Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
dark
mysterious
slow-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:
Complicated
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
When Emma's best friend, Abigail, goes missing from a party in the woods, she becomes consumed by guilt. She left Abigail at the party and went home. Abigail had insisted, but she blames herself anyway. She is determined to find out what happened to Abigail no matter the consequences and no matter what she discovers.
In Anna Bailey's debut novel, Where the Truth Lies, Emma is devastated by her best friend's disappearance. She peels back layers of secrets many townspeople want to stay hidden. Emma has help from a few unlikely people. Some of them seem to know more about her best friend than she did. Emma wonders if she really knows Abigail at all.
Bailey captures the cross interactions of a small town. She shows how actions involve multiple people, how some "secrets" are known to everyone but not discussed, and how pulling a thread can unwrap the delicate balance of a small town.
The story is told in alternating timelines - then and now. Characters come in and out of the story and felt flat. At times, the story was confusing, and it felt jumbled. It seems to try too hard, and it did not resonate with me.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 8/3/21.
When Emma's best friend, Abigail, goes missing from a party in the woods, she becomes consumed by guilt. She left Abigail at the party and went home. Abigail had insisted, but she blames herself anyway. She is determined to find out what happened to Abigail no matter the consequences and no matter what she discovers.
In Anna Bailey's debut novel, Where the Truth Lies, Emma is devastated by her best friend's disappearance. She peels back layers of secrets many townspeople want to stay hidden. Emma has help from a few unlikely people. Some of them seem to know more about her best friend than she did. Emma wonders if she really knows Abigail at all.
Bailey captures the cross interactions of a small town. She shows how actions involve multiple people, how some "secrets" are known to everyone but not discussed, and how pulling a thread can unwrap the delicate balance of a small town.
The story is told in alternating timelines - then and now. Characters come in and out of the story and felt flat. At times, the story was confusing, and it felt jumbled. It seems to try too hard, and it did not resonate with me.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 8/3/21.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While a lot of this book was typical thriller about a missing teen fare, there were definitely some unique elements. I found most of the characters fairly unique and interesting and some of the side plots were cool. Overall, the book was a bit overdone, but the interesting characters and side plots definitely made it a worthwhile read. Looking forward to reading whatever Bailey writes next!
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
but why is the 17 year old an alcoholic
but very good characters a lil hard to understand the flow in the beginning but when it picks up you are synced in
but very good characters a lil hard to understand the flow in the beginning but when it picks up you are synced in
I have to admit that when I started this novel I was a bit skeptical on the story. This fact very quickly changed as I found myself sucked into the universe that Anna Bailey has created.
Abigail Blake has gone missing, Noah Blake is in love, Jude Blake is trying to be a normal kid, and the parents are all sorts of crazy and messed up. This may not sound like the makings of a best seller, but they truly are. The writing is engaging and, quite possibly, one of the first books I have ever read that seems so conversational that I can' put it down just so that I can find out what happens next. The story is set in modern times but, having just watched season four of Stranger Things, I found myself also able to picture the setting of this book as the 1980s, which endeared it to me all the more.
Summer is not over so if you have yet to read this amazing novel, I suggest you pick it up immediately and let the page turning begin!
Abigail Blake has gone missing, Noah Blake is in love, Jude Blake is trying to be a normal kid, and the parents are all sorts of crazy and messed up. This may not sound like the makings of a best seller, but they truly are. The writing is engaging and, quite possibly, one of the first books I have ever read that seems so conversational that I can' put it down just so that I can find out what happens next. The story is set in modern times but, having just watched season four of Stranger Things, I found myself also able to picture the setting of this book as the 1980s, which endeared it to me all the more.
Summer is not over so if you have yet to read this amazing novel, I suggest you pick it up immediately and let the page turning begin!
A remote town in the middle of the mountains of Colorado takes centerstage in Where The Truth Lies, unfurling the secrets of townspeople after a teenage girl (Abi) goes missing. Abi’s best friend Emma doesn’t believe that Abi would just run away without her and sets out to figure out what really happened.
From the friendships to the toxic town’s prejudices to the small town setting, I didn’t feel like I personally related to the story very much. While the story itself was interesting, it was a slower read for me since I was a bit disconnected from the narrative. The plot centered around Abi and her disappearance, but we never really got to know her that well to understand her various connections and relationships. I would’ve liked to understand her better. Although the final discovery went a long way in explaining some of her motives and actions, I was left with a lot more questions about how much her brother Noah may have known and the extent of Abi’s relationship with Hunter.
Noah and Rat were the characters that most intrigued me – especially Rat. We don’t know much about him or how he came to be in this random town in the middle of nowhere, a long way away from Romania. I would definitely be interested in his story – what happened to his family and how he ended up in a Colorado trailer park.
The small-town mountainside made for an interesting setting, but it was also really kind of creepy. After reading about the author’s real-life experience living near the book’s setting, it really made me wonder about how much of this was fiction and how much was really inspired by Anna Bailey’s time in Colorado. That connection between the author and the story was the most stimulating and thought-provoking aspect of this book!
From the friendships to the toxic town’s prejudices to the small town setting, I didn’t feel like I personally related to the story very much. While the story itself was interesting, it was a slower read for me since I was a bit disconnected from the narrative. The plot centered around Abi and her disappearance, but we never really got to know her that well to understand her various connections and relationships. I would’ve liked to understand her better. Although the final discovery went a long way in explaining some of her motives and actions, I was left with a lot more questions about how much her brother Noah may have known and the extent of Abi’s relationship with Hunter.
Noah and Rat were the characters that most intrigued me – especially Rat. We don’t know much about him or how he came to be in this random town in the middle of nowhere, a long way away from Romania. I would definitely be interested in his story – what happened to his family and how he ended up in a Colorado trailer park.
The small-town mountainside made for an interesting setting, but it was also really kind of creepy. After reading about the author’s real-life experience living near the book’s setting, it really made me wonder about how much of this was fiction and how much was really inspired by Anna Bailey’s time in Colorado. That connection between the author and the story was the most stimulating and thought-provoking aspect of this book!