There Will Be Lies by Nick Lane

Title: There Will Be Lies
Author: Nick Lane
Length: 464 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Thriller, Magical Realism
Release Date: January 6, 2014
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you, Bloomsbury!)
Read: December 2014-January 2015

In four hours, Shelby Jane Cooper will be struck by a car. Shortly after, she and her mother will leave the hospital and set out on a winding journey toward the Grand Canyon.All Shelby knows is that they’re running from dangers only her mother understands. And the further they travel, the more Shelby questions everything about her past—and her current reality. Forced to take advantage of the kindness of unsuspecting travelers, Shelby grapples with what’s real, what isn’t, and who she can trust . . . if anybody.Award-winning author Nick Lake proves his skills as a master storyteller in this heart-pounding new novel. This emotionally charged thrill ride leads to a shocking ending that will have readers flipping back to the beginning.

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***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

After getting hit by a car, Shelby Cooper's life changes drastically. After leaving the hospital, Shelby's mother takes her on a sudden trip. Shelby finds out that they are on the run, though she doesn't understand what or who they are running from.
Throughout the story readers are left wondering (along with Shelby) which parts of her reality are the truth and which are lies. She doesn't know who she can trust.

This book for me was okay. It was definitely different than I thought it would be.
I did not love the story, but I also did not hate it. There were parts that I liked but there were also things that frustrated me.

The thriller elements of the story really caught my attention and made me want to continue reading. The Dreaming is a very interesting concept and I really like the idea. But these parts of the story didn't grab my attention very well. As I read these parts, I kept wanting to be back to all the other things that were happening in the story.

There weren't really that many surprises that I didn't see coming, and I mostly continued to read the story to see if my guesses were correct and to see how everything would play out in the end. Though I do like that there were times while reading where I think I was just as confused by what was happening as Shelby.

There were some parts and bits of information that I think was repetitive. Which frustrated me a little bit.

I did find the characters to be pretty interesting.
And I really liked Shelby.
In fact, I think that was my favorite part of the story.
I really like the way that Shelby is written and her voice. I like that she questioned things that were happening and wanted to figure things out. And I was able to feel empathy for her and the craziness of the things happening.

I also like the way the author wrote the dialogue/conversations. I think it was very fitting to the story.

My Recommendation:

Overall, I found this story to be okay. There were parts and elements that I liked, but I also wasn't kept interested in everything that was going on.

Would I Buy/Pre-Order This Book? No. Sadly I didn't enjoy the book enough to want to buy it. I would check it out from the library if you are interested in reading it.

My Rating:

The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

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Title: The Walled City
Author: Ryan Graudin
Length: 432 pages
Publisher: Little Brown
Classification: Young Adult, Thriller
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you Little Brown!)
Read: October 2014

730. That's how many days I've been trapped.18. That's how many days I have left to find a way out. DAI, trying to escape a haunting past, traffics drugs for the most ruthless kingpin in the Walled City. But in order to find the key to his freedom, he needs help from someone with the power to be invisible.... JIN hides under the radar, afraid the wild street gangs will discover her biggest secret: Jin passes as a boy to stay safe. Still, every chance she gets, she searches for her lost sister.... MEI YEE has been trapped in a brothel for the past two years, dreaming of getting out while watching the girls who try fail one by one. She's about to give up, when one day she sees an unexpected face at her window..... In this innovative and adrenaline-fueled novel, they all come together in a desperate attempt to escape a lawless labyrinth before the clock runs out. (From GoodReads)

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***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*** 

My Rating:

This book is unlike any that I have read before. I think the story is interesting and unique. And it definitely wasn't what I was expecting. (But in a good way!)

The Walled City is a terrible, horrible place. There are drug lords, street gangs, brothels (with sex slaves) and a lot of poverty. Kids are living on the streets trying to survive. And young girls are getting sold into prostitution.

It is a very dark and gritty and violent (at times) story.

I think that the author did an amazing job with world building. I really felt like I could picture the Walled City. And I felt like I could picture the characters and the people that were living there.

I had no idea when reading this story that it is based off a real place. Kowloon Walled City which was in Hong Kong. While reading the story I kept thinking about how scary it would be for this to happen and how much I thought like it could happen. Then I got to the author's note at the end and read about Kowloon Walled City. The Walled City is not historical fiction, but after finding out a little bit more about Kowloon Walled City, I think that the author did a good job writing a piece of fiction of what could happen in a Walled City.

This story is told from three different points of view. Dai is haunted by his past. He is stuck in the Walled City running drugs for the drug lord. He is searching for what he needs to be able to escape the Walled City alive. Jin is living on the streets dressed as a boy to try and stay safe. She is doing alright, but she is on her own mission. She is searching for her sister that was taken away from her years ago. And the third point of view is Mei Yee. She is stuck in a brothel, wishing for a chance to escape and see the outside world again.
These are three very different people all stuck in the Walled City for one reason or another. And all three of the characters are each hiding their own secrets.

