Lying Out Loud is the companion/follow up novel to The Duff. It was a funny, light-hearted read. Sonny is a likeable character, with Amy Rush, as her best friend. Amy Rush is Wesley Rush’s little sister. Wesley is one of the key characters in the DUFF.
I really liked how this book had characters who had their own set of problems to keep things interesting. I enjoyed reading about how Ryder, despite his “hipster” ego, had deeper problems. He really had a lot of things going for him that were good. His character was one that truly didn’t meet the eye.
I also felt sorry for Sonny. She clearly had no security in relationships. Her family unit was very dysfunctional, which led to her lying to everyone she cared about. Lying—even a white lie--- is never healthy. Constant lying, though? Not good. I did like how Sonny tried to make ends meet and repay the Rush family for their gratitude. It showed that she was capable of trying to do good, despite the mess she created for herself and for those that she cared deeply about.
In conclusion, I didn’t care about this book as much as I did the DUFF. It was okay, but just not as good. I did highly enjoy how Wesley and his girlfriend, Bianca made a comeback in this book. It was highly enjoyable to read about where they were, how they were doing, and what they were up to after graduating high school. I really think Kody Keplinger is a great author. I look forward to reading many more of her books. I really have mixed feelings about the possibility of another novel in this series, though. The Duff was great. This book was good. If there were to be a third, I’m just not sure how it would be. However, I think at this point, if there was, I would honestly read it just to see what it would be like. After all, she is a Kentucky author!