Pants on Fire

by Meg Cabot

Book Overview

But she can't exactly tell the truth, either--not when she's juggling two boyfriends, secretly hating the high school football team everyone else worships, and trying to have the best summer ever. At... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060880155
• ISBN13: 9780060880156
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Harper Teen
• Length: 260 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Beautiful

Even though this book was written for the teenage crowd and I am in my late twenties, I absolutely loved it. I love romantic books / books of love. I had to keep reading as the book makes you want to know what is going to happen next. I could not put it down until I had finished it.

Readers will be cheering her on as she learns about doing the right thing for herself.

Katie Ellison lies --- a lot. She just can't help it. For starters she lies to customers at the Gull 'n Gulp, where she works as a waitress, telling them that the corner booth is reserved for a large party. All the locals know that the booth is reserved for the Quahogs, her school's football team. They have been the state champions for the past 16 years, except for when Katie was in eighth grade and they were disqualified. No one talks about that year --- ever. Quahogs, pronounced Koh-hogs, are also a type of clam revered by the town. There is even a Quahog festival, and Katie is in the running for Quahog princess. Katie's life sounds fine, even fun. She's been dating football star Seth for four years, and they're ready for an exciting senior year. The problem is, she's making out at least once a day with Eric, a drama club hottie. She just can't bear to break up with either of them. Her super-popular best friend Sydney doesn't even know about Eric. In reality, Katie doesn't like quahogs, even if they're fried and ground up in batter. And she's secretly saving up for a super professional camera so her parents don't know that the one they gave her for Christmas just isn't good enough. Katie is barely managing to keep her lies going by the time Tommy Sullivan returns to town. Four years ago, they were best friends and worked together on the school newspaper. Katie was an ace photographer, while Tommy was a reporter. When he learned that the football team was cheating on their SATs, Katie begged him not to run the story and ruin the Quahogs' chances for the championship. He didn't listen to her, and he and his family soon left town. "Tommy Sullivan is a freak" is still spray painted on the side of the gymnasium, and the town can't afford to sandblast it. Plus they don't know who did it. But, of course, Katie does. Tommy is looking hotter than ever, and Katie thinks he's back for revenge. He follows her around and learns about all her lies. Katie is no longer interested in her two boyfriends and wants very much to kiss Tommy. She has to straighten everything out to fight for what she wants now. Katie is funny even as she makes lots of crazy mistakes. Readers will be cheering her on as she learns about doing the right thing for herself. Meg Cabot delivers another stand-alone winner with PANTS ON FIRE. --- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

Pants on Fire

What is it about Meg's books that make them go by so quickly? Less than a day, and poof! I'm done, and wondering what else I could read that compares to it. I really liked this book though. Kate Ellison was likeable from the beginning, because underneath her lies I knew that she was a good person, and Tommy Sullivan is probably one of the coolest guys I've ever read about, because he actually seems like someone that I would like to get to know in real life, even if he wasn't completely hot. Plus, the ending was really sweet.

Wow, I really liked it!

Now, I don't usually go for stuff like this. No vampires, magic or ninjas, but I really liked this book. I had never read any Meg Cabot until I picked up Prom Nights From Hell (for Stephenie Meyer, of course). What a smart move on Ms Cabots part to contribute to that book. I liked her offering in that, so I decided to give this one a shot. I'm glad I did. It was a very quick read but it totally won me over. I can recall being in situations that were made worse by lies, although not quite to the extent of Katie's, so I could even relate to the book. I loved the small town setting, it made it even more entertaining. Kind of reminded me of a Christopher Guest mockumentary (A Mighty Wind, Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman)with the quahog pageant. All in all, a great job!! I think I'll have to check out some of her other books now.

A scorching way to kick-off your summer!

Sixteen-year-old Eastport High School senior, Katie Ellison, isn't a split personality per se, but she is leading a double life, that would certainly shock many of the people around her who think that she's sweet, kind, and hardworking. Sure, she's all of those things, but she's also a liar, and a cheater. After all, not only is Katie running for Quahog (pronounced koh-hog) Princess, even though she loathes quahogs (clams) with every fiber of her being, but she's also juggling not one, but two super cute, uber-popular boyfriends, and adding insult to injury, she's managed to keep her mouth shut ever since eighth grade regarding the night the words "Tommy Sullivan is a freak" were spray-painted on the wall of the local junior high. Of course, Katie feels badly for keeping the truth to herself for all these years, but her guilt isn't strong enough to come clean. Aside from all that, however, Katie's life appears to be picture perfect. That is, until Tommy Sullivan returns to the tiny town of Eastport, Connecticut, unannounced, and ready to reclaim the fame that has been associated with his name for all these years. Katie instantly knows that Tommy's arrival means nothing but trouble, and vows to steer clear of the infamous guy. Unfortunately, Tommy's plans are quite different than Katie's, and he spends as much time as possible hovering around Katie. The problem is that Tommy seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to Katie, and has a way of deciphering all of Katie's tiny secrets. Secrets that she'd prefer to keep under wraps. But the more Tommy learns, the more frightened Katie becomes. After all, she's managed to keep her tiny indiscretions to herself for all these years, and she certainly doesn't need someone like Tommy Sullivan coming into the picture to destroy her senior year. But, as Tommy digs a little deeper into Katie's so-called secret life, he begins to uncover a slew of secrets that need to stay buried, including the awful truth regarding that faithful night in eighth grade, and the tricky, no-good, drama-filled deceptions she's gotten herself mixed-up in over the years. Now, Katie must find a way to silence Tommy, or at least run him out of town, if she plans on saving face, her reputation, her relationships, and overcoming the agony caused by the legendary Tommy Sullivan, in an attempt to come out on top, and have the senior year she's always dreamed of. Otherwise, she's at risk of being left friendless, boyfriendless, and, quite possibly, in prison, for wanting to ring Tommy's neck! Meg Cabot manages to always create something splendid whenever she touches pen to paper, and that talent has once again reared its head with the release of PANTS ON FIRE. Like Cabot's Mia Thermopolis, Jess Mastriani, Samantha Madison, Heather Wells, and everyone in between, Katie Ellison is a character who is easy to love from page one. Her outgoing, exuberant personality make her bubbly and upbeat; while the interactions she takes part in with her