This book had a lot of action and there were several parts of the story that really grabbed me and made me worry about the characters. There were some interesting plot twists too that I did not see coming. Yes, there were a few things that I figured would happen, but they were small and didn't take away from me being captivated by the story.

I really like the characters. I think that they are well written.
Though I think I connected with Jin more than the other two. She is such a strong character. She has been through so much, yet she is determined to find her sister. She won't stop until she does. And her loyalty and strength gave me hope.
Dai is also a strong character, but he has a lot haunting him from his past. And I think I found his character to be the most mysterious.
I think Mei Yee is also strong in her own way. She wants to protect and help the other girls in the brothel. And she longs to get out.
And I really found it interesting how all three of their stories intertwine.

My Recommendation:
I found this to be a very interesting, action-packed story. It grabbed and held my attention from the beginning. I think that it is a dark and realistic story. And I really liked reading it. If you are looking for an gritty, fascinating story with diverse characters and good world building, then I highly recommend giving this book a read!

Game by Barry Lyga

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Title: Game (Jasper Dent #2)

Author: Barry Lyga

Length: 520 pages

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Classification: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Crime

Release Date: April 16, 2013

Source: e-galley via NetGalley (Thank you Little Brown!)

Read: September 2014

GoodReads

Barnes & Noble

Books-a-Million

Billy grinned. “Oh, New York,” he whispered. “We’re gonna have so much fun.” I Hunt Killers introduced the world to Jazz, the son of history’s most infamous serial killer, Billy Dent. In an effort to prove murder didn’t run in the family, Jazz teamed with the police in the small town of Lobo’s Nod to solve a deadly case. And now, when a determined New York City detective comes knocking on Jazz’s door asking for help, he can’t say no. The Hat-Dog Killer has the Big Apple–and its police force–running scared. So Jazz and his girlfriend, Connie, hop on a plane to the big city and get swept up in a killer’s murderous game. (From GoodReads)

***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

***This is part of a series. There will be spoilers of things that happened in the other book(s) so if you haven't read it and don't want to know things that happened, please stop reading now.*** 

My Rating:

The Story:

Wow! Barry Lyga has done it again. What an intense follow-up to I HUNT KILLERS.
This story pretty much picks up where book one left off. Billy is free. Jazz is trying to deal with the fact that Billy is free and his involvement in the situation. When a NYPD detective shows up and convinces Jazz to come with him to New York to try and catch a serial killer that is going by the name Hat-Dog Killer.

I really enjoyed reading I HUNT KILLERS so I was really excited to start GAME.
I found this book to be a bit darker and gruesome.
This book instantly grabbed my attention and made me want to know what was going to happen. And there were twists and turns that surprised me.
And the majority of the time, when I would guess something, it seemed like I was completely off base. So I really liked that the author was able to keep me on my toes and guessing.

I loved that the story wasn't just told from Jazz's point of view. In this book, we get to read from Connie and Howie's points of views also. Which was great. I really enjoyed these sections of the book as well. We also get to read some from Billy Dent and The Killer's points of view. Which was also fascinating. And I feel that these points of view are so well written, I didn't get confused by which one I was reading from.

I think there are more cliffhangers left at the end of this book than the first one. I was left wanting more. I am very anxious to read the next book.

The Characters:

I really like and find most of the characters in this story to be fascinating. They are all well-developed and written. I am really interested in finding out what else happens to them all in the next installment.

Jazz: Still struggling with his past and how that will shape his future. He is very smart and has a special way of seeing things differently from other people. I find him to be a very complex and fascinating character. I love that he cares about others, especially his friend and girlfriend. And I like that he seems very determined to figure out and stop The Killer.

Connie: I loved getting to read from Connie's point of view. She cares about Jazz so much and she wants to do what she can to help him and keep him safe. She is a very determined and strong character. I have thought and liked that about her since the first book.

Howie: Another character that I am excited to have a few chapters told from his point of view. Howie is the one that makes the most jokes. I love that he tries to have humor when things around him can not be the best. I definitely care about this character. And I love that his condition doesn't keep him from trying to live his life.

Billy Dent: Still a dark and creepy guy. We get to be inside of his head a few times during the chapters from his point of view.

The Killer: I also found this character to be dark and creepy. These chapters where we see glimpses inside the killer's head can be intense.

My Recommendation:

I think this was an excellent sequel to I HUNT KILLERS. I found this story to be complex and a bit mind blowing. I can't wait to read the next one. I highly recommend reading this installment if you enjoyed reading the first book.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

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Title: I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1)

Author: Barry Lyga

Length: 359 pages

Publisher: Little Brown Books

Classification: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery, Crime

Release Date: April 3, 2012

Source: e-galley (Via NetGalley)

Read: August 2014

GoodReads
Amazon
Books-a-Million
Barnes & Noble

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad? Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say. But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view. And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod. In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows? (From GoodReads)

***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

My Rating:

The Story:

Wow!!! This book seriously took me by surprised and completely wowed me.
The story is unlike any other book I have read.
The author did an amazing job with the story and the characters.
The main character is the son of a well-known, feared, horrible serial killer.

