Publishers Weekly
07/11/2022
Sixteen-year-old Michaela Rutherford’s world is upended when she’s sent to live with her “pop-up parent” father in Bradford, Okla., following her mother’s death. Once there, Michaela learns that she was the result of an affair and that her father had an entire family she never knew about. But even as she navigates living with her stepmother Cynthia and stepsiblings Gabe, 17; Emery, 16; and Cody, 12, she finds a niche at her new school when she lands the lead part of Cinderella in the prestigious theater department’s production of Into the Woods. Unfortunately, theater is Emery’s world, and handsome, charming Ben—whom Michaela quickly begins dating—is Emery’s ex-boyfriend. As Michaela encroaches on Emery’s territory, their already tense relationship implodes, and Michaela struggles to balance her own goals with the expectations of a family she just met. Certain plot elements conclude predictably, and the seemingly singular focus on Michaela and Emery’s relationship causes Michaela’s other familial dynamics to feel thinly developed in comparison. Nevertheless, Vincent’s (Every Single Lie) imperfect characters are compassionately drawn, presenting a nuanced picture of one teen’s feelings of displacement amid grief and guilt. All characters read as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Ginger Clark, Ginger Clark Literary. (July)
From the Publisher
Vincent's (Every Single Lie) imperfect characters are compassionately drawn, presenting a nuanced picture of one teen's feelings of displacement amid grief and guilt.” —Publishers Weekly
“Vincent unpacks Michaela's journey through complicated family dynamics and the never-linear trajectory of grief in this tender, emotional story of perseverance.” —Booklist
“The family dynamic is interesting, the problems the family faces are real, and each member is well-defined and relatable.” —School Library Connection
“Discussions of familial responsibility, guilt, and the varied forms grief can take are realistic and well done. The explorations of the impacts of infidelity and hiding the truth are equally intriguing. . . . Well-drawn, well-developed characters make this a worthwhile read.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Raw, real, and utterly gripping, Every Single Lie is part page-turning mystery, part heart-rending character study. A staggering portrait of family trauma and resilience in small-town America.” —Jennifer Lynn Barnes, New York Times bestselling author of THE INHERITANCE GAMES, on EVERY SINGLE LIE
“A razor-sharp mystery that speaks critically about the cruel corners of social media and small-town biases. . . . Enough twists and turns that there is no way to stop turning the pages.” —Booklist, starred review, on EVERY SINGLE LIE
“A carefully detailed portrait of a fraying family, a scathing look at small-town rumors, and a blunt critique of social media's rapid, rabid tendencies.” —Kirkus Reviews on EVERY SINGLE LIE
“Vincent's thriller is an action-packed yet emotional novel that demonstrates just how toxic rumors can be. . . . A realistic and gripping contemporary novel that many teens will thoroughly enjoy.” —School Library Journal on EVERY SINGLE LIE
“Beckett's nonstop sleuthing and memorable voice—alternatively witty and vulnerable, coolheaded and fiery—keep the pages turning.” —Publishers Weekly on EVERY SINGLE LIE
“A compelling story about how much we can miss about people, even those we love, and the price that can exact.” —BCCB on EVERY SINGLE LIE
Kirkus Reviews
2022-04-27
Michaela struggles with bereavement and adjusting to a new life.
Sixteen-year-old Michaela’s life changes radically when, on what seems like another mundane weekday, her single mother is hit by a car and passes away. Enter her distant father, previously only present at birthdays and around holidays, and his secret family, consisting of his wife and three children, Gabe, Cody, and Emery, who are as shocked to learn of her existence as she is of theirs. After being taken to live with her father’s family, Michaela struggles with grief that is compounded by the revelation that her birth was the result of an affair. She must adjust to new home and school lives and sharing a room with half sister Emery, who is almost exactly her age. As she slowly makes friends through a theater group, she finds herself accidentally treading in Emery’s territory at school as well as at home. Tensions rise, and Michaela must negotiate their tenuous relationship while pursuing her own happiness. While slightly predictable plotwise (particularly the romance storyline), with depictions of teen drug and alcohol use that feel familiar and rote, overall, the characters, their growth, and their changing relationships shine. Discussions of familial responsibility, guilt, and the varied forms grief can take are realistic and well done. The explorations of the impacts of infidelity and hiding the truth are equally intriguing. Michaela and the main cast are White.
Well-drawn, well-developed characters make this a worthwhile read. (Fiction. 12-18)
