, really enjoyed it!

I love E. Lockhart's writing style, and I always fall right into her books. I loved getting to read this after watching the first season of We Were Liars. I would read any and all books set in this world! Fantastic characters in this one!

It took me AWHILE to finish this one. I enjoyed the story but, I did not get the same enjoyment from reading this as I did reading Family of Liars. While this is a stand-alone you definitely should read the previous two books to really grasp the story.

Okay enough boring stuff. WHAT ON EARTH KIND OF TWIST IS THAT????? I mean I predicted part of it… but like…. what the heck???? AFTER ALL OF THE CRAZY AND HER HARD WORK THAT’S WHAT SHE GETS????????? I’m baffled.

Another story interweaving with the the Sinclair family that also gives you a glimpse into the lifestyle of a rich and famous artist. I enjoyed the ties to the first 2 books on the Sinclair family and getting to know the layers of that mysterious and entitled family a little deeper with, of course, a few twists.

#3 in the We were Liar series. I enjoyed the first two books, giving 4 stars to both and was hoping that I would receive the ARC (and very excited when I did - thanks NetGalley and to the publisher.) However, this was difficult for me to trudge through and finish. (I almost DNF when the 10 birds were named!)

To be brutally honest, I thought the whole book was a mix of very random, mismatched plots (Plot twist was probably the best part of the book.) I wasn't fond of any of the characters and their personalities and I thought Lockhart was trying to hard overall. I am disaapointed in it and that I wasted three days of precious reading time.

If you liked the other We Were Liars books, I anticipate you’ll like this one. It’s been years since I’ve read the other 2, but I did just refresh my memory on the plot points with the Amazon tv series. I loved the tie ins to the Sinclairs. I forgot about the very distinctive writing style- it’s not my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this book is best enjoyed by putting aside expectations from We Were Liars. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
While it is a standalone, I think it's better to read it after the others. Four stars instead of three because I just loved the "We Were Liars" world/universe and was happy for scraps of new lore for the rest of the Sinclair family.
Check trigger warnings before reading.
Found Family
Family Secrets
The Sinclair intrigue with a new family
All while paying homage to the first book!
Loved it ❤️

Thank you net galley for an early copy of We fell apart.
I read we were liars a few years ago and loved it.
I was so excited for the series to come out this year (which l'm 4 episodes into)
And now we have another book to look forward to, or in my case, another book to binge in between episodes.
I loved getting little mentions of the liars, especially since this takes places so soon after the events of the first book.
I was very intrigued by the plot at first.
Our main character gets an invite to go meet her dad who is a this famous artists and very mysterious.
However when she finally arrives to hidden beach he is no where to be found.
And I understand that helps lean into his whole mysterious vibe, but I was a bit bored, I wanted to learn more about her dad but ... where is he.
I loved the vibes of being on a beach in summer surrounded by rich spoiled people, but this just didn't hit like we were liars.
Bit disappointed, but atleast I have more episodes of the series to watch.
You don't have to read we were liars first to read this, however I definitely would stick to reading that one.

Thank you NetGalley and Delcorte for the ARC

3 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I’ve read this whole series and was hoping this one would be better but We Fell Apart had a creative format and some emotional depth, but it wasn’t my favorite. I found the characters hard to connect with, and the storyline felt a bit scattered. I appreciated the themes, but the execution just didn’t fully work for me.

I finished We Were Liars (2025) and then read this in one sitting to cure the hangover. I wouldn’t say it was fully successful, since We Fell Apart is nowhere near the heartbreaking, cathartic experience of that story (and if you know how few books I’m willing to shed tears over, you know how special that is), but it was nice to be back in this world again. Lockhart’s prose is familiar like a friend I haven’t spoken to in a while, and the ghost of Beechwood lingers just visible over the horizon.

I think it’s a mistake to compare the two too much though, so I’d prefer to focus on what this book does well. In short, I think it’s the found family aspect that works best for me here. Matilda goes to the island to meet her father, but she gets a jumble of brothers, cousins, family, and potential love interests instead, and the isolation of the castle house forges quick but lasting bonds. I loved the simplicity of Meer and Brock, at the same time that the squalor of the castle set my brain goblins on fire. Bless Matilda for how long she can take it because I wouldn’t last a night there with dirty dishes in every room. (Are there no cockroaches on Martha’s Vineyard?)

I don’t always have a lot of feelings about love interests, so it’s saying something to say I really liked Tatum. He’s the responsible, steady hand in a home that desperately needs an adult. Matilda is a little more difficult to get a handle on. She’s described by the other characters as being fierce and commanding attention, but I really didn’t see much of that. Mostly, she’s just an abandoned girl who loves video games, and that’s also fine. To be honest, I wasn’t that intrigued by the mystery of whatever was happening at the castle, so I didn’t have any particular feelings about the way it unfolded. Mostly, I was just glad to see some happy endings in a Lockhart book for a change. I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Random House/Delacorte Press.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

Wow. I knew going in that E. Lockhart was going to mess with my head—and she did not disappoint. We Fell Apart is one of those books that gets under your skin in the best way. The writing is sharp, emotional, and beautifully fragmented in a way that perfectly fits the story being told. Every chapter felt like a puzzle piece clicking into place, even as everything kept shifting.

I was hooked from the very beginning, and I honestly couldn’t put it down. The way Lockhart plays with memory, identity, and emotional trauma is both subtle and gut-wrenching. I really felt for the main character and the way she was trying to process so much grief and confusion. And the ending? Totally knocked the wind out of me.

This one reminded me a lot of We Were Liars in how it toys with truth and perspective, but it also felt like its own thing—darker, more intimate, and just as brilliant. If you’re into twisty, emotional reads that make you question everything, this is it.

Highly recommend—definitely a new favorite.