Loved this story of 4 sisters as they spend summer on Manhattan Island owned by the family. Carrie is the one who sorts out problems and she recalls what happened one summer when they were teenagers.
Well written and and a engaging plot from the start to keep you wanting to find out more. Great family drama which delves into the lives of each family member with unexpected ending.
Look forward to a follow up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for a advanced copy.

A shocking brilliant page Turner
I absolutely loved getting to hear from the Sinclair family again
You know they’re liars it literally says it in the title but I didn’t expect the last part to happen
Thank you for letting me read this wonderful book

I was excited to read this as I read the original (We Were Liars) back when it was first released in 2014 wow you would not think it’s been almost a decade! I loved the first novel when I was younger however upon re-reading it perhaps as an adult that’s why my thoughts have changed.
The second novel followed in a similar manner to the first therefore to get the full overview - even though this is like a prequel you still have to read the first novel released first in order to understand it.
I was excited to see how the Liars parents grew up as the elders / previous generations always have a more scandalous past than their children.
So this novel takes a step back in telling a story that is mesmerising in its own unique world. The language and how it is written is due to the nature of the Sinclair family and how they were raised (Mainly by Tipper and his values and beliefs)
This novel takes a step back to when Carrie Sinclair (Mother of Johnny, one of the side characters in We Were Liars) spends her summers on Beechwood, particularly when she was 17 when the main events happen.
The story begins to pick up when ‘The Boys’ came to the island. If you are looking for a read of holiday vibes thats plot doesn’t move too much or much happens then this is the perfect read. I am at a phase where I need a more interesting plot at a faster pace. I think this suits younger adults / teenagers more. However I DID ENJOY IT! I loved the fact we finally got to see more of the Liars. I just wished this was released a few years ago based on my age of when I had originally read it therefore it does not take away from the novels itself.
Read this if you are prepared to enter not a dystopian world but a family of being set in their unique ways and at the same time summer vibes.

Thank you so much to the publishers for sending me this greatly written novel in exchange for an honest review.

Family of Liars is the much anticipated prequel to the wildly popular We Are Liars , a book which has divided opinions since it was released , but one which I enjoyed. I was looking forward to revisiting the Sinclair family and their island Beechwood, and I am happy to say I was not disappointed.
This book does have spoilers for We Were Liars, so I would recommend reading that before picking this up
In Family of Liars we learn the story of Carrie Sinclair, as she tells her son Johnny about the worst thing she did as a teenager. I can't go into detail about the plot of the book as it would certainly spoil the reader's enjoyment, but it does involve Carrie, her sisters , her cousin and a trio of young men who come to the island as guests.
The first person narrative makes it easy to follow the story despite the numerous characters, but since we are told that the Sinclair family were always liars, as readers we must treat Carrie as something of an unreliable narrator.
The characters are all well crafted and the sibling relationships very believable. There is a paranormal element which might not be to everyone's taste but I though it worked well as a device to expose something of Carrie's state of mind. The pacing was good and kept me completely engaged , and while the ending was not shocking it was certainly satisfying.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I read We Were Liars 5+ years ago and the way it was written has stayed with me so strongly so I was really excited to read this book. It was fast-paced, mysterious, dark and somehow still really fun. I loved the use of fairy-tales in the books and how Carrie positioned herself in them.

I definitely think you'll get more out of this if you refresh your memory of We Were Liars before reading (I didn't and sometimes didn't appreciate everything that was happening because I couldn't remember). As interesting as this story was, I didn't feel the same impact as the writing as I did in WWL hence the four stars.

<https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4700515089?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1>

After loving we were liars i was so glad there was a prequel coming and this book did not disappoint! i loved being back with the family but now i need more again :(

SPOILER ALERT! Read We Were Liars first.
(No word of a lie, it's better that way ...)

A windswept private island off the coast of Massachusetts.
A hungry ocean, churning with secrets and sorrow.
A fiery, addicted heiress. An irresistible, unpredictable boy.
A summer of unforgivable betrayal and terrible mistakes.

Welcome back to the Sinclair family.
They were always liars.

This is a great read.
Must read the first one before though as it makes it so much better that way.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own hone\st voluntary review.

Part murder mystery, family drama and ghost story. Good storyline and character development. I enjoyed the story through to the end. A good summer read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I must admit, I wasn't a huge fan of 'We Were Liars' when I read it last summer, but seeing that a prequel was being released piqued my interest and I decided to request it on NetGalley. I'm so glad I did.

