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All of This Is True
In this genre-defying page-turner from Lygia Day Peñaflor, four teens befriend their favorite YA novelist, only to find their deepest, darkest secrets in the pages of her next book—with devastating consequences.
Miri Tan loved the book Undertow like it was a living being. So when she and her friends went to a book signing to hear the author, Fatima Ro, they concocted a plan to get close to her.
Soleil Johnston wanted to be a writer herself one day. When she and her friends started hanging out with her favorite author, Fatima Ro, she couldn’t believe their luck—especially when Jonah Nicholls started hanging out with them, too.
Penny Panzarella was more than the materialist party girl everyone at the Graham School thought she was—and she was willing to share all her secrets with Fatima Ro to prove it.
Jonah Nicholls had more to hide than any of them. And now that Fatima’s next book is out in the world, he’s the one who is paying the price...
Perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying—and told as a series of interviews, journal entries, and even pages from the book within the book—this gripping story of a fictional scandal will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.
425 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2018
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8797 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 953 reviews
February 20, 2019
So this book…
is wild. And not much else?
I have to admit, I’m a little disappointed, because besides the admittedly amazing concept,
there is really not that much to love about this book.
So let’s talk.
All Of This Is True follows four teens who spill their secrets to an NY bestselling author; their favorite, in fact. But when this author writes a book focusing around their real-life struggles, the lines of reality and fiction blur, and the four are put in an awful position.
First of all, these characters are unforgivably bland. For a novel with unsympathetic characters to work, you have to feel those characters. You have to connect and relate to forgive bad people for their actions. And honestly… I just didn’t feel that. These people read like caricatures. Penny was the only character I even remotely felt sympathy for in interview chapters. Jonah gains sympathy in early chapters of the fake book, but only through writing that is incredibly emotionally manipulative.
Since we mentioned the emotionally manipulative Jonah chapters, let’s talk about that. The writing style of this whole book is, let’s be real, amateurish. Which actually could have been fine — except parts of this novel are excerpts from a fake book written by an author whose first book was an NYT-list, incredibly pretentious mediation on grief. The fact that excerpts of her second novel feel like they could be the writing style of someone who had never written before makes the whole book really unbelievable in its own universe.
And then there’s the fact that despite this book being basically unputdownable — you have to find out what happens — the actual book only lays down a few reveals. Even worse, most plot points or plot twists are guessable very early on, and the ending is especially weak on this point. I tend to seriously love hard-to-guess-but-not-out-of-nowhere reveals and live for them in my suspense / mystery reads, so I guess the lack of shocking reveals sort of hampered my enjoyment of this one?
The upside to this one is that it is — and I am so not kidding — impossible to put down. I read most of this book during a study period that I had promised myself I’d use for a certain long-term project. I was also in a slump the week this happened. I could not put it down.
So overall, even though I wasn’t all that impressed by all the dynamics and elements here, I’d give this one a somewhat positive review. It was marketed as a cheesy YA thriller and it gave me cheesy YA thriller. Just be sure that’s what you’re expecting, and you’ll enjoy it enough.
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So let’s talk.
All Of This Is True follows four teens who spill their secrets to an NY bestselling author; their favorite, in fact. But when this author writes a book focusing around their real-life struggles, the lines of reality and fiction blur, and the four are put in an awful position.
First of all, these characters are unforgivably bland. For a novel with unsympathetic characters to work, you have to feel those characters. You have to connect and relate to forgive bad people for their actions. And honestly… I just didn’t feel that. These people read like caricatures. Penny was the only character I even remotely felt sympathy for in interview chapters. Jonah gains sympathy in early chapters of the fake book, but only through writing that is incredibly emotionally manipulative.
Since we mentioned the emotionally manipulative Jonah chapters, let’s talk about that. The writing style of this whole book is, let’s be real, amateurish. Which actually could have been fine — except parts of this novel are excerpts from a fake book written by an author whose first book was an NYT-list, incredibly pretentious mediation on grief. The fact that excerpts of her second novel feel like they could be the writing style of someone who had never written before makes the whole book really unbelievable in its own universe.
And then there’s the fact that despite this book being basically unputdownable — you have to find out what happens — the actual book only lays down a few reveals. Even worse, most plot points or plot twists are guessable very early on, and the ending is especially weak on this point. I tend to seriously love hard-to-guess-but-not-out-of-nowhere reveals and live for them in my suspense / mystery reads, so I guess the lack of shocking reveals sort of hampered my enjoyment of this one?
The upside to this one is that it is — and I am so not kidding — impossible to put down. I read most of this book during a study period that I had promised myself I’d use for a certain long-term project. I was also in a slump the week this happened. I could not put it down.
So overall, even though I wasn’t all that impressed by all the dynamics and elements here, I’d give this one a somewhat positive review. It was marketed as a cheesy YA thriller and it gave me cheesy YA thriller. Just be sure that’s what you’re expecting, and you’ll enjoy it enough.
Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Youtube
May 19, 2018
I'm confused by my own feelings about this story.
dnf
March 14, 2018DNF. This is so boring and the characters are extremely annoying. I thought it was going to be more suspenseful or psychological but it's a bunch of rich teen girls speaking and typing in "OMG"s. Apparently there is something shocking and/or twisty coming, but I have no interest in finding out what it is.
December 23, 2017
I read this entire book on a flight...that’s how addictive it was! I couldn’t put it down. The entire concept was so unique and well-executed, with little twists all the way throughout it. It’ll keep you thinking, and make you question what you believe.
May 9, 2018
This book is something else. I really want people to know this. It’s totally different from what I’m used to read, the format of the book itself makes it even more interesting. This story is told through interviews, journal entries, and book excerpts. At first I thought it would be harder to follow the story, but not at all! There is no problem between the different timelines or formats, the story wasn’t dense but extremely fluide! I was also scared I wouldn’t able to tell whom from whom between the characters — each had their ownPOV — and their counterparts in the book within the book, but I never had this problem. Each character has their own thoughts, their own way of thinking and speaking, it was easy to tell whom was whom.
I want to talk a bit more about the format of this book, because I truly think it’s one of the things that makes this book so special. Mostly because it’s well done. Like I said, this book is a mix of interviews of Miri and Penny, Soleil’s journal entries, and excerpts from Fatima’s new book. These different ways to tell the story made it memorable. This switch between fiction and reality was fascinating because we truly saw how thin the barrier between the two was.
I find this book extremely important considering what’s currently happening in the bookish world, especially in KidLit. This book is about an author whom gets close to a group of teenagers, befriends them to know their deepest secrets and eventually writes about them. This book deals with toxic relationships and boundaries. It’s important to remember how influential authors can be, especially the author of your favourite book. It’s human nature to want to know more about how your favourite book was written, but there are some boundaries both the author and the reader shouldn’t cross. In this book, Miri, Penny, and Soleil are so obsessed with Fatima Ro that they create a plan to befriend her, and in return Fatima is so obsessed with them and their way of living that she ends up writing about them and their secrets, their precious truth.
I definitely had a hard time putting this book down, I read the first half of this book on a Sunday and the second the next Tuesday, if I hadn’t been busy with University on the Monday I would have finished sooner. This story is just addicting, you never really know what’s going on and the only way to find out is to read more and more. Even when you think something is true, turns out it’s not. The author did really well with this aspect. It’s an amazing mystery book! And there is also a huge psychological aspect behind this story, it plays a huge role and it’s also explained really well in the story. Honestly I’m having a hard time thinking of one thing I didn’t like about this book … it’s really not simple.
I’m sorry I can’t tell much about the story itself without spoiling, I think it’s really a story you have to go into without knowing much because every bit of information can spoil you and reveal something. I’m just really excited to read more of this author in the future!
4.5
I received this book as part of an ARC tour in exchange for an honest review.
I want to talk a bit more about the format of this book, because I truly think it’s one of the things that makes this book so special. Mostly because it’s well done. Like I said, this book is a mix of interviews of Miri and Penny, Soleil’s journal entries, and excerpts from Fatima’s new book. These different ways to tell the story made it memorable. This switch between fiction and reality was fascinating because we truly saw how thin the barrier between the two was.
I find this book extremely important considering what’s currently happening in the bookish world, especially in KidLit. This book is about an author whom gets close to a group of teenagers, befriends them to know their deepest secrets and eventually writes about them. This book deals with toxic relationships and boundaries. It’s important to remember how influential authors can be, especially the author of your favourite book. It’s human nature to want to know more about how your favourite book was written, but there are some boundaries both the author and the reader shouldn’t cross. In this book, Miri, Penny, and Soleil are so obsessed with Fatima Ro that they create a plan to befriend her, and in return Fatima is so obsessed with them and their way of living that she ends up writing about them and their secrets, their precious truth.
I definitely had a hard time putting this book down, I read the first half of this book on a Sunday and the second the next Tuesday, if I hadn’t been busy with University on the Monday I would have finished sooner. This story is just addicting, you never really know what’s going on and the only way to find out is to read more and more. Even when you think something is true, turns out it’s not. The author did really well with this aspect. It’s an amazing mystery book! And there is also a huge psychological aspect behind this story, it plays a huge role and it’s also explained really well in the story. Honestly I’m having a hard time thinking of one thing I didn’t like about this book … it’s really not simple.
I’m sorry I can’t tell much about the story itself without spoiling, I think it’s really a story you have to go into without knowing much because every bit of information can spoil you and reveal something. I’m just really excited to read more of this author in the future!
4.5
I received this book as part of an ARC tour in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2019
Interesting format, and the audiobook was exceptionally produced! But that's the only good thing I can say about this. The way the framing story and the story within this story interwove was so confusing. You are basically reading the exact same story twice but with names changed, so I would forget which names belonged to which story. I did not feel satisfied by the ending and can't even tell you what the end was? It felt like a great concept that was never developed beyond that framing. It kept building and building... to nothing.
Read
November 27, 2017This is such a meta mindscrew, and I'm fascinated that someone was able to write all these layers. It's not a twisty book in the sense of shocking surprises, really - think Dangerous Boys rather than Dangerous Girls, where it's more about watching psychological evolution (or its reverse) rather than being stunned by any particular jaw-dropper. If you've ever been fascinated or consumed by an author's cult of personality, this is a must. Even if you haven't, read it anyway - it's an utterly compelling examination of human behavior, the quest for absolution, and the lengths people will go to for success, notoriety, or simply just to fit in.
December 8, 2018
I really loved the format of this book. Telling the story through interviews, journals, email and also excerpt was very new and unique. I was enjoying every moment of it and it flowed very well. And the premise was obviously very cool. It is a slow build but definitely worth it.
Yes, the characters are a bit naïve and a little bland but as I read more I began to actually sympathize and like them. Especially Penny, Soleil, and a teensy bit of Jonah. Jonah was just trying to escape his past and be a better person but, in the end, it didn’t work for him. And all Soleil wanted was to love. Then Miri, I did not like her. She has no sympathy in her. All she sees is Fatima, she worships her like a god. Like girl open your eyes. I felt so bad for Penny, it was like Fatima wasn’t interested in her at all cause her life was not dramatic in any way. I swear Fatima is a manipulative person. She definitely took advantage of those kids. I really want to know her side of the story though. Like was it her intention to use these kids all along or she was forced to write about them cause of the deadline. There needs to be a sequel.
This book definitely makes you think a lot. It digs deep in psychology. I called the “plot twist” form the beginning. I knew what was going to happen but I still enjoyed it when it was revealed. Overall, I loved this book. I loved the format and the plot. Amazing.
Yes, the characters are a bit naïve and a little bland but as I read more I began to actually sympathize and like them. Especially Penny, Soleil, and a teensy bit of Jonah. Jonah was just trying to escape his past and be a better person but, in the end, it didn’t work for him. And all Soleil wanted was to love. Then Miri, I did not like her. She has no sympathy in her. All she sees is Fatima, she worships her like a god. Like girl open your eyes. I felt so bad for Penny, it was like Fatima wasn’t interested in her at all cause her life was not dramatic in any way. I swear Fatima is a manipulative person. She definitely took advantage of those kids. I really want to know her side of the story though. Like was it her intention to use these kids all along or she was forced to write about them cause of the deadline. There needs to be a sequel.
This book definitely makes you think a lot. It digs deep in psychology. I called the “plot twist” form the beginning. I knew what was going to happen but I still enjoyed it when it was revealed. Overall, I loved this book. I loved the format and the plot. Amazing.
dnf
May 17, 2018DNF at 120 pages
I found this pretty boring and no matter what, i just couldn't feel anything for the characters
The way the book is set out is really interesting and the premise sounded really cool, but I just found it moving too slow and not much really happened in those 120 pages, and I kind of felt like I was wasting my time.
I had no care to find out what had happened to the characters at this point, so I've decided not to continue
Too many other books to be read! :D
I found this pretty boring and no matter what, i just couldn't feel anything for the characters
The way the book is set out is really interesting and the premise sounded really cool, but I just found it moving too slow and not much really happened in those 120 pages, and I kind of felt like I was wasting my time.
I had no care to find out what had happened to the characters at this point, so I've decided not to continue
Too many other books to be read! :D
January 31, 2018
i REALLY enjoyed this. i've never read anything like this and i'm not sure how to talk about this? there are so many interesting themes that the author writes about that i found so interesting...like celebrity culture and how obsession can turn into something unhealthy but also how loving a book and loving an author can save you and change you in a positive way...but also in a super super negative way. i figured out the "twist" if you can call it that from the beginning, but it's not really about that. i wouldn't go into this expecting a fast paced thriller. it's more of a psychological examination of people and/or characters. i also REALLY like the ending and dichotomy of it (i'm being vague lol). i'm surprised by that. anyway 4 stars, give it a go!
disclaimer: i was provided an e-arc of this through edelweiss. thank you harperteen
disclaimer: i was provided an e-arc of this through edelweiss. thank you harperteen
April 27, 2018
“She played with them as characters for her novel because she wasn't talented enough to think of her own story.”
{Note: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.}
I was intrigued by All of This Is True before starting to read it for two reasons. First one, because it was compared to We Were Liars, a book I loved. Second one, because it is told through interviews, journals entries and book excerpts.
We get to know the side of the story of Miri, Soleil and Penny, three girls whose lives change when they have the opportunity to meet Fatima Ro, their favourite author. We know from the beginning that something awful happened to Jonah, a friend of theirs, and that Soleil and Penny blame Fatima because of that.
The premise is not bad, but I hated the characters. They are a bunch of spoiled teens with a worrying obsession for an author and who speak and behave rather like children. But that wasn't the worst. No, the worst thing was that by the end of the book, the author tries to redeem a character who committed sexual assault. I couldn't believe what I was reading. Seriously, what was the author thinking?
So this wasn't the YA thriller I was waiting for. It was supposed to have a twist toward the ending, but I think the book was beyond predictable. And honestly, I was done with this book the moment the author tried to redeem certain character.
“I said I wanted a fair chance. That was my answer: a fair chance in life. I think that's all we can ask for, don't you?”
P.S.: I'm not English, so if you see any mistakes let me know so I can correct them, please.
May 11, 2021
The obsession with the author was intense... and also annoying. All of the characters in this were incredibly annoying. And the most frustrating thing was that none of them had developed by the end of the book. They were just as infuriating at the end.
Some of the dialogue sounded very forced and awkward.
However, the topic the book is discussing has happened in the past, and could happen again. It's something I've not seen touched on in a book before so I was impressed at it being mentioned.
I was able to predict quite a few things, so nothing really shocked me or intrigued me.
I liked the discussion on rehabilitation, forgiveness and second chances. It's an important discussion to have, and I would appreciate reading more about it. But in a less annoying book :3
Some of the dialogue sounded very forced and awkward.
However, the topic the book is discussing has happened in the past, and could happen again. It's something I've not seen touched on in a book before so I was impressed at it being mentioned.
I was able to predict quite a few things, so nothing really shocked me or intrigued me.
I liked the discussion on rehabilitation, forgiveness and second chances. It's an important discussion to have, and I would appreciate reading more about it. But in a less annoying book :3
July 20, 2019
I'm having a hard time decoding my own feelings for this book.
I didn't like a single character (or, more precisely, I despised about 80% of them).
The plot twist was a joke (or, more precisely, I figured it out within seconds).
But I couldn't put the novel down (or, more precisely, I devoured it, let it take over me, made it my drug, needed more).
So, yes, I would definitely recommend it.
I didn't like a single character (or, more precisely, I despised about 80% of them).
