Take a photo of a barcode or cover
874 reviews by:
ambeesbookishpages
Crying in bed again over this series. I need to do a reread soon
The full review can be found at The Book Bratz
Hands down, this is one of the most realistic contemporaries I have read in a long time. Everything from the events, to the friendships, to how the characters interacted it all actuality had a real feeling to it. Courtney's writing had me laughing one moment and crying the next. Her story is about how to live when your life changes so dramatically, and who will be there for you in the end.
Imagine loosing your best friend, and becoming so badly scarred in the process that you want nothing to do with society anymore. Most of us will shake our heads and say how that will never happen. But it did for Sadie. After a normal day with her friends, Trent collided the car he was driving with a tree killing himself, and injuring his brother Max and Sadie in the process. When the story begins, almost a year has passed. Max and his family left for El Salvador shortly after Trent's death, Sadie doesn't really speak to her best friend Gina, or her ex-boyfriend Gray anymore and she now has scars all over her face that she names and draws on with sharpies. Her parents plan on sending her back to the school in the fall and to socialize with her old friends, but nothing is the same anymore. The Lies About Truth is about a lot of things, but the biggest is Sadie learning to live again after her life was turned upside down.
I've read books because where the main character was injured in an accident, or lost their friend and I usually end up hating them because all they do is whine and complain about everything. Sadie, she wanted to live again. She made lists of things she wanted to accomplish. Wearing a tank top, shorts, walking at graduation is just a few of them. Sadie just didn't know where to start. Yes, she had her moments and she was allowed them. If I could pick any character from a book to be proud of it would be Sadie. I could never imagine going through half of what she did.
In the beginning I was terrified of a love triangle due to Gray's confession that he loved her still. There is no love triangle! Sadie quickly shoots him down. He was part of an old life that she no longer wants a part of. I was worried about the romance when Max came home from El Salvador, Sadie never sent any pictures of herself since the accident to Max, so he didn't know what she looked like at all. My favorite thing is how he tells her she still looks the same. Gray can't even look her in the eyes. The romance in The Lies About Truth was both beautiful and tender.
The only thing I didn't like: Though Trent wasn't in the book (except in flashbacks) he was such a huge character. As morbid as it sounds I would have liked to know how he died. All we know is that he was killed in the accident, whether on impact or after. It wasn't said. We do know that Max held his hand and said he didn't appear to suffer. *insert endless sobs at that scene*
Overall I loved The Lies About Truth. I can't wait to read more from Courtney soon. She is an incredibly talented writer. The Lies About Truth is beautiful story that I recommend anyone looking for a fairly quick contemporary read.
Hands down, this is one of the most realistic contemporaries I have read in a long time. Everything from the events, to the friendships, to how the characters interacted it all actuality had a real feeling to it. Courtney's writing had me laughing one moment and crying the next. Her story is about how to live when your life changes so dramatically, and who will be there for you in the end.
Imagine loosing your best friend, and becoming so badly scarred in the process that you want nothing to do with society anymore. Most of us will shake our heads and say how that will never happen. But it did for Sadie. After a normal day with her friends, Trent collided the car he was driving with a tree killing himself, and injuring his brother Max and Sadie in the process. When the story begins, almost a year has passed. Max and his family left for El Salvador shortly after Trent's death, Sadie doesn't really speak to her best friend Gina, or her ex-boyfriend Gray anymore and she now has scars all over her face that she names and draws on with sharpies. Her parents plan on sending her back to the school in the fall and to socialize with her old friends, but nothing is the same anymore. The Lies About Truth is about a lot of things, but the biggest is Sadie learning to live again after her life was turned upside down.
I've read books because where the main character was injured in an accident, or lost their friend and I usually end up hating them because all they do is whine and complain about everything. Sadie, she wanted to live again. She made lists of things she wanted to accomplish. Wearing a tank top, shorts, walking at graduation is just a few of them. Sadie just didn't know where to start. Yes, she had her moments and she was allowed them. If I could pick any character from a book to be proud of it would be Sadie. I could never imagine going through half of what she did.
In the beginning I was terrified of a love triangle due to Gray's confession that he loved her still. There is no love triangle! Sadie quickly shoots him down. He was part of an old life that she no longer wants a part of. I was worried about the romance when Max came home from El Salvador, Sadie never sent any pictures of herself since the accident to Max, so he didn't know what she looked like at all. My favorite thing is how he tells her she still looks the same. Gray can't even look her in the eyes. The romance in The Lies About Truth was both beautiful and tender.
