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The Girlfriends #1
Little White Lies
In Little White Lies, Book # 1 of the Girlfriends Series –Eighth grader Rachel Scott finally has the perfect boyfriend. He’s good looking, athletic and wealthy. The only problem is he doesn’t actually exist. Rachel’s escape into her fantasy world worries her parents and they insist she meet with the school counsellor. Frustrated with her life and without her best friend’s approval, Rachel heads down a dangerous path, looking for love in all the wrong places.
- GenresYoung Adult
164 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2013
6 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
Jodie Esch
7 books7 followersAfter years of bouncing back and forth across Canada, Jodie Esch finally chose Vancouver Island as her home. She lives in the country where she indulges in her passions of reading novels and studying recipe books. Her only reason to head to the city is to meet with friends or to find the perfect latte. She’s the proud author of The Girlfriends Series (Young Adult) and her romance series The Coopers. Her focus is on creating heroines who tackle life’s challenges, with a sense of humor and a touch of the mystical.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 15, 2014
This is a really great quick read. It's an ideal read for a teenager.
It's a great read about real characters. I loved how the author wrote about a storyline that all of us can recognise.
Rachel the main character is lovely. We read about a lot of subjects that affects young kids. Loved how the author brought up a subject of on line stalking. This is a subject that needs to be talked about more.
Great read that I'll be recommending especially to young adults.
It's a great read about real characters. I loved how the author wrote about a storyline that all of us can recognise.
Rachel the main character is lovely. We read about a lot of subjects that affects young kids. Loved how the author brought up a subject of on line stalking. This is a subject that needs to be talked about more.
Great read that I'll be recommending especially to young adults.
June 19, 2017
Excellent book and a must read for teens. What happens to Rachel can happen to anyone and it might not end well. In fact, when we watch TV and see how many children go missing, only to die alone and in fear, it never ends well.
This story underlines the ease with which online predators groom their intended victims. Rachel believes she is ugly, she is unpopular and her best friend Steph is gorgeous and should actually have any boyfriend she wants...but Steph is struggling with her own pain, and Rachel feels overwhelmed. Lying is what she does best but when Steph asks her to lie for her, Rachel's mind goes into overdrive.
She finds an online site where she cyber meets Lonely Guy. She longs for someone to love her as she is, and he seems to be the one. But, she has to keep this relationship a secret. He basically orders her to.
I really enjoyed Rachel. She is honestly not trying to harm anyone, she just escapes into a world where her life is perfect. Just the edges blur a bit.
Fantastic read! I downloaded this book from a free site and write a review for every fiction book I read.
This story underlines the ease with which online predators groom their intended victims. Rachel believes she is ugly, she is unpopular and her best friend Steph is gorgeous and should actually have any boyfriend she wants...but Steph is struggling with her own pain, and Rachel feels overwhelmed. Lying is what she does best but when Steph asks her to lie for her, Rachel's mind goes into overdrive.
She finds an online site where she cyber meets Lonely Guy. She longs for someone to love her as she is, and he seems to be the one. But, she has to keep this relationship a secret. He basically orders her to.
I really enjoyed Rachel. She is honestly not trying to harm anyone, she just escapes into a world where her life is perfect. Just the edges blur a bit.
Fantastic read! I downloaded this book from a free site and write a review for every fiction book I read.
July 25, 2017
Rachel lives in a blended family with her dad, stepmom, older stepbrother and younger half-brother. At school her friend, Steph, is blonde and beautiful, whilst Rachel feels lumpy and unattractive. She feels overlooked and so she lies about things. It starts off small but escalates when she starts talking to 'Lonely Guy' online.
This is a very good book, an easy read, with well-written characters. It did a good job of showing the potential dangers of trusting people online to be exactly what they say, and how easy it is to get sucked in. The one part I was a little dubious about was how Rachel dealt with things without telling an adult beforehand.
Overall, I'm happy to recommend this book for teens and adults alike. I received a free copy of the book, via Amazon, and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This is a very good book, an easy read, with well-written characters. It did a good job of showing the potential dangers of trusting people online to be exactly what they say, and how easy it is to get sucked in. The one part I was a little dubious about was how Rachel dealt with things without telling an adult beforehand.
