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Debutantes #1
Little White Lies
Set in the gentrified south among debutante balls, grand estates and rolling green hills, Little White Lies combines the charm of a fully-realized setting, a classic fish-out-of-water story, and the sort of layered mystery only author Jennifer Lynn Barnes can pull off. When Sawyer Taft agrees to move in with her grandmother, she expects some things to be different, but what she doesn't expect is to get sucked into a group of over-privileged, yet somehow lovable debs who have—wait for it—kidnapped one of their own in hopes of blackmailing her into keeping their secrets under wraps—secrets which are far bigger and more scandalous than anyone could have imagined. As Sawyer works to uncover the identity of her father, she must also navigate the twisted relationships between her new friends and their powerful parents, and help them discover the villain among them.
400 pages, ebook
First published November 4, 2018
2915 people are currently reading
44856 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
59 books53.3k followersJennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been, in turn, a competitive cheerleader, a volleyball player, a dancer, a debutante, a primate cognition researcher, a teen model, a comic book geek, and a lemur aficionado. She's been writing for as long as she can remember, finished her first full book (which she now refers to as a "practice book" and which none of you will ever see) when she was still in high school, and then wrote Golden the summer after her freshman year in college, when she was nineteen.
Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She'll be spending the 2006-2007 school year abroad, doing autism research at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She'll be spending the 2006-2007 school year abroad, doing autism research at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,808 reviews
November 6, 2023
3.5!
Lots of family dynamics, rich people drama, secrets. very fun! (+ short chapters)
Lots of family dynamics, rich people drama, secrets. very fun! (+ short chapters)
October 17, 2025
4.5*! Loved
September 11, 2018
While this was a fun read, it could have easily been shaved down by 25%. The bloated nature gave it a feeling of dragging on, and I think the story could have benefitted from being a bit shorter to give it more of a taut feeling. That said, I adored Sawyer and her journey while being thrown into a world that makes her feel uncomfortable and a little bit like an outcast. This definitely felt like a standalone version of Pretty Little Liars, but much more tame and age appropriate for the younger side of the YA spectrum. And man, I can't wait to see what that cover looks like in person; it's simply gorgeous!
*I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
*I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
April 17, 2025
👗 ⌇ ⊹ 1 star
I read it but my brain went on vacation 50 pages in
I read it but my brain went on vacation 50 pages in
April 30, 2019
LITTLE WHITE LIES has everything I've come to expect from Barnes: an intelligent and fierce lead character that you can't help but root for; a tightly woven plot; amazing side characters; and secrets upon secrets UPON secrets.
Suffice to say, LITTLE WHITE LIES was nothing short of simply brilliant.
Barnes has done it yet again! It's clear that she excels at mysteries and thrillers and this new novel just further cements it. She not only weaves together an intriguing mystery, but adds enough scandal, backstory, and weaves together important and meaningful relationships, ones that grow and change throughout to add a different dimension to them, to keep readers hooked and engaged throughout.
I wasn't disappointed with this book, because I find that Barnes can't really disappoint me, but i do have a complaint... one that seems to be something that's always coming up now: she only writes one kind of character. I've read a couple of her works, in different settings and such, but each main character nearly sounds the same as the last, and it kind of bothers me, not discovering a new voice. It isn't that I don't like Barnes' main characters! I love them and admire them, especially Sawyer, but I would have liked a different archetypal character leading this one.
Overall! I definitely recommend this. I'm SO HYPE for the second one!!
----
This was not what I expected.
THERE'S A PLANNED SEQUEL GOD BLESS AND GOODBYE
Suffice to say, LITTLE WHITE LIES was nothing short of simply brilliant.
Barnes has done it yet again! It's clear that she excels at mysteries and thrillers and this new novel just further cements it. She not only weaves together an intriguing mystery, but adds enough scandal, backstory, and weaves together important and meaningful relationships, ones that grow and change throughout to add a different dimension to them, to keep readers hooked and engaged throughout.
I wasn't disappointed with this book, because I find that Barnes can't really disappoint me, but i do have a complaint... one that seems to be something that's always coming up now: she only writes one kind of character. I've read a couple of her works, in different settings and such, but each main character nearly sounds the same as the last, and it kind of bothers me, not discovering a new voice. It isn't that I don't like Barnes' main characters! I love them and admire them, especially Sawyer, but I would have liked a different archetypal character leading this one.
Overall! I definitely recommend this. I'm SO HYPE for the second one!!
----
This was not what I expected.
THERE'S A PLANNED SEQUEL GOD BLESS AND GOODBYE
February 21, 2023
I'm on a Jennifer Lynn Barnes roller-coaster that only goes up
March 12, 2024
I LOVED THIS!!!!
Binged this in 24 hours!
What hooked me about this book is the quote on the back that says “a plot twist every 20 pages”. Although, I wouldn’t say that’s true, there’s so many in there that it’s close enough.
It didn’t get 5 stars for only a few reasons. Firstly, I feel it could have been shaved down a lil bit. There were a few unnecessary chapters, but I never felt like the story was dragging out, so it was still tight.
It was thrilling but not in the way I personally love. It’s definitely watered down. I want to say “basic” but that’s not the right word. There are twists and turns and jaw dropping revelations, even after you think everything is sorted out! Don’t get me wrong, they’re super interesting, but they just weren’t “ten-out-of-ten WOW” plot twists.
It was giving me Pretty Little Liars vibes.