The plot twist was a joke (or, more precisely, I figured it out within seconds).
But I couldn't put the novel down (or, more precisely, I devoured it, let it take over me, made it my drug, needed more).
So, yes, I would definitely recommend it.
May 4, 2018
I don’t leave ARCs unfinished. That’s just a personal rule of mine. If I request it, then I read it.
That was the only reason I kept reading this novel.
When I first read the synopsis of this book I knew I simply had to read it. It’s a mix of every reader’s greatest dream and worst nightmare.
Imagine meeting your favorite author of all time. More than just meeting them, imagine becoming close, intimate friends with them. Imagine being able to go to their house and being invited to their parties and sharing your deepest darkest secrets.
Now imagine this author slowly starts to manipulate you. Imagine that they take advantage of your “friendship” for their personal gain. Imagine that they take your deepest darkest secrets and publish them in their brand new novel, barely bothering to change the names of the characters from those of you and your friends.
That sounds like an interesting novel. That sounds like something I had to read.
And for the most part, this book was. It had all the pieces. They just weren’t put together in a way that compelled me to keep reading, or even to like or care about the characters I was reading about.
The book is told through a series of interviews, book passages, and journal entries. We get to see bits and pieces from everyone’s point of view and how they viewed the situation. Sadly, perhaps because of the format, I never got to connect with any of the characters. Then again, both the Illuminae trilogy and the Themis Files are written in similar fashions and I absolutely love them so, it’s probably not that.
Honestly, all the characters acted like a bunch of spoiled brats. And not even in an interesting way, where I recognize they are terrible people but they are still somewhat likable. No. They were just annoying. Also, they kept talking about being “friends” and we see how this friendship falls apart but honestly, they all sort of hate each other so that wasn’t believable either.break.jpg
I went into this book expecting a thriller. I wanted a mystery full of drama and morally questionable characters. I suppose, technically this book has all those things which only makes the fact that I didn’t care about any of it even worse.
There are probably some of you who might like it, to which I say, more power to you! I'm glad. Personally, though, I just wasn't feeling it. The one thing it's got going is that it's actually not that long. That said, despite knowing this, it felt like it went on forever and ever.
So, do I recommend? No. Not really. But hey, read it if you're still interested in it. I wish you luck and hope you like it more than I did!
**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much, HarperTeen! All opinions are my own.**
That was the only reason I kept reading this novel.
When I first read the synopsis of this book I knew I simply had to read it. It’s a mix of every reader’s greatest dream and worst nightmare.
Imagine meeting your favorite author of all time. More than just meeting them, imagine becoming close, intimate friends with them. Imagine being able to go to their house and being invited to their parties and sharing your deepest darkest secrets.
Now imagine this author slowly starts to manipulate you. Imagine that they take advantage of your “friendship” for their personal gain. Imagine that they take your deepest darkest secrets and publish them in their brand new novel, barely bothering to change the names of the characters from those of you and your friends.
“She played with them as characters for her novel because she wasn't talented enough to think of her own story.”
That sounds like an interesting novel. That sounds like something I had to read.
And for the most part, this book was. It had all the pieces. They just weren’t put together in a way that compelled me to keep reading, or even to like or care about the characters I was reading about.
The book is told through a series of interviews, book passages, and journal entries. We get to see bits and pieces from everyone’s point of view and how they viewed the situation. Sadly, perhaps because of the format, I never got to connect with any of the characters. Then again, both the Illuminae trilogy and the Themis Files are written in similar fashions and I absolutely love them so, it’s probably not that.
Honestly, all the characters acted like a bunch of spoiled brats. And not even in an interesting way, where I recognize they are terrible people but they are still somewhat likable. No. They were just annoying. Also, they kept talking about being “friends” and we see how this friendship falls apart but honestly, they all sort of hate each other so that wasn’t believable either.break.jpg
I went into this book expecting a thriller. I wanted a mystery full of drama and morally questionable characters. I suppose, technically this book has all those things which only makes the fact that I didn’t care about any of it even worse.
There are probably some of you who might like it, to which I say, more power to you! I'm glad. Personally, though, I just wasn't feeling it. The one thing it's got going is that it's actually not that long. That said, despite knowing this, it felt like it went on forever and ever.
So, do I recommend? No. Not really. But hey, read it if you're still interested in it. I wish you luck and hope you like it more than I did!
**I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much, HarperTeen! All opinions are my own.**
June 10, 2019
Originally posted on The Nerd Daily | Review by Tracey Truffles
“It’s the idea that we should approach each other with open hearts and reveal our authentic selves through precious truths.”
When Miri, Soleil and Penny, three girls obsessed with the novel Undertow and their new friend Jonah get the opportunity to meet the author, they jump at the chance. They can’t believe their luck once Undertow’s author, Fatima Ro, allows them into her life and hooks them on her theory of human connections through being raw and using precious truths to really connect with another person. However, this charming and charismatic author may be more to the eye as a year later, her new novel The Absolution of Brady Stevenson depicts these teens’ lives and all their secrets that leads to disastrous consequences.
Miri is the girl who is already obsessed but takes this obsession with Fatima and her philosophy to a whole new level as she almost creates a cult full of other fans (or should we say disciples) to spread the message of using ‘precious truths’. Named Marni in the Fatima’s new novel, she encompasses a fan and is described as having become a clone as she remains so dedicated to Fatima despite all the events that have occurred.
Penny is the rich girl, whose home hosts the girls’ lavish party lifestyle yet who always feels invisible and unknown to everyone. She tries her hardest to be seen by Fatima Ro, and her obsession lies in getting recognition and attention.
Soleil is a passionate girl, who’s naïve and trusting personality makes her closer to Fatima, who nudges her try to find out more about the mysterious Jonah who harbors enough secrets for the girls to always wonder “WWJ” (What’s with Jonah?).
As the book progresses, this story sucks you in and is so addictive you can’t put it down as you read on to find out what secrets Fatima revealed in her book about Jonah that leaves him in hospital after its published, and why the teens are either so defensive or so angry at her. Jonah’s past slowly becomes more evident as you try to piece together the puzzle pieces and why his behaviour and Brady’s is the way it is as he tries to find whether absolution is possible.
There isn’t much else to say before we enter into spoiler territory! Sorry!
Each character is written quite well and is distinctive in their personalities. The mixed media format of this book is a bit confusing at first but it becomes enthralling as it’s written through interviews, text messages, journal entries and excerpts of Fatima’s new novel. The excerpts from the new novel themselves become so fluid with the current interviews that it’s unbelievable to think that Fatima didn’t just use their lives as inspirations but wrote it out completely and published it with only a slight change of names.
Fatima’s character was so mysterious and charming. Although it seemed like these teens were getting to know her, her subtle manipulation to get so much information and secrets out of them has you almost wondering whether she’s really manipulating them at all, or if she’s actually genuine.
“What’s cooler than owning the scene? Disowning the scene.”
This book was so cleverly written and incorporates many different and interesting themes such as redemption, forgiveness, toxic relationships and the psychology behind mob mentality, cults and grief-coping strategies.
The story is suspenseful and addictive, but yet confusing and leaves you with more questions than answers as the ending is anti-climactic at best. Readers will probably be left wondering who Fatima Ro really was.
Were her intentions good or purely for her career? Did she really care about these girls or only about Jonah because of his character potential? Was she really using her writing and her books to make herself feel better by rewriting history or was it really because it was a story to allow forgiveness and redemption?
There are so many questions that it’s obvious that this is written amazingly well just by the fact that it’s thought provoking and leaves you wanting more. More answers, explanations and theories. It almost wants you to create a fan club like Miri’s and analyse every line to find the real meaning and intentions of this book (or would that be too much book inception?).
This book was provocative, original, addictive and so enjoyable to read. If you’re looking for a fast, suspenseful thriller, All of This is True is perfect for you!
“It’s the idea that we should approach each other with open hearts and reveal our authentic selves through precious truths.”
When Miri, Soleil and Penny, three girls obsessed with the novel Undertow and their new friend Jonah get the opportunity to meet the author, they jump at the chance. They can’t believe their luck once Undertow’s author, Fatima Ro, allows them into her life and hooks them on her theory of human connections through being raw and using precious truths to really connect with another person. However, this charming and charismatic author may be more to the eye as a year later, her new novel The Absolution of Brady Stevenson depicts these teens’ lives and all their secrets that leads to disastrous consequences.
