Liar’s Beach Book Review
Liar’s Beach by Katie Cotugno Book Review and Recommendation.
Date: 2-09-25 Post Written By: MK Overall Rating: 4.9/10 Buy on Amazon: Liar’s Beach
Book Cover Rating: 8.1/10
(My personal opinion)
Author: Katie Cotugno
Pages: 288
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Mystery
Subplots: Thriller, Romance
Series: Liar’s Beach #1
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: 2023
Number of Editions: 14
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audio
Awards Won: No Major Awards
Goodreads Rating: 3.09/5
Amazon Rating: 3.8/5
Movie/TV Show?? : No
Book Type: Standard
POV Type: Single
Pacing: Average
Generally: Murder Mystery, A New Take On The Mysterious Affair at Styles By Agatha Christie
Hook:
Linden knows he doesn’t belong in elite Martha’s Vineyard. But when his prep school roommate, Jasper, invites him to spend the end of the summer at August House, his family’s massive beachfront estate, Linden tries to fit in. It’s not hard—after all, he’s been lying for years. And he’s not the only one….
Everyone at August House is ready for a wicked good time. So when someone is found unconscious in the pool after a night of partying, it’s quickly labeled an accident. But Linden begins to wonder….
As does Holiday, Linden’s childhood friend and the only person on the island who knows the truth about his humble background. There’s nothing Holiday loves more than a mystery, and she’s convinced there’s a killer on the Vineyard. And now it’s up to them to figure out who.
My Review
Going Into It:
Going into this book I was in a bit of a reading slump, so I was hoping for an exciting, thrilling YA mystery.
Characters:
Michael Linden- Linden is a junior in high school. He goes to an elite boarding school, so everyone assumes he’s rich, but in reality he isn’t.
Holiday Proctor- Holiday is one of Linden’s childhood friends. She is smart and loves mysteries.
Jasper Kendrick- Jasper is also a junior in high school. He is rich, and his family owns a massive house on Martha’s Vineyard.
I’m gonna be completely honest: I did not like these characters. The main character completely rubbed me the wrong way, and only one of the side characters was remotely interesting. The characters also lacked depth in my opinion.
Character Rating: 2.9/10
Setting:
This book takes place in a mansion called The Hemlock House on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.
This setting was average (not to be boring, but it’s true!). Literally nothing stuck out to me in either positive or negative ways. The setting was almost always on the island, which didn’t give much chance for variety, but I kinda liked that for a ‘killer on the loose’ type of book.
Setting Rating: 5.4/10
Plot:
This plot was not what I was looking for when I said ‘exciting, thrilling YA mystery.’ Yes, there was a murder, and yes this book was about figuring out what happened, but it certainly wasn’t gripping or exciting in my opinion. It had the sort of plot that I rushed through just so I could move on to the next book. I think my lack of connection to the characters really negatively impacted my opinion of the plot because, not to be rude, I kinda didn’t care too much about twists or trouble for the characters.
Plot Rating: 5.5/10
Writing:
I honestly did not love this writing. Obviously this is a YA book, but it felt a little too unsophisticated. It was basic and plain. (Disclaimer: Writing books is SO hard, so to do it at all is a MASSIVE accomplishment, I just didn’t love this writing in comparison to other books I’ve read).
Writing Rating: 4.1/10
Ending:
I guess the ending was okay. It wrapped up the mystery aspect well, and gave a semi-satisfying conclusion. But the twist and mystery’s solution didn’t shock me or blow me away.
Ending Rating: 6.0/10
The Overall:
Overall, I didn’t really like this book. It was a YA mystery, but it wasn’t gripping or particularly exciting. I did not like the characters, and everything else was average. There are probably at least 20 other YA mystery books I would recommend reading before this one.
Overall Book Rating: 4.9/10
I would not particularly recommend this book
Buy on Amazon:
ChatGPT’s Opinion: The novel is often praised for its strong character development, intricate relationships, and its exploration of themes like self-discovery, lies, and trust. Set on a tropical island, the story focuses on a group of teens, led by the protagonist who is dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic event, all while navigating the complicated dynamics of love, friendship, and deception.
The writing style is engaging, and Cotugno captures the emotional turbulence of adolescence well. Many readers also appreciate how the book blends elements of suspense and drama with the coming-of-age experience.
However, some critics note that the pacing can feel slow at times, and the twists and turns of the plot may not come as a huge surprise to more seasoned readers of YA fiction.
If you like books that deal with tough emotional situations, unreliable narrators, and evolving relationships, you might find Liar's Beach appealing!
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Katie Cotugno is the author of more than a dozen books for readers of all ages. She is also the co-author, with Candace Bushnell, of Rules for Being a Girl. Her books have been honored by the Junior Library Guild, the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee, and the Kentucky Association of School Librarians, among others, and translated into more than fifteen languages. Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The Iowa Review, The Mississippi Review, and Argestes, as well as many other literary magazines. She studied Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College and received her MFA in Fiction at Lesley University. She lives in Boston with her family.
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ChatGPT.com (ONLY for specified “ChatGPT’s opinion” portion of review)