Justice (Deck of Lies, #1)

Feb 06, 2012 Melanie Cusick-Jones rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Justice is a really great read. In fact, it surprised me how good it was and how quickly I got hooked on it.

I have to admit, I’m not crazy about the cover and would have skipped over it had I seen it on the shelf – maybe I’m not a pink person, but to me it looks much more like a romance novel than it actually is. In reality Rain Ramey’s story – it’s told from her first person POV – is predominantly a mystery, with smatterings of romance and school angst thrown in. Because of the tarot connection...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Sienna Logan (Lost to Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

To see more of my reviews visit http://losttobooks.blogspot.co.uk

I must admit that when I first received a request for this book I was hesitant to accept; I wasn't exactly keen on the cover and from the description it didn't sound like a book I would usually pick up. However I am so glad I did accept, the book kept a good pace throughout and included lots of twists to keep me engrossed and in suspense of what was going to happen in Rain's life. As I started reading I presumed it would be anoth...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Book Pusher rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.75 Stars

First I would like to say thank you to Jade Varden for providing me with a copy of her book to read and review!

I will admit, going in I wasn’t sure what to expect…the cover…well, it’s interesting…and very PINK!! But I know better than to judge a book by it’s cover

The book was a fast paced book in that there are so many twist and turns that you really can’t be sure what will happen next. A little over mid-way through the book I saw what I hoped was not coming, what I hoped the author w...more

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May 08, 2012 Erin Dove rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was kindly asked to read and review this by the author, Jade Varden. I am so very glad that I had the privilege to do so.

This book caught me from the very first page. The characters were well developed, I felt emotional connection with the main character, Rain Ramey, from the get go. She was an average girl, with a nice, 'normal' family - Dad, Mom, and brother living in an average home. That is until one day when Rain left her average school, her friends, and her brother to go to a private sch...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Sarah (TotalTeenFiction) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-copy, e-book, on-the-blog, young-adult, started-series-trilogy

Full review here on TotalTeenFiction

I was sent a copy of this book and I've been meaning to read it for a while. This is the first book in the Deck of Lies series and I wasn't really sure what to expect (the cover doesn't give much away!) but as soon as I started it I was pretty much hooked. The story is all about Rain Ramey who, after winning a scholarship to the prodigious Sloane Academy, suddenly starts to discover things about her past and her family that she never could have dreamt were tru...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Theresa Jones rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow… Have you ever had one of those moments, when you know someone that makes something (either an artist who paints, an author who writes, a person who sings, etc) and bec you know that person, you are afraid to see, read or hear their work because what if it sucks?
You don’t wanna tell that person they suck. And you don’t want to be let down when you expected something better.

Well, that was my problem with reading Jade Varden’s books. See, I have been following her blog pretty avidly as I am p...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: r2r-complete, read-2012, favourites-2012

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free from the author on a read-to-review basis.)
OMG! I really don’t know where to start with this book, but man, is ‘Deck of Lies’ an apt title for this series!
If you’ve read the blurb (above), you’ll notice that it is very cryptic and doesn’t give much away, so I didn’t really know what to expect when I started reading this book, and let me tell you, I was very pleasantly surprised!

I don’t want to give too much away, because it is the mystery...more (Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free from the author on a read-to-review basis.)
OMG! I really don’t know where to start with this book, but man, is ‘Deck of Lies’ an apt title for this series!
If you’ve read the blurb (above), you’ll notice that it is very cryptic and doesn’t give much away, so I didn’t really know what to expect when I started reading this book, and let me tell you, I was very pleasantly surprised!

I don’t want to give too much away, because it is the mystery that makes this book such a captivating read, but I will tell you a little bit – because if you have an idea what this book is about you will be rushing to download a copy too 

16-year-old Rain Ramey lives with her parents and older brother. She’s starting at the prestigious ‘Sloan Academy’ having won a scholarship, and she knows that things will be very different for her starting at a new school where nobody knows her.
What Rain could never have guessed, was that when she left home that day for her first day at Sloan Academy, that she would never really go back to her parents and her home again.
An unfair trick, played on her by the new school’s queen bee – Carsyn, changes Rain’s life as she knows it forever, and nothing will ever be the same again.

As I said I really don’t want to tell you any more, because this book is just full of mystery, and I really couldn’t guess what was coming next. Every chapter bought fresh excitement, and even more questions to light, and I just had to keep reading.
Rain is just such a likeable character, has such a clear, fresh voice. Rain’s thoughts almost felt like my own whilst reading this book, and I was living every moment of this book right alongside her.

There was a touch of romance in this book, although it is almost a side-story, what I liked most about the romance aspect of this book though, is that even when two different guys are interested in Rain, she’s open and tells guy number 2 that she is sort-of dating guy number 1, and doesn’t string him along. I’m not the biggest fan of love triangles, and I like that Rain was honest enough to try and prevent the situation happening to her!

There is so much more I could say about this book, but I really want you to uncover the mysteries yourself and hopefully enjoy it as much as I did! I’m off to read the next in the series!
Highly recommended YA fiction!
8.5 out of 10.
(Book length: 3765 kindle locations)(less)

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Jul 24, 2012 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oh wow! I LOVED this book! So much so that as soon as I finished it I went and downloaded book 2 and after that book 3. I cannot wait for book 4 later this year and have already publicly urged Jade, the author, to hurry up!

I was asked by Jade to read and review Justice so she sent me the copy for free. I hadn't heard of the book before and so I didn't know anything about it. The cover and the synopsis don't give much away as to what the story is about. I was intrigued enough to agree to review i...more Oh wow! I LOVED this book! So much so that as soon as I finished it I went and downloaded book 2 and after that book 3. I cannot wait for book 4 later this year and have already publicly urged Jade, the author, to hurry up!

I was asked by Jade to read and review Justice so she sent me the copy for free. I hadn't heard of the book before and so I didn't know anything about it. The cover and the synopsis don't give much away as to what the story is about. I was intrigued enough to agree to review it though, and I am soooo glad I did! 

Rain Ramey is 16, lives with her parents and older brother, and has recently won a scholarship at Sloane Academy. The story starts off on her first day and we get to see how normal, down-to-earth and proud her family are. What Rain doesn't know when setting off on her first day at her new school is that she'll never be returning home again after the most popular girl in school pulls a prank that lands Rain at the local police station.

It's really hard to review this book (I think I always say that!) without giving too much away but I'll try!

I really liked Rain. She was a normal girl who had the mother of all shocks that afternoon after school! The way she dealt with it all was phenomenal and showed me just how strong and mature she was. Rain as the narrator of the story worked well and I liked how she expressed her inner thoughts. She was a well developed character and I really sympathised with her situation.

Carsyn (AKA the most popular girl in the school) was a complete cow! Again, it was how well her character was developed that provoked me to hate her. I definitely wouldn't like to count her as one of my friends!

There were quite a number of other characters, ones that I won't name for fear of spoilers. Some of them I really didn't like (but that was obviously the point!), others I loved.

Justice was well written, had a good pace, and had so many twists to the plot it was really hard to work out what might happen next. That was a good thing though, it's nice not to be able to work out the plot before you've got to that part.

You definitely should go and download a copy after reading this review, I don't think you'll regret it. Now I just have to sit tight and wait for Jade to release book 4.

Read more of my reviews and book news at Have Book, Will Read (less)

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Aug 28, 2012 Josheka rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: can-always-read-again, e-book, full-of-ya-romance, liked-the-characters, loved-it, rba, teen

More of my reviews @ Reading 24x7

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Justice. It had almost everything I like in a YA novel and was damn engrossing. I seriously couldn't put it down once I started reading it. All the characters were nice and the story as a whole was amazing!

I honestly wasn't expecting Justice to be so awesome mainly because of the cover. I love the colour pink but if I had to judge the story by its cover I would've flatly said, "Boooring" but it wasn't! It was far, far from boring. I a...more More of my reviews @ Reading 24x7

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Justice. It had almost everything I like in a YA novel and was damn engrossing. I seriously couldn't put it down once I started reading it. All the characters were nice and the story as a whole was amazing!

I honestly wasn't expecting Justice to be so awesome mainly because of the cover. I love the colour pink but if I had to judge the story by its cover I would've flatly said, "Boooring" but it wasn't! It was far, far from boring. I am not a big fan of YA mystery books so I was a little hesitant at first but I'm so, so glad I got a chance to read such a wonderful story! There were many surprise elements neatly tucked into the story and just the right amount of romance in it. :)

I liked Rain. Even though she was a completely normal character, the way the story was written just sucked me into her life. Her nature was really nice and likeable. I'm glad she wasn't another one of those female protagonists who're too stupid for their own good and keep making mistakes again and again. I felt like I could actually connect with her and the credit for this obviously goes to Ms. Varden for writing Rain's POV so beautifully. I loved almost each and every chapter.
Even though I really liked River, I seriously wish Rain and Tom could have something more between them. When the awkwardest moment of the story came (view spoiler) I was like WTF?!? This is not happening!! I love Tom! :( I guess would've been funny if I wasn't so heartbroken...
Anyway, as the story moved on, I got over it and thought that now maybe Rain will give River a chance (Rain, River there names are so cool! Although I honestly think River is a slightly feminine name :P)but she didn't. And I was too busy biting my nails to see what was gonna happen next to get too bothered about it.

