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Extraordinary Lies
Julia and Charley may come from two completely different worlds, but they've been called the same names all their lives.
Psycho. Liar. Witch.
It's the price of being a supernaturally gifted female in sexist, narrow-minded 1971. Until they're invited to join the Stanford Research Institute.
There, a team of scientists are conducting experiments on people like them—people with the ability to tell the future, read minds, move objects without lifting a finger.
At first, the institute seems like a safe haven. For the first time, Julia and Charley are not alone. Surrounded by others with powers like theirs, they finally make real friends.
But as the experiments become darker and more dangerous, and the test subjects' lives are increasingly at risk, the two girls must work together to unveil the truth behind the scientists' experiments—and the extraordinary lies they've been told to keep them in the dark.
Set in San Francisco during the Cold War, Extraordinary Lies is a page-turner mystery perfect for fans of Stranger Things, Lauren Oliver and Leigh Bardugo.
Psycho. Liar. Witch.
It's the price of being a supernaturally gifted female in sexist, narrow-minded 1971. Until they're invited to join the Stanford Research Institute.
There, a team of scientists are conducting experiments on people like them—people with the ability to tell the future, read minds, move objects without lifting a finger.
At first, the institute seems like a safe haven. For the first time, Julia and Charley are not alone. Surrounded by others with powers like theirs, they finally make real friends.
But as the experiments become darker and more dangerous, and the test subjects' lives are increasingly at risk, the two girls must work together to unveil the truth behind the scientists' experiments—and the extraordinary lies they've been told to keep them in the dark.
Set in San Francisco during the Cold War, Extraordinary Lies is a page-turner mystery perfect for fans of Stranger Things, Lauren Oliver and Leigh Bardugo.
406 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2020
13 people are currently reading
1751 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Alsever
6 books111 followersGet a free copy of Ember Burning when you sign up for Jennifer's VIP Reader Group:
www.jenniferalsever.com/free-book
Jennifer Alsever is a Colorado-based young adult author and a national business journalist. In 2017, she published her first work of fiction, the Trinity Forest Series, (Ember Burning, Oshun Rising and Venus Shining). The young adult trilogy is set in nearby Leadville, Colorado and is about a girl who becomes entangled in a local forest teeming with urban legends of witchcraft and strange disappearances and must not only find herself but ultimately save the world.
The series won five YA book awards.
In 2020, Jennifer Alsever published her fourth novel, Extraordinary Lies about two girls from vastly different backgrounds who are thrust together for psychic testing at the Stanford Research Institute. As the scientists’ experiments begin to get creepier, the two girls must discover the truth about who they are and the secrets that keep them in the dark.
In 2022, she published her fifth YA novel, Burying Eva Flores, about a war between two teens that spins out control when one of them finds a new unique power.
For more than two decades, she also has contributed to such publications as Fortune Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Wired and Fast Company.
You’ll most likely find Jennifer at her keyboard or under a blanket with a great book, enjoying a handful of frozen chocolate chips. She reveres her mountain bike, and enjoys skiing and being on the lake with her family. Most people say she needs her yoga mat to stay sane.
AWARDS:
*Gold Medal Best YA Ebook Independent Publisher Book Awards 2018
*Gold Medal Best YA Horror/Mystery 2018
*Finalist Dante Rossetti Book Awards 2018
*Honorable Mention Best Indie Ebook: Writer's Digest 2019
*Finalist: Publishers Weekly Book Life Awards 2017
www.jenniferalsever.com/free-book
Jennifer Alsever is a Colorado-based young adult author and a national business journalist. In 2017, she published her first work of fiction, the Trinity Forest Series, (Ember Burning, Oshun Rising and Venus Shining). The young adult trilogy is set in nearby Leadville, Colorado and is about a girl who becomes entangled in a local forest teeming with urban legends of witchcraft and strange disappearances and must not only find herself but ultimately save the world.
The series won five YA book awards.
In 2020, Jennifer Alsever published her fourth novel, Extraordinary Lies about two girls from vastly different backgrounds who are thrust together for psychic testing at the Stanford Research Institute. As the scientists’ experiments begin to get creepier, the two girls must discover the truth about who they are and the secrets that keep them in the dark.
In 2022, she published her fifth YA novel, Burying Eva Flores, about a war between two teens that spins out control when one of them finds a new unique power.
For more than two decades, she also has contributed to such publications as Fortune Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Wired and Fast Company.
You’ll most likely find Jennifer at her keyboard or under a blanket with a great book, enjoying a handful of frozen chocolate chips. She reveres her mountain bike, and enjoys skiing and being on the lake with her family. Most people say she needs her yoga mat to stay sane.
AWARDS:
*Gold Medal Best YA Ebook Independent Publisher Book Awards 2018
*Gold Medal Best YA Horror/Mystery 2018
*Finalist Dante Rossetti Book Awards 2018
*Honorable Mention Best Indie Ebook: Writer's Digest 2019
*Finalist: Publishers Weekly Book Life Awards 2017
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 11, 2020
Ummm, I'm debating my rating atm. I'll update in a couple of days with a review and rating 🙃
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I settled on a 2.5/5 star rating. Oop
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Read: June 2nd 2020 - June 7th 2020
My Rating: 🌟🌟.5 / 5 stars
I really struggled with the rating for Extraordinary Lies, because, on the one hand there were a number of things I didn’t like or thought could have been better, but on the other, I didn’t actually dislike the book as a whole. I didn’t want to throw it across a room, nor did I find myself wanting to DNF it, like I often do with books that I find exasperating.
I’m going to compare this, for a second, to The Hazel Wood, because I read it recently and I’m currently reviewing it too. The Hazel Wood annoyed me because it was predictable. The characters had little development and the pacing was uncomfortable. I had problems with so many parts of it and in the end, I decided I wouldn’t read the second book because I couldn’t see myself liking it if it is anything like the first.
Now, Extraordinary Lies is quite predictable, has little character development, has dodgy pacing at times. However, I can’t say that I dislike the book. Somehow, there is an element of Alsever’s writing that made me go, “You know what? I’m gonna keep reading. I want to keep reading?!”, and so I did.
The novel is about the exploitation of psychic individuals by the scientists who study them and those behind the scientists, each for their own gain, all under the guise of the expansion of scientific understanding. Told from the perspectives of Julia and Charley, two girls from different backgrounds, with polar-opposite personalities but similar experiences, the book follows them as they realise what the results of these experiments are to be used for.
What made me pick this book up is the fact that Extraordinary Lies has an interesting premise (as well as the fact Jennifer sent me a copy of the book to read). A group of young adults with abilities such as mind reading and telekinesis are being studied in a university research institute. It promises a look at supernatural powers that most other paranormal novels don’t: a scientific view, perhaps with possible scientifically sound hypotheses for these powers. Although I would have loved a lot more about the experiments’ results, we are able to see ‘supernatural powers’ as something that could be possible in the real world and how normal people (who aren’t the ‘Chosen One’) apply these powers to their everyday lives.
