Book Review: Flawless by Sara Shepard

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (February 19, 2008)

Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. Hanna's obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever.

And why shouldn't I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I'll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I've got enough dirt to bury them alive.

Flawless picks up where Pretty Little Liars left off. It is a seamless transition from one book to the next which I found relieving. I hate reading a sequel and having to rehash everything that has happened and all the characters. There is just a little of that but not much....just enough for a reminder without making it boring.

In this book all the girls attend Ali's funeral and finally share with each other that they have been getting weird messages from someone called "A." The police have reopened the case and are treating Ali's death as a homicide. Of course all the girls are freaked out wondering who would have done such a thing. At the funeral they see Toby and Jenna who are people they (and especially Ali) have wronged. Toby keeps popping up in places so the girls eventually believe that "A" must be Toby taking revenge. The result of their suspicions and Toby's own guilt over his past ends tragically.

Flawless also delves deeper into each girls secret and why they have become the people they are. They all have family problems...Hanna and Spencer's parents barely give them the time of day which makes them feel worthless and unloved, Emily's family is controlling and her mother is racist, and Aria's dad has put her in an impossible position that has damaged her relationship with her mother. All the girls have relationship issues as well. Hanna gets dumped by her boyfriend Sean, Aria had an affair with a teacher and now likes Hanna's ex Sean, Emily is coming to grips with the fact that she like Maya (the new girl), and Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend and is sneaking around with him. Oh the drama of it all.

Flawless is a great continuation of the series. I wouldn't bother reading if you haven't read Pretty Little Liars...you would just be confused.

4.5/5