Y'all, we need to talk.

Don't worry, this isn't a break-up post. This is a full-out-in-love post. And the object of our affection? WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart.

The problem is, we can't really talk about it. At least not about the plot, because there's a strong element of mystery, and giving it away would really hurt the reading experience.

(Seriously, do NOT look at spoilers for this one. I say that as someone who usually doesn't mind knowing the twist.)

Here are a few truths that are safe to share:

• The characters. Cadence and her friends (collectively known as the Liars) are a charming and eclectic bunch. Sweet Mirren, swaggering Johnny, and philosophical Gat. Lockhart paints the foursome in vivid strokes, to the point where I felt like I was lying on the beach right next to them.

• Unreliability. It's not so much that the characters are liars, it's more that Cady only has bits and pieces of her family's story (due in part to amnesia, and in part to being an individual and a teen). What she knows isn't everything, and what she learns will break your heart.

• The setting. The Sinclairs spend their summers on a private island, with each branch of the family tree getting their own house. From the beaches to the cliffs, the motor boats to the Golden Retrievers, Lockhart weaves the details in a wonderful way, creating a wistful, balmy mood for her story.

• The relationships. More so than even the twist at the end, this is what WE WERE LIARS is about. Love of all kinds. Family love, friendship love, romantic love. Pure love, worried love, angry love. Like any family, the Sinclairs have twisted each other up in a number of ways, and those tangles provide powerful, believable fuel for the book.

In short: Read this one. Maybe you won't love it as much as I do, but I certainly don't think you'll regret it.