Deadly Little Lies

Touch #2

by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, a new boy at school who had a very mysterious gift – psychometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry and experiencing strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow been transferred to her.

Ben returns to school, but he remains aloof, and Camelia can't get close enough to share her secret with him. Camelia makes the painful decision to let him go and move on. Adam, the hot new guy at Knead, seems good for her in ways Ben wasn't. But when Camelia and Adam start dating, a surprising love triangle results. A chilling sequence of events uncovers secrets from Ben’s past – and Adam's. Someone is lying, and it's up to Camelia to figure out who – before it's too late.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Mystery, Fantasy, Supernatural, Paranormal Romance

288 pages, Hardcover

First published November 6, 2009

About the author

Laurie Faria Stolarz grew up in Salem, MA, attended Merrimack College, and received an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College in Boston.

Laurie Faria Stolarz is an American author of young adult fiction novels, best known for her Blue is for Nightmares series. Her works, which feature teenage protagonists, blend elements found in mystery and romance novels.

Stolarz found sales success with her first novel, Blue is for Nightmares, and followed it up with three more titles in the series, White is for Magic, Silver is for Secrets, and Red is for Remembrance, as well as a companion graphic novel, Black is for Beginnings. Stolarz is also the author of the Touch series (Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Deadly Little Games, Deadly Little Voices, and Deadly Little Lessons), as well as Bleed and Project 17. With more than two million books sold worldwide, Stolarz's titles have been named on various awards list.

Reviews

[Karyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one better than the first. The story is similar except for the love triangle. The new character Adam adds to the story and the author does a great job adding conflict. I LOVE THAT FINALLY THE GIRL GIVES THE GUY THE BOOT! Bella couldn't let Edward go, Rose couldn't let Dimitri go, and so on. Camelia stands up for herself and makes Ben deal with his decision - You don't want to be with me then deal with it. Good for her!

Summary -
Camelia gets threatening letters and photos again. Everyne thinks it's a joke, but she doesn't think so. Turns out that Debbie (coma girl from book 1) wants to set Ben up so that he forced to leave town. Aunt Alexia is still in the psych hospital and her parents go to visit her. We find out that Aunt Alexia has the same gift as Camelia.

Reminders for the next book -
Camelia - She also has the gift of psychometry through sculpture. Ben tells her that he wants distance and won't touch her. Cameial asks to switch partners and suffers tha backlash. The tension between the two is well written. In the end, he comes back and they decide to be together forever. Can he read her thoughts?

Ben - Comes back and wants space because he fears hurting her. He can't let go though and misses her so he frequently pops up. Thank god he finally gives and goes to her and says that he won't leave her.

Adam - Potential love interest who is genuinely nice. He's funny, caring, and seems like a good guy. Unfortunately, he is Adam's ex-best friends who came to Freetown to make Ben see how it feels to lose someone you care about. He says that it was stupid and that he really does care about Camelia. Possible further conflict in the next book? Don't think so.

Kimmie - Her parents fighting gets much worse to the point where the father leaves. Her father says some terrible things to her and Nate. She dates Todd who leaves hickies on her. This is all for attention.

Wes - Things at home have also gotten really bad for him. Wes does not want to open up and I think the author let this part of the story fall. From his pain, you can see that he needs to open up.

Predictions - The next book focuses on Aunt Alexia. I think Ben and Camelia go and visit her.

[Leah (Simply Nerdy Book Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

For this book, i have five rules. Number 1: Trust no one. Number 2: Don't make any assumptions. Number 3: Try not to scream. Number 4: Don't believe anyone. And Number Five: Stolarz kicks ass.


I was blown away by this novel, even more so than by Deadly Little Secret. It sucks you in from the first page, and is very difficult to put down until the end. Stolarz was fabulous at displaying Camelia's fears, and that made the book even easier to get into. The story starts off with action, builds up a ton of suspense, and then BAM! You are left completely and utterly shocked by the conclusion.


The mysterious air from Deadly Little Secret most definitely returns in this fabulous sequel, and will have you hanging on till the end. Ben and Camelia's complicated, yet still very there, romance was a hooking subplot to the story, for you constantly are wondering if and when they will ever realize how much they both need eachother. But, throughout the story you begin to doubt Ben, which causes that urge to yell for Camelia to leave him alone. The eery attraction Adam seems to have for Camelia most definitely added conflict as well, making you wonder if maybe, just maybe, their relationship could survive longer than Camelia and Ben's.


The threat of another stalker, and the worry that Matt may be returning kept me turning pages eagerly, hoping that none of Camelia's friends would turn out to be just the opposite. The voices Camelia hears and eerie messeges she recieves only increase your suspcion, and make sure you are always pointing your finger at someone else.


Being a major fan horror films, i was very surprised by how much this novel exceeded my expectations, and even made me want to glance under the bed and lock all the doors. Deadly Little Lies is perfect for a late at night read, when the entire house is silent and the only noise is your fingers against the pages. It was like watching a horror film and screaming at the screen for the person to do something, but they can't hear you. This book? It's scary!

