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Tell Me No Lies
A riveting novel about secrecy, complicated friendships, and heartbreak, set against the iconic backdrop of the late 1980s.
Lizzy Swift is a senior in high school, emerging from her nerd chrysalis to become a social butterfly. She starts dating popular Matt Ashley, whom she’s been pining for since freshman year. She’s delighted when rebellious new girl Claire Reynolds introduces her to Center City Philadelphia—clubs, street life, and the eye-opening art scene. As Lizzy begins to question her own long-held dreams, the changes in her life mirror the upheaval of a decade marked by a drug epidemic and the AIDS crisis. She’s no longer sure of her Ivy League ambition. While she has a special connection with Matt, something’s missing. And Claire carries around a mysterious sadness and talks about a breakup so bad she changed schools—but she won’t tell the whole story. Lizzy wants Claire to confide in her, even as she keeps her own embarrassing secrets.
Before too long, the heady thrill of her new life starts to crumble under insecurities and deceptions. When the truth emerges from the wreckage, will it be too late for Lizzy, Claire, and Matt to save their love and friendships?
Tell Me No Lies, a companion to the acclaimed Be True to Me, is a novel of unflinching emotional honesty about secrecy, lies, love, and identity.
Lizzy Swift is a senior in high school, emerging from her nerd chrysalis to become a social butterfly. She starts dating popular Matt Ashley, whom she’s been pining for since freshman year. She’s delighted when rebellious new girl Claire Reynolds introduces her to Center City Philadelphia—clubs, street life, and the eye-opening art scene. As Lizzy begins to question her own long-held dreams, the changes in her life mirror the upheaval of a decade marked by a drug epidemic and the AIDS crisis. She’s no longer sure of her Ivy League ambition. While she has a special connection with Matt, something’s missing. And Claire carries around a mysterious sadness and talks about a breakup so bad she changed schools—but she won’t tell the whole story. Lizzy wants Claire to confide in her, even as she keeps her own embarrassing secrets.
Before too long, the heady thrill of her new life starts to crumble under insecurities and deceptions. When the truth emerges from the wreckage, will it be too late for Lizzy, Claire, and Matt to save their love and friendships?
Tell Me No Lies, a companion to the acclaimed Be True to Me, is a novel of unflinching emotional honesty about secrecy, lies, love, and identity.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 12, 2018
17 people are currently reading
2256 people want to read
About the author
Adele Griffin
47 books670 followersfrom Wikipedia:
Adele Griffin is the author of over thirty highly-acclaimed books across a variety of genres, including Sons of Liberty and Where I Want to Be, both National Book Award Finalists.
Her debut adult novel The Favor explores themes of friendship, surrogacy, and nontraditional family building.
Find her on TikTok at @adelegriffinbooks and Instagram at @adelegriffin or www.adelegriffin.
website: www.adelegriffin.com
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/adelegriffi...
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adele-G...
Open Road Media interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSa3P...
Adele Griffin is the author of over thirty highly-acclaimed books across a variety of genres, including Sons of Liberty and Where I Want to Be, both National Book Award Finalists.
Her debut adult novel The Favor explores themes of friendship, surrogacy, and nontraditional family building.
Find her on TikTok at @adelegriffinbooks and Instagram at @adelegriffin or www.adelegriffin.
website: www.adelegriffin.com
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/adelegriffi...
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adele-G...
Open Road Media interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSa3P...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
June 22, 2018
I don’t really know how I feel about this book. I really liked the setting, but the main character annoyed me a lot. The writing was okay, and story got better towards the end.
May 2, 2025
Somewhere between a 2 and a 3 sits this book.
The plot wasn't bad, but the characters were a bit overdone... or is that underdone?
3 stars
Happy Reading!
The plot wasn't bad, but the characters were a bit overdone... or is that underdone?
3 stars
Happy Reading!
March 28, 2019
2.5 stars - If an author published a YA story in 2018, I'd imagine they'd want they're readers to connect to their book, right? So why did Griffin decide to write a book set in 1988/89 AND NOT TELL US UNTIL HALF WAY THROUGH? Tbh, I spent the majority of this book wondering why these high school seniors (who seemed pretty modern at the beginning) weren't using cellphones or social media to socialize and learn more about one another.
When the time period was finally revealed, I asked myself how the current YA generation would really be able to connect to this story. And it wasn't just the lack of information that made this a 2.5 star rating...
The main character has epilepsy which she is ashamed about, art is looked down upon and for people "who aren't good at anything else", and every gay character apparently has AIDS (which they think is contagious from non-sexual activities). Listen, I understand that things were different 30 years ago. That doesn't excuse the author never redeeming or giving any resolution to what her characters said or did throughout this book.
If Adele Griffin wanted to write a story about a epileptic girl who wanted to experience life outside her comfort zone and chase her dreams as an artist, she should've written that in a modern setting. This story just did not work at all and caused more frustration than enjoyment.
When the time period was finally revealed, I asked myself how the current YA generation would really be able to connect to this story. And it wasn't just the lack of information that made this a 2.5 star rating...
The main character has epilepsy which she is ashamed about, art is looked down upon and for people "who aren't good at anything else", and every gay character apparently has AIDS (which they think is contagious from non-sexual activities). Listen, I understand that things were different 30 years ago. That doesn't excuse the author never redeeming or giving any resolution to what her characters said or did throughout this book.
If Adele Griffin wanted to write a story about a epileptic girl who wanted to experience life outside her comfort zone and chase her dreams as an artist, she should've written that in a modern setting. This story just did not work at all and caused more frustration than enjoyment.
November 28, 2018
2.5 STARS
Set in the 1980s Philadelphia, TELL ME NO LIES explores high school senior Lizzie’s coming of age through her friendships, love interest and career aspirations.
Adele Griffin’s writing and character development are always spot on, though not enough happened in TELL ME NO LIES to hold my interest. After graduating from college, I moved in Philly in 1985. I loved having visited many of the places she mentioned, drove the roads Lizzie and her friends did (even if she did have a more active social life than me). In high school I had been a less talented version of good girl Lizzie, the responsible student who didn’t have a lot of fun. I was more like her friends, never having the longing to step out of the mold, so in that way I understood Lizzie but couldn’t personally relate.
TELL ME NO LIES addresses the secrets we keep and our reasons, which seem absolutely necessary at the time, for keeping them.
THEMES: friendship, LGBT, AIDS, sexual abuse, coming of age
Set in the 1980s Philadelphia, TELL ME NO LIES explores high school senior Lizzie’s coming of age through her friendships, love interest and career aspirations.
Adele Griffin’s writing and character development are always spot on, though not enough happened in TELL ME NO LIES to hold my interest. After graduating from college, I moved in Philly in 1985. I loved having visited many of the places she mentioned, drove the roads Lizzie and her friends did (even if she did have a more active social life than me). In high school I had been a less talented version of good girl Lizzie, the responsible student who didn’t have a lot of fun. I was more like her friends, never having the longing to step out of the mold, so in that way I understood Lizzie but couldn’t personally relate.
TELL ME NO LIES addresses the secrets we keep and our reasons, which seem absolutely necessary at the time, for keeping them.
THEMES: friendship, LGBT, AIDS, sexual abuse, coming of age
August 10, 2018
Look, I tried with this book, but if I am completely honest I saw it going downhill from the beginning.
What I Liked:
The main character, Lizzy, was basically me in high school. And I related quite hard. We were both the “nerdy” type, but not the trademark nerd. We had a very small social group and in terms of actually being a social person, we were not. We loved art, but couldn’t fathom pursuing it because our parents drilled it into us that art was a hobby, not a career. We were panning for college/university quite early on. And that’s where are similarities stopped.
Of course, she is an epileptic and I am not. Throughout the novel, she deals with having to hide her disorder because she doesn’t want it to define her or make people treat her differently. I have never read about an epileptic character and it was interesting to see how the author pursued the topic.
The only other character I liked-liked was Theo and he was in it for five seconds.
The ending was also okay. I was glad that the characters stories were fleshed out more and that they got some much needed revenge and that the circle of friends was pulled closer together.
What I Disliked
I understood that this was Lizzy’s journey to self-discovery, but she honestly takes a hard turn left and completely off the path. I did not agree with any of her decisions. (Well most of them.) I would be one to fantasize about a chaste kiss becoming more, but I think it would lose it’s spark four years later.
I thought the whole friendship theme in this book was really ummmm not great. Friends no matter how social or anti-social they may be are supposed to support you and care about you. I get that these teenagers had their secrets and pasts that barred them from opening up. But the way Claire, Gage and Mimi treated Lizzy was really not that great.
Speaking of secrets. I guessed them. I got Matt’s very early on and was just waiting for it to be confirmed. Claire’s was slightly more mysterious, so I stuck around to figure out what it was. Dave, I felt was really just a decorative character, I found no real purpose for him.
This novel deals with some very heavy subjects like rape, assault, homophobia and the stigma around epilepsy. I felt like some were brushed under the carpet. There was passing mention of it, one of the characters gave there perspective on it and that was it.
This was also set in the late 80s. Your girl got none of the music references. Okay maybe some, but most of the pop culture stuff went right over my head. I understand why this time frame was chosen…but to teens these days the 80s are very distant. Personally, I think they would have a hard time attaching themselves to this book.
It was also really boring and repetitive. Like super repetitive. The only reason I finished was to see Claire’s ending.
