Where the Truth Lies

Where the Truth Lies
By Jessica Warman
Walker & Co., 2010. 308 pgs. Young Adult

Emily Meckler lives at a boarding school, and she and her parents (who work, and therefore live, at the school) meet with the school counselor to try to figure out why Emily has terrifying nightmares about fire and water. Then Del Sugar comes to school, and Emily, who has always been shy, finds herself sneaking out to be with him, even though her father is adamant about wanting her to stay away from him. Emily soon finds herself in over her head, and as she experiences one traumatic experience after another, she finds out her life is much different than she thought.

This book is a whirlwind of teenage problems; while I can't list all of them without giving away plot lines, I will say that by tackling so many different dilemmas (and there really are a LOT of problems), the book was drawn too thin and none of them get the attention they deserve. The book wraps up too neatly and easily to make it really plausible. Still, for readers who can suspend disbelief, I did find Emily to be a likable character.

AE