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Liarland #1
LIARLAND
A twisty roller coaster ride from start to finish, this suspenseful, romantic, theme-park thriller will have you on the edge of your seat.
Gwen’s summer job at a theme park is cool until people start dying...
After her best friend, Valerie, disappears, an anonymous account slides into Gwen’s DMs with a help shut down Pineland or Valerie will die next.
Between shady operations and “freak accidents,” it shouldn't be too hard to tarnish Pineland’s already-declining reputation. But why is the killer so desperate to close the park?
Anxious to get Valerie out alive, Gwen hatches a plan of her own. Enlisting the help of her cute but off-limits neighbor, she schemes to unravel the killer’s identity. The race is on to unmask the murderer before anyone else’s life goes downhill.
Gwen’s summer job at a theme park is cool until people start dying...
After her best friend, Valerie, disappears, an anonymous account slides into Gwen’s DMs with a help shut down Pineland or Valerie will die next.
Between shady operations and “freak accidents,” it shouldn't be too hard to tarnish Pineland’s already-declining reputation. But why is the killer so desperate to close the park?
Anxious to get Valerie out alive, Gwen hatches a plan of her own. Enlisting the help of her cute but off-limits neighbor, she schemes to unravel the killer’s identity. The race is on to unmask the murderer before anyone else’s life goes downhill.
293 pages, Paperback
Published August 13, 2024
About the author
Madison Rupp
4 books148 followersMadison Rupp is the author of the Liarland series and Death Dates. Based in Orlando, Madison is frequently found scribbling in a quiet corner of a theme park. She is a firm believer that riding a roller coaster cures writer's block.
Find her online at madisonrupp.com and @madisonrupp on Instagram, TikTok, and X.
Find her online at madisonrupp.com and @madisonrupp on Instagram, TikTok, and X.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
September 4, 2024
I’m giving this 3 stars…. I wanted to love this book so much. The cover is BEAUTIFUL. The description sounded so fun… I am a sucker for an amusement park setting, throw in some murder and I’m usually hooked.
While I enjoyed parts of the book, I really wasn’t excited to pick it up. It wasn’t a page turner. It was almost a little bit too Scooby Doo for me even though I do enjoy YA thriller books. This would even be a good book for a preteen who’s wanting to get into thrillers.
While I enjoyed parts of the book, I really wasn’t excited to pick it up. It wasn’t a page turner. It was almost a little bit too Scooby Doo for me even though I do enjoy YA thriller books. This would even be a good book for a preteen who’s wanting to get into thrillers.
June 11, 2025
3.5 rounded up because the author is an Orlando girlyyy and we support.
December 17, 2024
I think this has an *immense* amount of potential, but just needed some more passes of revision.
There was a little too much tell-not -show, and while that was okay at the beginning (tbh, I actually prefer it to the usual show-not-tell rule, so I was happy at first), after a while, as more and more backstory plot points and side characters at the park were introduced, it all felt a little rushed. I would’ve liked to see a little more establishing time with Marty, Amanda, Weston, and Gwen’s parents. More than that, though, I would’ve liked to see some deeper digging into the backstory - into what being at Open Season was like, including unimportant details, and into Ride or Die and what it was like for Gwen and Valerie to run it (pre-hacking). These things aren’t necessary for plot details, but they are necessary, I think, to fully be in Gwen’s mindset as she navigates the account and her place at the park.
I also think the pacing could have been a lot better; it felt like thing after thing kept happening without them *feeling* like they were happening, because again we never got to sit in any particular moment. For example, after Gwen finds the lipstick message, I could see her going home and sitting for a while to reminisce more thoroughly on she and Valerie’s past; I think a slow moment like that would make the next discovery more impactful, and so on.
Because of the rushed plot elements, the hints laid out for who the culprit was never fully sank in for me. When they were brought back in the end as proof for the revelations, I was more confused than I was satisfied. I also think there were *too* many revelations, back to back to back, from . I understand that Gwen’s head is spinning and this is realistic, but again, without the depth to back up each of these accusations, they just felt repetitive. I, personally, wouldn’t have included the red herring of , and I wouldn’t have done the switch back and forth between
That all being said, I still really liked the characters, and I *loved* Rupp’s description of Pineland. One of my favorite theme park lands ever is Grizzly Peak at DCA, which is similarly Natl Park themed, so I would probably love visiting Pineland if it were real!! Rupp definitely has a lot of talent; the biggest thing I can say about this book is that, until the climax (when I was overwhelmed with info) I was always intrigued and never bored. I just think it needs a little smoothing out. With incredible respect - particularly for Rupp’s talent - I think she might need a new editor.
