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The Hardest Ones to Fool
Not yet published
Expected 18 Aug 26For fans of the hit Netflix series Inventing Anna and The Girls I've Been comes a bold young adult thriller about a teen scammer who won't let boys, friends, or even murder get in her way.
Amelia Wu is great at relationships. So great, in fact, that she’s in three of them. Why choose between the suave debate team captain, the charming indie filmmaker, and the tennis star when she can be with them all?
The catch? None of them know about each other. It works perfectly. They’re in love with her—or the versions of her that they get. Amy. Ellie. Mia. And she’s in love with the lavish dinners, fancy yacht trips, and expensive gifts. Times three.
But schemes always get complicated, don’t they? When Amelia's best friend ends up dead, her alleged murder shocks their placid beachside city. And soon, Amelia's carefully planned relationships start to dangerously unravel.
In a fit of desperation, Amelia teams up with her academic nemesis Jackie, the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and a self-proclaimed true crime junkie, to get to the bottom of this.
After all, Amelia needs to keep her boyfriends close and her enemies closer if she wants to keep her scam—and herself—afloat.
Amelia Wu is great at relationships. So great, in fact, that she’s in three of them. Why choose between the suave debate team captain, the charming indie filmmaker, and the tennis star when she can be with them all?
The catch? None of them know about each other. It works perfectly. They’re in love with her—or the versions of her that they get. Amy. Ellie. Mia. And she’s in love with the lavish dinners, fancy yacht trips, and expensive gifts. Times three.
But schemes always get complicated, don’t they? When Amelia's best friend ends up dead, her alleged murder shocks their placid beachside city. And soon, Amelia's carefully planned relationships start to dangerously unravel.
In a fit of desperation, Amelia teams up with her academic nemesis Jackie, the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and a self-proclaimed true crime junkie, to get to the bottom of this.
After all, Amelia needs to keep her boyfriends close and her enemies closer if she wants to keep her scam—and herself—afloat.
256 pages, Paperback
Expected publication August 19, 2026
8 people are currently reading
7802 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 9, 2025
rating my book for the first time so that people know this is the correct Goodreads edition 🫶 happy reading
March 17, 2026
The story builds with a steady, creeping tension, layering secrets, grief, and complicated relationships in a way that feels both intimate and unsettling. I especially loved how the author explored memory and perception, making you question what is real and what is shaped by emotion or trauma. The atmosphere is sharp and immersive, with just enough unease woven into everyday moments to keep you on edge.
What really stood out to me was the emotional depth behind the mystery. The characters feel flawed and human, and their choices carry real weight, even when they are frustrating. The pacing leans more slow burn than fast thriller, which worked for me but might not for everyone, Still, the payoff is strong and lingers after the final page. This is a thoughtful, character driven suspense novel that delivers both tension and heart.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
What really stood out to me was the emotional depth behind the mystery. The characters feel flawed and human, and their choices carry real weight, even when they are frustrating. The pacing leans more slow burn than fast thriller, which worked for me but might not for everyone, Still, the payoff is strong and lingers after the final page. This is a thoughtful, character driven suspense novel that delivers both tension and heart.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC
December 8, 2025
delicious
Want to read
March 5, 2026Review to come on 8/4
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a fast paced and very interesting thriller.
At first I was afraid that it would get confusing with all of the different boys and the main character's different aliases but it was easy to follow, especially since you do get reminded of each alias as the main character interacts with each boy (but not in a redundant copy and paste way, which I liked). Although the main character is a scammer, I couldn't help but root for her, especially when she was being vulnerable about her grief about losing her best friend.
The plot was engaging and left me guessing and looking into all of the context clues that were left with each interaction that Amelia had with each of the different boys, as well as anyone else that she had interactions with. The story kept me on my toes, awaiting a major plot twist at any moment. It wasn't obvious who the killer was and the plot twists that occurred did not seem "out of place" and made sense. I think everything was concluded nicely with no plot holes. I liked how things were explained in the end, without just flat out saying it. Everything, including all of the previous context clues that were scattered throughout the book pulled through in the end to reveal what had actually happened.
