The Truth About Us

Feb 25, 2012 Margaret rated it 5 of 5 stars

A very powerful and emotionally charged story. I was moved by the honesty of these characters and lead by the story from page to page completely right from the beginning. The writing drew me right in. Another awesome book from a Canadian writer.

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Nov 01, 2012 Donna McBroom-Theriot rated it 5 of 5 stars

What is it about the truth, or for that matter, the secrets, that seem to haunt us until we give in to the need to purge? Why is it we think we can cleanse ourselves if we reveal our secrets of the past, no matter the consequences to anyone else? Who gives us the right to make this decision?

“Three women, roommates back in college, find their lives forever altered when one of them feels compelled to confess the secret sin of their past.”

The author wrote a fast-paced book intertwining the past...more What is it about the truth, or for that matter, the secrets, that seem to haunt us until we give in to the need to purge? Why is it we think we can cleanse ourselves if we reveal our secrets of the past, no matter the consequences to anyone else? Who gives us the right to make this decision?

“Three women, roommates back in college, find their lives forever altered when one of them feels compelled to confess the secret sin of their past.”

The author wrote a fast-paced book intertwining the past and the present that keeps you on your toes; and just when you think you have figured out a secret, another one surfaces.

“Did you hear me Erica? I have found Jesus.” “I didn’t know he was missing.” Jude sighed into the phone.”
“Dear Grace: I know this is out of the blue. I need to talk to you. Jude has found Jesus and insists that she must now walk the path of truth.”

The characters were interesting and diverse. You have Jude, who is a selfish person with a religious obsession. There is Erica, whose life is a complete disaster and who has trouble coping with life. And, then there is Grace, who like her name, is strong and steadfast.

“My mother tried. She painted my bedroom pink and put me in ballet when I was four but even then she knew she had picked the wrong name. A Grace should be graceful, should be one of those tiny, sparrow girls who run on tiptoe preparing for the inevitability of high heels.”

Clarity of the book for me came in the final few pages. I look back and see how the decisions made in the heat of a moment far outreach that moment. The ripples in the water continuously send out ripples. I felt the book definitely had a message its reader.

If I were to choose a book to compare it to, I would choose the Memory Keeper’s Daughter. Not because of the topic of the book, but because of the similarities in how decisions we make affect the rest of our lives and those around us.

You can view additional information at http://mylife-in-stories.blogspot.com (less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Lydia Laceby rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-women-s-fiction

Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes

Should every secret be told? Does the truth always come out? Does it set you free? What if its not your secret to tell? Can we ever really know everything about someone else? The Truth About Us is a fast paced and thought provoking read that raises many questions. It tackles a heavier and controversial subject matter and I was immediately intrigued by the mystery surrounding the three women and their pasts and how it impacts their futures.

Flannigan’s strength...more Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes

Should every secret be told? Does the truth always come out? Does it set you free? What if its not your secret to tell? Can we ever really know everything about someone else? The Truth About Us is a fast paced and thought provoking read that raises many questions. It tackles a heavier and controversial subject matter and I was immediately intrigued by the mystery surrounding the three women and their pasts and how it impacts their futures.

Flannigan’s strength is clearly with tense and tender scenes and I quickly began to find myself wanting more of them. The Truth About Us is told via alternating viewpoints and eventually too many memories unfold as the characters wander around doing something without any significant scene taking place. I think actual flashbacks, as much as I’m not a huge fan, might have strengthened this story for me. It probably also explains why my favourite character was Erica. She had the most interactive scenes.

The friendship between these women troubled me. Grace’s depiction of her budding relationship with Erica’s felt real to me and I would have loved a couple more scenes to solidify it, but Jude? I never completely understood it, especially as she simply responded to an ad for a room for rent and the other two ended up feeling sorry for her and that was pretty much the extent of it. I wanted more details of how they became such ‘close friends’ and they required some serious bonding in my opinion to help and trust one another with the secret like they did. But it never happened. For the most part they just seemed like three women who were thrown together in a house for college. Because of this, it was a stretch for me to believe the events that unfolded, both past and present.

Further character development would have definitely strengthened this story. The characters didn’t have much warmth to them and were mostly one sided. Grace was cold and hardened. Jude was lost and her path to redemption damning and Erica was living her life waiting for disaster. Erica was the only character I really cared about in the end and I loved reading about her relationship troubles with her husband. Their scenes were tender and heart wrenching. I loved them. More of this with other characters would have been beneficial as we never see Grace with anyone else until the end and Jude is only ever seen interacting with her pastor. I understand that they were both more tortured souls, and understandably so, and maybe their distance and detachment was Flannigan’s point, but I needed more from them to grow attached and root for them. I’ve read other novels with tortured souls and grew attached, so something was definitely lacking in this respect.

Overall, this was a good read, I just think it could have been much stronger. The plot was interesting, although possibly a bit too heavy on the portrayal of all men as evil, the angst of Erica and her husband came through perfectly and the questions the novel raises were intriguing. (less)

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May 14, 2012 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-own, suspense-mystery-thriller, underlying-pol-agenda

Great subject idea - three estranged college friends hold a deep dark secret. One finds it necessary to spill the beans based on some religious ideas she has learned in her recent past. This forces the three back together after 15 years, all of them having made very different lives for themselves and now have very little in common.
I liked the characters well enough - though Jude, I think, was supposed to arouse more anger and disgust in the reader and that she certainly did. I felt a little unc...more Great subject idea - three estranged college friends hold a deep dark secret. One finds it necessary to spill the beans based on some religious ideas she has learned in her recent past. This forces the three back together after 15 years, all of them having made very different lives for themselves and now have very little in common.
I liked the characters well enough - though Jude, I think, was supposed to arouse more anger and disgust in the reader and that she certainly did. I felt a little uncomfortable about where the anger regarding Jude was stemming from though - which was the lunatic church she was attending. I'm not sure why the disturbing portrayal of this "church" bothered me so much as I don't follow any religious faith strictly; but nonetheless I was left feeling pretty offended. I suppose I'd hoped for less of a blanket sized view of religion - because of course, not all religious entities have insane ministers who remove their clothing during a service and partake in sexual relations with several of the members. Nor do those of faith whom I know get on their knees in public places, crying so hard that they have a snot bubble, screaming out prayers for the sinners around them. It became pitiful, Jude's behavior - acting on behalf of her "church".
Overall, I liked the book okay. The writing was done well, there was a bit of suspense involved...I'd love to leave a better review but it just left me with a bad feeling. I read a lot of books and rarely do I focus on menial things - unless I feel it was written with a purpose to provoke a certain feeling in the reader. I feel like this was done with purpose and - if you have any familiarity with my reviews you know that I REALLY don't like religious or political views 'pushed on me'. Thus the 3 stars, which for me was pretty generous in a situation like this. Sorry, Ms Flannigan, I hate leaving crappy reviews for Indie authors because I understand that reviews are a large part of the key to success for you. I just think it's common sense to not to be offensive to specific groups when the hope is to reach a large & varied population. Just my 2 cents. (less)

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Apr 01, 2012 Catherine Coffman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-copy

I was pleasantly delighted to enjoy The Truth About Us as much as I did. The synopsis is pretty minimal, but definitely intriguing, and the book absolutely went above and beyond my expectations based on the blurb.

Grace, Jude, and Erica were friends in college, but have since moved on with their lives in very different ways. Except that they all carry a potentially devastating secret from their time as roommates. Erica has formed a life and a family, that is currently on a very rocky road. Grace...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Best Books To Read rated it 4 of 5 stars

Grace, Jude and Erica were all high school friends and when we initially meet them they are all grown up and all have their own lives. The three women are extremely different and it doesn’t take long to understand that something that happened many years ago has been a long and guarded secret between them all. As soon as I started reading this book I was drawn into the characters and found it compelling reading. Each woman seems to be going through their own issues and as the story progressed I f...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Patty rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Truth About Us
By
Dalene Flannagan

Brief summary...

Three women...Grace, Erica and Jude...the unfolding mystery of an event that happened in college years ago. Chapters alternate among all three and their past and present stories.

My thoughts...