Leah:) at www.simplynerdy.com

[BOOK BUTTERFLY · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deadly Little Lies, the sequel to the first book in the series, Deadly Little Secret, definitely lives up to its promise of more suspense, romance and plot twists. Laurie Faria Stolarz really knows how to construct an elaborate plot to flow with such ease, and continuously keep you on the edge of your seat with the mystery and romance of the narrative. Starting a few months after Ben leaves Camelia's life, the story immediately takes off with a burst of heart pounding action that just keeps on rolling the entire novel. Right from page one, Camelia is immediately caught up in a new dangerous situation and that initial spooky basement experience really left me biting my nails and wondering- what just happened? This time around though, Camelia is without the most crucial person to help her stay safe, and that of course, is Ben. What will she do now that she doesn't have Ben to support her and sense when she's in danger?

The romantic tension between Camelia and Ben, two people so obviously still in love with one another was agonizing. I kept flipping the pages, anxiously hoping they would resolve their issues. Their scenes together were a roller coaster of emotions, further compounded by Camelia's budding relationship with Adam, the new guy at Knead. Speaking of Adam, you never quite trust Camelia's attraction him. He appears out of the blue, saying and doing all the right things. Yet isn't that just so convenient?! Other times, I'd switch my line of thinking and want her to give him a chance. By the end, I was so turned around I didn't quite know what to think of anyone, including Ben and even Camelia's best friends Wes and Kimmy! No one was free from suspicion or ever completely trustworthy. And of course, there's always that underlying worry that Matt was back in town too. And if your read the first book, you know that would NOT be a good thing!

In regards to the harassing calls and messages that begin resurfacing around Camelia, at times I felt incredibly agitated with her for not going to her parents, and wanted to yell at her for not being more aggressive about her safety. Haven't we been through this before Camelia? But, with that being said, I do want to point out that Stolarz does a great job in painting a believable picture as to why Camelia wouldn't immediately run to her parents for help. Because of the careful plot building and narrative, it made me able to accept Camelia's actions even though I didn't necessarily agree with them as an outsider looking in.

Time and time again, I'd try and fall asleep while reading this novel, but found myself getting up to check the door locks and make sure I had the house alarm on. Just like when I read Deadly Little Secret, I was almost dizzy from wondering and worrying who could be trusted in Camelia's world. And that is the best thing about Laurie Faria Stolarz's writing. She knows how to captivate the reader- inserting a bit of romance here, some eerie voices there, secrets untold, threatening antics and creepy diary entries. All of these devices are perfectly blended to create an intense air of mystery and keep your pulse pounding. Several times, I tried to go to sleep but kept thinking about Camelia. Who was stalking her again? Who was getting into her room? What about the new guy Adam? But most importantly, what was going on with those creepy, whispered voices? I have to say that it was the voices which spooked me the most and left me unable to fall asleep, listening to the house creak and settle into the very late hours of the night....

Wait - did you hear that?! What was that?

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Argh... why do I continue to read this series? The first book was just "meh" Now, the second in the series....just made me feel as if I were reading the first book all over again. Literally ~ another stalker, distant parents, harmful pranks, etc. I guess I expected more since Stolarz has written and sold so many books. But then again, lots of people go to McDonald's... so there is no accounting for taste, right? Ah well... I'm a sucker for knowing how things end, so chances are I will continue with this series ~ but it is due to my personal issues, rather than Stolarz writing ability.

[thebookblogger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since this is my second time reading one of Stolarz's books, I was pretty acquainted with her type of writing. Yet, she continues to amaze me with her use of adjectives and creative writing style--descriptive, but not too detailed. The tale was alluring. I couldn't get enough.

The writing was unbelievable--as was the plot line. Stolarz adds her own special touch to the often used love triangle, throwing secretive pasts and mysterious lies into play. I was captivated throughout. The characters were prominently unique and stayed true to themselves, which is always important to the story. The plot itself was spectacular and moved along quite quickly. After reading one page, I couldn't get to the next one fast enough. It was purely stunning. I enjoyed every minute of reading this book.

However, the most attracting addition to the novel, for me, was the romance. I loved the romance. Camelia's ever-changing emotion toward Ben was riveting to read about. In this book, their relationship could easily be compared to a rollercoaster. One minute, they're cherishing what is supposed to be their last moments together and the next, they're giving in, cracking under the pressure of their hardly ignorable love. It nearly drove me insane. And when Camelia finally let Ben go and moved on to another guy, Adam, she began to have this feeling in her gut that told her that there might be something he’s keeping from her. This problematic triangle sure was a nail-biter, and I loved it.

A breath-taking book--filled with suspenseful whispers, romantic confusion, and lingering touch. Deadly Little Lies is simply stunning. I'm anxiously awaiting the next in the Touch series.

Ratings:

Writing: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Ashley B for TeensReadToo.com

It has been four months since Ben left Camelia. Since then, Camelia has been researching psychometry, the mysterious gift that Ben has. Camelia is sure that she has this power as well, like it rubbed off on her somehow.

Then Ben comes back to school. He keeps his distance, but then breaks it, confusing Camelia. He wanted space, so Camelia decides to finally give up and move on.

