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The Lies We Tell
Anna Xu moving out of her parent's home and into the dorms across town as she starts freshman year at the local, prestigious Brookings University. But her parents and their struggling Chinese bakery, Sweetea, aren't far from campus or from mind, either.
At Brookings, Anna wants to keep up her stellar academic performance and to investigate the unsolved campus murder of her childhood babysitter. While there she also finds a familiar face – her middle-school rival, Chris Lu. The Lus also happen to be the Xu family's business rivals since they opened Sunny's, a trendy new bakery on Sweetea's block. Chris is cute but still someone to be wary of – until a vandal hits Sunny's and Anna matches the racist tag with a clue from her investigation.
Anna grew up in this town, but more and more she feels like maybe she isn't fully at home here -- or maybe it's that there are people here who think she doesn't belong. When a very specific threat is made to Anna, she seeks out help from the only person she can. Anna and Chris team up to find out who is stalking her and take on a dangerous search into the hate crimes happening around campus. Can they root out the ugly history and take on the current threat?
The Lies We Tell is a social activism/we all belong here anthem crossed with a thriller and with a rivals-to-romance relationship set on a college campus.
At Brookings, Anna wants to keep up her stellar academic performance and to investigate the unsolved campus murder of her childhood babysitter. While there she also finds a familiar face – her middle-school rival, Chris Lu. The Lus also happen to be the Xu family's business rivals since they opened Sunny's, a trendy new bakery on Sweetea's block. Chris is cute but still someone to be wary of – until a vandal hits Sunny's and Anna matches the racist tag with a clue from her investigation.
Anna grew up in this town, but more and more she feels like maybe she isn't fully at home here -- or maybe it's that there are people here who think she doesn't belong. When a very specific threat is made to Anna, she seeks out help from the only person she can. Anna and Chris team up to find out who is stalking her and take on a dangerous search into the hate crimes happening around campus. Can they root out the ugly history and take on the current threat?
The Lies We Tell is a social activism/we all belong here anthem crossed with a thriller and with a rivals-to-romance relationship set on a college campus.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published November 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
November 29, 2022
KZ is really good at creating a story that reflects the social and political climate of the real world. and even though her books are written to capture the certain pressures and situations of asian americans, her characters are always relatable, regardless of the readers background and personal experiences.
which is why i think KZ should switch to the contemporary fiction genre and leave the nancy drew girl detective plots behind. because, just like her previous book, the mystery/thriller aspect of this is pretty weak. i understand that it was inspired by real life events, but i cant help but feel like the underdeveloped nature of the mystery drags the story down a bit, especially in terms of maturity.
but regardless of murder investigations, i do think the commentary on hate crimes towards asian americans is important and worth reading, which is why im rounding up!
↠ 3.5 stars
which is why i think KZ should switch to the contemporary fiction genre and leave the nancy drew girl detective plots behind. because, just like her previous book, the mystery/thriller aspect of this is pretty weak. i understand that it was inspired by real life events, but i cant help but feel like the underdeveloped nature of the mystery drags the story down a bit, especially in terms of maturity.
but regardless of murder investigations, i do think the commentary on hate crimes towards asian americans is important and worth reading, which is why im rounding up!
↠ 3.5 stars
May 9, 2022
Guys, I have to tell you something.
Usually, reviews have a central point that's about "plot" or "characters" or "writing." You know, one of the core components of a book. Something that would do what we like to call make sense.
But I am #NotLikeOtherGirls.
Sometimes, something just sticks out to me. Like when A Court of Wings and Ruin used the word "mate" over 200 times, or how often the Twilight vampire crew compares their love interests to lil kids.
Those are showstoppers.
And this book is good, and it's not a cancelable offense, and in fact it's just something amusing and weird, but I can't stop thinking about it all the same.
Because the thing is, in the first 50ish pages of this alone, our protagonist is knocked or bumped into by another person no less than FIVE TIMES.
And also multiple other times after that.
I can't think of why this happens so often, other than to take the place that characterization normally would.
Sorry! That was mean. I don't even think that, necessarily, maybe.
This has a lot in common with Ace of Spades, but centers around the recent spate of hate crimes against Asian-Americans. The writing isn't quiiite as good as AoS, but this is entertaining and packs a real punch. It's important reading that also manages to be readable, even if its conclusion ultimately is a bit over the top.
And includes a lot of falling over, for some reason.
Bottom line: Go ahead and fall...into this book? I don't know.
------------
pre-review
always promising when i forget to mark a book as read.
review to come / 3.5 stars
------------
currently-reading updates
hopefully these lies will be more interesting than mine (which mostly center around how many cookies i eat)
------------
reading books by asian authors for aapi month!
book 1: kim jiyoung, born 1982
book 2: siren queen
book 3: the heart principle
book 4: n.p.
book 5: the hole
book 6: set on you
book 7: disorientation
book 8: parade
book 9: if i had your face
book 10: joan is okay
book 11: strange weather in tokyo
book 12: sarong party girls
book 13: the wind-up bird chronicle
book 14: portrait of a thief
book 15: sophie go's lonely hearts club
book 16: chemistry
book 17: heaven
book 18: the atlas six
book 19: the remains of the day
book 20: is everyone hanging out without me? and other concerns
book 21: why not me?
book 22: when the tiger came down the mountain
book 23: the lies we tell
Usually, reviews have a central point that's about "plot" or "characters" or "writing." You know, one of the core components of a book. Something that would do what we like to call make sense.
But I am #NotLikeOtherGirls.
Sometimes, something just sticks out to me. Like when A Court of Wings and Ruin used the word "mate" over 200 times, or how often the Twilight vampire crew compares their love interests to lil kids.
Those are showstoppers.
And this book is good, and it's not a cancelable offense, and in fact it's just something amusing and weird, but I can't stop thinking about it all the same.
Because the thing is, in the first 50ish pages of this alone, our protagonist is knocked or bumped into by another person no less than FIVE TIMES.
And also multiple other times after that.
I can't think of why this happens so often, other than to take the place that characterization normally would.
Sorry! That was mean. I don't even think that, necessarily, maybe.
This has a lot in common with Ace of Spades, but centers around the recent spate of hate crimes against Asian-Americans. The writing isn't quiiite as good as AoS, but this is entertaining and packs a real punch. It's important reading that also manages to be readable, even if its conclusion ultimately is a bit over the top.
And includes a lot of falling over, for some reason.
Bottom line: Go ahead and fall...into this book? I don't know.
------------
pre-review
always promising when i forget to mark a book as read.
review to come / 3.5 stars
------------
currently-reading updates
hopefully these lies will be more interesting than mine (which mostly center around how many cookies i eat)
------------
reading books by asian authors for aapi month!
book 1: kim jiyoung, born 1982
book 2: siren queen
book 3: the heart principle
book 4: n.p.
book 5: the hole
book 6: set on you
book 7: disorientation
book 8: parade
book 9: if i had your face
book 10: joan is okay
book 11: strange weather in tokyo
book 12: sarong party girls
book 13: the wind-up bird chronicle
book 14: portrait of a thief
book 15: sophie go's lonely hearts club
book 16: chemistry
book 17: heaven
book 18: the atlas six
book 19: the remains of the day
book 20: is everyone hanging out without me? and other concerns
book 21: why not me?
book 22: when the tiger came down the mountain
book 23: the lies we tell
January 12, 2023
As a huge fan of the author’s previous novel How We Fall Apart, I couldn’t wait to dive into her newest release. I’m still patiently waiting for a follow up to her debut, but this was a nice palate cleanser until that book is written. This book would have been a higher rated experience for me if it hadn’t tried to be so many things: murder mystery, enemies to lovers romance, and coming of age. These are all good themes objectively, but the book is so short that we don’t get enough time to develop most of these aspects, resulting in a rushed feeling for the reader. Where this book shines the most is the author’s exposition on the hate crimes that Asian Americans face daily here in the United States and how we need to do exponentially more to help end these occurrences. If you’re looking for a quick mystery with important social justice issues, give this one a try.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
April 10, 2022
A pretty good mystery with a solid coming of age story line with just a tiny hint of romance. Well done and kept me turning the pages.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Want to Read
November 1, 2021I hope Katie improves her writing skills in this book! And no, I will not give up on sweet POC authors that I first find inadequate in writing.
October 27, 2022
Anna Xu is starting her freshman year at the prestigious Brookings University. She might not come from wealthy roots, like most of her peers, but is determined to reinvent herself and fit in. Old mysteries continue to haunt both her and the hallowed walls she walls she walks between, however. The death of an previous student, the return of an old rival, the discovery of a secret society, and the arrival of new enemies all seek to lure her away from her studies and exploring them might lead to bigger consequences that just a failing grade.
I loved exploring this elite setting and Anna, who constantly felt like an outsider in this privileged world, provided the perfect perspective in which to do so, as so much was as new to her as it was the reader. The other students who lived and studied at the University were of equal interest, as they differed so greatly from Anna's own experiences. I liked the insights to cultures and upbringings other than my own.
The mysteries were numerous and provided the primary focus in the storyline. I had little clue what would occur next, who was behind the criminal acts occurring, and what the true motive was. The exploration of all of this kept me flying through the pages in search of answers and all that was delivered was well-executed and well-paced.
The romance, as well as the focus on other interpersonal relationships, never took centre-stage, which I appreciated, but also provided room for scenes of a less distressing nature and lighter note to feature. These were still played out in front of a backdrop of drama and deceit, and the evil that lurked never felt far away from the central characters, leading to a tense atmosphere to reign throughout.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Katie Zhao, and the publisher, Bloomsbury YA, for this opportunity.
I loved exploring this elite setting and Anna, who constantly felt like an outsider in this privileged world, provided the perfect perspective in which to do so, as so much was as new to her as it was the reader. The other students who lived and studied at the University were of equal interest, as they differed so greatly from Anna's own experiences. I liked the insights to cultures and upbringings other than my own.
The mysteries were numerous and provided the primary focus in the storyline. I had little clue what would occur next, who was behind the criminal acts occurring, and what the true motive was. The exploration of all of this kept me flying through the pages in search of answers and all that was delivered was well-executed and well-paced.
