The Innocents by Lili Peloquin

Alice and Charlie have always been close as sisters, but everything changes when their mom remarries and moves to Serenity Point. There’s something about this exclusive little community and all its secrets and lies that threatens to tear apart the sisters’ world as they know it. Charlie’s doing her best to fit in, by making nice with queen bee Cybill and resident bad boy Jude, but her tough act is just that—an act. As hard as she’s trying, she’s not actually sure that she belongs here. Alice, on the other hand, is keeping her distance. She doesn’t want to alienate everyone, least of all her sister, but it’s hard for her to get close to anyone when she can’t trust them. And then there’s Camilla, Alice and Charlie’s would-be stepsister, except for the fact that she’s dead. As the sisters delve deeper into their family history and Camilla’s past, they start to realize that some secrets are better buried—or they’ll tear the two apart forever.

The Innocents is a juicy, fast-paced read that reminds me of the TV show Revenge in the best possible way. I have to say that I’ve always been a sucker for these kinds of books, since there’s something so enticing about the mixture of glamour, grit, and scandal, and fortunately, The Innocents both fits right into this mold and manages to stand out among the rest. Peloquin’s focus on the two sisters’ lives allows readers to see just how each is affected and reacts to Serenity Point, and despite how different Alice and Charlie are, they are both sympathetic in their own ways of handling each new situation thrown at them. This was a story that I didn’t want to put down, because of the fantastic plot and because I needed to know how Alice’s and Charlie’s experiences in Serenity Point would turn out. And while I wouldn’t say that this debut is the overall best among similar books, it’s still a strong contender and one that has left me anxious to see its continuation in its sequel, This Side of Jealousy.

The Innocents appeals to fans of She’s So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott, the Private series by Kate Brian, and the Gossip Girl series by Cecily Von Ziegesar.

Rating: 4.25

Review copy from ALA and publisher Penguin