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Fake ID
Nick Pearson is hiding in plain sight…
My name isn’t really Nick Pearson.
I shouldn’t tell you where I’m from or why my family moved to Stepton, Virginia.
I shouldn’t tell you who I really am, or my hair, eye, and skin color.
And I definitely shouldn’t tell you about my friend Eli Cruz and the major conspiracy he was about to uncover when he died—right after I moved to town. About how I had to choose between solving his murder with his hot sister, Reya, and “staying low-key” like the Program has taught me. About how moving to Stepon changed my life forever.
But I’m going to.
My name isn’t really Nick Pearson.
I shouldn’t tell you where I’m from or why my family moved to Stepton, Virginia.
I shouldn’t tell you who I really am, or my hair, eye, and skin color.
And I definitely shouldn’t tell you about my friend Eli Cruz and the major conspiracy he was about to uncover when he died—right after I moved to town. About how I had to choose between solving his murder with his hot sister, Reya, and “staying low-key” like the Program has taught me. About how moving to Stepon changed my life forever.
But I’m going to.
303 pages, Hardcover
First published January 21, 2014
209 people are currently reading
5511 people want to read
About the author
Lamar Giles
32 books616 followersLamar "L. R." Giles writes books for teens and adults. FAKE ID, his debut Young Adult Thriller, will be published by HarperCollins in 2014. He is represented by Jamie Weiss Chilton of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and resides in Chesapeake, VA with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 451 reviews
July 11, 2021
CW:
3.5 Stars
Well that was a good YA murder mystery. The main character was a bit of a smart-arse which made for a few entertaining moments. There are enough twists and turns to keep the target audience guessing with some pretty good red-herrings. Overall, an interesting story that I will definitely order for the library.
3.5 Stars
Well that was a good YA murder mystery. The main character was a bit of a smart-arse which made for a few entertaining moments. There are enough twists and turns to keep the target audience guessing with some pretty good red-herrings. Overall, an interesting story that I will definitely order for the library.
December 27, 2013
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
3.5 stars
Thank you HarperTeen for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.
Three star and three point five star books make me cringe because it’s basically screaming: MONOTONOUS REVIEW AHEAD. STAY AWAY FROM ‘MEH’-NESS. But fairly, this book wasn’t really ‘meh’ or just another book lost in the bookish ocean. Fake ID is much more than a murder mystery. Seriously, what if the person next to you is a murderer?
1. Fake ID has an intelligent and even funny male main character. I do believe this is the first murder mystery I’ve read with a male lead and it was very successful. Nick and his family have been hiding under the Witness Protection Program for years and he has to try and stay unnoticed. Even his name isn’t his real one. This protagonist was easy to like with his smart and sceptical personality and flaws that only made him more three-dimensional.
2. Fake ID manages to create a fascinating family dynamic in the background of a mystery thriller. I certainly did not go into this read thinking I’d have some substance such as a family drama. It’s not overbearing but it’s not miniscule either. Nick’s mother is becoming tired and sick of his father for dragging them into hiding and ruining their lives. Soon, her temper is going to break. I also love this aspect because it only made me want to know what the Witness Protection Program was and how they got caught in it even more.
3. Fake ID does something that a lot of books fail to succeed at—creating a romance that isn’t angsty and domineering. I felt a little surprised when it kicked in, the build-up was obviously there but the kiss. Woah, out of the blue in my opinion. Reya, the love interest was strong and independently capable and also, easy to like.
4. Fake ID made me constantly question whether what people were saying was true, or false. All the characters in this book were potential culprits of the murders going on and the author managed to throw me off guard when we finally discover who did it. All the conspiracies and tension! It got pretty crazy near the end.
My main issue with Fake ID was the way it ended. Right now, it is not completely certain whether there will be a sequel or not but I sure hope there is because I have a handful of probing questions I am hoping to get answered. These loose strings honestly made me go a little OCD upon putting down my kindle. Being a more of an impulsive and emotional rater, despite the one standing flaw (and tiny few others) that I aforementioned, I still didn’t give this more than 3.5 stars because it felt like it was missing something. Something really hard to pin point exactly. Am I the only one that ever feels that way? I am getting weirder and weirder every day. O_O
Fake ID has it all; a witty and humorous lead character, family dynamics, a non-dominating romance with endless questions and conspiracy theories about Whispertown. I do believe this book deserves more acknowledgements than it has now. Highly recommended to lovers of fun murder mysteries, who want even more substance in their reads than just a mystery.
3.5 stars
Thank you HarperTeen for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.
Three star and three point five star books make me cringe because it’s basically screaming: MONOTONOUS REVIEW AHEAD. STAY AWAY FROM ‘MEH’-NESS. But fairly, this book wasn’t really ‘meh’ or just another book lost in the bookish ocean. Fake ID is much more than a murder mystery. Seriously, what if the person next to you is a murderer?
1. Fake ID has an intelligent and even funny male main character. I do believe this is the first murder mystery I’ve read with a male lead and it was very successful. Nick and his family have been hiding under the Witness Protection Program for years and he has to try and stay unnoticed. Even his name isn’t his real one. This protagonist was easy to like with his smart and sceptical personality and flaws that only made him more three-dimensional.
2. Fake ID manages to create a fascinating family dynamic in the background of a mystery thriller. I certainly did not go into this read thinking I’d have some substance such as a family drama. It’s not overbearing but it’s not miniscule either. Nick’s mother is becoming tired and sick of his father for dragging them into hiding and ruining their lives. Soon, her temper is going to break. I also love this aspect because it only made me want to know what the Witness Protection Program was and how they got caught in it even more.
