Real Life & Liars

by Kristina Riggle

Overview

Sometimes you find happiness where, and when, you least expect it.

For Mirabelle Zielinski's children, happiness always seems to be just out of reach. Her polished oldest daughter, Katya, clings to a stale marriage with a workaholic husband and three spoiled children. Her son, Ivan, so creative, is a down-in-the-dumps songwriter with the worst taste in women. And the "baby," impulsive Irina, who lives life on a whim, is now reluctantly pregnant and hitched to a man who is twice her age. On the weekend of their parents' anniversary party, lies will be revealed, hearts will be broken...but love will also be found. And the biggest shock may come from Mirabelle herself, because she has a secret that will change everything.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061706288
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/16/2009
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Kristina Riggle is a published short story writer and coeditor for fiction at the e-zine Literary Mama. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband, two kids, and dog.

What People are Saying About This

Eliza Graham

“Real Life and Liars depicts a family gathering with forensic precision: we see the characters raw in front of us. But Kristina Riggle’s moving and well-executed novel also embraces human fraility and serves up family complexities like a celebration buffet.”

Denise Taylor

“A seemingly celebratory gathering brings joy, frustration, love and disappointment to a midwestern family in this wonderful debut novel. These are characters we know and care about from our own lives.”

Maggie Dana

“Written with grace, passion, and insight, REAL LIFE AND LIARS is a deeply felt novel that draws a vivid portrait of a family in transition, and examines the very real fear of leaving behind all you hold dear.”

Lauren Baratz-Logsted

In her wondrously affecting debut novel REAL LIFE AND LIARS, Kristina Riggle accomplished something authors almost never do anymore: she made me care about her characters - and what a wide-ranging cast of characters they are! She made me want good things for them. A must-read for summer 2009.

Editorial Reviews

Riggle crafts a moving and accomplished first novel about a family coming to terms with change. — Booklist

“A seemingly celebratory gathering brings joy, frustration, love and disappointment to a midwestern family in this wonderful debut novel. These are characters we know and care about from our own lives.” — Denise Taylor, manager, Schuler Books and Music

In her wondrously affecting debut novel REAL LIFE AND LIARS, Kristina Riggle accomplished something authors almost never do anymore: she made me care about her characters - and what a wide-ranging cast of characters they are! She made me want good things for them. A must-read for summer 2009. — Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes

“Real Life and Liars depicts a family gathering with forensic precision: we see the characters raw in front of us. But Kristina Riggle’s moving and well-executed novel also embraces human fraility and serves up family complexities like a celebration buffet.” — Eliza Graham, author of Restitution and Playing with the Moon

“Written with grace, passion, and insight, REAL LIFE AND LIARS is a deeply felt novel that draws a vivid portrait of a family in transition, and examines the very real fear of leaving behind all you hold dear.” — Maggie Dana, author of BEACHCOMBING

From the Publisher

Written with grace, passion, and insight, REAL LIFE AND LIARS is a deeply felt novel that draws a vivid portrait of a family in transition, and examines the very real fear of leaving behind all you hold dear.

Maggie Dana

In her wondrously affecting debut novel REAL LIFE AND LIARS, Kristina Riggle accomplished something authors almost never do anymore: she made me care about her characters - and what a wide-ranging cast of characters they are! She made me want good things for them. A must-read for summer 2009.

Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Real Life and Liars depicts a family gathering with forensic precision: we see the characters raw in front of us. But Kristina Riggle’s moving and well-executed novel also embraces human fraility and serves up family complexities like a celebration buffet.

Eliza Graham

Riggle crafts a moving and accomplished first novel about a family coming to terms with change.

Booklist

A seemingly celebratory gathering brings joy, frustration, love and disappointment to a midwestern family in this wonderful debut novel. These are characters we know and care about from our own lives.

Denise Taylor

Riggle crafts a moving and accomplished first novel about a family coming to terms with change.

Booklist