Addictive from the start...I love books that get more intense with each page. Each woman was uniquely different, each woman had major issues and each woman knew what happened and was invested big time in this drama.

Erica is a mom...trying to deal with her...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Naberius rated it 4 of 5 stars

This isn't a very long book -- it's 204 pages. However, there's a lot in this story. There's the relationship between the three women -- their past relationship as roommates, and their present lives that are now intersecting. There's the issue of Erica and her husband and what's going to happen to their marriage. It's about keeping secrets, and how that can change people. There were parts that weren't easy to read ..... there are a few pretty ugly things in this book, but I felt they weren't blo...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Jenn rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Truth About Us is an astounding novel by Dalene Flannigan. It involves the intertwined lives of three women:

Grace - at 5'10" she has always been a tall woman. She has always felt that her thighs are too large. Her documentaries lead others to believe she's a lesbian or a Feminazi. In college she was quiet and introverted, rarely dating. So when Jason asks her to his place for dinner, she's thrilled. She drinks too much and can't remember anything about that night, yet hopes she didn't make a...more The Truth About Us is an astounding novel by Dalene Flannigan. It involves the intertwined lives of three women:

Grace - at 5'10" she has always been a tall woman. She has always felt that her thighs are too large. Her documentaries lead others to believe she's a lesbian or a Feminazi. In college she was quiet and introverted, rarely dating. So when Jason asks her to his place for dinner, she's thrilled. She drinks too much and can't remember anything about that night, yet hopes she didn't make a complete fool of herself. But there's something not quite right about that night and flashbacks come to her little by little. A short while later, she's involved with something that will change her life forever.

Erica - is married to Dave and has twin boys. Her marriage has been rocky for quite some time and she follows her husband into a Motel 8 where he's been having an affair. Erica is reluctant to call him on his indiscretions, as she knows she has kept a secret from him since before they were married. The last thing she wants is for Dave to leave her and take the children with him, but she fears that if he knows the truth all might be lost. And now her secret from college may be exposed when she receives that fateful phone call from Jude.

Jude - the party animal in college, the overly promiscuous one. Jude has now found God, and believes that all will be forgiven if the girls just reveal their secret. Omission of sins is a deadly act. She starts the ball rolling by a phone call to Erika telling her she'll be revealing the secret so that Jesus can save her and her two friends. Back in college, she was heavily into drugs and spending the night with just about anyone. Now, she has been redeemed and is celibate.

This story moved very quickly and was rather exciting. I liked that each chapter was one of the three women who's lives were once intricately wound around each other and are once again becoming intertwined. Each woman has their own cross to bear as well as the terribly horrible secret they share. I enjoyed each woman's chapter as each one was very different in how they handled things. It was as if each one had changed completely from their college days and it was interesting to see how each life revolved around the dreadful secret. Two thumbs up to Dalene, I can't wait to see what she writes next. (less)

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Dec 19, 2011 Books-treasureortrash rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: drama, reviewed

Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes

A horrendous, life changing event impacts three young college students. To protect themselves, they swear to keep it a secret. After graduation, they drift apart, each finding ways to escape their past. Twenty years later, one of the friends decides the truth must come out, but at what cost? This story examines each of their lives, how they have reconciled with the past and how revealing the truth will affect them.

The Truth About Us is Dalene Flannigan’s second novel...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Lauren Murphy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: indie

I read the synopsis for The Truth About Us when the author approached me for a review and at first glance I thought it would be a contemporary women’s novel- light and easy to read. I was actually going to decline, but decided to have a quick look over other reviews and was instantly intrigued by the number of readers who were surprised by the depth of this story and how it didn’t turn out to be what they had expected. I’m glad I took the chance on this indie book! The Truth About Us, isn’t your...more I read the synopsis for The Truth About Us when the author approached me for a review and at first glance I thought it would be a contemporary women’s novel- light and easy to read. I was actually going to decline, but decided to have a quick look over other reviews and was instantly intrigued by the number of readers who were surprised by the depth of this story and how it didn’t turn out to be what they had expected. I’m glad I took the chance on this indie book! The Truth About Us, isn’t your average women’s fiction novel, rather it explores in depth; relationships, secrets, trust and friendship that evolves among three friends. It also examines the effects of very serious subjects such as childhood sexual abuse, rape, infidelity and religion.

