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A review by marleens
The Liar of Red Valley by Walter Goodwater
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
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? No
5.0
I received an eARC of The Liar of Red Valley by Walter Goodwater through Netgalley, thanks Rebellion Publishing! The hardback came out last fall, and the paperback version comes out this month on July 21th.
_Don’t trust the Liar.
_Do not cross the King.
_Never, ever go in the River.
This is an urban fantasy horror blend, set in a Californian town called Red Valley. When Sadie’s mom dies, she inherits her power as the Liar of Red Valley. The Liar has the ability to tell Lies and change the world. But while Sadie gets used to her new role and the secrets that come with it, things are changing in Red Valley. Danger lurks across the bridge, and Sadie needs to find answers and find them fast.
I loved the atmosphere, the blend of genres worked really well for me. The mixture of the realness of the town with the fantasy elements gave it perfect urban fantasy vibes, and the added horror elements were the icing on the cake.
Main character Sadie is great, I could really empathize with her and I love how she grows into her role throughout the book, as well as her bravery and ingenuity. I also enjoyed the different side characters we meet along the way, some helpful, some…not so helpful.
The plot is fast-paced and the stakes are high. There was a real sense of urgency throughout, which I loved. I felt like nobody was truly safe, I was on the edge of my seat a lot, and there were some jaw-dropping twists that left me in shock.
5 stars from me, I had a great time with this and am so glad I read it. Highly recommend!
_Don’t trust the Liar.
_Do not cross the King.
_Never, ever go in the River.
This is an urban fantasy horror blend, set in a Californian town called Red Valley. When Sadie’s mom dies, she inherits her power as the Liar of Red Valley. The Liar has the ability to tell Lies and change the world. But while Sadie gets used to her new role and the secrets that come with it, things are changing in Red Valley. Danger lurks across the bridge, and Sadie needs to find answers and find them fast.
I loved the atmosphere, the blend of genres worked really well for me. The mixture of the realness of the town with the fantasy elements gave it perfect urban fantasy vibes, and the added horror elements were the icing on the cake.
Main character Sadie is great, I could really empathize with her and I love how she grows into her role throughout the book, as well as her bravery and ingenuity. I also enjoyed the different side characters we meet along the way, some helpful, some…not so helpful.
The plot is fast-paced and the stakes are high. There was a real sense of urgency throughout, which I loved. I felt like nobody was truly safe, I was on the edge of my seat a lot, and there were some jaw-dropping twists that left me in shock.
5 stars from me, I had a great time with this and am so glad I read it. Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Cancer, Blood, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Racism and Police brutality
Minor: Abortion, Pregnancy, and Drug use