The experiments they are participating in “become darker and more dangerous” (says the back cover) and they begin to question the motives of the researchers conducting them. Although I assume Alsever was aiming for a plot filled with high stakes, with tension, an air of danger, that wasn’t quite what came across in reading. For me, the experiments were tame and barely relevant for much of the novel, especially nearer the end where the real ‘danger’ plot is revealed and the Institute becomes a meaningless figure in the far distance. The experiments are, in all actuality, barely infringing on any aspect of their physical or psychological health. Most of them merely entail looking at a photograph or touching someone’s hand and telling the researchers what they see. Hardly the most horrible thing to be doing. The characters’ reactions (especially Charley’s) are so overblown it’s difficult to side with them in their views.
This feeling of triviality is also in part, due to plot pacing. The third and final part of the book is, undoubtedly, the best. It achieves what the rest of the book didn’t, and that is an impression of imminent danger, an urgency that pushes the novel forward into action. It brought additional POVs from other characters that I had been curious about since the beginning, not just the voices of Julia and Charley. If the beginning two-thirds of the novel had been like the end, my feelings would have been very different towards this book. And although it felt a tad rushed at the very end, I was much more interested in the plot and action here than in the earlier stages of the book.
Now, Julia and Charley are almost opposites and as such, they sit opposite ends of my Spectrum of Character Likeability™. Charley annoys me for reasons I cannot articulate. While she clearly cares for her family (despite how badly they’ve treated her) and can be both snarky and sympathetic at times, she’s nosy and rude and her brazen manner didn’t appeal to me like it usually does in other characters. Julia, on the other hand, is timid and lacks confidence in herself, a result of her powerful, controlling family. Her meekness gradually fades into confidence as her new friends validate the feelings and powers she has, and she finds a purpose in the mystery of her cousin. Typically, characters like Julia don’t elicit affection from me, but Alsever somehow managed to switch my preferences around in this book.
What I did like about Extraordinary Lies is the fact that there was not a heavy focus on the romance, which I always greatly appreciate in a YA novel. Though I could see it from the start, the relationship between Charley and Cord is not something I hated, despite the fact that Charley is really not my favourite character, and there wasn’t an unnecessary emphasis on it through the narrative. There’s something about Cord that I like and he joins Julia and Minnie (unexpectedly intelligent and confident without being arrogant) as a character I actually don’t mind.
Extraordinary Lies isn’t a bad book, it does what it says on the tin: the 1970’s hippie, Love and Peace era was a great backdrop for a group of scientists studying a group of psychics. There were so many elements of the book that perfectly suited the time period, though this may come through a bit better on screen than it does in text, and the plot twists themselves feel so of the time, I almost laughed. If you don’t love the 70’s or experiments into the paranormal, then maybe give this book a miss, but if you like either of those things then by all means, you should read this book.
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I settled on a 2.5/5 star rating. Oop
--
Read: June 2nd 2020 - June 7th 2020
My Rating: 🌟🌟.5 / 5 stars
I really struggled with the rating for Extraordinary Lies, because, on the one hand there were a number of things I didn’t like or thought could have been better, but on the other, I didn’t actually dislike the book as a whole. I didn’t want to throw it across a room, nor did I find myself wanting to DNF it, like I often do with books that I find exasperating.
I’m going to compare this, for a second, to The Hazel Wood, because I read it recently and I’m currently reviewing it too. The Hazel Wood annoyed me because it was predictable. The characters had little development and the pacing was uncomfortable. I had problems with so many parts of it and in the end, I decided I wouldn’t read the second book because I couldn’t see myself liking it if it is anything like the first.
Now, Extraordinary Lies is quite predictable, has little character development, has dodgy pacing at times. However, I can’t say that I dislike the book. Somehow, there is an element of Alsever’s writing that made me go, “You know what? I’m gonna keep reading. I want to keep reading?!”, and so I did.
The novel is about the exploitation of psychic individuals by the scientists who study them and those behind the scientists, each for their own gain, all under the guise of the expansion of scientific understanding. Told from the perspectives of Julia and Charley, two girls from different backgrounds, with polar-opposite personalities but similar experiences, the book follows them as they realise what the results of these experiments are to be used for.
What made me pick this book up is the fact that Extraordinary Lies has an interesting premise (as well as the fact Jennifer sent me a copy of the book to read). A group of young adults with abilities such as mind reading and telekinesis are being studied in a university research institute. It promises a look at supernatural powers that most other paranormal novels don’t: a scientific view, perhaps with possible scientifically sound hypotheses for these powers. Although I would have loved a lot more about the experiments’ results, we are able to see ‘supernatural powers’ as something that could be possible in the real world and how normal people (who aren’t the ‘Chosen One’) apply these powers to their everyday lives.
The experiments they are participating in “become darker and more dangerous” (says the back cover) and they begin to question the motives of the researchers conducting them. Although I assume Alsever was aiming for a plot filled with high stakes, with tension, an air of danger, that wasn’t quite what came across in reading. For me, the experiments were tame and barely relevant for much of the novel, especially nearer the end where the real ‘danger’ plot is revealed and the Institute becomes a meaningless figure in the far distance. The experiments are, in all actuality, barely infringing on any aspect of their physical or psychological health. Most of them merely entail looking at a photograph or touching someone’s hand and telling the researchers what they see. Hardly the most horrible thing to be doing. The characters’ reactions (especially Charley’s) are so overblown it’s difficult to side with them in their views.
This feeling of triviality is also in part, due to plot pacing. The third and final part of the book is, undoubtedly, the best. It achieves what the rest of the book didn’t, and that is an impression of imminent danger, an urgency that pushes the novel forward into action. It brought additional POVs from other characters that I had been curious about since the beginning, not just the voices of Julia and Charley. If the beginning two-thirds of the novel had been like the end, my feelings would have been very different towards this book. And although it felt a tad rushed at the very end, I was much more interested in the plot and action here than in the earlier stages of the book.
Now, Julia and Charley are almost opposites and as such, they sit opposite ends of my Spectrum of Character Likeability™. Charley annoys me for reasons I cannot articulate. While she clearly cares for her family (despite how badly they’ve treated her) and can be both snarky and sympathetic at times, she’s nosy and rude and her brazen manner didn’t appeal to me like it usually does in other characters. Julia, on the other hand, is timid and lacks confidence in herself, a result of her powerful, controlling family. Her meekness gradually fades into confidence as her new friends validate the feelings and powers she has, and she finds a purpose in the mystery of her cousin. Typically, characters like Julia don’t elicit affection from me, but Alsever somehow managed to switch my preferences around in this book.
What I did like about Extraordinary Lies is the fact that there was not a heavy focus on the romance, which I always greatly appreciate in a YA novel. Though I could see it from the start, the relationship between Charley and Cord is not something I hated, despite the fact that Charley is really not my favourite character, and there wasn’t an unnecessary emphasis on it through the narrative. There’s something about Cord that I like and he joins Julia and Minnie (unexpectedly intelligent and confident without being arrogant) as a character I actually don’t mind.
