Young Adult Smash: Book Review: Never Have I Ever (The Lying Game #2) by Sara Shepard

Never Have I Ever by Sara Shepard Title: Never Have I Ever (The Lying Game #2)

Author: Sara Shepard

320 pages, Published by Harper Teen, Ages 14 and up

Buy The Book: Amazon

Summary:

My perfect life was a lie.

Now I’d do anything to uncover the truth.

Not long ago, I had everything a girl could wish for: amazing friends, an adorable boyfriend, a loving family. But none of them know that I’m gone—that I’m dead. To solve my murder, my long-lost twin sister, Emma, has taken my place. She sleeps in my room, wears my clothes, and calls my parents Mom and Dad.

And my killer is watching her every move.

I remember little from my life, just flashes and flickers, so all I can do is follow along as Emma tries to solve the mystery of my disappearance. But the deeper she digs, the more suspects she uncovers. It turns out my friends and I played a lot of games—games that ruined people’s lives. Anyone could want revenge . . . anyone could want me—and now Emma—dead. (Summary provided by Harper Teen.)

My Thoughts: Rarely does a series get better with each new addition, but that is absolutely the case with Never Have I Ever (The Lying Game #2) by Sara Shepard. This time around Emma is still being forced to live her life as her twin Sutton by Sutton’s mysterious killer, and she is still trying to uncover the truth behind the mystery of Sutton’s death. However, she has a new set of suspects in her twin’s death, and she finds they might just have a grudge against Sutton because of a prank gone bad. Sara’s pursuit of the suspects leads her on an investigation that includes many exciting twists and turns. Emma works on the investigation with Ethan, the only friend she has who knows her true identity. Sara Shepard is a master at framing up a good mystery. Filled with page turning action and a budding romance between Emma and Ethan, Never Have I Ever will entertain teen readers that enjoyed Sara Shepard’s other series Pretty Little Liars.

Note To Parents: As with the previous Lying Game book, a number of pranks played by Emma and Sutton’s friends are described throughout the book. Some of them are very dangerous. So you may want to discuss with your child prior to reading that they are for entertainment purposes only, and they should not attempt them with their friends.