Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer are finally done with A's torture. No more threatening notes are received, and the girls feel as though they can finally relax. Until something happens when the four are on vacation in Jamaica. Something so terrifying it breaks up their friendship. Now lonely and separate, each girl must make her way through her own battles. That is, until another note arrives. Another note from A. Forced back together again, the girls try to battle together. Aria is jealous of her boyfriend's new foreign exchange student. Emily could be forced to deal with more than expected when she makes an arrangement with her new neighbour's father. Hanna's dad is running for Senate, and she gets in a little too deep when trying to get some attention. And Spencer starts a relationship with her soon-to-be-stepbrother before she even knows their parents are engaged. Together or apart, these girls are going through some major issues. And A thrives on problems...
I bought this book because I loved the first one in the series so much. This one was no different. I finished it less than 24 hours after I started it. I don't know what it is about this series, but it just keeps me transfixed. Whether it's the storyline with all the twists and turns, the relatability of the girls, or Sara Shepard's writing style, I found myself picking this book up every chance I got. The interesting part is that just when you think a problem has been resolved, another one pops up out of it. This keeps the story moving quickly, yet without just bringing in new issues out of the blue. Each new problem is the result of an action one of the girls made in an attempt to be rid of the first one. The storyline moves quickly, yet not unrealistically. Sometimes life really does throw curve balls fast and hard. I just couldn't imagine living the way these girls do, which I suppose is part of my attraction to these novels.
I found the writing of the storyline to be different in this novel than in the first book. This book starts with the four girls on vacation in Jamaica with not a care in the world, then travels to ten months later. The reader has no idea as to what has happened on their paradise island. I tried to piece together clues and hints from conversation and flashbacks, but there was really no way for me to have figured out what had occurred until it was actually told in the book. This secret was interesting, because it did the one thing the girls promised would never happen: it drove them apart. It also added intrigue to an already fascinating novel, because even with all the girls' individual mysteries, there was always that one lying on top that the girls knew but the reader didn't.
As usual, this installment in the Pretty Little Liars series ended in a cliffhanger. Actually, several cliffhangers. I must say, even though it was somewhat expected, I hadn't deliberated over it. This caused me to become frustrated at the ending. And, of course, wanting to buy every other book in the series. I suppose a cliffhanger is a good way of convincing the reader to buy the next books. However, I prefer some clarity and contentment at the end of a story. I actually find that although I'm left wanting the other novels as soon as I finish a book, I forget cliffhangers more easily than I forget stories that ended in fulfillment. I may remember that I wanted to read the next books, but if enough time has passed, the cliffhanger ending of the previous book has been completely erased from my mind.
I almost forget when I'm not reading a book by Sara Shepard how much I love them. These novels entrance me and keep me captivated until the ending. I definitely want to pick up the rest of this series in the future, because even though I already know what happens in the books between the first one and Twisted, I haven't felt the excitement that comes along with it. I would give this novel a rating of four stars. A reader interested in complicated relationships, teen drama, and identity issues would definitely love this book.
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