Loved the story progression and character development and writing style and most of the pacing. 10/10 for all of that.
Anyway, defs recommend this! Give it a go if you’ve had your eye on it. Not a must read, but glad I did!
Binged this in 24 hours!
What hooked me about this book is the quote on the back that says “a plot twist every 20 pages”. Although, I wouldn’t say that’s true, there’s so many in there that it’s close enough.
It didn’t get 5 stars for only a few reasons. Firstly, I feel it could have been shaved down a lil bit. There were a few unnecessary chapters, but I never felt like the story was dragging out, so it was still tight.
It was thrilling but not in the way I personally love. It’s definitely watered down. I want to say “basic” but that’s not the right word. There are twists and turns and jaw dropping revelations, even after you think everything is sorted out! Don’t get me wrong, they’re super interesting, but they just weren’t “ten-out-of-ten WOW” plot twists.
It was giving me Pretty Little Liars vibes.
Loved the story progression and character development and writing style and most of the pacing. 10/10 for all of that.
Anyway, defs recommend this! Give it a go if you’ve had your eye on it. Not a must read, but glad I did!
July 5, 2024
I would’ve given it 1 star but I did enjoy like 30 pages so it felt rude giving it 1
December 17, 2018
Mini review:
DNF
I received this E-ARC via Disney Hyperion and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is one off the many authors whose works' I have been trying to get into. Partly because of the heroine in The Fixer. I have come to accept that this isn't an author for me.
What intrigued me was the synopsis. A mystery whilst taking place during a debutante? Sign me up! The beginning was interesting if a tab bit cringy. The first chapter did genuinely creep me out. The grandmother's entrance was very dramatic and odd. I didn't care much for Sawyer either let alone any off the other characters.
I did skim the end, and I have to give the author credit for that twist. But after that revelation I was certain that the book wasn't for me. I don't really get along with books that have a lot of scandals. And I'm really tired off the mind games all the characters pull.
Overall this was a personal thing. I do really believe that other people will enjoy it more. Still recommend.
DNF
I received this E-ARC via Disney Hyperion and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is one off the many authors whose works' I have been trying to get into. Partly because of the heroine in The Fixer. I have come to accept that this isn't an author for me.
What intrigued me was the synopsis. A mystery whilst taking place during a debutante? Sign me up! The beginning was interesting if a tab bit cringy. The first chapter did genuinely creep me out. The grandmother's entrance was very dramatic and odd. I didn't care much for Sawyer either let alone any off the other characters.
I did skim the end, and I have to give the author credit for that twist. But after that revelation I was certain that the book wasn't for me. I don't really get along with books that have a lot of scandals. And I'm really tired off the mind games all the characters pull.
Overall this was a personal thing. I do really believe that other people will enjoy it more. Still recommend.
June 5, 2025
Rodzinne dramaty, tajemnice, sekrety i tajemne plany.
Kocham książki Jennifer
Kocham książki Jennifer
October 22, 2018
Definitely one of my favorites not only from this author but for the year as well! Full review to come closer to release date.
*EDITED TO ADD REVIEW:
4.5 Stars!
became a huge Jennifer Lynn Barnes fan after reading her Naturals series and then even more so after her Fixer series so it was with little hesitation that I accepted a copy of her latest book. I knew that if anyone could blow me away with a good mystery in the YA genre, it would be her and I wasn't wrong at all.
Sometimes you can pick up a book and within the very first few pages just know you are going to fall in love with the main character. That you are going to want to be there friend and know them and maybe even be them. That is the talent that Barnes has and that is exactly what happened to me, yet again, when I meet Sawyer.
Fun, sassy, sarcastic, a little bit sweet and a while lot of fierce and determined, Sawyer was a character that I couldn't help but instantly like and want to know more about.
Throwing this anything but sunshine and smiles girl into a world of fake compliments, even faker smiles and friendship, frilly dresses, and money galore, and you have one heck of a good setting and an even better story. One that will leave you eagerly turning the pages and soaking up every single fascinating ball, scavenger hunt, and elite event in a world that most have never experienced and only dream about.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
*EDITED TO ADD REVIEW:
4.5 Stars!
became a huge Jennifer Lynn Barnes fan after reading her Naturals series and then even more so after her Fixer series so it was with little hesitation that I accepted a copy of her latest book. I knew that if anyone could blow me away with a good mystery in the YA genre, it would be her and I wasn't wrong at all.
Sometimes you can pick up a book and within the very first few pages just know you are going to fall in love with the main character. That you are going to want to be there friend and know them and maybe even be them. That is the talent that Barnes has and that is exactly what happened to me, yet again, when I meet Sawyer.
Fun, sassy, sarcastic, a little bit sweet and a while lot of fierce and determined, Sawyer was a character that I couldn't help but instantly like and want to know more about.
Throwing this anything but sunshine and smiles girl into a world of fake compliments, even faker smiles and friendship, frilly dresses, and money galore, and you have one heck of a good setting and an even better story. One that will leave you eagerly turning the pages and soaking up every single fascinating ball, scavenger hunt, and elite event in a world that most have never experienced and only dream about.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
October 18, 2019
My love for this book has definitely been helped by a string of disappointing and/or boring reads but that's not why I loved it. It just gave it a bit of a boost, is all.
I'm a big fan of Barnes' writing, catch me in the corner forever mourning the fact that we only got two books in her Fixer series, but. But. If not for that fact, maybe this book, and series, wouldn't exist. And that would be a crying shame.