She meets Adam at Knead. He seems to care about her, but he isn't Ben. Camelia is also starting to get more weird photos and letters. She is even hearing things - warnings. Someone is lying to her. But who?

Ms. Stolarz's writing is brilliant. I love it, and it is so easy to read, and keep reading, until you're done with the whole novel. The characters are so lovable. I found myself rooting for Camelia and Ben the whole time. The "love triangle" is a great addition to the novel, because it really puts a strain on Camelia's and Ben's relationship, or lack thereof. And there being another stalker, or weirdo, in her town is crazy.

DEADLY LITTLE LIES is another amazing story. I have yet to find a book by this author that I do not like. I cannot wait to find out what happens in the next book in the TOUCH series, DEADLY LITTLE GAMES!

[Picture Perfect · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually liked this one a lot more than the first one. True that this series is a lot like the Twilight series. But the Twilight series didn't have the whole stalker thing? For some reason, I like the stalker thing. Unlike last time, I totally didn't know that it was blankity blank who was the stalker. Surprise, surprise, surprise...

I still kind of hate Camelia because she never learns from her mistakes the first time. Oh, she's an idiot. But at least, she's an okay narrator. I think I like this book a lot more because Wes and Kimmie happen to be interesting characters. They actually don't seem that cliche--well maybe Kimmie--, but I credit the author for that anyway. I also loved learning about what Camelia could do and about her aunt's past. Pretty good. So 4.5 stars or just 4.

But the book did have its mistakes no doubt. Once, Camelia said that the first time she kissed Ben was in the pottery studio, Knead. Noooo, Camelia, you kissed him while having a picnic with him on your first date. Doi....

[Γιώτα Παπαδημακοπούλου · Rating 4 out of 5]

Σαφέστατα πολύ καλύτερο από το πρώτο, με καλύτερη ανάλυση χαρακτήρων, έτσι ώστε οι αποφάσεις και οι συμπεριφορές τους να φαντάζουν πιο λογικές και κατά συνέπεια, πιο ρεαλιστικές. Η ύπαρξη ερωτικού τριγώνου θα μπορούσε να μας ξενίσει υπό άλλες συνθήκες, αλλά στην προκειμένη περίπτωση, ο Μπεν μάς έχει εκνευρίσει τόσο πολύ, που όταν το κορίτσι μας τον αντιμετωπίζει με στυλ: "Δεν με θες μία, δεν σε θέλω δέκα, κάνε τη ζωή, να κάνω τη δική μου", παίρνοντας τη ζωή της στα χέρια της και αφήνοντάς τον να ζήσει με τις δικές του επιλογές, δεν μπορούμε παρά να νιώσουμε καμάρι και περηφάνια για την πάρτη της. Όσο για το σύνολο της πλοκής... έχει δράση, αρκετή ένταση και αγωνία, στοιχεία που υπήρχαν και στο πρώτο βιβλίο, αλλά ομολογουμένως με καλύτερη διαχείριση αυτή τη φορά.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deadly Little Lies picks up straight where Secret left off. Camelia is struggling to deal with her abduction the previous summer and having Ben leave town. Her family life is still not back to normal, and the unresolved issues between her mother and aunt Alexia simmer in this installment of the Touch Series. Ben's return to town makes Cameila feel like a boat lost at sea; he doesn't seem to want to have anything to do with Camelia and is cold and distant. Camelia attempts to move on with her new work friend, Adam, but the relationship is a battle with the feelings she still has towards Ben and the fact the he seems jealous at this turn of events. Even more strange is the voices Camelia is hearing and the premoitions she has in the form of her pottery work. Desperate to try and piece her life back together, Cameila is faced with a painful memories of her past; the notes and threatening phone calls have started again.

I was a little wary to read this installment, because I didn't enjoy the first installment as much as I had hoped. However, I think I preferred this novel more due to the well paced story line which flowed a lot easier. There was a lot more emotion instilled into the story, which meant Camelia seemed to have more depth, and I seemed to undertand her attraction to Ben, which wasn't there for me in the first book. The stalker aspect of the story was handled effectively and more than a little creepy. However, Stolarz didn't do justice to her writing skills. Too many clues were left behind and I had figured out the culprict before Camelia, which diminished the scary side for me, that was more pronounced at the beginning of the book.

As a lover of urban fantasy, I would have loved Camelia to explore her pshyic powers a little more, push the boundries. Maybe this will be explored more in the third book, which is due to be published late 2010. Also, the minor characters in the form of Kimmie and Wes, seemed to have little interection and seemed to serve no other purpose other than lighten the mood. Kimmie's family does get more light shone on them, and we can learn through Camelia's observations the break down of a family and how it affects Kimmie, which was a nice touch. I do hope they both get a little bit more time in the third book.

The ending for me was exactly how I wanted it to end and set the bar up for Deadly Little Games, which I am looking forward to reading. I am pleased that I stuck with this series and it seems to be paying off, and if the improvements continue, I think the last book in the series will be fantastic. I look forward to reading it.

