My Review
This was another super hyped YA release that I was really looking forward to, and when I got the chance to read it, I was really excited. I more or less jumped into this the day I received it, but from the very beginning of this book, I had mixed feelings. It started off slow, and then didn’t really pick up pace until the end.
I honestly had a really hard time rating Liars and Losers Like Us. Again, I feel like the black sheep when it comes to another really hyped up book…and while I wanted to love this, I just had a hard time with it. It wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t anything particularly different from other books I’ve read, either. I did enjoy reading it, and once I started it I did lose myself in the high school prom drama, but it felt a little bit like something was missing.
Liars and Losers Like Us was supposed to deal with the suicide of a young girl’s classmate – but to me, it seemed like it barely touched on the subject, instead filling the book with prom plans, parties, drinking, and, well…drama. But for the majority of the book, I was pretty disappointed in how all of this was dealt with. I would have loved to see more about Maisey – maybe a memorial or something for her, but it seemed like she was just pushed aside. It seemed…way too upbeat for what I thought it was going to be.
Bree is super excited about her upcoming date with her crush, Sean. Feeling a little bummed out because her best friend was nominated to be on the Prom Court and she wasn’t, she at least perks up at the thought of spending time with her crush. However, when the school outcast, Maisey, declines her nomination for Prom Court (she was nominated as a joke), Bree is put on the court, and essentially given the chance to win the Prom Queen title. However, when Maisey commits suicide, and leaves behind a note for Bree, it makes her feel horrible for the way she treated Maisey.
While we don’t learn what Maisey’s note says until the end of the book, it’s a powerful one, and one that might have made people think twice about the way that they treated Maisey.
During the course of the book, Bree essentially fights with Jane, Maisey’s number one tormentor, the popular girl, because she treats Bree pretty terribly (and she wants Sean for herself). In the meantime, there is plenty of high school drama, prom drama, drinking, and self-discovery.
I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters other than Bree (she suffers from bad anxiety and she tries hard to do the right thing, and regrets when she doesn’t stand up for what’s right). Sean seemed like your typical YA boyfriend, and Bree’s best friend didn’t seem like anything special, either. But Bree’s character shines through, and it’s easy to like her. I really liked Bree’s mom – yes, there is actual parental involvement here, so I was pretty happy about that.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