3. Fake ID does something that a lot of books fail to succeed at—creating a romance that isn’t angsty and domineering. I felt a little surprised when it kicked in, the build-up was obviously there but the kiss. Woah, out of the blue in my opinion. Reya, the love interest was strong and independently capable and also, easy to like.
4. Fake ID made me constantly question whether what people were saying was true, or false. All the characters in this book were potential culprits of the murders going on and the author managed to throw me off guard when we finally discover who did it. All the conspiracies and tension! It got pretty crazy near the end.
My main issue with Fake ID was the way it ended. Right now, it is not completely certain whether there will be a sequel or not but I sure hope there is because I have a handful of probing questions I am hoping to get answered. These loose strings honestly made me go a little OCD upon putting down my kindle. Being a more of an impulsive and emotional rater, despite the one standing flaw (and tiny few others) that I aforementioned, I still didn’t give this more than 3.5 stars because it felt like it was missing something. Something really hard to pin point exactly. Am I the only one that ever feels that way? I am getting weirder and weirder every day. O_O
Fake ID has it all; a witty and humorous lead character, family dynamics, a non-dominating romance with endless questions and conspiracy theories about Whispertown. I do believe this book deserves more acknowledgements than it has now. Highly recommended to lovers of fun murder mysteries, who want even more substance in their reads than just a mystery.
January 24, 2014
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. This did not alter my thoughts in any way.
As you, I, and many others know, books aimed at the Young Adult demographic are full of female narrators. Heroines who have problems with their crushes, who have been chosen to lead revolutions that would topple governments, and heroines who will one day save the world from the evil, nasty, eternally-laughing villains. That is expected given that the majority of readers in the YA category are female, and that is precisely why I look forward to books with male narrators for once. I want to see how a male would encounter the same problems (oh come on, don't look at me that way. There is hardly any originality anymore!), how romances are viewed in their perspectives, yada yada yada.
That's why I expected a lot. Male narrators are rare (at least I can count the ones I've read with my fingers) so you'd think they would be done nicely, right? Not only the character but the plot as well, right?
Well, wrong.
For the last few years, Tony and his family has been in the Witness Protection program while also avoiding a notorious mafia leader who his father betrayed. Unfortunately, his dad always gets into trouble with the law in all the cities they've tried to relocate to so they had to move from one place to another, until they get their last chance in the town of Stepton. Here he takes on the identity of Nick Pearson, and he has to make friends all over again. He meets Eli, a gamer who runs a sort-of Journalism club, and his twin sister Reya, as well as a couple of jocks who want nothing but to club his head against the wall. Unknown to them, the danger is bigger than a bunch of football players who flex their muscles...
Nick Pearson (Tony) could have been an interesting character. He's "funny", "intelligent", and "laid-back". He's the mysterious teenager who's had to take on so many identities in the past that he has admitted he sometimes don't know anymore. He's a flawed hero with a tragic past who we're supposed to feel sorry for. Unfortunately, while reading, I found myself not giving any rat's ass about him. We're told he's like this, he's like that, but it was hardly shown due to the very lacking narration. His being "funny" was shown in the dialogue when he's conversing with other people, but I never found myself smiling or chuckling at all - he was flat, boring, as interesting as watching paint dry, and as cringe-worthy as cats in heat (ugh, my ears...). I wish I were kidding, but he just didn't show enough humor to justify this. It would have been cool if it was portrayed in the internal narration, but I never felt the narration was engaging enough. There were times it was cool, but oftentimes it was lackluster.
This was one of the times I almost wanted to drop this book. I know text speak has evolved over the years, but I'm surrounded by teenagers all the time, and they never text like this. "U" is acceptable, I suppose. "Da" could be bearable after a little teeth grinding. But "wuz" and "hellz"? WTF. Dude, one message can have as much as 160 characters. USE IT. Goodness, if anything, one version of text speak is shortening the words, not making it longer. So why add a "z" at all? Why use "wuz" when "was" has the same amount of letters? I know I may be accused of being nitpicky, but personally, having been in this phase myself and having texted hundreds of people over the years, rarely do I see this kind of text in real life. It gives me a migraine and teenagers aren't that stupid.
...is this real life? Am I dreaming? Am I really reading a guy who's supposedly cute and good-looking but didn't know it?! FACEPALM
I... I don't know. I'm sorry. I've read of so many heroines in YA whose beauty were not known to them (let's call Captain Bullshit for this, yes?), and for some reason... a guy doing that... feels... worse. You be the judge.
Aside from that, the book just lacks character development. I didn't love the hero and I couldn't bring myself to care for the side characters, too. We're told he feels this way towards this person and that person, but we're not really shown. Hardly any of his "feelings" were enforced. These things were only told and expected to be seen as facts, but proven? Not sure about that. He says he loves his mom but never once has he shown appreciation for her actions. All he does is talk about himself, despite knowing his mom being unhappy with their current situation. He says he has lost trust with his dad but he has never shown his frustrations with regards to him. He lies and covers for him even (...what for?). Zach and his cronies felt superficial as well. Football guys, macho galore, who would sack the first person who'd approach his ex-girlfriend, Reya *insert yawning here*. It felt like watching a movie with typical and stereotypical characters all over again. I think the only person who had a bit of complexity was the Mayor's son... but even I was able to see through him. No depth in the hero, no depth in the side characters... is it such a surprise I'm rating this a 2?