Extraordinary Lies isn’t a bad book, it does what it says on the tin: the 1970’s hippie, Love and Peace era was a great backdrop for a group of scientists studying a group of psychics. There were so many elements of the book that perfectly suited the time period, though this may come through a bit better on screen than it does in text, and the plot twists themselves feel so of the time, I almost laughed. If you don’t love the 70’s or experiments into the paranormal, then maybe give this book a miss, but if you like either of those things then by all means, you should read this book.
May 18, 2020
My rating: 4.5 Stars!
In the era of Love and Peace and Flower power, two teens with unique abilities become pawns in a game for scientific gain, power and control. Jennifer Alsever’s EXTRAORDINARY LIES tells the story of the power of the mind when Charley and Julia, coming from completely different backgrounds, each having true psychic gifts are enticed to attend a “respected institute” only to discover there is more there than meets the eye and not everyone is as honorable as they portray.
Not only does Jennifer Alsever take us back to a 1970s San Francisco, but she does it with a realistic flare as we read of secret government experiments, gifted people and the attempts to unlock hidden powers, preying on disillusioned teens who have fought to appear “normal” and are used to hiding their abilities. Is this a place they can truly be themselves, be accepted or are they more like lab rats being pushed to their limits? Who is waiting in the shadows, waiting to pounce?
Filled with imagination, some truths and characters that sometimes you just do not know when to trust, this tumultuous and rapid-fire tale invites readers to sit back and let go of reality for a while and just enjoy the ride! Written for young adults who may not sweat some of the details, entertaining and a little scary at times, the twists come at you out of nowhere, so hang on tight!
I received a complimentary copy from Jennifer Alsever! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher: Sawatch Publishing (March 12, 2020)
Publication Date: March 12, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy/Sci-fi
Print Length: 406 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
In the era of Love and Peace and Flower power, two teens with unique abilities become pawns in a game for scientific gain, power and control. Jennifer Alsever’s EXTRAORDINARY LIES tells the story of the power of the mind when Charley and Julia, coming from completely different backgrounds, each having true psychic gifts are enticed to attend a “respected institute” only to discover there is more there than meets the eye and not everyone is as honorable as they portray.
Not only does Jennifer Alsever take us back to a 1970s San Francisco, but she does it with a realistic flare as we read of secret government experiments, gifted people and the attempts to unlock hidden powers, preying on disillusioned teens who have fought to appear “normal” and are used to hiding their abilities. Is this a place they can truly be themselves, be accepted or are they more like lab rats being pushed to their limits? Who is waiting in the shadows, waiting to pounce?
Filled with imagination, some truths and characters that sometimes you just do not know when to trust, this tumultuous and rapid-fire tale invites readers to sit back and let go of reality for a while and just enjoy the ride! Written for young adults who may not sweat some of the details, entertaining and a little scary at times, the twists come at you out of nowhere, so hang on tight!
I received a complimentary copy from Jennifer Alsever! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher: Sawatch Publishing (March 12, 2020)
Publication Date: March 12, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy/Sci-fi
Print Length: 406 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
June 22, 2020
1971. Stanford University. San Francisco
Two girls, Charley and Julia find themselves amidst people with abilities almost similar to theirs. They are gifted children, some have been hiding their abilities, while the others- not so much. As they are grouped together in the prestigious Stanford University, away from their home and into a set of experiments, they begin to feel that they have finally found their place on Earth, among real friends who understand their dilemmas.
Set during the Cold War, the laboratory promises to use their abilities for the good of the nation, as warfare and a means to contribute to the ongoing war with The Soviets. The experiments, however, get darker and painful with time, leaving the participants to wonder if there's more than meets the eye.
Alsever deftly creates an atmosphere of secrecy, especially the kind we expect with projects involving the government. She builds the plot meticulously, every detail taken care of. She also skillfully narrated the wanderings of a teenage mind, the innocent curiosity, and their inherent sense of danger. There are silent betrayals and risks to be taken.
Extraordinary Lies is a ride you sit back and enjoy. The author lets her imagination run wild (and in a good way, mind you) and weaves a thrilling story that will surprise you. Alsever is quite talented when it comes to building a world she has in her mind, just like in Ember Burning, which I loved. Her characters stay in a way that we want to hold on to them. Pick this up if you are looking for some good thriller set in the 70s.
Two girls, Charley and Julia find themselves amidst people with abilities almost similar to theirs. They are gifted children, some have been hiding their abilities, while the others- not so much. As they are grouped together in the prestigious Stanford University, away from their home and into a set of experiments, they begin to feel that they have finally found their place on Earth, among real friends who understand their dilemmas.
Set during the Cold War, the laboratory promises to use their abilities for the good of the nation, as warfare and a means to contribute to the ongoing war with The Soviets. The experiments, however, get darker and painful with time, leaving the participants to wonder if there's more than meets the eye.
Alsever deftly creates an atmosphere of secrecy, especially the kind we expect with projects involving the government. She builds the plot meticulously, every detail taken care of. She also skillfully narrated the wanderings of a teenage mind, the innocent curiosity, and their inherent sense of danger. There are silent betrayals and risks to be taken.
Extraordinary Lies is a ride you sit back and enjoy. The author lets her imagination run wild (and in a good way, mind you) and weaves a thrilling story that will surprise you. Alsever is quite talented when it comes to building a world she has in her mind, just like in Ember Burning, which I loved. Her characters stay in a way that we want to hold on to them. Pick this up if you are looking for some good thriller set in the 70s.
May 25, 2020
It is a very entertaining book that takes place in one of my favorite decades, the 70s. This story is about Julia and Charlie, who come from completely different worlds. Their unique talents attract the attention of some people. Therefore they are invited to participate in a project at Stanford Research Institute. They accept, upon arrival at the institute they realize that there is a team of scientists who carry out experiments on people with characteristics similar to themselves. These people have skills like reading minds, predicting the future, or moving objects with their minds. At first, the institute seems to be a safe place. However, they begin to realize that experiments are becoming more dangerous and that their lives are in imminent danger. They will have to investigate without getting caught, to learn the truth about the work of these scientists. It is a very entertaining book, I really liked the fact that the story took place in San Francisco, the author described important sites in this city. I love Charley and Julia, I liked their perseverance to discover the purpose of this place. I loved that the author has given them chapters in which she shows their point of views. It is the perfect page-turner as it is full of action and intrigue. I thank Voracious Readers Only and the author, Jennifer Alsever, for providing me with a copy of the book in an exchange for an honest review.
April 4, 2020
I enjoyed Extraordinary Lies immensely. I grew up reading Stephen King, and in some ways, Extraordinary Lies reminded me of a cross between King's The Dead Zone and the much more recent Stranger Things television series.
Julia and Charley are a pair of uniquely gifted teenagers who become pawns in a dangerous, sinister conspiracy. Their paths, seemingly so divergent, connect and their fates become shared.
This is a fast-paced, original story that had me guessing about what would happen next. I really enjoyed Extraordinary Lies and would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the Stranger Things series.
Julia and Charley are a pair of uniquely gifted teenagers who become pawns in a dangerous, sinister conspiracy. Their paths, seemingly so divergent, connect and their fates become shared.
This is a fast-paced, original story that had me guessing about what would happen next. I really enjoyed Extraordinary Lies and would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the Stranger Things series.