Grace, Erica and Jude are college friends who have gone their separate ways in adulthood. The chapters alternate between the view point of each of the three characters, with Grace being told in the first person. Her story is mostly retrospective, outlining the events that led up until the present moment. Erica is overwhelmed by her current circumstances after discovering her husband’s infidelity and then Jude drops the bombshell that she intends to reveal the secret they had buried sixteen years ago. Jude has ‘found Jesus’ and seems to be on a one way path to finding truth, even if it means betraying her friends and making their past public.

All three characters were very well developed, I felt most connected to Erica but I really felt for Grace. What a horrible, degrading experience she had and it tainted her ability to form a relationship with a man in her adult life. Erica was probably the easiest to connect with as she’s in a difficult situation, she wants to maintain the relationship with her husband, wants to keep her friend’s secret but the solid foundation she built for herself and her family is slowly starting to fall apart.

Jude was the most difficult to like, particularly because of her religious obsession in which she preached openly and at times insensitively. Despite her awful childhood experiences, I just couldn’t connect with the adult she became. She was so desperate to be accepted and loved and yet she lacked the insight about her early experiences and the impact on her as an adult. Inevitably she falls in love with a man, a pastor and incites an unequal relationship where she hopes to be fulfilled but is predictably disappointed. Even though she wanted to make the secret public, her presentation throughout the book actually made me question her sanity at times which I found uncomfortable because I didn’t know whether I was mixing that up with her religious fanatics. In the end, I just pitied her and I was disappointed in how her story was resolved.

The Truth About Us is a fascinating examination of three women from different walks of life and how one tragic evening strengthens their bond and ultimately drives them apart. It’s slow-building suspense incited fear in me that their secret would be revealed (which in itself poses an ethical dilemma!) and there’s a twist at the end that I didn’t expect once the secret was uncovered. I recommend this story, particularly for readers who enjoy suspense, complex characters and the exploration of topical issues.

3.5 stars
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Mar 22, 2012 Elaine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: free-kindle-finds, kindle

This is a great story with the author cleverly showing what can happen when legalistic Christianity sneaks in. Though this is not a Christian book, many bible verses are used in a way similar to some teachings. This in turn makes for a pastor who is a twisted church leader, and really, not what Christianity is suppose to be about.

Grace, Erica, and Jude, once roommates and friends take turns narrating individual chapters with each telling their own story. In college, Jude was the party girl. Gra...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Vasiliki Charalampopoulou rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally Posted: here

I won this book in a giveaway which was great not just because, well, i won it in a giveaway, but also becasue if i hadn't i would probably never have read it. The main reason being that i mostly enjoy reading young adult and usually i find it hard to relate to characters that are older than me by sigificant amount of years. So i was a bit out of my waters here and i did't know what to expect, one thing's for sure, i did not expect to enjoy it this much.

The book was really...more Originally Posted: here

I won this book in a giveaway which was great not just because, well, i won it in a giveaway, but also becasue if i hadn't i would probably never have read it. The main reason being that i mostly enjoy reading young adult and usually i find it hard to relate to characters that are older than me by sigificant amount of years. So i was a bit out of my waters here and i did't know what to expect, one thing's for sure, i did not expect to enjoy it this much.

The book was really emotionally charged because of the tragic events that had taken place and it was a terrible page turner for two reasons, one, because you wanted to find out what the secret was; and two, becasue you desperately wanted things to work out well for the characters. the book also did touch up on many topics, including religion and adultery, but it was done with a practiced ease.

Grace and Erica were likeable and reasonable characetrs that had it tough in their lives, especially Grace. Jude, on the other had, although she had a really tough life with tragic events, was not as likeable a character as the others. To be hiest, i felt like smacking her many many times throughout the book. She had deffinitely passed the limit of healthy religion and had become obsessed. She would see things that weren't there (in a delusional way rather than hallucinatory) and she was easily decieved becasue thsi made her blind. She almost ruined many people's lives because of her obsession with Jesus and the truth. Don't get me wrong, i'm not against religion, but i believe that there is a limit after which one becomes obsessed and is no longer truely folloing the will of God. Jude, for instance, did do certain things that Jesus taught against, but she was so obsessed that she mistook everyday coincidences for sighns that Jesus was rewarding her. So, although i am not very religious myself, i am not against other people being religious, sometimes religion can help us, benefit us and make us better as people, but there is always a limit and once you cross that, you become a hazard to yourself and to others. I would like to know what you think about this though. Please leave a comment and let me know.(less)

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Jan 24, 2012 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fiction

This book covers a couple heavy topics including whether we should be chained to our former actions if we've made a change in our life, does friendship outweigh truth, and what happens when the truth isn't wanted. Grace, Erica, and Jude became friends in college. They all seem to come from very different backgrounds and for the most part after college, they all go their separate ways. A secret unites them and when one of the former friends threatens to reveal the secret in order to repent and ge...more

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Jan 17, 2012 Rubysbooks rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, thriller, drama, from-author

Originally published on my blog

I don't know what I was expecting when I started reading this book. I know I love a book when I want to reread it. And right now, I know this will be one of those re-readable books.

The book isn't just about growing up and about friendship. It's about choices and how those choices influence one's life forever, about the different sides of the truth and about how truth is depends on the personal view.

Three friends, three roommates, Grace, Jude and Erica, struggle w...more Originally published on my blog

I don't know what I was expecting when I started reading this book. I know I love a book when I want to reread it. And right now, I know this will be one of those re-readable books.

The book isn't just about growing up and about friendship. It's about choices and how those choices influence one's life forever, about the different sides of the truth and about how truth is depends on the personal view.

Three friends, three roommates, Grace, Jude and Erica, struggle with a secret and a set of choices that changed them forever. Grace is the kind of woman that tries to transform her past, her secrets, into a mission. First, it's personal, she's trying to find out if she's the only one with a past like hers (or similar). Then, when she sees that she's not alone, that there are others like her, she tries to tell their story to the world, change people's view about women and abuse and choices born out of resentment, fear or hate. She doesn't seem like a strong woman, not really. She might be perceived that way, but I think there's a part of her that is scared, terrified even, wary. I liked her though, I liked her view and take on certain sensitive subjects.

Erica is, I think, the strongest of the three. The accomplished woman, with a house, a husband, two kids. Even if her marriage is far from perfect, she tries to change that, to fix what can be fixed. A part of Erica would want to change the past and almost everything that happened after college. I believe that her past made her stronger in some ways and in other she is overwhelmed by it.

Then there's Jude. Jude is the scarred woman, the one with a history of drug and alcohol addiction, the one who's been sexually abused during her childhood by the very people who should have cherished, loved and protected her. She's lost and a big part of me wasn't surprised by her choice at the end of the book. Everyone she trusted wronged her in some way. Grace lied to her, her parents weren't the good parents they should have been, the man who supposedly tries to show her the right path is using her. She tries to find salvation through religion, but it's not a healthy decision, or so I felt it.

This is one of those books that satisfied me as a reader a lot. I love it when there's a book that manage to show different versions and views of the same event, the same situation. I think Ms. Flannigan managed to do that and keep the novel flowing. It's not a comfortable read, but it's an amazing one and it's one of those things that make you want to forget all about the "real world" and read more. I would definitely recommend it.

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Jan 01, 2012 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

Well I can honesty say that this is probably the best self-published novel I’ve read to date. (Not that I’ve read many, but I think I’ve read enough to be sure of that much). I often find that when stories are up to scratch with self-published novels there are problems with editing, which is understandable as the author won’t have a whole team of editors and proofreaders behind them. I found few problems with editing with this book though, there were only a couple of times I thought something sh...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Book Him Danno rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, books-sent-by-author-publisher-for

his book surprised me, I guess I didn’t know what to expect and WOW…BANG…the author nailed a topic that is near and dear to everyone’s heart…..Secrets we keep. What secrets do you keep from those you love and those who tell you everything? Well this one is big and it has the power to destroy lives and those you love…would you tell someone then? What will it cost you if you do? You may never know until you tell that secret.

This is fasted paced and well written, I kept turning the pages until the...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Jadaloves rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was absolutely captivated by this book and found myself completely lost in the story. The Truth About Us is the story of three college friends, Grace, Erica, and Jude, who are forever bound to each other because of a tragic secret they share. But when Jude finds Jesus, she threatens to unravel all of their lives when she is compelled to confess her sins and tell the truth about what happened all those years ago. Revealing the secret could mean serious consequences for them all, which prompts E...more I was absolutely captivated by this book and found myself completely lost in the story. The Truth About Us is the story of three college friends, Grace, Erica, and Jude, who are forever bound to each other because of a tragic secret they share. But when Jude finds Jesus, she threatens to unravel all of their lives when she is compelled to confess her sins and tell the truth about what happened all those years ago. Revealing the secret could mean serious consequences for them all, which prompts Erica and Grace to reunite to try to talk Jude out of her confession.

I love how Flannigan creates this story and weaves it together so each woman’s lives touches the others even though they really don’t talk anymore. From the beginning the mystery about the secret grabs you and will break your heart once revealed. When Erica and Jude decide to help Grace their lives are changed forever. But what neither of them know is that each of them have kept bits and pieces of their own truth hidden from the other.

I can clearly see the evolution of Grace. As a child and a young woman she did everything she could to become invisible, despite her awkwardness and her height. But after a joking conversation with Erica and Jude, and experiencing the defining moment of her life, Grace shatters the shell and becomes a visible force in the world. She produces and directs documentaries highlighting abuse and mistreatment toward women, with no regrets, and no apologies.

The kind and carefree Erica from college disappears, and is replaced with a cautious woman who withholds her truth from her husband and family. And when she discovers her husband is having an affair, she tries to repair the damage by pretending it doesn’t exist. She doesn’t want to face the reasons why her husband could be stepping out, and she is still not fully prepared to be completely transparent with her husband. Jude threatening to tell encourages Erica to finally be truthful with her husband and he doesn’t take it well. Erica’s husband would reach out to her, but then he’d pull back again, which I found confusing. But I love how Flannigan relates Erica’s secrecy and her husband’s affair in such a way that each of them have no choice but to try and be understanding of each other.

Jude is the only character who didn’t change much to me. In her youth she was abused and molested and in turn was the wild child of the group. Jude was unstable, and flitted from one place and person to another. And although she found Jesus, in Jude’s case it was only trading one unhealthy obsession for another. I think when Jude initially found Jesus her intentions were good. But it soon morphed into this driving need to lead others into salvation whether they wanted to or not. She became quite indignant and self-righteous, and her crusade for truth became more about proving her superiority in Christ than the actual truth.

In The Truth About Us, Dalene Flannigan shows us how one event can change our lives and stay with us forever. She also shows us how one secret and our personal truth can touch the lives of our friends and family, even if they had nothing to do with it. It’s interesting to see how this one defining moment shaped and governed the rest of their lives, and how it had far-reaching effects and consequences beyond that one night. The Truth About Us was a smart, heartwarming, and honest story. I recommend it to anyone who is into women’s literature or anyone who just wants to read a good book.(less)

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Mar 27, 2012 Joanne Clancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I found The Truth About Us to be a very thought-provoking book. It made me ponder the serious impact that keeping secrets can have on our closest relationships. Is keeping a secret from our pasts another form of lying? The author shows the reader what can potentially happen when a deep, dark secret comes back to haunt us. She also cleverly examines the question of loyalty between friends and how decisions made in our younger years may not always be the best choices.

The Truth about Us is a gripp...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: post-uni

Erica’s life seems to be falling apart when she catches her husband having an affair. But just as things are becoming difficult for her, she gets a call from her old friend Jude who drags the past back into Erica’s life. And all of a sudden Erica’s problems are much more dire than her marriage falling apart. Jude, a former party girl, has recently become a devout Christian and is trying to repent for all her sins. Unfortunately, she wishes to confess to her involvement in something that Erica ha...more Erica’s life seems to be falling apart when she catches her husband having an affair. But just as things are becoming difficult for her, she gets a call from her old friend Jude who drags the past back into Erica’s life. And all of a sudden Erica’s problems are much more dire than her marriage falling apart. Jude, a former party girl, has recently become a devout Christian and is trying to repent for all her sins. Unfortunately, she wishes to confess to her involvement in something that Erica has tried to forget. Sixteen years ago, Jude, Erica and Grace were college roommates. Now, Grace makes documentary films, and Jude’s wish to confess would certainly have a major effect on Grace’s life. When the truth about the past could have life altering consequences for all three women, is it worth it to risk telling the truth? And what if the people don’t want to know the what really happened? When one person’s actions years ago has had a rippling effect for these three women, they will have to finally confront the past.