'Family of Liars' was, for me, everything that 'We Were Liars' was not. This was the story I wanted from the first book, and I am so glad that it has been told.

Carrie was the perfect narrator for this book, and Lockhart's trademark, almost prose-like, writing really worked. The pacing was a lot better in this one, and the steady build up to the climax and eventual (inevitable) plot twist was satisfying and well thought-out.

I loved getting to know these characters better, as I barely remember their features from the first book, but this one would motivate me to give 'We Were Liars' another try. I highly recommend this book to fans of the original, and to those who were unconvinced by the first book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for my ARC copy of this book!

”My parents always have some phrase that makes the way they choose to live seem the best of all possible choices.”


SUMMARY
In this prequel to We Were Liars, Family of Liars transports the reader back to the Sinclair family, this time entering the life and point of view of Carrie (Johnny’s mother) when she turns seventeen. The Sinclairs have a strict family value, and that is that all Sinclairs need to be a credit to the family. Fortunately, the Sinclairs are very practised at lying.

OPINION
My overarching feeling after reading this book is simply… underwhelmed.

The tragic twist in We Were Liars had me on edge with what to expect in Family of Liars, I was half-hoping for and half-dreading the trauma of this prequel, but it didn’t really come. Nothing shocked me like it did in We Were Liars.

But, if I wasn’t comparing the prequel to its sequel then I would still appreciate the story that Lockhart did write. Most of all, I appreciate the in depth look into the dynamic of Carrie and her sisters. It lends its sequel a richer quality as it answers questions that may have haunted readers.

Talking of hauntings, I do really enjoy Lockhart’s writing. I loved the way they tore off pieces of fairytales and made Carrie identify with all these different characters that were seen as ‘good’ and ‘bad’. Most of all, I adored the unreliable narrator aspect of this book, it gave the story a tension that it would have otherwise lacked.

RECOMMENDATION
I’d recommend to those who enjoy Young Adult Thrillers. I’d also recommend reading Family of Liars and then moving on to We Were Liars if you have yet the pleasure of experiencing Lockhart’s writing.

Having just completed reading the book I have to admit I am having difficulty in composing my review. For the first third of the book I kept thinking 'why did I want to read/review Family of Liars?' It seemed to be a mix of a Mills & Boon romance and a UK Channel 5 'Hallmark' afternoon film except I knew not to expect a 'and they all lived happily ever after' ending to the book'.
From then onwards, the majority of the book, it is a very good read as more and more lies are revealed. On balance I did enjoy the book but I was hoping for a massive twist at the end. This did not happen for me although there were several clever turns throughout the book as more lies are revealed.
For rating I was split between 3 and 4 so I've gone for rounding up. I think the book could be successfully turned into a TV streaming mini-series with lots of opportunities to show a beautiful island with beaches and boats.

This prequel to the young adult novel We Were Liars is every bit as good, but contains spoilers to the ending of We Were Liars, so I'd advise you to read that first then come back to this one. I've avoided spoilers for both books in my review.
Carrie, the aunt of Cadence in We Were Liars, recalls a teenage summer on the Manhattan Island owned by her family, the Sinclairs. It's their first summer since little sister Rosemary drowned, and it proves to be a seminal one as Carrie faces her hopes, dreams and fears, falls in love and discovers a family secret that will affect her deeply. By the end of summer, another tragedy has struck - will the bond between Carrie and her remaining sisters break or become stronger than ever?
This is such an atmospheric book, haunting in all true senses of the word, and a real insight into the coming-of-age of girls and boys who may seem immensely privileged, but have their own very real problems to deal with.
Themes of raw grief, heartbreak and self discovery are entwined deeply in the narrative, and you'll feel warmth and sympathy for all the characters, despite their myriad flaws.
I don't think anyone will be able to read this without crying, so have your tissues to hand, read We Were Liars, then move straight on to this one.

I enjoyed this one. It was a real,page-turner. So cleverly written and very impressive. I enjoyed the other book in this series so, I was pleased to be approved for this one. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Good quick read. Enjoyable YA book. I enjoyed the first book and looked forward to this one. It was pretty similar to the first with twists and entrallment.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest opinion

With 'Family of Liars,' E. Lockhart returns with a prequel to 'We Were Liars' her first novel about the Sinclair family and their holidays on their private island of Beechwood. In this book, Carrie (Caroline Lennox Taft Sinclair) tells the story of her seventeenth summer on the island, where following the loss of her younger sister, the family try to keep all emotions at bay and continue holidaying as normal. They are joined by Uncle Dean and his children Tomkin and Yardley, the latter of which invites three boys to the island - George (Yardley's boyfriend), Major and Pfeff. These additions to the guest list are not part of the plan, but are welcomed none the less, because Tipper (Carrie's mum) prides herself on being a consummate hostess. Finally, there are three ghosts, although only Carrie seems truly haunted by them.