The only thing I didn't like: Though Trent wasn't in the book (except in flashbacks) he was such a huge character. As morbid as it sounds I would have liked to know how he died. All we know is that he was killed in the accident, whether on impact or after. It wasn't said. We do know that Max held his hand and said he didn't appear to suffer. *insert endless sobs at that scene*
Overall I loved The Lies About Truth. I can't wait to read more from Courtney soon. She is an incredibly talented writer. The Lies About Truth is beautiful story that I recommend anyone looking for a fairly quick contemporary read.
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
*Thank you so much Wednesday Books and Netgalley for letting me read and review THE PROJECT*
It’s still been a few days since I finished The Project and all I can say is this: Courtney, why did you put me through such pain? I loved Sadie so when I heard news of The Project I was instantly interested. Especially that this book is centered around a cult was a selling point for me, something about these kinds of books just trap me in. I can’t give The Project enough praise, but I’m hoping this review is a little drop in the tons of love it will get.
I love Courtney’s writing style. It’s easy to follow, imaginative and leaves the reading sitting on the edge of their seat eager for more. She did not disappoint on the twists and turns in The Project. There would many times through out this book that I would have to stop and process what happened.
I loved Lo’s character and her dedication to finding her sister and finding is place in the world after something horrific happened to her. I especially loved seeing how as the story went on how Courtney subtlety shifted certain aspects of Lo’s beliefs and actions to meet those of The Project, it was masterfully done. This whole entire book is masterful.
The Project left me crying in my room at 1a.m. because the ending is unlike anything I predicted it to be, especially having read Sadie and knowing how that ended. But as much as it emotionally destroyed me I loved every moment of this book and I hope everyone else who reads it does too. As I said, this review won’t do The Project justice so You have to read it for yourself to see!
*Thank you so much Wednesday Books and Netgalley for letting me read and review THE PROJECT*
It’s still been a few days since I finished The Project and all I can say is this: Courtney, why did you put me through such pain? I loved Sadie so when I heard news of The Project I was instantly interested. Especially that this book is centered around a cult was a selling point for me, something about these kinds of books just trap me in. I can’t give The Project enough praise, but I’m hoping this review is a little drop in the tons of love it will get.
I love Courtney’s writing style. It’s easy to follow, imaginative and leaves the reading sitting on the edge of their seat eager for more. She did not disappoint on the twists and turns in The Project. There would many times through out this book that I would have to stop and process what happened.
I loved Lo’s character and her dedication to finding her sister and finding is place in the world after something horrific happened to her. I especially loved seeing how as the story went on how Courtney subtlety shifted certain aspects of Lo’s beliefs and actions to meet those of The Project, it was masterfully done. This whole entire book is masterful.
The Project left me crying in my room at 1a.m. because the ending is unlike anything I predicted it to be, especially having read Sadie and knowing how that ended. But as much as it emotionally destroyed me I loved every moment of this book and I hope everyone else who reads it does too. As I said, this review won’t do The Project justice so You have to read it for yourself to see!
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
*Thank you so much BLOOMSBURY and Netgalley for letting me read and review EVERY SINGLE LIE*
***Trigger Warnings: Drugs, Alcohol, Death, Overdose, Still Birth, Death of an Infant, Bullying, Death Threats***
Wow. It's been a few days since I finished Every Single Lie and I needed sometime to digest what I read. Not because it was bad, because it was heavy. I been a Rachel Vincent fan for a long time (Since her Soul Eater series) so I was excited when I heard she was coming out with a contemporary novel. Don't get me wrong, Every Single Lie was absolutely amazingly done but I was initially a little apprehensive about it. The subject matter is something that is quite heavy and is going to be triggering for some readers (Trigger Warnings: Drugs, Alcohol, Death, Overdose, Still Birth, Death of an Infant, Bullying, Death Threats.) But Vincent went about this book in a way that made it compelling and something that bought up a lot of things that need to be discussed, failures in the sex education programs and the importance of healing and family.
Watching Beck from the beginning of the book and until the end is something I truly enjoyed. She grew so much as a character and I feel like Vincent left her off on a good spot. Her character was realistic too, she acted like a seventeen year old who is going through this horrible trauma and trying to deal with it as well as the death of her father months earlier. Vincent didn't skip out on any of the parts that would make you want to cry or pull on your heart strings.
My only thing is that I did predict whose baby it was early on in the book, but it was interesting to see how Beck went through different people in her life and how they could be the potential parents when the answer was literally in front of her face the whole time.
Overall I did enjoy Every Single Lie. It was a compelling read that kept me interested from the first page until the very last. I know it won't be everyone's cup of tea but if you are looking for a book that is going to make you think long and hard, this is the one for you.