Although this was a relatively short read, I think that it was well paced and there was enough time for everything to be explained properly. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes fast paced thrillers without outrageous plots but still keeps you guessing throughout the entire story!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group | Penguin Workshop for the ARC.
At first I was afraid that it would get confusing with all of the different boys and the main character's different aliases but it was easy to follow, especially since you do get reminded of each alias as the main character interacts with each boy (but not in a redundant copy and paste way, which I liked). Although the main character is a scammer, I couldn't help but root for her, especially when she was being vulnerable about her grief about losing her best friend.
The plot was engaging and left me guessing and looking into all of the context clues that were left with each interaction that Amelia had with each of the different boys, as well as anyone else that she had interactions with. The story kept me on my toes, awaiting a major plot twist at any moment. It wasn't obvious who the killer was and the plot twists that occurred did not seem "out of place" and made sense. I think everything was concluded nicely with no plot holes. I liked how things were explained in the end, without just flat out saying it. Everything, including all of the previous context clues that were scattered throughout the book pulled through in the end to reveal what had actually happened.
Although this was a relatively short read, I think that it was well paced and there was enough time for everything to be explained properly. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes fast paced thrillers without outrageous plots but still keeps you guessing throughout the entire story!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group | Penguin Workshop for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group, Penguin Workshop, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Amelia Wu is having a fantastic senior year, that is, until her best friend, Ingrid, turns up dead after a party. Ingrid is the whole reason Amelia has three separate identities dating three hot and rich boys! Determined to get to the bottom of what's going on, she teams up with Jackie, her academic rival, to solve the case. Keeping her identities and lies from separate becomes increasingly difficult the deeper she digs.
I loved reading about an Asian American high schooler taking on such ambitious goals. Not only vying for valedictorian, getting accepted to UC Berkeley, and scamming three rich boys, she is also determined to get to the bottom of her friend's suspicious death. I wish I could have read more stories like this when I was in high school! Getting the opportunity to become the rich, successful, and confident version(s) of yourself while dating the boy(s) that most girls only dream of... who could say no??
I thought it was a little hard to get into the story at first, since we are thrown right into the center of the schemes and tragedy, but as I got to know the boys and Amelia, it was easy to get hooked. There are so many LAYERS that slowly get revealed. I loved peeling them back one by one.
The Hardest Ones to Fool explores heritage, class, identity, and friendship in a thrilling and accessible way for teenagers. Well done!
Amelia Wu is having a fantastic senior year, that is, until her best friend, Ingrid, turns up dead after a party. Ingrid is the whole reason Amelia has three separate identities dating three hot and rich boys! Determined to get to the bottom of what's going on, she teams up with Jackie, her academic rival, to solve the case. Keeping her identities and lies from separate becomes increasingly difficult the deeper she digs.
I loved reading about an Asian American high schooler taking on such ambitious goals. Not only vying for valedictorian, getting accepted to UC Berkeley, and scamming three rich boys, she is also determined to get to the bottom of her friend's suspicious death. I wish I could have read more stories like this when I was in high school! Getting the opportunity to become the rich, successful, and confident version(s) of yourself while dating the boy(s) that most girls only dream of... who could say no??
I thought it was a little hard to get into the story at first, since we are thrown right into the center of the schemes and tragedy, but as I got to know the boys and Amelia, it was easy to get hooked. There are so many LAYERS that slowly get revealed. I loved peeling them back one by one.
The Hardest Ones to Fool explores heritage, class, identity, and friendship in a thrilling and accessible way for teenagers. Well done!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Amelia’s best friend Ingrid goes missing after a party, she told her parents she was staying over at her house, with Amelia having no idea what was going on. She is found later, dead, presumably having fell off a cliff. But Amelia suspects there’s much more going on. That’s why she teams up with Jackie, a girl with whom she used to share a mutual dislike, to find out what really happened. Oh, and she’s a scammer with three boyfriends. Almost forgot to mention that.