The romance as well didn't feel believable to me. It started as an instalove and went downhill very fast.
In their succeeding scenes, he'd often find himself feeling everything is in slow motion with cheesy music playing every time they see each other. He'd be saying something, she'd pop, and then the things he wanted to say would be forgotten in a snap. Not too long after, they much confessed they like each other, and I was like... "why?" We weren't shown what he saw in her aside from her appearance. We weren't shown how he really felt from her aside from the "everything went into a standstill" comments. There just weren't any substance. At all.
This book's only saving grace at this point was the mystery factor. Unfortunately, that didn't deliver at all. By the end, there were still so many questions lingering in my head, and a lot didn't make sense. I could talk about that here and wonder what the fuck was going on, but that would mean spoilers (if interested though, check out the comments. Stuti and I pondered about it).
Overall, this book was meh to the very core. I was not impressed. Definitely, there were some interesting moments, but majority of the time, I felt empty while reading and only tried to finish it because I needed to give a review. It was fast-paced though, so you can get this one if you want something quick. Otherwise, if you're looking for a good mystery with substance, you can skip this one and sleep easy knowing you didn't miss anything.
As you, I, and many others know, books aimed at the Young Adult demographic are full of female narrators. Heroines who have problems with their crushes, who have been chosen to lead revolutions that would topple governments, and heroines who will one day save the world from the evil, nasty, eternally-laughing villains. That is expected given that the majority of readers in the YA category are female, and that is precisely why I look forward to books with male narrators for once. I want to see how a male would encounter the same problems (oh come on, don't look at me that way. There is hardly any originality anymore!), how romances are viewed in their perspectives, yada yada yada.
That's why I expected a lot. Male narrators are rare (at least I can count the ones I've read with my fingers) so you'd think they would be done nicely, right? Not only the character but the plot as well, right?
Well, wrong.
For the last few years, Tony and his family has been in the Witness Protection program while also avoiding a notorious mafia leader who his father betrayed. Unfortunately, his dad always gets into trouble with the law in all the cities they've tried to relocate to so they had to move from one place to another, until they get their last chance in the town of Stepton. Here he takes on the identity of Nick Pearson, and he has to make friends all over again. He meets Eli, a gamer who runs a sort-of Journalism club, and his twin sister Reya, as well as a couple of jocks who want nothing but to club his head against the wall. Unknown to them, the danger is bigger than a bunch of football players who flex their muscles...
Nick Pearson (Tony) could have been an interesting character. He's "funny", "intelligent", and "laid-back". He's the mysterious teenager who's had to take on so many identities in the past that he has admitted he sometimes don't know anymore. He's a flawed hero with a tragic past who we're supposed to feel sorry for. Unfortunately, while reading, I found myself not giving any rat's ass about him. We're told he's like this, he's like that, but it was hardly shown due to the very lacking narration. His being "funny" was shown in the dialogue when he's conversing with other people, but I never found myself smiling or chuckling at all - he was flat, boring, as interesting as watching paint dry, and as cringe-worthy as cats in heat (ugh, my ears...). I wish I were kidding, but he just didn't show enough humor to justify this. It would have been cool if it was portrayed in the internal narration, but I never felt the narration was engaging enough. There were times it was cool, but oftentimes it was lackluster.
Me:What's da Urethra Gauntlet?
Eli: Urilium Gauntlet. U got my message.
Me: I got it. What wuz it?
Eli: I'm talkin Finite Universe. An MMORPG
Me: wuz dat a typo?
Eli: Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Me: Like Warcraft?
Eli: Hellz no. Better. More scifi than fantasy. No weirdo stuff like dwarfs and fairies.
This was one of the times I almost wanted to drop this book. I know text speak has evolved over the years, but I'm surrounded by teenagers all the time, and they never text like this. "U" is acceptable, I suppose. "Da" could be bearable after a little teeth grinding. But "wuz" and "hellz"? WTF. Dude, one message can have as much as 160 characters. USE IT. Goodness, if anything, one version of text speak is shortening the words, not making it longer. So why add a "z" at all? Why use "wuz" when "was" has the same amount of letters? I know I may be accused of being nitpicky, but personally, having been in this phase myself and having texted hundreds of people over the years, rarely do I see this kind of text in real life. It gives me a migraine and teenagers aren't that stupid.
"We're on a date. If anyone asks, that's our cover."
"Right," I said. "Pretending."
She glanced sideways, then back to the road. "People are going to talk when we come in together. We better give them what they ask for. It will make the night go more smoothly."
"Hope I don't miss your rep."
She laughed. "Mess up my rep? Do you own a mirror?"
"What do you mean?"
"De pinga! I can't tell if you're being modest or you're one of those guys who got cute over the summer without realizing it."
Focus, focus, grin, focus...
...is this real life? Am I dreaming? Am I really reading a guy who's supposedly cute and good-looking but didn't know it?! FACEPALM
I... I don't know. I'm sorry. I've read of so many heroines in YA whose beauty were not known to them (let's call Captain Bullshit for this, yes?), and for some reason... a guy doing that... feels... worse. You be the judge.
Aside from that, the book just lacks character development. I didn't love the hero and I couldn't bring myself to care for the side characters, too. We're told he feels this way towards this person and that person, but we're not really shown. Hardly any of his "feelings" were enforced. These things were only told and expected to be seen as facts, but proven? Not sure about that. He says he loves his mom but never once has he shown appreciation for her actions. All he does is talk about himself, despite knowing his mom being unhappy with their current situation. He says he has lost trust with his dad but he has never shown his frustrations with regards to him. He lies and covers for him even (...what for?). Zach and his cronies felt superficial as well. Football guys, macho galore, who would sack the first person who'd approach his ex-girlfriend, Reya *insert yawning here*. It felt like watching a movie with typical and stereotypical characters all over again. I think the only person who had a bit of complexity was the Mayor's son... but even I was able to see through him. No depth in the hero, no depth in the side characters... is it such a surprise I'm rating this a 2?
The romance as well didn't feel believable to me. It started as an instalove and went downhill very fast.
The girl I'd bumped steadied herself, said, "It's okay. I'll live."
I barely heard her, though. Too busy seeing her.
You know how in the movies when a gorgeous girl enters the scene there's music, and slow motion, and fans blowing her hair? None of that happened or anything, but for the first time, the concept didn't seem stupid. She made a gym uniform look good.
In their succeeding scenes, he'd often find himself feeling everything is in slow motion with cheesy music playing every time they see each other. He'd be saying something, she'd pop, and then the things he wanted to say would be forgotten in a snap. Not too long after, they much confessed they like each other, and I was like... "why?" We weren't shown what he saw in her aside from her appearance. We weren't shown how he really felt from her aside from the "everything went into a standstill" comments. There just weren't any substance. At all.
This book's only saving grace at this point was the mystery factor. Unfortunately, that didn't deliver at all. By the end, there were still so many questions lingering in my head, and a lot didn't make sense. I could talk about that here and wonder what the fuck was going on, but that would mean spoilers (if interested though, check out the comments. Stuti and I pondered about it).
Overall, this book was meh to the very core. I was not impressed. Definitely, there were some interesting moments, but majority of the time, I felt empty while reading and only tried to finish it because I needed to give a review. It was fast-paced though, so you can get this one if you want something quick. Otherwise, if you're looking for a good mystery with substance, you can skip this one and sleep easy knowing you didn't miss anything.
October 19, 2016
Lamar Giles is a cofounder of We Need Diverse Books, which is one of the best things that ever happened to children’s literature, so I was excited when I got the opportunity to read his debut young adult novel.
The narrator, Nick Pearson, hasn’t had the easiest life. His father got the family in so much trouble that they had to enter the Witness Protection Program. Nick was forced to change his identity and move to Stepton, Virginia. (Which sounds a lot like Stepford, so you know something is rotten here.) When Nick’s new classmates start dying, and his father starts behaving suspiciously, Nick begins to wonder if old enemies have caught up with his family.
I don’t read a lot of thrillers. I don’t even remember the last time I read one. It’s not my favorite genre, but I’m glad I gave Fake ID a try. Nick is an intriguing character because he hasn’t had a typical childhood. His father worked for a dangerous criminal, and Nick has seen more than any kid should. When Nick gets to Stepton, he wants to stay “low-key,” but he immediately draws the attention of the hottest girl in school; her nerdy, wannabe-journalist twin brother; and her dangerously jealous ex-boyfriend. It’s hard to be “low-key” around people like that. The cast of characters quickly drew me into the story. I wanted to know what kind of trouble they’d get themselves in.
The story centers on the murder of Eli Cruz, the wannabe-journalist who started investigating something he shouldn’t. The mystery is compelling and fast-paced. I read most of this book in a day because I wanted to know who murdered a teenager. The identity of the murderer completely surprised me. This book is definitely a page-turner with a lot of twists.
The reason I don’t like thrillers is that they usually lack depth. I want books that make me think about the world in new ways. Thrillers are often so focused on action that there isn’t much else going on. Unfortunately, that’s the problem I had with Fake ID. There is a ton of action and not much else.
The characters and their relationships feel very shallow to me. I’m especially disappointed with the only female main character, Reya Cruz. All I know about her is that she’s Latina, she’s a twin, and she’s beautiful. Other than her appearance, I don’t know why Nick wants to be in a relationship with her. The story doesn’t go into depth about any of the other characters, either. You have the rich boy who throws great parties, the pure-evil bully and his cronies, the nerdy boy who doesn’t have any friends. Even the narrator isn’t as complex as I wanted. Since the characters didn’t feel real to me, I never developed a connection to them. They were often in danger, but I couldn’t make myself care.
One thing I did like about the characters is that they come from a variety of different cultural backgrounds. It’s interesting to see the similarities and differences between their cultures.
I think this book would be good for reluctant readers. It’s plot-driven and doesn’t have a lot of details that slow down the story. It’s pretty much all action, all the time.
Fake ID reminded me of all the reasons why I don’t read thrillers. I didn’t love this book, but if you’re a thriller fan, it’s probably worth checking out.
The narrator, Nick Pearson, hasn’t had the easiest life. His father got the family in so much trouble that they had to enter the Witness Protection Program. Nick was forced to change his identity and move to Stepton, Virginia. (Which sounds a lot like Stepford, so you know something is rotten here.) When Nick’s new classmates start dying, and his father starts behaving suspiciously, Nick begins to wonder if old enemies have caught up with his family.
I don’t read a lot of thrillers. I don’t even remember the last time I read one. It’s not my favorite genre, but I’m glad I gave Fake ID a try. Nick is an intriguing character because he hasn’t had a typical childhood. His father worked for a dangerous criminal, and Nick has seen more than any kid should. When Nick gets to Stepton, he wants to stay “low-key,” but he immediately draws the attention of the hottest girl in school; her nerdy, wannabe-journalist twin brother; and her dangerously jealous ex-boyfriend. It’s hard to be “low-key” around people like that. The cast of characters quickly drew me into the story. I wanted to know what kind of trouble they’d get themselves in.