Overall, I didn’t like this book. I didn’t like the characters, I didn’t get the world. Did it have its sweet and heartfelt moments? Yes, but there were still so many issues I had with this.
Rating: 2 / 5 Stars
Recommend: It’s a no from me, dogs.
What I Liked:
The main character, Lizzy, was basically me in high school. And I related quite hard. We were both the “nerdy” type, but not the trademark nerd. We had a very small social group and in terms of actually being a social person, we were not. We loved art, but couldn’t fathom pursuing it because our parents drilled it into us that art was a hobby, not a career. We were panning for college/university quite early on. And that’s where are similarities stopped.
Of course, she is an epileptic and I am not. Throughout the novel, she deals with having to hide her disorder because she doesn’t want it to define her or make people treat her differently. I have never read about an epileptic character and it was interesting to see how the author pursued the topic.
The only other character I liked-liked was Theo and he was in it for five seconds.
The ending was also okay. I was glad that the characters stories were fleshed out more and that they got some much needed revenge and that the circle of friends was pulled closer together.
What I Disliked
I understood that this was Lizzy’s journey to self-discovery, but she honestly takes a hard turn left and completely off the path. I did not agree with any of her decisions. (Well most of them.) I would be one to fantasize about a chaste kiss becoming more, but I think it would lose it’s spark four years later.
I thought the whole friendship theme in this book was really ummmm not great. Friends no matter how social or anti-social they may be are supposed to support you and care about you. I get that these teenagers had their secrets and pasts that barred them from opening up. But the way Claire, Gage and Mimi treated Lizzy was really not that great.
Speaking of secrets. I guessed them. I got Matt’s very early on and was just waiting for it to be confirmed. Claire’s was slightly more mysterious, so I stuck around to figure out what it was. Dave, I felt was really just a decorative character, I found no real purpose for him.
This novel deals with some very heavy subjects like rape, assault, homophobia and the stigma around epilepsy. I felt like some were brushed under the carpet. There was passing mention of it, one of the characters gave there perspective on it and that was it.
This was also set in the late 80s. Your girl got none of the music references. Okay maybe some, but most of the pop culture stuff went right over my head. I understand why this time frame was chosen…but to teens these days the 80s are very distant. Personally, I think they would have a hard time attaching themselves to this book.
It was also really boring and repetitive. Like super repetitive. The only reason I finished was to see Claire’s ending.
Overall, I didn’t like this book. I didn’t like the characters, I didn’t get the world. Did it have its sweet and heartfelt moments? Yes, but there were still so many issues I had with this.
Rating: 2 / 5 Stars
Recommend: It’s a no from me, dogs.
Read
June 27, 2018Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for the free review copy
Lizzy Swift has always felt invisible. She isn’t part of the jocks or the popular kids. She feels barely noticed by her own best friends–but it’s senior year so she’s determined to end her high school career on a high note. Lizzy gets a perfect chance to start over when the new girl, Claire Reynolds, joins her AP art class. Suddenly she’s going to clubs, staying out late, and hanging out with a new group of friends. Tell Me No Lies, set in the late 1980s, reads like a classic teen movie about discovering yourself.
Contemporary YA readers will find a familiar story in this book set to the backdrop of a different time period. Adele Griffin perfectly captures the agony of the last year of high school with loads of 1980s references. Like high school seniors today, Lizzy and her friends have to finish college applications–but race to the post office to make sure they’re mailed by the due date. Nothing can easily be googled and music has to be played from cassettes. Griffin also touches on the AIDS epidemic and how it effected even the smallest towns in America during the 1980s. The music, TV, and pop culture references set this book securely in the ’80s. But Griffin also includes the timeless feeling of being a wallflower. Lizzy yearns to find something exciting to remember for the rest of her life when she thinks about her senior year. She’s sick of staying in every weekend with her two best friends, Mimi and Gage. She immediately claims the new girl as her gateway to fun and creating a new version of herself. But being friends with Claire is more than she bargained for–Claire is moody, unpredictable, and has a secret from her old school.
While Lizzy is trying to find acceptance from Claire, she also shifts other aspects of her life to fit in better. She finally gets noticed by her longtime crush, Matt Ashley, and spends less time with Gage and Mimi. Her grades start slipping and her parents try to crack down on her social life. She also racks up credit card debt trying to keep up with her new lifestyle and has to have some embarrassing conversations about her financial situation. Her longtime dream of going to Princeton is in flux when she gets a push in a different direction. Lizzy is ready to step out and try to live without regret so she starts to change her longtime plans. She doesn’t want to hide in the shadows of the halls of her high school anymore. This book is a slow-paced but introspective look at growing up and being true to who you really are. Teen readers who are dealing with similar issues will connect with Lizzy’s struggles regardless of the time period.
The book begins with a flashback to Lizzy experiencing a seizure during chorus due to epilepsy. She immediately dubs this experience as mortifying and spends the rest of her high school career trying to avoid triggers for seizures and hoping that no one remembers her condition. Lizzy attends therapy sessions in the book and feels like she needs to hide her epilepsy from her new friends. Therapy is shown in a positive light and several characters talk about the benefits of meeting with their therapists. She struggles with accepting herself and hides what she can’t control. Throughout the book, Lizzy learns that everyone deals with some kind of inner struggle regardless of what their lives look like from the outside.
This book is a slower paced YA novel that still manages to reveal a few secrets and has some suspenseful moments. It covers first loves, heartbreak, family relationships, and friendships. It deals with death by suicide, the AIDS epidemic, and uncertain futures because of diagnoses. Even with the tougher topics, it would be a good choice for a less experienced reader who might find a familiar character in Lizzy and her longing to be a different version of herself. Tell Me No Lies provides a window into the 1980s through a character that teens from today can relate to.
Lizzy Swift has always felt invisible. She isn’t part of the jocks or the popular kids. She feels barely noticed by her own best friends–but it’s senior year so she’s determined to end her high school career on a high note. Lizzy gets a perfect chance to start over when the new girl, Claire Reynolds, joins her AP art class. Suddenly she’s going to clubs, staying out late, and hanging out with a new group of friends. Tell Me No Lies, set in the late 1980s, reads like a classic teen movie about discovering yourself.
Contemporary YA readers will find a familiar story in this book set to the backdrop of a different time period. Adele Griffin perfectly captures the agony of the last year of high school with loads of 1980s references. Like high school seniors today, Lizzy and her friends have to finish college applications–but race to the post office to make sure they’re mailed by the due date. Nothing can easily be googled and music has to be played from cassettes. Griffin also touches on the AIDS epidemic and how it effected even the smallest towns in America during the 1980s. The music, TV, and pop culture references set this book securely in the ’80s. But Griffin also includes the timeless feeling of being a wallflower. Lizzy yearns to find something exciting to remember for the rest of her life when she thinks about her senior year. She’s sick of staying in every weekend with her two best friends, Mimi and Gage. She immediately claims the new girl as her gateway to fun and creating a new version of herself. But being friends with Claire is more than she bargained for–Claire is moody, unpredictable, and has a secret from her old school.
While Lizzy is trying to find acceptance from Claire, she also shifts other aspects of her life to fit in better. She finally gets noticed by her longtime crush, Matt Ashley, and spends less time with Gage and Mimi. Her grades start slipping and her parents try to crack down on her social life. She also racks up credit card debt trying to keep up with her new lifestyle and has to have some embarrassing conversations about her financial situation. Her longtime dream of going to Princeton is in flux when she gets a push in a different direction. Lizzy is ready to step out and try to live without regret so she starts to change her longtime plans. She doesn’t want to hide in the shadows of the halls of her high school anymore. This book is a slow-paced but introspective look at growing up and being true to who you really are. Teen readers who are dealing with similar issues will connect with Lizzy’s struggles regardless of the time period.
The book begins with a flashback to Lizzy experiencing a seizure during chorus due to epilepsy. She immediately dubs this experience as mortifying and spends the rest of her high school career trying to avoid triggers for seizures and hoping that no one remembers her condition. Lizzy attends therapy sessions in the book and feels like she needs to hide her epilepsy from her new friends. Therapy is shown in a positive light and several characters talk about the benefits of meeting with their therapists. She struggles with accepting herself and hides what she can’t control. Throughout the book, Lizzy learns that everyone deals with some kind of inner struggle regardless of what their lives look like from the outside.
This book is a slower paced YA novel that still manages to reveal a few secrets and has some suspenseful moments. It covers first loves, heartbreak, family relationships, and friendships. It deals with death by suicide, the AIDS epidemic, and uncertain futures because of diagnoses. Even with the tougher topics, it would be a good choice for a less experienced reader who might find a familiar character in Lizzy and her longing to be a different version of herself. Tell Me No Lies provides a window into the 1980s through a character that teens from today can relate to.
June 10, 2018
This was a toss-up between a middle 3 and a low 4 stars until the end, which was as beautiful and well-written as the rest of the book had been promising it wanted to be. Parts of this story were just SO fantastically written, and parts of it were trying too hard to be examples of cool, funky writing styles that really just made me feel like I'd skipped something and didn't know what was actually happening for a few paragraphs because it was so vague. At the same time, Adele Griffin absolutely hit the nail on the head with her depiction of the bittersweet nostalgia for a life not lived yet that hits in big milestone eras like senior year. It was a genuine joy to read about. I really liked Lizzy, and liked seeing her (and her ideas about what senior year meant) change into someone more in control of her own self, more comfortable with the direction she was going. It was fun, it was beautiful, and I was cheering for her every step of the way.