This story follows Sawyer, raised by her single flighty mother, who has never known her father or family, until the moment her very polished, very Southern, grandmother shows up with a proposition : spend nine months in the place her mother grew up, before getting kicked out when she was a pregnant teen, in exchange for an all-expenses paid college tuition. Sawyer is suspicious but takes it. Because maybe, just maybe, she can figure out who her father is.
From the tone in her voice, you would have thought we were in a life raft in the middle of piranha-filled waters. Then again, I was about to make my debut in high society. Maybe we were.
Naturally drama ensues but maybe not the kind you’d expect. There's blackmail, and kidnapping, and violence, and betrayal, and it's a riot. Sawyer, the girl from the other side of the tracks, thrown in amongst the rich, the elite, the debutantes, makes friends, finds family, but both are somewhat fluid, and yet the journey is fabulous. It doesn't exactly follow the same path as you might expect from a story with that bare bones concept and, as an added bonus, Barnes keeps you guessing, keeps things twisty, right up until the very end. Almost every character is flawed, or layered, and fascinating. The wit and charm that I love from this author is also present in her characters, in the dynamics, and I enjoyed the hell out of it all. Like in the last book I read (in fact, maybe all since her Naturals series), there's no real romance plot for her protagonist. And I can't tell you how much I love that. These stories stand on their own, with deep friendships, and family connections, that negate the need for added drama or angst or entanglements. I won't be sad if a certain something happens between Sawyer and a certain guy but if it doesn't.. I still won't be sad.
Clearly, I'd been mistaken for the help. Unfortunately for Campbell, there were two kinds of people in this world : those who weren't condescending and needlessly cruel and those I was pretty content to leave duct-taped to a chair.
I'm ever so happy to have an ARC of book two in my hands because I'm running high off the joy of this story and I can't wait to see the trouble these girls get into next. And what mysteries, and what heartbreak, lies in wait for them.
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
I'm a big fan of Barnes' writing, catch me in the corner forever mourning the fact that we only got two books in her Fixer series, but. But. If not for that fact, maybe this book, and series, wouldn't exist. And that would be a crying shame.
This story follows Sawyer, raised by her single flighty mother, who has never known her father or family, until the moment her very polished, very Southern, grandmother shows up with a proposition : spend nine months in the place her mother grew up, before getting kicked out when she was a pregnant teen, in exchange for an all-expenses paid college tuition. Sawyer is suspicious but takes it. Because maybe, just maybe, she can figure out who her father is.
From the tone in her voice, you would have thought we were in a life raft in the middle of piranha-filled waters. Then again, I was about to make my debut in high society. Maybe we were.
Naturally drama ensues but maybe not the kind you’d expect. There's blackmail, and kidnapping, and violence, and betrayal, and it's a riot. Sawyer, the girl from the other side of the tracks, thrown in amongst the rich, the elite, the debutantes, makes friends, finds family, but both are somewhat fluid, and yet the journey is fabulous. It doesn't exactly follow the same path as you might expect from a story with that bare bones concept and, as an added bonus, Barnes keeps you guessing, keeps things twisty, right up until the very end. Almost every character is flawed, or layered, and fascinating. The wit and charm that I love from this author is also present in her characters, in the dynamics, and I enjoyed the hell out of it all. Like in the last book I read (in fact, maybe all since her Naturals series), there's no real romance plot for her protagonist. And I can't tell you how much I love that. These stories stand on their own, with deep friendships, and family connections, that negate the need for added drama or angst or entanglements. I won't be sad if a certain something happens between Sawyer and a certain guy but if it doesn't.. I still won't be sad.
Clearly, I'd been mistaken for the help. Unfortunately for Campbell, there were two kinds of people in this world : those who weren't condescending and needlessly cruel and those I was pretty content to leave duct-taped to a chair.
I'm ever so happy to have an ARC of book two in my hands because I'm running high off the joy of this story and I can't wait to see the trouble these girls get into next. And what mysteries, and what heartbreak, lies in wait for them.
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
February 10, 2024
4/5 🌟
2/5 ❤️🩹
0/5 🥰
0/5 🌶️
1/5 🔎
2/5 😰
3/5 🎭C
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Blackmail
Kidnapping
Mentions of Hit and Run
Teen Pregnancy
Teen Drinking
Framing Someone for a Crime
Lies
Secrets
Deception
Betrayal
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
Scandal, scheming, and secrets abound in #1 bestselling author Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s Little White Lies, packed with “page-turning tension, witty humor” (Jennifer L. Armentrout), and “characters as devious as they are southern-belle glamorous (E. Lockhart).
”I'm not saying this is Sawyer's fault," the prim and proper one said delicately. "But."
Eighteen-year-old auto mechanic Sawyer Taft did not expect her estranged grandmother to show up at her apartment door and offer her a six-figure contract to participate in debutante season. And she definitely never imagined she would accept. But when she realizes that immersing herself in her grandmother's "society" might mean discovering the answer to the biggest mystery of her life—her father's identity—she signs on the dotted line and braces herself for a year of makeovers, big dresses, bigger egos, and a whole lot of bless your heart. The one thing she doesn't expect to find is friendship, but as she's drawn into a group of debutantes with scandalous, dangerous secrets of their own, Sawyer quickly discovers that her family is not the only mainstay of high society with skeletons in their closet. There are people in her grandmother's glittering world who are not what they appear, and no one wants Sawyer poking her nose into the past. As she navigates the twisted relationships between her new friends and their powerful parents, Sawyer's search for the truth about her own origins is just the beginning.
**Don’t miss the shocking sequel, Deadly Little Scandals!
**For more thrilling Jennifer Lynn Barnes mysteries, check out The Inheritance Games series! The newest page-turning installment, The Brothers Hawthorne, is on sale now.
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
This book was very enjoyable and sweet. Hints of a mystery surrounding our MFC’s paternity. There were some very comical scenes that reminded me of my own teenage years hanging out with friends. I definitely want to read the sequel to see what happens next. I love the southern drawls that remind me of the year I lived in Southeast Georgia.
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared/Anxious - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy/Tragedy based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
2/5 ❤️🩹
0/5 🥰
0/5 🌶️
1/5 🔎
2/5 😰
3/5 🎭C
⚠️⛔️TRIGGERS:⛔️⚠️
Blackmail
Kidnapping
Mentions of Hit and Run
Teen Pregnancy
Teen Drinking
Framing Someone for a Crime
Lies
Secrets
Deception
Betrayal
🗯️💬BOOK BLURB:💬🗯️
Scandal, scheming, and secrets abound in #1 bestselling author Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s Little White Lies, packed with “page-turning tension, witty humor” (Jennifer L. Armentrout), and “characters as devious as they are southern-belle glamorous (E. Lockhart).
”I'm not saying this is Sawyer's fault," the prim and proper one said delicately. "But."
Eighteen-year-old auto mechanic Sawyer Taft did not expect her estranged grandmother to show up at her apartment door and offer her a six-figure contract to participate in debutante season. And she definitely never imagined she would accept. But when she realizes that immersing herself in her grandmother's "society" might mean discovering the answer to the biggest mystery of her life—her father's identity—she signs on the dotted line and braces herself for a year of makeovers, big dresses, bigger egos, and a whole lot of bless your heart. The one thing she doesn't expect to find is friendship, but as she's drawn into a group of debutantes with scandalous, dangerous secrets of their own, Sawyer quickly discovers that her family is not the only mainstay of high society with skeletons in their closet. There are people in her grandmother's glittering world who are not what they appear, and no one wants Sawyer poking her nose into the past. As she navigates the twisted relationships between her new friends and their powerful parents, Sawyer's search for the truth about her own origins is just the beginning.
**Don’t miss the shocking sequel, Deadly Little Scandals!
**For more thrilling Jennifer Lynn Barnes mysteries, check out The Inheritance Games series! The newest page-turning installment, The Brothers Hawthorne, is on sale now.
🤔🧐🤯MY THOUGHTS:🤯🧐🤔
This book was very enjoyable and sweet. Hints of a mystery surrounding our MFC’s paternity. There were some very comical scenes that reminded me of my own teenage years hanging out with friends. I definitely want to read the sequel to see what happens next. I love the southern drawls that remind me of the year I lived in Southeast Georgia.
RATING KEY:
🌟 Stars - based on the overall plot and theme or idea of the book
❤️🩹 Emotions - based on how emotional I got while reading
🥰 Romance - based on how well I got invested in the love story aspect
🌶️ Spice - based on how the sex scenes were portrayed and written as well as the number of sex scenes
🔎 Mystery - based on how well it kept me guessing who, how and why
😰 Scared/Anxious - based on how scared or anxious the book made me while reading
🎭 Comedy/Tragedy based on if I laughed or if there was a tragic event and how it affected me. I will mark the Masks with either a C or T to indicate Comedy or Tragedy
July 1, 2025
Jennifer Lynn Barnes is becoming one of my favorite authors and potentially an auto-buy author as well. This book had me hooked from the very beginning and all I could think about was finishing this book. I also annotated the hell out of the book too lol. There were so many twists and turns throughout the book that I truly didn’t know what to expect or how it would end. I really loved all of the characters and how dimensional they all were. Each one felt real, they had their flaws and strengths shown throughout the book and you were able to see what motivated each of them. Knowing the author is a Psychology professor really shows how much thought she has put into each of the characters and how they think and why they do the things that they do. I can’t wait to read the second book in this duology and see how this story ends!
on-hold
September 27, 2024I was originally interested in this book series by this author first, then I got recommend by many readers her other series, so I kind of forgot about this one for a while. But now that spooky month is approaching I feel like I need to make this as my first book that I read by Jennifer Lynn Barbes.
January 17, 2019
I bought this one a whim from Amazon. I had seen it floating around goodreads, but don't remember if I read many reviews for it. Maybe it was part of the giveaways? *shrugs* Thought maybe one of my friends had read it but nope.. someone I follow does so most likely it was from her.. but aah well.
This one kept surprising me. When I thought I had a piece figured out, it would twist itself and become something different. A couple times, that got turned on its head too.
I go with the flow most times in mysteries or thrillers and let the things come to me as they come. Now and then my brain does guess it though (and sometimes I'm actually right).
This one was just a fun read. Sometimes it easy to put down for Life things but every time I dived back in I had so much fun:).
I saw comparisons to Pretty Little Liars I can sort of see it but this I loved WAY more than that one (PLL I had fun with until it started annoying me). There was a cohesiveness to this that I felt PLL lacked after awhile.
Plus the conniving and everything in here was more fun ;-).
The ending didn't drive me up a wall either, which was a plus. Things are neat and tidy in one aspect (for now anyway) and another thread to be unraveled is nicely setup.
I am looking forward to the next one, surprisingly enough. This is one I didn't expect to love, but very glad I listened to my gut and picked up for myself.
Would recommend!
Major Cover Love for this as well <3 Kudos to the design team on this one.
This one kept surprising me. When I thought I had a piece figured out, it would twist itself and become something different. A couple times, that got turned on its head too.
I go with the flow most times in mysteries or thrillers and let the things come to me as they come. Now and then my brain does guess it though (and sometimes I'm actually right).
This one was just a fun read. Sometimes it easy to put down for Life things but every time I dived back in I had so much fun:).
I saw comparisons to Pretty Little Liars I can sort of see it but this I loved WAY more than that one (PLL I had fun with until it started annoying me). There was a cohesiveness to this that I felt PLL lacked after awhile.
Plus the conniving and everything in here was more fun ;-).
The ending didn't drive me up a wall either, which was a plus. Things are neat and tidy in one aspect (for now anyway) and another thread to be unraveled is nicely setup.
I am looking forward to the next one, surprisingly enough. This is one I didn't expect to love, but very glad I listened to my gut and picked up for myself.
Would recommend!
Major Cover Love for this as well <3 Kudos to the design team on this one.
November 15, 2018
[3.5/5 stars] Jennifer Lynn Barnes is one of my favorite writers for her intelligent, almost interactive writing style. She’s an author I trust to take me on a wild ride and keep me guessing the entire way. Little White Lies had all of those great components (even if it was a little more lighthearted than I’m used to reading from her) topped off with some good old southern charm… and snark.
I have to say, the story took a while to get going. I never read more than the first one or two sentences of an overview (mostly to avoid what I consider spoilers), relying on author familiarity and friends’ endorsements to choose titles. As a result, I leave it up to the book to provide an inciting moment to kick things off… however, it took reading almost 20% of Little White Lies before I felt I had a grasp on what the story was supposed to be working towards (which is passable, but still a tad to long for my tastes).
Aside from the slow beginning, most of the book provided that addictive, engaging plot full of twists and turns. The basic idea behind the story was perhaps not as compelling as that found in her Naturals series (it’s a bit easier to feel suspense when you’re dealing with a multiple homicide story as opposed to a reluctant debutant playing a game of “who’s your daddy”), but as always, she found a way to make it fun..
The characters in this book were wildly entertaining, but I never really felt a connection with any of them. Their profiles were animated enough that they almost came across as caricatures than actual people (which upped the fun but lowered the substance). The main character had a good inner story, but she never really let down her tough exterior front to let the reader in. The Naturals series had several instances of deep character explorations dealing with motive (frighteningly poignant at times), so I think my expectations were inflated by how wicked cool I’ve seen her present characters in the past. Overall, they were good, but I think me wanting a little more was the biggest factor against my rating.
Series status: the Debutantes series is currently slotted for two books, and I’ll definitely be picking up the second one when it comes out (fall 2019?).
Recommendations: Little White Lies is a fun (I’ve said that word a lot this review) YA story about debutants getting up to no good. The shenanigans will give you a few laughs and the mysteries will keep you turning pages. It’s not the most profound thing I’ve read from this author, but it’s still worth noting if you like these types of books. :)
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.nikihawkes.com
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I have to say, the story took a while to get going. I never read more than the first one or two sentences of an overview (mostly to avoid what I consider spoilers), relying on author familiarity and friends’ endorsements to choose titles. As a result, I leave it up to the book to provide an inciting moment to kick things off… however, it took reading almost 20% of Little White Lies before I felt I had a grasp on what the story was supposed to be working towards (which is passable, but still a tad to long for my tastes).
Aside from the slow beginning, most of the book provided that addictive, engaging plot full of twists and turns. The basic idea behind the story was perhaps not as compelling as that found in her Naturals series (it’s a bit easier to feel suspense when you’re dealing with a multiple homicide story as opposed to a reluctant debutant playing a game of “who’s your daddy”), but as always, she found a way to make it fun..
The characters in this book were wildly entertaining, but I never really felt a connection with any of them. Their profiles were animated enough that they almost came across as caricatures than actual people (which upped the fun but lowered the substance). The main character had a good inner story, but she never really let down her tough exterior front to let the reader in. The Naturals series had several instances of deep character explorations dealing with motive (frighteningly poignant at times), so I think my expectations were inflated by how wicked cool I’ve seen her present characters in the past. Overall, they were good, but I think me wanting a little more was the biggest factor against my rating.
Series status: the Debutantes series is currently slotted for two books, and I’ll definitely be picking up the second one when it comes out (fall 2019?).
Recommendations: Little White Lies is a fun (I’ve said that word a lot this review) YA story about debutants getting up to no good. The shenanigans will give you a few laughs and the mysteries will keep you turning pages. It’s not the most profound thing I’ve read from this author, but it’s still worth noting if you like these types of books. :)
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.nikihawkes.com
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November 18, 2018
I am a sucker for anything with debutantes, so I was all over this book when I saw the synopsis.
I loved Sawyer. She’s sassy and sarcastic and it was a blast being in her head while all of this unfolded. There’s quite a group of characters here and even though I loved all of the girls, I think Boone stole every scene he was in and I could easily read a million pages of him and Sadie-Grace.