“You don't have to know someone your whole life to know them. Not really. Lonely is the same everywhere.” – Fake ID
The story centers on the murder of Eli Cruz, the wannabe-journalist who started investigating something he shouldn’t. The mystery is compelling and fast-paced. I read most of this book in a day because I wanted to know who murdered a teenager. The identity of the murderer completely surprised me. This book is definitely a page-turner with a lot of twists.
The reason I don’t like thrillers is that they usually lack depth. I want books that make me think about the world in new ways. Thrillers are often so focused on action that there isn’t much else going on. Unfortunately, that’s the problem I had with Fake ID. There is a ton of action and not much else.
The characters and their relationships feel very shallow to me. I’m especially disappointed with the only female main character, Reya Cruz. All I know about her is that she’s Latina, she’s a twin, and she’s beautiful. Other than her appearance, I don’t know why Nick wants to be in a relationship with her. The story doesn’t go into depth about any of the other characters, either. You have the rich boy who throws great parties, the pure-evil bully and his cronies, the nerdy boy who doesn’t have any friends. Even the narrator isn’t as complex as I wanted. Since the characters didn’t feel real to me, I never developed a connection to them. They were often in danger, but I couldn’t make myself care.
One thing I did like about the characters is that they come from a variety of different cultural backgrounds. It’s interesting to see the similarities and differences between their cultures.
“Our backgrounds were different, but the traditions of death surpassed culture. Everyone mourned with food.” – Fake ID
I think this book would be good for reluctant readers. It’s plot-driven and doesn’t have a lot of details that slow down the story. It’s pretty much all action, all the time.
Fake ID reminded me of all the reasons why I don’t read thrillers. I didn’t love this book, but if you’re a thriller fan, it’s probably worth checking out.
June 26, 2017
Liars, Inc.
meets
The Outliers
meets
Dark Places.
Overall, an okay thriller. Full of red herrings and gave me whiplash when the killer was revealed. The characters felt like cardboard at times, some of the story's elements were also kind of cheesy, and I was uncomfortable with the depiction of female characters in this book (I get that it's from the point of view of a teenage boy, but still, I was uncomfortable), but still a mystery-thriller worthy of the term.
Overall, an okay thriller. Full of red herrings and gave me whiplash when the killer was revealed. The characters felt like cardboard at times, some of the story's elements were also kind of cheesy, and I was uncomfortable with the depiction of female characters in this book (I get that it's from the point of view of a teenage boy, but still, I was uncomfortable), but still a mystery-thriller worthy of the term.
December 24, 2013
Fake ID kind of just swept me off of my feet and blew me away. I was expecting a darker story and for it to be a lot slower but I got something a bit different. Lamar Giles and L.R. Giles have written a story about family, romance, and above all, trust. Which has earned them a respected place among my favourite authors.
I had a hard time connecting with some characters since their back stories and histories are told too late in the story for me to actually care about them. I wished that more of a reaction was shown when people found out about Nick and his family instead of what I got. Everyone seems too calm about it, even Reya who I was expecting to go bat shit crazy didn’t satisfy me.
Giles jumps right into the action and never stopped entertaining me. There’s a lot of it and a romance but I loved how it takes the backseat throughout the whole novel. A really big part of the story is the witness protection program that Nick’s family is in and I thought that it’s very well done. It’s woven into he story form the beginning to the end of it.
Overall, this is a great story that I really enjoyed. I loved how race doesn’t add in a lot of the typical stereotypes. I recommend Fake ID to everyone, especially people who like mystery stories with quite a bit of action in them.
May 18, 2017
Spoilers
This book was good sad that Eli got killed and Reya acting towards Tony I mean Nick like that. Smh ! I kinda figured Dustin had something to do with. They should've locked him up and throw away the key. And oh I thought Tony dad had something to do with the murders man I was wrong lol
This book was good sad that Eli got killed and Reya acting towards Tony I mean Nick like that. Smh ! I kinda figured Dustin had something to do with. They should've locked him up and throw away the key. And oh I thought Tony dad had something to do with the murders man I was wrong lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2020
3.5 stars
This murder mystery was so interesting and fun to read. I went into the book not knowing too much of the synopsis which was nice, but I think if you've already read the synopsis you'll still find it engaging. The witness protection program aspect of the story was fascinating. The twist towards the end was unexpected and surprising. I didn't guess it and the thought of the person who didn't even cross my mind.
The family dynamics of this story are very interesting. I was so annoyed with Nick's parents, but it did fit the story. As this is a thriller you obviously have to suspend your disbelief a bit, but there's one part of the story I found hard to understand, it's under a spoiler tag because it could be considered a mild spoiler:
This murder mystery was so interesting and fun to read. I went into the book not knowing too much of the synopsis which was nice, but I think if you've already read the synopsis you'll still find it engaging. The witness protection program aspect of the story was fascinating. The twist towards the end was unexpected and surprising. I didn't guess it and the thought of the person who didn't even cross my mind.
The family dynamics of this story are very interesting. I was so annoyed with Nick's parents, but it did fit the story. As this is a thriller you obviously have to suspend your disbelief a bit, but there's one part of the story I found hard to understand, it's under a spoiler tag because it could be considered a mild spoiler:
August 12, 2016
I had a hard time finishing this book. It’s not that the characters or plot or writing was horrible... it was just that I never clicked enough with the story to be fully immersed. Nevertheless, I am sure some others people will enjoy Fake ID. I just... struggled.