Lockhart knows how to write a page turner. Whilst this is billed as a YA novel, at 42 I still really enjoyed it, perhaps more so because of it being set in the 1980's with music and film references I could appreciate. The supernatural elements help the story to hang together rather than being over the top, and the rivalries, expectations and secrets within families ring true. Some reviewers have disliked the books because of the privileged characters whose wealth enables them to treat others as disposable, but for me that was part of the fun. Who doesn't want to be transported to a private island, where the beds are made daily for you, the food sounds delicious and you get to attend the annual lemon hunt (like an Easter Egg hunt, except you hunt for lemons and the prize is a $100 book store voucher)!

I went into reading this book immediately after rereading we were liars for the first time since its publication. I think this book works really well structurally, thematically, and stylistically.

Firstly, structurally, it echoes the act structure of the original book. The storytelling frame with Johnny acts as a nice connection to the original and introduces the flashback well, with the occasional callbacks to Johnny as an audience justifying the narrative style. It is easy for this conversational style to feel odd to a reader, but Johnny as a middle point between reader and story, if only in name, makes this much easier to get into.

Thematically and stylistically, I really enjoyed all the parallels with and references to the first book. In my mind, the main task of a prequel is character building and this works really well in Family of Liars, even though many of the characters aren't technically born yet. From setting up small things like sayings, traditions, or favourite books that are mentioned in we were liars to larger points - such as the black pearls that cause contention in we were liars or characterisation of Tipper and Harris, who miss out on this in we were liars - is really well handled. Each bit was like unearthing a new gem that made sense of something in the original that you didn't even realise was missing.

If you enjoyed we were liars, this is an absolute must-read. If you haven't read we were liars, pick it up so you can read this!

I approached this novel with care because I haven't read 'We Were Liars' but will obviously have to now. This is the prequel to that. This, of course, is a novel all about secrets and, surprise: lies. This is about a family doused in grief with a drowned sister, the ghost of whom visits character, Caroline. Meantime, Caroline is wrestling with the effects of facial surgery, but this doesn't stop the element of romance rolling in and, of course, the necessity to lie, or learn how to lie. Lockhart keeps a good grip on the narrative, and the result is a compelling but gentle psychological thriller with elements of several genres that keep the twists coming and the interest bubbling. It's an enjoyable, entertaining novel and it works to keep the reader compelled to read on because of the mix of ingredients used. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc.

I knew this book was going to be trippy and weird and wonderful, much like We Were Liars, and I was not disappointed. FAMILY OF LIARS was everything I wanted it to be and more. The dark secrets, the mind messing and twistedness was just the perfect way to write this prequel.

E. Lockhart is an incredible author and we need so much more of their work.

This was a long-anticipated read for me after reading 'We Were Liars' years ago and it did not disappoint!
E. Lockhart has a way of gripping readers from the very first sentence and keeping them invested in the story, the whole way through – with twists, turns, and huge family secrets being revealed throughout. 'Family of Liars' provided a sense of nostalgia from reading 'We Were Liars' but it also provided a brand new experience, simultaneously. You truly feel like a part of this disheveled family, learning about, and keeping, secrets along the way.
I highly recommend this book – but, only after reading 'We Were Liars' as it contains spoilers which are the fundamental basis to this new(ish) story!

When I first read We Were Liars, it blew my mind. Baring in mind, I was 9, But still, since then I have never understood the hate that book gone. But even I was iffy at this obvious money grab prequel.

But actually, this was pretty lit. Maybe that was just nostalgia to how the first one totally blew my mind, something that can no longer happen with my experienced reading history that has seen every plot twist possible. Maybe it was because this was about rich people and extravagance is fun.

This definitely didn’t have the shock factor, but it did have the ridiculousness I loved. I’m not sure quite how to interpret this, but this book feels like Polaroid pictures taken with a camera that has a lens covered in vaseline. Does that make sense to any other readers? Not quite what I expected but honestly made me happy to be back with this awful family.