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brewtifulfiction's review
4.0
WOW
I read this book in less than three hours.
I'd describe it as a bit American Gods (ish)
Powerful delivery and exciting storyline kept me turning the pages.
You can tell by how fast I read it that I didn't want to put it down.
It's one of those stories that I feel like I can't say very much at all for fear of spoiling it. What I will say is that this is a unique story (at least to me) one that is well paced with a dramatic atmosphere that builds steadily with every turned page.
It seems to me, that it's been left open so a sequel could be written. I would definitely be interested in how the Red Valley would grow and change in the aftermath of all that the liar has left in her wake.
Lies and secrets a plenty can be found within this novel. Some necessary, some much more selfish. All with immense consequences!
Highly recommended.
I read this book in less than three hours.
I'd describe it as a bit American Gods (ish)
Powerful delivery and exciting storyline kept me turning the pages.
You can tell by how fast I read it that I didn't want to put it down.
It's one of those stories that I feel like I can't say very much at all for fear of spoiling it. What I will say is that this is a unique story (at least to me) one that is well paced with a dramatic atmosphere that builds steadily with every turned page.
It seems to me, that it's been left open so a sequel could be written. I would definitely be interested in how the Red Valley would grow and change in the aftermath of all that the liar has left in her wake.
Lies and secrets a plenty can be found within this novel. Some necessary, some much more selfish. All with immense consequences!
Highly recommended.
cassidee_omnilegent's review
4.0
What a fun book! The Liar of Red Valley is wildly imaginative. I found this novel to be so original, which is hard to say in this day and age. The world that Goodwater created is so fresh, even though it takes place in California. Red Valley is a little town filled with magic while being surrounded by ordinary areas.
I loved the different forms of magical beings, especially the Laughing Boys. The system of Lying was so cool, too! I was in awe of the way our author so seemlessly incorporated new ideas and blended them with the world as we know it. I found myself sucked in and immersed in Red Valley immediately.
Sadie is a strong lead and I loved watching her find herself. We are treated to quite the twist and I was so pleased with how Goodwater pulled this off. I love that we never know quite who to trust around her. Is the Sheriff evil? Is the King? I went back and forth on how I wanted her to work with.
This is read as a stand-alone but I could definitely see myself following Sadie onto more adventures. It was so easy to devour and I find it quite refreshing to not have to commit to a whole series, as much as I love them. Well done, Walter Goodwater! Thanks so much to Rebellion for this review copy.
stephbookshine's review
5.0
*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
With this book, Walter Goodwater has set up a unique and totally immersive world: paranormal entities on one side of the river and humans on the other (with a little slippage each way) and it’s all held precariously together by the will of the King and the enforcement of the King’s Men.
As the daughter of the Liar and inheritor of the role, Sadie is forced to reluctantly walk the fine line between the two worlds, and the reader is pulled in from the very beginning and is right there with her to the grand finale! The set-up alone is an instant hook – with the function of the Liar and how the process works – and then the casual blending of horror with the mundane keeps you on edge as Sadie’s investigations begin to chip away and the secrets and lies.
There are underlying and overt themes of deception, doing the right thing, what is really real, and of the power of unity against strength. I definitely did NOT see some of the twists and turns coming and was blown away when the truth was finally revealed.
I’d love to see a series based on this setting and characters as it felt there was so much potential for further stories here, and I was really reluctant to tear myself away from Red Valley. I’ll be keeping an eye on this author’s new releases, for example, The Name Thief, which released last week and looks equally intriguing…!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2022/07/17/catch-up-quickies-23/
With this book, Walter Goodwater has set up a unique and totally immersive world: paranormal entities on one side of the river and humans on the other (with a little slippage each way) and it’s all held precariously together by the will of the King and the enforcement of the King’s Men.
As the daughter of the Liar and inheritor of the role, Sadie is forced to reluctantly walk the fine line between the two worlds, and the reader is pulled in from the very beginning and is right there with her to the grand finale! The set-up alone is an instant hook – with the function of the Liar and how the process works – and then the casual blending of horror with the mundane keeps you on edge as Sadie’s investigations begin to chip away and the secrets and lies.
There are underlying and overt themes of deception, doing the right thing, what is really real, and of the power of unity against strength. I definitely did NOT see some of the twists and turns coming and was blown away when the truth was finally revealed.