Overall, I'm happy to recommend this book for teens and adults alike. I received a free copy of the book, via Amazon, and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
August 2, 2017
This was a short, cute story that I enjoyed more than I anticipated.
Rachel is a compulsive liar. She invents people, events, you name it. Her best friend is Steph who is tall, thin and beautiful. Rachel is chubby and in her own eyes, not beautiful. Her mother left when she was younger and her Dad is re-married. She now has a step brother who is a year or two older than her. She feels like she doesn't fit in anywhere, so she lies to fit in. Her parents are on to her and make her see the school counselor who she also lies to.
One day, Rachel winds up in a chat room and meets someone who she really connects with. Suddenly she has a boyfriend and she finds herself able to open up and be truthful with him. As time goes on, she's not so sure that this guy is as great as she initially thought he was. He wants to meet her and she agrees, but suddenly has second thoughts. Will she finally come clean and tell the truth for once??
Rachel is a compulsive liar. She invents people, events, you name it. Her best friend is Steph who is tall, thin and beautiful. Rachel is chubby and in her own eyes, not beautiful. Her mother left when she was younger and her Dad is re-married. She now has a step brother who is a year or two older than her. She feels like she doesn't fit in anywhere, so she lies to fit in. Her parents are on to her and make her see the school counselor who she also lies to.
One day, Rachel winds up in a chat room and meets someone who she really connects with. Suddenly she has a boyfriend and she finds herself able to open up and be truthful with him. As time goes on, she's not so sure that this guy is as great as she initially thought he was. He wants to meet her and she agrees, but suddenly has second thoughts. Will she finally come clean and tell the truth for once??
November 11, 2015
Rachel has a lying problem. She lies to everyone. Her parents, aware of the problem, have been making her attend weekly appointments with her school counselor. Rachel goes, but she doesn’t stop lying. Soon she’s met someone online–Lonely Guy. And her lying only gets worse. She stays up late every night chatting with Lonely Guy and as a result her grades start to suffer. Her parents and best friend want to help, but when Rachel won’t tell the truth, they find there’s not much they can do.
My initial impressions of the main character were not favorable. First, it was never really explained why Rachel lies. Is it a psychological thing? Is she acting up because her father got remarried? Does she do it for the thrills? The reader doesn’t really know. She also seemed really immature, selfish, and naive to me. At the same time, she is supposed to be a kid in middle school, so that does kind of fit with her age. It was just hard for me to read about a character that kept making me roll my eyes. I feel like that could totally be on me though. I HATED junior high. I think back on 7th to 9th grade and cringe. My friends and I were all boy crazy and self-centered and looking back on it, I just feel so embarrassed of how I acted. So maybe the character’s hitting a little close to home in that aspect and that’s why I had a hard time with her.
Rachel’s naivety gets her in big trouble even though she insists that she’s being safe online and knows what she’s doing. Her situation made me reflect on what I would have done at her age in her situation. I’d like to think that OF COURSE I’d see that this guy who I was chatting with online wasn’t real, but would I? Rachel wants a boyfriend really bad, and I know that’s something that I struggled with at her age as well. That longing for someone to love her might have left her a little blind to some things. I was really glad that the best friend character, Steph, stayed with her through everything. I felt like they had a good relationship and genuinely cared for one another.
The last criticism that I have for the book is that the ending didn’t really seem resolved to me. The creeper she’d been talking with online was still out there (at the end of the book, the police were just looking for him to my knowledge) and he still knew where she lived! Totally creepy. In the end, I just felt really sad at how much Rachel felt like she needed a boyfriend and I kind of wish the author had placed more emphasis on boys not being everything. I feel like that “need” to have a boyfriend gets girls in trouble at a very young age. Just relax on the boy thing until you’re done with high school, okay? Overall, this book kind of reads as an online predator awareness campaign…so not exactly my cup of tea. I know a lot of other people gave this book great reviews though, and even though I didn’t particularly care for it, I do feel like it’s something I’d want my daughter to read when she’s starting junior high. I think it’s a good book (and probably a good series) for girls around that age.
Overall Rating: 2
Violence: None
Language: None
Sexual Content: Mild
Smoking/Drinking: Mild. One mention of smoking.
I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
My initial impressions of the main character were not favorable. First, it was never really explained why Rachel lies. Is it a psychological thing? Is she acting up because her father got remarried? Does she do it for the thrills? The reader doesn’t really know. She also seemed really immature, selfish, and naive to me. At the same time, she is supposed to be a kid in middle school, so that does kind of fit with her age. It was just hard for me to read about a character that kept making me roll my eyes. I feel like that could totally be on me though. I HATED junior high. I think back on 7th to 9th grade and cringe. My friends and I were all boy crazy and self-centered and looking back on it, I just feel so embarrassed of how I acted. So maybe the character’s hitting a little close to home in that aspect and that’s why I had a hard time with her.
Rachel’s naivety gets her in big trouble even though she insists that she’s being safe online and knows what she’s doing. Her situation made me reflect on what I would have done at her age in her situation. I’d like to think that OF COURSE I’d see that this guy who I was chatting with online wasn’t real, but would I? Rachel wants a boyfriend really bad, and I know that’s something that I struggled with at her age as well. That longing for someone to love her might have left her a little blind to some things. I was really glad that the best friend character, Steph, stayed with her through everything. I felt like they had a good relationship and genuinely cared for one another.
The last criticism that I have for the book is that the ending didn’t really seem resolved to me. The creeper she’d been talking with online was still out there (at the end of the book, the police were just looking for him to my knowledge) and he still knew where she lived! Totally creepy. In the end, I just felt really sad at how much Rachel felt like she needed a boyfriend and I kind of wish the author had placed more emphasis on boys not being everything. I feel like that “need” to have a boyfriend gets girls in trouble at a very young age. Just relax on the boy thing until you’re done with high school, okay? Overall, this book kind of reads as an online predator awareness campaign…so not exactly my cup of tea. I know a lot of other people gave this book great reviews though, and even though I didn’t particularly care for it, I do feel like it’s something I’d want my daughter to read when she’s starting junior high. I think it’s a good book (and probably a good series) for girls around that age.
Overall Rating: 2
Violence: None
Language: None
Sexual Content: Mild
Smoking/Drinking: Mild. One mention of smoking.
I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2014
I am BLOWN AWAY!
This book was fantastic! Not sure where I should begin with this so I'll start like I usually do. With the characters. They were awesome. So real with real world problems and drama, real word attributes that made them so easy to connect to. After all that helps make the best characters. Especially our main character Rachel. I'm like her in a lot of ways, not physically but as a person. If I looked like her it'd be kind of weird, like "hey someone wrote my book twin!" No wait. That's be freaking awesome!!!
Next, the plot. My heart, I could feel it thumping pretty much the entire time I was reading this. I was worried id have to somehow save my own life in the midst of reading this book. Because there is NO WAY I was going to die before I finished reading this. Every moment, every turn of the page was like a whirl wind of emotions flying through me. When things seemed to level out, suddenly an earthquake would hit and my whole would be rocked. I was experiencing the emotions of the characters like they were my own, like with every turn of the page I was being knitted closer and closer together with them. The love of family and friends, lies, drama, and so much more all wrapped up into a wonderful book that has rocked my world. I can't wait to get my hands on book 2 ;).
This book was fantastic! Not sure where I should begin with this so I'll start like I usually do. With the characters. They were awesome. So real with real world problems and drama, real word attributes that made them so easy to connect to. After all that helps make the best characters. Especially our main character Rachel. I'm like her in a lot of ways, not physically but as a person. If I looked like her it'd be kind of weird, like "hey someone wrote my book twin!" No wait. That's be freaking awesome!!!
Next, the plot. My heart, I could feel it thumping pretty much the entire time I was reading this. I was worried id have to somehow save my own life in the midst of reading this book. Because there is NO WAY I was going to die before I finished reading this. Every moment, every turn of the page was like a whirl wind of emotions flying through me. When things seemed to level out, suddenly an earthquake would hit and my whole would be rocked. I was experiencing the emotions of the characters like they were my own, like with every turn of the page I was being knitted closer and closer together with them. The love of family and friends, lies, drama, and so much more all wrapped up into a wonderful book that has rocked my world. I can't wait to get my hands on book 2 ;).
June 20, 2014
Beautifully written, this is a great Young Adult story. Although I normally stay away from the Young Adult genre, the Girlfriend Series intrigued me.
The characters are as real as possible, with all the confusion and stress of teenagehood. The problems facing Rachel are very real. Abandoned by her mother, now in a blended family where her dad's attention has shifted to his new wife and child, Rachel is off balance. In order to avoid and escape reality, she has developed a mechanism of Little White Lies or what I would also call creative escapism. If she were to write a story from all the little white lies she tells on a daily basis, her creative writing class would surely give her an A++.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My ONLY point of contention is how Rachel chose to deal with her problem with her internet friend. I am concerned other young adults reading this book would take her approach to her problem as "the way to go" in dealing with a situation like this. In all though, I have a feeling that Jodie Esch is more in tune with our youth than I am. I have a feeling our young adults today would react the same way Rachel did, even at the peril of risking their well-being.
The characters are as real as possible, with all the confusion and stress of teenagehood. The problems facing Rachel are very real. Abandoned by her mother, now in a blended family where her dad's attention has shifted to his new wife and child, Rachel is off balance. In order to avoid and escape reality, she has developed a mechanism of Little White Lies or what I would also call creative escapism. If she were to write a story from all the little white lies she tells on a daily basis, her creative writing class would surely give her an A++.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My ONLY point of contention is how Rachel chose to deal with her problem with her internet friend. I am concerned other young adults reading this book would take her approach to her problem as "the way to go" in dealing with a situation like this. In all though, I have a feeling that Jodie Esch is more in tune with our youth than I am. I have a feeling our young adults today would react the same way Rachel did, even at the peril of risking their well-being.
August 28, 2014
Rachel is trying to adapt to life with a new step mom, step brother, and a new baby brother. She is constantly making up lies and stories to make her life seem more interesting than it really is, but happens when they all add up she could possibly be in trouble will she be able to tell the truth.
When I started this book I had no idea the turns that is would take. I can relate to Rachel because when I was that age i constantly made up stories and things just to entertain myself. This is a book that I believe all teenagers should read. it touches on a very real subject. Things that happen to Rachel happen all the time in real life and I think teens need to be aware and take it seriously. overall I thought it was a great book. For me personally I could have used a little more character depth so that I could connect better. I also felt like the book was rushed a little bit. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read but especially to parents and teens!
Reviewed by Melonie
When I started this book I had no idea the turns that is would take. I can relate to Rachel because when I was that age i constantly made up stories and things just to entertain myself. This is a book that I believe all teenagers should read. it touches on a very real subject. Things that happen to Rachel happen all the time in real life and I think teens need to be aware and take it seriously. overall I thought it was a great book. For me personally I could have used a little more character depth so that I could connect better. I also felt like the book was rushed a little bit. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read but especially to parents and teens!
Reviewed by Melonie
November 9, 2015
Review of Little White Lies (The Girlfriends #1) by Jodie Esch
Review done for Hooked on Books
4 out of 5 stars
This was a great young adult novel. It told a very realistic story of a young girl, Rachel, and the problems that young girls face.
Rachel is finds herself in trouble because of all the lies she has been telling. She creates a pretend boyfriend to try to get acceptance from the girls at school. Rachel is a little overweight and definitely not one of the popular kids.
When her fake boyfriend plan doesn’t work out, she starts talking with someone on line. This someone is not who he pretends he is. Rachel soon finds herself in a very dangerous situation.
Rachel thinks that lying will make her fit in. But with every lie, the truth will probably come out.
The author did a terrific job of writing about a situation that many young girls probably face. This is definitely a book that young girls should read!
Review done for Hooked on Books
4 out of 5 stars
This was a great young adult novel. It told a very realistic story of a young girl, Rachel, and the problems that young girls face.
Rachel is finds herself in trouble because of all the lies she has been telling. She creates a pretend boyfriend to try to get acceptance from the girls at school. Rachel is a little overweight and definitely not one of the popular kids.
When her fake boyfriend plan doesn’t work out, she starts talking with someone on line. This someone is not who he pretends he is. Rachel soon finds herself in a very dangerous situation.