The romance, as well as the focus on other interpersonal relationships, never took centre-stage, which I appreciated, but also provided room for scenes of a less distressing nature and lighter note to feature. These were still played out in front of a backdrop of drama and deceit, and the evil that lurked never felt far away from the central characters, leading to a tense atmosphere to reign throughout.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Katie Zhao, and the publisher, Bloomsbury YA, for this opportunity.
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August 14, 2026
book: the lies we tell : katie zhao
rating: 3.75/5 stars!
date read: 14 aug, ‘26.
the lies we tell is a mesh of
i hope this doesn’t find you book
+
agggtm book
+
truly devious
—writing using speech to text function, i shall proof read and polish up this raw-ver. of the review later on.
_____________
my thoughts:
this was interesting enough to have me interested throughout the entire book and it was pretty good pacing. It wasn’t too fast too slow and like 75% into the book or something like that it was something that occurred and I did not see it coming so as someone who usually can or always find the books being predictable this I found to be a surprise so I liked that, and
I like that the writing itself was very approachable so it didn’t cause any resistance for me to proceed with the book like it just felt like as if I was reading text messages because we all know that when you read text messages it’s like it just comes naturally like you don’t really have to force yourself to read text messages replying as another thing, I am guilty of not replying to messages because I’m too lazy or I just reply in my head and I think that and I forget to actually like write it down well that’s neither.
I did enjoy this. I did go into this book pretty much blind because I just searched up dark academia books and this book was one of the ones that came up and the title seemed intriguing as aforementioned in my previous reviews when I go into a book just based on gut feeling my intuition and knowing a bit about the genre so I know like if this is going to be a romance or is this going to be a mystery book and salon other than that? I like to go in to books blind unless like I’ve been recommended somewhere or by someone and the reason being is because then I won’t have any built-up pre-notions or presumptions and hence I will avoid having these absurdly high expectations because generally speaking the story or the narrative I can drop in my head almost always ends up being better than the reality. Actually I’ve always conjured up a better ending than what I actually end up reading unfortunately I think it’s because like obviously you would come up with an ending that would satisfy your mind but like I like to avoid that so that it doesn’t deter my experience from the book at hand and therefore I would avoid disappointment and I like to read books fairly like I want to give it a fair chance at being an unbiased review I mean all of biased but like just going in blindly and blank slate if that makes sense anyways here’s to say that as someone who was thinking this would be dark academia.
It wasn’t really dark academia like in the traditional sense but the setting I can see why it was in the rivalry that was very prominent in the first half of the book between these two students the main characters Anna and Chris you can see like where the dark academia would also stem from even though like student rivalries is not really like it doesn’t mean dark academia. It just goes into the academia genre but the setting and the secret Society and like similar like a murder mystery from the past all of that it all has dark academia elements so I see why but it’s not like if we were villains or the secret Society or Babel these traditional dark academia novels where they go into etymology or mythology and traditional literature and exegesis and other matters such as these but if you wanted more like scholarly takes then this book wouldn’t be it, but as for political & justice systems and morals being questioned then this is that sort of dark academia (dealing with racism), and if you just wanted pure setting and a YA take on dark academia and I would pick up this book.
I’m glad I did not look at the rating though, because I would honestly not have picked it up considering I’m in their reading song, but I’m glad that I looked at the rating after I had already gotten into the book so yeah.
this review is pretty long and I will polish it up later on. I’m currently doing a speech to text manner for this review so I hope that the grammar and punctuation and the sentence structures and the words as well are not too off the rails and I hope that they aren’t any or many typos and thank you if you read all this I will proofread it and publish it up later on but I just didn’t want to forget my thoughts on this book because it wasn’t memorable but it was a fun ride!
rating: 3.75/5 stars!
date read: 14 aug, ‘26.
the lies we tell is a mesh of
i hope this doesn’t find you book
+
agggtm book
+
truly devious
—writing using speech to text function, i shall proof read and polish up this raw-ver. of the review later on.
_____________
my thoughts:
this was interesting enough to have me interested throughout the entire book and it was pretty good pacing. It wasn’t too fast too slow and like 75% into the book or something like that it was something that occurred and I did not see it coming so as someone who usually can or always find the books being predictable this I found to be a surprise so I liked that, and
I like that the writing itself was very approachable so it didn’t cause any resistance for me to proceed with the book like it just felt like as if I was reading text messages because we all know that when you read text messages it’s like it just comes naturally like you don’t really have to force yourself to read text messages replying as another thing, I am guilty of not replying to messages because I’m too lazy or I just reply in my head and I think that and I forget to actually like write it down well that’s neither.
I did enjoy this. I did go into this book pretty much blind because I just searched up dark academia books and this book was one of the ones that came up and the title seemed intriguing as aforementioned in my previous reviews when I go into a book just based on gut feeling my intuition and knowing a bit about the genre so I know like if this is going to be a romance or is this going to be a mystery book and salon other than that? I like to go in to books blind unless like I’ve been recommended somewhere or by someone and the reason being is because then I won’t have any built-up pre-notions or presumptions and hence I will avoid having these absurdly high expectations because generally speaking the story or the narrative I can drop in my head almost always ends up being better than the reality. Actually I’ve always conjured up a better ending than what I actually end up reading unfortunately I think it’s because like obviously you would come up with an ending that would satisfy your mind but like I like to avoid that so that it doesn’t deter my experience from the book at hand and therefore I would avoid disappointment and I like to read books fairly like I want to give it a fair chance at being an unbiased review I mean all of biased but like just going in blindly and blank slate if that makes sense anyways here’s to say that as someone who was thinking this would be dark academia.
It wasn’t really dark academia like in the traditional sense but the setting I can see why it was in the rivalry that was very prominent in the first half of the book between these two students the main characters Anna and Chris you can see like where the dark academia would also stem from even though like student rivalries is not really like it doesn’t mean dark academia. It just goes into the academia genre but the setting and the secret Society and like similar like a murder mystery from the past all of that it all has dark academia elements so I see why but it’s not like if we were villains or the secret Society or Babel these traditional dark academia novels where they go into etymology or mythology and traditional literature and exegesis and other matters such as these but if you wanted more like scholarly takes then this book wouldn’t be it, but as for political & justice systems and morals being questioned then this is that sort of dark academia (dealing with racism), and if you just wanted pure setting and a YA take on dark academia and I would pick up this book.
I’m glad I did not look at the rating though, because I would honestly not have picked it up considering I’m in their reading song, but I’m glad that I looked at the rating after I had already gotten into the book so yeah.
this review is pretty long and I will polish it up later on. I’m currently doing a speech to text manner for this review so I hope that the grammar and punctuation and the sentence structures and the words as well are not too off the rails and I hope that they aren’t any or many typos and thank you if you read all this I will proofread it and publish it up later on but I just didn’t want to forget my thoughts on this book because it wasn’t memorable but it was a fun ride!
January 7, 2023
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this one more than How We Fall Apart. This was a lot of fun, and exactly what I expected/wanted going into it. It's a little predictable, but I didn't mind that, and while it still has the same dramatic and over the top qualities of teen thrillers like pretty little liars, this one felt a little less derivative of those types shows than HWFA (which very much felt like a nod to PLL). I think across all her books, Katie's strength lies in her ability to deliver hard-hitting themes and messages in a way that is suitable to the target audience, and this book is no different. All in all, another solid book from Katie Zhao, and she continues to be an auto-read author for me.
I enjoyed this one more than How We Fall Apart. This was a lot of fun, and exactly what I expected/wanted going into it. It's a little predictable, but I didn't mind that, and while it still has the same dramatic and over the top qualities of teen thrillers like pretty little liars, this one felt a little less derivative of those types shows than HWFA (which very much felt like a nod to PLL). I think across all her books, Katie's strength lies in her ability to deliver hard-hitting themes and messages in a way that is suitable to the target audience, and this book is no different. All in all, another solid book from Katie Zhao, and she continues to be an auto-read author for me.
Want to Read
July 22, 2021*makes "I need" hands*
April 7, 2022
thank you to bloomsbury YA for an arc in exchange for an honest review
look, this book was enjoyable, I LOVED the plot. but i also predicted it, and there were a few other things that were lacking! what i did love the most was how social issues were portrayed throughout the novel. it was unsettling to read about anti asian hate crimes, but as disturbing it was— it was true, IT IS TRUE and it is important for readers to understand that, especially white ones. i enjoyed the pairing of anna xu & chris lu, i would have liked to seen them as a more developed pair though!!— them teaming up is vital in this book and honestly reading those parts were amazing, but sometimes the writing made the reader think that the "working together part" and the romance was rushed at times.
look, this book was enjoyable, I LOVED the plot. but i also predicted it, and there were a few other things that were lacking! what i did love the most was how social issues were portrayed throughout the novel. it was unsettling to read about anti asian hate crimes, but as disturbing it was— it was true, IT IS TRUE and it is important for readers to understand that, especially white ones. i enjoyed the pairing of anna xu & chris lu, i would have liked to seen them as a more developed pair though!!— them teaming up is vital in this book and honestly reading those parts were amazing, but sometimes the writing made the reader think that the "working together part" and the romance was rushed at times.
January 15, 2023
I am all about Dark Academia Mystery, I really enjoyed the author's previous work How We Fall Apart (How We Fall Apart #1)-Book Review
I was expecting it to be dark academia but it wasn't dark only an academic murder mystery focused on racism, not that I minded it.
Anna is starting her university life at Brookings, it is the first time she is going to be away from home but not that much, as her parent's business, is just outside of the university and she can visit them whenever she wants. Anna is obsessed with an old murder case that happened at the university and the police couldn't find the culprit. So, like every other, YA mystery Anna took this responsibility to find the murderer. Chris, a childhood academic rival, is also starting his university at Brookings after finishing high school in China. So, yes, you are right, it is enemy turn lover troop.
Was the story new? Not by any means. Although, I liked the general story and the lesson that came with it. The writing style was also engaging. But there were many things lacking in the story and common sense wasn't the best suit for it. The book focused on daily life and not-so-daily life discrimination east Asians have to face. This part was covered effectively, at the same time author decided to portray Anna's parents as typical over-caring Asian parents but I didn't find the part engaging. The relationship with the parents wasn't developed well and they were used whenever it was convenient. The business rivalry was just there to make the audience understand why Chris was an enemy but it was half-baked and felt forced. The ending felt rushed and many things weren't covered. I wish, the author had spent more time writing a satisfactory ending.