I’d love to see a series based on this setting and characters as it felt there was so much potential for further stories here, and I was really reluctant to tear myself away from Red Valley. I’ll be keeping an eye on this author’s new releases, for example, The Name Thief, which released last week and looks equally intriguing…!
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2022/07/17/catch-up-quickies-23/
emmacatereads's review
3.0
A gripping Southern California gothic about a young woman reluctantly tied to dying, demonic town. This reminded me a lot of Robert Jackson Bennett’s American Elsewhere with a touch of Welcome to Nightvale, though it didn’t dig as deeply as it could have into the electrifying supernatural elements. Most of the magic was very unique: between the concept of the liar and the Liar’s Price, drugs that allow laughing demons to consume the minds of addicts, and a delightful duo of time-traveling queer Victorian men. Goodwater is clearly a talented writer of thrillers: several chapters had me chewing on my nails in distress as Sadie faced danger after danger with little hope of escape.
However, the plot was a bit of a mess and the conflict contrived. The central drama is twofold: the King of Red Valley and a dangerous lie that Sadie’s mom told on his behalf, and an odious undersheriff who wants to drive the supernatural elements out of town. Both problems were resolved incredibly quickly and disappointingly without too much effort on the side of our protagonist. Furthermore, there is a lot of time spent talking about the King’s enemies and building up to a final battle that never comes to a satisfying fruition. Overall, I wish that either more time had been spent digging into the interesting magical elements (I could have read a whole book about Charles and Thomas) or that the focus of the story had been narrowed, allowing more complexity to evolve within the antagonists.
However, the plot was a bit of a mess and the conflict contrived. The central drama is twofold: the King of Red Valley and a dangerous lie that Sadie’s mom told on his behalf, and an odious undersheriff who wants to drive the supernatural elements out of town. Both problems were resolved incredibly quickly and disappointingly without too much effort on the side of our protagonist. Furthermore, there is a lot of time spent talking about the King’s enemies and building up to a final battle that never comes to a satisfying fruition. Overall, I wish that either more time had been spent digging into the interesting magical elements (I could have read a whole book about Charles and Thomas) or that the focus of the story had been narrowed, allowing more complexity to evolve within the antagonists.
gen_wolfhailstorm's review
2.0
Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc. All opinions remain my own.
I opted to listen to the audio version, available through Borrowbox.
The details
Read by: Munirih Grace
The narrator
I couldn't stand the voice actress for this one. She really grated on me. I think this would have benefitted from a full cast. The voices for male characters really didn't work... it was like that stereotypical voice a sister does to take the mick out of their brother!
The story
This was an urban gothic fantasy horror set in a small town, in modern day America. The premises had this really unique concept surrounding lies and secrets, with a supernatural edge to it. It was one that I was pretty excited for.
Unfortunately I just didn't connect to the narration and execution of the plot. I think it felt maybe too modern for my liking. I feel like I haven't read a newer urban fantasy for a good while (I've recently gone back to read popular YA urban fantasy and they're just built different) so I think I find the blend of modern fantasy is just too jarring for me. It also read more YA to me than Adult (which I believe was it's intended target audience). I enjoy YA but when it's aimed at a different group, I expect it to feel different.
I also struggled to keep up with the different threads of plot, which may be due to listening rather than reading. It just felt a bit tangled and convoluted for me.
I was forever on the cusp of dnf'ing this but I really thought I'd suddenly love it, however unfortunately that was not the case, for the bulk of the story - to my great disappointment.
It is frustrating because the middle bit of the very last 15% had me so hooked but I couldn't appreciate it to the fullest because of all my earlier struggles in this world.
I believe this is just a standalone and I think I would have left it at that, had there been more to come.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
I opted to listen to the audio version, available through Borrowbox.
The details
Read by: Munirih Grace
The narrator
I couldn't stand the voice actress for this one. She really grated on me. I think this would have benefitted from a full cast. The voices for male characters really didn't work... it was like that stereotypical voice a sister does to take the mick out of their brother!
The story
This was an urban gothic fantasy horror set in a small town, in modern day America. The premises had this really unique concept surrounding lies and secrets, with a supernatural edge to it. It was one that I was pretty excited for.
Unfortunately I just didn't connect to the narration and execution of the plot. I think it felt maybe too modern for my liking. I feel like I haven't read a newer urban fantasy for a good while (I've recently gone back to read popular YA urban fantasy and they're just built different) so I think I find the blend of modern fantasy is just too jarring for me. It also read more YA to me than Adult (which I believe was it's intended target audience). I enjoy YA but when it's aimed at a different group, I expect it to feel different.
I also struggled to keep up with the different threads of plot, which may be due to listening rather than reading. It just felt a bit tangled and convoluted for me.
I was forever on the cusp of dnf'ing this but I really thought I'd suddenly love it, however unfortunately that was not the case, for the bulk of the story - to my great disappointment.
It is frustrating because the middle bit of the very last 15% had me so hooked but I couldn't appreciate it to the fullest because of all my earlier struggles in this world.
I believe this is just a standalone and I think I would have left it at that, had there been more to come.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
veil0819's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
neville_lvr_reads's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was another 3/4 star read for me. I ended up going with 4 because I think had I not gotten into a reading slump in the middle of reading this, I would have liked it a lot better 😅
The Liar of Red Valley is a bit of a fantasy mystery thriller mix. It’s got an interesting and unique magic system, but not quite enough world building for how complex it got, so I was left with a few unanswered questions. The main premise is that there is magic in Red Valley. That magic comes from the King. Sadie, our main character, inherits the powers of the Liar of Red Valley - anything she writes and seals with blood become true. We get to meet a number of monsters and demons, in addition to a magic house that pops in and out of time, which is pretty cool. Plot wise, there were some really good twists and a lot of action, but the ending felt a smidge rushed.
I bought this book on impulse from my local indie a while back based solely on the cover and title - since joining bookstagram, buying books this way has been harder, but doing it always gets me something so unique that I might not have otherwise picked up ☺️
The Liar of Red Valley is a bit of a fantasy mystery thriller mix. It’s got an interesting and unique magic system, but not quite enough world building for how complex it got, so I was left with a few unanswered questions. The main premise is that there is magic in Red Valley. That magic comes from the King. Sadie, our main character, inherits the powers of the Liar of Red Valley - anything she writes and seals with blood become true. We get to meet a number of monsters and demons, in addition to a magic house that pops in and out of time, which is pretty cool. Plot wise, there were some really good twists and a lot of action, but the ending felt a smidge rushed.
I bought this book on impulse from my local indie a while back based solely on the cover and title - since joining bookstagram, buying books this way has been harder, but doing it always gets me something so unique that I might not have otherwise picked up ☺️
wintherreader's review
5.0
July 21st: joined netgalley and requested the liar of red valley.
July 22nd: request approved
July 23rd: read book (finished 2am on the 24th)
First book i have read in a month, and this was the perfect book for me to read to get back into reading.
It was hard for me to put the book down and stop reading it, and right now i already want to read it again.
Definitely the best book I've read so far in 2021
This book is about Sadie who's the daughter of the Liar, and when The Liar dies, that's when troubles begins.
Sadie inherits the powers that was gifted to her family in the 1800's by the King of Red Valley.
And in red valley there are three rules just must follow if you want to stay alive
Don’t trust the Liar.
Don’t go in the River.
Do not cross the King.
This book has a bit of everything, Creepy beasts called The laughing boys, an annoying new under-sheriff who disapprove of the king (not annoying because he disapproves, he's just annoying and a jerk), a time traveling gay couple (whom i adore), and great friendship
July 22nd: request approved
July 23rd: read book (finished 2am on the 24th)
First book i have read in a month, and this was the perfect book for me to read to get back into reading.
It was hard for me to put the book down and stop reading it, and right now i already want to read it again.
Definitely the best book I've read so far in 2021
This book is about Sadie who's the daughter of the Liar, and when The Liar dies, that's when troubles begins.
Sadie inherits the powers that was gifted to her family in the 1800's by the King of Red Valley.
And in red valley there are three rules just must follow if you want to stay alive
Don’t trust the Liar.
Don’t go in the River.
Do not cross the King.
This book has a bit of everything, Creepy beasts called The laughing boys, an annoying new under-sheriff who disapprove of the king (not annoying because he disapproves, he's just annoying and a jerk), a time traveling gay couple (whom i adore), and great friendship
kmfb87a5's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0