Okay, so this wasn’t the most original, I won’t lie. But I read it so quickly it was honestly insane, and I’m usually a fast reader. And it was just so much fun! It’s not quite a pure murder mystery, there’s a literary fiction element to it. With a side of queer romance between the two amateur detectives! And I’ll never not like that!
The writing is very suitable for a YA mystery. It’s very quick and easy, you can fly through the book in a couple hours give or take, I’m serious. The ending, part 3, almost fooled me into thinking something else was going on, but no, we’re safe. It would’ve been something unexpected but I think I prefer the book as it is.
That one isn’t the only mystery going on too, there are little underlying mysteries all over. Everything will get sorted out in the end. And I just thought Jackie and Amelia were a lovely couple. I loved the scene when they shared their first kiss. And the scene when Amelia finds out Jackie’s a lesbian, I found it funny.
Overall, a solid read. I really enjoyed myself! 4/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so this wasn’t the most original, I won’t lie. But I read it so quickly it was honestly insane, and I’m usually a fast reader. And it was just so much fun! It’s not quite a pure murder mystery, there’s a literary fiction element to it. With a side of queer romance between the two amateur detectives! And I’ll never not like that!
The writing is very suitable for a YA mystery. It’s very quick and easy, you can fly through the book in a couple hours give or take, I’m serious. The ending, part 3, almost fooled me into thinking something else was going on, but no, we’re safe. It would’ve been something unexpected but I think I prefer the book as it is.
That one isn’t the only mystery going on too, there are little underlying mysteries all over. Everything will get sorted out in the end. And I just thought Jackie and Amelia were a lovely couple. I loved the scene when they shared their first kiss. And the scene when Amelia finds out Jackie’s a lesbian, I found it funny.
Overall, a solid read. I really enjoyed myself! 4/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This one was a mixed bag for me - I’m still trying to decide what I think about this one and its main character Amelia Wu. Positives: it’s a fast-paced read and kept me engaged throughout the story. Amelia and her best friend Ingrid seemed to have noble reasons for Amelia’s scamming of three wealthy boys, creating personas to entice and ensnare the boys in romantic relationships for her personal gain (and revenge). It’s an intriguing, well-executed premise. The negatives come into play later, and I can’t really reveal them without spoilers. Suffice it to say that Amelia became much less likable (to me, at least) as the story progressed, and that diminished my enjoyment somewhat. Overall, I enjoyed the book, and I’d recommend it for lovers of YA suspense and mystery.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ah the intense teen murder mystery thrillers- this one featuring a girl with multiple names and multiple romantic relationships to string along as part of an elaborate scheme which is sidelined after the death of her friend Ingrid- who fell down a cliff at a party supposedly accidentally and drunk. But the story unravels from there in multiple parts that Amelia also has to confront parts of herself, the fake relationships with multiple boys (and for what end), and the family turmoil that also adds to the level of intensity to the mystery.
A reader must certainly suspend a lot of disbelief that a teen can accomplish these tasks with such a precision but it's in the vein of the heists, imposters, and multiple personalities of other such titles. It's intense and full of secrets but it works.
A reader must certainly suspend a lot of disbelief that a teen can accomplish these tasks with such a precision but it's in the vein of the heists, imposters, and multiple personalities of other such titles. It's intense and full of secrets but it works.
February 26, 2026
Amelia Wu is so skilled at juggling relationships that she’s managing three at once and each boyfriend knows a different version of her. But secrets have a way of spiraling out of control. When her best friend is found dead, Amelia is forced to team up with her longtime rival, Jackie, to uncover the truth.
Who’s responsible? One of the boyfriends… or someone else entirely?
This was such a fun and fast paced read that is perfect for teen and young adult thriller fans. The twists kept me guessing right up to the final pages. I really enjoyed Christina’s writing style and can’t wait to pick up more of her books.
Thank you to NetGalley, Christina, and Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC!
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Publication Date: Aug 18,2026
#TheHardestOnestoFool #NetGalley
Who’s responsible? One of the boyfriends… or someone else entirely?
This was such a fun and fast paced read that is perfect for teen and young adult thriller fans. The twists kept me guessing right up to the final pages. I really enjoyed Christina’s writing style and can’t wait to pick up more of her books.
Thank you to NetGalley, Christina, and Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC!
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Publication Date: Aug 18,2026
#TheHardestOnestoFool #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a wild and fun ride.
Amelia is dating 3 boys at once while assuming fake identities. A plan she made with her best friend, Ingrid. At first you’re left wondering, why? What does she have to gain from these three boys? When Ingrid’s body is found after a party one of her boyfriend’s three she discovers the world she created is a lot smaller than it appears.
For most of this book I couldn’t stand Amelia. I kept wondering why she was doing what she was doing. As the story unfurled I found myself thinking of her much differently and even rooting for her. Boy oh boy was she something else.
Thank you to net-galley for the e-arc.
Amelia is dating 3 boys at once while assuming fake identities. A plan she made with her best friend, Ingrid. At first you’re left wondering, why? What does she have to gain from these three boys? When Ingrid’s body is found after a party one of her boyfriend’s three she discovers the world she created is a lot smaller than it appears.
For most of this book I couldn’t stand Amelia. I kept wondering why she was doing what she was doing. As the story unfurled I found myself thinking of her much differently and even rooting for her. Boy oh boy was she something else.
Thank you to net-galley for the e-arc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was an interesting book with a very different storyline. Amelia's best friend is found dead after falling off a cliff at a party. Amelia has 3 identities and 3 boyfriends per a plan she made with her late friend, Ingrid. There seems to be a possibility that one of these boys had something to do with the death. Amelia is determined to find out what happened, if it was an accident or murder and who was involved. She becomes close to Jackie who works on the school paper and was also a good friend to Ingrid. There are so many wild twists and surprises in this book. Everything gets nicely explained so we know what really happened but is the story truly over? Maybe not! Good read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was spooky and vibey and I absolutely sped through it (if I remember correctly, this was only about 200 pages, so it is a rather short book as well)!
This has a murder mystery and complicated relationship dynamics (of all kinds). And those two things are related. Our main character is just trying to figure out how and why and what's going on and why is everyone being so weird about it.
This was a really fun and entertaining read. If you like a mystery that surrounds complicated relationships and the drama that causes, definitely check this out. This was so twisty, I was never bored.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for honest review!
This has a murder mystery and complicated relationship dynamics (of all kinds). And those two things are related. Our main character is just trying to figure out how and why and what's going on and why is everyone being so weird about it.
This was a really fun and entertaining read. If you like a mystery that surrounds complicated relationships and the drama that causes, definitely check this out. This was so twisty, I was never bored.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for honest review!
February 27, 2026
This was a really enjoyable read! There were twists on twists and a few things I wasn’t expecting that made the story even better. It was such an interesting concept and I was honestly hooked from the beginning. I loved the concept of a teenage girl running a multi-layered con and being so successful at it. There was a depth to the emotions in this book that ran parallel to the mystery and even in the end, you think you know what’s happening and then the plot twists again. It was just a fabulously enjoyable read. I’ll definitely be looking up more books by this author.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House and Christina Li for giving me an ARC of this book.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House and Christina Li for giving me an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for sending me this arc!!
This was sooo twisty and messy and I loved it, Amelia was such a complex and morally grey character but at the same I found myself rooting for her and her other three facades, god knows I love a good revenge story and this was that at it's core.
All the reveals were so much fun and unexpected, they made my rating go up, I don't usually rate thrillers above three stars but this was really good.
Also I didn't think that I would be rooting for our romance plotline, but I ate EVERY CRUMB!!
This was sooo twisty and messy and I loved it, Amelia was such a complex and morally grey character but at the same I found myself rooting for her and her other three facades, god knows I love a good revenge story and this was that at it's core.
