Book Review: A Lie for a Lie

A few weeks ago I was sent an ARC of A Lie for a Lie by Jane Buckingham and I just finished the book over the long weekend.

The novel follows high school senior Sabrina Richards. She is hardworking, motivated, and aside from her best friend Emily and a few acquaintances, she mostly keeps to herself. Someone(s) who either attend her school or have some sort of connection to the students there runs an anonymous social media account called @Revenge, where people request justice or revenge be enacted on a student or teacher for some transgression. Victims are usually students who cheat, a cheating boyfriend/girlfriend, an unethical teacher etc. Sabrina tries not to get involved with the drama and as she’s not one of the popular kids who are sometimes targeted, she doesn’t pay that much attention to the account. Until one day, she gets deferred from early admission to Harvard, her dream school and her best friend, Emily, whom she didn’t even know was applying, got in.

Sabrina, who never goes to high school parties, is reeling from her disappointment and feelings of betrayal, agrees to go to a party when Jake, a popular kid she recently became friendly with, asks her to go. Sabrina gets drunk and does the unthinkable. She reaches out to @Revenge and tells them something bad Emily did. When she wakes up the next day and realizes what she did, she is distraught and in a panic. Not only has she possibly ruined her best friend’s life, but @Revenge is now blackmailing her to do something for them in their next act of revenge or they will out her. Now Sabrina is on a mission to find out who @Revenge is.

I really liked this book. The mystery of it all kept me hooked and I really liked Sabrina and Jake. I thought parts of it were really relatable for teens – the whole trying to figure out life, friendships, school, college, etc.

The ending does end on a bit of a cliffhanger so I’m looking forward to seeing what will happen in book 2!

A Lie for a Lie comes out June 18!

*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links.*