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pause_theframe's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! I am utterly blown away by this book. I was desperate for a read that I could completely immerse myself into, being bed bound with pregnancy, and this book beyond delivered. I was so caught up in the story and the brilliant level of detail that I finished it in one night!
Throughout this story, the brilliant level of detail has you jumping to conclusions, all of which will be wrong, and twisting your mind to try to figure out just has happened in this small town, and how many lives it will tear apart in the process. The story flows exceptionally well, filled with turns and excitement, whilst also remaining very realistic and true.
The level of detail in both the crime and characters really bring the story and the world to life. It is very easy to become part of the story and see yourself there, trying to figure out exactly what took place and when. You’ll find yourself liking people you thought you wouldn’t and hating others. From cover to cover, you will want to keep your mind sharp, a important little details crop up in the story, that you’ll notice later.
Overall, this is by far the best story I have read, in 2020, and it will take a lot to come close to beating it. It is written to perfection and flows so realistically that you will start to think it really happened. A definite must read!
Throughout this story, the brilliant level of detail has you jumping to conclusions, all of which will be wrong, and twisting your mind to try to figure out just has happened in this small town, and how many lives it will tear apart in the process. The story flows exceptionally well, filled with turns and excitement, whilst also remaining very realistic and true.
The level of detail in both the crime and characters really bring the story and the world to life. It is very easy to become part of the story and see yourself there, trying to figure out exactly what took place and when. You’ll find yourself liking people you thought you wouldn’t and hating others. From cover to cover, you will want to keep your mind sharp, a important little details crop up in the story, that you’ll notice later.
Overall, this is by far the best story I have read, in 2020, and it will take a lot to come close to beating it. It is written to perfection and flows so realistically that you will start to think it really happened. A definite must read!
onceuponthesewords's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
Everything and everyone goes crazy when Jenny, a local teenager, is found brutally murdered on Natalie’s family’s farm. Chrissy Cornwall, who is only 14 at the time, is found guilty of the murder and is sentenced to a lifetime in prison. However, 30 years later, she is released… and she wants Natalie to tell her story and what really happened to Jenny many years ago.
I started reading this at the same time that I started The Overnight Guest, and there were a few similarities between the two books so I kept getting confused between the stories. I ended up pausing this one and coming back to it at a later time, which I’m really glad I did!
With a fresh mind, I was way more into the story and intrigued by the storyline. It was a pretty quick read after that. I was hooked from the beginning, and it was a pretty thrilling read.
I did feel like the ending was way too rushed, and I’m not too sure how satisfied I feel with the way everything wrapped up. I didn’t realize the book was so short because I had about 35% of the book left, so when I found out that the rest of the ARC was actually a couple of chapters of a different Carissa Ann Lynch book, I was taken aback.
But overall, it was a great first book to read from Carissa Ann Lynch, and I can’t wait to pick up more of her others!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
Everything and everyone goes crazy when Jenny, a local teenager, is found brutally murdered on Natalie’s family’s farm. Chrissy Cornwall, who is only 14 at the time, is found guilty of the murder and is sentenced to a lifetime in prison. However, 30 years later, she is released… and she wants Natalie to tell her story and what really happened to Jenny many years ago.
I started reading this at the same time that I started The Overnight Guest, and there were a few similarities between the two books so I kept getting confused between the stories. I ended up pausing this one and coming back to it at a later time, which I’m really glad I did!
With a fresh mind, I was way more into the story and intrigued by the storyline. It was a pretty quick read after that. I was hooked from the beginning, and it was a pretty thrilling read.
I did feel like the ending was way too rushed, and I’m not too sure how satisfied I feel with the way everything wrapped up. I didn’t realize the book was so short because I had about 35% of the book left, so when I found out that the rest of the ARC was actually a couple of chapters of a different Carissa Ann Lynch book, I was taken aback.
But overall, it was a great first book to read from Carissa Ann Lynch, and I can’t wait to pick up more of her others!
heatheradoresbooks's review against another edition
4.0
4.25 ⭐
Gripping from the beginning to the chilling end. Just when I think I am reading too many thrillers in a row and it'll be predictable ~ WHAM I get totally blindsided ~ I did not see that twist coming.
When Natalie was 9 years old, Jenny, a popular 14 year old girl, was found brutally murdered on her family's farm. Local trailer park 15 year old girl, Chrissy, confesses to her murder. Now, some 30 years or so later, Chrissy is out on parole and folks from the small town are not happy one bit.
Natalie has always wanted to be a published author, even has a degree, but she was never successful and is making ends meet by working at K-Mart. On a whim, she reaches out to Chrissy to try to figure out why she so easily confessed all those years ago in hopes of writing her story.