[Macy (TheBookishMagicofMacy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of my reviews at http://itisabookthing.blogspot.com/

OVERALL:
Plot-17/20
Characters-17/20
Creativity-16/20
Writing-18/20
Pace-7/10
Ending-7/10
=82/100 B
★★★★/5

REViEW:
I really enjoyed the suspense and the crazy mystery of Deadly Little Secret. I expected the same from this book. Although the first book seemed like a stand-alone, theres a whole long series surrounding this premise. I was hoping this book would surprising just like the first, but this book kind of took a different route. It did have the same creepy feel to it, which I totally enjoyed. I was home alone one day reading this book and thought I was being watched. Yeah tip of advice don't read this alone or at night. The plot was intriguing until the end when this train took a turn into crazy plot town. I can only hope that the next book recaptures the essense of th first.

The characters were pretty good. Camelia should learn by now to just speak up, but I still liked her character. She made sense and I agred with her point of view most of the time. Her friends were hilarious and pretty great in this book, but I did have some problems with Kimmie. Sometimes Kimmie seemed like she did not care about Camelia, which irked me. Ben was pretty good. I didn't mind him. Adam though... the plot surrounding him still has me confused. I just wonder why that one thing had to happen. Some plot "twists" made this book unbelievable and bordered on ridiculous.

The ending was so ridiculous. I feel like it could have been more reasonable. The stalked wasn't even a logical one. Like I understood why that person would d it, but it was so stupid! The first book was surprising and mysterious, this ending made this book into a beginning grade-school Nancy Drew book. I really hope the next book is more intense.

My Favorite Part: Probably how the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat.

ALL iN ALL:
Do I recommend this book? Yep. I just hope the next book is a little more practical.
Will I be reading the next book? I think so.

[Brooke ♥booklife4life♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find this review, plus more, on my blog: Booklikes OR Blogger

Basic Info

Format: Kindle.
Pages/Length: n/a
Genre: Young Adult; Fantasy; Superpowers
Reason For Reading: Want to finish series.

At A Glance

Love Triangle/Insta Love/Obsession?: Triangle, obsession
Cliff Hanger: Nah
Triggers: Suicidal thoughts.
Rating: 3 stars

Score Sheet
All out of ten

Cover: 7
Plot: 6
Characters: 6
World Building: 6
Flow: 5
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 6
Ending: 6

Total: 6

In Depth

Best Part: Nice re read.
Worst Part: Horrible ending.
Thoughts Had: There has to be more to it!!!!

Conclusion

Continuing the Series: Yes
Recommending: Eh

Short Review: Last time i read this, i gave it 4 stars, and now that i'm more cold hearted *pause for laughter* i only gave it 3 stars this time around. I still liked the story, but a second read pointed out how slow this story is, there is plot movement, but it takes forever to happen. Then you have Alexia and she is barely given a part in the story, but yet you included her letters, leading you to believe it should be more focused on her, but it isn't. The MC is obsessed with Ben, so bad, i didn't see it the first time, but now that i have read some pretty bad books, it jumps out at me more, and i couldn't see past it. Also the whole Debra bit, the "ending" of that was the lamest thing i have ever read, it was just sad.

Misc.

Book Boyfriend: Pass.
Best Friend Material: Pass.

Review in GIF Form:

[Tina (Fantastic Book Review) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Little Lies is a suspenseful and thrilling page turner…

I love the whole aspect around psychometry in the Touch Series. It’s unique and spooky, which I guess is why I kept trying to convince myself while reading this book that I was the only one in the house at the time. With Camelia’s strange encounters with premonitions, I couldn’t help but to be psyched while reading this book.

In this installment, Camelia’s trying to grasp the meaning of this ability especially when it seems totally different from what Ben’s ability entailed. Stolarz did a great job at explaining why Camelia kept finding excuses not to tell her parents or authorities about the threats surrounding her. I guess it’s not as easy to explain when one might think she’s crazy. Ben’s also back in town but all’s not well in paradise, there’s a new guy knocking at the door.

I found myself laughing at the humorous dialogue between Camelia’s best friends, Kimmie and Wes. Every time something weird happened with Camelia, these two would put their two cents in whether it’s sound advice or not, but they always managed to get a laugh out of me.

Stolarz once again kept me guessing with the plot. Finally, when I think I've figured out who the perp. is, another wrench is thrown in knocking my guesstimations out the door. All I can say is Poor Ben, can this guy catch a break?

I can’t wait to see what Stolarz has in store for us in Deadly Little Game, the next installment in the Touch Series.

Rating: 4 ½ out of 5 Stars

[Nicole]

This book definitely had me spooked, especially since I would read it at night alone in my apartment. Once again, Camelia is being stalked. There are eerie messages and phone calls to leave the reader guessing as to the culprit's identity. And there are some really good twists--such as the journal entries we get. I have to say that the journal entries were one of the most intriguing parts of the story. They really added to the overall mystery of the book and gets you excited for the next one. So, while I thought it was a good read with great writing to keep the reader in suspense, I have my complaints.

As the story continues, I increasingly get frustrated with the characters, especially how unopen Ben and Camilla are. Ben still feels like a mystery, even after two books. I really hope the next book we learn more about him. And you would think Camilla would have matured and learned from the previous book, such as that she shouldn't keep important things from her parents, like people stalking you. The ending was frustrating, for me, too--Camilla makes a mistake of not trusting Ben and she doesn't even apologize for it. There is no hashing out of their emotions except for them just saying they have to talk, but the book ends before we actually see them solve anything, like their lack of trust in one another. However, none of these complaints completely detract from my eagerness to read the third book, DEADLY LITTLE GAMES. I just now have higher expectations for the next book to solve these issues.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadly Little Lies was even better than Deadly Little Secret. And it strayed a lot more from the whole Twilight feel. Which I greatly appreciated. I was a little scared at first after reading the back page of this book and the districption that it gave that it was going to continue following in the whole Twilight feel and read a lot like its sequel New Moon.

After Ben left at the end of Deadly Little Secret Camelia is heart broken and doesnt know what to do with herself. It is at this point that she also discovers that she herself has inherited psychometric powers. While she sculpts her clay, her works of art turn into images of the future. Starting off with a sculpture of Ben's scar followed by his eye, which are only a few of the things that she sculpts in this book that turn out to be warnings of things to come.

To see my full review please visit my Book Blog [The Anfractuous Bookaholic]

[Sena Khateeb · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars
I really enjoyed reading this book, just like the first one.
I thought some things were very similar to the first book, including some phrases and descriptions, but I loved it anyways and I loved the ending.
However, I think I will take a break from this series for a while because I was just going through the fourth book (Deadly Little Voices) and at the end Camelia chooses Adam; and I'm team Ben all the way so- and I know this sounds crazy- but I won't be able to manage the heartbreak I'll go trough. *tear tear*

[Joleen (starlightbooktales) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second book into the series and I'm convinced this girl has the worst luck in history. I hate a terrible love triangle. Introducing a second love interest that is lacking the chemistry needed for an actual love triangle is quite annoying.

[Ai-chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait until it comes out!

[Alise · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I read DEADLY LITTLE SECRET, I had a number of issues with it that stopped me from fully enjoying the book. Because everything had been set up in the first, I had higher hopes for the second book in the series, DEADLY LITTLE LIES. Unfortunately, the issues I found in the first book were just amplified.

For a majority of the book, not much happens. There is a lot of high school and romantic angst that happened while the plot just sort of sat there unattended. Camelia longs for Ben, Camelia and her friends go out for ice cream, Camelia longs for Ben again, etc.

The mystery aspect doesn’t start until about the middle of the book, and when it does I’m expecting Camelia to act this time instead of foolishly trying to investigate on her own again (because that worked out so well last time). But nope, Camelia again does not contact the police or her parents and continues making dumb decisions. Her parents, of course, are still conveniently caught up in their own drama from the last book still.

In addition to pining for Ben constantly, a new love interest emerges. It felt unnecessary to add a love triangle because all it contributed was more drama and a sort of odd twist. Not to mention whenever she was with him she was generally thinking about Ben anyway.

While I liked the resolution of the mystery aspect in the first book, it totally let me down this time. It was unexpected and kind of anticlimactic.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I take back what I said about this not being a series. I'm very happy that the story continued.

Although at times it did feel like completely different characters, like it wasn't totally a continuation, I'm still very happy that it happened.

Thinking back (or trying to think back on the book) nothing really stands out. Like yes I enjoyed it, I'm happy I read it but there's nothing too memorable about the story. I just kind of happened.

There wasn't too much development with any of the characters, which was honestly frustrating, she made the exact same mistakes as in the first book.

It did get more interesting with her "powers" or whatever you want to call them but again nothing really stood out.

The one part that it could have been really exciting they just kinda skipped over it.

The more I type the more I realize I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I did. It seems like it was just a connecting book to get the story set up for the third book, which is kinda disappointing.

I'll for sure finish the series but hopefully they get back on track. Like the first book actually scared me and this one was just blah.

[su ୨୧ · Rating 2 out of 5]

bruh i hope next book will be better

[Trisha McHugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really forgot how much I love these books. But wow they are so well done!!

[Nikki (Wicked Awesome Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deadly Little Lies picks up where Deadly Little Secret left off. Camelia is dealing with what happened with her stalker at the end of the first book and having Ben leave town. Her family is slowly recuperating, but there’s still a lot of unresolved issues between Camelia’s mother and her aunt Alexia. Ben’s return to town and school complicates Camelia’s life because he is so standoffish and distant. Her attempts at moving on with new guy Adam are hindered by Ben’s obvious jealousy and unwillingness to fully let her go. Camelia also begins hearing voices and creating premonition-like sculptures. On top of Camelia’s newfound talent, she is once again faced with stalkerish notes and threatening phone calls.

I was more than happy to read Deadly Little Lies because I really enjoyed the first. The story was well-paced and flowed easily. The dialogue was once again fantastic, witty, and smart. The whole diary entry backstory that was introduced in the first book continues here from another perspective. Stolarz was once again able to make the stalker aspect of the story incredibly creepy, while countering it with Camelia's and Ben's complicated and sizzling relationship. The introduction of Adam may upset some readers, but I liked him as a character. He adds more tension to the story and forces Camelia to deal with all of her Ben issues. Camelia's possibly developing psychic powers is also quite interesting and I'm excited to see where that goes in the series.

The story focuses on Camelia being stalked again and as much as I enjoyed that aspect of the plot, it felt overdone. Deadly Little Secret was all about Camelia’s stalker and Ben’s involvement and I felt like Deadly Little Lies was about the exact same thing. Camelia is being stalked, Ben is still mysterious and a possible suspect, and Camelia still has very strong feelings for him. The only difference was that the stalker notes were more intense this time around and they were accompanied by more threatening phone calls. The stalker plotline wasn’t even what really kept me completely drawn to the book, it was the story within the diary. I have a feeling Stolarz will delve more into that in the next book though, so I won't spoil anything here.

The book was by no means bad, but I think it some things could have been done differently. I wish Ben had more dimension. He is presented as being sexy and mysterious. People don’t understand him, so we don’t know that much about him, but I think at this point, we need to. Camelia feels so strongly about him, but we don’t really know him. Aside from telling Camelia about Julie, we know nearly nothing.

Kimmie and Wes are back again to lighten the mood, but they seem to have no purpose other than to do that. They both have their own family issues that are talked about a bit, so I hope there’s a payoff with that. Oftentimes minor characters have no purpose, but to advance the plot and I hope Kimmie and Wes don’t fall into that category.

Deadly Little Lies is a story in a series, so I have high hopes that most of my worries are unwarranted. The story does draw the reader in and hold them there. The pacing is perfect and moves swiftly enough that there’s never really a dull moment. The revelations in this one leave a lot of possibilities in Deadly Little Game, the next installment. I look forward to seeing where Camelia’s story goes.

Even with the aspects I didn't really enjoy, I have hope that it will all be fleshed out more in the following book(s). Deadly Little Lies felt too short to me because there is so much that can happen and that's a good thing. A story like this keeps the readers hooked and I am one person who will be eagerly anticipating the next installment.

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I am reading is Deadly Little Lies by Laurie Faria Stolarz. This book has 282 pages and the publisher is by Hyperion. The very first book of this series was given to me in 8th grade and I love it so for christmas I asked for the next two book and that is how I got Deadly Little Lies. I love how the mystery, suspense and romance is all exhilarating.
Camelia and Ben Carter are the main characters of this novel who are both very
important. Last semester Camelia fell in love with Ben who was the new kid at school. But Ben
was the talk of the school everyone was saying he moved here because where he was from he
killed his ex-girlfriend by pushing her of a cliff. Camelia started to receive notes gifts and picture
of herself and felt someone watching her. One day Ben touched her and squeezed her arm hard
and then told her that she was in danger. Camelia asked how that is and how would he know
but Ben would never respond. Later on he told her that he has psychometry abilities and he
sensed it. Later on Camelia was kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend Matt and Ben found her and
saved her. After she was safe he kissed her then left town. Now in this book Ben is back and
Camelia has been studying Ben’s abilities thinking she may have have it too now. So Ben has
been keeping his distance from her so she decides to move on. Now she begins to date the new
coworker at her job the good looking college student Adam. Which Ben becomes jealous. More
important characters are Adam, Kimmie, Wes, Mom, Dad, and Aunt Alexia.adam is the new
co-worker at her job he is a college student that like Camelia and begins dating her but is
Oomging2
curious about her so called ex Ben, who Camelia might not be done with. Then there is Kimmie
and Wes the two best friend that knows everything going on with Camelia and how she feels but
Kimmie is the one who gets more of the details than Wes. Next is her mom and dad who are
kept out of the loop in Camelia life but are trying to connect with Camelia again so she won’t be
in danger again. Also Aunt Alexia is the aunt who is in the hospital who is crazy and who she
thinks she has some things in common with.
The Deadly Little Lies book is a mystery suspense romance book and the setting is
never stated but called a the town. In the novel it doesn't give an exact time but that Camelia is
16 years old and is in her junior year. The major locations that are that take place in the book is
the Pottery Shop, Camelia's home,and her school. This book was very mysterious on how we
could not find out who was watching Camelia and was very “on the edge of your seat” like. Also
it main character Camelia is trying to get over Ben while she is dating Adam and she is having
a hard time doing that also while trying to figure out who is watching her when Matt is free but
not near around her.
My final thoughts on Deadly Little Secrets is that I loved it and I would recommend this
book to others. What I liked about this novel was the suspense feeling that I got while reading
this book and what I decide was half the parents weren't really involved in the child's life and
wasn't mentioned very much. The good points of the book was that it never got boring and that it
was full of excitement and mystery and romance. What I dislike about the book was that it would
mention guys that we're not relevant to Camelia but was to her friend. What I have learned from
this book is that you can never trust anyone no matter how well you know them because they
can always turn on you. I would totally recommend this book I would give this book five stars is
an amazing book and that should be read by teens who love mysterious romantic suspenseful
books.

[Realteenreviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gist

There is only one thing running through Camelia’s mind: Ben’s coming back. That’s all she can think about. All she wants to think about. She has hopes that, even though they broke up months ago, maybe he’ll somehow realize how stupid he’s being and allow them to be together again. But, of course, things don’t go the way she had hoped. He barely acknowledges she’s alive, let alone tell her he wants them to be together. And then it happens again. She begins to get mysterious notes and pictures in the mail or slid under the door of whatever room she might be in at school. Her friends and her guidance counselor all think it’s some obnoxious person’s idea of a joke. But Camelia has a horrible feeling of dread that will not go away. She confronts Ben, demanding he tell her if she’s in danger. When he refuses to touch her, he becomes primary suspect #1. Camelia feels that she’s learned the hard way that you can’t trust anyone. Meanwhile at Knead, Camelia turns to sculpting for comfort, and Spencer hires someone new. Adam, a handsome and charming college student, shows an interest in Camelia immediately, relentlessly asking her to go out with him. Now that she’s gotten over her fear of letting go with her sculpting, Camelia begins to notice a change in her artwork. The things she sculpts are beginning to show up in her life days after she creates them, almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy. As Camelia does some detective work before this stalking gets out of hand, she has to ask herself a few questions. Can she trust Ben, can she trust Adam, and why do her sculptures seem to have much more pulse than she’d ever intended?

What We Think

Reviewed by Dream Catcher

This is the second in the Touch series by Laurie Faria Stolarz. I’m not sure which I like better, because they were both really good. I actually couldn’t put it down. For a two days I did nothing but read. Because I had to get to the end, no matter what. I just had to finish it. It’s nice to finally type those words. Feels like it’s been forever since I’ve done a review on a book that was GOOD! The one thing I can say that was annoying about this book was that Camelia whines about Ben not wanting to be with her, and then insists on not trusting him one bit. It’s a very abrupt transition. One paragraph she’s in love with him, the next she wouldn’t talk to him if someone paid her. I wanted to say “Pick a side already!” But that might just be me being picky. Either way, it annoyed me. Other than that, I have nothing else to say, really. The writing was as good as it always is, the characters are as quirky as ever, and the plot just as sketchy. A very good read. Especially if you liked Deadly Little Secrets. Fun Fact: the next in the series, Deadly Little Games, comes out in fall of 2010!

Real Teen Rating~ A : Go Buy Now.

[Sydney Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Camelia is an out-of-love teenager who’s ex-boyfriend, Ben, abruptly left town during their relationship. Ben has psychometric powers which allow him to tell the future by touching a person or object. Everyone thinks that he killed his ex-girlfriend and put his classmate, Debbie, into a coma. When Ben comes back to school, Camelia harassingly receives messages that could be from him. She discovers that she can sculpt premonitions and thinks that Ben’s powers might have rubbed off on her. Then she meets a potential lover, Alex, who is a new employee at her work. After a near-death experience, she finds out that Debbie and Alex were trying to get back at Ben.

I really enjoyed the book because Stolarz creates a great amount of suspense. Even in the beginning, she gets the reader thinking about the identity of Camelia’s harasser. In most books, the “bad guy” is usually the person you’d least expect. I automatically thought it was Alex, and when I found out that it was Debbie, I was so surprised. One of the themes that I found was that you shouldn’t trust anyone. Camelia felt bad for Debbie and it ended up that she was the one who was leaving notes.

I liked the storyline but it would’ve been better if the author mentioned Ben more often so that it’s easier to understand his actions. I love stories that have some romance mixed with mystery because it gives you different emotions on every page. These stories make you want the relationship to stay alive and at the same time you try to put clues together to solve it. Because this book was a mystery, it would have helped to read the first book in this series so that you understand the background of each character. This book makes me want to read Deadly Little Games to see what happens next and find out if Camelia really has powers.

[Literary Cravings · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is the second installment in Stolarz's touch series and it was a nice, interesting read. We're introduced to Camelia again trying to live life after the horrific incident that happened to her a few months back (read Deadly Little Secrets) and the fact that Ben left. Soon things start to turn interesting while Camelia works on her pottery and starts to hear voices and sees things. Then Ben comes back into her life and the tension begins with them fighting their feelings for each other. To complicate matters more there's a new guy in town named Adam and he sets his eyes on Camelia, adding a nice little love triangle. The suspense from the first novel is clearly brough to this installment when Camelia start to receive photos and messages again letting her know she's in danger (again) and for her to be careful or she'll end up dead. Only now it's from someone new.

I enjoyed this story and all of the characters, new and old. I loved the tension Stolarz built between Camelia, Ben and Adam. Even though this plot was similar to the fist book with Camelia trying to figure out who's out to hurt her, there are other elements added on, which gave it a fresh new feel. The diary entrees between the chapters was a great addition, adding to the intrigue. What I was a little disappointed with was Stolarz didn't really go into Ben's powers or Ben himself, he still remained a total mystery but hopefully Stolarz will get more into Ben and Camelia's powers with the third installment.

