Lies Like Wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez - NO

Lies Like Wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, 361 pages. Delacorte Press (Random), 2021. $14.

Language: R (143 swears, 78 ‘f’); Mature Content: R (graphic sex, drugs) ; Violence: R (murder, blood, fire, fear) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NOT RECOMMENDED 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

 All of Hannah's life she has grown up in Gap valley. She and her friends, Luke, Drummer, Violet and Mo have high hopes for the summer and believe it will be unforgettable. In many ways it was. When Hannah and her friends go up to Gap lake for an average summer day it becomes anything but average. Luke lights a pipe and accidentally starts a wildfire and forces Hannah and her friends into a downward spiral of lies, deception and heartbreak. 

Lies Like Wildfire was in many ways not what I expected. I was not expecting unnecessary explicit content, bland characters and a sideways plot line, but here we are. The amount of talk about sex, drugs and abuse is enough to make this book, not young adult plus the icing on top of it all is the fact it was written very poorly. 

 Student Reviewer: Kenzie Hoehne Reviewer