Title: Little Black Lies
Author: Tish Cohen
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pub. Date: 10/13/2009
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Popularity, Friends, Love, OCD, Divorce, Single Parents
Pages: 320
Plot (from back of ARC):
"Boston's most elite high school is a high-wire act and Sara Black is losing her balance.
Sara Black might as well be wearing a scarlet letter on her school uniform when she walks into Anton High for the first time. Anton is no ordinary public school - you can't even get in after freshman year (unless, like Sara, your dad is the janitor). But when nobody knows your past, you can become a whole new person.
For Sara, being new is the perfect escape from everything she's avoiding - like the fact that her mother has run off with her science teacher, and that her father's OCD is only barely under control. People even think she's from London, England, instead of Lundon, Massachusetts. But when one of the most popular girls at Anton starts looking into Sara's past, her little lies could come back to haunt her..."
I absolutely loved Little Black Lies! The main character, Sara, takes lying to a whole new level, and, while I don't think I could take it as far as she did, Tish Cohen mades it easy for me to understand Sara's actions.
I really appreciate that the author incorporated OCD into the plot. OCD is one of those conditions that everyone knows about, but many people haven't experienced first hand. I could imagine how debilitating it could be for the individual with OCD, but I never really considered the impact it could have on his or her family. Reading about Sara's father having OCD and the reactions of her high school classmates really made me think about how I would react in a similar situation as a onlooker or as a family member. It was actually really emotion and a lot more serious than I'd anticipated - I came very close to crying during a couple of passages.
While reading Little Black Lies, I was often frustrated with Sara. She seems to be a great girl with a lot going for her, but her low self-esteem and focus on what her peers think of her drive her to lie and do other horrible things. However, when Sara's past and her home life was revealed as I progressed through the book, I found myself sympathizing with her - even as she hurt the people that cared about her the most, and ultimately, herself. By the end of the book, I was proud of Sara's growth, she really came into her own!
Of course, I must mention the romance! There is a minor romantic plot line that I really enjoyed. It wasn't a main theme by any means, but it tied in well. I felt like the romance could have been explored a bit more, as the boy has a bit of a history that would have been nice to explore more. His story ended up being a lot less dramatic than I felt was originally implied.
Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 9
Writing: 10
Romance: 9
Originality: 10
Total: 48/50 (A)
I highly recommend Little Black Lies! I'm looking forward to seeing what Tish Cohen will release next and will definitely check out her already released titles.
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