What I liked best about this book was that I was constantly guessing, wondering, and questioning who the killer was.

I think that the plot is very well-developed and complex. The story had a lot of mystery surrounding it. I didn't really know what was going to happen next. (Other than the fact that someone else was most likely going to be murdered, but I hadn't the smallest guess as to who that person was going to be.)

There is a tiny bit of a cliffhanger-ish situation at the end. I was left with so many questions and the desire to find out more. I have to know what happens next.
Yet at the same time, I was satisfied in a sense with the ending. I felt like it was a good ending to the first book and it created a story and world that I really want to get lost in again and find out more of what happens now.

The Characters:

The characters are all well-developed. It was easy for me to picture them and they definitely felt realistic.

Jazz- A very interesting character. He has so many demons bottled up inside of him. He struggles with remembering his childhood and the things his father has done. As well as an inner battle with himself and how the thinks he will become.

Howie and Connie- The best friend and the girlfriend. I love these characters. I love their relationship with Jazz. How they are always there for him and keep him grounded. I love the banter. There were so many moments between Jazz and Howie that made me smile.

The Impressionist- I found it interesting that there were a few chapters that we read from this perspective, yet it didn't give me any clues or insight to the identity of this character. There is still so much I don't know about this person and I am anxious to unveil more about the character and find some answers.

Billy Dent- What a character. We get glimpses of him through Jazz's perspective. A chilling character. One that will/could give you nightmares.

I also really enjoyed Jazz's grandma. She is very interesting and well written. And I really like Jazz's interactions with G. William Tanner (The Sheriff).

Recommendation:

If you like reading a thrilling story that involves murder and can keep you guessing, then I recommend giving this book a read. It was interesting, mysterious and at times intense.
I think that fans of shows like Criminal Minds will enjoy this story.

Mini Review: The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

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Title: The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die

Author: April Henry

Length: 224 pages

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Classification: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Release Date: June 11, 2013

Source: e-book (purchased)

Read: July 2014

GoodReads

“Take her out back and finish her off.” She doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she is, or why. All she knows when she comes to in a ransacked cabin is that there are two men arguing over whether or not to kill her. And that she must run. In her riveting style, April Henry crafts a nail-biting thriller involving murder, identity theft, and biological warfare. Follow Cady and Ty (her accidental savior turned companion), as they race against the clock to stay alive. (From GoodReads)

My Rating:

This is a genre that I haven't read many books from before.
I purchased this e-book thanks to Fierce Reads having a readalong (#ReadAprilHenry) on Twitter.
I was a little hesitant at first, because I wasn't sure if it was a book that I would enjoy reading. But in the end I decided to give it a try since it was part of the readalong and on sale.
And I am really glad that I stepped out of my normal genres and read this one.

It is a quick and intense read.

It instantly grabbed my attention from the very beginning of the story. I was so mesmerized by the world, the story and the main character, Cady and trying to find out what was going to happen next. I could not put the book down.

There were a couple things that I saw coming (just minor details) but overall the story had twists that surprised me. It was a bit of a mystery to figure out the motive behind why these people were after her and wanted to kill her.

I like the characters. I especially likeTy. I found his character to be interesting. I was a little surprised that he helped her so much when he didn't know her. But overall he is a very likable character. He is nice and caring.
I also enjoyed reading from Cady's point of view because she has amnesia, which is a different type of point of view for me. It helped add mystery and some suspense to the story.

My Recommendation:

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. If you enjoy reading thrillers that have some mystery and are a very quick read, then I suggest giving this book a try.

Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

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Title: Confessions of a Murder                        Suspect

Author: James Patterson and Maxine                 Paetro

Length: 387 pages

Publisher: Little, Brown and                                  Company

Classification: Young Adult, Mystery,                           Thriller

Release Date: September 24, 2012

My Rating:

I found it interesting and enjoyable. 


I received this book as part of the Good Reads First Reads program.


This was the first James Patterson book I have ever read. So I didn't go into the book having any real expectations other than expecting it to be pretty good since he is a best selling author.

And I must say I found this book enjoyable. I really love the style of writing.
The story is told from the point of view of Tandy Angel. But it is written as if the character is currently sitting down with us telling us the story.
One of my favorite things about the book is that the author includes CONFESSIONS in the book. They are in between chapters and I find them to be quite interesting.

In the beginning of the story we find that Tandy's parents have been murdered and the four Angel children are the prime suspects.

I think the mystery was good, I changed suspects a few times while reading along. Although I didn't ever really think that Tandy committed the murder. I think it was because we were hearing everything from her perspective, although she didn't really ever rule herself out, she kept herself in the pool of suspects along with the others.

And I definitely did not see the ending coming. I was surprised to find out who did it.
I was a little let down by the ending. I really was expecting something different, but I accept the ending and understand why it ended the way it did.

I do plan on reading the next book in the series Confessions The Private School Murders that came out last year.

I found this book to be a fun read, there were times where I didn't want to put it down.