As the pages turn more information is slowly, but not annoyingly so, revealed of what really happened that night.
For some reason, maybe because we first meet Natalie when she is 9, she always seemed somewhat immature to me, even when she's in her 40's. Perhaps it was because she was running outside in the middle of night because she heard a noise. What single lady would do that when living on a remote farm?
One thing about the barn ~
Fast paced with tons of action jammed packed in this quick read. Happy to have found a new author to devour again and again.
TW ~ Suicide, brutal teenage murder, and I did not care for one part that joked about child molestation.
*Thanks to Netgalley, Harper 360 and [a:Carissa Ann Lynch|11204582|Carissa Ann Lynch|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1439497853p2/11204582.jpg] for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Heather Adores Books
Gripping from the beginning to the chilling end. Just when I think I am reading too many thrillers in a row and it'll be predictable ~ WHAM I get totally blindsided ~ I did not see that twist coming.
When Natalie was 9 years old, Jenny, a popular 14 year old girl, was found brutally murdered on her family's farm. Local trailer park 15 year old girl, Chrissy, confesses to her murder. Now, some 30 years or so later, Chrissy is out on parole and folks from the small town are not happy one bit.
Natalie has always wanted to be a published author, even has a degree, but she was never successful and is making ends meet by working at K-Mart. On a whim, she reaches out to Chrissy to try to figure out why she so easily confessed all those years ago in hopes of writing her story.
As the pages turn more information is slowly, but not annoyingly so, revealed of what really happened that night.
For some reason, maybe because we first meet Natalie when she is 9, she always seemed somewhat immature to me, even when she's in her 40's. Perhaps it was because she was running outside in the middle of night because she heard a noise. What single lady would do that when living on a remote farm?
One thing about the barn ~
Spoiler
how was this place not searched thoroughly after the murder? You'd think since it happened on their property it would have at least had a look atFast paced with tons of action jammed packed in this quick read. Happy to have found a new author to devour again and again.
TW ~ Suicide, brutal teenage murder, and I did not care for one part that joked about child molestation.
*Thanks to Netgalley, Harper 360 and [a:Carissa Ann Lynch|11204582|Carissa Ann Lynch|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1439497853p2/11204582.jpg] for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Heather Adores Books
angelkat556's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book! It was my second or third by this author and I thought it was a good one. Natalie is obsessed with a murder where the victim was left on her family's property. The killer confessed, was sentenced to prison and is now getting out...and claiming her confession was a lie and she was innocent the whole time. Natalie, who has a creative writing degree, decides to write a true crime book based on Chrissy's new story - and found out way more than she bargained for.
I read this book in one two-hour sitting. It was a fast read that kept me very enthralled, as I wanted to know who did it and why. I was definitely surprised at the end, both by who actually did it and the chain reaction their confession caused. It was shocking and all too plausible. If you like a good thriller, pick this up! 4 stars.
I read this book in one two-hour sitting. It was a fast read that kept me very enthralled, as I wanted to know who did it and why. I was definitely surprised at the end, both by who actually did it and the chain reaction their confession caused. It was shocking and all too plausible. If you like a good thriller, pick this up! 4 stars.
lilibetbombshell's review against another edition
3.0
It’s always hard when you go to write a review for a book and you’re torn, because on one hand the plot is pretty darn cool and the characters are interesting, but the execution of both plot and character just falls flat.
This is the case for me when it comes to “She Lied, She Died”. The plot, which centers around a would-be writer who still lives on the farm where a teenage girl was found dead when she was a little girl and the just-paroled woman who was imprisoned for the crime who is now proclaiming her innocence even though she confessed to the crime when it happened, is actually an interesting and compelling subject manner to start out with. Both of them are outcasts in their town: the would-be writer because the body was found on her family’s land, and the just-paroled woman because, well, she was paroled for killing a teenage girl when she was just a teenager herself and was considered white trash by the rest of the town.
This book could have been an awesome opportunity to explore the themes of poverty somehow still being an acceptable prejudice in this country, of how disadvantaged teenagers are always prime targets for law enforcement, of how media values the beauty of a victim when it comes to crime, and how everyone loves a linear narrative when it comes to violent crime in small towns.
Sadly, this book veered off course. Instead of sticking with our two central characters and unraveling the truth in a more intimate and intriguing way, Lynch runs with just our protagonist as she all of a sudden needs to see her great aunt and her childhood best friend. And all this for a pretty lackluster ending.
This book is mildly diverting, but it didn’t live up to its potential.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper360 for granting me access to this title.
As per personal policy, this review will not appear on any bookseller or social media website due to the 3 star or lower rating.