Purchased at: Writer's Block Bookstore in Winter Garden, Fl <3 Autographed copy!!! :)
There was a little too much tell-not -show, and while that was okay at the beginning (tbh, I actually prefer it to the usual show-not-tell rule, so I was happy at first), after a while, as more and more backstory plot points and side characters at the park were introduced, it all felt a little rushed. I would’ve liked to see a little more establishing time with Marty, Amanda, Weston, and Gwen’s parents. More than that, though, I would’ve liked to see some deeper digging into the backstory - into what being at Open Season was like, including unimportant details, and into Ride or Die and what it was like for Gwen and Valerie to run it (pre-hacking). These things aren’t necessary for plot details, but they are necessary, I think, to fully be in Gwen’s mindset as she navigates the account and her place at the park.
I also think the pacing could have been a lot better; it felt like thing after thing kept happening without them *feeling* like they were happening, because again we never got to sit in any particular moment. For example, after Gwen finds the lipstick message, I could see her going home and sitting for a while to reminisce more thoroughly on she and Valerie’s past; I think a slow moment like that would make the next discovery more impactful, and so on.
Because of the rushed plot elements, the hints laid out for who the culprit was never fully sank in for me. When they were brought back in the end as proof for the revelations, I was more confused than I was satisfied. I also think there were *too* many revelations, back to back to back, from . I understand that Gwen’s head is spinning and this is realistic, but again, without the depth to back up each of these accusations, they just felt repetitive. I, personally, wouldn’t have included the red herring of , and I wouldn’t have done the switch back and forth between
That all being said, I still really liked the characters, and I *loved* Rupp’s description of Pineland. One of my favorite theme park lands ever is Grizzly Peak at DCA, which is similarly Natl Park themed, so I would probably love visiting Pineland if it were real!! Rupp definitely has a lot of talent; the biggest thing I can say about this book is that, until the climax (when I was overwhelmed with info) I was always intrigued and never bored. I just think it needs a little smoothing out. With incredible respect - particularly for Rupp’s talent - I think she might need a new editor.
Purchased at: Writer's Block Bookstore in Winter Garden, Fl <3 Autographed copy!!! :)
October 17, 2024
Hi. 👋 First things first: this was a rage read. Everything below is my own personal opinion. (If you want some recs that are better than this book, scroll to the end.)
There’s one big thing I want to state: I guessed the twist of this by 9% into the book. It was almost a slap in the reader’s face how obvious and superfluous the “foreshadowing” was. I am so disappointed that Rupp felt the need to overemphasize the hints SO much. At the end, I was like “okay, but that’s not the real ending.” And each time I was right until well, the real ending came and I was completely correct. 🤷♀️
To that point, this book felt like a middle grade level book in its style. We get very large “telling not showing” vibes from the get go and each time there’s supposed to be a “twist”, the issues go nowhere and you’re like “ok that’s lame.” And while the Mg vibes themselves aren’t the problem… the bigger problem is that you have MG vibes with explicit death that is NOT middle grade worthy. I don’t know who this book is for. I’d never give it to an 18yo who is way too smart for this book but I also wouldn’t give it to a 12yo who may be too young for this much blood. 🙃 So who is this book for exactly?
It felt at times… to have too many random ideas and not enough focus. I could see sometimes where Rupp was trying to go with some subplots but they never … hit. The friends to “not speaking” to lovers made no sense. She basically let him leave her for a whole year and she didn’t give a shit??? 💩 and then when he’s nice to her again, she’s all “aww I actually love him” - except she didn’t. I still don’t believe this 180 at all. Because if she cared that much about him, she would not have let a stupid “but I can’t date a townie” nonsense stop her????? This girl does not love this boy. 🤷♀️ I said what I said.