I do wish we had seen more of Mimi and Gage, though I liked the way their friendships also evolved, just like real-life school friendships do. And though I spent a lot of time going back and forth on Claire, I'm pretty sure that was exactly the point and I think her role in Lizzy's transformation was really excellently played out. AND MATT-- I loved Matt, and he was a big part of my adoration for the ending of this book.
Definitely recommended for anyone looking for a coming-of-age story. Will be passing this along to my freshly graduated cousins next!
I do wish we had seen more of Mimi and Gage, though I liked the way their friendships also evolved, just like real-life school friendships do. And though I spent a lot of time going back and forth on Claire, I'm pretty sure that was exactly the point and I think her role in Lizzy's transformation was really excellently played out. AND MATT-- I loved Matt, and he was a big part of my adoration for the ending of this book.
Definitely recommended for anyone looking for a coming-of-age story. Will be passing this along to my freshly graduated cousins next!
August 15, 2019
What I enjoyed most about this book is that it took me back in time to Philly in the late 80s. I saw a lot of my regular haunts take center stage (South Street, The Trocadero, etc.). My nostalgia alarms were certainly going off. The book is decent, too. I would call it a book for older teens and up. The 17/18-year-old characters experiment sexually and begin to discover some things about themselves and each other. Good story of friendship and self-discovery, but it's not message-y. The first-person POV makes it so you don't discover things about the other characters until she does, so it keeps you guessing. I would recommend it.
June 23, 2018
I really liked the premise of this book, set in the 1980's with a nerdy girl who decided that she is in love with the sporty popular guy.
This book had a lot of real stuff in it and taught some valuable lessons.
Overall to me the writing was just okay, it wasn't extraordinary and it wasn't bad either. Which is about the same way to sum up the characters. I enjoyed Claire's character the best, but at times it felt like they were all trying too hard.
This book had some graphic sexual scenes which made the book less good in my opinion. I'm not a fan of anything graphic in books, especially between young characters. The material of this book made me confused as to who the target audience is supposed to be.
This is a fun young adult contemporary read, but to be honest, was not my favorite read of all time.
This book had a lot of real stuff in it and taught some valuable lessons.
Overall to me the writing was just okay, it wasn't extraordinary and it wasn't bad either. Which is about the same way to sum up the characters. I enjoyed Claire's character the best, but at times it felt like they were all trying too hard.
This book had some graphic sexual scenes which made the book less good in my opinion. I'm not a fan of anything graphic in books, especially between young characters. The material of this book made me confused as to who the target audience is supposed to be.
This is a fun young adult contemporary read, but to be honest, was not my favorite read of all time.
June 19, 2018
Full review on: Flipping Through the Pages
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Trigger warnings: suicide, seizures, mentions of rape and AIDS
Tell Me No Lies is an entertaining read. It is set in late 80’s and follows the life of Lizzie, our MC, and the changes she is acquiring to. Lizzie has Epilepsy and she often fights with mild concussions and rare seizures. This is a secret she never wants to talk about with anyone because she was ashamed of it. When a new girl Claire enters her school, Lizzie finds a new friend in her and tried to be free and bold as her. Claire is also hiding a secret about his ex-boyfriend Jay. Matt was a long-time crush of Lizzie and when he finally shows her that he feels the same for her, she was happy but terrified at the same time. But when the friendship between Claire, Matt, and Dave started growing, Lizzie finds herself out of the loop and then finds a hard-hitting truth.
I’m really conflicted in my opinions about this book. While I really enjoyed the plot, somehow I wasn’t able to connect to any of the characters as much as I wanted to.
What I Liked
-----------------------
* The plot of the story was my favorite. The story starts in summer and goes all the way till April next year. Lizzie was in the senior year and she goes through so many changes in that year. She befriends with Claire, Dave, and Matt while handling her seizures. In each part of the story, there was some plot to get you hooked to the story and turn the pages.
* I loved Gage and Mini’s characters. They were Lizzie’s childhood friends and was always there for her. However, when Claire enters Lizzie’s life, she very much parted distance with them because of the things she wanted from her life. Mini and gage were kinds of a nerd, as was Lizzie before meeting Claire. It definitely hurt me when Lizzie was drifting apart from them.
* Though I don’t know much about the era of the 80s in foreign, I loved some of the backdrops. I have no idea about the 80s music for other countries but it definitely sounded like the good ones, as many have definitely praised for the music.
* As the title states, there are so many secrets involved with everyone. Lizzie kept her epilepsy as a secret and doesn’t want to tell about it to her new friends. Claire has this whole kind of secret about her ex. Matt and Dave had their own secrets. All these secrets perfectly align with the title of the book.
* This story perfectly captured the changing lives of teenagers. Each of them had different ambitions but at the same time, they were not sure what they want from their lives. While deciding their future, they go through acceptance and love, along with changing relationships and how they affect them.
* I really liked the writing style of the author. This book was definitely long but because of her writing style, I was able to end it sooner than expected.
* I loved how the author ended the story. There is no definite conclusion but you can sure make it as you like it. That ending left many possibilities but in the end, friendship was the outcome that I gathered.
What I didn’t like
-------------------------------
* I was not able to connect to the main character Lizzy as much as I wanted to. Lizzy was sure a wonderful character but sometimes her decisions felt flat. I hated when she abandoned her childhood friends Gage and Mini for being with Claire.
* This book was definitely slow in the beginning. It took a lot of concentration to continue reading it to 20%. But I am glad after that it was quite easy to go through it.
* I love a book with friendships. Though this book had many aspects of friendships, I am sad that none of them felt real. Gage, Mini, and Lizzie were a friend since childhood and yet Lizzie always finds herself drifting apart from them. Lizzie and Claire’s friendship too took a hard turn.
* While I appreciate the lots of turns and secrets in the story, I somehow felt that these secrets stopped the overall growth of Lizzie’s character. Those secrets turned her from her real ambitions and friends and she found herself in many difficult situations at times.
* It was good to read the 80s references. But being a person who doesn’t know much about that era, it was really difficult to get all those music references.
* I really rooted for Mimi’s brother Theo. I really wished there was more part of him in the story.
Overall, this was a good read and an entertaining one. The plot of the story is really good and the author’s writing will keep you hooked until the end. The story captures so many aspects like friendships, love and more than that, acceptance. It is a perfect read for the people who enjoy stories set in the 80s. It also covers a lot of issues and I loved the way authored has handled epilepsy. It’s definitely something to look out for this summer!
** Thank you Algonquin Young Readers & the author for providing me a copy n exchange for an honest review.
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Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Trigger warnings: suicide, seizures, mentions of rape and AIDS
Tell Me No Lies is an entertaining read. It is set in late 80’s and follows the life of Lizzie, our MC, and the changes she is acquiring to. Lizzie has Epilepsy and she often fights with mild concussions and rare seizures. This is a secret she never wants to talk about with anyone because she was ashamed of it. When a new girl Claire enters her school, Lizzie finds a new friend in her and tried to be free and bold as her. Claire is also hiding a secret about his ex-boyfriend Jay. Matt was a long-time crush of Lizzie and when he finally shows her that he feels the same for her, she was happy but terrified at the same time. But when the friendship between Claire, Matt, and Dave started growing, Lizzie finds herself out of the loop and then finds a hard-hitting truth.
I’m really conflicted in my opinions about this book. While I really enjoyed the plot, somehow I wasn’t able to connect to any of the characters as much as I wanted to.
What I Liked
-----------------------
* The plot of the story was my favorite. The story starts in summer and goes all the way till April next year. Lizzie was in the senior year and she goes through so many changes in that year. She befriends with Claire, Dave, and Matt while handling her seizures. In each part of the story, there was some plot to get you hooked to the story and turn the pages.
* I loved Gage and Mini’s characters. They were Lizzie’s childhood friends and was always there for her. However, when Claire enters Lizzie’s life, she very much parted distance with them because of the things she wanted from her life. Mini and gage were kinds of a nerd, as was Lizzie before meeting Claire. It definitely hurt me when Lizzie was drifting apart from them.
* Though I don’t know much about the era of the 80s in foreign, I loved some of the backdrops. I have no idea about the 80s music for other countries but it definitely sounded like the good ones, as many have definitely praised for the music.
* As the title states, there are so many secrets involved with everyone. Lizzie kept her epilepsy as a secret and doesn’t want to tell about it to her new friends. Claire has this whole kind of secret about her ex. Matt and Dave had their own secrets. All these secrets perfectly align with the title of the book.
* This story perfectly captured the changing lives of teenagers. Each of them had different ambitions but at the same time, they were not sure what they want from their lives. While deciding their future, they go through acceptance and love, along with changing relationships and how they affect them.
* I really liked the writing style of the author. This book was definitely long but because of her writing style, I was able to end it sooner than expected.
* I loved how the author ended the story. There is no definite conclusion but you can sure make it as you like it. That ending left many possibilities but in the end, friendship was the outcome that I gathered.
What I didn’t like
-------------------------------
* I was not able to connect to the main character Lizzy as much as I wanted to. Lizzy was sure a wonderful character but sometimes her decisions felt flat. I hated when she abandoned her childhood friends Gage and Mini for being with Claire.
