Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

74 reviews

courtofsmutandstuff's review against another edition

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5.0

This would be a perfect airplane book for any flight over 5 hours (under that you won't finish the book on the flight and then will be in distress until you can finish it). It is totally a book you can devour in a day. I don't want to spoil anything but I really did love this one and highly recommend it for thriller fans. 
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klandry98's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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emmaspaperbacks's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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elizlizabeth's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

This book answers the question What if Tom Cruise Mission Impossible were a woman? a question that nobody asked but which given how entertaining the result, should've been posed ages ago. 10/10 would watch a movie adaptation.
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riannonsbookishera's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

The premise is intriguing, centered on characters whose lives are intertwined with secrets and lies. The plot was rich with tension, and characters were well-developed, each hiding layers of truths and lies that made them as deceiving as the narrater seems. 

While this book is marketed as a thriller, it often feels more like a domestic drama with suspenseful elements rather than a full-fledged thriller. The pacing is steady, but I found myself wishing for more high-stakes moments and twists that every thrill seeker is looking for in a "thriller". The plot builds slowly, and though it is well-crafted, it lacks the heart-pounding intensity that you might be expecting when picking up this book. 

Despite this, the conclusion is satisfying and delivers a powerful punch that ties up the story beautifully. It's a solid read for those who enjoy character-driven stories with an undercurrent of suspense. While I would have appreciated more thrills, the strong ending makes it a worthwhile read. If you go in with the right expectations, you'll likely find it a rewarding experience. 
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missbitiz's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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tayreads10's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I flew through this book! I was so sucked into the plot of her shady employment dilemmas and how that played out. Thoroughly enjoyed and hoping there is a sequel to continue where it leaves off!
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yvo_about_books's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

4.5

Finished reading: August 23rd 2024


“There's an old saying: The first lie wins. It's not referring to the little white kind that tumble out with no thought; it refers to the big one. The one that changes the game.”

Part of me was a bit hesitant to read First Lie Wins, as we all know how hyped books and me tend to get along... But there was something about the premise I wasn't able to resist, and I ended up giving in. I'm so glad I did now, because I ended up having SUCH a great time reading book! Things can be said about the credibility, but I personally didn't care as the entertainment level was through the roof. First Lie Wins reads like a Hollywood action movie with a similar vibe as Mr. And Mrs. Smith, and the premise had me fully hooked. The story is told through Evie Porter's POV, and switches back between different time in her past and the present. There was something about Evie that made it easy to start rooting for her despite her flaws, and the flashbacks worked perfectly to start revealing certain information and twists. The building up of tension and suspense was really well done, and it had me turning page after page as I HAD to know how it would all end. And while I guessed some of the twists, others came as a total surprise. The writing itself is extremely engaging and the heist/spy elements really made this story stand out. The ending itself was perfect for this story, and the journey itself was a blast as well. If you enjoyed fast-paced, engaging and cleverly plotted thrillers with a spy/heist vibe and don't mind suspending your disbelief, I can highly recommend First Lie Wins. 
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amanda_reads13's review

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mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • 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

Evie is just her current alias. She has been many people since working for Mr. Smith. But her current assignment starts to go sideways when someone impersonating her real identity shows up. 

Evie has been working for Mr. Smith for years, being used and manipulated into doing his dirty work. She very smart, but it seems like he has always been one step ahead of her. She seems a bit naive, but she is incredibly cunning and resourcful. We learn that
Evie has been planning Mr. Smith's takedown for years with her small team, Devon and Amy. As Mr. Smith tries to take Evie down, they are secretly discovering his secrets and true identity.


I had an idea of where this was heading, but
I thought Ryan was going to be Mr. Smith, not the UPS guy! It makes sense that he would always want to be close and keep a close eye on her.


I felt that the ending was a bit cheesy, but
it is interesting that she becomes Ms. Smith and takes over.
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stephaniezd's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Excellent storytelling and I couldn’t believe how the story wrapped up. The end was a little convoluted, which was difficult to follow, so I took a half point off. Will be recommending!! 
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