May 11, 2020
Scientist: I will pay you, give you a place to sleep and feed you if you let me experiment on you.
Psychic: Great!
Scientist: Ok, now look at this picture and tell me what you see.
Psycich: This is torture! I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS!
Scientist: Ok, you are free to go whenever you want and can explore the city with your friends .... come back whenever.
Psychic: Is this jail? 😭
Basically characters whining about nothing and making stupid decisons. There was no stakes until the last 20% of the book. Overall, would not recommend.
Psychic: Great!
Scientist: Ok, now look at this picture and tell me what you see.
Psycich: This is torture! I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS!
Scientist: Ok, you are free to go whenever you want and can explore the city with your friends .... come back whenever.
Psychic: Is this jail? 😭
Basically characters whining about nothing and making stupid decisons. There was no stakes until the last 20% of the book. Overall, would not recommend.
May 13, 2020
Wow..I don’t typically read this genre, but I’m so glad I did! I loved the characters, the twists and turns and the time period. I couldn’t stop reading... I highly recommend it. I hope it becomes a movie!!
July 5, 2021
It took me a ridiculous amount of time to get through this book. Couldn’t get into it at all, felt choppy and the dialogue for the first part of the book too long-winded.
Real shame as I adored the Ember Burning series!
Didn’t feel thrilling at all, I developed no real compassion towards any character either.
A very sorry 2 stars from me ☹️
Real shame as I adored the Ember Burning series!
Didn’t feel thrilling at all, I developed no real compassion towards any character either.
A very sorry 2 stars from me ☹️
October 11, 2020
There is just something about reading or listening to a book that is based in or played out in the early 60’s, 70’s and 80’s that makes me feel older and wiser than I am. The Vietnam war is something that doesn’t play a big role in my history as a South African but I have read so many books and watched so many movies that made reference to it. And each time it breaks my heart a little more. The time and lives wasted on it is incredibly sad. In Extraordinary Lies you get another glimpse into the same mind frame and it gives you a little history of the Vietnam war and the ongoing struggles with espionage and Russia.
Julia and Charley are immensely special and well rounded characters. Two young girls who come from completely different back grounds who are so strong in their own ways. Julia has had to learn to thrive in a world where everything but love was handed to her freely. Where – at the whim of the family’s patriarch she gets sentenced to a summer of experiments against her will. And somehow she still manages to find her way to herself. Even if this self isn’t incredibly outspoken or out there, she is still a strong character who knows what she wants and tries her best to get it.
Charley is this amazing young girl – a little selfish and unsure of what to do with her talent at times. A little morally misguided, but at her core a really kind and generous person. I loved watcher her character develop.
These two girls, although the main characters were not the only noteworthy ones in the story. Surrounded by other teens who are just as gifted as they are in different ways these girls make friends, enemies and uneasy allies with the other kids at SRI.
This was an incredibly intriguing story, with so many little plot twists, surprises and intense moments that at times I either had to pause the book or pull over as I found my concentration being drawn from driving the car or doing my work. I literally loved every second of the story.
The narration was just as excellent. Each character – including the supporting cast was so easily distinguishable that it almost felt like I was listening to more than one person narrating the story. She had an incredibly melodic voice that was so easy to listen to and get lost it.
I received a free copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review from Audiobookworm Promotions. I was in no other way compensated for my opinions / thoughts on this book.
Julia and Charley are immensely special and well rounded characters. Two young girls who come from completely different back grounds who are so strong in their own ways. Julia has had to learn to thrive in a world where everything but love was handed to her freely. Where – at the whim of the family’s patriarch she gets sentenced to a summer of experiments against her will. And somehow she still manages to find her way to herself. Even if this self isn’t incredibly outspoken or out there, she is still a strong character who knows what she wants and tries her best to get it.
Charley is this amazing young girl – a little selfish and unsure of what to do with her talent at times. A little morally misguided, but at her core a really kind and generous person. I loved watcher her character develop.
These two girls, although the main characters were not the only noteworthy ones in the story. Surrounded by other teens who are just as gifted as they are in different ways these girls make friends, enemies and uneasy allies with the other kids at SRI.
This was an incredibly intriguing story, with so many little plot twists, surprises and intense moments that at times I either had to pause the book or pull over as I found my concentration being drawn from driving the car or doing my work. I literally loved every second of the story.
The narration was just as excellent. Each character – including the supporting cast was so easily distinguishable that it almost felt like I was listening to more than one person narrating the story. She had an incredibly melodic voice that was so easy to listen to and get lost it.
I received a free copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review from Audiobookworm Promotions. I was in no other way compensated for my opinions / thoughts on this book.
Read
October 11, 2020You guys! This book is just the gift that keeps on giving! Not only is it narrated splendidly, but it’s also such an amazing story! AND it’s set in the 70s, which is one of my all time favorite time periods! It’s the time of love, peace, and human experiments? Well, that’s what it is in this book. Following our two main characters as they navigate a place that makes it seem like they can finally be themselves. Or can they?
This book came at a really great time for me because I actually just took a course on human research a few semesters ago. And with that comes lots of time looking at how people have been exploited throughout history. And even before this course (and book) it has been a topic of great importance/interest to me. Plus this one is about psychics, and that’s always an immediate place it in the “must read” pile for me! And after reading this book I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it! There were so many great moments and interesting plot twists and turns!
Now, since I read this book as an audiobook I want to take some time to applaud the narrator. I think listening to this story added some depth to the characters as it added another sense to the story. Because this is a fast paced book some of those additional details got lost, but when you’re listening to it it just makes sense.; Plus I just really enjoyed this narrator as a whole, I found that I could listen to her for long stretches without getting exasperated or losing my focus.
You can view my full review on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
This book came at a really great time for me because I actually just took a course on human research a few semesters ago. And with that comes lots of time looking at how people have been exploited throughout history. And even before this course (and book) it has been a topic of great importance/interest to me. Plus this one is about psychics, and that’s always an immediate place it in the “must read” pile for me! And after reading this book I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it! There were so many great moments and interesting plot twists and turns!
Now, since I read this book as an audiobook I want to take some time to applaud the narrator. I think listening to this story added some depth to the characters as it added another sense to the story. Because this is a fast paced book some of those additional details got lost, but when you’re listening to it it just makes sense.; Plus I just really enjoyed this narrator as a whole, I found that I could listen to her for long stretches without getting exasperated or losing my focus.
You can view my full review on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
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June 18, 2020
While taking place in the 1970s, you quickly forget the time frame because this book grabs you and drags you into a twisty world surrounding a group of teens who have some sort of psychic ability. It's told from their individual viewpoints for much of the story with a couple other integral players added in as their part of the plot unfolds. The two main players are Julia and Charley. Julia comes from a wealthy, but incredibly rigid midwest family. Charley couldn't be any more different. She's been surviving in a domestic war zone trying to protect her younger sister and getting stoned with her friend while her parents fight, get drunk and do coke.
Both end up as subjects in a CIA funded research project at Stanford, but little is as it seems and the longer the experiment goes on, the more the two girls suspect circumstances and at least one of the other subjects might be dangerous. When things begin to heat up, Julia and Charley have to get past building mistrust if they hope to stay alive. Get the book to find out how that happens. If you like conspiracy, thrillers and intriguing characters, this one is for you.
Both end up as subjects in a CIA funded research project at Stanford, but little is as it seems and the longer the experiment goes on, the more the two girls suspect circumstances and at least one of the other subjects might be dangerous. When things begin to heat up, Julia and Charley have to get past building mistrust if they hope to stay alive. Get the book to find out how that happens. If you like conspiracy, thrillers and intriguing characters, this one is for you.
May 14, 2020
Great read for young and older adults
I loved how Jennifer brought together teenagers from so many different places, hardships and lifestyles and turned them in to life-long friends.
I enjoyed the journeys of Julia and Charley in their discovery of their self-worth and their powers. Julia who tried so hard to hide them and couldn’t control them lead her to finding her voice and shedding her meekness. Charley knew her power and took advantage of it - her moral compass was a bit off; but she learned to trust in others and show care beyond her own personal desires.
Right-wrong. Rich-poor. Confident-meek. Truth-lies. Ordinary-extraordinary. It’s exciting from beginning to end. What’s next Jennifer?
I loved how Jennifer brought together teenagers from so many different places, hardships and lifestyles and turned them in to life-long friends.
I enjoyed the journeys of Julia and Charley in their discovery of their self-worth and their powers. Julia who tried so hard to hide them and couldn’t control them lead her to finding her voice and shedding her meekness. Charley knew her power and took advantage of it - her moral compass was a bit off; but she learned to trust in others and show care beyond her own personal desires.
Right-wrong. Rich-poor. Confident-meek. Truth-lies. Ordinary-extraordinary. It’s exciting from beginning to end. What’s next Jennifer?
June 19, 2021
I really enjoyed the book. The author does a great job of keeping you interested and excited to find out more.
July 8, 2020
This story takes place in 1971 Chicago, with two main female characters, rich girl Julia who is just sixteen and caught her boyfriend Steve cheating with another girl. Only problem was that she got angry about this and somehow caused her boyfriend and this other girl to crash their car, leaving the girl almost cut in two! She has shown signs of having psychic powers like her Aunt Sabrina, who disappeared almost ten years ago, who was considered strange and her grandfather called her dangerous. After this latest incident, her grandfather has decided she needs to be sent away and she is forced to go to Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to be subject to testing.
The other main character is Charley, who lives with her parents who are always fighting and an abusive drunk of a father, along with a younger sister Cindy. Charley works in a back room of the diner where her mother works, doing palm readings to earn money for herself and mostly the family. Charley is fed up and when a woman introduces herself to Charley ad offers her $5000 to come to Stanford, for some testing on her ability, she jumps at the chance to escape. The woman is a Dr Carrillo and she is running a test program, funded by the government or possibly even the CIA, looking for their own version of Extraordinary Human Body Function subjects, like in similar programs in China and Russia.
When they arrive at the Institute, there are some other teenagers and slightly older people there. As they are all shown around, they see a girl called Carol being tested, who by the time they meet up for dinner is being carted off in an ambulance with a heart attack! Not a great welcome to the place. The other subjects are Henry, Samuel, Minnie, Cord and Katerina. The next day, the testing is started, but Julia refuses to respond to any of her testing, simply saying nothing is coming through or she can’t see anything. She doesn’t want to be labelled as dangerous or found to have any real psychic powers, like her Aunt Sabrina, who disappeared from her life. Another two doctors work with Dr Carrillo, a Dr Strong and a Dr Monson, and they all work with the kids, trying to get them to provide information about places and objects.
When talking to the others, most of what they are being asked about seem to be military weapon sites, a silo, a submarine somewhere in a Russian waterway, and more. But each time they are told that they are wrong, or it didn’t work properly. Only some of what they saw was correct, that they must have made up the rest. Dr Carrillo in particular, is very blunt with each of them. Julia keeps seeing a young woman in a blue dress and thinks they are connected to the Institute, but it turns out to be her aunt. Now Julia wants answers about what happened to her aunt, or where she went. Is she dead or alive? Add to this some of the group start to disappear suddenly and Henry isn’t telling all, giving off some bad vibes to a few of the others.
As the race for Cold War dominance in all things gains traction, this project to find subjects that can psychically spy on other countries, alter the future, see what might happen or cause electromagnetic disturbances, could make psychic soldiers for their government and give them an advantage above their foes. Matters at the Institute are turning deadly, with some of the participants disappearing suddenly, others who are young and healthy, suddenly having heart attacks and another going missing mid telephone conversation. Those in charge are hiding things and using the kids for their own purposes. How far are they willing to go for such an advantage? The remaining subjects will have to join together and use their powers to defeat this terrifying foe.
This is a great reminder of the Vietnam and Cold War period and some of the experiments that governments carried out to gain an advantage over another. One of the team is a traitor, another is a master manipulator and will bring danger to all of them. Secrets are being kept by family, government and more. A masterful tale of the time era and all the worries and silly ideas governments came up with whilst trying to get ahead of their foes. The young subjects don’t realise what they have gotten themselves into, whilst one has been forced into it by her family. Whether any can be saved from their fates will be up to readers to find out. A realistic look at the thinking in those times. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
The other main character is Charley, who lives with her parents who are always fighting and an abusive drunk of a father, along with a younger sister Cindy. Charley works in a back room of the diner where her mother works, doing palm readings to earn money for herself and mostly the family. Charley is fed up and when a woman introduces herself to Charley ad offers her $5000 to come to Stanford, for some testing on her ability, she jumps at the chance to escape. The woman is a Dr Carrillo and she is running a test program, funded by the government or possibly even the CIA, looking for their own version of Extraordinary Human Body Function subjects, like in similar programs in China and Russia.
When they arrive at the Institute, there are some other teenagers and slightly older people there. As they are all shown around, they see a girl called Carol being tested, who by the time they meet up for dinner is being carted off in an ambulance with a heart attack! Not a great welcome to the place. The other subjects are Henry, Samuel, Minnie, Cord and Katerina. The next day, the testing is started, but Julia refuses to respond to any of her testing, simply saying nothing is coming through or she can’t see anything. She doesn’t want to be labelled as dangerous or found to have any real psychic powers, like her Aunt Sabrina, who disappeared from her life. Another two doctors work with Dr Carrillo, a Dr Strong and a Dr Monson, and they all work with the kids, trying to get them to provide information about places and objects.
When talking to the others, most of what they are being asked about seem to be military weapon sites, a silo, a submarine somewhere in a Russian waterway, and more. But each time they are told that they are wrong, or it didn’t work properly. Only some of what they saw was correct, that they must have made up the rest. Dr Carrillo in particular, is very blunt with each of them. Julia keeps seeing a young woman in a blue dress and thinks they are connected to the Institute, but it turns out to be her aunt. Now Julia wants answers about what happened to her aunt, or where she went. Is she dead or alive? Add to this some of the group start to disappear suddenly and Henry isn’t telling all, giving off some bad vibes to a few of the others.
As the race for Cold War dominance in all things gains traction, this project to find subjects that can psychically spy on other countries, alter the future, see what might happen or cause electromagnetic disturbances, could make psychic soldiers for their government and give them an advantage above their foes. Matters at the Institute are turning deadly, with some of the participants disappearing suddenly, others who are young and healthy, suddenly having heart attacks and another going missing mid telephone conversation. Those in charge are hiding things and using the kids for their own purposes. How far are they willing to go for such an advantage? The remaining subjects will have to join together and use their powers to defeat this terrifying foe.
This is a great reminder of the Vietnam and Cold War period and some of the experiments that governments carried out to gain an advantage over another. One of the team is a traitor, another is a master manipulator and will bring danger to all of them. Secrets are being kept by family, government and more. A masterful tale of the time era and all the worries and silly ideas governments came up with whilst trying to get ahead of their foes. The young subjects don’t realise what they have gotten themselves into, whilst one has been forced into it by her family. Whether any can be saved from their fates will be up to readers to find out. A realistic look at the thinking in those times. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
May 16, 2020
I read the author's Trinity Forest trilogy which is also YA Paranormal. Jennifer Alsever writes about our world, not some fantasy place, with such low key magic that it feels not life paranormal but like something that actually happens here.
Two main POVs are Charley and Julia. Charlie is a teenager living with an abusive mom and drunk dad. She works in a diner with a side hustle reading palms where she has the ability to see hidden truths and telling patrons what they want to hear. Julia, a meek teen that has trust issues because her family is eccentric and rich, is used to people using her but when she finds her boyfriend cheating she comes unglued and her telekinesis powers, moving objects by mind control, cause a scene. Both girls are noticed by Dr Carrillo and invited to Stanford Research Institute for the summer where they are studying Extraordinary Human Body Functions. This is paid by the military for scientific experiments to test and measure psychic abilities to compete with other countries. The other people part of the program have extraordinary gifts being tested for psychic weapons.
I remember New Age being popular when I was younger (1980s). Meditation, listening to cassettes to unlock natural psychic ability, advertisements in the mail... I actually forgot about it but this novel made me remember other’s stories. The characters believe they have extraordinary gifts and are proud of their abilities but are used to hiding it away. No one wants to be around something unexplainable. Each of the participants in the study are there for various reasons; to escape from bad home life, run away from a scandal, be useful/gain a career, enhance their abilities, personal gain. I liked the characters and the way they grow individually and collectively as a group.
What is the difference between a magician with tricks up their sleeves, faith or believing in miracles, and paranormal activity like those described in the book? It can all feel unbelievable to the person witnessing and overwhelming to the person experiencing any phenomenon. I loved how the author built the setting. It doesn't feel far fetched.
Since I had read Jennifer Alsever's Trinity Forest Trilogy and they were 4 star reads I knew I needed to read her newest book too. I received a copy of this novel from the author. All opinions are my own, any review is voluntary.
Two main POVs are Charley and Julia. Charlie is a teenager living with an abusive mom and drunk dad. She works in a diner with a side hustle reading palms where she has the ability to see hidden truths and telling patrons what they want to hear. Julia, a meek teen that has trust issues because her family is eccentric and rich, is used to people using her but when she finds her boyfriend cheating she comes unglued and her telekinesis powers, moving objects by mind control, cause a scene. Both girls are noticed by Dr Carrillo and invited to Stanford Research Institute for the summer where they are studying Extraordinary Human Body Functions. This is paid by the military for scientific experiments to test and measure psychic abilities to compete with other countries. The other people part of the program have extraordinary gifts being tested for psychic weapons.
I remember New Age being popular when I was younger (1980s). Meditation, listening to cassettes to unlock natural psychic ability, advertisements in the mail... I actually forgot about it but this novel made me remember other’s stories. The characters believe they have extraordinary gifts and are proud of their abilities but are used to hiding it away. No one wants to be around something unexplainable. Each of the participants in the study are there for various reasons; to escape from bad home life, run away from a scandal, be useful/gain a career, enhance their abilities, personal gain. I liked the characters and the way they grow individually and collectively as a group.
What is the difference between a magician with tricks up their sleeves, faith or believing in miracles, and paranormal activity like those described in the book? It can all feel unbelievable to the person witnessing and overwhelming to the person experiencing any phenomenon. I loved how the author built the setting. It doesn't feel far fetched.
Since I had read Jennifer Alsever's Trinity Forest Trilogy and they were 4 star reads I knew I needed to read her newest book too. I received a copy of this novel from the author. All opinions are my own, any review is voluntary.
October 11, 2020
I’m not usually a reader of YA fiction, but I loved the premise of this story: the study of young adults with “special” abilities such as mind-reading and telekinesis within a government-backed research setting.
Set during the Cold War era, and told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Julia and Charley, the story follows them their “real” lives before going to the Institute right through to a dramatic conclusion. The two girls are as opposite as can be when it comes to the background and childhood experiences, but they do share one thing: being marked out as different from the rest of their peers.
The students enjoy getting to know each other, appreciating the different skills they have. They’ve found a place that doesn’t treat them as weirdos or freaks, and their confidence and trust in each other provides them with friendships they’ve never had before.
The research institute promises to explore their abilities and to offer an explanation for them. The reason for this research is sold to them as being for the good of the nation; the kids are playing their part in helping to win the Cold War against the Soviets. Yet, things are not as they seem. The experiments get more sinister as time passes. The tests the girls and the other “skilled” students are put through have another purpose, and the scientists in charge don’t want that information to go public.
The plot builds on the basis of secrecy – the government and scientists are hiding the true purpose of the experiments, while the students are forced to hide their suspicions – if they want to stay safe … or even alive. Does everyone survive? Who will have the upper hand?
The narrator of this audiobook superbly conveys the enthusiasm of the teenagers, their innate curiosity, their need to bond with like-minded individuals, and their reaction to the danger they find themselves in. It’s impossible not to get drawn along for the ride.
The era is the perfect backdrop for this kind of story, and the twists and turns of the story perfectly suit that period in time.
The audio version of Extraordinary Lies delivers an engaging story, with great characterisation and a tense plot.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jennifer Alsever. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Set during the Cold War era, and told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Julia and Charley, the story follows them their “real” lives before going to the Institute right through to a dramatic conclusion. The two girls are as opposite as can be when it comes to the background and childhood experiences, but they do share one thing: being marked out as different from the rest of their peers.
The students enjoy getting to know each other, appreciating the different skills they have. They’ve found a place that doesn’t treat them as weirdos or freaks, and their confidence and trust in each other provides them with friendships they’ve never had before.
The research institute promises to explore their abilities and to offer an explanation for them. The reason for this research is sold to them as being for the good of the nation; the kids are playing their part in helping to win the Cold War against the Soviets. Yet, things are not as they seem. The experiments get more sinister as time passes. The tests the girls and the other “skilled” students are put through have another purpose, and the scientists in charge don’t want that information to go public.
The plot builds on the basis of secrecy – the government and scientists are hiding the true purpose of the experiments, while the students are forced to hide their suspicions – if they want to stay safe … or even alive. Does everyone survive? Who will have the upper hand?
The narrator of this audiobook superbly conveys the enthusiasm of the teenagers, their innate curiosity, their need to bond with like-minded individuals, and their reaction to the danger they find themselves in. It’s impossible not to get drawn along for the ride.
The era is the perfect backdrop for this kind of story, and the twists and turns of the story perfectly suit that period in time.
The audio version of Extraordinary Lies delivers an engaging story, with great characterisation and a tense plot.
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jennifer Alsever. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
June 5, 2020
Full review post (including bonus material) can be found here: https://christyscozycorners.com/2020/...
Extraordinary Lies definitely took me back to the good old days when JJ Abrams produced amazing TV shows and didn’t break my heart with Star Wars. Fringe and Alias are both on my favorite TV shows list. In fact, I began rewatching Alias because of Extraordinary Lies (I’m still on season one, and yelling at Will to just “Let it go!”). If you have watched these shows, you can get a good picture of Extraordinary Lies. If you have never seen them, let me sum it up for you: psychic experiments in the 70s in order to best the Russians. It’s also got a lot of Stranger Things vibes, so if you enjoy that show, you may want to check this book out!
The Good:
Part 3 is the best part of the book. Everything is really fast-paced and edge-of-your-seat exciting. But since I don’t want to spoil it for you, I won’t go into details. You’ll just have to read it yourself!
I really enjoyed all of the psychic characters. Each one had a backstory and they all seemed to live and breathe on the page. Good writers know how to make readers care for all of their characters, and Jennifer Alsever does just that.
Speaking of characters, I love the one antagonist character’s end. Without spoiling it for you, this character gets a fate they deserve, but you still really care for him/her. I absolutely adore villainous characters that make me care for them.
The Not-So Good:
Until part 3, the pacing is a bit slow for me. Stuff happens, but nothing too jarring or exciting. I also kept thinking that I wished it was a TV show/movie. Not only for plot reasons, but also because the 70s vibe and the atmosphere could come through better on the screen. I know some have shown interest in adapting it to the screen already, so here’s hoping!
Extraordinary Lies definitely took me back to the good old days when JJ Abrams produced amazing TV shows and didn’t break my heart with Star Wars. Fringe and Alias are both on my favorite TV shows list. In fact, I began rewatching Alias because of Extraordinary Lies (I’m still on season one, and yelling at Will to just “Let it go!”). If you have watched these shows, you can get a good picture of Extraordinary Lies. If you have never seen them, let me sum it up for you: psychic experiments in the 70s in order to best the Russians. It’s also got a lot of Stranger Things vibes, so if you enjoy that show, you may want to check this book out!
The Good:
Part 3 is the best part of the book. Everything is really fast-paced and edge-of-your-seat exciting. But since I don’t want to spoil it for you, I won’t go into details. You’ll just have to read it yourself!
I really enjoyed all of the psychic characters. Each one had a backstory and they all seemed to live and breathe on the page. Good writers know how to make readers care for all of their characters, and Jennifer Alsever does just that.
Speaking of characters, I love the one antagonist character’s end. Without spoiling it for you, this character gets a fate they deserve, but you still really care for him/her. I absolutely adore villainous characters that make me care for them.
The Not-So Good:
Until part 3, the pacing is a bit slow for me. Stuff happens, but nothing too jarring or exciting. I also kept thinking that I wished it was a TV show/movie. Not only for plot reasons, but also because the 70s vibe and the atmosphere could come through better on the screen. I know some have shown interest in adapting it to the screen already, so here’s hoping!
March 5, 2021
I am voluntarily leaving a review after having received a free copy of this novel.
The premise of this book was more promising than the execution, unfortunately. There's not too much to say, mostly because there's not much going on for a good chunk of the book. The experiments the characters undergo really aren't that shocking or exciting. The characters themselves are on the grating side - one's a doormat, and the other is very rash and selfish. Some of the behind-the-scenes machinations were really obvious - it wasn't hard to guess one of the characters' hidden powers, or even exactly how they were using it - while others were a bit more surprising. As other reviewers have mentioned, the last third or so is where the book really lights up, both because there's more action and because the characters have developed enough that we can actually root for them to succeed.
I did like that several characters have shades of gray - some of the more villainous, antagonistic, or just plain annoying characters weren't as horrible as they appeared, or had good motivations. Some of the side characters, like Cord and Minnie, were likable enough for me to worry about them when the going got tough.
Overall, though, this book was on the "meh" side for me. If you really like the time period or don't mind a slow-burn kinda plot, you might still enjoy this, but if you're looking for something more action- or science-oriented, give this a pass.
The premise of this book was more promising than the execution, unfortunately. There's not too much to say, mostly because there's not much going on for a good chunk of the book. The experiments the characters undergo really aren't that shocking or exciting. The characters themselves are on the grating side - one's a doormat, and the other is very rash and selfish. Some of the behind-the-scenes machinations were really obvious - it wasn't hard to guess one of the characters' hidden powers, or even exactly how they were using it - while others were a bit more surprising. As other reviewers have mentioned, the last third or so is where the book really lights up, both because there's more action and because the characters have developed enough that we can actually root for them to succeed.
I did like that several characters have shades of gray - some of the more villainous, antagonistic, or just plain annoying characters weren't as horrible as they appeared, or had good motivations. Some of the side characters, like Cord and Minnie, were likable enough for me to worry about them when the going got tough.
Overall, though, this book was on the "meh" side for me. If you really like the time period or don't mind a slow-burn kinda plot, you might still enjoy this, but if you're looking for something more action- or science-oriented, give this a pass.
June 30, 2020
Full review can be found on the blog: https://phanniethegingerbookworm.word...
DISCLAIMER: A review copy has been sent to me in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
I have to say Extraordinary Lies was as mysterious as Ember Burning and I quite enjoyed the paranormal activity. We follow a few characters throughout the book but mainly Julia and Charley. Two girls that grew up in different ways, different families and a different lifestyle. However, some things unite them. Their power. Both girls are sent to a university so that they can be tested. And from there on their adventure starts. I’m not going to say more because you need to read the book to find out what is going to happen to our main characters.
I loved her writing style again! It was perfect and easy to read. The storyline is unique and something that I haven’t read often or should I say, something I never read up to now? I liked reading the thoughts of Charley and Julia and I loved getting to know them more during the whole reading journey. The chapters were short and it was easy to fly through them. Most of the time I was so absorbed by the book that I didn’t pay attention to anything else.
The only thing that didn’t work for me was the fact that I found it to be a bit too short-paced for my liking. I had to force myself through some passages but that’s only my personal opinion.
DISCLAIMER: A review copy has been sent to me in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
I have to say Extraordinary Lies was as mysterious as Ember Burning and I quite enjoyed the paranormal activity. We follow a few characters throughout the book but mainly Julia and Charley. Two girls that grew up in different ways, different families and a different lifestyle. However, some things unite them. Their power. Both girls are sent to a university so that they can be tested. And from there on their adventure starts. I’m not going to say more because you need to read the book to find out what is going to happen to our main characters.
I loved her writing style again! It was perfect and easy to read. The storyline is unique and something that I haven’t read often or should I say, something I never read up to now? I liked reading the thoughts of Charley and Julia and I loved getting to know them more during the whole reading journey. The chapters were short and it was easy to fly through them. Most of the time I was so absorbed by the book that I didn’t pay attention to anything else.
The only thing that didn’t work for me was the fact that I found it to be a bit too short-paced for my liking. I had to force myself through some passages but that’s only my personal opinion.
June 11, 2020
First off, the cover is stunning and I adore it. (I love book covers with optical illusions on them!) The main characters Charley and Julia were both flawed but likable. I found Julia more relatable because of her quiet nature and her struggle with speaking up for herself. The differences between all the kids were interesting as well, from Julia trying to hide her powers to Charley using hers to make money.
Although the pacing was a little slow (and I hated Henry) I was very intrigued by the story and its stranger things vibe so I kept on and I enjoyed it very much. Overall I liked this one and the ending was bittersweet yet satisfying. If you're looking for a historical sci-fi to tide you over until Stranger Things season 4 comes out I recommend this one ;-)
P.S. Go to Miss Alsever's website to learn more about the book!
Rating: 4 stars
FTC DISCLAIMER: I received this book in exchange for an honest review
Favorite quotes:
"When the waitress asked them to quiet down, relief set in. I swore confrontation made me break out in hives."
"Charley talked about how she used to be shy when she was little. I almost laughed at this. Her description of hiding under the table at the diner didn't fit what I knew to be true about being shy."
"Shy was when kids screamed and raced and played around you, riding bikes and playing tag, but you felt as if your feet had roots and you couldn't move. Shy was when you were being interviewed for a private school, and your answers swam between your ears but the only word that came out of your mouth was, yes, sure. Shy was when a group of girls came to your house to pet your silken bedspread and try on your designer dresses, but you couldn't get the words out to tell them no. The word became jagged and painful, wedged in your throat, and you watched them with tears in your eyes, as they left with your treasures in hand, "just borrowing" them for a few days. Or maybe that was just being weak. Spineless."
"So, why didn't you tell me all this before?" Because I don't tell people things. I've spent my whole life living inside my own head. I shook my head, unable to answer."
Although the pacing was a little slow (and I hated Henry) I was very intrigued by the story and its stranger things vibe so I kept on and I enjoyed it very much. Overall I liked this one and the ending was bittersweet yet satisfying. If you're looking for a historical sci-fi to tide you over until Stranger Things season 4 comes out I recommend this one ;-)
P.S. Go to Miss Alsever's website to learn more about the book!
Rating: 4 stars
FTC DISCLAIMER: I received this book in exchange for an honest review
Favorite quotes:
"When the waitress asked them to quiet down, relief set in. I swore confrontation made me break out in hives."
"Charley talked about how she used to be shy when she was little. I almost laughed at this. Her description of hiding under the table at the diner didn't fit what I knew to be true about being shy."
"Shy was when kids screamed and raced and played around you, riding bikes and playing tag, but you felt as if your feet had roots and you couldn't move. Shy was when you were being interviewed for a private school, and your answers swam between your ears but the only word that came out of your mouth was, yes, sure. Shy was when a group of girls came to your house to pet your silken bedspread and try on your designer dresses, but you couldn't get the words out to tell them no. The word became jagged and painful, wedged in your throat, and you watched them with tears in your eyes, as they left with your treasures in hand, "just borrowing" them for a few days. Or maybe that was just being weak. Spineless."
"So, why didn't you tell me all this before?" Because I don't tell people things. I've spent my whole life living inside my own head. I shook my head, unable to answer."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2021
With the perfect backdrop, 1970's Cold War era, this is a good twisty story about kids with abilities who feel alone because they are different and then are brought together by a mysterious organization to "test their skills." I liked learning about each character, their backstories, their abilities and their camaraderie -- finally feeling like they fit in.
It had a good mystery to it, though sometimes predictable. I'm a big fan of spies and mystery and powers and this book checked all those boxes for me. This was my first book by Jennifer Alsever, but I would definitely be interested in reading more from her!
I received this ARC from Hidden Gem Books for my honest review.
It had a good mystery to it, though sometimes predictable. I'm a big fan of spies and mystery and powers and this book checked all those boxes for me. This was my first book by Jennifer Alsever, but I would definitely be interested in reading more from her!
I received this ARC from Hidden Gem Books for my honest review.
December 17, 2022
This is the first psychic fiction book I have read, and I think it will be the last one I read. I like short chapters, but these chapters were too short for me. I like a table of contents to show me how many chapters there are in a book I am reading, but this book had no table of contents.
I didn't find many errors that the editor missed, but there were a few that seemed obvious to me.
Perhaps I would have liked the book better if most of the characters had been senior citizens instead of teenagers since it is more difficult for me to identify with teenagers this late in the game.
I didn't find many errors that the editor missed, but there were a few that seemed obvious to me.
Perhaps I would have liked the book better if most of the characters had been senior citizens instead of teenagers since it is more difficult for me to identify with teenagers this late in the game.
June 3, 2020
Review copy from Voracious Readers Only.
I have always been fascinated by the 70's flower power era and psychic abilities so when this book was advertised through Voracious Readers Only I knew straight away I wanted to read it and I'm so glad I did. There were times throughout I got a little confused as to who's point of view it was as I felt Julia and Charley spoke the same and I ended up double checking who was who. Definitely recommend though as the story is original.
I have always been fascinated by the 70's flower power era and psychic abilities so when this book was advertised through Voracious Readers Only I knew straight away I wanted to read it and I'm so glad I did. There were times throughout I got a little confused as to who's point of view it was as I felt Julia and Charley spoke the same and I ended up double checking who was who. Definitely recommend though as the story is original.
October 15, 2021
This is actually more of a 3.5. I was really excited to read this, but I think my expectations were too much. First, I thought there would be more horror/thriller because the synopsis sounded wild, but it wasn't as gory as I'd hoped. The writing was also underwhelming for me. It's complicated because I did like the story, I thought it was interesting and intense, but I was unfortunately disappointed with the execution. I'd still recommend this, though.
November 14, 2020
My review is based on the audiobook. This is an interesting start of series. I like the characters & the suspense. I would have liked a little more depth to the characters & their abilities. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing the story to life. I definitely am interested in continuing the story
November 7, 2024
Really so good, made me very emotional at the end! Thrilling story and even as someone who doesn't like fantasy, those magic elements add the perfect amount of mystery to the story. Wow, would recommend
February 1, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I really liked that it was set in the 1970s and how the author integrated the music of the time and the Cold War into the plot. The entire time reading I felt I was watching a television show in my mind, I think it would be great if it were made into one. I liked finding out about the histories of each character and the insights that not only motivated their actions but showed what made them who they were. Extraordinary Lies is a unique story full of intrigue that held my interest and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! This was my first book of Jennifer Alsever's and I will definitely be reading more of her work! Thank you to Hidden Gems Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2021
Charley, Julia, Minnie, Cord, Samuel and Henry are special. So special that a research institute wants to study them. This was an interesting concept and I liked the story line. The book moved slow for me at times so I found myself skimming through. I felt the ending was rushed and a little predictable.
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