Release Date: September 7th 2017

Published By: Allen & Unwin

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Purchase: Booktopia The Book Depository

Rating: 3 out of 5

Synopsis: How far would you go to become someone else? A masterful young adult thriller from the author of blockbuster bestseller We Were Liars.

Imogen is an heiress, a runaway, and a cheat.
Jule is a fighter, a chameleon, and a liar.

Imogen is done pretending to be perfect, and Jule refuses to go back to the person she once was. Somewhere between the mansions of Martha’s Vineyard and the shores of Cabo San Lucas, their intense friendship takes a dark turn.

A masterful thriller from the author of the unforgettable We Were Liars.

Review: Genuine Fraud is a mind messing thriller from the author of We Were Liars.

The book will keep you guessing the whole way through, with an unreliable protagonist, mysterious events and toxic relationships.

With twists and turns along the way, this book will keep you entertained. However I could not connect to any of the characters at all. But I think that is because I never trusted the main protagonist to show me things objectively or even truthfully.

The story is told in third person and (generally) in reverse chronological order, which is something that you have to get to used to as you read. It adds an extra touch of mystery to the story and once you get used it (a lot of books do this, but not in YA) I found it be a very enjoyable format. I guess there is the possibility that this contributed to my distrust of the characters and their relationships, which altimitely affected my overall enjoyment of the book, however it did add to the mystery of the story - so this was always going to be a win/lose or lose/win situation.

The story primarily follows Jule, a tough character who is determined, however her intentions are not always clear. What is clear, is that she has an intense relationship with her friend Imogen, and it is their differences and spooky similarities where the story really lifts off. But I found myself not trusting Jule - I felt that she was not showing me her true self. She is clearly running from something, or someone… maybe even herself.

Then there is Imogen. Who at first glance seems to be a spoilt princess and very different to Jule. Their relationship however is intense and obsessive. Can these two very different people maintain such a friendship when one will stop at nothing to get what she wants and the other is the one used to getting everything she wants.

I can’t say that I actually liked Imogen all that much. Nor Jule. But I did at least find Jule interesting. She is a liar, a cheater, a thief and she doesn’t care what people think of her - and above all, she is passionate about the things she cares about and will stop at nothing to protect it.

I am not really going to say much more about the storyline, as I recommend you go into this as blind as possible. The joy of this story is uncovering the secrets as you go along.

This is a twisted story of two girls who are completely different but yet completely entwined. Although some aspects of the story were a little predictable, I enjoyed the journey getting there. I did however find the coincidental ending a little frustrating.

Murder, superheros, suspicion, friendship, lies and travel - this standalone book will keep you guessing the whole way through.