The idea that all these kids were so poor?? Why are they all so poor?? And what is this idea that this girl needs to go to CA for environmental science?? And why does she even like that topic? And wait, why did her bff get the ranger job over her and why was she surprised about it? Was it not an interview process? Did they not discuss the position? Why did they have a fight and then just ignore it? Why why why. I kept asking myself all these why questions and they were never answered. There’s plenty more than the above. It all made no sense. Rupp would tell us something like it was fact. “Our relationship was so solid that we could ignore that we fought the night before.” WHY RUPP. Because I don’t SEE it. Show me their friendship. SHOW ME!!!!!!
All in all, I had so many issues with this book and I want to give you all some alternative mystery/thrillers that have similar themes but do it all much better!!
For text-based anonymous messaging from a killer, try These Deadly Games by Diana Urban.
For “kids solving a murder”, try This is Our Story by Ashley Elston.
Both of these books are enormously better than Liarland. Again, my own opinion. Happy reading!
There’s one big thing I want to state: I guessed the twist of this by 9% into the book. It was almost a slap in the reader’s face how obvious and superfluous the “foreshadowing” was. I am so disappointed that Rupp felt the need to overemphasize the hints SO much. At the end, I was like “okay, but that’s not the real ending.” And each time I was right until well, the real ending came and I was completely correct. 🤷♀️
To that point, this book felt like a middle grade level book in its style. We get very large “telling not showing” vibes from the get go and each time there’s supposed to be a “twist”, the issues go nowhere and you’re like “ok that’s lame.” And while the Mg vibes themselves aren’t the problem… the bigger problem is that you have MG vibes with explicit death that is NOT middle grade worthy. I don’t know who this book is for. I’d never give it to an 18yo who is way too smart for this book but I also wouldn’t give it to a 12yo who may be too young for this much blood. 🙃 So who is this book for exactly?
It felt at times… to have too many random ideas and not enough focus. I could see sometimes where Rupp was trying to go with some subplots but they never … hit. The friends to “not speaking” to lovers made no sense. She basically let him leave her for a whole year and she didn’t give a shit??? 💩 and then when he’s nice to her again, she’s all “aww I actually love him” - except she didn’t. I still don’t believe this 180 at all. Because if she cared that much about him, she would not have let a stupid “but I can’t date a townie” nonsense stop her????? This girl does not love this boy. 🤷♀️ I said what I said.
The idea that all these kids were so poor?? Why are they all so poor?? And what is this idea that this girl needs to go to CA for environmental science?? And why does she even like that topic? And wait, why did her bff get the ranger job over her and why was she surprised about it? Was it not an interview process? Did they not discuss the position? Why did they have a fight and then just ignore it? Why why why. I kept asking myself all these why questions and they were never answered. There’s plenty more than the above. It all made no sense. Rupp would tell us something like it was fact. “Our relationship was so solid that we could ignore that we fought the night before.” WHY RUPP. Because I don’t SEE it. Show me their friendship. SHOW ME!!!!!!
All in all, I had so many issues with this book and I want to give you all some alternative mystery/thrillers that have similar themes but do it all much better!!
For text-based anonymous messaging from a killer, try These Deadly Games by Diana Urban.
For “kids solving a murder”, try This is Our Story by Ashley Elston.
Both of these books are enormously better than Liarland. Again, my own opinion. Happy reading!
February 4, 2025
I wanted to like this … so much. Beautiful book cover, fantastic, spooky theme park setting … but … it misses the mark.
It was confusing, convoluted, and honestly, most of the actions taken by individuals made little to no-sense nor did they really serve to drive forward the plot.
I know it’s a YA novel (and you know I love me some YA) but wtf is wrong with these adults? Where is the police presence? Where is the fricking town sheriff or mayor or whatever being like, “eh, buncha kids are dead … maybe we should investigate?” Felt like it coulda been a random episode of Pretty Little Liars with all the lack of adulting happening 😅
It was confusing, convoluted, and honestly, most of the actions taken by individuals made little to no-sense nor did they really serve to drive forward the plot.
