ARC Review: Lies Like Love by Louise Reid

Title: Lies Like Love
Author: Louisa Reid
Publication: Published July 2014 by Penguin Books
Genre: YA Contemporary
Source: Provided by the kind publisher...

Lies Like Love is the haunting and heart-breaking new novel from Louisa Reid, critically acclaimed author of Black Heart Blue.

LIES
'There were a few problems . . . bullying . . . a fire . . .'
LIKE'
I think she's verging on psychosis . . . now she's lashing out.
' LOVE'
She's got no one else to fight for her.'
Sixteen year-old Audrey just wants to be normal.She's trying to fit in.But what happens when the person closest to you suffocates you with their love?What happens then?

-- My Rating --

3/5 Oscars: Liked it

-- My Thoughts --

     I didn't know what to expect when I started this book. The blurb is a very vague one that interests the reader. Although there was a LOT of potential, this book didn't live up to all of it.
     Audrey is new into the secluded area that she has to call her home, the creepy house that she has to live in, and Peter (her brother) that she has to care about. But the only bright light in her life is Leo and his strange behavior. But her mom has different ideas about how Audrey's life should be, and she is planning to carry them out at all costs.
     This book is dark. It's heartfelt. It does not tone down the events, it made me feel a lot of different emotions. Some that I didn't want to acknowledge. It is a character-driven story, but it's more than just that. It's a story about mental illness. It tackles depression and self-harm and many other topics that a lot of YA authors shy away from. And it's obvious why. it's a very touchy subject that requires a lot of effort to perfect.
     Audrey is tackling depression. But she names her depression as The Thing. The Thing that makes her do all those bad things. Then, there is her mum. Audrey's mum is the focal point of this story. She is the one who adds multiple layers to this story. But I am not going to ruin the story by my spoilers, so you have to read it for yourself. But Audrey and her mum brought out my darkest feelings. Their relationship is the fuel for all the events.
    The romance is a subplot of this story, but it is always there, lurking. I liked the romance between Audrey and Leo. It felt real and cute. But sometimes, both their naivety really bothered me. It was too unbelievable for normal teenagers.
    I kinda predicted the ending, early on. But what bothered me about this book was that it was very, very slow-moving at times. Mostly towards 3/4 of the book, then it sped up. But the beginning was really hard to grasp. I found myself letting this book go and reading something else. Which is not a good sign. But not everyone might be like that. If you are a fan of dark subjects in your YA, then this is for YOU!