The number one thing that had me yawning during the story, was that I never connected enough to the characters to care what happened to them. Maybe I am cold-hearted, but I have to feel a connection to fictional characters before I care about their life. I feel like the characters had a lot of potential. For example, I felt that Nick and I seriously should have loved each other. I (usually) really like humorous male protagonists. However, I didn't really care for Nick. I just don't think the author ever developed his characters enough for me to grow attached.
The novel did have some positive aspects. Kudos to the main character for being humorous. Also, kudos to the author for bringing non-white and non-female protagonists to the YA genre. Thank you!
That said, I still never connected to the book. The plot never pulled me in. Honestly, I remember very little of the story line and I finished this book only a month ago. That should tell you a lot about how I felt about the book. It wasn't memorable.
Overall, Fake ID wasn't terrible in any way. In fact, there were a few things I liked. Sadly, the book was pretty bland in my opinion. If the author had worked a little more on the characters, I feel like I could have enjoyed this more. I will still look out for Lamar Gile's next work.
I had the hardest time deciding what to rate the book. I'm going with 2.5 Stars.
The number one thing that had me yawning during the story, was that I never connected enough to the characters to care what happened to them. Maybe I am cold-hearted, but I have to feel a connection to fictional characters before I care about their life. I feel like the characters had a lot of potential. For example, I felt that Nick and I seriously should have loved each other. I (usually) really like humorous male protagonists. However, I didn't really care for Nick. I just don't think the author ever developed his characters enough for me to grow attached.
The novel did have some positive aspects. Kudos to the main character for being humorous. Also, kudos to the author for bringing non-white and non-female protagonists to the YA genre. Thank you!
That said, I still never connected to the book. The plot never pulled me in. Honestly, I remember very little of the story line and I finished this book only a month ago. That should tell you a lot about how I felt about the book. It wasn't memorable.
Overall, Fake ID wasn't terrible in any way. In fact, there were a few things I liked. Sadly, the book was pretty bland in my opinion. If the author had worked a little more on the characters, I feel like I could have enjoyed this more. I will still look out for Lamar Gile's next work.
I had the hardest time deciding what to rate the book. I'm going with 2.5 Stars.
January 21, 2014
On his first day at a new school, Nick already catches the attention of the biggest bullies, the hottest girl (Reya) and the editor of the school paper (Eli) - which is not good when you're meant to keep a low profile. See, Nick's family is in the Witness Protection Program, and Nick isn't really his name.
Eli convinces Nick to work on the paper with him, confides in him that he's working on a HUGE story, and then winds up dead. Meanwhile, Nick starts to suspect that his father, a former accountant for the mob, is somehow involved.
This is just the kind of thriller I like - a juicy central mystery, lots of great twists, and characters that feel real. There's a palpable sense of danger throughout, but also bits of comic relief and a side of sizzling romance.
Eli convinces Nick to work on the paper with him, confides in him that he's working on a HUGE story, and then winds up dead. Meanwhile, Nick starts to suspect that his father, a former accountant for the mob, is somehow involved.
This is just the kind of thriller I like - a juicy central mystery, lots of great twists, and characters that feel real. There's a palpable sense of danger throughout, but also bits of comic relief and a side of sizzling romance.
March 23, 2014
Nick Pearson is in witness protection because of some things his dad did, but when the only friend he makes at his new school turns up dead, he has to try to solve the murder...that might point back to his dad.
I really, really loved this book. Nick is such a great narrator-- he's funny and smart and tough, but still believably naive (he's only 16 after all) enough that you feel for him as he's trying to puzzle this whole mess out. Giles writing is so compelling. I always love it when a writer can surprise me with the way he writes a description (ex: jeans so light they looked like scar tissue--brilliant), and he does that in this book. It was such a page-turner... I read it in one sitting :O)
I really, really loved this book. Nick is such a great narrator-- he's funny and smart and tough, but still believably naive (he's only 16 after all) enough that you feel for him as he's trying to puzzle this whole mess out. Giles writing is so compelling. I always love it when a writer can surprise me with the way he writes a description (ex: jeans so light they looked like scar tissue--brilliant), and he does that in this book. It was such a page-turner... I read it in one sitting :O)
June 6, 2020
I really enjoyed this fast-paced YA thriller murder mystery. Distinctive narrative voice, great characters, and the main character finds himself in quite an interesting situation. I went ahead and ordered another Giles book after finishing it, because I definitely want to read more by him.
November 3, 2017
I overall enjoyed the book. I don't read many books, and when I do I typically get bored pretty easily and lose interest quick. But, I didn't lose interest, the author did a good job at making you want to know more, and the pace was pretty quick, so there weren't many long boring pauses in the book. Even the introduction has some action in it, which impressed me based on previous books I've read, where it's basically just a list of characters and their personalities. The main thing that I didn't enjoy about the book was the character development, because to be fair, there really wasn't any. The main character just kind of keeps the same personality through the entire book, along with almost all of the other characters. They don't really do anything unpredictable in terms of personality, nor does it change. Something the author did well was making it hard to know whether or not certain characters could be trusted or not. So although the character development was weak, they all have their own different ways of being interpreted, keeping you unknowing of what's to happen next.
April 4, 2017
I started out really liking this book. The story hooked me right away, it was easy reading with believable action and few slow spots. The story kept me guessing and I was unable to determine who the antagonist was until the author revealed it. Where the story fell flat for me was the ending.
SPOILER-ish:
I know many YA novels nowadays are utilizing the non-happy ending but I felt the story ended forced and unresolved. This will still be a book I would recommend to young and reluctant readers - and they may really enjoy the ending.
SPOILER-ish:
I know many YA novels nowadays are utilizing the non-happy ending but I felt the story ended forced and unresolved. This will still be a book I would recommend to young and reluctant readers - and they may really enjoy the ending.
November 2, 2017
Have you ever thought about what life would be like in Witness Protection? This is the life of Nick Pearson. Nick is a 16 year old in high school, forced to move all around the country because of his father's mistakes, which have landed them in Witness Protection in the first place. The government moves them to a small town called Stepton, and Nick starts to discover things aren't quite right. This book is one of a kind. I highly suggest this book, it really pulls you in and leaves you in suspense almost every chapter.
February 11, 2020
The story of a smug teen and his friends who all get into a bunch of adult-type trouble because that's what happens in YA books about smug teens. The main character was pretty annoying and I really disliked the book at first and didn't think that I would finish it, but then I went on vacation and read a chapter or two every couple of days and it wasn't as bad when it was broken up into small sections. I think that middle school or even high school students would enjoy it, but it's really not a book for adults.
May 16, 2019
My son is often difficult to sell on reading novels so when he told me he was reading this one AND liking it, I wanted to read it as well. This one, a tale of a teen in the witness protection program due to his father's actions, is reminiscent of Harlan Coben's novels and a well-plotted story on its own.
October 8, 2021
Fake ID by Lamar Giles is a suspenseful thriller that will always leave you wondering what will happen next. This novel is about 15-year-old Nick Pearson, except that is not his real name. Since he was little, Nick was constantly being moved around and having his identity changed because of a federal agency that is trying to protect his family from a vicious mob leader. He has always been told to stay low-key, but when his new friend dies right before he was about to uncover a major conspiracy, Nick has to choose if he will try to solve the murder or keep a low profile like he has always been taught to do.
I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking to read an action-packed thriller. Giles really exemplifies the meaning of “between a rock and a hard place” during the novel. The author does a great job throughout the story creating suspense that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, wanting to know more. This is such an intriguing book that has you guessing until the very end: Who really killed Eli?
I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking to read an action-packed thriller. Giles really exemplifies the meaning of “between a rock and a hard place” during the novel. The author does a great job throughout the story creating suspense that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, wanting to know more. This is such an intriguing book that has you guessing until the very end: Who really killed Eli?
February 20, 2023
Nick Pearson is at a new school again, with a new name. This is what happens when you and your parents are in the Witness Protection Program. Normally, a kid like Nick should stay quiet, get school work done, and try to live a “normal” life. Except that can’t happen after Nick meets Eli Cruz, the journalist for the school newspaper. Eli is good at what he does, and the more Nick gets to know him, the more he realizes Eli has uncovered something. Something big. But before Eli can explain much about it, Nick finds his dead body. It’s ruled a suicide, but Nick knows better. Despite having to keep a low profile, Nick is determined to figure out what happened to Eli, along with Eli’s sister, Reya. Together, they begin an investigation that ends up being a lot more than either of them bargained for.
A great read for those who like action and mystery.
A great read for those who like action and mystery.
September 26, 2019
A történet szépen építkezik, az elejétől leköti a figyelmet, de meghagyja a kétkedés jogát mindenkinek, nem kell elhinned, sőt, minden rendülésével sugallja, hogy nem szabad elhinned a nyilvánvalót.
https://napifalat.blogspot.com/2019/0...
https://napifalat.blogspot.com/2019/0...
April 11, 2023
The plot was pretty good, I couldn’t predict the twist and it captured my attention well but it was the dialogue was so bad I couldn’t rate it higher. Normally i am not very picky but it was just that bad.
The author made the bold choice of including many text conversations in this book and he has made it clear that he has never seen any teen text with lines such as “wuz”, “da”, and “hellz”.
Also I had to read a character referring to a woman giving birth as “popping”.
The author made the bold choice of including many text conversations in this book and he has made it clear that he has never seen any teen text with lines such as “wuz”, “da”, and “hellz”.
Also I had to read a character referring to a woman giving birth as “popping”.
November 5, 2018
Fabulous mystery! A great read for teens. Giles is a talented writer who has a great voice. I really enjoyed the pace and characters in this book. Really fun.
June 19, 2020
Fast-paced and intense YA. It surprised me MULTIPLE times!
July 14, 2020
Really enjoyed this novel. Reminded me a bit of Veronica Mars.
February 10, 2021
I wasn’t expecting a “happy ending” per se, and yet this story was bittersweet af.
April 21, 2021
Could have been a better ending
October 22, 2020
Fake Id by Lamar Giles is a great book. It is about a boy named Nick, who's family is in theWitness Protection Program.
July 29, 2018
At first I didn't think much of this book, reading the blurb confirmed my suspicion. Oh wow, a major conspiracy that has been kept under wraps, until it surfaces to public scrutiny. A rebellious teen, adept in scheming and chicanery. Well, lets just say after I finished, I was won over.
Firstly, the marvellous writing. The way the author has composed it allows you to really experience the story through the protagonists' eyes. The 'rewind' chapters offers a glimpse into the past whilst not becoming a tiresome flashback to read. The short chapters is also brilliant as it sections out the story and allows you to take a breath from the novel and put it down unlike some other novel, cough cough pirate cinema where another chapter is as elusive as a sonar eclipse
The characters are alright but the protagonist is a run of the mill hardened teen veteran who's seen and experienced things but idk the plot was interesting enough that it didn't make him boring.