Miri is the girl who is already obsessed but takes this obsession with Fatima and her philosophy to a whole new level as she almost creates a cult full of other fans (or should we say disciples) to spread the message of using ‘precious truths’. Named Marni in the Fatima’s new novel, she encompasses a fan and is described as having become a clone as she remains so dedicated to Fatima despite all the events that have occurred.
Penny is the rich girl, whose home hosts the girls’ lavish party lifestyle yet who always feels invisible and unknown to everyone. She tries her hardest to be seen by Fatima Ro, and her obsession lies in getting recognition and attention.
Soleil is a passionate girl, who’s naïve and trusting personality makes her closer to Fatima, who nudges her try to find out more about the mysterious Jonah who harbors enough secrets for the girls to always wonder “WWJ” (What’s with Jonah?).
As the book progresses, this story sucks you in and is so addictive you can’t put it down as you read on to find out what secrets Fatima revealed in her book about Jonah that leaves him in hospital after its published, and why the teens are either so defensive or so angry at her. Jonah’s past slowly becomes more evident as you try to piece together the puzzle pieces and why his behaviour and Brady’s is the way it is as he tries to find whether absolution is possible.
There isn’t much else to say before we enter into spoiler territory! Sorry!
Each character is written quite well and is distinctive in their personalities. The mixed media format of this book is a bit confusing at first but it becomes enthralling as it’s written through interviews, text messages, journal entries and excerpts of Fatima’s new novel. The excerpts from the new novel themselves become so fluid with the current interviews that it’s unbelievable to think that Fatima didn’t just use their lives as inspirations but wrote it out completely and published it with only a slight change of names.
Fatima’s character was so mysterious and charming. Although it seemed like these teens were getting to know her, her subtle manipulation to get so much information and secrets out of them has you almost wondering whether she’s really manipulating them at all, or if she’s actually genuine.
“What’s cooler than owning the scene? Disowning the scene.”
This book was so cleverly written and incorporates many different and interesting themes such as redemption, forgiveness, toxic relationships and the psychology behind mob mentality, cults and grief-coping strategies.
The story is suspenseful and addictive, but yet confusing and leaves you with more questions than answers as the ending is anti-climactic at best. Readers will probably be left wondering who Fatima Ro really was.
Were her intentions good or purely for her career? Did she really care about these girls or only about Jonah because of his character potential? Was she really using her writing and her books to make herself feel better by rewriting history or was it really because it was a story to allow forgiveness and redemption?
There are so many questions that it’s obvious that this is written amazingly well just by the fact that it’s thought provoking and leaves you wanting more. More answers, explanations and theories. It almost wants you to create a fan club like Miri’s and analyse every line to find the real meaning and intentions of this book (or would that be too much book inception?).
This book was provocative, original, addictive and so enjoyable to read. If you’re looking for a fast, suspenseful thriller, All of This is True is perfect for you!
April 27, 2018
3.5
Thank you to the publishers, who provided me with an eARC via Edelwiess, in exchange for a honest review.
This book. I literally couldn't put it down at first, and the ending completely unraveled me. The entire book I was like
This book promised shock, and it definitely did not disappoint. I'm still sitting here mind blown! So these three girls befriend their favorite author, Fatima Ro. I'm not going into detail about much more because I genuinely believe its better to go in blind. I very much liked the format it was told in, the different aspects of interviews and excerpts and emails actually worked perfectly for the book.
I adored the pop culture references placed throughout, but I just need to give a moment dedicated to the author. See, she acknowledged the fact that "every teen novel has that sentence- she released a breath she didn't know she was holding." Round of applause for that!
I will say, the middle bored me a bit, I couldn't see where the plot was going, and the romance lacked substance or development. It was an addicting, wild ride of shocking twists and turns hiding behind every wall but it wasn't substantial. It felt like a shallow teen book at times and I couldn't connect with the characters on any level. However, I loved the theme of human connections throughout this book. Forgiveness. Friendship and trustand being yourself, It was simply presented in a way that made me think less deeply and more along the lines of "Ooh, drama!"
I will admit, I have not read many books like this but this was a bit reminiscent of The Thousandth Floor in the way that everyone is tangled in a web of lies and betrayal, often without them even knowing it. Finishing this book left me shook as heck guys seriously I'm dead inside I don't know what to think. Despite the lack of substance, it was actually an enjoyable novel that kept me going. If thats your type of book, please read this!
Thank you to the publishers, who provided me with an eARC via Edelwiess, in exchange for a honest review.
This book. I literally couldn't put it down at first, and the ending completely unraveled me. The entire book I was like
This book promised shock, and it definitely did not disappoint. I'm still sitting here mind blown! So these three girls befriend their favorite author, Fatima Ro. I'm not going into detail about much more because I genuinely believe its better to go in blind. I very much liked the format it was told in, the different aspects of interviews and excerpts and emails actually worked perfectly for the book.
I adored the pop culture references placed throughout, but I just need to give a moment dedicated to the author. See, she acknowledged the fact that "every teen novel has that sentence- she released a breath she didn't know she was holding." Round of applause for that!
I will say, the middle bored me a bit, I couldn't see where the plot was going, and the romance lacked substance or development. It was an addicting, wild ride of shocking twists and turns hiding behind every wall but it wasn't substantial. It felt like a shallow teen book at times and I couldn't connect with the characters on any level. However, I loved the theme of human connections throughout this book. Forgiveness. Friendship and trustand being yourself, It was simply presented in a way that made me think less deeply and more along the lines of "Ooh, drama!"
I will admit, I have not read many books like this but this was a bit reminiscent of The Thousandth Floor in the way that everyone is tangled in a web of lies and betrayal, often without them even knowing it. Finishing this book left me shook as heck guys seriously I'm dead inside I don't know what to think. Despite the lack of substance, it was actually an enjoyable novel that kept me going. If thats your type of book, please read this!
May 16, 2018
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Video review: https://youtu.be/YFq4D-N551s
4.5/5 Stars
Four teens become obsessed with a book by famous author Fatima Roe. They hatch a plan to get close and begin hanging out with her. They all quickly become friends and Fatima begins to manipulate them in order to write her next novel. But, a devastating secret turns all their lives upside down.
I was hooked by this book right from the first page. The format of this book was so interesting! It's told through journal entries, emails, book excerpts and interviews. It was really cool how reality was interwoven in with the fictional story and how closely they both related to one another. The way the author incorporated these formats so smoothly was amazing. It didn't feel like you were jumping all over the place while reading, everything flowed so smoothly together. The pacing of the book was so well done, with every turn of the page, some new detail is put forth. The book is definitely a slow paced, thought provoking psychological read.
The four teens, Miri, Solei, Penny and Jonah were all unique and flawed in their own way. I was easily able to tell each apart and loved what they brought to the story. I really liked how each of the girls were so different on their view of the author and what happened the past few months. Fatima's character was also great and it was interesting to see how she manipulated the teens into getting what she wanted out of them.
The only reason I am giving the book 4.5 instead of 5 stars is because I was able to call the major "twist" but that didn't really take away from my enjoyment of the story overall.
I will DEFINITELY be checking out future work from this author!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Video review: https://youtu.be/YFq4D-N551s
4.5/5 Stars
Four teens become obsessed with a book by famous author Fatima Roe. They hatch a plan to get close and begin hanging out with her. They all quickly become friends and Fatima begins to manipulate them in order to write her next novel. But, a devastating secret turns all their lives upside down.
I was hooked by this book right from the first page. The format of this book was so interesting! It's told through journal entries, emails, book excerpts and interviews. It was really cool how reality was interwoven in with the fictional story and how closely they both related to one another. The way the author incorporated these formats so smoothly was amazing. It didn't feel like you were jumping all over the place while reading, everything flowed so smoothly together. The pacing of the book was so well done, with every turn of the page, some new detail is put forth. The book is definitely a slow paced, thought provoking psychological read.
The four teens, Miri, Solei, Penny and Jonah were all unique and flawed in their own way. I was easily able to tell each apart and loved what they brought to the story. I really liked how each of the girls were so different on their view of the author and what happened the past few months. Fatima's character was also great and it was interesting to see how she manipulated the teens into getting what she wanted out of them.
The only reason I am giving the book 4.5 instead of 5 stars is because I was able to call the major "twist" but that didn't really take away from my enjoyment of the story overall.