Come check out my reviews on my blog Literary Wonders

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovee this book. Okayy,, im just going dtraight to the point!! It's soo awsome how Camelia might have powers too!! && and how there are diary entries of her aunt and possiblity Camelia inherited the powers, just gives the book a nice touch of mystery without making the book seem sugar coated.

Okayy,, my dislikes: 1. Its already the second book and we still barley know Ben. Like come on & I know Stolarz is giving him like the mysterios guy appearance but for the readers to feel the story more they have to more about the characters to give some connection.
2. i wished that Wes and Kimmie could be alittle more into the book not just Camelia telling them what`s going on and all. Yes we do get into alittle bit of their lives but I want some more.

Prediction: Well this isn`t really a prediction but its more of an I want to happen next sort of thing.
1. Camelia an Ben sneaks off to go see her aunt and discover some shocking secrects.
2. Adam is back and he want`s Camelia! or that Adam have some sort of power too. idk,, I just want a love triangle. hehehe
3. Ben fnally tells us what happens in his past and oen up more to Camelia and don;t ever leave her aagain
4. A new sick villian comes out and wants to hurt Ben this time and not Camelia && it`s up to Camelia, Wes, & Kimmie to do something and let the villian do that because he so in love with Camelia or something idk? but it will be cool. thats a little too corny? idk lool

overall love this book,
xoxo,,
0bookgeek0

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since, Deadly Little Secret was only mediocre, in my opinion, I was a bit hesitant to start Deadly Little Lies. Luckily, Deadly Little Lies batted out any future worries I have with this series simply because it was just plain out fantastic and showed major growth in character and plot development!

Camelia got a lot more likable in this one because of character growth, as mentioned above. Since, for one, she wasn't making extremely stupid decisions in not telling anyone what was happening like she did before, making me actually start to care about what happened to her. And for two, I liked how she gave Ben at ultimatum in this book because it proved strength on her part and made Ben step it up. Plus, I loved the whole focus on her pottery and how it may be related to psychometry. I'm really excited to see where this will go in Deadly Little Games( the next in the series). Further more, I loved the secondary characters a ton in this one. Because their constant dialogue brought many laughable scenes into the mix and brought the scary undertone to the story to a point where the level between funny and serious was great!

The plot in this was also fantastic because I loved the development in it, once again, and it constantly provided you with a twist and turn you never saw coming. I mean seriously half of the stuff that happened in this book was way differnt then what I thought would occur.

In all, Laurie Faria Stolarz proves the Touch series to be a must read in this follow-up, making it a great add to your holiday wishlist.

Grade: A

[Jerrica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pasted from an angry Facebook comment that I posted:

She put a nice twist in there with the Ben/Adam thing, I must say. Though I kind of suspected something along those lines.

Other than that I have to rely on the suspense to keep going because the dialogue is SO BAD I WANT TO DIE. Kimmie and Wes get more insufferable every page, as does Ben and Adam and her mom (Strike while the iron is hot) and dad and Alexia's diary entries, as well as her teachers and Spencer. I think that covers everyone. Oh, Kimmie's family including her little brother Nate. And Debbie Marcus. And everyone at Camelia's school. AND CAMELIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my freaking god someone shut that girl up. Give her a muzzle, give her back to Matt, DO SOMETHING. She's such a stupid whiner (Adam is sooo nice but Ben makes me swoon like on the cover of romance novels) and constantly putting her life in danger I don't even care anymore when she sneaks out in the middle of the night to meet her little vampire-inspired boycrush. And if I were her, my friends would be pretty freaking sick of all my drama, but it seems as though her, Kimmie, and Wes talk about pretty much nothing else!

*

That was when I had about twenty pages to go. It didn't really get any better from there. The book had a climax of about 2 pages and then it was done. Whoop de doo. Unfortunately I want to hear about Camelia's extremely unlucky life so I probably will end up reading the third one...the only thing this author is really good at is getting you addicted to the story. Freaking...

[Brandi ;) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series and I really like this author. I'm excited to see that she has more books other than this series. Woohoo!
Camelia (for what ever reason it is soooo hard for me to say that name in my head, i usually end up calling her Cam) is not a typical teen, she is a lot more strong willed and not as 'run with the masses' or fluffy headed as a lot of the teens I have ended up having the misfortune of reading about. SPOILERS - NOT HARD CORE OR STORY RUINING, BUT SPOILERS NON THE LESS ----- I did get annoyed with her insistent desire to 'check out the wierd noise' when alone. Honestly, if I heard a door slam in my house and I knew I was alone and I had already been kidnapped once and then was currently recieving stalker letters, my ass would be out the nearest window, screen be damned, before the door finished slamming. BUT this is a story and just like yelling at the movie screen when the chick does the same as above, it is fruitless and pointless so I move on. Grin and bare it so to say.
I love her friends. They sound like the kind of people I would have gravitated to in high school. Fun, funky, honest and real friends. Love Kimmie and Wes.
Poor Ben. It pulls at my heart strings that he has had to isolate himself for so long. I also love how Cam was sad and distraught over their break up BUT thank God she didn't go all Bella crazy and become catatonic because he was no longer her man. That was a relief.
I will def be reading the next book & as i said before i will be checking out her other books as well.