* This book was definitely slow in the beginning. It took a lot of concentration to continue reading it to 20%. But I am glad after that it was quite easy to go through it.
* I love a book with friendships. Though this book had many aspects of friendships, I am sad that none of them felt real. Gage, Mini, and Lizzie were a friend since childhood and yet Lizzie always finds herself drifting apart from them. Lizzie and Claire’s friendship too took a hard turn.
* While I appreciate the lots of turns and secrets in the story, I somehow felt that these secrets stopped the overall growth of Lizzie’s character. Those secrets turned her from her real ambitions and friends and she found herself in many difficult situations at times.
* It was good to read the 80s references. But being a person who doesn’t know much about that era, it was really difficult to get all those music references.
* I really rooted for Mimi’s brother Theo. I really wished there was more part of him in the story.
Overall, this was a good read and an entertaining one. The plot of the story is really good and the author’s writing will keep you hooked until the end. The story captures so many aspects like friendships, love and more than that, acceptance. It is a perfect read for the people who enjoy stories set in the 80s. It also covers a lot of issues and I loved the way authored has handled epilepsy. It’s definitely something to look out for this summer!
** Thank you Algonquin Young Readers & the author for providing me a copy n exchange for an honest review.
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May 23, 2018
KIDLITEXCHANGE REVIEW: Tell Me No Lies
By: Adele Griffin
Thank you to @algonquinbooks for the opportunity to read this book. #partner Also, thank you, @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book 📚 The opinions are my own!
Tell Me No Lies is a fantastic and authentic story that follows Lizzy and her senior year of high school. Ironically, it is the same time frame as my senior year, which added to the already accurate tale of cliques, jocks, geeks and the joy and heartbreak that is high school. It also touches on topics that were very relevant at the time the story takes place (1988-89).
The things we feel or go through during those last year's of high school can truly be brutal. They can set you up for future success or they can drive you far away from where you started. The author does a great job of showing that just because an adult feels something isn't a big deal doesn't mean it's not a huge life destroying thing to us.
I highly recommend this young adult book, but for mature audiences because some of the discussions are for a mature reader.
#kidlitexchange#ilovereading #fortheloveofbooks #bookmom #readersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #alwaysreading #bookworm #booknerd #bookstack #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookishfeatures #igreads #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #booknerd #booklove #booklover#bookblogger #bibliophile #bookaddict #earlyliteracy #readingmatters #bookscanchangetheworld #teacherreader #childrensbooks
By: Adele Griffin
Thank you to @algonquinbooks for the opportunity to read this book. #partner Also, thank you, @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book 📚 The opinions are my own!
Tell Me No Lies is a fantastic and authentic story that follows Lizzy and her senior year of high school. Ironically, it is the same time frame as my senior year, which added to the already accurate tale of cliques, jocks, geeks and the joy and heartbreak that is high school. It also touches on topics that were very relevant at the time the story takes place (1988-89).
The things we feel or go through during those last year's of high school can truly be brutal. They can set you up for future success or they can drive you far away from where you started. The author does a great job of showing that just because an adult feels something isn't a big deal doesn't mean it's not a huge life destroying thing to us.
I highly recommend this young adult book, but for mature audiences because some of the discussions are for a mature reader.
#kidlitexchange#ilovereading #fortheloveofbooks #bookmom #readersofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #alwaysreading #bookworm #booknerd #bookstack #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookishfeatures #igreads #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #booknerd #booklove #booklover#bookblogger #bibliophile #bookaddict #earlyliteracy #readingmatters #bookscanchangetheworld #teacherreader #childrensbooks
December 4, 2023
Honestly this book was so nutty ??? I feel like it just kept adding in new elements and I never totally knew where it was going to go, and I CERTAINLY didn’t know where it was going to end up. It was BIZARRE and unfocused almost, but in a wonderful, meandering, true to life sort of a way. I loved it for an absolutely random Y.A. read!
May 20, 2018
I found this novel to be honest, and real. a slow burning novel that kept me interested until the last page. I enjoyed the relationships amongst all the characters, even when I didn't agree with them, I found them to be realistic. So glad I was able to win and review this novel!
July 5, 2018
Read my review on my blog:
The Tell Me No Lies review
Mediocre contemporary novel about finding who you are, set in the 1980s. Read the full review on Literary Lexi.
The Tell Me No Lies review
Mediocre contemporary novel about finding who you are, set in the 1980s. Read the full review on Literary Lexi.
July 6, 2018
TELL ME NO LIES by Adele Griffin is a blast to the ‘80s past that is intriguing, fun and a perfectly nostalgic summer read.
Lizzy Swift is a perfectly well-behaved senior at an all-girls private school outside of Philadelphia. But Lizzy aches for a more exciting life, and the perfect opportunity to do so arrives with mid-fall semester transfer and senior Claire Reynolds, the mysterious niece of a rich recluse in their town. Lizzy and Claire become friends quickly, and Claire introduces Lizzy to the exciting art scene of Philadelphia. Lizzy even gets a boyfriend in longtime crush Matt Ashley. But something's not quite right, on both counts. Claire talks a lot about a boyfriend that she seems to miss, only their relationship ended so badly that she needed to change schools and Lizzy doesn’t know why. And while Lizzy and Matt seem like the perfect fit a lot of the time, he’s still holding her at arm's length. Everyone has a secret -- even Lizzy, who has epilepsy -- and it’s just a question of whether those secrets, when brought to light, will bring the characters closer together, or tear them apart.
Something that amazed me was Griffin’s ability to take social issues that are prominent now and apply them to life in the eighties. I really appreciated how she handled topics that our society is still very much dealing with today. For example --- and without giving too much away --- she was able to shine light on the victim shaming that comes with situations concerning sexual violence. Griffin’s ability to bring today’s issues into the latter part of last century was definitely a strong point in her narrative. Additionally, her inclusion of the AIDS epidemic that rocked the late eighties and early nineties was really interesting and equally heartbreaking to read about.
Lizzy is a relatable character for any girl (or boy) who has ever felt like they were breathing, but not living. We watch Lizzy grow tired of the many evenings spent at home eating ice cream and watching movies with her best friends, Mimi and Gage. Readers come to understand Lizzy’s restlessness with her life, and her desire to discover new things. Watching Lizzy get to do this was a perk of the novel, and while we see her stumble quite a bit along the way, she ultimately comes out a better, more confident person for it.
I also really like that Griffin decided to give her protagonist epilepsy. Watching Lizzy navigate life with that constant worry was something that was at times difficult to read, but also important. I am glad that authors like Griffin are taking strides to represent people who have unique obstacles that they must confront every day. The social anxiety that Lizzy has --- as a result of keeping her condition a secret --- also made her more relatable.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about Claire for most of the novel, which was probably the point. She was the typical mysterious new girl with a penchant for doing daring things and introducing the protagonist to a whole world of excitement. Some of the things she did annoyed me, like how she treated Lizzy at times. Their friendship seemed a lot like a one-sided obsession on Lizzy’s part occasionally, which I also didn’t like. As what happened to Claire begins to unfold, however, she becomes easier to understand and I eventually really came to appreciate the relationship that Lizzy and Claire have at the end of the novel.
Matt, Lizzy’s main love interest, was a solid character. He was a really sweet, all-American jock type, and the concluding moments with him and Lizzy were extremely heartwarming. Unfortunately, while I felt as though Griffin spent a good amount of time developing Lizzy/Claire dynamic, I didn’t feel the same with Matt and Lizzy. A lot of the talk about Matt and Lizzy being “soulmates” was much more telling than showing. I get that Claire and Lizzy’s friendship was more central to the story, but I was a bit disappointed with the lack of development there, nonetheless.
One other problem I had was with the pacing. While it was probably realistic in terms of what senior year of high school feels like, the plot did drag at times. Griffin’s narrative gets really strong towards the end of the novel, however, when things start to pick up and truths are revealed. The last third of the novel was really great to read, and made any other problems I had with the pacing worth it.
Overall, TELL ME NO LIES is a fun and relatable read, ideal if you’re looking for something to flip through on the beach this summer! The setting also adds a new twist to the classic Contemporary YA genre. I would recommend this book to fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson.
Reviewed by Cat Barra
Lizzy Swift is a perfectly well-behaved senior at an all-girls private school outside of Philadelphia. But Lizzy aches for a more exciting life, and the perfect opportunity to do so arrives with mid-fall semester transfer and senior Claire Reynolds, the mysterious niece of a rich recluse in their town. Lizzy and Claire become friends quickly, and Claire introduces Lizzy to the exciting art scene of Philadelphia. Lizzy even gets a boyfriend in longtime crush Matt Ashley. But something's not quite right, on both counts. Claire talks a lot about a boyfriend that she seems to miss, only their relationship ended so badly that she needed to change schools and Lizzy doesn’t know why. And while Lizzy and Matt seem like the perfect fit a lot of the time, he’s still holding her at arm's length. Everyone has a secret -- even Lizzy, who has epilepsy -- and it’s just a question of whether those secrets, when brought to light, will bring the characters closer together, or tear them apart.
