From the beautiful cover to the intriguing blurb, I was really looking forward to starting All Your Little Lies.
Annie lives a fairly mundane life, but she wants more. She wants to be liked, to be in a relationship, to feel included. When a young girl goes missing, however, Annie might be implicated in her disappearance, and soon she starts to wonder if she's more than a suspect.
I liked this book.
Holmes' writing style is easy to read and full of beautiful moments. I especially loved the climax of the flashback scene and her execution of the memories. They flowed and were wrought with imagery. Annie's character, however, felt a little flat. She reminded me very much of Eleanor Oliphant, and as a matter of personal preference, I didn't much care for her. Her quirky, awkward tendencies bordered excessive at times, and while I wanted to find her inability to navigate social situations endearing, I ended up questioning the dialogue and whether or not it functioned with the intended purpose. Her tone, at times, felt juvenile, and I think the "pisky" diction mingling with the serious subject matter might've contributed to that.
I also felt that the blurb didn't quite match the story. I was expecting it to go in one direction, waiting for the suspenseful part of the story to start, and it never quite got there.
What this story does well, however, is examine social conventions and insecurities. I loved the quiet moments where Annie questioned the juxtaposition between what she wanted and why it never really worked out for her. I think all of us, at one point or another, have felt like an outsider. Unseen. Like we just don't fit. And Annie's arc, while there is some growth, highlighted her sadness more than anything to me. Holmes did a wonderful job raising these intricacies, and I think that is where she really shines.
Overall, All Your Little Lies is an insightful deep-dive into Annie's character and the raw moments where people just want to feel connected.
Thank you to Agora Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.