Rachel thinks that lying will make her fit in. But with every lie, the truth will probably come out.
The author did a terrific job of writing about a situation that many young girls probably face. This is definitely a book that young girls should read!
November 21, 2015
This was a great young adult novel. It told a very realistic story of a young girl, Rachel, and the problems that young girls face.
Rachel is finds herself in trouble because of all the lies she has been telling. She creates a pretend boyfriend to try to get acceptance from the girls at school. Rachel is a little overweight and definitely not one of the popular kids.
When her fake boyfriend plan doesn’t work out, she starts talking with someone on line. This someone is not who he pretends he is. Rachel soon finds herself in a very dangerous situation.
Rachel thinks that lying will make her fit in. But with every lie, the truth will probably come out.
The author did a terrific job of writing about a situation that many young girls probably face. This is definitely a book that young girls should read!
Rachel is finds herself in trouble because of all the lies she has been telling. She creates a pretend boyfriend to try to get acceptance from the girls at school. Rachel is a little overweight and definitely not one of the popular kids.
When her fake boyfriend plan doesn’t work out, she starts talking with someone on line. This someone is not who he pretends he is. Rachel soon finds herself in a very dangerous situation.
Rachel thinks that lying will make her fit in. But with every lie, the truth will probably come out.
The author did a terrific job of writing about a situation that many young girls probably face. This is definitely a book that young girls should read!
August 6, 2016
Little White Lies is about Rachel and dealing with the challenges in her life. Blended family dynamics, the stress of school, her self-image and helping out her best friend Stephanie . And yet even though she thinks she has it all figured out, something out of the blue blindsides her. That is when she really understands that she hasn't figured out much in life and needs help from those closest to her.
Her struggle is real and so too is the adversity she faces. There are life lesson here for adults in addition to teens. A great read!
April 26, 2013
A young teenage girl struggling to make sense of life finds herself entangled in her own web of lies and the terrifying reality of being stalked by an on-line predator. A great YA read. The story explores issues of blended families, zits, relationships and self-respect in a sensitive heartwarming way. Esche's wicked sense of humor keeps her story light and fun on the surface, but the weight of the heavier issues deliver a memorable punch. A real page turner.
September 19, 2013
This was one of those 'I can't put it down' books. Following the character, Rachel, and her 'online' journey was scary, heartbreaking and thought-provoking. A timely book for teens of today - boy or girl- who spend a lot of time online - a reminder of the perils of online predators. The writing was fresh, modern, down-to-earth, and a joy to read. I recommend it for teens as well as adults! Can't wait to read "Little White Pills" also by Jodie Esch.
April 23, 2013
A laugh-out-loud fun page turner that’s also deeply moving and masterfully written with loads of twists and turns and a pitch-perfect ending. Everyone who reads "Little White Lies" will wish they had a best friend like Rachel or Steph. Can't wait to read "Little White Pills" and "Little White Magic" - the 2nd and 3rd books in this series!
April 27, 2013
I read Little White Lies in one evening. Teenager, Rachel,draws you completely into her make-believe world, full of angst and self-deception. When her on-line adventures get to be more than she can handle she turns to her BFF Steph. There's a surprise ending which I didn't see coming. The story is compelling and timely.
March 24, 2014
This was a fairly quick read. The language was simple, suitable for a mid-grade, early teen reader and the subject matter applicable to issues many are dealing with: online predators.
I enjoyed the story but I found the dialogue a little fake and too forced. Or maybe I'm just enough removed from that time period (the teen years) that I couldn't see the word usage as being realistic.
I enjoyed the story but I found the dialogue a little fake and too forced. Or maybe I'm just enough removed from that time period (the teen years) that I couldn't see the word usage as being realistic.
June 19, 2014
A really great read for young adult fare. There is a lesson to learn on being a liar and where your lies will lead whether intentional or by omission. Looking forward to reading the other books in this series.
June 6, 2014
a great book that is for young teens. I would let my 13 year old daughter read this book. It has a great lesson that every child should know about.
June 29, 2014
A must have read for any teenager going through those awkward, tumultuous, just don't fit in moments. This to shall pass,
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews