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Dangerous Lies
A teen is forced to make a fresh start after witnessing a violent crime—but love and danger find her anyway in this novel from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.
Stella Gordon is not her real name. Thunder Basin, Nebraska, is not her real home. This is not her real life.
After witnessing a lethal crime, Stella Gordon is sent to the middle of nowhere for her own safety before she testifies against the man she saw kill her mother’s drug dealer.
But Stella was about to start her senior year with the boyfriend she loves. How can she be pulled away from the only life she knows and expected to start a new one in Nebraska? Stella chafes at her protection and is rude to everyone she meets. She’s not planning on staying long, so why be friendly? Then she meets Chet Falconer and it becomes harder to keep her guard up, even as her guilt about having to lie to him grows.
As Stella starts to feel safer, the real threat to her life increases—because her enemies are actually closer than she thinks…
Stella Gordon is not her real name. Thunder Basin, Nebraska, is not her real home. This is not her real life.
After witnessing a lethal crime, Stella Gordon is sent to the middle of nowhere for her own safety before she testifies against the man she saw kill her mother’s drug dealer.
But Stella was about to start her senior year with the boyfriend she loves. How can she be pulled away from the only life she knows and expected to start a new one in Nebraska? Stella chafes at her protection and is rude to everyone she meets. She’s not planning on staying long, so why be friendly? Then she meets Chet Falconer and it becomes harder to keep her guard up, even as her guilt about having to lie to him grows.
As Stella starts to feel safer, the real threat to her life increases—because her enemies are actually closer than she thinks…
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2015
About the author
Becca Fitzpatrick
14 books31.8k followersBecca Fitzpatrick grew up reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden with a flashlight under the covers. She graduated college with a degree in health, which she promptly abandoned for storytelling. When not writing, she's most likely prowling sale racks for reject shoes, running, or watching crime dramas on TV. She is the author of the bestselling HUSH, HUSH Saga. Her new book BLACK ICE arrives in bookstores everywhere October 7, 2014.
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November 13, 2015
Sometimes I wonder if Becca Fitzpatrick is capable of writing a main character who's intelligent, for once. I try to give authors the benefit of the doubt. I've clung onto her books, hoping that this time, maybe this time, I'll actually like one of her characters; authors' skills can and have changed for the better. This is not the case, this has never been the case, and I think it's time for me to throw in the towel. Becca Fitzpatrick's books are not for me.
The main character in this book is a stupid little bratty bitch, and that term is not used as a hyperbole. She has witnessed a crime, and is being sent into a Witness Protection Program for her own safety. If this were the real world, she would have been dead within the week. And if it were me who were hosting her, I would have gladly given up her location just to be rid of her as a housemate. I found myself wondering quite often during the book, why her kind, sweet hostess did not do just that.
So let's start off in the beginning. Stella's mother is dating a loser drug kingpin, and Stella witnessed a murder. This bad dude is seriously bad (duh) and is out to kill her (I find myself empathizing with him, honestly).
Stella is pissed off at her mom for, like, totally ruining her summer plans and causing her to be separated from her *sigh* boyfriend. Witness Protection can't tell her his location, and that's just, like so rude, man.
;_;
So poor wittle Stella is shipped off to the middle of nowhere to the house that surely belongs in the pages of a horror novel. Which she instantly hates.
Now that you know the plot, let's get to the point. The point being that Stella is a dumb, bitchy brat.
1. She is willing to risk her own safety and that of her beloved boyfriend just to *sigh* see him again ;_;
2. She does stupid shit that could have gotten her into trouble. Like, oh, STEALING A CAR.
4. She constantly undermines the program. She thinks she can survive on her own. From what we saw of her in the book, it's completely infeasible.
The main character in this book is a stupid little bratty bitch, and that term is not used as a hyperbole. She has witnessed a crime, and is being sent into a Witness Protection Program for her own safety. If this were the real world, she would have been dead within the week. And if it were me who were hosting her, I would have gladly given up her location just to be rid of her as a housemate. I found myself wondering quite often during the book, why her kind, sweet hostess did not do just that.
So let's start off in the beginning. Stella's mother is dating a loser drug kingpin, and Stella witnessed a murder. This bad dude is seriously bad (duh) and is out to kill her (I find myself empathizing with him, honestly).
Danny Balando wouldn’t stop searching for me. He was in jail, but the rest of his drug cartel was roaming free. Any one of them could be paid to do his bidding. His only hope was to hunt me down and kill me before I could testify.In order for Stella to live long enough to be a witness for the federal government to prosecute this drug dude, Stella has to be placed into Witness Protection for, well, her own protection. A valued service that she is determined to undermine at all cost.
Stella is pissed off at her mom for, like, totally ruining her summer plans and causing her to be separated from her *sigh* boyfriend. Witness Protection can't tell her his location, and that's just, like so rude, man.
“You know I can’t tell you where he’s going.”THEY'RE HIDING HIS LOCATION FROM HER FOR HER OWN SAFETY. The nerve! THE NERVE!
“He’s my boyfriend.”
“This is how we keep witnesses safe. I know it isn’t easy on you, but we’re doing our job. Got you the ten minutes you asked for. Had to jump through a lot of hoops. Last thing the judge wants is for one of you to influence the other’s testimony.”
I was being forced to leave my boyfriend, and he wanted a thank-you?
;_;
So poor wittle Stella is shipped off to the middle of nowhere to the house that surely belongs in the pages of a horror novel. Which she instantly hates.
I could just make out the silhouette of a two-story house. It had the biggest lawn I’d ever seen, with more cottonwood trees soaring over the roofline. The lawn gave way to open fields, and past those, I could see nothing but a sapphire sky powdered with stars.Like, ew. And since she hates being there, maybe she can be difficult enough to be forced out of the Witness Protection Program.
I didn’t care what they thought. If they believed I was selfish and difficult, they were probably right. And if I made this summer a living hell for Carmina, maybe she’d let me move out early and live on my own. It wasn’t the worst idea I’d ever had.Because being murdered is a much better alternative than being forced to live in a hick town. Where she is going to be fucking bored for the rest of the summer. Oh, wait. Maybe she can get a job to entertain herself? But working is like, so middle-class.
“I don’t want a job.”Even in Witness Protection, a girl's gotta maintain her standards, ya know?
“School’s out, so most of the good jobs have been snatched up, but we’ll find you something,” she went on.
“I don’t want a job,” I repeated more firmly. I’d never had a job. My family wasn’t old money—we didn’t live in a country estate on the Main Line, and I didn’t dress effortlessly like Jackie O.—but we weren’t living paycheck to paycheck, either. My mom had been a debutante in Knoxville, and while she’d burned through what could be called her dowry, it was important to her to keep up appearances. It just would not do to have me seen in the workforce.
Now that you know the plot, let's get to the point. The point being that Stella is a dumb, bitchy brat.
1. She is willing to risk her own safety and that of her beloved boyfriend just to *sigh* see him again ;_;
He could be in Kentucky or Kansas. I’d never know. Unless I went looking for him.Because knowing how to use a public computer to protect her trails is SUCH A SAFE AND SUREFIRE OPTION
And I could go looking, because I knew how to find him.
Deputy Price had made it very clear that I should never, under any circumstances, attempt to contact anyone from my old life. Danny Balando and the dangerous men he employed would never give up looking for me. The only way they’d find me was if I broke the rules.
I knew contacting Reed was breaking the rules, but he wasn’t in Philly anymore.
2. She does stupid shit that could have gotten her into trouble. Like, oh, STEALING A CAR.
“Are you going to tell me why you’re driving her car, or should I let you explain yourself to the police?”3. She is a complete bitch to the woman who was kind enough to invite her into her home and protect her from the very beginning.
Crap.
“It’s not what it looks like.”
“That’s a relief, because it looks like auto theft.
Taking her car was wrong, and I’d apologized. We’d settled the matter, and I wasn’t going to let her use my bad behavior as an excuse to exercise authority over me. She wasn’t my mom. She was a moving piece in the Justice Department’s cover story, and I was going to let her know that I knew it.She does improve, but it's too little, too late.
4. She constantly undermines the program. She thinks she can survive on her own. From what we saw of her in the book, it's completely infeasible.
They thought they knew what was best for me, but I was better off on my own.She doesn't report possible danger to the people in charge of protecting her.
Deputy Price would want to know about this. But if they thought there was a breach, they’d probably yank me out. Thunder Basin hadn’t grown on me, but the last thing I wanted was to relocate to another middle-of-nowhere town. I had a job here. I was beginning to learn my way around. And I had Chet.5. And then, of course, there's a love triangle. It's kind of hard to focus on, like, surviving when you're constantly distracted by a guy's beautiful eyes or his bulging muscles on every other page.
I could pretend I liked him only because there was no one else around, but there was something about him. Something hard to resist. He was overpoweringly masculine yet incredibly sensitive. It was a dangerous combination. A dangerous, alluring, tempting combination. I staunchly refused to compare Chet to Reed—there was no point; I was happy with Reed—but an unwanted voice at the back of my mind whispered it was because I knew who’d win, and it wasn’t who I wanted.She is willing to risk getting beat up by the town bully to protect her new wuv.
Or was it?
I thought about telling him the truth, but I didn’t trust Chet. If I told him that Trigger was responsible for beating me up, and that just now he’d come back to rub it in and intimidate me further, Chet would go after him. I didn’t doubt Chet would win that fight, and as satisfying as it would be, I worried what might follow. Chet was nineteen. If Trigger pressed charges, the matter would be handled in criminal court. I wasn’t going to risk tainting Chet’s name with a record, or sending him behind bars, for a little ego-stroking.Hmm. Tainted name. Getting smashed into a pulp. Worry about your new beau first, naturally, right? God, she's fucking dumb.
December 18, 2015
Mentiras peligrosas es la nueva novela en español de Becca Fitzpatrick, autora de la que leí Hush Hush (que no terminó de convencerme) y Hielo negro (que me encantó y se encuentra entre mis mejores lecturas de 2015). Es una autora con la que tengo mis matrimonios y divorcios, y sin duda con Mentiras peligrosas descubro que me encanta cuando escribe thrillers porque creo que es verdaderamente buena haciéndolo.
Mentiras peligrosas es un thriller donde las mentiras son el centro de toda la historia. La novela empieza muy fuerte y marcando hacia dónde va la trama, algo que me gustó mucho y que hizo que me atrapara desde el principio. Puesto que es una novela que engancha como la que más y de la que no quería despegarme. De hecho la leí del tirón en el tren, sin moverme. Y la disfruté muchísimo.
Me gustó mucho el personaje de Stella porque está muy bien trabajado y profundizado. Es un personaje rodeado de mentiras, engaños y misterios, lo que hizo que me enganchara aún más a la lectura. Un personaje claro y simple cuando se dirige al lector, pero que está rodeado de miles de cosas de las que ni ella misma es consciente.
Algo que no terminó de convencerme respecto a los personajes es el prototípico personaje masculino del que la protagonista se enamora. Esa parte de la trama y en sí ese personaje me parecía que estaba cogido con pinzas y que era demasiado predecible.
Me ha gustado mucho el ritmo de la lectura, se lleva muy bien y Becca sabe combinar a la perfección misterio, amor y acción. Es una novela que tiene todos esos ingredientes muy bien combinados.
En sí ha sido una buena lectura, que he disfrutado pero que tampoco me ha parecido nada del otro mundo. Si bien personalmente necesitaba una lectura como esta, para engancharme y no soltarla, que me atrapara tanto que me encantara; también es cierto que aún habiendo ocurrido todo eso sigo pensando que Mentiras peligrosas está bien pero que es una novela más entre miles y que Becca debería escribir algo nuevo y desmarcarse de su zona de confort.
Mentiras peligrosas es un thriller donde las mentiras son el centro de toda la historia. La novela empieza muy fuerte y marcando hacia dónde va la trama, algo que me gustó mucho y que hizo que me atrapara desde el principio. Puesto que es una novela que engancha como la que más y de la que no quería despegarme. De hecho la leí del tirón en el tren, sin moverme. Y la disfruté muchísimo.
Me gustó mucho el personaje de Stella porque está muy bien trabajado y profundizado. Es un personaje rodeado de mentiras, engaños y misterios, lo que hizo que me enganchara aún más a la lectura. Un personaje claro y simple cuando se dirige al lector, pero que está rodeado de miles de cosas de las que ni ella misma es consciente.
Algo que no terminó de convencerme respecto a los personajes es el prototípico personaje masculino del que la protagonista se enamora. Esa parte de la trama y en sí ese personaje me parecía que estaba cogido con pinzas y que era demasiado predecible.
Me ha gustado mucho el ritmo de la lectura, se lleva muy bien y Becca sabe combinar a la perfección misterio, amor y acción. Es una novela que tiene todos esos ingredientes muy bien combinados.
En sí ha sido una buena lectura, que he disfrutado pero que tampoco me ha parecido nada del otro mundo. Si bien personalmente necesitaba una lectura como esta, para engancharme y no soltarla, que me atrapara tanto que me encantara; también es cierto que aún habiendo ocurrido todo eso sigo pensando que Mentiras peligrosas está bien pero que es una novela más entre miles y que Becca debería escribir algo nuevo y desmarcarse de su zona de confort.
March 4, 2016
Me ha encantado el libro, quiero decir esperaba que me gustara por que Becca es una de mis autoras favoritas y no me decepcionó. El libro tiene un aire a Hielo Negro por que hay ese misterio constante y no estás seguro de los personajes y no tienes ninguna pista nunca? O sea yo había pensado que x hizo x pero en realidad fue totalmente diferente y esto me encanta.
Los personajes, todos y cada uno de ellos tienen sus historias y al final todos mejoran en sentido que mejoran y ves por que toman esa decisión aunque esté equivocado.
Le he puesto 4 que en realidad serían 4.5 por que hasta la página 180 es muy lineal y repetitivo y la protagonista, Stella , se hace un poco pesada y luego todo se vuelve interesante y muy 'no puedo dejar de leer'.
Los personajes, todos y cada uno de ellos tienen sus historias y al final todos mejoran en sentido que mejoran y ves por que toman esa decisión aunque esté equivocado.
Le he puesto 4 que en realidad serían 4.5 por que hasta la página 180 es muy lineal y repetitivo y la protagonista, Stella , se hace un poco pesada y luego todo se vuelve interesante y muy 'no puedo dejar de leer'.
September 7, 2018
Este libro cuando leí la sinopsis pensé que iba a ser algo parecido a Pretty Little Liars pero una vez que le quité el plastico me di cuenta que no, la trama va un poco para otros rumbos, porque al leerlo la verdad es que sí me recordó a uno de los primeros libros de esta serie.
Debo admitir que el estilo de escritura de Becca me gusta, es muy ágil, muy rápido de leer y entretenido, noté algunas cosas un poco similares a Hush hush y fueron agradables, es un libro muy Becca y por ello te hace pasar un buen rato.
Debo admitir que el estilo de escritura de Becca me gusta, es muy ágil, muy rápido de leer y entretenido, noté algunas cosas un poco similares a Hush hush y fueron agradables, es un libro muy Becca y por ello te hace pasar un buen rato.
January 30, 2016
Another Becca Fitzpatrick's book. Another mostly inadequate heroine. It seems the author can't write a normal reasonable MC who would be consistent in her decisions and actions. I don't know what is it about this author that makes me come back for more of her books. I admit, when I was younger I pretty much enjoyed Hush, Hush. But it was a long time ago and I haven't read enough bad literature to know that Hush, Hush was bad. Though, even back then I was more into romance then characters and had a lot of questions regarding Nora and her behavior. When we are young, we are easily attached to things, and maybe I still have some feelings toward one of my first YA reads. I don't know. But I still hope with every new Becca Fitzpatrick book, that this one will be better, that at last she will write a decent female character. So far all my prayers were to no avail.
Dangerous Lies wasn't a bad book, it just was unnecessary book. It didn't show me something that I already haven't read before. It wasn't original nor entertaining. Some parts were ok but the last 15% were sheer stupid drama. The MC Stella was not as bad as Nora from Hush, Hush and that says a lot about the character if you read the named book, you'll understand. But Stella is just mediocre and I can't even call her stupid, because it is not really her fault, in this case it is fully on the author for giving this character bad dialogs and attitude. She could've been a decent character and this book could've been a decent read if Becca just developed the whole thing more thoroughly.
In the beginning of my review I wanted to go into speech about how terrible MC was, how stupid she acted, how she had a boyfriend but was ogling another boy, how ungrateful she was for not accepting help with gratitude and how little I cared about her, though, she changed through out the book and became a little better self. But then I just understood one simple thing about this book, that I believe every one who reads or considers reading this book should understand: every character in this story is just a puppet, and every decisions they make or every action they take is just a setting for Becca Fitzpatrick's play. She created them the way they are and they didn't have a yes or no in the process. So there's no one to blame for the unfortunate outcome except the director - Becca Fitzpatrick. And it is only her fault that the theater hall is empty and the audience decided to visit a neighboring performance with a better script and settings. The only question remains: are Becca Fitzpatrick's future books are worth reading?
July 1, 2016
5 Words: Family, drugs, friendship, lies, crime.
There's something about this book that I just didn't like, and I can't quite put my finger on it. It wasn't a bad book, not really. It's just not for me.
Thinking back on it, I think a lot of my dislike stemmed from my general dislike of the main character. Stella was, simply put, a liar. In the circumstances she would have to be, WITSEC meant that she couldn't splay her past out for everyone to see, but it was the other lies she told that got to me. She was deceitful and selfish and I didn't like her. I couldn't connect with her. I understand that it's supposed to be because of how her mother and father treated her, but it just didn't sit right.
Then we had Trigger, a grade A douche. And then everyone in the town making excuses for this vile cretin of a boy, the police and judges letting him off for pretty horrific things. I felt uncomfortable reading it. All I could think was "Small town America, you suck." He is a vile character, perhaps overly vile. It was just too much.
I think the one redeeming element is Carmina. She was excellent, by far the best character, even if she was secondary. I would have loved to read more about her. She definitely has a fantastic back story.
I received a copy of this for free via Goodreads First Reads.
There's something about this book that I just didn't like, and I can't quite put my finger on it. It wasn't a bad book, not really. It's just not for me.
Thinking back on it, I think a lot of my dislike stemmed from my general dislike of the main character. Stella was, simply put, a liar. In the circumstances she would have to be, WITSEC meant that she couldn't splay her past out for everyone to see, but it was the other lies she told that got to me. She was deceitful and selfish and I didn't like her. I couldn't connect with her. I understand that it's supposed to be because of how her mother and father treated her, but it just didn't sit right.
Then we had Trigger, a grade A douche. And then everyone in the town making excuses for this vile cretin of a boy, the police and judges letting him off for pretty horrific things. I felt uncomfortable reading it. All I could think was "Small town America, you suck." He is a vile character, perhaps overly vile. It was just too much.
I think the one redeeming element is Carmina. She was excellent, by far the best character, even if she was secondary. I would have loved to read more about her. She definitely has a fantastic back story.
I received a copy of this for free via Goodreads First Reads.
October 5, 2015
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 10, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
A teen is forced to make a fresh start after witnessing a violent crime—but love and danger find her anyway in this novel from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.
Stella Gordon is not her real name. Thunder Basin, Nebraska, is not her real home. This is not her real life.
After witnessing a lethal crime, Stella Gordon is sent to the middle of nowhere for her own safety before she testifies against the man she saw kill her mother’s drug dealer.
But Stella was about to start her senior year with the boyfriend she loves. How can she be pulled away from the only life she knows and expected to start a new one in Nebraska? Stella chafes at her protection and is rude to everyone she meets. She’s not planning on staying long, so why be friendly? Then she meets Chet Falconer and it becomes harder to keep her guard up, even as her guilt about having to lie to him grows.
As Stella starts to feel safer, the real threat to her life increases—because her enemies are actually closer than she thinks…
What I Liked:
I think this is probably my favorite Fitzpatrick book to date. I liked Hush, Hush (book one), but the rest of the series was very ehhh for me. I LOVED Black Ice, and I think I like Dangerous Lies just as much as Black Ice. They are two totally unrelated contemporary thriller/mystery novels, and both are excellent. Fitzpatrick shines in this genre!
Stella Gordon wasn't always Stella Gordon. She's in a witness protection program, and she's been shipped off to Thunder Basin, Nebraska, with a new name, new legal papers, and plenty of secrets. Her mother is in rehab, and Stella is hiding from the man who committed a horrible crime that Stella witnessed and will testify against. Stella's new life in Nebraska is rough, as she isn't planning on sticking around. But her "foster mother", cute neighbor, and Sunday sermons start to grow on Stella. Can she be safe in Thunder Basin? Is anywhere actually safe?
Stella is quite the brat in the beginning of the book, refusing to cooperate, pitching attitudes, arguing and retorting angrily at everyone. Which I totally understood - she had to say goodbye to her old life without actually saying goodbye. Her mother, her boyfriend, her house, her clothes, friends, phone, communication, life - all gone. So I personally felt for Stella, because if I were in her situation, I'd probably be just as angry and uncooperative. Her old life is gone, never coming back. As the story goes on, Stella's character develops and grows, and I like her still. She's so spunky and prickly, taking no crap from anyone, especially not from Carmina, the woman she's staying with, or Chet Falconer, the boy who mows Stella's lawn and is way too ruggedly sexy for his own good.
Chet is such an important character in this book, and not just as a love interest. Stella has - had - a boyfriend, Reed, who is also in a separate witness protection program. Stella can never go back to him, but she's still loyal to him, and doesn't want to get close to Chet. Too late - he becomes her closest friend in Thunder Basin, and they fall for each other. Chet is a good guy, taking care of his younger brother, working hard on ranches and with cattle. He's rugged, cowboy-esque, and totally drool-worthy. He's also a sweet, thoughtful guy. I'm rethinking my position on cowboys. All those cowboy romance novels, and now Chet - maybe I need to make a trip out West for a spell...
The setting - Nebraska is so country! Chet is basically a cowboy (which I found to be pretty hot). I love how authentic the West feels! Fitzpatrick really did her research with the setting of this book. I could visualize just about everything!
The suspense/thriller part of this book is SO well-written. I'm not really sure how to describe the genre of this book, but whatever it is, it's great. Fitzpatrick did a great job of writing this one so that we feel Stella's desperation in being forced into this program, her feeling of lack of safety, her anger at her mother. The tension and insecurity of this book increases as the novel goes on, having me on pins and needles. Someone wants to hurt Stella, and it might not only be the man she's testifying against. Chills are breaking out!
But there is also a sweet romance in this novel, probably one of my favorite romances of the year. Stela and Chet are the sweetest, steamiest couple. They're friends, but the chemistry between them is fire. And when they collide... boom. Stella tries to keep them as just friends (she's still thinking of her boyfriend, as well as she doesn't want to drag Chet into her mess), but it doesn't work. They fall for each other, and it's pretty sweet, cute, and hot all at once!
There is one secret that is kept from the reader throughout the entire novel, until the climax. I love how Fitzpatrick did that! We know something is odd about the murder, but we don't know what. I like how the author kept that from us, even if many other secrets were being revealed throughout the story. Stella has her own secrets, besides the witness protection program and a new identity...
The climax of this story is heart-pounding, the kind that has you at the edge of your seat. All the players come out, and Stella is in a constant state of fear, and in danger. She's concerned for herself, Chet, Carmina, and in the end, something will have to give. The conclusion is so fast-paced, in your face, high stakes, insanity. But it's a good ending, a satisfying one, which I am really happy about. There are so many ways that Fitzpatrick could have made this book's ending really tragic or heartbreaking or dissatisfying. Thank goodness for a HEA!
What I Did Not Like:
Ehhh. Hmm. I wanted a little more of a conclusion for a secondary plot involving Dusty, Chet's younger brother. I guess we get a resolution to his story, but it could have been more fleshed out. Or maybe I'm being picky.
Would I Recommend It:
I loved this book, and I highly recommend it, especially to those who enjoy thriller/mystery/suspense types. It's more than a contemporary novel, and the romance isn't the most important part of the book. The heroine is tough, the hero is swoony and hot and protective and sweet, and the story is really engrossing with such high stakes and thick tension. Seriously one of the best contemporary novels I've read this year!
Rating:
4.5 stars. I'll round down to 4 stars but really, it's a 4.5-star read. I could see myself picking this one up and rereading it - which is pretty rare (I have no time for rereads these days)! Between this one and Black Ice, I'm really enjoying Fitzpatrick's contemporary!
Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: November 10, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
Summary (from Goodreads):
A teen is forced to make a fresh start after witnessing a violent crime—but love and danger find her anyway in this novel from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.
Stella Gordon is not her real name. Thunder Basin, Nebraska, is not her real home. This is not her real life.
After witnessing a lethal crime, Stella Gordon is sent to the middle of nowhere for her own safety before she testifies against the man she saw kill her mother’s drug dealer.
But Stella was about to start her senior year with the boyfriend she loves. How can she be pulled away from the only life she knows and expected to start a new one in Nebraska? Stella chafes at her protection and is rude to everyone she meets. She’s not planning on staying long, so why be friendly? Then she meets Chet Falconer and it becomes harder to keep her guard up, even as her guilt about having to lie to him grows.
As Stella starts to feel safer, the real threat to her life increases—because her enemies are actually closer than she thinks…
What I Liked:
I think this is probably my favorite Fitzpatrick book to date. I liked Hush, Hush (book one), but the rest of the series was very ehhh for me. I LOVED Black Ice, and I think I like Dangerous Lies just as much as Black Ice. They are two totally unrelated contemporary thriller/mystery novels, and both are excellent. Fitzpatrick shines in this genre!
Stella Gordon wasn't always Stella Gordon. She's in a witness protection program, and she's been shipped off to Thunder Basin, Nebraska, with a new name, new legal papers, and plenty of secrets. Her mother is in rehab, and Stella is hiding from the man who committed a horrible crime that Stella witnessed and will testify against. Stella's new life in Nebraska is rough, as she isn't planning on sticking around. But her "foster mother", cute neighbor, and Sunday sermons start to grow on Stella. Can she be safe in Thunder Basin? Is anywhere actually safe?
Stella is quite the brat in the beginning of the book, refusing to cooperate, pitching attitudes, arguing and retorting angrily at everyone. Which I totally understood - she had to say goodbye to her old life without actually saying goodbye. Her mother, her boyfriend, her house, her clothes, friends, phone, communication, life - all gone. So I personally felt for Stella, because if I were in her situation, I'd probably be just as angry and uncooperative. Her old life is gone, never coming back. As the story goes on, Stella's character develops and grows, and I like her still. She's so spunky and prickly, taking no crap from anyone, especially not from Carmina, the woman she's staying with, or Chet Falconer, the boy who mows Stella's lawn and is way too ruggedly sexy for his own good.
Chet is such an important character in this book, and not just as a love interest. Stella has - had - a boyfriend, Reed, who is also in a separate witness protection program. Stella can never go back to him, but she's still loyal to him, and doesn't want to get close to Chet. Too late - he becomes her closest friend in Thunder Basin, and they fall for each other. Chet is a good guy, taking care of his younger brother, working hard on ranches and with cattle. He's rugged, cowboy-esque, and totally drool-worthy. He's also a sweet, thoughtful guy. I'm rethinking my position on cowboys. All those cowboy romance novels, and now Chet - maybe I need to make a trip out West for a spell...
The setting - Nebraska is so country! Chet is basically a cowboy (which I found to be pretty hot). I love how authentic the West feels! Fitzpatrick really did her research with the setting of this book. I could visualize just about everything!
The suspense/thriller part of this book is SO well-written. I'm not really sure how to describe the genre of this book, but whatever it is, it's great. Fitzpatrick did a great job of writing this one so that we feel Stella's desperation in being forced into this program, her feeling of lack of safety, her anger at her mother. The tension and insecurity of this book increases as the novel goes on, having me on pins and needles. Someone wants to hurt Stella, and it might not only be the man she's testifying against. Chills are breaking out!
But there is also a sweet romance in this novel, probably one of my favorite romances of the year. Stela and Chet are the sweetest, steamiest couple. They're friends, but the chemistry between them is fire. And when they collide... boom. Stella tries to keep them as just friends (she's still thinking of her boyfriend, as well as she doesn't want to drag Chet into her mess), but it doesn't work. They fall for each other, and it's pretty sweet, cute, and hot all at once!
There is one secret that is kept from the reader throughout the entire novel, until the climax. I love how Fitzpatrick did that! We know something is odd about the murder, but we don't know what. I like how the author kept that from us, even if many other secrets were being revealed throughout the story. Stella has her own secrets, besides the witness protection program and a new identity...
The climax of this story is heart-pounding, the kind that has you at the edge of your seat. All the players come out, and Stella is in a constant state of fear, and in danger. She's concerned for herself, Chet, Carmina, and in the end, something will have to give. The conclusion is so fast-paced, in your face, high stakes, insanity. But it's a good ending, a satisfying one, which I am really happy about. There are so many ways that Fitzpatrick could have made this book's ending really tragic or heartbreaking or dissatisfying. Thank goodness for a HEA!
What I Did Not Like:
Ehhh. Hmm. I wanted a little more of a conclusion for a secondary plot involving Dusty, Chet's younger brother. I guess we get a resolution to his story, but it could have been more fleshed out. Or maybe I'm being picky.
Would I Recommend It:
I loved this book, and I highly recommend it, especially to those who enjoy thriller/mystery/suspense types. It's more than a contemporary novel, and the romance isn't the most important part of the book. The heroine is tough, the hero is swoony and hot and protective and sweet, and the story is really engrossing with such high stakes and thick tension. Seriously one of the best contemporary novels I've read this year!
Rating:
4.5 stars. I'll round down to 4 stars but really, it's a 4.5-star read. I could see myself picking this one up and rereading it - which is pretty rare (I have no time for rereads these days)! Between this one and Black Ice, I'm really enjoying Fitzpatrick's contemporary!
June 25, 2016
Initial reaction: Well, at least I can say this was better than "Black Ice", but not by much. Oy vey. I'll talk about this one when I give myself enough time to collect my thoughts. But suffice to say, Stella was a character who wore on my patience one too many times, and while there were moments where she felt realistically like a teenager caught in extreme (and unfortunate) circumstances, she was so judgmental and presumptuous that it made her very difficult to follow. I don't ask to like every heroine (heck, I read my fair share of flawed heroes and heroines) that I read about, but this was just messed up in places and as per usual - it threw me out of what otherwise could've been an engaging narrative.
Full review:
I'll admit I'm torn on my reflections on "Dangerous Lies" (hence why I waited so long to reflect on it. Even then I'm still torn). Admittedly, I want to give Becca Fitzpatrick credit for this book. I really do - it's a decent thriller for premise at least and I'll admit I read through this rather compulsively (barring the times it threw me out of the story for Stella's prejudiced commentary). There were even times I could understand why Stella was as bitter as she was. When you're a teenager who has their whole life ripped away from them - mother strung out on drugs, father wants nothing to do with you, you're told to forget about your boyfriend, friends and high school, AND your life is in danger because you were the key witness to a crime - that...is far beyond the point of unfortunate. Seriously.
But even understanding that didn't make me forgive how judgmental she was through the entire book with rampant misogynistic comments and put downs from the get go (even to a young woman who was pregnant). It threw me out of the story one too many times and detracted from the overarching narrative. This isn't even a new thing for Fitzpatrick's narratives on any level, from everything I've read from her thus far. I don't expect a character to be perfect, and anti-heroes/heroines need their stories told too - that's not the issue at all. Rather, it's the fact I see the same stereotypes, same prejudices, same problems in every single narrative that Fitzpatrick has written thus far, and it's annoying as crap to me. Same slut shaming and rampant girl-girl put downs, same stereotypes when it comes to characters of different nationalities or racial groups. Same...issues and it feels like a paint by numbers template to me at this point. *sighs* I feel like this could've been as strong of a narrative, if not stronger, if it didn't have all those narrative judgmental tangents thrown in (and the narrative felt longer for it). Not only are they offensive in themselves, they just feel like a distraction from the overarching story, which is decent in theory for a thriller/suspense revolving around a displaced teen. Lauren Oliver, Courtney Summers, Megan Abbott are among a few names I could mention who have managed to make bad girls/anti-heroines worth following without reiterating and championing harmful stereotypes that divert the focus from the overarching narrative.
Rant aside, "Dangerous Lies" sees Stella relocating to another household in a small town, where she's kept under the supervision of Carmina (who, considering all the stuff Stella does and says against her, is very accommodating and fair. Stella gives her a very hard time even from the beginning, but I expected some blowback given Stella's situation.) Stella rebels, finds herself befriending a few of the locals, including an insta-love connection with Chet ("I'm an insta-love machine, and I won't work for nobody but yooou....")
The novel takes a turning point when horrible events bring back Stella's connections to the crime she witnessed and hold the possibility of her being in danger again (or just the target of the local bad boy who hates Stella with a passion). And considering Chet's feelings for Stella grow stronger, she's torn between her loyalty to him, her loyalty to her former boyfriend Reed, and the secret of her identity. I could certainly see the divisions in that (though Reed became an afterthought once Chet was in the picture in full. Ugh). The narrative after that point has certain places where Stella's character is flawed, but more tolerable than she was in the first half of the book. I actually identified with her grief over her mother, her struggles with her secret, some events that involve Carmina that allow their bond to grow more (and I liked Carmina probably the most out of all the characters in this book).
Even then, Stella's still a TSTL heroine with all the rules she breaks while in protective custody, so it's little wonder why she finds herself in trouble eventually while marching towards the end of the book. So...not much in the way of suspense for that reason. *sighs*
In the end, it was more tolerable than "Black Ice" and much of Fitzpatrick's "Hush Hush" series, but I still had rooted issues with this book. It's a combination of recycled narrative flaws and plot points/holes that didn't measure up the book's experience for me.
Overall score: 2/5 stars.
Full review:
I'll admit I'm torn on my reflections on "Dangerous Lies" (hence why I waited so long to reflect on it. Even then I'm still torn). Admittedly, I want to give Becca Fitzpatrick credit for this book. I really do - it's a decent thriller for premise at least and I'll admit I read through this rather compulsively (barring the times it threw me out of the story for Stella's prejudiced commentary). There were even times I could understand why Stella was as bitter as she was. When you're a teenager who has their whole life ripped away from them - mother strung out on drugs, father wants nothing to do with you, you're told to forget about your boyfriend, friends and high school, AND your life is in danger because you were the key witness to a crime - that...is far beyond the point of unfortunate. Seriously.
But even understanding that didn't make me forgive how judgmental she was through the entire book with rampant misogynistic comments and put downs from the get go (even to a young woman who was pregnant). It threw me out of the story one too many times and detracted from the overarching narrative. This isn't even a new thing for Fitzpatrick's narratives on any level, from everything I've read from her thus far. I don't expect a character to be perfect, and anti-heroes/heroines need their stories told too - that's not the issue at all. Rather, it's the fact I see the same stereotypes, same prejudices, same problems in every single narrative that Fitzpatrick has written thus far, and it's annoying as crap to me. Same slut shaming and rampant girl-girl put downs, same stereotypes when it comes to characters of different nationalities or racial groups. Same...issues and it feels like a paint by numbers template to me at this point. *sighs* I feel like this could've been as strong of a narrative, if not stronger, if it didn't have all those narrative judgmental tangents thrown in (and the narrative felt longer for it). Not only are they offensive in themselves, they just feel like a distraction from the overarching story, which is decent in theory for a thriller/suspense revolving around a displaced teen. Lauren Oliver, Courtney Summers, Megan Abbott are among a few names I could mention who have managed to make bad girls/anti-heroines worth following without reiterating and championing harmful stereotypes that divert the focus from the overarching narrative.
Rant aside, "Dangerous Lies" sees Stella relocating to another household in a small town, where she's kept under the supervision of Carmina (who, considering all the stuff Stella does and says against her, is very accommodating and fair. Stella gives her a very hard time even from the beginning, but I expected some blowback given Stella's situation.) Stella rebels, finds herself befriending a few of the locals, including an insta-love connection with Chet ("I'm an insta-love machine, and I won't work for nobody but yooou....")
The novel takes a turning point when horrible events bring back Stella's connections to the crime she witnessed and hold the possibility of her being in danger again (or just the target of the local bad boy who hates Stella with a passion). And considering Chet's feelings for Stella grow stronger, she's torn between her loyalty to him, her loyalty to her former boyfriend Reed, and the secret of her identity. I could certainly see the divisions in that (though Reed became an afterthought once Chet was in the picture in full. Ugh). The narrative after that point has certain places where Stella's character is flawed, but more tolerable than she was in the first half of the book. I actually identified with her grief over her mother, her struggles with her secret, some events that involve Carmina that allow their bond to grow more (and I liked Carmina probably the most out of all the characters in this book).
Even then, Stella's still a TSTL heroine with all the rules she breaks while in protective custody, so it's little wonder why she finds herself in trouble eventually while marching towards the end of the book. So...not much in the way of suspense for that reason. *sighs*
In the end, it was more tolerable than "Black Ice" and much of Fitzpatrick's "Hush Hush" series, but I still had rooted issues with this book. It's a combination of recycled narrative flaws and plot points/holes that didn't measure up the book's experience for me.
Overall score: 2/5 stars.
September 8, 2018
4.5 Stars
Slowly, his eyes cleared. They lit with a spark of hope. "You'll stay?"
I eased my elbows back against the fence behind him, smiling. "See, there's this guy here, a really sweet, sensitive, sexy guy, and I'm not ready to let go of him just yet."
Estella Goodwin comes home late one night to find her mum's ex drug dealer dead, murdered by her mum's current drug dealer / boyfriend. Estella agrees to testify against Danny (one of the most powerful drug dealers in Philly who has connections with the Cartel).
As a result Estella is given a new name - Stella Gordon and is shipped off to Thunderbasin, Nebraska under witness protection. Where she stays with Carmina a retired cop who has secrets about her own past.
There's also Chet her attractive next door neighbour (although his house is a bit far away to be considered next door).
Overall a lovely thriller with plenty of twists and loveable characters :)
Slowly, his eyes cleared. They lit with a spark of hope. "You'll stay?"
I eased my elbows back against the fence behind him, smiling. "See, there's this guy here, a really sweet, sensitive, sexy guy, and I'm not ready to let go of him just yet."
Estella Goodwin comes home late one night to find her mum's ex drug dealer dead, murdered by her mum's current drug dealer / boyfriend. Estella agrees to testify against Danny (one of the most powerful drug dealers in Philly who has connections with the Cartel).
As a result Estella is given a new name - Stella Gordon and is shipped off to Thunderbasin, Nebraska under witness protection. Where she stays with Carmina a retired cop who has secrets about her own past.
There's also Chet her attractive next door neighbour (although his house is a bit far away to be considered next door).
Overall a lovely thriller with plenty of twists and loveable characters :)
November 30, 2015
I must confess that I’m one of maybe seven bloggers in the world who haven’t read the famous Hush Hush series, and I think it’s safe to say that for me, Becca Fitzpatrick’s switch to the YA mystery/thriller genre certainly paid off. I am a huge fan of thrillers, be it adult or YA, and this is an author who knows how to write true page-turners and give us so much to think about along the way. I considered Black Ice to be a huge success with its morally ambiguous characters, heart-stopping danger and a romance that maybe wasn’t for everyone’s taste, but that definitely worked for me. Dangerous Lies might be better suited for a larger audience, but the things I loved about Black Ice, the bones of the story, are still very much present.
We meet Estella as she goes in the witness protection program. She is separated from her boyfriend and her self-destructive, addicted mother and forced to live in a small town with a hardened ex-cop. Stella feels betrayed by her mother and desperate for her exile to end as soon as possible.
It isn’t always easy to like Stella. In fact, she is purposely written as rebellious and self-centered, but even as we're trying to come up with various punishments for her behavior (from a purely parental standpoint, of course), we fully understand how she came to be that way and what went wrong along the way. She is a girl who practically raised herself under very difficult circumstances, a girl who has never been properly loved by anyone. I was afraid, for a time, that there would be no saving her, no easy way out, that she was just too hardened for a regular life.
As a character, Chet provides a nice counterbalance to Stella. A reformed bad boy with secrets and regrets who is trying his best to live a different, honest and responsible life, Chet is perhaps one of the best characters I’ve stumbled upon lately. He more than made up for the uncomfortable feeling Stella caused and he gave me someone to support and root for at all times.
The mystery part was well done, even though it was a tiny bit predictable. Still, I had no idea how things would play out and I was incredibly tense the entire time. I loved that Fitzpatrick didn’t fall back on a cliché with Becca’s boyfriend and that she gave us a realistic, entirely credible solution to that problem.
Overall, Fitzpatrick is proving to be a truly wonderful YA mystery author whose next work I’m anticipating with much excitement.
A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.
November 3, 2015
Furious about having to be separated from her boyfriend of two years; angry about leaving Philadelphia – the only home she’d ever known – Stella Gordon sulked as she accompanied Deputy Marshall Price in the black Buick sedan into the unknown. Stella (whose name wasn’t Stella) was now in the Witness Protection Program – after having witnessed a vicious murder, she needed to be kept safe so she could testify against the man who was currently awaiting trial in prison. But his reach was long – his threats were real…
Her arrival to the heat and isolation of Thunder Basin in Nebraska was without fanfare. Stella would be living with ex-police officer Carmina Songster until which time she could return to the court rooms in Philly. With the advice from Price of “how the summer plays out is up to you” ringing in her ears, she still knew she didn’t want to be there; didn’t want to play “happy families” with a stranger…
Gradually, and starting with the meeting of Carmina’s neighbour Chet Falconer, Stella began to relax. Only a little though, as she had to always keep her lies in the forefront of her mind. She obtained a job at a local Diner as a waitress (just to stave off the boredom, she said) but after a few days, the trouble started. There was no way anyone could know her from her previous life – was there? As the danger moved ever closer, Stella was torn; frightened, she felt the need to tell the truth – but she couldn’t…who could she trust?
Wow! Breathtaking and original, Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick is an excellent YA thriller. Gripping and fast paced with multiple twists, I had no idea what would happen next. Kept on the edge of my seat by this, my first by this author, I’ll certainly be reading more. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster for my uncorrected proof copy to read and review.
Her arrival to the heat and isolation of Thunder Basin in Nebraska was without fanfare. Stella would be living with ex-police officer Carmina Songster until which time she could return to the court rooms in Philly. With the advice from Price of “how the summer plays out is up to you” ringing in her ears, she still knew she didn’t want to be there; didn’t want to play “happy families” with a stranger…
Gradually, and starting with the meeting of Carmina’s neighbour Chet Falconer, Stella began to relax. Only a little though, as she had to always keep her lies in the forefront of her mind. She obtained a job at a local Diner as a waitress (just to stave off the boredom, she said) but after a few days, the trouble started. There was no way anyone could know her from her previous life – was there? As the danger moved ever closer, Stella was torn; frightened, she felt the need to tell the truth – but she couldn’t…who could she trust?
Wow! Breathtaking and original, Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick is an excellent YA thriller. Gripping and fast paced with multiple twists, I had no idea what would happen next. Kept on the edge of my seat by this, my first by this author, I’ll certainly be reading more. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster for my uncorrected proof copy to read and review.
November 14, 2015
Estella Goodwinn has witnessed a terrible crime and upon agreeing to testify against the man who is sitting in jail, she must enter the witness protection program in order to keep her from the dangerous crime world the man is involved with. Because Danny Balando is pissed, and his connections in the cartel will want to find the girl who tossed him in jail.
I am completely stunned by this book, Becca Fitzpatrick really blew this one out of the water for me. She took the main character, made her utterly unlikable and through careful character development and growth, swiftly changed how I felt about Stella. At the beginning I wanted to grow at how inconsiderate and ungrateful Stella was. These people were putting their lives on the line to protect her and kept hitting the wall of snob that this character came built with. I wanted to throttle her. I literally put the book down for a few days because I was so angry at how she was handling her situation. After calming down, I plowed on, because despite my utter hate for Stella's character, Becca Fitzpatrick's writing was absolute perfection. Her way with words really knows how to pull you in, and her talent for writing really shines through the book. Once I was engrossed and trapped, I could NOT put this book down.
Mystery, secrets, lies and the mix characters of Thunder Basin, Nebraska made this book a real page turner. I loved seeing Stella grow and develop as a character. I love seeing her shed her jaded ways and accept Thunder Basin for what it was and the people surrounding her as friends. I also came to admire her as a character. In the end, I saw her for what she was, at the beginning a scared and lost girl who lashed out at everyone because she was losing her identity and growing into a strong and remarkable woman. I was glad to see her refuse at being pushed around when she ran into her troubles with Trigger and proud that she took action instead of letting the guy get away with everything he was getting away with, just because of who he was to the town.
I admired the way she treated the character's close to her, including Inny and Chet. The growth of trust and relationship building between her and Carmina, the woman who took her under her wings when she entered the protection program.
There was just so much going on, never really a dull moment. The secrets and lies Stella told really were taking a toll on her and made her question her morals.
Learning about Carmina's past, really made you feel for the character. It's devastating, it's poignantly sad and it touched my emotions on so many levels. It left me a bit startled that after everything she went through, she wasn't a more jaded character.
The romance in this was slow-burn and I loved it. I was so glad because it was such a refreshing change from all the recent insta-love. Because of Stella's previous relationship that she had to leave behind, and all the lies she has to keep secret, her and Chet's relationship starts as friendship that very slowly blooms into something more. It was believable and fantastic because I totally adored Chet. He has his own share of demons in the closet, things in the past that he has to live with because a part of the town does not seem to want to let him forget. He is such a strong, moral character with a heart of gold. The way he felt he needed to take care of his brother was both as heart breaking as respectable. The ending only made me love him ever more.
Chet was a good guy - a great guy. He didn't deserve the deception and heartache that would come from getting involved with me.
Despite Stella's mother being a sorry excuse for a human being and bringing all this trouble coming down on top of her daughter's head, there was still a strong sense of family in this book, especially when Carmina and Stella started to form a deeper bond. The care was obviously there, especially a moment that moved the bonds of their relationship and made it stronger.
Another part wanted to hug her. Maybe even shed tears of gratitude. She had my back. I wasn't alone.
I didn't like Stella's mother's character, she was a junkie who Stella as a minor ends up taking care of because the drug addiction and depression was so strong she could not function as a normal mom.
A glimpse of blue sky, a singing bird on the windowsill. Or, in my case, not having the weight of caring for my mom dragging me under. What if Thunder Basin was my chance to come up for air?
I think the only reason I did not give this book 5 stars is because everything happened in the end so quickly, all the actions and the sense of forbodding that was happening in this book exploded and wrapped up rather quickly. I was also confused with what happened to Reed, the author never really touched on that in the wrap up.
Outside of that. I really enjoyed the masterfully writing that kept me turning the pages late into the night. Even if it did give me a couple of black circles under my eyes, it was totally well worth it. I adored it all and can't wait to see what Fitzpatrick has in store for me next.
I leaned my back against the wall and shut my eyes. I rested a hand on the windowsill and let the cool air wash over my clammy skin. I breathed deeply, trying to plant my feet solidly in Thunder Basin.
My problems receded into the shadows and life seemed simple again. I felt cool, sweet relief. Tonight Thunder Basin didn't feel like a prison. It felt like a set of open doors at the end of a long, painful road, beckoning me closer.
This review was originally posted on Night Owl Book Café
November 22, 2015
Después de Hush Hush me está gustando muchísimo el tono que están tomando los libros de Becca Fitzpatrick, primero con Hielo Negro y ahora con Mentiras Peligrosas. Situaciones extremas, personajes complejos y protagonistas que van evolucionando a medida que pasas las páginas, así son estos libros. Nunca sabes qué va a pasar (al menos yo) y tampoco sabes en quién confiar.
Mentiras Peligrosas nos cuenta la historia de Estella, una chica de Filadelfia que vive con su madre drogadicta hasta que un día llega a casa y se encuentra con la escena de un crimen: su madre está inconsciente por las drogas y hay un hombre muerto con un tiro en la cabeza. El FBI piensa que un peligroso cartel de drogas está involucrado en el crimen, así que madre e hija se ven arrastradas al programa de protección de testigos de EEUU. A la madre la envían a rehabilitación y a Estella, cuyo nombre cambian a Stella, la envían a Thunder Basin, un pueblo perdido en la mitad de Nebraska. Allí, Stella empezará a vivir con Carmina, una vieja policía retirada, y verá cómo debe dejar toda su vida anterior atrás: sus sueños, sus amigos, su novio e incluso su nombre.
Ahora, si bien el libro no se centra precisamente en el crimen, en cómo avanza el juicio contra el jefe del cartel involucrado o en cómo los matones de Danny Balado, el criminal, buscan a Stella a lo largo y ancho del país para evitar que testifique contra su jefe, es genial. Sinceramente, yo no esperaba una trama policíaca, sino más bien algo del estilo de Hielo Negro... y Becca no me decepcionó. El libro se enfoca en cómo Stella reacciona ante esta nueva vida que le han impuesto, en el miedo que siente día a día de que la encuentren los matones y en el proceso de adaptación que debe superar para entender que su antigua vida en Filadelfia está olvidada y que su nueva vida empieza en Thunder Basin, que puede ser muchísimo más divertido de lo que pensaba en un principio.
¿Qué me encantó del libro? Los personajes. Stella es una chica muy auténtica y con reacciones bastante reales a todas las situaciones. Vivimos sus problemas, entendemos su presente y la incertidumbre que siente sobre su futuro. Me gustó muchísimo cómo la vemos cambiar, cómo pasa de ser una chica malhumorada a ser una chica que valora los pequeños nuevos momentos y recuerdos que está creando en este pueblo perdido.
Y hablando de personajes, ¿qué sería de un libro de Becca Fitzpatrick sin un chico guapo, con pinta de rudo pero muy sensible en el interior, con un cuerpazo y ojos azules? Ahhhhhh *suspira*. Este hombre... ESTE HOMBRE... es encantador. Tiene todos los elementos que harían que cualquier chica se derritiera a sus pies. Y es que no es el típico chico malo, ¡al contrario! Chet Falconer es el hombre más bueno de la vida. Tiene un montón de problemas, pero hace de todo para sacar adelante a su hermano menor, pues sus padres murieron; es trabajador, sensible, buena persona, se preocupa genuinamente por los otros y... ¿ya dije que es guapo? Jajaja. Chet me recordó un poco al personaje de la peli The Longest Ride, que está basado en el libro de Nicholas Sparks. Pero, ¡ojo! No digo que se parezca al personaje del libro, sino al actor... as�� se veía en mi mente Chet *emoticono perver de WhatsApp* xD.
Otros personajes del libro son bastante interesantes: Carmina, Trigger, Price, el pastor... todos son diferentes y los amas u los odias, pero no te dejan indiferentes a pesar de ser personajes secundarios, y eso quiere decir que Becca trabajó mucho en la complejidad de cada uno, en sus historias de fondo y sus motivaciones porque se sienten como personajes tridimensionales, no como personajes de relleno.
En cuanto a la trama, puedo decir que nunca bajó su ritmo, aunque es bastante calmado, pero creo que le pega al libro y va bien con él. Hay unos picos dramáticos que se manejan muy bien y que se narran a la altura... tanto los buenos como los malos. Sólo diré: SÓTANO. LAGO. FERIA. RODEO. BYE.
En fin, Mentiras Peligrosas es un libro que atrapa, que hace que no lo quieras soltar en ningún momento y que te hace querer muchísimo a los personajes, sobre todo a Stella y a Chet <3. A mí definitivamente me encantó que todo tuviera un proceso, que nada fuera instantáneo y que la relación de ellos dos no fuera como "ah, bueno, acabo de llegar a un pueblo nuevo, me aburro... oh, un chico guapo, pues nos liamos y ya está", no. Todo es muchísimo más complicado porque Stella no está lista para dejar su pasado de lado, los flashbacks siempre la asaltan al igual que la voz de su conciencia, así que todas estas situaciones hacen que todo vaya a un ritmo creíble y que te va preparando poco a poco para un último tercio del libro que es ELECTRIZANTE.
Y el final... WOW. Revelaciones por doquier, acción, escenas que te engañan y que te dejan al borde de un infarto. Definitivamente, un libro RECOMENDADÍSIMO.
Mentiras Peligrosas nos cuenta la historia de Estella, una chica de Filadelfia que vive con su madre drogadicta hasta que un día llega a casa y se encuentra con la escena de un crimen: su madre está inconsciente por las drogas y hay un hombre muerto con un tiro en la cabeza. El FBI piensa que un peligroso cartel de drogas está involucrado en el crimen, así que madre e hija se ven arrastradas al programa de protección de testigos de EEUU. A la madre la envían a rehabilitación y a Estella, cuyo nombre cambian a Stella, la envían a Thunder Basin, un pueblo perdido en la mitad de Nebraska. Allí, Stella empezará a vivir con Carmina, una vieja policía retirada, y verá cómo debe dejar toda su vida anterior atrás: sus sueños, sus amigos, su novio e incluso su nombre.
Ahora, si bien el libro no se centra precisamente en el crimen, en cómo avanza el juicio contra el jefe del cartel involucrado o en cómo los matones de Danny Balado, el criminal, buscan a Stella a lo largo y ancho del país para evitar que testifique contra su jefe, es genial. Sinceramente, yo no esperaba una trama policíaca, sino más bien algo del estilo de Hielo Negro... y Becca no me decepcionó. El libro se enfoca en cómo Stella reacciona ante esta nueva vida que le han impuesto, en el miedo que siente día a día de que la encuentren los matones y en el proceso de adaptación que debe superar para entender que su antigua vida en Filadelfia está olvidada y que su nueva vida empieza en Thunder Basin, que puede ser muchísimo más divertido de lo que pensaba en un principio.
¿Qué me encantó del libro? Los personajes. Stella es una chica muy auténtica y con reacciones bastante reales a todas las situaciones. Vivimos sus problemas, entendemos su presente y la incertidumbre que siente sobre su futuro. Me gustó muchísimo cómo la vemos cambiar, cómo pasa de ser una chica malhumorada a ser una chica que valora los pequeños nuevos momentos y recuerdos que está creando en este pueblo perdido.
Y hablando de personajes, ¿qué sería de un libro de Becca Fitzpatrick sin un chico guapo, con pinta de rudo pero muy sensible en el interior, con un cuerpazo y ojos azules? Ahhhhhh *suspira*. Este hombre... ESTE HOMBRE... es encantador. Tiene todos los elementos que harían que cualquier chica se derritiera a sus pies. Y es que no es el típico chico malo, ¡al contrario! Chet Falconer es el hombre más bueno de la vida. Tiene un montón de problemas, pero hace de todo para sacar adelante a su hermano menor, pues sus padres murieron; es trabajador, sensible, buena persona, se preocupa genuinamente por los otros y... ¿ya dije que es guapo? Jajaja. Chet me recordó un poco al personaje de la peli The Longest Ride, que está basado en el libro de Nicholas Sparks. Pero, ¡ojo! No digo que se parezca al personaje del libro, sino al actor... as�� se veía en mi mente Chet *emoticono perver de WhatsApp* xD.
Otros personajes del libro son bastante interesantes: Carmina, Trigger, Price, el pastor... todos son diferentes y los amas u los odias, pero no te dejan indiferentes a pesar de ser personajes secundarios, y eso quiere decir que Becca trabajó mucho en la complejidad de cada uno, en sus historias de fondo y sus motivaciones porque se sienten como personajes tridimensionales, no como personajes de relleno.
En cuanto a la trama, puedo decir que nunca bajó su ritmo, aunque es bastante calmado, pero creo que le pega al libro y va bien con él. Hay unos picos dramáticos que se manejan muy bien y que se narran a la altura... tanto los buenos como los malos. Sólo diré: SÓTANO. LAGO. FERIA. RODEO. BYE.
En fin, Mentiras Peligrosas es un libro que atrapa, que hace que no lo quieras soltar en ningún momento y que te hace querer muchísimo a los personajes, sobre todo a Stella y a Chet <3. A mí definitivamente me encantó que todo tuviera un proceso, que nada fuera instantáneo y que la relación de ellos dos no fuera como "ah, bueno, acabo de llegar a un pueblo nuevo, me aburro... oh, un chico guapo, pues nos liamos y ya está", no. Todo es muchísimo más complicado porque Stella no está lista para dejar su pasado de lado, los flashbacks siempre la asaltan al igual que la voz de su conciencia, así que todas estas situaciones hacen que todo vaya a un ritmo creíble y que te va preparando poco a poco para un último tercio del libro que es ELECTRIZANTE.
Y el final... WOW. Revelaciones por doquier, acción, escenas que te engañan y que te dejan al borde de un infarto. Definitivamente, un libro RECOMENDADÍSIMO.
January 29, 2016
Para empezar tengo que decir que nunca había leído nada de esta autora y no me arrepiento de haberme leído este libro.
Voy a empezar por el personaje de Stella porque tiene una evolución increíble durante toda la historia, detrás de la típica niña rica tonta y cabezota, que es como se la conoce al principio... se esconde una chica que no tiene pelos en la lengua, valiente... muy valiente y que en el fondo tiene buen corazón. Y me ha gustado un montón esa evolución y en la Stella que se "convierte" cuando termina la historia. Tengo que añadir que me han encantado los personajes; Chet y Carmina, sobre todo Carmina. Todos tenemos secretos y estos personajes también.
En cuanto a la trama... tengo que decir que para mi gusto es bastante sencilla, pero que entretiene y te mantiene enganchada. Las mentiras juegan un gran papel, además de añadir varios giros que le dan más consistencia a la historia y que son los culpables de que no quieras soltar el libro. Es una combinación de amor, misterio y acción... que me ha gustado bastante aunque diría que se centra más en el amor y yo me esperaba algo más policiaco por su sinopsis, pero, sinceramente, no me quejo, porque la historia de amor me ha gustado mucho, ains...
En resumen, Mentiras peligrosas no era lo que esperaba, pero me ha sorprendido para bien y lo he disfrutado un montón. Y para ser la primera vez que leo algo de Becca... me ha dejado buen de boca.
>> http://anitavelabooks.blogspot.com.es...
Voy a empezar por el personaje de Stella porque tiene una evolución increíble durante toda la historia, detrás de la típica niña rica tonta y cabezota, que es como se la conoce al principio... se esconde una chica que no tiene pelos en la lengua, valiente... muy valiente y que en el fondo tiene buen corazón. Y me ha gustado un montón esa evolución y en la Stella que se "convierte" cuando termina la historia. Tengo que añadir que me han encantado los personajes; Chet y Carmina, sobre todo Carmina. Todos tenemos secretos y estos personajes también.
En cuanto a la trama... tengo que decir que para mi gusto es bastante sencilla, pero que entretiene y te mantiene enganchada. Las mentiras juegan un gran papel, además de añadir varios giros que le dan más consistencia a la historia y que son los culpables de que no quieras soltar el libro. Es una combinación de amor, misterio y acción... que me ha gustado bastante aunque diría que se centra más en el amor y yo me esperaba algo más policiaco por su sinopsis, pero, sinceramente, no me quejo, porque la historia de amor me ha gustado mucho, ains...
En resumen, Mentiras peligrosas no era lo que esperaba, pero me ha sorprendido para bien y lo he disfrutado un montón. Y para ser la primera vez que leo algo de Becca... me ha dejado buen de boca.
>> http://anitavelabooks.blogspot.com.es...
February 14, 2017
First place for stupidest main character goes to Stella.
May 26, 2016
The first half was so cliched and frustrating, I actually almost stopped reading.
But the second half was a surprisingly good thriller! Very interesting to have such a stark juxtaposition..
But the second half was a surprisingly good thriller! Very interesting to have such a stark juxtaposition..
September 29, 2017
It's TOO good.....I mean, what did you expect from Fitzpatrick?? :)
Read
December 16, 2015To me, Dangerous Lies had the exact opposite strengths and weaknesses as the author's last thriller, Black Ice.
I thought Black Ice had an excellent premise, plus good suspense and plotting, but unlikeable characters and Stockholm-syndrome-creepily-masquerading-as-romance.
I thought Dangerous Lies had likeable characters (and okay, maybe this is relative because a lot of you were like what??? But I though the characters in BI were really detestable and Stella goes through a lot of growth) and a sweet romance, but was seriously lacking in the suspense department for a book that was supposed to be a thriller.
Overall, I preferred this book because, to me, characters trump plot. But as I lay on the couch flipping pages, I wished this thriller had been a little more thrilling. Stella, who is in witness protection, seems in danger for about 5 % of the book. The rest of the time, she's working as a carhop, hanging out with characters called Dixie Jo and Cooter, playing softball and going to church. Not scary! I guessed the plot twist but did think it was well set-up. I didn't guess that
All in all, not a bad read, but I'd call this more romantic suspense than a thriller.
I thought Black Ice had an excellent premise, plus good suspense and plotting, but unlikeable characters and Stockholm-syndrome-creepily-masquerading-as-romance.
I thought Dangerous Lies had likeable characters (and okay, maybe this is relative because a lot of you were like what??? But I though the characters in BI were really detestable and Stella goes through a lot of growth) and a sweet romance, but was seriously lacking in the suspense department for a book that was supposed to be a thriller.
Overall, I preferred this book because, to me, characters trump plot. But as I lay on the couch flipping pages, I wished this thriller had been a little more thrilling. Stella, who is in witness protection, seems in danger for about 5 % of the book. The rest of the time, she's working as a carhop, hanging out with characters called Dixie Jo and Cooter, playing softball and going to church. Not scary! I guessed the plot twist but did think it was well set-up. I didn't guess that
All in all, not a bad read, but I'd call this more romantic suspense than a thriller.
July 16, 2016
3,5
Un thriller que entretiene, pero que me ha dejado algo frío. Al igual que me sucedió con "Pánico", esta historia me ha dejado con buen sabor de boca, pero me ha faltado mucho más. Quizá que sorprendiera e innovara más, ya que podemos considerar esta historia como una más, común dentro de las de género de suspense juvenil. Aun así, me ha gustado, pero ya os digo, no es muy original.
Reseña completa: http://voragineinterna.blogspot.com.e...
Un thriller que entretiene, pero que me ha dejado algo frío. Al igual que me sucedió con "Pánico", esta historia me ha dejado con buen sabor de boca, pero me ha faltado mucho más. Quizá que sorprendiera e innovara más, ya que podemos considerar esta historia como una más, común dentro de las de género de suspense juvenil. Aun así, me ha gustado, pero ya os digo, no es muy original.
Reseña completa: http://voragineinterna.blogspot.com.e...
August 22, 2016
3,5
Bu kadından asla bir Hush Hush daha çıkmayacak.
Bu kadından asla bir Hush Hush daha çıkmayacak.
November 18, 2015
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/11/d...
Becca Fitzpatrick's second foray into the world of young adult thrillers was brilliant. It blends a wonderful contemporary romance with a heart pounding thriller that will no doubt earn the Hush Hush author a more mature audience. I loved it and it's by far her best release to date. Mixing a contemporary with a traditional thriller, the blend produces an engaging and enthralling read that will no doubt also lure readers in with it's slow burning romance and intense storyline that sways between young and new adult.
Stella's character has been placed into obscurity for her own safety against a man she's accused of murder. Her mother's drug dealer with underworld crime connections is seeking revenge against the girl who's story has put him behind bars. She's angry, not only at her deadbeat mother placing her in that position but being forced to leave behind her comfortable life and boyfriend Reed. So when she's placed into witness protection with a gruff former police officer in a dust bowl of a tiny town, she's counting down the days until she turns eighteen and can escape.
But then she meets boy next door, the utterly charming Chet. Chet is not only raising his younger brother alone, but is still coping with the loss of his parents. He instantly forms an attraction to Stella's sassy attitude and the two form an easy but gentle friendship. I found the romance incredibly lovely and most surprisingly, relatively drama free. Being in witness protection, Stella can't reveal her true identity and although she's attracted to Chet, refuses to act on her feelings which is a refreshing change. She soon settles into life in Thunder Basin but being an outsider and not conforming to small town values, it isn't long before she catches the eye the town darling in Trigger. But Trigger isn't a love interest, far from it and his history of violence against the town's young female population may be notorious, but even authorities turn a blind eye. His vendetta against Stella becomes a dangerous situation not only due to his violent history but he knows that Stella isn't who she seems to be. It does touch on violence against women and may be a trigger for those who have been in a violent or abusive situation or relationship, so please be mindful that most readers will find Trigger's character confronting.
Stella undergoes an incredible transformation from wanting to escape Thunder Basin, to warming to the community and even her guardian in Carmina. Seeing their relationship bloom and the former police officer becoming the mother figure that Stella never had. Stella begins to realise she's fallen in love with her new life, but never becomes complacent. She's aware that her life is in danger, but ever allows that fear to overcome her or stop her from living.
Becca Fitzpatrick has finally found her niche, carving her very own genre with a blend of a contemporary thriller, with a slow burning romance and small town charm. From cover to cover, it delighted, enthralled and enchanted me. I loved it immensely.
Becca Fitzpatrick's second foray into the world of young adult thrillers was brilliant. It blends a wonderful contemporary romance with a heart pounding thriller that will no doubt earn the Hush Hush author a more mature audience. I loved it and it's by far her best release to date. Mixing a contemporary with a traditional thriller, the blend produces an engaging and enthralling read that will no doubt also lure readers in with it's slow burning romance and intense storyline that sways between young and new adult.
Stella's character has been placed into obscurity for her own safety against a man she's accused of murder. Her mother's drug dealer with underworld crime connections is seeking revenge against the girl who's story has put him behind bars. She's angry, not only at her deadbeat mother placing her in that position but being forced to leave behind her comfortable life and boyfriend Reed. So when she's placed into witness protection with a gruff former police officer in a dust bowl of a tiny town, she's counting down the days until she turns eighteen and can escape.
But then she meets boy next door, the utterly charming Chet. Chet is not only raising his younger brother alone, but is still coping with the loss of his parents. He instantly forms an attraction to Stella's sassy attitude and the two form an easy but gentle friendship. I found the romance incredibly lovely and most surprisingly, relatively drama free. Being in witness protection, Stella can't reveal her true identity and although she's attracted to Chet, refuses to act on her feelings which is a refreshing change. She soon settles into life in Thunder Basin but being an outsider and not conforming to small town values, it isn't long before she catches the eye the town darling in Trigger. But Trigger isn't a love interest, far from it and his history of violence against the town's young female population may be notorious, but even authorities turn a blind eye. His vendetta against Stella becomes a dangerous situation not only due to his violent history but he knows that Stella isn't who she seems to be. It does touch on violence against women and may be a trigger for those who have been in a violent or abusive situation or relationship, so please be mindful that most readers will find Trigger's character confronting.
Stella undergoes an incredible transformation from wanting to escape Thunder Basin, to warming to the community and even her guardian in Carmina. Seeing their relationship bloom and the former police officer becoming the mother figure that Stella never had. Stella begins to realise she's fallen in love with her new life, but never becomes complacent. She's aware that her life is in danger, but ever allows that fear to overcome her or stop her from living.
Becca Fitzpatrick has finally found her niche, carving her very own genre with a blend of a contemporary thriller, with a slow burning romance and small town charm. From cover to cover, it delighted, enthralled and enchanted me. I loved it immensely.
November 15, 2015
2.5 stars
To be honest, I don't remember requesting this book.
Stella is quite a bitch when the book starts. I struggled to care about what she was going through because she was so spoiled and hateful. Even her background and family history didn't do much to bring me to her side. Eventually there is some growth and by the end of the story, I liked her well enough.
The entire plot line with Trigger didn't make a lot of sense to me and I thought there would be a bigger explosion of an ending after all of the case build up. There was a slight reveal {that I figured out}, but the ending didn't match the amount of tension.
Overall, a quick read with some swoony moments {hello, Chet}, however I'm not sure I'll be requesting any of her upcoming books.
**Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
To be honest, I don't remember requesting this book.
Stella is quite a bitch when the book starts. I struggled to care about what she was going through because she was so spoiled and hateful. Even her background and family history didn't do much to bring me to her side. Eventually there is some growth and by the end of the story, I liked her well enough.
The entire plot line with Trigger didn't make a lot of sense to me and I thought there would be a bigger explosion of an ending after all of the case build up. There was a slight reveal {that I figured out}, but the ending didn't match the amount of tension.
Overall, a quick read with some swoony moments {hello, Chet}, however I'm not sure I'll be requesting any of her upcoming books.
**Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
April 11, 2016
One of the worst YA thrillers I've read. The main character was awful, the plot was awful, the dialogue awful, nothing felt concluded and I'm just so unimpressed with this author's writing.
November 10, 2015
Wow, this book was a bit of everything. A bit of great, good and not so good. I would really love to give this one five stars, but I simply can’t because of the beginning.
This was my first book by Becca Fitzpatrick. I’d heard a lot of good things about her Hush, Hush series and a lot of bad things about her book called Black Ice. But I wanted to read this one because of such a cool premise! It’s not every day you read a book which features the Witness Protection Program.
We first get to meet Stella (Estella) as she is being forced to leave her old life, everything she knows, and gets hidden in Thunder Basin which is basically a country kind of place. I really REALLY didn’t like Stella at the beginning, and that is the not so good part of this book. She was mean, rude, and incredibly selfish. She didn’t even want to try and get along with the people in this new place or even the guardian who was taking care of her, when she was the one who volunteered for the program anyway and it was keeping her safe. I wanted to give her a good slap sometimes. All I can say is not to give up on the book and keep going! Once you get past all that, it becomes a really good book.
There was a bit of cliché in this book as well. We get introduced to Chet who Carmina (her guardian) deems as the bad boy who she should stay away from who is incredibly good looking as well. I rolled my eyes at this, but again, this cliché changes. Once we get to meet Chet we can actually see he is a guy who has made mistakes in the past but is trying to change who he is. He goes to church, he’s good and is continually making sacrifices to keep his little brother out of trouble. He’s sensitive and really caring. Honestly, he was my favourite character.
This book did become a bit romance based in the middle, but man did I love it. It gets a bit heated at times, but when it comes to Chet, it was lovely. I mean, he was so devoted to Stella and stood by her side even if it was likely she was in the wrong. He was protective and basically, one of the best book boyfriends out there!
The character development starts hitting us halfway through the book and we find that Stella is judgment sometimes and mean, but she is throwing up walls to protect herself. Her mother has been a drug addict who continually chose drugs over her daughter, and Stella had to learn to fend for herself from a young age. As being in Thunder Basin starts to lower those barriers we can come to like her, and she becomes a much nicer character to read from!
I really liked the country and cowboy-ish feel to this one. It seemed to show a bit of culture in that little place of America, and it was so well done. We went to places like Bible studies, fairs, rodeos and so on. It wasn’t a strong feature of the book but I could really appreciate it being there.
Even though the premise of this is about a mystery case and the program, that doesn’t run so strongly through the book until the ending. AND THAT ENDING. It was intense. Majorly intense. First of all, there were some tough decisions that needed to be made and I could feel the tension rising. But then the action and plot twists came all at once. All through the book I was labelling this as predictable, but I was only predicting one of the minor plot twists. There were two huge ones that I never saw coming and whoa, the emotions were running high. It was so intense that if you read this one you must get to the end. I don’t say must often, but I do here!
I am definitely going to be reading another Becca Fitzpatrick book after this.
This review and more can be found at Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
This was my first book by Becca Fitzpatrick. I’d heard a lot of good things about her Hush, Hush series and a lot of bad things about her book called Black Ice. But I wanted to read this one because of such a cool premise! It’s not every day you read a book which features the Witness Protection Program.
We first get to meet Stella (Estella) as she is being forced to leave her old life, everything she knows, and gets hidden in Thunder Basin which is basically a country kind of place. I really REALLY didn’t like Stella at the beginning, and that is the not so good part of this book. She was mean, rude, and incredibly selfish. She didn’t even want to try and get along with the people in this new place or even the guardian who was taking care of her, when she was the one who volunteered for the program anyway and it was keeping her safe. I wanted to give her a good slap sometimes. All I can say is not to give up on the book and keep going! Once you get past all that, it becomes a really good book.
There was a bit of cliché in this book as well. We get introduced to Chet who Carmina (her guardian) deems as the bad boy who she should stay away from who is incredibly good looking as well. I rolled my eyes at this, but again, this cliché changes. Once we get to meet Chet we can actually see he is a guy who has made mistakes in the past but is trying to change who he is. He goes to church, he’s good and is continually making sacrifices to keep his little brother out of trouble. He’s sensitive and really caring. Honestly, he was my favourite character.
This book did become a bit romance based in the middle, but man did I love it. It gets a bit heated at times, but when it comes to Chet, it was lovely. I mean, he was so devoted to Stella and stood by her side even if it was likely she was in the wrong. He was protective and basically, one of the best book boyfriends out there!
The character development starts hitting us halfway through the book and we find that Stella is judgment sometimes and mean, but she is throwing up walls to protect herself. Her mother has been a drug addict who continually chose drugs over her daughter, and Stella had to learn to fend for herself from a young age. As being in Thunder Basin starts to lower those barriers we can come to like her, and she becomes a much nicer character to read from!
I really liked the country and cowboy-ish feel to this one. It seemed to show a bit of culture in that little place of America, and it was so well done. We went to places like Bible studies, fairs, rodeos and so on. It wasn’t a strong feature of the book but I could really appreciate it being there.
Even though the premise of this is about a mystery case and the program, that doesn’t run so strongly through the book until the ending. AND THAT ENDING. It was intense. Majorly intense. First of all, there were some tough decisions that needed to be made and I could feel the tension rising. But then the action and plot twists came all at once. All through the book I was labelling this as predictable, but I was only predicting one of the minor plot twists. There were two huge ones that I never saw coming and whoa, the emotions were running high. It was so intense that if you read this one you must get to the end. I don’t say must often, but I do here!
I am definitely going to be reading another Becca Fitzpatrick book after this.
This review and more can be found at Olivia's Catastrophe: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
November 29, 2015
Review originally posted on Le Book Chronicles
I wanted to read this book ever since Simon & Schuster first mentioned it in their upcoming releases. It sounded so intriguing to me and it was something different to the contemporary romance I normally read. So when I saw it sitting on the shelf in BIG W, I picked it up straight away.
Fast forward 2 weeks when I finally start reading it. I felt like the book was captivating. I wasn’t necessarily hooked on it, but I was really invested in the story, wanting to know more. I took my time with the first half, just reading a chapter at a time. And let me say, I loved the sizes of the chapters. It made me feel so accomplished. But while I wanted to know more, I didn’t get the whole “omg I can’t stop reading until I find out what’s going to happen next” feeling that I was expecting.
As you can gather from the blurb, this is a mystery/suspense contemporary type novel. And it really hit that spot on. There were so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming throughout the whole book, and the element of surprise left me on the edge of my seat at times. So while I enjoyed the mystery/suspense aspect of it, I felt like I was expecting more in the action side of things, purely based on the premise of the story. So in that sense, I was let down a little bit, with the only real action happening in the second half of the book. But as a person who isn’t really into action, I’m not complaining.
Becca Fitzpatrick nailed the romance in this novel. I loved it. It wasn’t rushed and there was no “insta-love” which I hate. There was a little bit of suspense going on there, and some definite shocks that I was definitely not expecting. It just felt real, and that’s what I loved about it. Team Chet all the way!
Overall: I really liked this story, I thought the premise was really interesting. I would have liked a little bit more action, but other than that I think it was a really well written story. I liked the way Fitzpatrick can reel you in from the very first page all the way to that last sentence. I feel like this was predominantly more romance based, but if you love Contemporaries but you are looking for something a little bit different, this is definitely for you.
Rating: ★★★ ½ /5
I wanted to read this book ever since Simon & Schuster first mentioned it in their upcoming releases. It sounded so intriguing to me and it was something different to the contemporary romance I normally read. So when I saw it sitting on the shelf in BIG W, I picked it up straight away.
Fast forward 2 weeks when I finally start reading it. I felt like the book was captivating. I wasn’t necessarily hooked on it, but I was really invested in the story, wanting to know more. I took my time with the first half, just reading a chapter at a time. And let me say, I loved the sizes of the chapters. It made me feel so accomplished. But while I wanted to know more, I didn’t get the whole “omg I can’t stop reading until I find out what’s going to happen next” feeling that I was expecting.
As you can gather from the blurb, this is a mystery/suspense contemporary type novel. And it really hit that spot on. There were so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming throughout the whole book, and the element of surprise left me on the edge of my seat at times. So while I enjoyed the mystery/suspense aspect of it, I felt like I was expecting more in the action side of things, purely based on the premise of the story. So in that sense, I was let down a little bit, with the only real action happening in the second half of the book. But as a person who isn’t really into action, I’m not complaining.
Becca Fitzpatrick nailed the romance in this novel. I loved it. It wasn’t rushed and there was no “insta-love” which I hate. There was a little bit of suspense going on there, and some definite shocks that I was definitely not expecting. It just felt real, and that’s what I loved about it. Team Chet all the way!
Overall: I really liked this story, I thought the premise was really interesting. I would have liked a little bit more action, but other than that I think it was a really well written story. I liked the way Fitzpatrick can reel you in from the very first page all the way to that last sentence. I feel like this was predominantly more romance based, but if you love Contemporaries but you are looking for something a little bit different, this is definitely for you.
Rating: ★★★ ½ /5
November 28, 2015
Estoy entre el 3,5 y el 4.
Becca sigue con esta línea de libros de temática más adulta, pero este libro no me convenció tanto como 'Hielo Negro'. El libro es entretenido, de buen ritmo, con varios personajes interesantes y mantiene el "secreto" de la trama hasta el último momento; PERO hay tres problemas que a Kyoko, perspicaz como siempre, no le dejaron disfrutar el libro 100%: adiviné el final (como siempre), la protagonista es insoportable (como siempre), el final es MUY precipitado. Aunque el libro se basa más en las relaciones que en los hechos, le juega a favor que hayan tantos personajes con su propia historia.
El libro me gustó, no me malinterpreten. Pero esperaba algo más. El problema es que Becca dejó la bandera muy alta con 'Hielo negro'.
Lo mejor del libro (y de Becca) es que definitivamente uno reconoce un libro de la autora de principio a fin, especialmente porque se está convirtiendo en su marca registrada el crear personajes masculinos muy sexys junto a protagonistas femeninas bastante incoherentes.
Becca sigue con esta línea de libros de temática más adulta, pero este libro no me convenció tanto como 'Hielo Negro'. El libro es entretenido, de buen ritmo, con varios personajes interesantes y mantiene el "secreto" de la trama hasta el último momento; PERO hay tres problemas que a Kyoko, perspicaz como siempre, no le dejaron disfrutar el libro 100%: adiviné el final (como siempre), la protagonista es insoportable (como siempre), el final es MUY precipitado. Aunque el libro se basa más en las relaciones que en los hechos, le juega a favor que hayan tantos personajes con su propia historia.
El libro me gustó, no me malinterpreten. Pero esperaba algo más. El problema es que Becca dejó la bandera muy alta con 'Hielo negro'.
Lo mejor del libro (y de Becca) es que definitivamente uno reconoce un libro de la autora de principio a fin, especialmente porque se está convirtiendo en su marca registrada el crear personajes masculinos muy sexys junto a protagonistas femeninas bastante incoherentes.
December 14, 2015
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Dangerous Lies have a few similarities with Fitzpatrick's standalone debut, Black Ice.
For one, they are both an entertaining read. It's proven, this author could write a mystery thriller novel, though they are a little bit predictable.
Second, the heroines are capable of handling themselves.
Third, it wouldn't be a Fitzpatrick novel, if there is no problematic aspect that would make you cringe and consider your rating.
This is a book that is filled with bad decisions and more.
Full review to come.
Dangerous Lies have a few similarities with Fitzpatrick's standalone debut, Black Ice.
For one, they are both an entertaining read. It's proven, this author could write a mystery thriller novel, though they are a little bit predictable.
Second, the heroines are capable of handling themselves.
Third, it wouldn't be a Fitzpatrick novel, if there is no problematic aspect that would make you cringe and consider your rating.
This is a book that is filled with bad decisions and more.
Full review to come.
April 10, 2017
Açıkçası kitaptan hiçbir beklentim yoktu. Hatta Siyah Buz'u sevmiş olmama rağmen, ne kadar ortalama bir kitap olduğunu düşünüp oluşabilecek herhangi bir beklentiyi oldukça alta çekmiştim, ona rağmen aşırı beğendiğim, bana arka arkaya sayfa çevirttiren, beni heyecandan öldüren bir roman olamadı Tehlikeli Yalanlar...
Kitabı bitirdiğimde, "Bu muydu yani?" demekten alamadım kendimi. Bütün olan bitenin varacağı bir nokta olması gerekiyormuş gibi hissettim ama öyle bir nokta yoktu ve bana çok boş bitti gibi geldi kitap. Sonu tatmin etmedi; heyecanlandırması gereken sahneleri boş boş okudum geçtim.
Karakterleri genel olarak beğendim. Chet gerçekten çok sempatikti, Stella da cesur ve ayağı yere sağlam basan bir kızdı ama Trigger (evet, adı gerçekten bu...) kitapta sadece tek bir amacı olan, boş bir karakterdi. Ona pek ısınmamız hedeflenmemişti ama onu bir tipleme yapmak yerine biraz daha derinlikli bir şekilde çizerek bir karakter yapmış olsaydı yazar, belki kitapta biraz daha heyecan hissedebilirdim. Inny ve Dusty gibi yan karakterler iyiydi hoştu ama yine gereken derinliği sağlamıyorlardı bence.
Reed'i biraz daha görebilmiş, tanıyabilmiş olmak isterdim çünkü Stella için Reed'e olan bağlılığı, Chet'le oluşmaya başlayan ilişkilerinde büyük bir engel fakat okuyucu Reed'i sadece bir bölümden ve aradaki üç mektuptan tanıdığı için, çok da etkili olamıyor varlığı. Ayrıca,
Eğer zamanınızı dolduracak, çerezlik, hızlı okunan bir şeyler arıyorsanız bu kitabı okuyabilirsiniz ama sizi sürükleyecek, heyecandan nefesinizi kesecek, çıldırmanıza neden olacak bir şeyler istiyorsanız bu kitap aradığınız kitap değil.
Kitabı bitirdiğimde, "Bu muydu yani?" demekten alamadım kendimi. Bütün olan bitenin varacağı bir nokta olması gerekiyormuş gibi hissettim ama öyle bir nokta yoktu ve bana çok boş bitti gibi geldi kitap. Sonu tatmin etmedi; heyecanlandırması gereken sahneleri boş boş okudum geçtim.
Karakterleri genel olarak beğendim. Chet gerçekten çok sempatikti, Stella da cesur ve ayağı yere sağlam basan bir kızdı ama Trigger (evet, adı gerçekten bu...) kitapta sadece tek bir amacı olan, boş bir karakterdi. Ona pek ısınmamız hedeflenmemişti ama onu bir tipleme yapmak yerine biraz daha derinlikli bir şekilde çizerek bir karakter yapmış olsaydı yazar, belki kitapta biraz daha heyecan hissedebilirdim. Inny ve Dusty gibi yan karakterler iyiydi hoştu ama yine gereken derinliği sağlamıyorlardı bence.
Reed'i biraz daha görebilmiş, tanıyabilmiş olmak isterdim çünkü Stella için Reed'e olan bağlılığı, Chet'le oluşmaya başlayan ilişkilerinde büyük bir engel fakat okuyucu Reed'i sadece bir bölümden ve aradaki üç mektuptan tanıdığı için, çok da etkili olamıyor varlığı. Ayrıca,
Eğer zamanınızı dolduracak, çerezlik, hızlı okunan bir şeyler arıyorsanız bu kitabı okuyabilirsiniz ama sizi sürükleyecek, heyecandan nefesinizi kesecek, çıldırmanıza neden olacak bir şeyler istiyorsanız bu kitap aradığınız kitap değil.
April 7, 2016
10 numara 5 yıldızlık bir kitap. Siyah Buzu da severek okumuştum. Bu ondan daha da iyiydi. Kitap bitene kadar elimden bırakamadım. Becca polisiye işini iyice kavramış. Bir sonraki kitabını sabırsızlıkla bekliyorum.
http://www.esranazeninozdemir.com/201...
http://www.esranazeninozdemir.com/201...
September 14, 2021
Novela juvenil romántica con dosis de suspense. No está mal, pero a veces es demasiado descriptiva. Para pasar el rato está bien.
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