Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I read We Were Liars about two years ago, and at the time I wasn't really sure how I felt about it. I do remember really loving how it was written and loving the plot twist, but being insanely confused along the way. When Genuine Fraud came out, I knew I wanted to pick it up to get more of that twisted, mind-bending writing that E. Lockhart has become known for. Luckily for me, this was one of the books that Barnes and Noble had signed copies of for Black Friday, so I added this to my haul without hesitation.

Genuine Fraud is about a girl named Jule who becomes borderline obsessed with her friend Imogen. The story is written backwards, so you actually start with the end and end with the beginning, with the exception of one final chapter. As you read, you start to piece together things that were difficult to understand at the beginning. Nothing in this story is really definitive. What you think you know, you don't, and one sentence here or there can send everything you thought you knew spiraling out of control. 

Who is Jule? What is her background? Is she a spy? And what's her deal with Imogen? Is someone chasing her? All these are questions you will ask yourself throughout the book, and you'll only get answers if you read very closely. Although this is a very quick and short read, you really have to pay attention or you can miss details that will put everything in perspective for you.

It's honestly hard to do a review on this book without giving anything away. I did really enjoy it. I loved Jule's character, and all the thrilling drama and mystery in the plot. It was a little difficult to grasp the concept that everything was happening in reverse, but I adjusted to that pretty quickly. There were a few minor characters that I didn't like, such as Brooke and Forrest, but I can see why they were necessary to the building of the plot.

If you like twists, constantly asking questions, and trying to guess for yourself what is happening, then this book is definitely for you. There are lies, chases, and secrets. Murder and manipulation. It is not a book for people who want the whole story handed to them without having to do any thinking of their own. After really enjoying this book, I think I'm going to have to reread We Were Liars just to stay in the mystery mindset.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars