aschwartz184's review
2.0
In all honesty, I skipped the last 10 pages of this book. The writing wasn't good, and despite all the blatant plot twists attempting to make the humdrum story more engaging, it was very predictable. The characters were very two dimensional and so I felt no attachment to a single character in the book.
faultierkatze's review
3.0
Where the Truth Lies was...unexpected. One thing I can say for sure is that it turned out to be nothing like what I thought it would.
First of all, I didn't exactly like the characters. In the first place, Emily made a lot of stupid choices, and basically managed to screw up her previously perfect life. I had a bad feeling about Del from the start (especially considering how fast their relationship began), and though he wasn't the best morally, he was a very interesting character. The fact that Emily's friend Stephanie was weirdly close to her twin brother was a little on the disturbing side, but then again all of the relationships in this book were weird to say the least.
The description is a little misleading in my opinion, because it makes you think that most of the book will be about her relationship with Del, when it's really about a huge, erm, complication that arises in Emily's life. Consequently, this is a hard book to review without giving stuff away, so I'm just gonna throw a spoiler warning out right now:
**Beware: Spoilers ahead!**
So anyway, Emily gets pregnant. When I read this I was like: "What?! This wasn't in this books job description!" That was very unexpected, and it definitely changed the course of the whole book. I thought the way Emily hid her pregnancy was a little on the "well that's never likely to actually happen" side, but it did make things interesting.
One thing I didn't buy into was Emily and Ethan's relationship. There just never seemed to be that...spark. I also didn't like how Del was out of the picture so soon, and we never got to know much about him.
Overall, I'm not exactly sure what the point of this book was, but I did think that the end bit where Emily sees her daughter and then her real mom, and comes to terms with the fact that she will never be in either of their lives, was moving. However, besides that the end did feel rushed, and the explanations as to why Emily has fire and water dreams seemed loose and randomly thrown in.
One thing I do have to say about Jessica Warman's writing style, is that it's very good. Her characters, no matter how odd, ring true and their emotions are well written and easy to imagine. I've read Breathless by her as well, and the writing was similarly well done. (I also liked it better, though with the boarding school setting, the two are similar.)
As for the cover, I think it's pretty, but I don't see what it has to do with the book. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember one time when a character stood in a field.
Where the Truth Lies is probably one of the most surprising books I've ever read. At times the plot seems unevenly paced and forced, but the characters are undeniably interesting, and the writing excellent.
First of all, I didn't exactly like the characters. In the first place, Emily made a lot of stupid choices, and basically managed to screw up her previously perfect life. I had a bad feeling about Del from the start (especially considering how fast their relationship began), and though he wasn't the best morally, he was a very interesting character. The fact that Emily's friend Stephanie was weirdly close to her twin brother was a little on the disturbing side, but then again all of the relationships in this book were weird to say the least.
The description is a little misleading in my opinion, because it makes you think that most of the book will be about her relationship with Del, when it's really about a huge, erm, complication that arises in Emily's life. Consequently, this is a hard book to review without giving stuff away, so I'm just gonna throw a spoiler warning out right now:
**Beware: Spoilers ahead!**
So anyway, Emily gets pregnant. When I read this I was like: "What?! This wasn't in this books job description!" That was very unexpected, and it definitely changed the course of the whole book. I thought the way Emily hid her pregnancy was a little on the "well that's never likely to actually happen" side, but it did make things interesting.
One thing I didn't buy into was Emily and Ethan's relationship. There just never seemed to be that...spark. I also didn't like how Del was out of the picture so soon, and we never got to know much about him.
Overall, I'm not exactly sure what the point of this book was, but I did think that the end bit where Emily sees her daughter and then her real mom, and comes to terms with the fact that she will never be in either of their lives, was moving. However, besides that the end did feel rushed, and the explanations as to why Emily has fire and water dreams seemed loose and randomly thrown in.
One thing I do have to say about Jessica Warman's writing style, is that it's very good. Her characters, no matter how odd, ring true and their emotions are well written and easy to imagine. I've read Breathless by her as well, and the writing was similarly well done. (I also liked it better, though with the boarding school setting, the two are similar.)
As for the cover, I think it's pretty, but I don't see what it has to do with the book. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember one time when a character stood in a field.
Where the Truth Lies is probably one of the most surprising books I've ever read. At times the plot seems unevenly paced and forced, but the characters are undeniably interesting, and the writing excellent.
sheffner07's review
DNF @ 132 pgs.
Just didn't care about the characters or plot anymore...
Just didn't care about the characters or plot anymore...
pikasqueaks's review
3.0
I can't imagine finding this book anywhere near as fulfilling if I hadn't read Breathless first. There are a few tie-ins (Madeline Moon-Park, for one) that don't make sense without it. Which unfortunately means this book doesn't stand as solidly on its own as it could have.
There was never a good reason as to why Del Sugar was so appealing. He was new, dark, smelled like kerosene and danger. That was just about all he had going for him, and it didn't set the stage for a great romance like we're supposed to believe they had.
What I enjoyed about this is the same as what I enjoyed about Breathless, actually. The relationships between the high school girls was realistic and nicely done. It was, unfortunately just about the only believable aspect of the book.
There was never a good reason as to why Del Sugar was so appealing. He was new, dark, smelled like kerosene and danger. That was just about all he had going for him, and it didn't set the stage for a great romance like we're supposed to believe they had.
What I enjoyed about this is the same as what I enjoyed about Breathless, actually. The relationships between the high school girls was realistic and nicely done. It was, unfortunately just about the only believable aspect of the book.
exhaleartist's review
2.0
This book was full of surprises. Going into it, I was not expecting where it would take me. I have been wanting to read her previous novel, Breathless, for a while now, but my local library has yet to get it. I was very excited, though, to see them get this one. I read it straight away, and it was an interesting, quick read.
It fell short though, of being a very good one. The main storyline started out well, but it seemed like the author got in over her head. Her various plot-lines seemed over complicated and lacked believability, and her characters were hard for me to become invested into. Considering the severity and depth of the situations I expected more maturity, more depth of the characters.
It felt like the language and attitudes of these near-adults, was very that much of middle-schoolers. The lack of being able to relate to, or even have understanding for them, is what really made this fall flat. It was good, the idea was interesting, but it just wasn’t executed well.
It fell short though, of being a very good one. The main storyline started out well, but it seemed like the author got in over her head. Her various plot-lines seemed over complicated and lacked believability, and her characters were hard for me to become invested into. Considering the severity and depth of the situations I expected more maturity, more depth of the characters.
It felt like the language and attitudes of these near-adults, was very that much of middle-schoolers. The lack of being able to relate to, or even have understanding for them, is what really made this fall flat. It was good, the idea was interesting, but it just wasn’t executed well.
books_plan_create's review
4.0
So, in this tale we have Emily, who suffers from night terrors. She dreams of fire and water to the point that she doesn't sleep. But what do the dreams mean? Things change and Emily's life unravels when Del Sugar shows up as a new student mid-way through junior year. At the end of the unravel, Emily learns the truth.
Jessica Warman has a way with words. Every sentence draws me in and hooks me. Before I realize it, I have read half the book, and don't want to stop. At times I did become a bit frustrated with some of the supporting characters, but that is also what makes them real and likable in other ways.
Before you get the impression that this is a sugary sweet story, please know that there is teenage use of smoking, drugs, sex, defiance, and lying to the parentals.
Jessica Warman has a way with words. Every sentence draws me in and hooks me. Before I realize it, I have read half the book, and don't want to stop. At times I did become a bit frustrated with some of the supporting characters, but that is also what makes them real and likable in other ways.
Before you get the impression that this is a sugary sweet story, please know that there is teenage use of smoking, drugs, sex, defiance, and lying to the parentals.
bethreadsandnaps's review
4.0
I thought this was an interesting, compelling read. The plot was definitely not the typical teen novel plot, or at least how things unraveled was a little more uniquely than the typical teen read. It would have been nice to understand the main character's thought process a little bit more because the plot seemed to twist and turn based on things the reader didn't get much exposure to. Thought the character Renee was the most interesting.
nerfherder86's review
3.0
A soapy story about what happens when a good girl at a boarding school meets and falls for a dangerously mysterious handsome guy... while she's also dealing with horrible nightmares of fire and flood that she can't get rid of. The book is full of teen angst and drama with roommates and friends, unplanned pregnancies, drugs, breaking and entering, dark family secrets, and more! My least favorite of her four novels, but it is still a fun read and has a very fully-realized boarding school setting.
heykellyjensen's review
2.0
For me, this was about a 2.5. It's okay and the story's interesting, but there are some issues at hand here, primarily in pacing, timing, and melodrama. There is a real readership here, though, so I know I'll be a minority opinioning.
On the plus side, I do like Warman's style a LOT. She's much more literary than others in this genre, and this book is a perfect readalike to Nina de Gramont's "Gossip of the Starlings."
Full review here: http://stackedbooks.blogspot.com/2010/10/where-truth-lies-by-jessica-warman.html
On the plus side, I do like Warman's style a LOT. She's much more literary than others in this genre, and this book is a perfect readalike to Nina de Gramont's "Gossip of the Starlings."
Full review here: http://stackedbooks.blogspot.com/2010/10/where-truth-lies-by-jessica-warman.html