I will DEFINITELY be checking out future work from this author!
January 18, 2018
Innovative, engrossing, and smart as hell, ALL OF THIS IS TRUE is a perfect blend of soapy drama and suspenseful pacing. WARNING: the characters will make you ~feel things~ and you may shout at a couple of them, but you will also laugh?? A lot??
A multi-part character study, the protagonists (and antagonists) of the book gradually reveal their true natures through an ingenious format; and by the end, you will be wrapped thoroughly up in their world.
A multi-part character study, the protagonists (and antagonists) of the book gradually reveal their true natures through an ingenious format; and by the end, you will be wrapped thoroughly up in their world.
May 9, 2018
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I feel like I am moderately black sheeping on this book, because I have seen a ton of positive reviews on Goodreads so far. And mine will be... well, less so. Look, it wasn't all bad or anything, so that's good. And since a lot of people really gushed over it, there's a strong chance you will too! Let's break down the good versus the not so good, as you do.
What I Liked:
It's a super quick read. And it isn't even a short book, it's just very readable. I was certainly curious enough to keep reading, and I finished in just a couple hours, so that's a plus. Who doesn't like when a book compels them to keep going, right?
It is all about fangirling over an author! We can probably all relate to the feeling of being positively in awe of an author, and this book takes it one step further- not only do the girls get to meet their favorite author, but they get to become friends with her too. Which is a good reminder to us all that putting people on a pedestal is probably a bad idea in the long run.
The format is a mixed-media situation, told via interviews, journal entries, even excerpts from Fatima's book. I really liked the variety- and I hope that the problems I had with it (more below!) won't be an issue in a finished copy!
What I Didn't:
I could not for the life of me distinguish among the characters. And in the mixed-media format, the headings were... not always helpful. There was one section where I seriously had NO idea which character was supposed to be "narrating" at the time. None. But even when it was clear, it really didn't matter because they all felt pretty similar to me regardless. You have three young, spoiled women with very little in the way of personality. By the end I kind of liked Penny (I think?) because she seemed to have a bit of growth, but that was the extent of my connection to the characters. The thing is, I am supposed to be feeling for them, that their story was used, that they were used, without their consent. But while I get that it was a crappy thing for Fatima to do, I can only empathize on a very basic level.
The twists were super predictable for me. Like basically all of them? I can live with it if I can guess one or two, but when I feel like I already know the whole outcome... what's even the point?
I have super mixed feelings about the whole "copying their story for a book" thing. Like on one hand... get your own material, Fatima. That was annoying in the sense that she didn't even seem to try to hide their identities? She was almost glib in the way she betrayed them, which... why? Why not, if you're some prodigy author, not even make an attempt to make the story even a *little* different? Seems... fake. I understand why the characters were pissed, but I also don't fully understand Fatima's motivation in the first place. But then on the other hand, okay, she sucks, but... move on? The reason they *didn't* move on also seemed a bit farfetched. For the sake of spoilers, I'm being purposely vague. But the Jonah bit... Look, what happened was shitty, don't get me wrong. But what happened happened, and someone likely would have found out regardless of if Fatima had written about it. It's the age of the internet for goodness sake, no story stays hidden forever. So wallowing in this event for so long seemed kind of unrealistic too- especially since the girls didn't even bear the brunt of the fallout.
The ending was so anticlimactic I don't even know what to say. Especially in the case of a mystery/thriller, it ended and I was sure that my Kindle was mistaken, because that can't be it, right? Oh just kidding, that was totally it, and I won't get those 432 pages of my life back.
Bottom Line: While a quick, addicting sort of read, no connection to either the characters or their problems made this a lackluster read for me.
I feel like I am moderately black sheeping on this book, because I have seen a ton of positive reviews on Goodreads so far. And mine will be... well, less so. Look, it wasn't all bad or anything, so that's good. And since a lot of people really gushed over it, there's a strong chance you will too! Let's break down the good versus the not so good, as you do.
What I Liked:
It's a super quick read. And it isn't even a short book, it's just very readable. I was certainly curious enough to keep reading, and I finished in just a couple hours, so that's a plus. Who doesn't like when a book compels them to keep going, right?
It is all about fangirling over an author! We can probably all relate to the feeling of being positively in awe of an author, and this book takes it one step further- not only do the girls get to meet their favorite author, but they get to become friends with her too. Which is a good reminder to us all that putting people on a pedestal is probably a bad idea in the long run.
The format is a mixed-media situation, told via interviews, journal entries, even excerpts from Fatima's book. I really liked the variety- and I hope that the problems I had with it (more below!) won't be an issue in a finished copy!
What I Didn't:
I could not for the life of me distinguish among the characters. And in the mixed-media format, the headings were... not always helpful. There was one section where I seriously had NO idea which character was supposed to be "narrating" at the time. None. But even when it was clear, it really didn't matter because they all felt pretty similar to me regardless. You have three young, spoiled women with very little in the way of personality. By the end I kind of liked Penny (I think?) because she seemed to have a bit of growth, but that was the extent of my connection to the characters. The thing is, I am supposed to be feeling for them, that their story was used, that they were used, without their consent. But while I get that it was a crappy thing for Fatima to do, I can only empathize on a very basic level.
The twists were super predictable for me. Like basically all of them? I can live with it if I can guess one or two, but when I feel like I already know the whole outcome... what's even the point?
I have super mixed feelings about the whole "copying their story for a book" thing. Like on one hand... get your own material, Fatima. That was annoying in the sense that she didn't even seem to try to hide their identities? She was almost glib in the way she betrayed them, which... why? Why not, if you're some prodigy author, not even make an attempt to make the story even a *little* different? Seems... fake. I understand why the characters were pissed, but I also don't fully understand Fatima's motivation in the first place. But then on the other hand, okay, she sucks, but... move on? The reason they *didn't* move on also seemed a bit farfetched. For the sake of spoilers, I'm being purposely vague. But the Jonah bit... Look, what happened was shitty, don't get me wrong. But what happened happened, and someone likely would have found out regardless of if Fatima had written about it. It's the age of the internet for goodness sake, no story stays hidden forever. So wallowing in this event for so long seemed kind of unrealistic too- especially since the girls didn't even bear the brunt of the fallout.
The ending was so anticlimactic I don't even know what to say. Especially in the case of a mystery/thriller, it ended and I was sure that my Kindle was mistaken, because that can't be it, right? Oh just kidding, that was totally it, and I won't get those 432 pages of my life back.
Bottom Line: While a quick, addicting sort of read, no connection to either the characters or their problems made this a lackluster read for me.
January 3, 2020
Un thriller bastante interesante cuya historia es totalmente adictiva. Se divide en varias "secciones": tenemos fragmentos de entrevistas, de artículos periodísticos, una novela ficticia inventada por una de las protagonistas de este libro (que a medida que leemos la historia central, se va asomando como capítulos cortos). Tiene sus puntos fuertes, como su dinamismo en la lectura, y otros más flojos, donde el misterio cede y no sucede mucho. Pero en general, es un libro muy bueno.
Les dejo la videoreseña: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wH7N...
Les dejo la videoreseña: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wH7N...
April 17, 2018
So dark, twisty, devious, and a ton of fun, with some serious underpinnings about class, mental health, hero (ine) worship, and pop culture. This book is a must read for 2018. If you love YA, you will love this book. And if you just love page-turners? This is the book for you.
August 5, 2021
Mi-lu-jem takéto YA thrillery
Po tejto knihe som pokukovala snáď večnosť. Stále sme sa obchádzali a až teraz som sa k nej konečne dostala. A musím povedať, že to bola dokonalosť.
Naozaj mám rada knihy, kde pri postavách neviete podať, kto je vlastne psycho, kto je len posadnutý tým druhým a kto je ten jediný normálny. Táto knižka je presne taká. Plus dá vám všetky dôkazy a nechá vás rozhodnúť - môže za to naozaj ona?
V príbeh sa stretávate s troma dievčatami, ktoré prerozprávajú svoj príbeh cez rôzne záznamy, denníky a pod. A taktiež sa tu stretnete priamo s úryvkami z danej "problematickej" knihy. Vďaka tomuto to celé plynie superrýchlo a neobjavujú sa tu zbytočné opisy.
Popravde, nevedela som, že sa to takto vyvinie. Tušíte, že niečo nie je v poriadku. Tušíte, že niečo je katastrofálne zlé. A je vám jasné, že na konci sa z toho stane niečo fatálne. Oh, áno, prosím!
Váhate či by ste po nej mali siahnuť? Páčila sa vám kniha "Ako najsť vraha"? Alebo "Jeden z nás klame"? Ak áno, tak toto nesmiete vynechať!
Po tejto knihe som pokukovala snáď večnosť. Stále sme sa obchádzali a až teraz som sa k nej konečne dostala. A musím povedať, že to bola dokonalosť.
Naozaj mám rada knihy, kde pri postavách neviete podať, kto je vlastne psycho, kto je len posadnutý tým druhým a kto je ten jediný normálny. Táto knižka je presne taká. Plus dá vám všetky dôkazy a nechá vás rozhodnúť - môže za to naozaj ona?
V príbeh sa stretávate s troma dievčatami, ktoré prerozprávajú svoj príbeh cez rôzne záznamy, denníky a pod. A taktiež sa tu stretnete priamo s úryvkami z danej "problematickej" knihy. Vďaka tomuto to celé plynie superrýchlo a neobjavujú sa tu zbytočné opisy.
Popravde, nevedela som, že sa to takto vyvinie. Tušíte, že niečo nie je v poriadku. Tušíte, že niečo je katastrofálne zlé. A je vám jasné, že na konci sa z toho stane niečo fatálne. Oh, áno, prosím!
Váhate či by ste po nej mali siahnuť? Páčila sa vám kniha "Ako najsť vraha"? Alebo "Jeden z nás klame"? Ak áno, tak toto nesmiete vynechať!
July 16, 2018
Dit boek is zo heerlijk meta! Ik vind het geweldig!
De flaptekst van het boek alleen klinkt als mega-intrigerend vond ik. En het boek blijkt het ook te zijn.
De hoofdpersonen is een club vrienden die helemaal fan zijn van een bepaald boek en de auteur. Heerlijk herkenbaar, wij lezers houden van het lezen over lezers en fandoms enzo.
Dan raakt de vriendengroep met opzet bevriend met de schrijfster - hallo, heerlijke droom die uitkomt!
Maar eigenlijk lees je meer achteraf, want die schrijfster heeft dus geschreven over die vriendengroep! De hel!
Was het opzet, is de schrijfster onder valse voorwendselen die vriendschap aangegaan? Of was de vriendschap oprecht en is dit later zo gelopen? Of verdienen ze het op de een of andere manier?
Want de vriendengroep zijn geen lieverdjes. Het zijn verwaande kinderen die op een privéschool zitten en in de elite leven.
Dit hele boek zit vol met zo veel drama en intrige! Echt voor liefhebbers van Duizend hoog, Gossip Girl en Pretty Little Liars. Het leest ook heerlijk vlot weg door de gemixte media van uitgeschreven interviews, chatsessies, dagboekfragmenten, en dingen uit het nieuwe boek.
Heerlijk leesvoer, heb hier echt van genoten!
De flaptekst van het boek alleen klinkt als mega-intrigerend vond ik. En het boek blijkt het ook te zijn.
De hoofdpersonen is een club vrienden die helemaal fan zijn van een bepaald boek en de auteur. Heerlijk herkenbaar, wij lezers houden van het lezen over lezers en fandoms enzo.
Dan raakt de vriendengroep met opzet bevriend met de schrijfster - hallo, heerlijke droom die uitkomt!
Maar eigenlijk lees je meer achteraf, want die schrijfster heeft dus geschreven over die vriendengroep! De hel!
Was het opzet, is de schrijfster onder valse voorwendselen die vriendschap aangegaan? Of was de vriendschap oprecht en is dit later zo gelopen? Of verdienen ze het op de een of andere manier?
Want de vriendengroep zijn geen lieverdjes. Het zijn verwaande kinderen die op een privéschool zitten en in de elite leven.
Dit hele boek zit vol met zo veel drama en intrige! Echt voor liefhebbers van Duizend hoog, Gossip Girl en Pretty Little Liars. Het leest ook heerlijk vlot weg door de gemixte media van uitgeschreven interviews, chatsessies, dagboekfragmenten, en dingen uit het nieuwe boek.
Heerlijk leesvoer, heb hier echt van genoten!
April 26, 2018
This review originally appeared on Novel Ink.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thanks so much to Alice @ Arctic Books for hosting an ARC tour of All of This Is True and letting me participate!
I was extremely excited to read All of This Is True— it received some awesome early reviews, the premise sounded mysterious and twisty, and the hype has been steadily ramping up in the blogging community. However, this book ended up being a bit of a letdown for me.
This story follows four teenagers who calculatedly befriend their favorite YA author, only to find out later that the author has used their lives as the premise of her new book. All of This Is True is told from four perspectives: Miri (through interviews), Penny (also through interviews), Soleil (through her emails and text messages), and “fictional” excerpts from Fatima Ro’s book told through “Brady” AKA Jonah’s perspective. If that sounds confusing, that’s because it was. I wanted so badly for this format to work, but it ended up being kind of a mess.
Right off the bat, I was thrown by the format of this book. It’s told in a series of documents, interviews, emails, and excerpts, but much of the mediums and perspectives are too similar to easily discern between them. Also, eventually the fictional parts of the story started becoming meshed with the real elements. I’m not sure if this was intentional commentary on the author’s part, or simply just unintentionally confusing.
Also, I just did not find this story as twisty or compelling as the book makes itself out to be. I’ll be vague in this section to avoid spoilers, but I pretty much predicted every “plot twist,” which made for a boring reading experience since so much of the book is buildup to these revelations. All of these characters make mistakes, which is fine because they’re teenagers, but I didn’t feel like any of them really learned from their experiences. I especially think Jonah is pretty irredeemable. The book, in my eyes, aims to make you question right and wrong, but I had no sympathy for him or his actions. Miri and Soleil were both blinded by their own experiences and couldn’t look at the situation wholistically. Penny was the only character whose perspective I even marginally enjoyed reading from.
As for Fatima Ro, I feel like the reader is supposed to have these deep questions and really think about whether she’s a villain or not, but I truly do not care. Like, at all. She did what she did, and it’s done.
I will say, this book was extremely readable. It’s about 400 pages, and I read it in just over two hours. However, I finished the book feeling unsatisfied. I thought certainly the story was leading up to a big question or theme or reveal, but it ended up falling flat for me.
Overall, I think maybe this just wasn’t my kind of book? Maybe I’m not *~cerebral~* enough to appreciate the questions and commentary it poses, but I believe the narrative was just not well-crafted enough to make me care about the themes it attempts to address.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thanks so much to Alice @ Arctic Books for hosting an ARC tour of All of This Is True and letting me participate!
I was extremely excited to read All of This Is True— it received some awesome early reviews, the premise sounded mysterious and twisty, and the hype has been steadily ramping up in the blogging community. However, this book ended up being a bit of a letdown for me.
This story follows four teenagers who calculatedly befriend their favorite YA author, only to find out later that the author has used their lives as the premise of her new book. All of This Is True is told from four perspectives: Miri (through interviews), Penny (also through interviews), Soleil (through her emails and text messages), and “fictional” excerpts from Fatima Ro’s book told through “Brady” AKA Jonah’s perspective. If that sounds confusing, that’s because it was. I wanted so badly for this format to work, but it ended up being kind of a mess.
Right off the bat, I was thrown by the format of this book. It’s told in a series of documents, interviews, emails, and excerpts, but much of the mediums and perspectives are too similar to easily discern between them. Also, eventually the fictional parts of the story started becoming meshed with the real elements. I’m not sure if this was intentional commentary on the author’s part, or simply just unintentionally confusing.
Also, I just did not find this story as twisty or compelling as the book makes itself out to be. I’ll be vague in this section to avoid spoilers, but I pretty much predicted every “plot twist,” which made for a boring reading experience since so much of the book is buildup to these revelations. All of these characters make mistakes, which is fine because they’re teenagers, but I didn’t feel like any of them really learned from their experiences. I especially think Jonah is pretty irredeemable. The book, in my eyes, aims to make you question right and wrong, but I had no sympathy for him or his actions. Miri and Soleil were both blinded by their own experiences and couldn’t look at the situation wholistically. Penny was the only character whose perspective I even marginally enjoyed reading from.
