HarperTeen
July 20, 2011
307 pages
add to Goodreads/buy from Book Depository/or Amazon
*Will contain spoilers for the previous Pretty Little Liars books*
Twisted is the ninth book in the series, the first in the third little quartet and follows Wanted. The world now knows about Alison DiLaurentis. The trial's over, the girls know that the Alison they were friends with was really Courtney, her secret twin and that the real Alison killed her - and was 'A.' But Alison died in the fire she set in the Poconos to kill the girls . . . even if they never found her body.
The whole A/Alison ordeal is behind them, the notes have stopped. There's even going to be a made-for-TV movie about the situation.
But Emily, Spencer, Aria, and Hanna, now seniors, have definitely not left their trouble behind them: Emily needs a swim scholarship (and might do anything to get it); Hanna's on the verge of ruining her father's campaign . . . and her own relationship; Aria has to deal with her boyfriend's new exchange student and their new cozy relationship; Spencer's mother has a surprise for her and Melissa that will change their family forever.
Twisted has a bit of a different tone from the previous Pretty Little Liars books. It still has the drama at every turn and each girl has something that could possibly go wrong at just about every moment - mixed, of course, with the crazy partying, some label name dropping and over the top experiences. But, there's not quite the feeling that 'A' is gong to ruing everything at any moment.
We learn of something at the start of the novel - that something happened but not what it is - that is the girl's big secret and the threat lorded over all of them. Readers don't know what exactly it is that happened, just that it getting out terrifies them.
Twisted feels a bit more like an introduction. There were four books, then there were eight and each set (sort of) concluded themselves. This one, being the ninth, opens some things back up. While it does have its own story and stands alone very well it doesn't quite make you think person x is 'A' only to disprove you it in the last few pages like most of the previous books did.
It does, however, leave you more than ready to pick up book 10 - especially as you see where the different characters (Emily and Aria, especially) are now. This is a great soapy, summer series. It should be crazy at this point that a girl who, apparently, killed someone when she was 13 is now still after these girls when they're seniors and possibly cannot die . . . but when you read it, you kind of forget logic.
(I may have noted this before in a another PLL review . . . Twisted made me worry about drunk driving. I know it's great to have teenage characters drunk, buzzed, whatever at a party for whatever reasons, but when you have them drive home with no mention of the drunk-ness except for something later ruining their buzz . .. . Yeah, problem.)
Rating: 8/10
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