Something that amazed me was Griffin’s ability to take social issues that are prominent now and apply them to life in the eighties. I really appreciated how she handled topics that our society is still very much dealing with today. For example --- and without giving too much away --- she was able to shine light on the victim shaming that comes with situations concerning sexual violence. Griffin’s ability to bring today’s issues into the latter part of last century was definitely a strong point in her narrative. Additionally, her inclusion of the AIDS epidemic that rocked the late eighties and early nineties was really interesting and equally heartbreaking to read about.
Lizzy is a relatable character for any girl (or boy) who has ever felt like they were breathing, but not living. We watch Lizzy grow tired of the many evenings spent at home eating ice cream and watching movies with her best friends, Mimi and Gage. Readers come to understand Lizzy’s restlessness with her life, and her desire to discover new things. Watching Lizzy get to do this was a perk of the novel, and while we see her stumble quite a bit along the way, she ultimately comes out a better, more confident person for it.
I also really like that Griffin decided to give her protagonist epilepsy. Watching Lizzy navigate life with that constant worry was something that was at times difficult to read, but also important. I am glad that authors like Griffin are taking strides to represent people who have unique obstacles that they must confront every day. The social anxiety that Lizzy has --- as a result of keeping her condition a secret --- also made her more relatable.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about Claire for most of the novel, which was probably the point. She was the typical mysterious new girl with a penchant for doing daring things and introducing the protagonist to a whole world of excitement. Some of the things she did annoyed me, like how she treated Lizzy at times. Their friendship seemed a lot like a one-sided obsession on Lizzy’s part occasionally, which I also didn’t like. As what happened to Claire begins to unfold, however, she becomes easier to understand and I eventually really came to appreciate the relationship that Lizzy and Claire have at the end of the novel.
Matt, Lizzy’s main love interest, was a solid character. He was a really sweet, all-American jock type, and the concluding moments with him and Lizzy were extremely heartwarming. Unfortunately, while I felt as though Griffin spent a good amount of time developing Lizzy/Claire dynamic, I didn’t feel the same with Matt and Lizzy. A lot of the talk about Matt and Lizzy being “soulmates” was much more telling than showing. I get that Claire and Lizzy’s friendship was more central to the story, but I was a bit disappointed with the lack of development there, nonetheless.
One other problem I had was with the pacing. While it was probably realistic in terms of what senior year of high school feels like, the plot did drag at times. Griffin’s narrative gets really strong towards the end of the novel, however, when things start to pick up and truths are revealed. The last third of the novel was really great to read, and made any other problems I had with the pacing worth it.
Overall, TELL ME NO LIES is a fun and relatable read, ideal if you’re looking for something to flip through on the beach this summer! The setting also adds a new twist to the classic Contemporary YA genre. I would recommend this book to fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson.
Reviewed by Cat Barra
September 7, 2024
*4.3 Stars
Notes: This story is extremely dark for a contemporary, so I am going to immediately add in a whole bunch of trigger warnings. The reading experience was well enough for me to give this slightly higher than a four stars rating, as I am interested in various types of books. However - I read this all the way until the end since this book was actually on a list of contemporaries I was trying to read through. The novel itself is primarily about how Lizzy Swift develops throughout a few years of high school, that contains more than some friendships, as well as dramatization of some events with contained very unfortunate bullying occasionally. The better companionships she forms throughout this story are going to definitely be distractful to read through from how pure they actually are.
Lizzy does not have an easy to get through life from any typical standards and is often under pressure to have higher grades from an extremely strict family. I’m not talking normal high grades here - more as in the type of thing to achieve - for instance, being on an honor roll more than sometimes. As much as a difficult thing that is to do in itself, she also has a job that is potentially weekly and also on weekends as well. The years this takes place in are during 1988-1989, mostly, so what happens for pop culture content as well as slang usage otherwise, will be centered around those years. She also has some various health issues (physical pain, anxiety, depression, etc), so that is mentioned too.
Lizzy is part of a good friend group with various many different people in it - so while all that is going on, there is also bullying referenced throughout the plot. While this at first might seem simple to read through, it actually is rather complicated considering the family she comes from and lives with also is not entirely financially stable - so I have a vast amount of sympathy for her vibrant character, for being so strong and independent during the last few years of high school, though, there is almost always a reason for that. From all of that, I am going to be remembering her determination level for a while, from all that she suffered through to try to get through normal daily life.
Her friendship with Matt Ashley (who previously was romantically involved with Claire Reynolds - she was extremely athletic in many different sports) is mentioned throughout many different chapters. The two of them become good friends and have a long-lasting friendship between themselves. Besides that, I’m not really going to type in too much spoiler-wise, from the actual complexity level of things that occur within the storyline. There are multiple intertwining plots, as well as several minor characters, my favorite of which were Theo and Walt for certain reasons from how nice they were written in to be. The location setting is Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) in not a rural town by any standards, so there is also a slight traveling/exploration element, because locations may change and not always be the same, sometimes.
Family dynamics are explored deeply to no literal end, so I will automatically add in that Catholicism may be discussed as well (Matt’s family is very - will emphasize on this - very Catholic). A lot of character work is further written in more than 1/4 of the book because there are many different main characters (some other ones are Mimi and Gage who are frequently mentioned, occasionally). Other characters are included, however with everything that does occur, not even some of what would be called typical high school classes are deemed as normal. Besides mentioning that, it’s as much as I can add in without spoilers that loads of things happen.
I would recommend this to those who would want to read a slightly different than normal contemporary set in a few decades ago that would be a definite worth-while binge read, like it was for me.
Notes: This story is extremely dark for a contemporary, so I am going to immediately add in a whole bunch of trigger warnings. The reading experience was well enough for me to give this slightly higher than a four stars rating, as I am interested in various types of books. However - I read this all the way until the end since this book was actually on a list of contemporaries I was trying to read through. The novel itself is primarily about how Lizzy Swift develops throughout a few years of high school, that contains more than some friendships, as well as dramatization of some events with contained very unfortunate bullying occasionally. The better companionships she forms throughout this story are going to definitely be distractful to read through from how pure they actually are.
Lizzy does not have an easy to get through life from any typical standards and is often under pressure to have higher grades from an extremely strict family. I’m not talking normal high grades here - more as in the type of thing to achieve - for instance, being on an honor roll more than sometimes. As much as a difficult thing that is to do in itself, she also has a job that is potentially weekly and also on weekends as well. The years this takes place in are during 1988-1989, mostly, so what happens for pop culture content as well as slang usage otherwise, will be centered around those years. She also has some various health issues (physical pain, anxiety, depression, etc), so that is mentioned too.
Lizzy is part of a good friend group with various many different people in it - so while all that is going on, there is also bullying referenced throughout the plot. While this at first might seem simple to read through, it actually is rather complicated considering the family she comes from and lives with also is not entirely financially stable - so I have a vast amount of sympathy for her vibrant character, for being so strong and independent during the last few years of high school, though, there is almost always a reason for that. From all of that, I am going to be remembering her determination level for a while, from all that she suffered through to try to get through normal daily life.
Her friendship with Matt Ashley (who previously was romantically involved with Claire Reynolds - she was extremely athletic in many different sports) is mentioned throughout many different chapters. The two of them become good friends and have a long-lasting friendship between themselves. Besides that, I’m not really going to type in too much spoiler-wise, from the actual complexity level of things that occur within the storyline. There are multiple intertwining plots, as well as several minor characters, my favorite of which were Theo and Walt for certain reasons from how nice they were written in to be. The location setting is Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) in not a rural town by any standards, so there is also a slight traveling/exploration element, because locations may change and not always be the same, sometimes.
Family dynamics are explored deeply to no literal end, so I will automatically add in that Catholicism may be discussed as well (Matt’s family is very - will emphasize on this - very Catholic). A lot of character work is further written in more than 1/4 of the book because there are many different main characters (some other ones are Mimi and Gage who are frequently mentioned, occasionally). Other characters are included, however with everything that does occur, not even some of what would be called typical high school classes are deemed as normal. Besides mentioning that, it’s as much as I can add in without spoilers that loads of things happen.
I would recommend this to those who would want to read a slightly different than normal contemporary set in a few decades ago that would be a definite worth-while binge read, like it was for me.
November 11, 2023
3.5 for the patchwork that was the ending (I'm vaguely aware that this a companion novel to the author's other book, Be True to Me). WTF was that cliffhanger? Is Matt HIV positive? But 4 for strange nostalgia this brought back to me (despite the 80's being way before my time). I liked that there was a reason for Claire's caginess (in the beginning, I felt like she was going to be someone who taught Lizzy not to be so eager to please; our girl is practically salivating for real friendship, telling Claire she's ride or die for secrets less than one month into knowing her). But it turns out, despite Claire's outward cool girl persona she's suffering due to:
1.Living in a pseudo Grey Gardens of her Aunt Janet's making (Seriously. Fifteen cats and don't get me started on that pool scene)
2. Being the victim of SA from her former school principal, hence the reason she and her mother had to move at the start of Claire's freshman year.
I was so cynical about Claire, thinking she was going to be a user and that Matt would be some dream boat turned nightmare, that it made me genuinely happy to see these predictions come to nothing but sunshine (save for that ending). In the end, Matt breaks up with Lizzy because he realizes he's gay, and they then become the best of friends (it's actually Lizzy who sits with Matt in the clinic, holding his hand as they await his results). Even Claire eventually opens up to Lizzy, Matt, and Dave-Matt's "boyfriend?" (still not clear on their status) enough to exact revenge on Jay (AKA Claire's abuser), tagging his property with the word PERVERT in purple paint (this actually ties back to Claire and Lizzy's first meeting in art class, where the purple is mentioned as being a passionate color).
I liked that this novel had Lizzy exploring her hometown in a way that felt natural: she wasn't going out to clubs every night (true, she did utilize her fake ID once or twice in Philly), but rather, she's hitting up house parties, driving aimlessly in Claire's orange VW while blasting New Order/Joy Division, and devouring midnight breakfasts at the local diner with friends. These all felt like things I did at that age, and that superficial freedom of being in a car with people who aren't your parents or peers you've known your whole life, that's an adolscent feeling that usually gets glossed over in favor of absurd hijinks.
There are many readers who won't like how much the novel jumps around, how disconnected Lizzy's reactions are. But again, I think that mimics Lizzy's feeling about her life in general: she doesn't know how to feel about getting waitlisted for Princeton and doing art school instead, so she doesn't dwell on the new possibility. Her friendship with Gage and Mimi seems to have run its course, so the author doesn't spend time fleshing out these characters. And to Lizzy, if we want to go the adolscent psych route, her parents are rule makers, not people to confide in. They are just another obstacle towards Lizzy discovering who she really is. And that might be an argument for the story feeling hollow: because Lizzy herself feels the same for the moment. And this isn't a bad thing; just a part of growing into who she'll be.
1.Living in a pseudo Grey Gardens of her Aunt Janet's making (Seriously. Fifteen cats and don't get me started on that pool scene)
2. Being the victim of SA from her former school principal, hence the reason she and her mother had to move at the start of Claire's freshman year.
I was so cynical about Claire, thinking she was going to be a user and that Matt would be some dream boat turned nightmare, that it made me genuinely happy to see these predictions come to nothing but sunshine (save for that ending). In the end, Matt breaks up with Lizzy because he realizes he's gay, and they then become the best of friends (it's actually Lizzy who sits with Matt in the clinic, holding his hand as they await his results). Even Claire eventually opens up to Lizzy, Matt, and Dave-Matt's "boyfriend?" (still not clear on their status) enough to exact revenge on Jay (AKA Claire's abuser), tagging his property with the word PERVERT in purple paint (this actually ties back to Claire and Lizzy's first meeting in art class, where the purple is mentioned as being a passionate color).
I liked that this novel had Lizzy exploring her hometown in a way that felt natural: she wasn't going out to clubs every night (true, she did utilize her fake ID once or twice in Philly), but rather, she's hitting up house parties, driving aimlessly in Claire's orange VW while blasting New Order/Joy Division, and devouring midnight breakfasts at the local diner with friends. These all felt like things I did at that age, and that superficial freedom of being in a car with people who aren't your parents or peers you've known your whole life, that's an adolscent feeling that usually gets glossed over in favor of absurd hijinks.
There are many readers who won't like how much the novel jumps around, how disconnected Lizzy's reactions are. But again, I think that mimics Lizzy's feeling about her life in general: she doesn't know how to feel about getting waitlisted for Princeton and doing art school instead, so she doesn't dwell on the new possibility. Her friendship with Gage and Mimi seems to have run its course, so the author doesn't spend time fleshing out these characters. And to Lizzy, if we want to go the adolscent psych route, her parents are rule makers, not people to confide in. They are just another obstacle towards Lizzy discovering who she really is. And that might be an argument for the story feeling hollow: because Lizzy herself feels the same for the moment. And this isn't a bad thing; just a part of growing into who she'll be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2018
I want to also thank Algonquin Young Readers for giving me an ARC of this book as well as sending me another one of Adele Griffin’s books. And without further ado here are my bookish thoughts! (P.S. you can see the unboxing for these books on my Insta)!
SPOILERS AHEAD***I want to say that this is a companion to Be True To Me but I read this book without reading that one first and I really loved this story! I went back and read the other and still loved it. So I think you could as well.
This is a story about a girl named Lizzy she is a senior in high school and in previous years she has always been a bit of a geek. However, this is her year to change it up! She is going to rock senior year like no other. She begins dating a boy she has had a crush on since she first started high school three years ago. When reading this I felt like the author did an excellent job with her getting to date her high school crush and executing her changing from geek to social butterfly. I read a lot of books and admittedly I love books like this where the main character has a big transformation, however, I do not like them if they feel unrealistic and this one felt so real and right for Lizzie. It reminded me a little of Lara Jean (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before) and her getting to date her crush. Which I felt was amazingly done and I am in love with those books! But back to Lizzie! So our new social butterfly meets a new girl named Claire who begins to introduce her to a rebellious side of life. I do not want to give away too much of Lizzie and Claire’s adventures but I will say I really loved seeing Lizzie in these new settings and her learn about this other side of town she never knew about. I also really enjoyed that it makes her rethink her future plans. Lizzie has been bound for the Ivy League life and her new life and ideas have made her rethink these plans. Which I think is very realistic. We experience things in our life that make us change how we view our world and the things Lizzy is experiencing would make someone think about their choices.
Overall I really enjoyed the story of Lizzie and her journey, however, as the book went on I lost a bit of interest. I still feel like this book is wonderfully written and has an amazing tale, so I gave this story a 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. I definitely think you should still give this book a try because the writing was excellent.
SPOILERS AHEAD***I want to say that this is a companion to Be True To Me but I read this book without reading that one first and I really loved this story! I went back and read the other and still loved it. So I think you could as well.
This is a story about a girl named Lizzy she is a senior in high school and in previous years she has always been a bit of a geek. However, this is her year to change it up! She is going to rock senior year like no other. She begins dating a boy she has had a crush on since she first started high school three years ago. When reading this I felt like the author did an excellent job with her getting to date her high school crush and executing her changing from geek to social butterfly. I read a lot of books and admittedly I love books like this where the main character has a big transformation, however, I do not like them if they feel unrealistic and this one felt so real and right for Lizzie. It reminded me a little of Lara Jean (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before) and her getting to date her crush. Which I felt was amazingly done and I am in love with those books! But back to Lizzie! So our new social butterfly meets a new girl named Claire who begins to introduce her to a rebellious side of life. I do not want to give away too much of Lizzie and Claire’s adventures but I will say I really loved seeing Lizzie in these new settings and her learn about this other side of town she never knew about. I also really enjoyed that it makes her rethink her future plans. Lizzie has been bound for the Ivy League life and her new life and ideas have made her rethink these plans. Which I think is very realistic. We experience things in our life that make us change how we view our world and the things Lizzy is experiencing would make someone think about their choices.
Overall I really enjoyed the story of Lizzie and her journey, however, as the book went on I lost a bit of interest. I still feel like this book is wonderfully written and has an amazing tale, so I gave this story a 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. I definitely think you should still give this book a try because the writing was excellent.
June 8, 2018
I really enjoyed Tell Me No Lies by Adele Griffin. It's set in the 80s, me being an 80s model I really loved the references to that era. Tell Me No Lies is an authentic, deep and raw story of two very different girls, and how their differences somehow brought them together and what they learnt from each other. This is a powerful book and really touches on some very serious topics.
Lizzy is slightly unsatisfied with her boring life, she's the one to always have good grades, works at the local library and has her assignments ready, not just on the due date but early! When Claire Reynolds moves to the area, she's mysterious, troubled, cool and just didn't care much of others' opinion of her. Lizzy and Claire became fast friends...navigating life as teens together; their differences somehow attracting them to each other.
What I adored about this book was that the Author really captures the lives of teens in high school, how you try and figure yourself out, sometimes choosing friends that aren't the best for you etc. It also gave us two opposing sides so the "bad" friend may not necessarily be "bad" but just undergoing serious issues. Griffin captures the authenticity of the teens emotions, judgements and their path to self-discovery.
The characters in Tell Me No Lies are so strong with their constant raw emotions. Lizzy in her naivety but keen to be someone different from her current self, Claire seemingly strong and independent, but deep down needed a friend just as much (if not more so) than Lizzy. The way Adele wrote her characters is so engrossing and moving...and oh my the emotions behind each character was intense!
I also loved how Adele wrote out the ending, unable to give spoilers, I'll have an analogy of a gift...Adele wrote the ending with a nice wrapping paper, but did not tie a bow around it. So most will be quite satisfied with the ending, but there is a slight cliffhanger at the end, but not one where you'd be angry at the Author.
Tell Me No Lies by Adele Griffin is an engaging, thought provoking Young Adult Contemporary. Adele's writing was great, she truly transported me back to that era, and also back to my teens, when I felt the same deep and raw emotions that her characters were undergoing. Last but not least, her characters are so authentic, and I couldn't help but love them all.
Lizzy is slightly unsatisfied with her boring life, she's the one to always have good grades, works at the local library and has her assignments ready, not just on the due date but early! When Claire Reynolds moves to the area, she's mysterious, troubled, cool and just didn't care much of others' opinion of her. Lizzy and Claire became fast friends...navigating life as teens together; their differences somehow attracting them to each other.
What I adored about this book was that the Author really captures the lives of teens in high school, how you try and figure yourself out, sometimes choosing friends that aren't the best for you etc. It also gave us two opposing sides so the "bad" friend may not necessarily be "bad" but just undergoing serious issues. Griffin captures the authenticity of the teens emotions, judgements and their path to self-discovery.