This is the case for me when it comes to “She Lied, She Died”. The plot, which centers around a would-be writer who still lives on the farm where a teenage girl was found dead when she was a little girl and the just-paroled woman who was imprisoned for the crime who is now proclaiming her innocence even though she confessed to the crime when it happened, is actually an interesting and compelling subject manner to start out with. Both of them are outcasts in their town: the would-be writer because the body was found on her family’s land, and the just-paroled woman because, well, she was paroled for killing a teenage girl when she was just a teenager herself and was considered white trash by the rest of the town.
This book could have been an awesome opportunity to explore the themes of poverty somehow still being an acceptable prejudice in this country, of how disadvantaged teenagers are always prime targets for law enforcement, of how media values the beauty of a victim when it comes to crime, and how everyone loves a linear narrative when it comes to violent crime in small towns.
Sadly, this book veered off course. Instead of sticking with our two central characters and unraveling the truth in a more intimate and intriguing way, Lynch runs with just our protagonist as she all of a sudden needs to see her great aunt and her childhood best friend. And all this for a pretty lackluster ending.
This book is mildly diverting, but it didn’t live up to its potential.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper360 for granting me access to this title.
As per personal policy, this review will not appear on any bookseller or social media website due to the 3 star or lower rating.
creaseinthespinebooks's review against another edition
4.0
She lied, she died had all the check marks of a great thriller.especially when theres a mind blowing shocker.
The characters were well written, the plot was interesting, and that ending was awesome.
There were characters in this book that you loved to hate but i felt the characters
I read many books so it’s hard to shock me but not this book. That ending was like a roller coaster ride I never wanted to end. There were so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. Well done Carissa Ann Lynch.
I would definitely recommend it.
The characters were well written, the plot was interesting, and that ending was awesome.
There were characters in this book that you loved to hate but i felt the characters
I read many books so it’s hard to shock me but not this book. That ending was like a roller coaster ride I never wanted to end. There were so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. Well done Carissa Ann Lynch.
I would definitely recommend it.
perksofbeingabiblophile's review
4.0
best friend. teenager. murderer? when a young girl is found dead in natalie bryers's family’s field, fourteen-year-old chrissy cornwell confesses to the murder and rocks the town. years later, now an adult, chrissy is released from prison, but natalie, an aspiring writer, still has a lot of questions about the validity of the confession. what ensues is a dangerous game of who(actually)dunit as skeletons from the town’s past are dredged up.
“she lied she died” is my first experience with carissa ann lynch and i was stunned by how quickly i got through it! by the time i reached the final chapter, i was surprised it was already over. it was really fun to read as natalie and chrissy get to know one another better and make connections between things that happened to them, their friends, and families long ago. i didn’t know whether or not to believe chrissy, as she was sketchy at times and seemed so innocent at others. i actually had to re-read the final shocking twist to make sure it actually happened.
one thing i didn’t love about this book is that it felt a bit rushed toward the end. it seemed like that final twist came out nowhere, but maybe that’s what the author wanted. part of me wishes it had been set up a little more in advance, but i guess that could lessen the blow of the twist. i also wish there had been more character development in some cases and more family drama from the past.
overall, i’m very excited to read more of carissa’s books! i recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, twisty read.
“she lied she died” is my first experience with carissa ann lynch and i was stunned by how quickly i got through it! by the time i reached the final chapter, i was surprised it was already over. it was really fun to read as natalie and chrissy get to know one another better and make connections between things that happened to them, their friends, and families long ago. i didn’t know whether or not to believe chrissy, as she was sketchy at times and seemed so innocent at others. i actually had to re-read the final shocking twist to make sure it actually happened.
one thing i didn’t love about this book is that it felt a bit rushed toward the end. it seemed like that final twist came out nowhere, but maybe that’s what the author wanted. part of me wishes it had been set up a little more in advance, but i guess that could lessen the blow of the twist. i also wish there had been more character development in some cases and more family drama from the past.
overall, i’m very excited to read more of carissa’s books! i recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, twisty read.
mgnstwrt19's review
5.0
A twist I didn't expect
Fast easy read. Even when I thought I knew, I was wrong. Recommended for those looking for a quick thrill and surprise.
Fast easy read. Even when I thought I knew, I was wrong. Recommended for those looking for a quick thrill and surprise.
natalier3's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. What on earth did I just read?! This book was OOZING with lies, and the ending was so full of twists my head spun. Exactly the kind of thriller I love to read!
Great characters and a strong premise, I love true crime books anyway so the idea of someone investigating a murder on their family farm decades earlier was so interesting to me.
Couldn't put this down and will definitely be recommending it after it's publication.
Great characters and a strong premise, I love true crime books anyway so the idea of someone investigating a murder on their family farm decades earlier was so interesting to me.
Couldn't put this down and will definitely be recommending it after it's publication.