As for Fatima Ro, I feel like the reader is supposed to have these deep questions and really think about whether she’s a villain or not, but I truly do not care. Like, at all. She did what she did, and it’s done.
I will say, this book was extremely readable. It’s about 400 pages, and I read it in just over two hours. However, I finished the book feeling unsatisfied. I thought certainly the story was leading up to a big question or theme or reveal, but it ended up falling flat for me.
Overall, I think maybe this just wasn’t my kind of book? Maybe I’m not *~cerebral~* enough to appreciate the questions and commentary it poses, but I believe the narrative was just not well-crafted enough to make me care about the themes it attempts to address.
July 8, 2019
Zaujímavý kúsok, ktorý si to hodnotenie 3.40 fakt nezaslúži. Tri dievčatá vypovedajú prostredníctvom rozhovorov, mejlov a denníkových zápiskov o tom, ako sa ich skupinka skamarátila so slávnou spisovateľkou, a spisovateľka celý príbeh ich priateľstva pretavila do svojho najnovšieho bestselleru. V čom je háčik? Že v skupinke bol ešte jeden člen, ktorý teraz leží v kóme.
Zaujímavé na tom je, že tieto rozhovory striedajú úryvky zo spomínanej knihy - a hrdinom knihy je práve ten nešťastník, čo leží v nemocnici. Takže striedavo dostávate plne beletrizovanú knihu a "reálnu" výpoveď dievčat o tom, čo viedlo k udalostiam, o ktorých autorka píše - z pohľadu práve toho jedného člena, ktorý nemôže vypovedať sám za seba.
Mega koncept. Škoda, že reklama to prezentuje ako nejaký "strhujúci príbeh plný dramatických odhalení", lebo, nie, not really. Najzaujímavejšie na príbehu je skôr to, ako sa príbeh v "úryvkoch s knihy" prelína s tým, čo hrdinky zažili, nie to, čo akože "odhaľujete" . Je to skrátka kniha, ktorú čítate pre potešenie z experimentálneho rozprávania, nie pre samotný príbeh. Ja mám takéto uletené srandy rada, takže ak ste na tom rovnako, skúste.
Zaujímavé na tom je, že tieto rozhovory striedajú úryvky zo spomínanej knihy - a hrdinom knihy je práve ten nešťastník, čo leží v nemocnici. Takže striedavo dostávate plne beletrizovanú knihu a "reálnu" výpoveď dievčat o tom, čo viedlo k udalostiam, o ktorých autorka píše - z pohľadu práve toho jedného člena, ktorý nemôže vypovedať sám za seba.
Mega koncept. Škoda, že reklama to prezentuje ako nejaký "strhujúci príbeh plný dramatických odhalení", lebo, nie, not really. Najzaujímavejšie na príbehu je skôr to, ako sa príbeh v "úryvkoch s knihy" prelína s tým, čo hrdinky zažili, nie to, čo akože "odhaľujete" . Je to skrátka kniha, ktorú čítate pre potešenie z experimentálneho rozprávania, nie pre samotný príbeh. Ja mám takéto uletené srandy rada, takže ak ste na tom rovnako, skúste.
January 5, 2019
WOW!!! Nechce sa mi veriť, čo som to práve prečítal.
Začnem tým, že som nechcel dať 5*, boli to také lepšie 3* zo začiatku, asi po 100 stranách to vyšlo na 4* ... ale ten koniec! Tých posledných 100 strán... WOW!!!
Začnime ale postupne.
Toto nie je klasická kniha, toto nie je klasický román. Toto je v podstate taký knižný Blair Witch.
Dostáva sa nám príbeh štyroch tínedžerov, ktorý sa skamarátili s jednou megapopulárnou autorkou YA kníh a... nedopadlo to najlepšie. Tá autorka totiž o nich napísala knihu.
No a ako sa vlastne dostávame do príbehu, kde je ten BlairWitch?
Miri a Penny poskytli rozhovor jednému týpkovi, takže ich spoznávame cez prepisy nezostrihaných rozhovorov. Soleil podáva svoju verziu príbehu cez svoje emaily, esemesky, výňatky z denníkov, ktoré publikuje v časopise New York City. A o chalanovi sa dozvedáme priamo z najnovšej "knihy" tej autorky. (Pretože leží v kóme v nemocnici)
Ide o to, že chalanisko je nový týpek na škole, tichý, utiahnutý, nikto nevie o ňom nič. Na jednej hodine sa k nemu prihovorí Soleil a preskočí iskra. Soleil ho potom stiahne na autogramiádu tej známej autorky, kde sa všetci štyria spoznajú a stanú sa autorkinými naj kamošmi. Ibaže chalanisko skrýva veľké tajomstvo. A inak je fakt veľké.
Ono, v podstate je tá zápletka taká meh... lenže keď si začnete všímať PSYCHOLÓGIU POSTÁV!!! OMG, vtedy to začnete až naozaj čítať a užívať si túto knihu. Lebo nikto z nich nemal čisté úmysly, ani decká, ani pochybná autorka. A táto kniha vám dá tak veľmi nazrieť do ich vnútra takým tým nenásilným spôsobom, lebo to v podstate musíte vyčítať spomedzi riadkov. Normálne som ostal uchvátený.
Škoda, že tomu dali američania debilnú obálku, ktorá fakt nikoho nezaujme.
Naša bude btw. takáto, áno, už to viac nevydržím schovávať, lebo má brutálnu atmosféru:
A ja som tieto decká mal pred očami počas celého čítania, dokonale sme ich dokázali vystihnúť, ešte aj s ich výrazmi. Fakt sa teším, keď to dostanú do rúk aj ostatní a dúfam, že aj ich zaujme psychológia postáv tak ako mňa!
Začnem tým, že som nechcel dať 5*, boli to také lepšie 3* zo začiatku, asi po 100 stranách to vyšlo na 4* ... ale ten koniec! Tých posledných 100 strán... WOW!!!
Začnime ale postupne.
Toto nie je klasická kniha, toto nie je klasický román. Toto je v podstate taký knižný Blair Witch.
Dostáva sa nám príbeh štyroch tínedžerov, ktorý sa skamarátili s jednou megapopulárnou autorkou YA kníh a... nedopadlo to najlepšie. Tá autorka totiž o nich napísala knihu.
No a ako sa vlastne dostávame do príbehu, kde je ten BlairWitch?
Miri a Penny poskytli rozhovor jednému týpkovi, takže ich spoznávame cez prepisy nezostrihaných rozhovorov. Soleil podáva svoju verziu príbehu cez svoje emaily, esemesky, výňatky z denníkov, ktoré publikuje v časopise New York City. A o chalanovi sa dozvedáme priamo z najnovšej "knihy" tej autorky. (Pretože leží v kóme v nemocnici)
Ide o to, že chalanisko je nový týpek na škole, tichý, utiahnutý, nikto nevie o ňom nič. Na jednej hodine sa k nemu prihovorí Soleil a preskočí iskra. Soleil ho potom stiahne na autogramiádu tej známej autorky, kde sa všetci štyria spoznajú a stanú sa autorkinými naj kamošmi. Ibaže chalanisko skrýva veľké tajomstvo. A inak je fakt veľké.
Ono, v podstate je tá zápletka taká meh... lenže keď si začnete všímať PSYCHOLÓGIU POSTÁV!!! OMG, vtedy to začnete až naozaj čítať a užívať si túto knihu. Lebo nikto z nich nemal čisté úmysly, ani decká, ani pochybná autorka. A táto kniha vám dá tak veľmi nazrieť do ich vnútra takým tým nenásilným spôsobom, lebo to v podstate musíte vyčítať spomedzi riadkov. Normálne som ostal uchvátený.
Škoda, že tomu dali američania debilnú obálku, ktorá fakt nikoho nezaujme.
Naša bude btw. takáto, áno, už to viac nevydržím schovávať, lebo má brutálnu atmosféru:
A ja som tieto decká mal pred očami počas celého čítania, dokonale sme ich dokázali vystihnúť, ešte aj s ich výrazmi. Fakt sa teším, keď to dostanú do rúk aj ostatní a dúfam, že aj ich zaujme psychológia postáv tak ako mňa!
May 4, 2018
Thank you NetGalley.