I was expecting it to be dark academia but it wasn't dark only an academic murder mystery focused on racism, not that I minded it.
Anna is starting her university life at Brookings, it is the first time she is going to be away from home but not that much, as her parent's business, is just outside of the university and she can visit them whenever she wants. Anna is obsessed with an old murder case that happened at the university and the police couldn't find the culprit. So, like every other, YA mystery Anna took this responsibility to find the murderer. Chris, a childhood academic rival, is also starting his university at Brookings after finishing high school in China. So, yes, you are right, it is enemy turn lover troop.
Was the story new? Not by any means. Although, I liked the general story and the lesson that came with it. The writing style was also engaging. But there were many things lacking in the story and common sense wasn't the best suit for it. The book focused on daily life and not-so-daily life discrimination east Asians have to face. This part was covered effectively, at the same time author decided to portray Anna's parents as typical over-caring Asian parents but I didn't find the part engaging. The relationship with the parents wasn't developed well and they were used whenever it was convenient. The business rivalry was just there to make the audience understand why Chris was an enemy but it was half-baked and felt forced. The ending felt rushed and many things weren't covered. I wish, the author had spent more time writing a satisfactory ending.
May 26, 2022
Thank you so much to Bloomsbury for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Lies We Tell is one of my most anticipated thrillers of 2022, especially after Katie Zhao's exhilarating release, How We Fall Apart, last year. Unfortunately, this novel didn't live up 100% for me. There were a few areas of improvement that I would hope would happen from How We Fell Apart to The Lies We Tell in terms of character development and storytelling, but I didn't really see those improvements happen.
That being said, there were some aspects of the novel that I liked. The theme and general message of the novel is definitely important. The book discusses hate crimes against East Asians and fetishization of East Asians. I think the kinks of the mystery were also more well thought-out compared to How We Fell Apart.
One of the reasons I didn't enjoy this novel as much was because the plot felt so simple and cliche. There were many times that I felt like I was watching a Lifetime movie. There's a secret society in the novel called "The Order of the Alpha" and this organization acted as a mysterious threat to the student body. However, we barely got any information about the Order so I lost the mysterious feeling I got hearing about the Order. I also easily guessed who the "bad guy" was the minute they appeared on page. I would have loved to have more pages in this novel to allow the mystery to ruminate and build up because the story was so fast-paced (an issue I also had with How We Fell Apart). This is also marketed as academic rivals-to-lovers, but the rivals barely had any scenes together. Most of the novel, we see the MC by herself rather than interacting with the love interest. Thus, their relationship felt rushed and under-developed.
Overall, I definitely see so much potential in Katie Zhao's thrillers. I just wish there was more complexity and nuance to the plot.
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
The Lies We Tell is one of my most anticipated thrillers of 2022, especially after Katie Zhao's exhilarating release, How We Fall Apart, last year. Unfortunately, this novel didn't live up 100% for me. There were a few areas of improvement that I would hope would happen from How We Fell Apart to The Lies We Tell in terms of character development and storytelling, but I didn't really see those improvements happen.
That being said, there were some aspects of the novel that I liked. The theme and general message of the novel is definitely important. The book discusses hate crimes against East Asians and fetishization of East Asians. I think the kinks of the mystery were also more well thought-out compared to How We Fell Apart.
One of the reasons I didn't enjoy this novel as much was because the plot felt so simple and cliche. There were many times that I felt like I was watching a Lifetime movie. There's a secret society in the novel called "The Order of the Alpha" and this organization acted as a mysterious threat to the student body. However, we barely got any information about the Order so I lost the mysterious feeling I got hearing about the Order. I also easily guessed who the "bad guy" was the minute they appeared on page. I would have loved to have more pages in this novel to allow the mystery to ruminate and build up because the story was so fast-paced (an issue I also had with How We Fell Apart). This is also marketed as academic rivals-to-lovers, but the rivals barely had any scenes together. Most of the novel, we see the MC by herself rather than interacting with the love interest. Thus, their relationship felt rushed and under-developed.
Overall, I definitely see so much potential in Katie Zhao's thrillers. I just wish there was more complexity and nuance to the plot.
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
June 8, 2023
DNF- 37%
I don't even know what to say. This girl is unhealthily obsessed with the murder of her former babysitter/family friend that it literally takes over her life. She is literally having nightmares over this, and people are telling her not to continue searching for answers, but she just doesn't listen, and it pissed me off too much to continue reading it.
This whole story is just her obsessing over this case and completely ignoring her academics even though she's a "model student". I wish that other things could've been highlighted more like her rivalry with Chris or her parent's bakery.
I don't even know what to say. This girl is unhealthily obsessed with the murder of her former babysitter/family friend that it literally takes over her life. She is literally having nightmares over this, and people are telling her not to continue searching for answers, but she just doesn't listen, and it pissed me off too much to continue reading it.
This whole story is just her obsessing over this case and completely ignoring her academics even though she's a "model student". I wish that other things could've been highlighted more like her rivalry with Chris or her parent's bakery.