I’m going to do my best to make this review spoiler free, even if that means excluding a major part of the plot. Before I started reading The Truth About Us, I imagined that it was going to belong to the Romance or Chick Lit genre. Instead, this intense and dramatic book dealt with a lot of serious issues and became impossible to put down as the story progressed. This was a quick read that was thought provoking. I took Women’s Studies in University and this would have been a perfect book to read since there is so much to discuss. The narration switches between each woman every chapter, with Grace’s chapters told in first person and Jude and Erica’s in third person. At first I was sceptical of the switch between first and third person, but in the end it worked quite well. While Jude felt like a bit of a caricature, Erica and Grace were great characters. While they felt real, it also felt like I didn’t know them as well as I could have, but that may have been because of the book’s length. The plot was well paced, although in retrospect the ending might have been a bit anti-climactic, although it didn’t feel like that while reading. I know some people don’t like to read independently published books, but this book is worth making an exception for. Well written and gripping, The Truth About Us was an enjoyable read that I’d definitely recommend.

4/5(less)

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Jan 10, 2013 Kim Mccully-mobley rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a good read. I got a deal on this digital book and was not disappointed. The characters are well-developed and realistic. The friendships these women share while young don't seem to transcend themselves as well in to adulthood. But the story line is believable and the twists and turns certainly make you think. I would have liked to see more insight into mental illness and cult/mob mentality as an explanation in the ending. The book kept me whizzing through the pages waiting to see what h...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-lending

I enjoyed this novel about truths and lies, secrets and deception. Three college roommates with varying values and opinions come together over a tragedy that will loom over them for more than 15 years. It makes you question, whose truth is it and do we have the right to interfere? Does awareness obligate you to disrupt other people's lives to free your own guilty conscience? When the three women meet up again at the request of one of them suggesting a "confession of their sins" to save their so...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Na Deela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfantasy-just-real

This was a pretty suspenseful book. I had to keep reading to see what would happen... or rather what had happened. I like the way it was set up. You got the three points of view, Grace's was in first person, which made the story clearly hers. I liked the switching back and forth between past and present. That can sometimes get confusing but for this story it made sense and the author made it work. The only problem I had was Jude. *SPOILER ALERT* she was out of her mind and I don't like that she...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Will the truth set you free? That's the big question among this group of friends who share a dark secret harbored during their college years. Now 15 years later, one of the friends is ready to spill, but are some things better left unsaid?

This book is a quick read and the story moves along nicely. There is some good suspense building in the beginning, but the writer struggles to maintain that energy throughout the book. The ending falls a little flat, but the writer does a good job of wrapping...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Karen Graman rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the writing style of this book as well as the story. I would have given this 4 stars had I not felt let down at the representation of Christians. But it is a good story, and I suppose the true reality in life is that there are many people who claim to be Christians that misrepresent as well.

At any rate, this was a good read that dealt with some good issues such as the effects secrets, forgiveness, rape, growing up, and getting over things from the past. The presence of scriptur...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks-own, review-copy

The Truth About Us is a great read. About three friends who share a secret one they carry for many years and how that secret affects their lives.

Dalene writes with such great flow I am shocked that her book is only self published and some smart publisher hasn't snagged her book up. Her characters are well written and the story coming to a head when one no longer wants to keep but instead share their secret.

I enjoyed the book and recommend checking it out. A job well done by an author who's fut...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: abuse, freebie, kindle, light-read, quick-read, sexual-assualt, chiclit, own, addiction, child-abuse, fiction, mental-health, suicide

Wow. I didn't expect any of this from this book. This meaning the depth of emotion, the way this book touched me, even when I didn't want it to or didn't expect it to. What was I expecting? A quick lighthearted story to pass some time between a few things I've been wanting to read. Surprise, surprise, this freebie had some depth!

Perhaps it was the age of the three women, but I really felt connected to them on a personal level. It was as if I could see a little bit of myself in each of them. Alth...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Olga rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

I'll say this right now: I loved this book. From start to finish it kept me invested in the story and the characters' lives and when I knew it was nearing its conclusion I didn't want it to end. I even told a reader friend how good it was before finishing it, which I hardly ever do because as we all know there are no guarantees against things deteriorating and leaving you disappointed. Fortunately my praises were not dampened but rather reinforced by the last few chapters. I think I'm getting ah...more I'll say this right now: I loved this book. From start to finish it kept me invested in the story and the characters' lives and when I knew it was nearing its conclusion I didn't want it to end. I even told a reader friend how good it was before finishing it, which I hardly ever do because as we all know there are no guarantees against things deteriorating and leaving you disappointed. Fortunately my praises were not dampened but rather reinforced by the last few chapters. I think I'm getting ahead of myself...
The narrators are three women who shared a house in college and are bound together by a secret they've sworn to keep. Their voices are as distinctive as their personalities and lives, and their alternating chapters helped create a fuller picture of the past and present events. I don't know what it cost the author to piece together these three characters. Their pain, fear and struggles are right there on the page, and if any of it was inspired by reality Ms. Flannigan lived or witnessed writing this book can't have been easy. It is possible that the degree to which I became invested in the story is due in part to me recognizing traits of a person I know in one of the characters, and although she is by far not as extreme there is a lot of truth in the portrayal. It is also possible that the realism of one lead affected how impressed I was by character development of the other two. These women were so well-written I believed they could really exist, and I sympathized with them even though their actions didn't exactly put them in the "good girl" camp.
I've read a few debut novels in the last several months and few impressed me as much as The Truth About Us. Actually, By Fire By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan is the only other one I can put in the same class as far as writing goes. It's vivid and personal, emotional and thoughtful, and every word builds the larger picture, like pieces of a puzzle that fall into place one by one to reveal more and more of the whole to the point where at the end you really understand why the characters act the way they do and what their worlds are like. There's never any confusion but rather an increasing understanding that comes with bringing things to light and seeing every detail.
The thing that made this novel particularly satisfying was the last chapter. You know how often you finish a book and want to know what happened next? Here we have that last little bit that gives us a degree of closure and understanding of what happened to the characters when they could finally go on with their lives. It also gives us the last few details we were missing about the events of the night that started it all, and that was like the last full stop that said 'this is it, there is nothing more to tell'. I loved how the finality of it brought the story to its true conclusion.
Some may be inclined to categorize this book as a mystery and although there is an element of that genre here I think that this novel is more an exploration of what truth is and what it means to different people, how our lives affect our understanding of it and how our circumstances determine the grey areas around it. The concept of truth runs through everything in this book, not just the parts associated with the secret that's weighing on the characters and spurs them into action. It underscores the idea that every day we are living out our own truth, struggling with it or reveling in it. This is the truth about us, however we understand it.

Read more of my reviews at Bibliophile's Corner (less)

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May 16, 2012 Sarah (Workaday Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: canadian, read-in-2012

This story really focused on the 3 women, and how you felt about them really impacted how you felt about their stories.

Jude was not likable or sympathetic at all. She was obsessive, destructive and so overly zealous with her new religion that there was no room left for compassion. Her actions were extremely selfish, and I just plain didn't like her at all.

Erica was pitiful. Her life was a disaster, and not all of it was her fault. She really didn't knkow how to cope or deal with everything, whic...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, drama

I enjoyed this novel. This novel was about three grown women whose paths crossed in college and they have gone on to live very different lives. They share a dangerous secret though, and one of them has more to lose than the others if that secret were to ever come to light.

This book was written in short chapters and we shift between the points of view of these three women. It was a very quick read and I very much enjoyed it. I was a little surprised by the resolution, but I was satisfied with it....more

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