A group of teens go to a book signing and end up being befriended by the author. They are given unlimited access to her home and time, and she seems genuinely interested in getting to know them. Except, then her latest book is published and it is - in fact - the story of their lives.
The book idea itself was fascinating. I liked the inclusion of excerpts from the fictional book. Unfortunately, the group of teens were not particularly interesting characters. They had potential to be, but they were focused on in relation to the fictional book so we don’t see much beyond the surface.
Stylistically it feels choppy. We cut from interview to interview, to messages, to novel excerpts and it’s difficult to get a sense of quite where it’s going. It always felt like we were second guessing events/characters and those I’d really like to have heard from were not given a voice.
An intriguing idea, but one which didn’t quite come together for me.
A group of teens go to a book signing and end up being befriended by the author. They are given unlimited access to her home and time, and she seems genuinely interested in getting to know them. Except, then her latest book is published and it is - in fact - the story of their lives.
The book idea itself was fascinating. I liked the inclusion of excerpts from the fictional book. Unfortunately, the group of teens were not particularly interesting characters. They had potential to be, but they were focused on in relation to the fictional book so we don’t see much beyond the surface.
Stylistically it feels choppy. We cut from interview to interview, to messages, to novel excerpts and it’s difficult to get a sense of quite where it’s going. It always felt like we were second guessing events/characters and those I’d really like to have heard from were not given a voice.
An intriguing idea, but one which didn’t quite come together for me.
August 9, 2020
And this, my friends, is why you should not always trust a goodreads average rating. This is now my favourite book of the year so far.
I never expected to enjoy this book. I loved the idea of the premise, but really my main goal with this book was to just read it, and get rid of it. But then a plot twist happened and I ended up enjoying this book.
At the centre of the novel is 4 friends who befriend their favourite author. This author uses them, and their very personal lives, to write a novel and it has become a sensation. This book is written in multimedia, and is told in present day about the past. We get interviews, magazine entries, and some snippets from the fictional book this author writes.
I thought the premise was really creative, but I also thought the book itself was really well executed. The storytelling was easy and clear to understand and follow. I've seen reviews that said this book was confusing, and that actually makes no sense to me as the story is linear and very simply written.
I think a large part of my enjoyment came from the absolutely low expectations I set out for myself. I really came in expecting to not enjoy this in the slightest, but I ended up adoring it.
I never expected to enjoy this book. I loved the idea of the premise, but really my main goal with this book was to just read it, and get rid of it. But then a plot twist happened and I ended up enjoying this book.
At the centre of the novel is 4 friends who befriend their favourite author. This author uses them, and their very personal lives, to write a novel and it has become a sensation. This book is written in multimedia, and is told in present day about the past. We get interviews, magazine entries, and some snippets from the fictional book this author writes.
I thought the premise was really creative, but I also thought the book itself was really well executed. The storytelling was easy and clear to understand and follow. I've seen reviews that said this book was confusing, and that actually makes no sense to me as the story is linear and very simply written.
I think a large part of my enjoyment came from the absolutely low expectations I set out for myself. I really came in expecting to not enjoy this in the slightest, but I ended up adoring it.
May 25, 2018
3.5/5 stars
When I saw the premise of this book I knew that I wanted to read it. What avid reader does not dream of becoming friends with their favorite author? And then when that favorite author uses their secrets to write a book ... well I knew that I wanted to read this.
The book follows a bunch of high school students (Miri, Penny, Soleil and Jonah) and author Fatima Ro. The kids love the book Undertow. And they are ecstatic when the author shows an interest in them.
Something has happened in the present. And we get interviews with Penny and Miri telling us how they feel. And then we get the past through New York City Magazine articles with Soleil's journal entries. Also we get excerpts from Fatima's new book (The Absolution of Brady Stevenson).
The format of this book was the main problem for me. The story is only told through interviews, journal entries and excerpts from the book that parallels the actual story. The book part was actually sort of confusing at times because everyone Fatima wrote about has a different name than they do in All of This Is True. So we have to keep track of everybody's alter ego. Some of them are easier to remember (like Soleil is Sunny). I did find the new book (The Absolution of Brady Stevenson) very interesting. I just wish that the story had been told differently.
Thanks to edelweiss and HarperTeen for allowing me to read this book.
When I saw the premise of this book I knew that I wanted to read it. What avid reader does not dream of becoming friends with their favorite author? And then when that favorite author uses their secrets to write a book ... well I knew that I wanted to read this.
The book follows a bunch of high school students (Miri, Penny, Soleil and Jonah) and author Fatima Ro. The kids love the book Undertow. And they are ecstatic when the author shows an interest in them.
Something has happened in the present. And we get interviews with Penny and Miri telling us how they feel. And then we get the past through New York City Magazine articles with Soleil's journal entries. Also we get excerpts from Fatima's new book (The Absolution of Brady Stevenson).
The format of this book was the main problem for me. The story is only told through interviews, journal entries and excerpts from the book that parallels the actual story. The book part was actually sort of confusing at times because everyone Fatima wrote about has a different name than they do in All of This Is True. So we have to keep track of everybody's alter ego. Some of them are easier to remember (like Soleil is Sunny). I did find the new book (The Absolution of Brady Stevenson) very interesting. I just wish that the story had been told differently.
Thanks to edelweiss and HarperTeen for allowing me to read this book.
August 14, 2021
I was so excited for this book you have no idea, so the disappointment is triple. As soon as I heard about this book and its concept I was ready to be mind blown.
“Four YA obsessed teens befriend their favorite novelist. What happens next will shock you”
Doesn’t this scream amazing?
But unfortunately the book isn’t what it promised to be. It mostly is an empty book.
The most annoying thing is that this is supposed to be a mystery but there’s little to no suspense, and it’s not enough to make the book gripping. The reveals are so irrelevant that it’s like they’re not even there and, while reading, they actually made me question many times if I somehow was missing something, because it wasn’t possible that there still was no plot twist halfway through. I even deliberately spoiled myself for the last “big” reveal and I didn’t even blink once.
The entire book was also boring af because only a couple of things are relevant, the rest is filler and unnecessary. And since this is meta and a book about a book, almost every single insignificant event was repeated two times, one in the form of interview, and the second in the book excerpt. Eventually I got so tired of it I was debating reading every other chapter to avoid the repetitiveness.
The characters were okay-ish but not that fleshed out. Furthermore, every one had a strange and fake way of talking, especially in the interviews. No one ever would laugh in an interview about the topic here. Penny and Miri are not actors and celebrities that can joke when they promote whatever they have to promote, they are telling a story of manipulation and of a guy who’s in coma. How can they laugh??
But the interviewer was the weirdest! He is a journalist and supposedly an adult but he was the most juvenile of the group. He made stupid questions and commented every thing as if he was 16 years old. Just who would ever make this cringey joke?
Lastly, the style was simple to follow but felt really pretentious at the same time.
“Four YA obsessed teens befriend their favorite novelist. What happens next will shock you”
Doesn’t this scream amazing?
But unfortunately the book isn’t what it promised to be. It mostly is an empty book.
The most annoying thing is that this is supposed to be a mystery but there’s little to no suspense, and it’s not enough to make the book gripping. The reveals are so irrelevant that it’s like they’re not even there and, while reading, they actually made me question many times if I somehow was missing something, because it wasn’t possible that there still was no plot twist halfway through. I even deliberately spoiled myself for the last “big” reveal and I didn’t even blink once.
The entire book was also boring af because only a couple of things are relevant, the rest is filler and unnecessary. And since this is meta and a book about a book, almost every single insignificant event was repeated two times, one in the form of interview, and the second in the book excerpt. Eventually I got so tired of it I was debating reading every other chapter to avoid the repetitiveness.
The characters were okay-ish but not that fleshed out. Furthermore, every one had a strange and fake way of talking, especially in the interviews. No one ever would laugh in an interview about the topic here. Penny and Miri are not actors and celebrities that can joke when they promote whatever they have to promote, they are telling a story of manipulation and of a guy who’s in coma. How can they laugh??
But the interviewer was the weirdest! He is a journalist and supposedly an adult but he was the most juvenile of the group. He made stupid questions and commented every thing as if he was 16 years old. Just who would ever make this cringey joke?
Tell me about the open-ended question. Hey, do you like what I did there? That was an open-ended question about an open-ended question.
Lastly, the style was simple to follow but felt really pretentious at the same time.
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