All the reveals were so much fun and unexpected, they made my rating go up, I don't usually rate thrillers above three stars but this was really good.
Also I didn't think that I would be rooting for our romance plotline, but I ate EVERY CRUMB!!
March 25, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was such an AMAZING read. I will say that the middle part made me go a bit “eh,” but if you feel that way too, please keep going, it’s absolutely worth it by the end.
I also loved all the different personalities Amelia had, it was such an ingenious concept and really well done.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be checking out more from Christina Li, because I genuinely loved this story.
I could also totally see this being adapted into a TV series or movie!
This was such an AMAZING read. I will say that the middle part made me go a bit “eh,” but if you feel that way too, please keep going, it’s absolutely worth it by the end.
I also loved all the different personalities Amelia had, it was such an ingenious concept and really well done.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be checking out more from Christina Li, because I genuinely loved this story.
I could also totally see this being adapted into a TV series or movie!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
This book will be such an easy booktalk to encourage readers to give it a try. Even though Amelia was faking different identities to go out with three guys at the same time, she was such a likable character as she tried to solve the mystery of how her best friend was killed. The turns and twists made this so hard to put down!
This book will be such an easy booktalk to encourage readers to give it a try. Even though Amelia was faking different identities to go out with three guys at the same time, she was such a likable character as she tried to solve the mystery of how her best friend was killed. The turns and twists made this so hard to put down!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review and Advance Reader Copy of The Hardest Ones To Fool, by Christina Li.
A fun read full of deception and surprise, with twists around every corner. This one kept me guessing, and the ending felt like a gut punch I never saw coming!
A fun read full of deception and surprise, with twists around every corner. This one kept me guessing, and the ending felt like a gut punch I never saw coming!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a wild ride (in the best way) I thought it was so well done the way that Christina wrote this mystery woven in with the different version of Amelia and the way everything comes to light when she’s trying to figure the truth out even when her secrets come out it was definitely a page turner!
It did start a little slow but soon I found myself hooked!
It did start a little slow but soon I found myself hooked!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
It was good. But not my usual genre. I would recommend it to others. Expected release date August 18 2026
It was good. But not my usual genre. I would recommend it to others. Expected release date August 18 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a pretty solid read, but I wish there had been more thrill to it- the reveal just didn't wow me enough. I liked Amelia as our main character. It was so absurd, the things she thought she could get away with, and her internal thoughts were so funny that I couldn’t help rooting for her. I also very much support men getting scammed.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC, to be published on August 18th, 2026.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC, to be published on August 18th, 2026.
March 19, 2026
This is such a fun YA-geared thriller and suspense novel! The author does a great job of keeping you on your toes with nonstop plot twists that bend your mind. I definitely think this is a must read when it comes out!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for early access to this novel!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for early access to this novel!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
#TheHardestOnestoFool #NetGalley
Thanks to #netgalley for the arc on this one. Was a little hard to follow at first with the main characters different aliases but once I caught on to what was going on it was easy to figure out. Good twists and turns in this YAA mystery.
Thanks to #netgalley for the arc on this one. Was a little hard to follow at first with the main characters different aliases but once I caught on to what was going on it was easy to figure out. Good twists and turns in this YAA mystery.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received a free copy of, The Hardest Ones to Fool, by Christina Li, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. You never know who your true friends are, especially in high school, when boys are around. I found this book to be a bit disturbing.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
It was a good read
Want to read
February 23, 2026A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
March 8, 2026
Such a good read.
March 18, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Exciting, intriguing and fun to read. Nicely done!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC.
Overall, a very well written and engaging story. I related to the themes of identity and grief and appreciated the unique twist to an overused trope (best friend is murdered and has to figureo ut who killed them).
I wish there was more development of the ending as it felt rushed but overall I highly recommend this book.
Overall, a very well written and engaging story. I related to the themes of identity and grief and appreciated the unique twist to an overused trope (best friend is murdered and has to figureo ut who killed them).
I wish there was more development of the ending as it felt rushed but overall I highly recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews