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vanessaedwards1882's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Pedophilia, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit, Murder, and Cultural appropriation
riella_reads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this! Tarryn Fisher's traditionally published work still isn't as great as her indie stuff, but this was still a very good thriller. The cult aspect of it was very interesting to me and I enjoyed the back and forth chapters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
mcarthurhr's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
katiebella_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
4.25⭐️
Summery
Lorraine (Rainy) Ives is new to Seattle. She just moved there with her boyfriend Grant. In an effort to make friends, she joins the "happy hour" of Grant's friends' wives. At one of these nights, she is invited to Vegas for their annual "girls' getaway."
But Rainy doesn't want to go to Nevada. Her past that she wants to forget is in Nevada. When she is ultimately talked into going, her past catches up with her. Leaving the friend group in shreds.
My Thoughts
The book is told from Rainy's Pov. Both the past and present. For the first half of the book, I definitely found the past to be the more intriguing of the two narratives. I was quickly turning pages, wanting to know what was going on and where it was leading.
Most of the book focuses on cult life and how an individual can be both brainwashed and stripped of all choices in order to keep a person complacent and in line. The author obviously did her research. I could feel the trauma Rainy went through and easily sympathized with her.
All the characters were fleshed out, each with their own individual personalities and faults. Both their attrabutions and defects were laid bare on the pages. I loved that.
It's more of a dramatized fiction than a thriller but still a book I'm glad to have
Summery
Lorraine (Rainy) Ives is new to Seattle. She just moved there with her boyfriend Grant. In an effort to make friends, she joins the "happy hour" of Grant's friends' wives. At one of these nights, she is invited to Vegas for their annual "girls' getaway."
But Rainy doesn't want to go to Nevada. Her past that she wants to forget is in Nevada. When she is ultimately talked into going, her past catches up with her. Leaving the friend group in shreds.
My Thoughts
The book is told from Rainy's Pov. Both the past and present. For the first half of the book, I definitely found the past to be the more intriguing of the two narratives. I was quickly turning pages, wanting to know what was going on and where it was leading.
Most of the book focuses on cult life and how an individual can be both brainwashed and stripped of all choices in order to keep a person complacent and in line. The author obviously did her research. I could feel the trauma Rainy went through and easily sympathized with her.
All the characters were fleshed out, each with their own individual personalities and faults. Both their attrabutions and defects were laid bare on the pages. I loved that.
It's more of a dramatized fiction than a thriller but still a book I'm glad to have
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
frannysal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse
zoelynn's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
tayahmarie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I know that this book has received pretty low and/or mixed reviews, but clearly I’m in the minority because I ate this UP! 😭
I’ve said this before, but I love a good dual timeline, and I was so fascinated by/eager to get back to Rainy’s past and learn more about her childhood, the compound, and how her experiences shaped her into the character that we follow in the present timeline. Honestly, my heart broke for her; she went through so much loss, abuse, and turmoil starting from a young age. I’ve never been a fan of cult stories, documentaries, etc. (besides the notorious ones like The Manson Family and Jonestown) because they hit TOO close to home and humankind/reality is always a lot scarier than anything else IMO. All in all, I loved Rainy and was invested in her from the very start. I couldn’t wait for her to enact her revenge on the one person who severely wronged her - as problematic as that may sound 🤷🏾♀️
I also wanted to note that I enjoyed The Real Housewives-esque nature of Rainy’s friend group because those women were all a mess and had the stupidest drama, but I lived for it, lmao!
The main things that I didn’t care for was that the writing got a bit weird at certain points and I felt like some of what was going on in the present day timeline dragged on. I was more-so interested in the past, but I do appreciate how everything came together in the end.
Final Thoughts: Overall, I loved the story! The MC was compelling, the plot was thrilling, and all the cult sh*t was wild. Also, the last sentence of the story 🫶🏾!!! I legit teared up because it was the icing on the cake/satisfying end to a great revenge tale.
I’ve said this before, but I love a good dual timeline, and I was so fascinated by/eager to get back to Rainy’s past and learn more about her childhood, the compound, and how her experiences shaped her into the character that we follow in the present timeline. Honestly, my heart broke for her; she went through so much loss, abuse, and turmoil starting from a young age. I’ve never been a fan of cult stories, documentaries, etc. (besides the notorious ones like The Manson Family and Jonestown) because they hit TOO close to home and humankind/reality is always a lot scarier than anything else IMO. All in all, I loved Rainy and was invested in her from the very start. I couldn’t wait for her to enact her revenge on the one person who severely wronged her - as problematic as that may sound 🤷🏾♀️
I also wanted to note that I enjoyed The Real Housewives-esque nature of Rainy’s friend group because those women were all a mess and had the stupidest drama, but I lived for it, lmao!
The main things that I didn’t care for was that the writing got a bit weird at certain points and I felt like some of what was going on in the present day timeline dragged on. I was more-so interested in the past, but I do appreciate how everything came together in the end.
Final Thoughts: Overall, I loved the story! The MC was compelling, the plot was thrilling, and all the cult sh*t was wild. Also, the last sentence of the story 🫶🏾!!! I legit teared up because it was the icing on the cake/satisfying end to a great revenge tale.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship
hayleighheggem's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder
anovelglimpse's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Tarryn Fisher is one of those authors whose books I like to go into without having read the blurb. She's a master of crazy twists, so I don't want to know anything about the story before I start. This always gives me the biggest payoffs. This is what I did for An Honest Lie, and I reaped the benefits.
An Honest Lie pulled me in from the very first page. The imagery Fisher created with her words was so vivid. It was like I could see everything she was describing: the Nevada desert, the Tiger Mountain weather, the braid down Rainy's back for example. I also appreciated that while I loved the imagery, it didn't become overly descriptive and take over the story. There was just enough to make me feel like I was there in the same places as Rainy and Summer.
I loved the way the story was set up. The "Now"(Rainy) and "Then" (Summer) timelines drove my curiosity. Rainy was a new PNW transplant who was befriended by her partner's wives and roped into a Las Vegas girls' trip. Summer was a teenager who navigated a cult. Both timelines were equally intriguing and had me on edge in different ways. I wondered what was coming next in each timeline and how they would merge. That helped ramp up the suspense and Fisher even managed to surprise me a couple of times. With how many psychological thrillers I've read over the years, that a hard thing to do so kudos to her.
I do feel like I should mention for the OG Fisher fans out there that when I compare An Honest Lie to some of Fisher's other releases (I Can Be a Better You, Mud Vein) it did feel a little tamer and less shocking. Maybe it's the difference between self-published and publisher published. It didn't bother me but was something that I thought about when trying to think about how I would compare this book to her others.
An Honest Lie was another great psychological thriller from Tarryn Fisher. I enjoyed every minute of it -- Well, maybe not those anxiety ridden minutes, but they had to happen. Haha.
You can find this review and others like it at A Novel Glimpse .
An Honest Lie pulled me in from the very first page. The imagery Fisher created with her words was so vivid. It was like I could see everything she was describing: the Nevada desert, the Tiger Mountain weather, the braid down Rainy's back for example. I also appreciated that while I loved the imagery, it didn't become overly descriptive and take over the story. There was just enough to make me feel like I was there in the same places as Rainy and Summer.
I loved the way the story was set up. The "Now"(Rainy) and "Then" (Summer) timelines drove my curiosity. Rainy was a new PNW transplant who was befriended by her partner's wives and roped into a Las Vegas girls' trip. Summer was a teenager who navigated a cult. Both timelines were equally intriguing and had me on edge in different ways. I wondered what was coming next in each timeline and how they would merge. That helped ramp up the suspense and Fisher even managed to surprise me a couple of times. With how many psychological thrillers I've read over the years, that a hard thing to do so kudos to her.
I do feel like I should mention for the OG Fisher fans out there that when I compare An Honest Lie to some of Fisher's other releases (I Can Be a Better You, Mud Vein) it did feel a little tamer and less shocking. Maybe it's the difference between self-published and publisher published. It didn't bother me but was something that I thought about when trying to think about how I would compare this book to her others.
An Honest Lie was another great psychological thriller from Tarryn Fisher. I enjoyed every minute of it -- Well, maybe not those anxiety ridden minutes, but they had to happen. Haha.
You can find this review and others like it at A Novel Glimpse .
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
cultsfoldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rainy has uprooted her life as an artist in New York to live with her partner in the Pacific Northwest. Having spent most of her life running from the past, moving to this isolated, nondescript location is the perfect place to hide. However, at the encouragement of her partner, she’s trying to immerse herself in the community, and much to her chagrin, finds herself on a weekend trip to Las Vegas with new “friends”. Here, she comes to come face to face with the horrors of her past, which she’ll have to confront to escape Nevada alive…
It took me a while to warm up to this one, but by around the midway point I was absolutely hooked. This book coiled at the back of my mind, striking out periodically with a deep desire to know what’s happening next, to stop whatever I was doing to immerse myself back in the story.
This book is first and foremost about flawed, complex women, and how they navigate through power dynamics in relationships. I loved how badass Rainy was throughout this story and how she showed incredible strength in the face of vulnerability.
The ending came a bit too abruptly for my taste and there were loose threads lingering that that were not nearly tied up, which still perplex me. But ultimately, this was a satisfyingly tense and twisty thriller. This was my first Tarryn Fisher book, it definitely won’t be my last.
This book is for you if you like:
* Alternating timelines
* All things cultish
* Contrasting settings between the Pacific Northwest, the Nevada desert, and the glitz of Las Vegas.
Thanks to the HarperCollins Canada’s Killer Crime Club for hosting this giveaway to win a digital review copy to read through Netgalley!
It took me a while to warm up to this one, but by around the midway point I was absolutely hooked. This book coiled at the back of my mind, striking out periodically with a deep desire to know what’s happening next, to stop whatever I was doing to immerse myself back in the story.
This book is first and foremost about flawed, complex women, and how they navigate through power dynamics in relationships. I loved how badass Rainy was throughout this story and how she showed incredible strength in the face of vulnerability.
The ending came a bit too abruptly for my taste and there were loose threads lingering that that were not nearly tied up, which still perplex me. But ultimately, this was a satisfyingly tense and twisty thriller. This was my first Tarryn Fisher book, it definitely won’t be my last.
This book is for you if you like:
* Alternating timelines
* All things cultish
* Contrasting settings between the Pacific Northwest, the Nevada desert, and the glitz of Las Vegas.
Thanks to the HarperCollins Canada’s Killer Crime Club for hosting this giveaway to win a digital review copy to read through Netgalley!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Violence, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Torture and Murder
Minor: Drug abuse and Pregnancy