The best part of the book was that it's pace was just perfect. It wasn't too slow or too fast. I could easily just relax and lose myself in the story without any problem. I really, really liked Ms. Varden's writing style. It was simply superb! After the end of every chapter, there was that mysterious cliff-hanger that made me want to continue the story. I just couldn't leave it, and when I did, all I could think of was, what would happen next?? I was enchanted. :)

The accurate rating for this book would be 4.5 stars. Justice is a must-read for all YA book lovers. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!! :D

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Jun 11, 2013 Paul Montgomery rated it 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis: Lies upon lies, the tales they tell, and the woes they bring. Rain Ramey, in this case, finds herself caught in the proverbial web of lies, shaking her whole life from top to bottom. As more lies are discovered, more questions arise, until young Rain's life is all but destroyed. How sad. Especially when she thought that she had everything she ever wanted...

Poor Rain Ramey. Or, rather, lucky young Rain Ramey. She's about to get everything she ever dreamt of. No, wait. It's definitely po...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Brea Bond rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm told on a regular basis that I rate books too highly, but I can't, in good faith, downplay the merit of a story I enjoy as much as I do Justice, the first installment of Varden's Deck of Lies series--it is a highly entertaining read deserving of at least 4 1/2 stars.

I call it an "installment" because this is NOT a standalone story. Like many indie-published YA books (those of my own series included!), Justice ends without offering much in the way of conclusion. If shorter-format serials are...more I'm told on a regular basis that I rate books too highly, but I can't, in good faith, downplay the merit of a story I enjoy as much as I do Justice, the first installment of Varden's Deck of Lies series--it is a highly entertaining read deserving of at least 4 1/2 stars.

I call it an "installment" because this is NOT a standalone story. Like many indie-published YA books (those of my own series included!), Justice ends without offering much in the way of conclusion. If shorter-format serials aren't your thing, you may be disappointed by the cliffhanger ending. Otherwise, you're in for a treat.

Justice opens with some fairly generic YA themes: Rain is a less-than-popular smart girl who is nervous about beginning her first day at a new school. Sound familiar? Hang in there...because within the space of a couple of chapters, Varden begins turning the genre standards upside-down with an onslaught of twists and turns--most of which I did not see coming! Without giving too much away, suffice it to say that "Deck of Lies" is a very apt title.

My only complaints (and here I'm nit-picking) are, first, that some of the disclosed truths about Rain's family seem far too coincidental. I'm willing to accept this sort of thing in a fantasy story where fates or fortunes or fairies or whatever are weaving characters' storylines together, but Justice is a mystery--too good a mystery for the continual interconnections between characters. I found myself hoping that Rain's mother's tarot card reading in the first chapter (which is a brief scene that doesn't have much impact on the plot of this installment)is a hint of some yet-unseen fantasy element that will be revealed in the overarching story. My other grief is that the protagonist seems to be interested in any boy who gives her the time of day. Perhaps that's realistic, but I found it odd for a girl who is busy wrestling with questions regarding her identity.

These small distractions aside, Justice is well-written and very original. The dialogue is believable and often humorous, which effectively lightens what could be a very dark story. It's a fast read, in part because it is somewhat short but mostly because the plot is so engrossing. I learned my lesson this time and will plan on setting aside time to read the sequel straight through! Well done, Jade Varden! I look forward to following the remainder of the series.(less)

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Jan 25, 2013 Vero rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

I loved this book it! It was so easy and entertaining to read I didnt want it to end.

The Plot: The book tells Rain's story and how her life changes when she finds out her family is not her real family. I loved how it all developed and how you always had questions. I enjoyed the pace and how some things got explained but the majority just led to more questions.

The characters: All of the characters are wonderfully described. You really connect with Rain and you can almost feel her frustration an...more

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Jan 04, 2013 LM May rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-indies

Posted on Amazon Kindle US ...

Being a huge supporter of Indies, and new to Kindle ebooks, I decided to save my first review for an Indie. Preferably one just starting out. After about three months, and many false starts, I discovered Jade Varden's 'Justice; Deck of lies'.

Originally, I nearly didn't read the inside sample as the cover didn't really catch my attention. I'm glad I did. I was compelled enough to purchase the book.

While Justice; Deck of Lies, was not what I was expecting from the cov...more Posted on Amazon Kindle US ...

Being a huge supporter of Indies, and new to Kindle ebooks, I decided to save my first review for an Indie. Preferably one just starting out. After about three months, and many false starts, I discovered Jade Varden's 'Justice; Deck of lies'.

Originally, I nearly didn't read the inside sample as the cover didn't really catch my attention. I'm glad I did. I was compelled enough to purchase the book.

While Justice; Deck of Lies, was not what I was expecting from the cover and the blurb, I give it a steady 4 stars when compared to other books in the YA genre. I would even go as high as 41/2 stars at times. But when I include the very important value for money factor, this book is an easy 5 stars.

Following the journey of Rain Ramey when she receives a Scholarship to Sloane Academy, an exclusive high school for the very rich, the story started off at a nice pace, drawing me in so that I got to know Rain and her family. Then BAM! Suddenly the author threw in an unexpected twist and I completely forgot I was reading an Indie book. I was just reading any book I may have purchased at the store, or have borrowed from the library.

I can't say too much without giving away all the many twists and turns the story takes.

While more discerning readers may believe that some of the twists are too coincidental, once you lose yourself in the story, and imagine it taking place in a small setting, the twists and turns in the plot become fully plausible.

I believe that Rain Ramey is a well developed character who will quickly find a place in the hearts of many readers as she plays the hand she was dealt, (a reference from the cover) as will Owen, the boy Rain meets on her first day at Sloane, Tom - the boy she can never have, and the mysterious River - a boy with an aura of darkness and intrigue who has secrets of his own.

Covering issues of belonging and identity, Rain is a character all teens will be able to relate to as she questions who she is, and where she fits in the world. This is a trying time for any teen, but in Rain's case - the issue is somewhat more complex when she discovers she is not who she thought she was.

I found myself disappointed when I reached the end of what is obviously part of a series. But not in a bad way. It just left me wanting for more the way any good story does. I was delighted to find a teaser for the next book, though. The only question now is how long do I have to wait to find out the answers to my many questions?

Note for parents: this book is squeaky clean. There is nothing unsuitable or inappropriate for the intended age group.(less)

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Jan 01, 2013 Mia Darien rated it 4 of 5 stars

Anyone who reads my blog knows that Young Adult is not usually my thing, but the author contacted me and the book sounded interesting and I liked the Tarot theme in the titles, so I figured I'd give it a shot and I'm not unhappy I did. As it was a short book, this will be a somewhat short review, but don't take that to mean I didn't like it.

I will admit, though, since most of my Young Adult reading has been Paranormal, I kept waiting for vampires to come out of closets, lol. They didn't. It's no...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Charlotte rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow. It is 4:09 am. My friend Nicole sent me this book to review at 10:21. I couldn’t sleep, so I thought maybe I’d read a little bit of it until I got sleepy. That was about 12:10.

I have just finished the book and as soon as I finish writing this I will be finding the next in the series.

Jade Varden has completely sucked me into this story she is weaving.

What could oh so easily have been just another fish out of water story full of trite and tired cliché is instead a well thought out and clev...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Christoph Fischer rated it 5 of 5 stars

“Justice” is the first part in the Deck of Lies Series. I was intrigued by the title, have a little thing for tarot and mystic themes. The story seems initially to be just another stereotypical college drama of ‘new-girl-joins-school’ – although very well written and drawing the reader in.
However, throughout the protagonists’ first day of bullying and personal politics the story takes new directions. I was keen to find out how the story develops from the beginning - such is the quality of the wr...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Kayla (Ramblings of a Book Junkie) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-author-or-publisher, arc

First Thoughts
I wasn't too sure if I was going to like this book because it's more of a Young Adult mystery and I stay in my safety net of YA contemporary and paranormal romance.

Current Thoughts
When I started the book it seemed pretty normal, Rain was a normal girl going to prep school on scholarship and were going to have the queen bees watching her every move. Then some secret was going to change her life for ever. The end. I didn't expect the major twist that happened to Rain until about two...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Books-treasureortrash rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Book Review; 2 Treasure Boxes

Rain Ramey received a scholarship to the Sloane Academy, but when she arrived the other students made it very clear, that she didn’t belong. Rain’s whole life falls apart after the Queen Bee of the school plays a dirty trick on her.

Jade Varden is the author of the Deck of Lies series, currently there are 3 books in the series with book 4 coming soon. The books are YA fiction and are told in a first person narrative from the point of view of the main protagonist.

Justi...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Vampires, dragons and swordsmanship are not necessary for youth lit--but Justice could have used some special element to spice it up. There are no settings, themes or characters I saw that set this book apart from the many other tomes focusing on a teen girl's quest for her true identity. More than that, the characters are easy to read--some of the characters could have come straight out of High School Musical--and the stakes for the protagonist are not high enough--the protagonist, Rain, could...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Kara rated it 3 of 5 stars

There is a certain type of book I like to read in the summer—frothy and light, and not too serious. I want books that are like summer blockbuster movies— full of action, and adventure, and stuff blowing up. If I can’t have that then I want a little bit of mystery and a dash of romance. Essentially, I want a complete escape from reality. These are the kind of books I drag to the beach, read in furious spurts during lunch, and generally indulge myself in when it is so hot that my brain feels like...more There is a certain type of book I like to read in the summer—frothy and light, and not too serious. I want books that are like summer blockbuster movies— full of action, and adventure, and stuff blowing up. If I can’t have that then I want a little bit of mystery and a dash of romance. Essentially, I want a complete escape from reality. These are the kind of books I drag to the beach, read in furious spurts during lunch, and generally indulge myself in when it is so hot that my brain feels like it might melt.

Jade Varden’s Justice is just that kind of book.

The first in the Deck of Lies series of YA novels, Justice is about Rain Ramey, a poor scholarship kid at an elite private school whose run in with the school’s Queen Bee on her first day ends with her arrest for shoplifting and the unwitting tip-off to the police about her real identity.

Apparently, she isn’t Rain Ramey.

She is Chloe von Shelton, a rich girl with a huge bedroom(s), a BMW Roadster, and her private school enemy as a sister. Kidnapped by the people she thought were her parents, Rain/Chloe is determined to unravel the secrets of her past (and kiss a lot of hot boys along the way).

Cue Suspense music.

Justice might sound convoluted and soap opera ish and highly improbable—and it is; the willingness to suspend disbelief, and the refusal to think too hard will aid in the happy reading of this book.

As expected, (or at least I expect it from most YA) the supporting characters are a smidge one dimensional and cliché-- Justice is full of mean girls, generically hot boys, and the requisite mysterious and sulking hot boy. As the main protagonist, Rain/Chloe could stand to be less of a goody-goody and passive. She gets talked into shoplifting bracelets, dates guys she seems ambivalent about, and takes most of what people tell her at face value. I kept waiting for her to figure out how to harness her inner Katniss Everdeen but she never does.

Highs:
Justice is well written. The writing is crisp and clear and the novel keeps a brisk pace that serves the mystery plot well and makes for a fast read.

Lows:
Frequently, clues, revelations, or important conversations are followed up by comments like, “If only I knew then what I know now,” or “Later I would find out that [insert character name] wasn’t telling me the whole truth.” It was like reading neon flashing letters that read “CLUE ALERT” or “MISINFORMATION”. I think a little more credit needs to be given to the reader to parse various clues and conversations. Trying to unravel a mystery before the main character is half the fun of reading a mystery. Justice takes away that suspense and tension unnecessarily.
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Jul 11, 2012 Julie Ramsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: done

Justice (Deck of Lies)

Rain wakes up to a new day. Excited, scared and a normal teenager, starting a new school. Rain received a scholarship to Sloane, a private very rich school. Out of thousands of applicants she is one of 5 poor kids to receive the scholarship. Her parents and brother talk of the future. Rain leaves her house happy with her family's support and excited about a new future. When she gets to school, she is met by Laurel. She shows her around but doesn't befriend her. The school i...more Justice (Deck of Lies)

Rain wakes up to a new day. Excited, scared and a normal teenager, starting a new school. Rain received a scholarship to Sloane, a private very rich school. Out of thousands of applicants she is one of 5 poor kids to receive the scholarship. Her parents and brother talk of the future. Rain leaves her house happy with her family's support and excited about a new future. When she gets to school, she is met by Laurel. She shows her around but doesn't befriend her. The school is full of privileged kids,who treat Rain as if she doesn't belong. Carsyn, Von Shelton, one of the most popular girls at school, doesn't let Rain forget she is not wanted or welcomed there. Carsyn comes up to Rain and offers to take her shopping. Rain wanting to fit in, and hoping maybe for a friend at the new school, accepts the offer. Trying on clothes and all the expensive things was something new and exciting. So when she puts on a bracelet and Carsyn says she has already paid for it, she believes her. When the security guard grabs her and charges her with theft, she is very surprised. At the police station she explains what happened and they believe her and call her parents. Rain knows she is in a lot of trouble. After they finger print her, her world goes from bad to worse. The police seclude her and will not let her talk to her parents. When the social worker gets there, they inform her she is a missing person. Rain was kidnapped as a small toddler and has been missing for 14yrs. Her name is not Rain but Chloe. Chloe Van Shelton!

This was a VERY good YA mystery. It is told from young Rain's point of view. She goes through hell. To have a loving family and discover it is all lies, or to think it is, would be horrifying. The author does a great job with Rain on how she deals with everything. Rain is a girl who is put in a unimaginable situation and deals with things as best she can. Rain wants to find out why she was kidnapped. She doesn't want to believe that her parents she has known are bad. She knows there has to be an explanation for it all. As she discovers answers more questions unfold and you want to know more of the mystery evolving their families. River and Rain's relationship is complex but cute and has potential. This story is a entertaining and makes you think and wonder. As an adult, I wanted to know more and wanted to follow Rain on her journey. I am hoping the author will send me the next book of Rain's story. It was defiantly worth the read for any adult or teenager! Thanks for the awesome read.

complimentary book given for a free review (less)

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Jun 11, 2012 Danica Page (One Page at a Time) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: asked-to-review, young-adult, series, romance, suspense, high-school, relationships, friendship, family-issues, family-relations

This is a condensed version of my review. The extended version can be found here.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimers: I received a copy of this book for review from the author in exchange for my honest opinions.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I didn't really know what to expect going into this novel. I read the first five pages and found my mind whirling in a million different directions as I tried to figure out what was going to happen next.

I never could have guessed the direction th...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ignore the fluffy, pink cover. Justice is a short novel with substance and a very interesting plot. I read a review of Justice that called it "predictable," but I couldn't disagree more. Jade Varden really kept me on my toes with this one. The novel starts with Rain starting a new school on scholarship, making the transition to a private school with very wealthy students who are nothing like herself. So at first I thought, "So it's going to be one of those books," you know, where a less-than-wel...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Leigh (Little Book Star) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 012, i-l, ya, review-request, suspense

ORIGINAL REVIEW HERE

Justice was really an easy book to read. The first couple of chapters were really predictable though; I knew what would happen next. Since the summary does not reveal much, let me tell you the basic parts. Our protagonist, Rain, is a sixteen year old girl who received a scholarship at a high school called Sloane Academy. Her life was going swell until she found out something after her first day at her new school, something that would remain unanswered unless she finds clues a...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Crystal added it

Shelves: contemporary-romance

First Thoughts
I didn’t know what to think, I’m a romance type of girl not really suspense, mystery person, but the synopsis was so intriguing I thought I would give it a try. Expect
My thoughts
Deck of Lies sounds simply enough. Girl makes bad decision, girl discovers lies told to her, and then girl goes a path of discovering herself and unfolding all the lies.NO! Not that simple. Deck of lies is a story with twist and turns everywhere, and by the end you’re left wondering did all that just happe...more First Thoughts
I didn’t know what to think, I’m a romance type of girl not really suspense, mystery person, but the synopsis was so intriguing I thought I would give it a try. Expect
My thoughts
Deck of Lies sounds simply enough. Girl makes bad decision, girl discovers lies told to her, and then girl goes a path of discovering herself and unfolding all the lies.NO! Not that simple. Deck of lies is a story with twist and turns everywhere, and by the end you’re left wondering did all that just happen and only in the first book. And the answer is yes, a lot of stuff did go down, and what a rollercoaster it was.

The plot of this story is SUPER CRAZY. It’s one thing after the other. I won’t really give any more info other than what’s provided in the blurb because that is all you need to know, and anything else will just ruin the story for you. I will say that you will not be disappointed and don’t even try to predict what’s going to happen next because it won’t work.

Now on to the characters, there is Rain who is just your average teenage. She has loving parents, a younger brother, her life is simple. Then one day everything changes, she must rediscover herself and reevaluate everyone and everything around her. River is not your average team he hasn’t had the greatest year, and everything beginnings to change when he meets Rain. What I loved about both of these characters was how relatable they are. They’re not perfect, and that was a big plus for me. I love the flawed character because that makes the character real to me.

The end! Man was I mad that it ended the way it did. Wasn’t bad but I wanted more. I’m so impatient and not the biggest fans of cliffhangers. The only time I like a cliffhanger is when the second but is already out and lucky for me this one is!

Overall, Deck of lies was a fun, fast read. It will draw you in from the beginning and won’t relinquish your attention until the very end. It has suspense, mystery, and a touch of romance, and for the price you really can’t beat it! I will see this series out until the end!

Stars: 4.5
Source: giving to me from author in exchange for honest review (less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Stephanie Moakes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Initially I didn't think I would enjoy this book because at first it seemed to be another story of how a normal teenage girl, living a normal unprivileged life couldn't possibly fit in with the rich and powerful students at her new school and I couldn't help but despise the cliche but boy was I WRONG!

I really should take my own advice and not judge a book by its cover because this story was not even close to what I was expecting. Varden's writing is fast paced and leaves you wanting more, the se...more Initially I didn't think I would enjoy this book because at first it seemed to be another story of how a normal teenage girl, living a normal unprivileged life couldn't possibly fit in with the rich and powerful students at her new school and I couldn't help but despise the cliche but boy was I WRONG!

I really should take my own advice and not judge a book by its cover because this story was not even close to what I was expecting. Varden's writing is fast paced and leaves you wanting more, the secrets come thick and fast and where each secret is revealed and resolved a new one quickly rushes in to take its place.

At times the story was a little predictable but this in no way ruins it because it is great to see how Rain deals with everything thrown her way. I like Rain, I think she's genuine and easy to connect with. She's a typical teenage girl: awkward and shy at times but she's always herself no matter how much the people around her want her to change. Her situation is far from normal but she seems to take everything in her stride and it's endearing to say the least.

The interesting thing about this story is that there isn't a love triangle it's more of a love quartet. Revolving around Rain, River, Tom and Owen. This may make it seem like there's too many characters in play but Varden doesn't make things easy and the results are surprisingly unexpected.

River is an interesting character and although he seems like the typical bad boy/damaged kid in the beginning, he is far more than that. It's not surprising that he has more than a few secrets of his own. I really like him as a character and I really hope his his issues get resolved in the next book because I am dying to see more of him. His relationship with Rain is complicated and yet surprisingly easy at the same time, when they are together i can't help but smile. He distracts her with normalcy at a time in her life when everything is far from normal.

And Owen? I can't even begin to describe how i feel about his character, at first I really thought he was just a sweet, nice guy that was obviously with the wrong girl but now? Now I believe he's got deep dark secrets of his own that are just waiting to be spilled. I have a feeling they are going to be far worse than anything else we've covered in the book so far.

This book is a rollercoaster of emotion, full of so many twists and turns that it's hard to remember what's real. Everyone has secrets but these secrets are unlike anything Rain has ever come across.

I reccommend to anyone that wants a book that's shrouded in mystery, tainted with sadness and full of intrigue.(less)

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Feb 28, 2013 Kristine rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was contacted by Varden through my blog for a review request. After reading the synopsis I happily accepted the request. I was definitely not disappointed. This book quickly grabbed my attention and became impossible to put down. For those reasons, it was a FOUR STAR read.

The book is told in Rain's perspective. It is generally in present tense with a few future tense comments from Rain. The future bits were more like a 'wish I'd known then what I know now' type of feel and they always kept the...more I was contacted by Varden through my blog for a review request. After reading the synopsis I happily accepted the request. I was definitely not disappointed. This book quickly grabbed my attention and became impossible to put down. For those reasons, it was a FOUR STAR read.

The book is told in Rain's perspective. It is generally in present tense with a few future tense comments from Rain. The future bits were more like a 'wish I'd known then what I know now' type of feel and they always kept the reader hooked and waiting to find out what she knows in the future that she doesn't know during the story. I was rapidly hooked and found it incredibly hard to put the book down finishing the read in less than a day. It starts with Rain attending a new school full of prissy little rich kids. It tells the tale of her struggles to fit in through all the chaos that becomes her life. Without giving too much away, it really is hard to say more about the plot. Just know that it was a fast paced novel that will not disappoint.

The only suggestion I would have for improvement would be to edit more carefully, there were a few spelling errors that were missed. At one point the wrong name was used. The future bits were great but slightly overused. When the reader is already hooked, they were not needed to hook the reader. The errors in the book were not numerous and did not detract from the story greatly. The ending was short, and without reading the prologue provided at the end of the book, I would not be hooked enough to pick up the second book in the series. However, because I did enjoy the book as greatly as I did, personally, I would be picking up the next book regardless.

Overall, it was a great read. As I have stated several times over now, I could not put the book down. It took up a lot of hours that I should have been studying for a philosophy test that I'm not looking forward to. But it was a great escape and tool for procrastination. However, now that it is finished, and the reviews are posted, I guess I really should start reading my philosophy books. Great work Varden. I really enjoyed the read and look forward to future works.(less)

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Jun 24, 2012 Char rated it 4 of 5 stars

What would you do if everything you found out about your life was a lie? Justice (Deck of Lies #1), by Jade Varden, follows Rain Ramey who has to answer this exact question. The book starts off with Rain getting ready for her first day at Sloane Academy, an upscale high school full of the typical cliques. Rain, already apprehensive about going to a new school, soon has her anxiety confirmed as she faces some crazy incidents on the first day. The book then continues, taking the reader on various...more What would you do if everything you found out about your life was a lie? Justice (Deck of Lies #1), by Jade Varden, follows Rain Ramey who has to answer this exact question. The book starts off with Rain getting ready for her first day at Sloane Academy, an upscale high school full of the typical cliques. Rain, already apprehensive about going to a new school, soon has her anxiety confirmed as she faces some crazy incidents on the first day. The book then continues, taking the reader on various and unpredictable twists and turns. There is definitely more to this novel than what initially meets the eye.

I found Justice to be a smooth and easy read. I was easily able to follow Rain on her journey as the plot progressed. Though this is a Young Adult novel, it kept my attention the entire time. When I thought I had figured out what would happen next, Jade would throw in another twist that caught me completely off guard. For me, the dialogue was one of the best parts of this book because it seemed natural and realistic. Jade also did a great job of describing the setting and characters’ appearances. I truly felt as if I were reading the thoughts of a teenager, and not that of an adult writing from a teenager’s perspective. The mystery and suspense kept me wanting to read more.

I did think two things could have been improved. One is regarding the Ramey family. They were active characters in the beginning, but then dropped out of the rest of the novel. Though I understand why this had to happen (and I can’t say why without giving away the plot), I found their lack of involvement to be unrealistic. I’m hoping they are more active in the next book of the series. Secondly, some of the characters could have used more emotional depth to make them come even more alive. This is especially true in regard to Asher, whom I had a difficult time figuring out.

Other than these two areas, I liked reading Jade’s novel. I think teenagers would find the story interesting, especially because the author has a good grasp of the high school life. I’d characterize it as a young adult mix of mystery, drama, and romance. Many of the questions were unanswered in this novel, but this is due to it being a part of a series. It was a smart tactic for Jade to use in keeping the reader interested in what will come next. I can see Jade’s series growing and becoming even better and better.
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Apr 08, 2013 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-moth

Originally posted at The Intrepid Book Moth

When Jade Varden asked me to review Justice, I was honored and thrilled. Since the synopsis was a bit cryptic, I didn't know what to expect of this mystery novel. Yet I found it to be a quick and entertaining read, with an interesting set of characters. At the beginning I was wary but as the plot developed it became compelling. Rain Ramey's search for herself in the midst of all the chaos drew me in until the very last page.

“Things don't always work o...more Originally posted at The Intrepid Book Moth

When Jade Varden asked me to review Justice, I was honored and thrilled. Since the synopsis was a bit cryptic, I didn't know what to expect of this mystery novel. Yet I found it to be a quick and entertaining read, with an interesting set of characters. At the beginning I was wary but as the plot developed it became compelling. Rain Ramey's search for herself in the midst of all the chaos drew me in until the very last page.

“Things don't always work out the way we expect them to... you can't just give up.”
-Rhianna Ramey

As I downloaded Justice on to my nook, I examined it curiously. Then inexorably I began my journey into Rain's plight. To be honest, I disliked the first two chapters. I thought it very cliche: a poor girl going to a rich, private school (Sloane Academy), then becoming a social outcast after antagonizing the popular girl, and so on. Varden's portrayal of the rich also didn't sit well with me. Being forced into prestigious professions by parents is not exclusive to the well-to-do. But then the frivolous atmosphere evaporated into fear and confusion, it happened so suddenly that I became completely invested in the plot and characters.

I loved the way Varden depicted Rain's inner turmoil and suffering when her life was torn apart. Witht this the protagonist became more than the typical heroine. Nowadays most YA heroines have to be feisty and smart and perfect. Rain's imperfections and frazzled way of dealing with a life changing situation added another layer to her character. Unfortunately, my positive regard does not extend to her romantic entanglements. All the beautiful, blue eyed men she met fell at her feet. Though that did lead to an interesting plot development, in some aspects it was an overused element.

"This is what's expected of you..."
-Kelly

By the end of the novel, I was very distressed to see Rain slowly loosing control of her life: to the "family", to her "boyfriend", and so on. I saw her deviate from her purpose, slowly loosing the motivation to find the truth. When I finished Justice, I felt the need to grab the next book and read it. The sort of cliffhanger resolution pained me, I wanted to yell at Rain and shake her out of her protective stupor. I really wanted to know what happened next!

While, I was not pleased by the beginning of the novel or the romantic implications. Justice was a perfect palate cleanser read. It entertained me for a few hours with its twist, turns, and lively characters. I will definitely be reading the rest of the Deck of Lies series: I saw potential in Justice, and I hope it will be fulfilled in The Tower.
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Mar 08, 2013 Tonyalee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, e-book, favorites, ya

*4.5 Stars*

What a wild ride! I knew going into this book there was going to be some mystery and some twists. Little did I know, HOW MUCH it would contain. I had a quite a few shouts reading this.

“Saaaaay WHAT!?” ”Oh.My.Gosh!” “ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME?”and “HOLY.FREAKIN. BATMAN” ….You get the idea

My face O_O

Right from the start, this book throws you into the drama and it NEVER.STOPS. The writing is spectacular! I feared since the story isn’t a long one (around 154 pages) that I wasn’t going t...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
♥Teen Romance♥: GIVEAWAY OF JUSTICE!!	5	60	Jun 08, 2013 10:03am
Addicted to Book ...: Justice (Deck of Lies #1) by Jade Varden	1	2	Nov 22, 2012 01:57pm

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avg rating	preview: Justice Goodreads rating: 4.22 (77 ratings)
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Justice (Deck of Lies #1)

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