I know it’s a YA novel (and you know I love me some YA) but wtf is wrong with these adults? Where is the police presence? Where is the fricking town sheriff or mayor or whatever being like, “eh, buncha kids are dead … maybe we should investigate?” Felt like it coulda been a random episode of Pretty Little Liars with all the lack of adulting happening 😅
August 19, 2024
Congrats on publishing your first book! I really enjoyed it. It was refreshing to read a book that dove right into the story rather than dragging it out hundreds of pages before anything happens. Characters and story are relatable. Nice, easy read. I did think it was pretty predictable...until I got to the end and realized I had it all wrong!
August 6, 2024
Young adult thriller!
Read this book if you want the twist and turns of the rollercoaster they are riding! The upside down thoughts and the epic conclusion! The round and round of the murders! Who did it???
Read this book if you want the twist and turns of the rollercoaster they are riding! The upside down thoughts and the epic conclusion! The round and round of the murders! Who did it???
November 5, 2024
Wow, I thought I was reading a Natasha Preston book! Loved it!
Great for YA book readers.
Quick and easy read.
Great for YA book readers.
Quick and easy read.
October 1, 2026
🎢Liar Land🎡
“Is everyone in this town a fvcking liar?”
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ it was a solid thriller,the amount of times I thought I knew who did it…
• The setting:
I reallyyyy loved the theme park setting!! Literally the reason I read the book since I’ve never read a book with this setting!!
• The characters
I liked our main character and love interest, but I kinda wish we knew more about them too. We hardly knew anything about their past or literally anything about Dev and the side characters lives. But other than that I rlly liked them.
• Writing
IDK WHY BUT I ODDLY RLLY LIKED THE WRITING??? It wasn’t even like have a lot of prose (it’s a trashy thriller why would it 😭😭) but smth abt it…
• Complaints
LITERALLY THAT WE KNEW MORE ABOUT THE CHARACTERS AND THEME PARKKK
RECCOMEND IF (MY OPINION IF U DIDNT LIKE THE BOOK MB): you want a page turning thriller with a fun setting and a cute romance subplot 💕
“Is everyone in this town a fvcking liar?”
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ it was a solid thriller,the amount of times I thought I knew who did it…
• The setting:
I reallyyyy loved the theme park setting!! Literally the reason I read the book since I’ve never read a book with this setting!!
• The characters
I liked our main character and love interest, but I kinda wish we knew more about them too. We hardly knew anything about their past or literally anything about Dev and the side characters lives. But other than that I rlly liked them.
• Writing
IDK WHY BUT I ODDLY RLLY LIKED THE WRITING??? It wasn’t even like have a lot of prose (it’s a trashy thriller why would it 😭😭) but smth abt it…
• Complaints
LITERALLY THAT WE KNEW MORE ABOUT THE CHARACTERS AND THEME PARKKK
RECCOMEND IF (MY OPINION IF U DIDNT LIKE THE BOOK MB): you want a page turning thriller with a fun setting and a cute romance subplot 💕
June 7, 2025
i grew up on Goosebumps and this definitely had goosebumpy vibes, it made me feel very nostalgic, this book is so good, i couldn’t put it down, i had a feeling i was going to love this one from the cover alone. this book will leave you on the edge of your seat, it's a quick read thanks to the pacing and plot twists, the author really keeps you guessing on “who did it.” the whodunnit side was filled with twists and turns, when you finally think you have it figured out who the villain is you're almost immediately proved wrong every time. i highly recommend it!
August 19, 2024
This is a very enjoyable read! I absolutely love the setting, and I wish it existed in real life (minus the murders, LOL). Twists and turns kept me reading and wanting to know what happened.
September 24, 2024
There were so many twists & turns in this book, I didn't trust a single character! The scandals were juicy, the romance was cute, & the plot was intriguing. As someone who worked at a theme park, so much of this book was very relatable!
September 8, 2026
It was fun, I think it slowed in places that made the story drag a bit and that’s when the hook would loosen up on my attention. The bad guy could’ve been explored more since at the end there were so many names of background characters that I could barely make sense of them which I think lessened the overall plot twist. Other than that, I liked Gwen and the description of Pineland. Might read the sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
July 23, 2026Yeahhhhh… I’m not doing this
22 pages in and I’m rolling my eyes skipping over every other line
Begging people to get a fundamental understanding of WRITE WHAT THEY FUCKING KNOW. why is the mc begging to get out to California to study environmental science when she’s from Michigan??