The plot also, is adequate for a YA novel and never got boring.
In conclusion, an exquisite read
Firstly, the marvellous writing. The way the author has composed it allows you to really experience the story through the protagonists' eyes. The 'rewind' chapters offers a glimpse into the past whilst not becoming a tiresome flashback to read. The short chapters is also brilliant as it sections out the story and allows you to take a breath from the novel and put it down unlike some other novel, cough cough pirate cinema where another chapter is as elusive as a sonar eclipse
The characters are alright but the protagonist is a run of the mill hardened teen veteran who's seen and experienced things but idk the plot was interesting enough that it didn't make him boring.
The plot also, is adequate for a YA novel and never got boring.
In conclusion, an exquisite read
January 14, 2020
loved this book! sparked my joy of reading again. i hadn't read an actual book since elementary and i read this book like a few years i guess after elementary and i loved it so much!
January 5, 2014
The synopsis for this book is one that I actually took the time to read, I know, shocking right? The mysterious vibe it gave off immediately had me hooked and I had to get the book off Edelweiss to find out exactly what is going on in this boy who calls himself Nick Pearson’s life. After diving in I was sucked into and intrigued by the twisted web that is weaved involving the Witness Protection Program (WitSec) and the ties this family has to the mob. While it didn’t fail to keep me entertained it did fail to provide much substance to any of the characters to lead me to actually care about their well being.
We meet Nick on his first day of high school in a new town called Stepton. Things get off to a rocky start when he bumps into a gorgeous girl and then proceeds to get roughed up by her ex boyfriend. There to save the day is the boy who works on the school newspaper, Eli. Once Nick and Eli strike up a friendship it becomes clear that Eli is doing some intense journalistic research not meant for the school paper. There is no shortage of mystery and twists in Fake ID, from nearly the first chapter we find out that Stepton isn’t the happy, perfect town it seems to be. I liked how there were layers to the mystery and I can honestly say that I didn’t peg the bad guy until he was revealed, which is always very exciting with these kinds of books. There are little strings connecting people in the novel and each connection managed to take me by surprise.
The problem with the people in the novel is that there just isn’t enough character development to propel them to be people that I care about. Even Nick was someone that I never truly gave a darn about. He comes across as pretty selfish and I knew that he cared about his mom but that was only because I was told that. He never actually did anything to enforce this love. He lied to her on multiple occasions and wasn’t really there for her even though he knew how unhappy she was in their new living situation. Eli was the one character that I could have seen myself connecting to but he doesn’t last long in the novel (this is not a spoiler, Nick tells us he dies in the very first chapter.) Also making appearances in the novel is the high school badass, Zach. He just so happens to be the ex boyfriend of the girl Nick falls for and he is so stereotypically bad that he felt very fake. There was no lightness to this guy at all he was just bad, bad, bad leading me to not believe him at all.
As I’m sure you can guess from the previous points in this review there is a romance to be had here as well. Nick is smitten with Reya from very early on in the novel. He ends up having an in with her because she also happens to be Eli’s sister. Aside from a few make out sessions and some investigative work these two didn’t really have much going on. Nick really shows his selfish side when he comes up to Reya who is hugging her injured mother on the road and he actually leaves. Yeah that’s true love for you folks!
If you are looking for a book that is a quick, passive read that manages to keep you guessing than this could be one for you. But if you are looking for a mystery with depth I’d say you are going to have to look elsewhere.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
We meet Nick on his first day of high school in a new town called Stepton. Things get off to a rocky start when he bumps into a gorgeous girl and then proceeds to get roughed up by her ex boyfriend. There to save the day is the boy who works on the school newspaper, Eli. Once Nick and Eli strike up a friendship it becomes clear that Eli is doing some intense journalistic research not meant for the school paper. There is no shortage of mystery and twists in Fake ID, from nearly the first chapter we find out that Stepton isn’t the happy, perfect town it seems to be. I liked how there were layers to the mystery and I can honestly say that I didn’t peg the bad guy until he was revealed, which is always very exciting with these kinds of books. There are little strings connecting people in the novel and each connection managed to take me by surprise.
The problem with the people in the novel is that there just isn’t enough character development to propel them to be people that I care about. Even Nick was someone that I never truly gave a darn about. He comes across as pretty selfish and I knew that he cared about his mom but that was only because I was told that. He never actually did anything to enforce this love. He lied to her on multiple occasions and wasn’t really there for her even though he knew how unhappy she was in their new living situation. Eli was the one character that I could have seen myself connecting to but he doesn’t last long in the novel (this is not a spoiler, Nick tells us he dies in the very first chapter.) Also making appearances in the novel is the high school badass, Zach. He just so happens to be the ex boyfriend of the girl Nick falls for and he is so stereotypically bad that he felt very fake. There was no lightness to this guy at all he was just bad, bad, bad leading me to not believe him at all.
As I’m sure you can guess from the previous points in this review there is a romance to be had here as well. Nick is smitten with Reya from very early on in the novel. He ends up having an in with her because she also happens to be Eli’s sister. Aside from a few make out sessions and some investigative work these two didn’t really have much going on. Nick really shows his selfish side when he comes up to Reya who is hugging her injured mother on the road and he actually leaves. Yeah that’s true love for you folks!
If you are looking for a book that is a quick, passive read that manages to keep you guessing than this could be one for you. But if you are looking for a mystery with depth I’d say you are going to have to look elsewhere.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
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