The characters in Tell Me No Lies are so strong with their constant raw emotions. Lizzy in her naivety but keen to be someone different from her current self, Claire seemingly strong and independent, but deep down needed a friend just as much (if not more so) than Lizzy. The way Adele wrote her characters is so engrossing and moving...and oh my the emotions behind each character was intense!
I also loved how Adele wrote out the ending, unable to give spoilers, I'll have an analogy of a gift...Adele wrote the ending with a nice wrapping paper, but did not tie a bow around it. So most will be quite satisfied with the ending, but there is a slight cliffhanger at the end, but not one where you'd be angry at the Author.
Tell Me No Lies by Adele Griffin is an engaging, thought provoking Young Adult Contemporary. Adele's writing was great, she truly transported me back to that era, and also back to my teens, when I felt the same deep and raw emotions that her characters were undergoing. Last but not least, her characters are so authentic, and I couldn't help but love them all.
June 10, 2018
I received a copy of this book from Thomas Allen & Son in exchange for an honest review.
I'm going to be totally honest, and say that this book caught my attention because I liked the colours on the cover. Contemporaries can be hit or miss for me, but I was optimistic about it and dove in.
This book was a bit tricky to rate because there was nothing particularly memorable about the story. I found that I was always at arms-length with the characters, but I enjoyed the plot line and the characters as a general. There's a lot going on in this book, but it was done well and made for a good read.
The Good Points of Tell Me No Lies:
This book felt very realistic in terms of progression and how things turned out for Lizzy. Nothing was overly catastrophic when it happened, but rather took a 'life goes on' sort of thing and that you deal with things as they happened. It wasn't the contemporary thing where everything is either amazing or horrible, it just was.
I enjoyed the characters in this book, though I did always feel like they were difficult to feel connected to (which didn't really affect the story, so it's all good). They were interesting and well rounded, and I liked how the secrets played into the story.
Actually, the way that secrets played into the stories was brilliant. It kept the story interesting, and they played out well. Some of them came a little out of left field, but in general, it worked well.
The Downsides of Tell Me No Lies:
The pacing in this book was all over the place, sometimes racing and sometimes dragging. It made for a funny reading experience, because it was like whiplash as it changed around.
I didn't get the purpose of this being set in the 80s (fun story, the ARC I got didn't mention that it was set in the 80s, and I was super confused as to why no one was using cell phones and were searching for quarters). It worked for the book, but if it'd been set in modern day, it wouldn't have changed the story at all.
All in all, this ended up being a decent contemporary, and will make for a great summer read. If you enjoy the dramatics of high school seniors (and let's be honest, reading about life panic is always fun), secrets, and 80s music, you should definitely check out Tell Me No Lies!
I'm going to be totally honest, and say that this book caught my attention because I liked the colours on the cover. Contemporaries can be hit or miss for me, but I was optimistic about it and dove in.
This book was a bit tricky to rate because there was nothing particularly memorable about the story. I found that I was always at arms-length with the characters, but I enjoyed the plot line and the characters as a general. There's a lot going on in this book, but it was done well and made for a good read.
The Good Points of Tell Me No Lies:
This book felt very realistic in terms of progression and how things turned out for Lizzy. Nothing was overly catastrophic when it happened, but rather took a 'life goes on' sort of thing and that you deal with things as they happened. It wasn't the contemporary thing where everything is either amazing or horrible, it just was.
I enjoyed the characters in this book, though I did always feel like they were difficult to feel connected to (which didn't really affect the story, so it's all good). They were interesting and well rounded, and I liked how the secrets played into the story.
Actually, the way that secrets played into the stories was brilliant. It kept the story interesting, and they played out well. Some of them came a little out of left field, but in general, it worked well.
The Downsides of Tell Me No Lies:
The pacing in this book was all over the place, sometimes racing and sometimes dragging. It made for a funny reading experience, because it was like whiplash as it changed around.
I didn't get the purpose of this being set in the 80s (fun story, the ARC I got didn't mention that it was set in the 80s, and I was super confused as to why no one was using cell phones and were searching for quarters). It worked for the book, but if it'd been set in modern day, it wouldn't have changed the story at all.
All in all, this ended up being a decent contemporary, and will make for a great summer read. If you enjoy the dramatics of high school seniors (and let's be honest, reading about life panic is always fun), secrets, and 80s music, you should definitely check out Tell Me No Lies!
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March 11, 20201) Explain, in specific detail, your reading experience. What did you like or dislike in the book and why? What parts resonated with you or confused you? Discuss.
My reading experience with this book was up and down, there were parts that I felt like I couldn't put the book down and there were others where I felt i was getting bored. I liked how we get a really deep characterization of charters in this book, you start to feel like you actually know them. I resonated with the beginning of the book a lot because it was about a new girl and her journey of how she got there. And I was connecting with that part of the book a lot because I just recently switched schools and we went through a lot of the same stuff.
2) How does your book help to answer one of our essential questions? (how does literature help us to better understand ourselves; what does it mean to be an American; how do individuals develop values and beliefs?). Pick a question and using specifics from your book, explain how your book answers one of these questions.
This book helps answer the essential question "how do individuals develop values and beliefs" because this book is placed in high school, and in high that's where you find out who you really are. Like when Lizzy was trying to find out what she wanted to do with her life and she just couldn't seem too but out of nowhere it came to her. And that's how high school is you can feel like your completely loss and ten the next day be found again.
3) Include a quotation from your book to support your book review.
"I need to love me before I start loving someone else"
4) Who would you recommend this book to and why?
I would recommend this book to someone who just recently had a big change in their life and feels kind of alone, this book gives a feeling of hope and good things to come.
My reading experience with this book was up and down, there were parts that I felt like I couldn't put the book down and there were others where I felt i was getting bored. I liked how we get a really deep characterization of charters in this book, you start to feel like you actually know them. I resonated with the beginning of the book a lot because it was about a new girl and her journey of how she got there. And I was connecting with that part of the book a lot because I just recently switched schools and we went through a lot of the same stuff.
2) How does your book help to answer one of our essential questions? (how does literature help us to better understand ourselves; what does it mean to be an American; how do individuals develop values and beliefs?). Pick a question and using specifics from your book, explain how your book answers one of these questions.
This book helps answer the essential question "how do individuals develop values and beliefs" because this book is placed in high school, and in high that's where you find out who you really are. Like when Lizzy was trying to find out what she wanted to do with her life and she just couldn't seem too but out of nowhere it came to her. And that's how high school is you can feel like your completely loss and ten the next day be found again.
3) Include a quotation from your book to support your book review.
"I need to love me before I start loving someone else"
4) Who would you recommend this book to and why?
I would recommend this book to someone who just recently had a big change in their life and feels kind of alone, this book gives a feeling of hope and good things to come.
June 20, 2018
My Thoughts: First,I loved that this story took place against the back drop of the 1980's. The reference to music,clothes and culture were fun. These were the days before selfies, text messages, and snap chat. The cover of the book looks light-hearted and makes it look like it's going to be a cotton candy read but, in all actuality it's filled with very complex characters. Each character carries a secret that can lead to heartbreak or shattered friendships.The main character Lizzy is extremely likable as she tries to navigate epilepsy, her senior year, college choices, a possible first love, and complicated friendships. She is an easy character to root for throughout the book. On the other hand I pegged Claire as a frenemy as soon as she and Lizzy met. I didn't like her at all, but as the story starts to unfold you see where Claire comes from and the empathy starts to pour in. As if these characters and their issues aren't big enough to deal with in a story- the author throws a curve ball of the AIDS epidemic that is running rampant through the United States during this time. It's so easy to forget what a scary time this was for everyone. The author bravely dips a toe into the lack of knowledge, the fear, and the intolerance that was happening during this time period. The characters in the book are easily relate-able and likable, each with their own great story to tell. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Tell Me No Lies" and look forward to Adele Griffin's next book.
March 22, 2018
Lizzy has always been a good student and good daughter, despite maybe wanting to be rebellious. Set in the 80s, Griffin tells the story of Lizzy as she navigates her first parties, first boyfriend, a new mysterious friend, and old friends-- all during her senior year.
The pacing of this book was not my favorite, but it did lend itself to be more realistic.. I think because of the awkward pacing. The relationship between Matt and Lizzy at first seemed like insta love, but it actually ended up being sweet. I wish that we got more of Dave's story.. and maybe even a different perspective...? The whole idea of everyone having secrets was interesting, but Lizzy's secret (epilepsy) felt a little silly in comparison. I'm not saying that having epilepsy and learning how to deal with it is not a life changing issue, but Lizzy's confidence seemed to be so inconsistent throughout. It made it out to be a bigger deal (in her head)-- which made it seem like it is a big deal or some kind of game changer for everyone around her.
Despite these issues, I still liked the book. I liked the setting, I liked her realistic relationship with her parents, and I liked Lizzy trying to figure out new and old friendships. I would like to see where these characters go next, and that was my issue with the pacing.
The pacing of this book was not my favorite, but it did lend itself to be more realistic.. I think because of the awkward pacing. The relationship between Matt and Lizzy at first seemed like insta love, but it actually ended up being sweet. I wish that we got more of Dave's story.. and maybe even a different perspective...? The whole idea of everyone having secrets was interesting, but Lizzy's secret (epilepsy) felt a little silly in comparison. I'm not saying that having epilepsy and learning how to deal with it is not a life changing issue, but Lizzy's confidence seemed to be so inconsistent throughout. It made it out to be a bigger deal (in her head)-- which made it seem like it is a big deal or some kind of game changer for everyone around her.
Despite these issues, I still liked the book. I liked the setting, I liked her realistic relationship with her parents, and I liked Lizzy trying to figure out new and old friendships. I would like to see where these characters go next, and that was my issue with the pacing.
June 23, 2018
This is a great story about the struggles of growing up.
Everyone in this story has secrets. Some are more obvious than others, but they all lie about them. They don't want to have difficult conversations, so they lie about their problems, but that just makes them worse.
Lizzy's secret was that she is an epileptic. She didn't like to talk about it and never said the word epilepsy, but the girls at school knew about it because she had had a seizure at school years ago. The other characters' secrets were harder to figure out, and I was wrong in my predictions. I was suspicious of Claire and Matt, probably because they were hiding things, but my guesses of what their secrets were was wrong.
One thing that threw me off in this story was that it was set in 1988/1989. I read online that it was set in '89, but I forgot until I got to a part in the book about using a pay phone! I think it should have been stated right at the beginning to avoid any confusion (I thought Claire was just being retro when she listened to cassette tapes). However, this may be different in the finished book, since I was reading an ARC.
Though this book is set nearly 20 years ago, the issues they face, especially in regards to mental health and identity, are still very relevant today.
I received a copy of this book from the book distributor, Thomas Allen & Son.
Everyone in this story has secrets. Some are more obvious than others, but they all lie about them. They don't want to have difficult conversations, so they lie about their problems, but that just makes them worse.
Lizzy's secret was that she is an epileptic. She didn't like to talk about it and never said the word epilepsy, but the girls at school knew about it because she had had a seizure at school years ago. The other characters' secrets were harder to figure out, and I was wrong in my predictions. I was suspicious of Claire and Matt, probably because they were hiding things, but my guesses of what their secrets were was wrong.
One thing that threw me off in this story was that it was set in 1988/1989. I read online that it was set in '89, but I forgot until I got to a part in the book about using a pay phone! I think it should have been stated right at the beginning to avoid any confusion (I thought Claire was just being retro when she listened to cassette tapes). However, this may be different in the finished book, since I was reading an ARC.
Though this book is set nearly 20 years ago, the issues they face, especially in regards to mental health and identity, are still very relevant today.
I received a copy of this book from the book distributor, Thomas Allen & Son.
July 2, 2018
*Review originally posted here.
First off, this book is set in the 80's, which sounds super cool, but I didn't actually get an 80's vibe very much. To be honest, when it's mentioned about the yearbook I had completely forgotten about it up until that point. I would have loved a more nostalgic feel.
I've had a hard time figuring out if I truly liked Tell Me No Lies. I enjoyed reading it, yes but I couldn't commit to any one character, or theme. I would have loved to see more between Lizzy and Theo, I was hoping that their story would take more of a front line. The relationship between Matt and Lizzy began so fast, that I forgot she was pining over him for so long, but I did like their fun, playful relationship. The banter between them at times was cheery and heartfelt.
I feel like with all of the hard topics in Tell Me No Lies; epilepsy, suicide, AIDS, sex, trying to fit it, etc, Adele Griffin did a great job with keeping the book light. While tackling tough issues, I never felt uncomfortable or eager to read past that part. And I think that was the point with this book.
While Tell Me No Lies will not go on my favourites list, I think it's worth a read if you come across it yourself.
First off, this book is set in the 80's, which sounds super cool, but I didn't actually get an 80's vibe very much. To be honest, when it's mentioned about the yearbook I had completely forgotten about it up until that point. I would have loved a more nostalgic feel.
I've had a hard time figuring out if I truly liked Tell Me No Lies. I enjoyed reading it, yes but I couldn't commit to any one character, or theme. I would have loved to see more between Lizzy and Theo, I was hoping that their story would take more of a front line. The relationship between Matt and Lizzy began so fast, that I forgot she was pining over him for so long, but I did like their fun, playful relationship. The banter between them at times was cheery and heartfelt.
I feel like with all of the hard topics in Tell Me No Lies; epilepsy, suicide, AIDS, sex, trying to fit it, etc, Adele Griffin did a great job with keeping the book light. While tackling tough issues, I never felt uncomfortable or eager to read past that part. And I think that was the point with this book.
While Tell Me No Lies will not go on my favourites list, I think it's worth a read if you come across it yourself.
April 29, 2018
This is a tale of friendships, romance, young love, self-discovery, betrayal, and most importantly acceptance. Lizzy Swift's life changes exponentially over her senior year. She metamorphosizes from wallflower to social butterfly partially thanks to her new friend, the reclusive Claire Reynolds and her hot new boyfriend, Matt Ashley.
Unfortunately, Lizzy's new life has come with a price as her grades have slipped, her parents are on her case and her old friends are becoming more and more distant. Lizzy, Claire, and Matt are all keeping explosive secrets that just might blow all of their relationships out of the water. When the truth comes to light, Lizzy might be left standing alone.
I have to be honest, this book got off to a very slow start but wait for it...because it gets a lot better. This book is about teens struggles for acceptance: self-acceptance, peer acceptance, acceptance from your parents, and societal acceptance. It's a realistic story that will be enjoyed by both teens and adults because we're either going through it or we've been there. You will hate the ending but I can appreciate why the book ended the way it did.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, Lizzy's new life has come with a price as her grades have slipped, her parents are on her case and her old friends are becoming more and more distant. Lizzy, Claire, and Matt are all keeping explosive secrets that just might blow all of their relationships out of the water. When the truth comes to light, Lizzy might be left standing alone.
I have to be honest, this book got off to a very slow start but wait for it...because it gets a lot better. This book is about teens struggles for acceptance: self-acceptance, peer acceptance, acceptance from your parents, and societal acceptance. It's a realistic story that will be enjoyed by both teens and adults because we're either going through it or we've been there. You will hate the ending but I can appreciate why the book ended the way it did.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2023
I liked this book more than I thought I would. I think the story is promising but there were some confusing parts in the story. I liked how descriptive the author was with her characters but sometimes she gets too descriptive and it seems like she's just dragging. I like the whole plot and although I agree that it is not very relatable when it comes to the pop culture reference. But it is still relatable in a sense that people in school really acted like Wendy or Gage or Matt.
Some of the characters decisions were unjustifiable at times but I think that is what makes them more realistic, them being flawed. With Matt I was confused at first with all the Dave and Claire jealousy from Lizzy. I didn't quite grasped into the fact that Matt is the way he is, until two words finally described it indirectly. The title made more sense as the story progress and I even had a dream based on this book which is probably an indication that I was in the world too much.
Overall, it was a solid 3 stars! Good read but definitely touching some more sensitive topics so look up trigger warning first before reading.
Some of the characters decisions were unjustifiable at times but I think that is what makes them more realistic, them being flawed. With Matt I was confused at first with all the Dave and Claire jealousy from Lizzy. I didn't quite grasped into the fact that Matt is the way he is, until two words finally described it indirectly. The title made more sense as the story progress and I even had a dream based on this book which is probably an indication that I was in the world too much.
Overall, it was a solid 3 stars! Good read but definitely touching some more sensitive topics so look up trigger warning first before reading.
August 21, 2018
The copy I read was the ARC of this novel so things could have changed, which I hope they did. This book was about absolutely nothing...most of the characters were one dimensional and the plot (if you can call it that) was mind numbingly boring. I literally just finished reading this and can’t remember the main character’s name, she was that unremarkable. The only character I enjoyed was Matt Ashley. I sensed early on what his secret would turn out to be and am a little upset that we don’t know what his test results were. I’m hoping negative. As for Claire and her secret I knew the entire time that Jay was a teacher at her old school so not surprised at all on that one. It took me until half way through to realize that this takes place in the 1980s and I only recognized this because they were talking about the AIDS epidemic as if it was something prominent in their time. I feel like this book had to throw in too much for no reason...main character has epilepsy, someone commits suicide, someone gets raped, being gay is looked down on...no need for all that in one book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2021
This book was truly excellent, and different from any other book I’ve read. I knew that the story would be unique and interesting based on the last Adele Griffin book I read, but this book really took me by surprise. The storyline went in a different direction than I was anticipating, but in a great way.
Tell Me No Lies didn’t really feel like a typical plot-driven novel to me. It was more of an emotional, deep, complex, and unique character sketch of a high school teen and her friends in 1988. I also loved both the Pennsylvania/Philadelphia setting and the all-girls high school atmosphere. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey, and I know I will think about and remember the story for a long time.
Adele Griffin is definitely becoming an unexpected new favorite author. Both this book and Be True to Me completely captured my attention and diverted my expectations. This was truly a great work and a great experience to read, and I can’t believe her books, especially this one, are not more popular.
5 stars.
Tell Me No Lies didn’t really feel like a typical plot-driven novel to me. It was more of an emotional, deep, complex, and unique character sketch of a high school teen and her friends in 1988. I also loved both the Pennsylvania/Philadelphia setting and the all-girls high school atmosphere. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey, and I know I will think about and remember the story for a long time.
Adele Griffin is definitely becoming an unexpected new favorite author. Both this book and Be True to Me completely captured my attention and diverted my expectations. This was truly a great work and a great experience to read, and I can’t believe her books, especially this one, are not more popular.
5 stars.
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