The Innocents (Innocents, #1)

by Lili Peloquin

Even the innocent don't kiss and tell...

“…the quick pacing will keep readers engrossed in this series kickoff as Alice and Charlie try to sort through the soap opera that is their new lives and figure out who they can trust. It’s Gossip Girl for Connecticut’s Gold Coast.” –Publishers Weekly

 
The Innocents weaves a saga of nail-biting drama, breathless romance, and gothic mystery perfect for fans of ABC's Revenge.
 

Though they share the same blood, Alice and Charlie couldn’t be more different. Alice is older (by one year and one day), shy and reserved, a cool blonde, a painter, a reader, a thinker. Charlie is feisty and uninhibited, a wild brunette, the kind of girl who punches a bully right in the mouth. They hate each other. They love each other. They stand by each other, when no one else will. They’re sisters.

Then their parents divorce. Soon, Alice, Charlie, and their mother are leaving their old life behind. They’re saying goodbye to their cramped Cambridge apartment and driving along the rocky Connecticut coastline—to their stepfather's summer estate in the wealthy town of Serenity Point.

The minute they drive through the gates, they wish they never had. Their arrival reopens old wounds, memories of lost loves, best friends—and bitter rivals. The people of Serenity Point thought the past was dead and buried. They were wrong.

• ISBN10: 1595145826
• ISBN13: 9781595145826
• Publish Date: 16 October 2012 (first published 1 October 2012)
• Publish Status: Remaindered
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Razorbill
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 288
• Language: English

Reviews

[Angie]

I had absolutely no expectations going into this one, which was kind of nice, since I couldn't be disappointed. In fact, I hadn't even heard of The Innocents until I won a prize pack of ARCs which happened to include it. It ended up being a pleasant surprise. It's kind of like Gossip Girl with a slight gothic twist. Alice and Charlie are moving in with their mom's filthy rich new husband. While Charlie immediately joins the popular crowd, Alice is having a bit more trouble. It also doesn't help that she happens to look like their step-father's dead daughter, Camilla. Alice also can't help but wonder if the story surrounding Camilla's death is true or not.

The first half of The Innocents reads like a typical YA Contemporary. The girls move to a new town, meet the queen bee, and spot some boys. Charlie who seems uber confident as she tries to fit in with Cybill and Jude is faltering a little under the pressure. Alice on the other hand is keeping to herself although she has her eye on Tommy, who happened to be Camilla's boyfriend when she was alive. Alice is also having a rough time getting along with her step-father. Is it because she reminds him too much of what he lost?

Then we start to learn more about this mysterious Camilla. She's not what she seemed, and I really liked these tidbits about her. I was hoping that more of the gothic, mystery vibe would appear, but it still read as pretty contemporary. The twist near the end wasn't really shocking at all, since we're given all of the pieces to figure it out. It's still a pretty good read, and I think I'll read the next one, since things about Camilla's death, and Alice's relationship with Charlie are still up in the air.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Joni Reads]

I LOVE this novel! To be completely honest, I never would have picked this up for myself. I am not a big fan of books such as Pretty Little Liars, etc and that is what immediatly came to mind when I heard about this book. I put off reading it for a while because I truly didn't think I would like it. I was so wrong.

This book is part family drama, part romance, part mystery all rolled into one incredibly fast read. I read it in one day, almost one sitting. It was easy to keep up with the pace of the story, even with the twists and turns it offered around every corner. I loved the dynamic of the sisters and I even have a favorite. I absolutely love the character of Alice. I relate a bit more to her than I do the Charlie, her sister. Charlie is the wild one while Alice is much more down to Earth. When they move to Serenity Point with their mother and her new husband, they have no idea the changes that will happen in their lives. And then secrets that they will uncover.

The ending left off with a slight cliffhanger and I am so excited for the next book in this series. I have found a series that I can look forward to the next book's release and think about it all the time, something I have been missing the last Harry Potter was released. I am so excited about this series and can't wait to see where the author takes the characters.