Plot wise, it was captivating. I loved the “present” scenes intermingled with with “past” scenes. It was a clever way to keep things interesting. My main complaint is the sheer amount of people. There were so many families and so many connections and I finally gave up trying to keep track of everyone.
Overall, it was a fun story with characters I sort of want to hang out with. I don’t know if this is going to be a series, but if so, I’m definitely here for it.
**Huge thanks to Freeform for providing a finished copy free of charge**
I loved Sawyer. She’s sassy and sarcastic and it was a blast being in her head while all of this unfolded. There’s quite a group of characters here and even though I loved all of the girls, I think Boone stole every scene he was in and I could easily read a million pages of him and Sadie-Grace.
Plot wise, it was captivating. I loved the “present” scenes intermingled with with “past” scenes. It was a clever way to keep things interesting. My main complaint is the sheer amount of people. There were so many families and so many connections and I finally gave up trying to keep track of everyone.
Overall, it was a fun story with characters I sort of want to hang out with. I don’t know if this is going to be a series, but if so, I’m definitely here for it.
**Huge thanks to Freeform for providing a finished copy free of charge**
June 28, 2024
4 stars
I *love* this author so I could not pass up her latest book. It did not disappoint! I enjoyed the characters, the scandal, the one-liners, the zingers, and the banter. Well done, Barnes.
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Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
This book was far more fun than should be allowed. It was witty, snarky, with just enough who-dun-it to be wickedly entertaining.
Short recap: Sawyer Taft has never been close to her mother’s family. Everything about that changes when her estranged grandmother shows up on her doorstep with a contract in hand offering Sawyer a very large amount of money for one season. That’s right, one season … a debutante season in the South. The thing is, Sawyer doesn’t know anything about that life. She is a foul mouthed mechanic who never backs down from a good insult. But she has a very hard time resisting the six-figure contract and the opportunity to find out who her real dad is. She decides the deal is worth it and packs up to spend the season with her grandmother. Will she be able to survive the season though?
I did go into this story with all of the hopes and dreams that the fun and snark I’ve come to know and love with Barnes books would not fail me… and I was not let down! From the very beginning I was on Team Sawyer. This girl felt like my spirit animal. The girl was gritty, tough, and never back down from anything. She had wicked street sense and knew how to handle herself in most situations. I say most because if it came to holding her tongue or not sassing someone, she was terrible at it. This girl could speak her mind. I loved it. Sawyer was quick witted, sassy, tough as nails, yet mature enough to back down and admit defeat when necessary. She was the perfect MC. The girls she befriends (maybe too strong of a word…) while staying with her grandmother were such a hoot! They had the perfect balance of pure innocence and smarts enough to play the part. I wanted to be friends with them in a demented sort of way.
The way the story unfolded did feel a little confusing at the start, but obviously made more sense as the story continued. It was told in alternating “before and after” chapters. The After being girls in dresses being arrested and questioned by police officers. The officers were quite unsure of why the girls were arrested to begin with. But as they continued to tell their story, the Before chapters/story came in to fill in the blanks. Brilliant, really.
As stated, the characters were on point. The storyline was also very fun and entertaining. One fun fact about this story – nobody dies! There is no murder so it is a little bit of a change from Barnes other books/series. Everything unfolded and came to light in the right order, just we all knew it would. But the way it was presented was just a treat to read.
I really won’t stop gushing about how much I enjoyed this story. I hope everyone gives it a try. I know I cannot wait until the next book comes out next year.
I *love* this author so I could not pass up her latest book. It did not disappoint! I enjoyed the characters, the scandal, the one-liners, the zingers, and the banter. Well done, Barnes.
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Full review can be found here: https://agingerlyreview.wordpress.com...
This book was far more fun than should be allowed. It was witty, snarky, with just enough who-dun-it to be wickedly entertaining.
Short recap: Sawyer Taft has never been close to her mother’s family. Everything about that changes when her estranged grandmother shows up on her doorstep with a contract in hand offering Sawyer a very large amount of money for one season. That’s right, one season … a debutante season in the South. The thing is, Sawyer doesn’t know anything about that life. She is a foul mouthed mechanic who never backs down from a good insult. But she has a very hard time resisting the six-figure contract and the opportunity to find out who her real dad is. She decides the deal is worth it and packs up to spend the season with her grandmother. Will she be able to survive the season though?
I did go into this story with all of the hopes and dreams that the fun and snark I’ve come to know and love with Barnes books would not fail me… and I was not let down! From the very beginning I was on Team Sawyer. This girl felt like my spirit animal. The girl was gritty, tough, and never back down from anything. She had wicked street sense and knew how to handle herself in most situations. I say most because if it came to holding her tongue or not sassing someone, she was terrible at it. This girl could speak her mind. I loved it. Sawyer was quick witted, sassy, tough as nails, yet mature enough to back down and admit defeat when necessary. She was the perfect MC. The girls she befriends (maybe too strong of a word…) while staying with her grandmother were such a hoot! They had the perfect balance of pure innocence and smarts enough to play the part. I wanted to be friends with them in a demented sort of way.
The way the story unfolded did feel a little confusing at the start, but obviously made more sense as the story continued. It was told in alternating “before and after” chapters. The After being girls in dresses being arrested and questioned by police officers. The officers were quite unsure of why the girls were arrested to begin with. But as they continued to tell their story, the Before chapters/story came in to fill in the blanks. Brilliant, really.