April 25, 2026
this has been in my tbr since forever so i was happy to finally read it, but i hoped it would be more. it was entertaining and fast paced, but i found the twists and reveals to be quite predictable unfortunately
November 27, 2022
Welcome to another episode of teenagers trying to solve cold cases without the help of the authorities or without using any sort of common sense whatsoever.
What's that shiny thing?? A bloody knife?? Let me just slobber all over it with my fingerprints and pretend to be shocked when it comes back and bites me in the behind
What's that shiny thing?? A bloody knife?? Let me just slobber all over it with my fingerprints and pretend to be shocked when it comes back and bites me in the behind
February 20, 2023
i actually finished this in december but forgot to put it here 💀 anyways. this was actually kinda scary?? lowkey so chilling and depicted so many issues so well (esp abt asian girls & fetishizers + racism) <3
rtc.
rtc.
March 27, 2023
I can appreciate the messages in this book and I think it was an important story to tell, I just think the execution could have been a bit better. This reminded me a lot of Ace of Spades in its content but I think the writing itself in that one was much better.
This one came off as pretty juvenile for characters in college and some of the plot decisions really pulled me out of the story. Minor spoiler but two of the characters basically get abducted at school and then their parents are totally fine with them going right back to class the next day as if nothing happened.
I definitely liked the idea of this one more than what it actually was but I’m glad the author had the opportunity to tell a story with themes that are important to her.
This one came off as pretty juvenile for characters in college and some of the plot decisions really pulled me out of the story. Minor spoiler but two of the characters basically get abducted at school and then their parents are totally fine with them going right back to class the next day as if nothing happened.
I definitely liked the idea of this one more than what it actually was but I’m glad the author had the opportunity to tell a story with themes that are important to her.
July 7, 2024
It's giving Wattpad 😬🥴
There was barely any mystery/thriller/suspense. It just felt like your typical YA contemporary high school drama, except make it college. Bland characters. Bland story. Blah.
Kudos for trying to show how overt racism against Asians is a deep-seated hate that affects victims physically, mentally, etc
There was barely any mystery/thriller/suspense. It just felt like your typical YA contemporary high school drama, except make it college. Bland characters. Bland story. Blah.
Kudos for trying to show how overt racism against Asians is a deep-seated hate that affects victims physically, mentally, etc
Want to Read
August 27, 2021i need this like... rn
December 28, 2023
oh my god, kan nån bara läsa den här boken NU så jag kan diskutera den???
om ni gillar ”a good girls guide to murder”, kommer ni älska den här!!! det är typ samma stuk på historian. den är precis under 300 sidor så det är en snabb och spännande bok. jag kunde inte lägga ner den.
dock måste jag säga att den var lite förutsägbar på sina ställen men den var ändå så bra skriven så det gjorde typ inget.
är så förvånad över att denna boken inte har så många reviews och att den inte gått vitalt på TikTok än.
4,5/5⭐️
om ni gillar ”a good girls guide to murder”, kommer ni älska den här!!! det är typ samma stuk på historian. den är precis under 300 sidor så det är en snabb och spännande bok. jag kunde inte lägga ner den.
dock måste jag säga att den var lite förutsägbar på sina ställen men den var ändå så bra skriven så det gjorde typ inget.
är så förvånad över att denna boken inte har så många reviews och att den inte gått vitalt på TikTok än.
4,5/5⭐️
January 15, 2023
Katie Zhao's thriller The Lies We Tell tackles important and timely topics. I can definitely see what the vision of what this book was suppose to be, but the execution of the story fell flat for me.
Anna Xu is a sheltered Chinese American freshmen college student who has recently returned from a summer visit in Beijing and will be starting school at Brookings University, a liberal college known for its elite, affluent, white alma mater. It is also known in the Asian community as the place for a cold case in which Asian-cued Melissa Hong, Anna's babysitter, was murdered seven years ago. Anna, hoping for answers and closure, resolves to covertly investigate.
I had difficulty in believing Anna was a college freshmen. Her voice and actions were too young. I can understand having difficulty in making friends in a new environment and adjusting to a new environment, but Anna does not have any common sense or street smarts. I didn't think she was capable of taking on an investigation. When she finds a suspicious app in which she can meet and make friends, she trusts it right away and discloses way too much information about herself.
I also had issues with an unnecessary romance that didn't do anything for the story. In the book we learn about the rivalry between Anna's and Chris's family restaurants. We spend more time on their relationship than we do learning about Melissa's case. The thriller aspect of the story doesn't really start happening until about 60 percent of the book and once it started it was too rushed. I'm not sure how many readers would stick with this book. Some reviewers mentioned that the book is fast paced, but it wasn't for me. I found the mystery underwhelming because I figured it out early in the book. I did, however, like the themes the book touched on such as Anti-Asian discrimination and sexual fetishization of Asian women, but they didn't land powerfully as they should. The Lies We Tell wanted to be like a hybrid between Ace of Spades and a thriller by Tiffany D. Jackson, but ultimately it fell flat.
Anna Xu is a sheltered Chinese American freshmen college student who has recently returned from a summer visit in Beijing and will be starting school at Brookings University, a liberal college known for its elite, affluent, white alma mater. It is also known in the Asian community as the place for a cold case in which Asian-cued Melissa Hong, Anna's babysitter, was murdered seven years ago. Anna, hoping for answers and closure, resolves to covertly investigate.
I had difficulty in believing Anna was a college freshmen. Her voice and actions were too young. I can understand having difficulty in making friends in a new environment and adjusting to a new environment, but Anna does not have any common sense or street smarts. I didn't think she was capable of taking on an investigation. When she finds a suspicious app in which she can meet and make friends, she trusts it right away and discloses way too much information about herself.
I also had issues with an unnecessary romance that didn't do anything for the story. In the book we learn about the rivalry between Anna's and Chris's family restaurants. We spend more time on their relationship than we do learning about Melissa's case. The thriller aspect of the story doesn't really start happening until about 60 percent of the book and once it started it was too rushed. I'm not sure how many readers would stick with this book. Some reviewers mentioned that the book is fast paced, but it wasn't for me. I found the mystery underwhelming because I figured it out early in the book. I did, however, like the themes the book touched on such as Anti-Asian discrimination and sexual fetishization of Asian women, but they didn't land powerfully as they should. The Lies We Tell wanted to be like a hybrid between Ace of Spades and a thriller by Tiffany D. Jackson, but ultimately it fell flat.
February 1, 2025
౨ৎ | “then what is your ulterior motive?” “you’re so dense. use your head and figure it out on your own time.”
— ★ 3/5
i truly felt myself in each and everyone of these characters. i feel like the glossed over the plot a little bit and kind of just rushed the end. like there wasn’t really any investigation it was just kind of handed to the fmc.
chris lu the man you are 🧎🏽♀️➡️🧎🏽♀️➡️ from the first time he was introduced all the way to the end i was giggling and kicking my feet at everything he said to anna.
this book dealt with real life problems and the way the characters spoke about it was so empowering and you could tell the author has experienced or seen it happen too many times.
the writing was beautifully written and flowed so well. it only lacked in plot otherwise it would have been five stars. but i will read more of this author in the future.
— ★ 3/5
i truly felt myself in each and everyone of these characters. i feel like the glossed over the plot a little bit and kind of just rushed the end. like there wasn’t really any investigation it was just kind of handed to the fmc.
chris lu the man you are 🧎🏽♀️➡️🧎🏽♀️➡️ from the first time he was introduced all the way to the end i was giggling and kicking my feet at everything he said to anna.
this book dealt with real life problems and the way the characters spoke about it was so empowering and you could tell the author has experienced or seen it happen too many times.
the writing was beautifully written and flowed so well. it only lacked in plot otherwise it would have been five stars. but i will read more of this author in the future.
December 22, 2022
I’m sure this was meant to be some sort of commentary on racism or something like that, but I could just not get over all the IDIOTIC choices the main character kept making!! She kept putting herself in danger over and over and over again. Are people REALLY that dumb?! Maybe. 🤦🏻♀️
And then I feel like the love story part was very disjointed from the rest of the book. 🙄
I will say~ I did like her parents. That was pretty much all.
Content note: A bit of language and kidnapping.
And then I feel like the love story part was very disjointed from the rest of the book. 🙄
I will say~ I did like her parents. That was pretty much all.
Content note: A bit of language and kidnapping.
March 22, 2023
I enjoyed this so much more than How We Fall Apart! The story was much more intense and much less of a copy-paste from TV shows the way the first book was. I thought this was a sequel, but not really at all. I liked how the story progresses, and the reveals are so well done, in my opinion. A lot, if not all, these things could very much happen in real life, and as an Asian woman, this shit is terrifying.
TW: fetishization, racism, hate crimes
TW: fetishization, racism, hate crimes
August 22, 2023
THIS WAS SO TERRIFYING. Do not do what I did and read this late at night while it's storming outside. Since it discusses hate crimes and murders targeting young, Asian-American women on college campuses (and I myself am a female Asian-American going to college), this book hit particularly hard. The fear, suspicion, and anger the protagonist, Anna, experienced was very real.
Anna Xu is an introvert and can be awkward at times, but she's clever and not stereotypical. She does have a competitive streak when it comes to academics and grades, which does fall into a stereotypical portrayal of Asians (though I will say that a lot of Asians I know do get pressured to perform well by parents so this "I need to get good grades" isn't totally out of the ballpark"). It is important to note that the "Model Minority" assumption is very harmful. Not all asians like STEM, math, or get good grades or are obedient. I'm glad that the author shows that Asians are so much more than the "Model Minority." Despite Anna being somewhat of an overachiever, she is not portrayed stereotypically. She's smart, sassy, brave, and has character. She's a fighter. I really hope this book gets a sequel. I'd love to see the rise of detective series with POC as the leads. The end of the book sets Anna Xu up for more mysteries, and it would be cool if she could be the next Nancy Drew.
Chris Lu is Anna's academic rival. Their dynamic is a bit on the trope-y side: they are rivals to lovers and their romance is a bit cliche and predictable. However, I am totally fine with this romance because they have genuine respect and trust for each other. It's not a "oh he's so hot and grown-up and I love him" kind of thing like so many YA novels. Chris is a likable guy and he and Anna have to work together. Their friendship forms a solid base to their relationship, so the eventual romance is genuine. Also, they're both Asian, which is refreshing. Too many times the female Asian character is paired with a white guy.
I did guess pretty easily who the bad guy was, so it wasn't much of a mystery in that regard. The villain is too much of a cardboard evil racist without any personality. Since this book's main purpose is to speak out against racist hate crimes, I can see why the villain has no nuance and is only shown in black and white terms. However, I wish there was a little more character development for the main baddie.
Another thing that bothered me: Anna keeps calling her summer a "whirlwind summer." She does this like three to four times in the beginning of the book, and that description gets annoying and tiring real quick. Say whirlwind once and be done with it.
Overall, quick read and good messages on inclusivity, Asian-American realities and fears, and fighting back.
Anna Xu is an introvert and can be awkward at times, but she's clever and not stereotypical. She does have a competitive streak when it comes to academics and grades, which does fall into a stereotypical portrayal of Asians (though I will say that a lot of Asians I know do get pressured to perform well by parents so this "I need to get good grades" isn't totally out of the ballpark"). It is important to note that the "Model Minority" assumption is very harmful. Not all asians like STEM, math, or get good grades or are obedient. I'm glad that the author shows that Asians are so much more than the "Model Minority." Despite Anna being somewhat of an overachiever, she is not portrayed stereotypically. She's smart, sassy, brave, and has character. She's a fighter. I really hope this book gets a sequel. I'd love to see the rise of detective series with POC as the leads. The end of the book sets Anna Xu up for more mysteries, and it would be cool if she could be the next Nancy Drew.
Chris Lu is Anna's academic rival. Their dynamic is a bit on the trope-y side: they are rivals to lovers and their romance is a bit cliche and predictable. However, I am totally fine with this romance because they have genuine respect and trust for each other. It's not a "oh he's so hot and grown-up and I love him" kind of thing like so many YA novels. Chris is a likable guy and he and Anna have to work together. Their friendship forms a solid base to their relationship, so the eventual romance is genuine. Also, they're both Asian, which is refreshing. Too many times the female Asian character is paired with a white guy.
I did guess pretty easily who the bad guy was, so it wasn't much of a mystery in that regard. The villain is too much of a cardboard evil racist without any personality. Since this book's main purpose is to speak out against racist hate crimes, I can see why the villain has no nuance and is only shown in black and white terms. However, I wish there was a little more character development for the main baddie.
Another thing that bothered me: Anna keeps calling her summer a "whirlwind summer." She does this like three to four times in the beginning of the book, and that description gets annoying and tiring real quick. Say whirlwind once and be done with it.
Overall, quick read and good messages on inclusivity, Asian-American realities and fears, and fighting back.
May 4, 2023
3.5 - a little repetitive
December 15, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
April 17, 2022
3.5 /5
I’m really struggling with how to review this book because I wanted to love everything. I really wish it would have been longer. It had so many great parts and the plot was good but it almost felt like it was trying to achieve so much that it missed the mark for me. Personally I think this could have been a duology. The mystery and plot felt like it happened a bit too fast. At 325 pages I found my self thinking there wasn't enough time to grasp the gravity of the events and the details we were being given. When the threats and mystery finally started to unfold the book was basically over. The mystery to me was predictable and the ending almost felt a bit anticlimactic. The romance was okay but I did appreciate how it tried to brighten up a darker story.
I struggled with the mashup of contemporary social activism/ thriller. As an Asian American I appreciated the inclusion of real life and current events. I definitely think it’s important to readers but some how I felt like this story tried to throw so many layers at us it almost lost its poignancy.
I don’t want to deter people from reading this with my review. I think this is a good book but it is trying to tackle so much. At it’s core it’s relatable. It’s about growing up and growing into oneself all while dealing with hateful stereotypes and racism. It’s also about family and being flawed and trying to find a place in this world. If you like fast paced contemporary thrillers then maybe give this a shot.
Thank you Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’m really struggling with how to review this book because I wanted to love everything. I really wish it would have been longer. It had so many great parts and the plot was good but it almost felt like it was trying to achieve so much that it missed the mark for me. Personally I think this could have been a duology. The mystery and plot felt like it happened a bit too fast. At 325 pages I found my self thinking there wasn't enough time to grasp the gravity of the events and the details we were being given. When the threats and mystery finally started to unfold the book was basically over. The mystery to me was predictable and the ending almost felt a bit anticlimactic. The romance was okay but I did appreciate how it tried to brighten up a darker story.
I struggled with the mashup of contemporary social activism/ thriller. As an Asian American I appreciated the inclusion of real life and current events. I definitely think it’s important to readers but some how I felt like this story tried to throw so many layers at us it almost lost its poignancy.
I don’t want to deter people from reading this with my review. I think this is a good book but it is trying to tackle so much. At it’s core it’s relatable. It’s about growing up and growing into oneself all while dealing with hateful stereotypes and racism. It’s also about family and being flawed and trying to find a place in this world. If you like fast paced contemporary thrillers then maybe give this a shot.
Thank you Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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