Even though this book was not written first (The book, “We Were Liars”, was written first), it is the prequel to that book, so I figured I should read this one first. But now that I have read it, i am torn between whether I would recommend reading this one first or reading “We Were Liars” first. I have not yet read that book, so I can only base my opinion off just reading this one. This book does give a few spoilers to that book, so I guess it depends on whether you want absolutely no spoilers, or if a few spoilers is not a big deal. For me, I don’t think knowing the few spoilers that I do, is a big deal, and won’t make any real difference to me when I read the next book in the series.

My understanding of this series, that the books (there are at least three of them- the third one is “They Were Always Liars”), is all about this rich family, The Sinclairs, and the island they own just off the coast of Massachusetts. They are full of secrets, tragedies, drama, and even ghosts!

The particular story of this book takes place years ago, when three Sinclair sisters were teenagers (Carrie, Penny, and Bess), and it is the summer after the family has suffered a personal tragedy. They have returned to the island where they spend their summers, with their parents and several guests in tow. The family’s attempt to have a quiet, pleasant summer vacationing on the island is quickly foiled by family squabbles, teen drama, and secrets bubbling to make their way to the surface.

The whole book is pretty much a flashback of Carrie’s, as she is recalling that summer, and I was pretty invested in this story and read through it quickly, as I knew it was all leading up to something big at the end. It was an enjoyable book, and I think if you like drama books, you might like this one. Give it a read!