*Thank you so much BLOOMSBURY and Netgalley for letting me read and review EVERY SINGLE LIE*
***Trigger Warnings: Drugs, Alcohol, Death, Overdose, Still Birth, Death of an Infant, Bullying, Death Threats***
Wow. It's been a few days since I finished Every Single Lie and I needed sometime to digest what I read. Not because it was bad, because it was heavy. I been a Rachel Vincent fan for a long time (Since her Soul Eater series) so I was excited when I heard she was coming out with a contemporary novel. Don't get me wrong, Every Single Lie was absolutely amazingly done but I was initially a little apprehensive about it. The subject matter is something that is quite heavy and is going to be triggering for some readers (Trigger Warnings: Drugs, Alcohol, Death, Overdose, Still Birth, Death of an Infant, Bullying, Death Threats.) But Vincent went about this book in a way that made it compelling and something that bought up a lot of things that need to be discussed, failures in the sex education programs and the importance of healing and family.
Watching Beck from the beginning of the book and until the end is something I truly enjoyed. She grew so much as a character and I feel like Vincent left her off on a good spot. Her character was realistic too, she acted like a seventeen year old who is going through this horrible trauma and trying to deal with it as well as the death of her father months earlier. Vincent didn't skip out on any of the parts that would make you want to cry or pull on your heart strings.
My only thing is that I did predict whose baby it was early on in the book, but it was interesting to see how Beck went through different people in her life and how they could be the potential parents when the answer was literally in front of her face the whole time.
Overall I did enjoy Every Single Lie. It was a compelling read that kept me interested from the first page until the very last. I know it won't be everyone's cup of tea but if you are looking for a book that is going to make you think long and hard, this is the one for you.
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
*Thank you so much BERKLEY and NetGalley for letting me read and review THE EX TALK*
This Book. I am in love. I'm not sure what I expected when I picked up The Ex Talk since contemporary novels aren't typically what I read. But once I read the synopsis I was sold. Rachel's adult debut novel did not disappoint one bit. I was flying through the pages of Shay and Dominic's story wanting to know more and waiting for *that* moment.
I LOVE Shay's character so much. I loved seeing her internal and external troubles with radio, how she is self conscious of her voice and how her ethics are compromised with the idea of The Ex Talk when she agrees to the idea. I also liked how Rachel took time to include the small details, the good and the bad about her father who passed away ten years earlier. Shay felt so incredibly real! I wish she wasn't a fictional character because I wish we could be best friends.
I couldn't help but love Dominic. At first he comes off as a jackass, but slowly we get to learn the real him and I was quite literally swooning for him. Rachel did a good job about explaining his background too, his insecurities and making him feel just as real as Shay is.
THE TENSION. The sexual tension in this book is something else. It is so obvious that they are into each other to everyone else but them and I loved that aspect so much. They don't have the traditional "boy meets girl and they fall in love" story but thats what I love the most. I also enjoyed that Shay is actually a few years older than Dominic, I feel like that is something that needs to be more normalized in romance novels is that the girl can be older in the relationship.
Overall I loved The Ex Talk and I can't wait until it is out in the world so other people can love it as well! Rachel did not disappoint and I can't wait to read more from her soon!
*Thank you so much BERKLEY and NetGalley for letting me read and review THE EX TALK*
This Book. I am in love. I'm not sure what I expected when I picked up The Ex Talk since contemporary novels aren't typically what I read. But once I read the synopsis I was sold. Rachel's adult debut novel did not disappoint one bit. I was flying through the pages of Shay and Dominic's story wanting to know more and waiting for *that* moment.
I LOVE Shay's character so much. I loved seeing her internal and external troubles with radio, how she is self conscious of her voice and how her ethics are compromised with the idea of The Ex Talk when she agrees to the idea. I also liked how Rachel took time to include the small details, the good and the bad about her father who passed away ten years earlier. Shay felt so incredibly real! I wish she wasn't a fictional character because I wish we could be best friends.
I couldn't help but love Dominic. At first he comes off as a jackass, but slowly we get to learn the real him and I was quite literally swooning for him. Rachel did a good job about explaining his background too, his insecurities and making him feel just as real as Shay is.
THE TENSION. The sexual tension in this book is something else. It is so obvious that they are into each other to everyone else but them and I loved that aspect so much. They don't have the traditional "boy meets girl and they fall in love" story but thats what I love the most. I also enjoyed that Shay is actually a few years older than Dominic, I feel like that is something that needs to be more normalized in romance novels is that the girl can be older in the relationship.
Overall I loved The Ex Talk and I can't wait until it is out in the world so other people can love it as well! Rachel did not disappoint and I can't wait to read more from her soon!