Review: Pants On Fire by Meg Cabot

“Katie Ellison is not a liar. It‘s just that telling the truth is so… tricky.” ~from inside cover

Katie has spent years not admitting how she really feels about things. Why? Because doing that would cause the life she’s created to crumble. She continues to date Seth, the football-player she always wanted, even though she doesn’t have feelings for him, and she’s making out with Eric from the Drama Club behind his back. She’s running for Quahog Princess in the Quahog festival in her hometown, even though she can’t stand eating quahogs (which are clams). After all, this is what she’s always wanted, right?

Then Tommy Sullivan returns. He left town four years ago when somebody spray painted “Tommy Sullivan is a freak” on the outside wall of the Junior High Gymnasium. Katie thinks he’s back for revenge, and she doesn’t want her perfect life to disappear. So what does she do? Tell more lies than ever before.

Following Katie through the mess she’s making (or continuing) is actually much more amusing than irritating (as I normally get with some situations similar to this). From trying to keep people from figuring her out to trying to figure out what is up with Tommy’s return, it’s a pretty funny read. I can relate to Katie in a way--it’s hard to admit when you’re wrong about something or that you’ve made a mistake. Yet it’s worse when you don’t because you can hurt others and yourself if you let it go on any longer. As time goes on, Katie begins to realize the folly of her choices.

I’ve read several of Meg Cabot’s books, but somehow find this one a favorite. It was one of the first Y.A. novels I bought for myself. If you’re looking for an easy to read funny book, this is the one for you.