As stated, the characters were on point. The storyline was also very fun and entertaining. One fun fact about this story – nobody dies! There is no murder so it is a little bit of a change from Barnes other books/series. Everything unfolded and came to light in the right order, just we all knew it would. But the way it was presented was just a treat to read.
I really won’t stop gushing about how much I enjoyed this story. I hope everyone gives it a try. I know I cannot wait until the next book comes out next year.
March 7, 2021
CW:
Well that was another enjoyable outing with this author!
I have to say that I thought Sawyer was utterly hilarious! I think Jennifer excels at writing engaging characters. They feel really fleshed out and it doesn't take long for you to feel like you actually know them. In terms of the story, it jumped about a bit as the author wove a complex web of relationships that I really needed to see in diagrammatic form. A few head scratching moments aside, this was a fun YA mystery and I look forward to reading the sequel!
Well that was another enjoyable outing with this author!
I have to say that I thought Sawyer was utterly hilarious! I think Jennifer excels at writing engaging characters. They feel really fleshed out and it doesn't take long for you to feel like you actually know them. In terms of the story, it jumped about a bit as the author wove a complex web of relationships that I really needed to see in diagrammatic form. A few head scratching moments aside, this was a fun YA mystery and I look forward to reading the sequel!
May 23, 2022
4.5
Jennifer Lynn Barnes writing is addictive.
Going a year without her books had made me forget that.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes writing is addictive.
Going a year without her books had made me forget that.
August 20, 2024
As fofocas, a escrita desta mulher, o ambiente deste livro... amei tudo
May 21, 2025
THAT WAS FUN!
Intrygi, sekrety, napięcie i dużo humoru 🥳
W KOŃCU JENNIFER NAPISAŁA KSIĄŻKĘ BEZ TRÓJKĄTA MIŁOSNEGO I LOVE IT
Nie była idealna, jednak jest naprawdę warta uwagi, czekam na więcej 😚
Intrygi, sekrety, napięcie i dużo humoru 🥳
W KOŃCU JENNIFER NAPISAŁA KSIĄŻKĘ BEZ TRÓJKĄTA MIŁOSNEGO I LOVE IT
Nie była idealna, jednak jest naprawdę warta uwagi, czekam na więcej 😚
March 15, 2024
Wow. This was a…ride😆 Jennifer Lynn Barns is such a good author it’s not even funny. Her books are always so twisty and engaging and smart! This one was no exception! The plot like was seriously genius, like so well written and such a unique and exciting idea! The characters had depth and were likable and left you rooting for them. The story was unique and the Southern, Deb setting and style of writing was so engaging and created the perfect vibe! 🤩 At first, it was pretty slow. There was a lot of confusing aspects at the beginning, which led to the awesome end! Sawyer was veryyyy pick me the whole time, which I can’t stand in a protagonist🫣 it just always felt like she truly believed she was better than everyone else! And if I heard (read?) her say that she “grew up in a bar” one more time, I’m gonna scream😂 I loved the found family aspect, and I really liked seeing Sawyer and her mom really connect at the end. But it felt like her mom did a full 180 with coming back and being at her deb…it was like at the beginning the author had an idea and changed her mind by the end. I thought that while the plot was so unique and amazing, it was tricky to follow. All in all, this is another really good Jennifer book! I would recommend, even though it does have a slow start!
Pages: 390
Language: 🫢
TW⚠️: death, drinking, alcohol, strained family relationships, content
Genre: YA thriller
Format I read: Hardback (library)
Would I recommend to others: Yes/depends
Pages: 390
Language: 🫢
TW⚠️: death, drinking, alcohol, strained family relationships, content
Genre: YA thriller
Format I read: Hardback (library)
Would I recommend to others: Yes/depends
Read
November 18, 2025── ? stars ✶
⋆. ̊ "little white lies" ˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪
preread rtc
⋆. ̊ "little white lies" ˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪
preread rtc
Read
November 4, 2018Fun and fast paced. Loved the "fish out of water" premise and the emphasis on family and friendship over romance.
Plot in a nutshell: Wayward daughter of a fancy Southern family gets pregnant as a teenager and years later, her own teen daughter, a mechanic and bar employee, gets bribed by her grandmother to re-enter the family as a deb. Hilarious makeover scenes ensue.
My only negative is that I thought the pacing felt off. Things moved at a leisurely (Southern? lol) pace for some time and then the end was crammed with revelations, some resolution, but also some loose ends. Maybe this was one of those possibly standalone, possibly duology books.
Also
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Check out my Bookstagram! Or check out my Jen In Ten reviews on Youtube - get the lowdown on current books in 10-30 seconds!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Plot in a nutshell: Wayward daughter of a fancy Southern family gets pregnant as a teenager and years later, her own teen daughter, a mechanic and bar employee, gets bribed by her grandmother to re-enter the family as a deb. Hilarious makeover scenes ensue.
My only negative is that I thought the pacing felt off. Things moved at a leisurely (Southern? lol) pace for some time and then the end was crammed with revelations, some resolution, but also some loose ends. Maybe this was one of those possibly standalone, possibly duology books.
Also
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Check out my Bookstagram! Or check out my Jen In Ten reviews on Youtube - get the lowdown on current books in 10-30 seconds!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
May 2, 2025
no because i actually loved this so much more than i thought i would 🤗 i love jennifer lynn barnes’s writing though so i don’t know why i didnt go into it with high expectations. i love how her books are so easy to binge though!!
i just love sawyer so much!! like her personality is what i aspire to be like 😍 i haven’t read about a character like her in SO long and ive missed it so much!! she makes me want to read the second one even more 💗
i actually loved all the characters. it was definitely hard for me to remember who every single one of them were (because there’s just so many names to keep straight) but all of her books i’ve read so far are like that so i don’t really mind.
there was nothing wrong with this book but i just didn’t feel the five star feeling 🫣 i’ve been so picky with my ratings lately but i feel like that’s because ive read more books.
anyways i loved how this book ended!! it tied up a lot of the main things but still left me with a strong urge to start the second one :) i hope it goes into more detail about ana because that’s so interesting to me.
i just love sawyer so much!! like her personality is what i aspire to be like 😍 i haven’t read about a character like her in SO long and ive missed it so much!! she makes me want to read the second one even more 💗
i actually loved all the characters. it was definitely hard for me to remember who every single one of them were (because there’s just so many names to keep straight) but all of her books i’ve read so far are like that so i don’t really mind.
there was nothing wrong with this book but i just didn’t feel the five star feeling 🫣 i’ve been so picky with my ratings lately but i feel like that’s because ive read more books.
anyways i loved how this book ended!! it tied up a lot of the main things but still left me with a strong urge to start the second one :) i hope it goes into more detail about ana because that’s so interesting to me.
July 8, 2020
OMG. That was a rollercoaster from page 1.
What I believe, is that you should go into this book without knowing anything except what the back of the book says. Also, to just go with the punches, because everything will make semi-sense in the end.
I loved the characters, even the ones that were'nt likeable, I love to hate them. Every character goes through character development, even if they're not a big part, they still grow throughout the book.
Sawyer is a badass and I love her. Lilian(the grandmother) is a badass and nobody should get in her way.
If you love mystereies and small town drama, read this book because it made me so happy to not live in a small town where everyone knows everything.
What I believe, is that you should go into this book without knowing anything except what the back of the book says. Also, to just go with the punches, because everything will make semi-sense in the end.
I loved the characters, even the ones that were'nt likeable, I love to hate them. Every character goes through character development, even if they're not a big part, they still grow throughout the book.
Sawyer is a badass and I love her. Lilian(the grandmother) is a badass and nobody should get in her way.
If you love mystereies and small town drama, read this book because it made me so happy to not live in a small town where everyone knows everything.
October 13, 2021
Okay, um, damn.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes is truly one of the queens of YA mystery. I wouldn't say that all of her books are total masterpieces, like the Naturals, while super fun to read were a bit ridiculous at times. However, this book, along side The Inheritance Games, was fantastic.
This book had the perfect combination of delightful characters, a fun plot, craziness, rich people drama, some freaky family secrets, love, sisterhood and more.
I guarantee that this book will leave you clutching your pearls.
Totally excited to read the next!!
Jennifer Lynn Barnes is truly one of the queens of YA mystery. I wouldn't say that all of her books are total masterpieces, like the Naturals, while super fun to read were a bit ridiculous at times. However, this book, along side The Inheritance Games, was fantastic.
This book had the perfect combination of delightful characters, a fun plot, craziness, rich people drama, some freaky family secrets, love, sisterhood and more.
I guarantee that this book will leave you clutching your pearls.
Totally excited to read the next!!
December 10, 2019
After finishing Little White Lies, I can't decide if it's really worth the 4 star rating. This was a book that I was fully engrossed in. I was engrossed in this drama, which was ridiculous most of the time. This felt like a train wreck that you know you should look or walk away from, but instead you're still there just watching.
Sawyer Taft never thought she would be roped into the world of debutantes, but when her grandmother mysteriously shows up and offers her six-figures contract to appear, Sawyer soon finds herself in that world with the chance to also figure out who her father is. There deeper she gets into the society, the more she begins to realize that everything is not as she thought it would be.
The best way I know how to describe this is that it had a Gossip Girl feel to it. The society was rich and the characters did have an air of superiority to them and drama seemed to surround them at every turn. If there wasn't current drama, secrets were uncovered from the past that created drama. This book is truly an endless circle of drama in this small little family.
There were mysterious and twists and turns in this that left me surprised and ready for that to be disproved again. The ending of this left me irritated at how much I want to dive into the next book.
Now, I'm more convinced that this book really should have a lower rating, but I enjoyed myself as I mentioned earlier, it's a train wreck that I couldn't look away from. Little White Lies was a fun read that did provide me with good entertainment and some laughs, but I'm still left questioning the the true substance and quality of this.
Sawyer Taft never thought she would be roped into the world of debutantes, but when her grandmother mysteriously shows up and offers her six-figures contract to appear, Sawyer soon finds herself in that world with the chance to also figure out who her father is. There deeper she gets into the society, the more she begins to realize that everything is not as she thought it would be.
The best way I know how to describe this is that it had a Gossip Girl feel to it. The society was rich and the characters did have an air of superiority to them and drama seemed to surround them at every turn. If there wasn't current drama, secrets were uncovered from the past that created drama. This book is truly an endless circle of drama in this small little family.
There were mysterious and twists and turns in this that left me surprised and ready for that to be disproved again. The ending of this left me irritated at how much I want to dive into the next book.
Now, I'm more convinced that this book really should have a lower rating, but I enjoyed myself as I mentioned earlier, it's a train wreck that I couldn't look away from. Little White Lies was a fun read that did provide me with good entertainment and some laughs, but I'm still left questioning the the true substance and quality of this.
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