Characters are boring, Dev Vishwakarma is just Devi Vishwakumar’s name slightly remixed and made boy version like what are we doing
Oh the Indian kid is in orchestra? Way to be original 🙄
22 pages in and I’m rolling my eyes skipping over every other line
Begging people to get a fundamental understanding of WRITE WHAT THEY FUCKING KNOW. why is the mc begging to get out to California to study environmental science when she’s from Michigan??
Characters are boring, Dev Vishwakarma is just Devi Vishwakumar’s name slightly remixed and made boy version like what are we doing
Oh the Indian kid is in orchestra? Way to be original 🙄
January 13, 2025
Where to start? A lot of crazy stuff happened here. It was a strange YA book that took place in a Michigan theme park. The park was themed around squirrels and trees. I have had a hard time believing that this would draw a crowd but maybe it would. Then people start dying and a mystery account online is blasting the park for their lack of response. Our main character is a confused girl who has a LOT of friends and co-workers. You might get confused and lose track but it's okay. Everything is tied together in the end. I should add that I have worked in a theme park and I found myself smiling and laughing at the climax of the story because I would have loved to see something like that happen.
February 27, 2025
This could’ve been so good, i love her writing style but the plot sadly just wasnt it for me
Read
July 5, 2025It had a lot of potential but it’s a dnf for me
June 29, 2026
I wanted to like this book SOOO BAD because the author seems so sweet on social media! Unfortunately in my opinion it is veryyyy YA which is ok because that’s what it is supposed to be! I just personally wanted more. It def seemed like a debut novel but I wish it had 1. More backstory scenes instead of just saying “this and this happened in the past” even though it only happened a day before the book took place and 2. Way less rollercoaster metaphors, once it was fine but then it started happening before the end of every chapter. It didn’t hit the mark for me and that’s ok!!
April 2, 2025
Such a great a thrill! I loved every bit of this book. My last experience with an amusement park read seemed to drag and became very repetitive. Liarland hooks you from the start and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Just when you want more, you're given another piece of evidence you didn't see coming. Literally felt like a roller coaster ride, there's a twist to every turn of the story.
January 10, 2026
A little slow at first but then I got into it. The book ended ok so not sure what to expect in book 2. I tried not to think about "whodunit" and was a little surprised at the ending. I think if I had thought about it more I could have figured it out, but this was a good read regardless.
June 11, 2025
Okay I real enjoyed this book. I loved Pretty Little Liars growing up and I’ve worked at theme parks so I was hooked from the beginning! I think this is a great YA read even for adults!
July 16, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
This was a fun, quick little thriller to read. I really liked that it was a YA book and that it focused on kids working during the summer in an amusement park. You don't see a lot of those around. I will say some parts dragged on and some were cut short, but the story was fun and although you can see some parts coming, there are a few you dont expect.
This was a fun, quick little thriller to read. I really liked that it was a YA book and that it focused on kids working during the summer in an amusement park. You don't see a lot of those around. I will say some parts dragged on and some were cut short, but the story was fun and although you can see some parts coming, there are a few you dont expect.
July 25, 2025
eh
2.5 stars. Was okay, glad the ending was better than I expected. If it was a longer book probably would have DNF
2.5 stars. Was okay, glad the ending was better than I expected. If it was a longer book probably would have DNF
September 22, 2025
3.5⭐️. I found the author on TikTok and loved the cover and the book sounded interesting. This was a nice quick standalone mystery book which I read during my breaks at work. I enjoyed the plot twists and really enjoy when background info is discovered mid book so that the character & reader are both like GASP and OHHH at the same time. The mystery is very good, but as with some other books, I couldn’t connect to the character and setting because it felt too jouvenile for me. That is a personal preference though having graduated college last year, the summer camp job and looking for colleges felt unrelatable at my stage in life.
Not mystery spoilers but comments on interaction between characters that develop over the course of the book:
I really did like Dev and how his character is written, it is more common to see men rejecting women than to see the other way around and this was refreshing and realistic to see a man rejected. That side of it between Dev & Gwen and her reason for rejecting him and how their dynamic played out felt more relatable and mature (if that makes sense) and I really enjoyed that. I liked that Dev’s reasoning for staying at Pineland wasn’t only “bc Gwen is there” , but also for other reasons and that their lives didn’t revolve around each other.
