Book: The Lies We Tell

Written By: Katie Zhao

Reviewer: Ariel He-Wang, 8th Grade

Rating: 5/5 Stars

From murder mysteries to college drama, The Lies We Tell is a gripping thriller about Anna Xu, who is a freshman attending Brookings University. It was also the school that her family friend, Melissa Hong, has been murdered at, a few years back. Anna and Chris Lu, the son of her family’s business rival, determinedly join together to find the answers of this unsolved murder. Throughout this daunting journey, the Lu’s bakery is vandalized with a racist tag which may just be the ultimate clue that unveils even more spine-chilling details where Anna becomes a target herself.

These petrifying events are followed by more startling plot twists, which are brilliantly embedded into the story. In the course of this book, Katie Zhao perfectly portrayed a relatable perspective from students, as well as from an Asian-American. Additionally, all the relationships between characters are extremely well-written. The captivating surprises and events in this book glued me to every page until the end. I think that anyone who enjoys a good mystery and drama should undoubtedly read this book!