Format: E-book
Not mystery spoilers but comments on interaction between characters that develop over the course of the book:
I really did like Dev and how his character is written, it is more common to see men rejecting women than to see the other way around and this was refreshing and realistic to see a man rejected. That side of it between Dev & Gwen and her reason for rejecting him and how their dynamic played out felt more relatable and mature (if that makes sense) and I really enjoyed that. I liked that Dev’s reasoning for staying at Pineland wasn’t only “bc Gwen is there” , but also for other reasons and that their lives didn’t revolve around each other.
Format: E-book
April 30, 2026
A theme park where people start dying and someone slides into the main character's DMs with a threat… okay this one had me immediately 👀
Would you read a YA horror mystery set at a theme park where the only way to save your best friend is to help a killer take the whole park down? 🎢
📖 First Line (Can I convince you to read it?) Pineland was a decent summer job until people started dying.
🧠 Micro Synopsis: Gwen is just trying to get through her summer job at Pineland theme park when her best friend Valerie vanishes and an anonymous account sends her a chilling deal. Help destroy the park or Valerie dies. With freak accidents piling up and shady operations around every corner Gwen and her neighbor Dev have to figure out who the killer is and why they want Pineland gone so badly before anyone else gets hurt.
🔥 Reasons to Read This If You Love…
Theme Park Thrills 🎢
Whodunit Suspects 🔍
Summer Horror ☀️
I found this author randomly on social media and immediately felt like I had found a kindred spirit because she is also in Orlando and loves theme parks and books
And then I found out this book is on Kindle Unlimited which is a very exciting bonus
There are enough characters in this one that you genuinely have a full suspect list and you do not know enough about any of them to rule anyone out early
Gwen and Dev are really fun to follow and they are actually pretty smart about how they move through the story
They rarely split up without good reason and they follow logical evidence which as a horror reader I deeply appreciated
I will be honest though, I figured out where things were heading pretty early and spent a good chunk of the book waiting for Gwen to catch up
That middle section does drag a little because of that
But then the last third of the book just completely takes off and that is where everything clicks into place
It really does hit its stride at the end and left me genuinely satisfied with how it all came together
I am already planning to pick up book two which is really the best thing I can say about a series starter
Do you love a mystery where you figure it out early and just enjoy the ride… or do you need to be genuinely surprised at the end to feel satisfied? 👀
Would you read a YA horror mystery set at a theme park where the only way to save your best friend is to help a killer take the whole park down? 🎢
📖 First Line (Can I convince you to read it?) Pineland was a decent summer job until people started dying.
🧠 Micro Synopsis: Gwen is just trying to get through her summer job at Pineland theme park when her best friend Valerie vanishes and an anonymous account sends her a chilling deal. Help destroy the park or Valerie dies. With freak accidents piling up and shady operations around every corner Gwen and her neighbor Dev have to figure out who the killer is and why they want Pineland gone so badly before anyone else gets hurt.
🔥 Reasons to Read This If You Love…
Theme Park Thrills 🎢
Whodunit Suspects 🔍
Summer Horror ☀️
I found this author randomly on social media and immediately felt like I had found a kindred spirit because she is also in Orlando and loves theme parks and books
And then I found out this book is on Kindle Unlimited which is a very exciting bonus
There are enough characters in this one that you genuinely have a full suspect list and you do not know enough about any of them to rule anyone out early
Gwen and Dev are really fun to follow and they are actually pretty smart about how they move through the story
They rarely split up without good reason and they follow logical evidence which as a horror reader I deeply appreciated
I will be honest though, I figured out where things were heading pretty early and spent a good chunk of the book waiting for Gwen to catch up
That middle section does drag a little because of that
But then the last third of the book just completely takes off and that is where everything clicks into place
It really does hit its stride at the end and left me genuinely satisfied with how it all came together
I am already planning to pick up book two which is really the best thing I can say about a series starter
Do you love a mystery where you figure it out early and just enjoy the ride… or do you need to be genuinely surprised at the end to feel satisfied? 👀
June 18, 2026
This was a decent read. I have no qualms about the book, other than I could see the potential for more. Though what more, you could ask, is an answer I can't seem to give. Hence the 3 stars. It wasn't bad but it wasn't perfect.
I like that Gwen and Dev got together because yay for Gwen getting over her stupid rules. Like duh, you'll figure it out after. But live your life while you're young. Don't have any regrets like not going to something, joining friends, or going out with a guy you like when he shows interest. Literally.
I don't know how I felt about the characters otherwise. Nobody was really outstanding off page. Like, they were written for a book and you can feel that that's it. You can't find someone standing out, even if they're likeable/non-likeable.
It was dumb of Gwen to just assume that Valerie was logged out of the account as well. Like, I get believing in and trusting your best friend but STILL. Like, I've read books where people literally suspect their best friend or sibling, the people they thought they knew their whole life and now you're telling me this girl is dead set on believing her friend was logged out of the account, kidnapped, and shit? Like no my guy, question. Trust your instincts. But clearly Gwen's instincts were shit. She literally believed the first thing she saw on a screen, not suspecting that Wes could be framed. Like isn't that the point of a serial killer? To throw you off track? I like her but she's also pretty fucking dumb man.
Anyways, I didn't see the reveal coming. I don't know that I could have. Hiding in plain site. I did at one point think what if it's her but I don't think I had the thought for long. To be honest, I was just following the vibes of the book and that was that. But there's a second book so I guess let's goooo.
I like that Gwen and Dev got together because yay for Gwen getting over her stupid rules. Like duh, you'll figure it out after. But live your life while you're young. Don't have any regrets like not going to something, joining friends, or going out with a guy you like when he shows interest. Literally.
I don't know how I felt about the characters otherwise. Nobody was really outstanding off page. Like, they were written for a book and you can feel that that's it. You can't find someone standing out, even if they're likeable/non-likeable.
It was dumb of Gwen to just assume that Valerie was logged out of the account as well. Like, I get believing in and trusting your best friend but STILL. Like, I've read books where people literally suspect their best friend or sibling, the people they thought they knew their whole life and now you're telling me this girl is dead set on believing her friend was logged out of the account, kidnapped, and shit? Like no my guy, question. Trust your instincts. But clearly Gwen's instincts were shit. She literally believed the first thing she saw on a screen, not suspecting that Wes could be framed. Like isn't that the point of a serial killer? To throw you off track? I like her but she's also pretty fucking dumb man.
Anyways, I didn't see the reveal coming. I don't know that I could have. Hiding in plain site. I did at one point think what if it's her but I don't think I had the thought for long. To be honest, I was just following the vibes of the book and that was that. But there's a second book so I guess let's goooo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2025
As a former Disney and Universal employee, and someone who worked in a local theme park in my home state, I LIVED for the theme park tropes, nuances, insider feelings, and little bits of culture that Madison Rupp wove into Liar Land. The setting felt so familiar, while still being incredibly unsettling. She took something that is typically fun, family-oriented, bright, colorful, and comforting…and turned it into a suspenseful horror atmosphere that still felt very realistic to the people who’ve lived that life behind the magic.
I absolutely applaud Madison for not rushing and throwing all the information at once. So many thrillers burn too fast and then lose their punch by the end, this one didn’t. The pacing was perfectly built. The ending was extremely well done, intentional, slow-burn intense…and still left me biting my nails.
This is one of the rare books where I genuinely could not figure out the culprit or the bigger “who” of it all from the beginning. I was guessing, theorizing, trying to piece it together the entire way through — and that shows how powerful Madison is as a writer.
She controlled the story. She controlled the reveals. She controlled the tension. And she didn’t let the reader get too comfortable.
I will absolutely be picking up the second book, Liar Go Round, soon. If it’s anywhere close to the same level of quality, pacing, and twist satisfaction as this one, then I already know I’m going to be hooked all over again.
I absolutely applaud Madison for not rushing and throwing all the information at once. So many thrillers burn too fast and then lose their punch by the end, this one didn’t. The pacing was perfectly built. The ending was extremely well done, intentional, slow-burn intense…and still left me biting my nails.
This is one of the rare books where I genuinely could not figure out the culprit or the bigger “who” of it all from the beginning. I was guessing, theorizing, trying to piece it together the entire way through — and that shows how powerful Madison is as a writer.
She controlled the story. She controlled the reveals. She controlled the tension. And she didn’t let the reader get too comfortable.
I will absolutely be picking up the second book, Liar Go Round, soon. If it’s anywhere close to the same level of quality, pacing, and twist satisfaction as this one, then I already know I’m going to be hooked all over again.
September 29, 2026
📚 Liarland by Madison Rupp
⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 Stars
This was a good story with an interesting storyline, great characters, and a unique setting. I really liked the personal growth Gwen went through throughout the story.
The idea of an environmentalist theme park was an interesting twist, although I did have a hard time picturing what the park was supposed to look like. 😂 My brain kept imagining a normal theme park and then trying to shove a bunch of trees into it.
The mystery itself was interesting because it seemed like every time they figured something out, it opened up 20 more questions. I also loved that it was basically a group of teenagers trying to solve everything while the adults just sat around doing absolutely nothing. 😂
That being said, there were definitely parts that were hard to follow. A few times I actually had to go back and reread passages because something just didn’t sound right in my head or I wasn’t completely sure what was happening.
But I really liked the characters. I am totally in love with Dev, and he is absolutely perfect for Gwen. ❤️ I even loved Winston!
I did have part of the mystery figured out from pretty much the beginning, but there was a moment when the story actually made me think I was wrong about who the bad guy was. I liked that little twist because it had me second-guessing myself for a minute.
Overall, 3 out of 5 stars. I probably wouldn’t ever reread it, but I enjoyed the story enough that I definitely plan on reading the second book!
⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 Stars
This was a good story with an interesting storyline, great characters, and a unique setting. I really liked the personal growth Gwen went through throughout the story.
The idea of an environmentalist theme park was an interesting twist, although I did have a hard time picturing what the park was supposed to look like. 😂 My brain kept imagining a normal theme park and then trying to shove a bunch of trees into it.
The mystery itself was interesting because it seemed like every time they figured something out, it opened up 20 more questions. I also loved that it was basically a group of teenagers trying to solve everything while the adults just sat around doing absolutely nothing. 😂
That being said, there were definitely parts that were hard to follow. A few times I actually had to go back and reread passages because something just didn’t sound right in my head or I wasn’t completely sure what was happening.
But I really liked the characters. I am totally in love with Dev, and he is absolutely perfect for Gwen. ❤️ I even loved Winston!
I did have part of the mystery figured out from pretty much the beginning, but there was a moment when the story actually made me think I was wrong about who the bad guy was. I liked that little twist because it had me second-guessing myself for a minute.
Overall, 3 out of 5 stars. I probably wouldn’t ever reread it, but I enjoyed the story enough that I definitely plan on reading the second book!
September 27, 2024
Liarland by Madison Rupp is a captivating YA thriller that plunges readers into the vibrant yet sinister world of an amusement park. The story centers around Gwen, a spirited teenager whose life takes a dark turn when her best friend mysteriously disappears before her shift. As she delves deeper into the park's secrets, Gwen receives a series of chilling messages that heighten the sense of danger lurking behind the park's cheerful facade. Rupp masterfully crafts an atmosphere filled with suspense, using vivid descriptions of the park's attractions to create a juxtaposition between the thrill of rides and the underlying tension of Gwen's quest for truth.
The characters in Liarland are well-developed and relatable, particularly Gwen, whose determination and resilience will resonate with young adult readers. Rupp skillfully balances elements of mystery and romance, allowing readers to become emotionally invested in Gwen's journey. The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end, making it difficult to put the book down. With its engaging narrative and rich setting, Liarland offers an exhilarating experience that will appeal to fans of thrillers and mysteries alike. I give it 4 out of 5 stars for its ability to entertain while exploring themes of friendship, trust, and the courage to confront one’s fears.
The characters in Liarland are well-developed and relatable, particularly Gwen, whose determination and resilience will resonate with young adult readers. Rupp skillfully balances elements of mystery and romance, allowing readers to become emotionally invested in Gwen's journey. The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end, making it difficult to put the book down. With its engaging narrative and rich setting, Liarland offers an exhilarating experience that will appeal to fans of thrillers and mysteries alike. I give it 4 out of 5 stars for its ability to entertain while exploring themes of friendship, trust, and the courage to confront one’s fears.
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