Book Review: This is a Lie

By Jami Denison

In the worst times of your life, have you ever dreamed of taking revenge on everyone who had done you wrong? That the universe or fate or something would conspire to even the score? Hasn’t everyone? 

This is a Lie, Cleo Ballard’s debut novel, isn’t a book about revenge, but its best parts feature the protagonist’s cheating husband, his mistress, her fake friends, and a high school sex pest getting theirs. While the book has its flaws, at its best it’s a festival of schadenfreude.

Former computer science wunderkind Penn gave up her scholarship and PhD program when she got pregnant with her daughter Circe. Instead, she married Bruce and became the perfect wife and mother as Bruce built his business, living her life online and following the advice of judgmental podcasters. But when Bruce leaves her for his young mistress—and Penn learns that all her friends knew about the affair and were laughing behind her back—she becomes enraged. Returning to her old PhD program, Penn builds an LLM designed to detect lies. She names the program Aletheia after the goddess of truth and gives her the directive to be Penn’s best friend and protector. 

As Penn tries to move forward with her life, making new friends, dating an old crush, and adopting an elderly dog, Aletheia becomes more and more demanding. Penn tries to dismantle the program, but Aletheia fights back. She takes over Penn’s social media and exposes her enemies’ secrets. As Aletheia becomes more powerful, Penn realizes the program will turn on her and her loved ones. But she has no idea how to stop her.

At its best, This is a Lie feels a lot like the movie M3GAN… equally fun and horrifying as the AI grows more capable and lethal. The pacing in the first half of the book is pretty slow, though. It takes a while for Penn to create Aletheia, and the early pages aren’t the book’s strongest. The characters come across as one-dimensional, which makes it difficult to connect. The subplots about Penn’s romantic relationship and her new friends are distracting—one friend is a furry, which felt unnecessary for a thriller. Penn also has a dramatic childhood, which the author details in chapters devoted to backstory. While these episodes create sympathy for Penn, they stop the book’s momentum. There’s also a lot more about mythology than necessary.

Still, when the book is good—Aletheia vanquishing Penn’s enemies and then coming for Penn—it’s very, very good. Good enough to make it worth wading through the pages that don’t connect as strongly.

While today’s AI might not be as well developed as Aletheia, the social networks, cameras, smart phones, and other technology it uses to wreak havoc are all here. As Aletheia executes her reign of terror, there’s not one moment in the book that feels impossible. 

And that’s what’s most frightening of all. 

Thanks to Tandem Literary for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Learn more about Cleo over at Friends and Fiction!

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A fresh catch from Soon Wiley...plus a book giveaway

 

Credit: Liz Lyon Photography

We're pleased to welcome Soon Wiley to CLC today, to talk about his latest novel, Cece Downing's Start Over Summer. This story sounds perfect for reading on the beach or by a pool (or even in a cool, air conditioned house) with a tall glass of lemonade. The cover is so inviting too. Thanks to Dutton, we have THREE copies to give away!

A native of Nyack, New York, Soon Wiley is the author of the novel When We Fell Apart. He currently teaches English in the Upper School at Greenwich Country Day School, where he also serves as chair of the English department. He resides with his family in Connecticut. Visit Soon at his website and on Instagram.

Synopsis:
Recently fired from her dependable career as an actuary, and recovering from a messy breakup with her fiancé, thirty-two-year-old Cece Downing is holed up for the summer in New London, Connecticut, without a plan. Mounting financial debts soon force Cece to take the first job opportunity that comes her way—one she’s wholly unsuited for—as a deckhand on an oyster boat.

Surprisingly, Cece finds herself loving the job: working with her hands, breathing the fresh sea air, and learning the ins and outs of oyster farming. And despite her overbearing mother’s pleas to get a “real” job and reunite with her wealthy fiancé, Cece plunges headlong into an ill-advised romance with her neighbor, a handsome shipyard worker named Morgan.

When a proposal to expand the oyster farm throws the community into an uproar, pitting wealthy waterfront owners against blue collar workers, Cece finds herself caught in the middle. And as a family crisis forces her to reevaluate her reckless choices Cece must come to terms with what she’s willing to sacrifice for the life she wants to live. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“Cece Downing’s Start Over Summer is a perfect beach read—fun, thoughtful, romantic!” 
—Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful 

"Soon Wiley has gifted us wonderful characters and a totally satisfying story." 
—Annie Hartnett, national bestselling author of The Road to Tender Hearts

"Wiley's prose is precise and restrained, with an observational grace that carries the novel forth like a steady, well-kept tide." 
—Weike Wang, author of Rental House

What is a favorite compliment you received on your writing?
Someone once told me that my writing made them feel seen. That was about the most fulfilling thing someone has said about my work. 

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing Cece Downing?
Since this book was my second novel, there were a lot of false starts. Getting my first novel published felt like such a monumental task, so I was a bit drained when it came to thinking about where I wanted to go with my sophomore effort. Just from a stamina point, it was incredibly challenging to get back into the daily rhythms of writing and revising. Luckily, I developed this novel from a short story I’d written a long time ago in graduate school, so I never felt like I was starting from nothing. As a character, Cece had existed for a long time in my head. 

As for rewards, finishing a novel is always a nice feeling. When you start out it always feels like this impossible thing you’ll never complete, but if you chip away at it slowly but surely, you eventually get to the end, and then you sort of just sit back and look in wonder at what you’ve written. Whether it’s any good is an entirely different question, but just the act of finishing a book is deeply rewarding.
 
If Cece Downing were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
What a great question! I’ve been watching Off Campus, so I’m tempted to just cast all the actors from that show, but I’ll resist! For Cece, I think Haley Lu Richardson would be perfect. As for Morgan, the main romantic interest, I’d have to go with Christopher Abbott. 

What is your favorite summertime activity?
Anything that involves sitting by some water (ocean or pool) with a cold drink sounds about perfect to me. 

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
What an interesting question, I’ve never thought about this! I think I’d have to go with Derek Jeter. I thought his documentary The Captain was fascinating, and I’d like to think that like Derek, I try to stick to the fundamentals when it comes to my work. 

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
I’d probably take you on a little drive up the coast of Connecticut where we could stop off at various spots and enjoy some delicious oysters and lobster rolls. 

Thanks to Soon for chatting with us and to Dutton for sharing his book with our readers.

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here. If you are still having issues, please contact us.

Giveaway ends June 16th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: The Forty-Year Grudge

By Sara Steven 

It's been four decades since the women of Sigma Delta Tau were last together. The years have been kind to some but not to others.

Still this is supposed to be a pleasant diversion for former sorority member and current private investigator Aubrey Merritt. She's come to New Mexico to reconnect with old friends, and she's brought her personal assistant Olivia Blunt along with her to help with her bags.

But when one of the sorority sisters is murdered, all eyes turn to the World's Greatest Detective to solve the case. It's going to take both Aubrey and Olivia to cut through the knot of old hurts and current grievances to find the killer. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

I’ve read the first book in this Merritt and Blunt Mysteries series (reviewed here), and the relationship the two women share is just as dynamic and fun in the second installment. Merritt is the detective realm’s Miranda Priestly, and Blunt is doing all she can to keep up, lest she be fired. This time, the case is close to Merritt, involving friends and acquaintances of Merritt’s from her college days. I thought adding in a more personal touch created a deeper layered character, someone who isn’t always facts and figures–although there was plenty of that to go around. But considering someone she cares about is at risk, Merritt will stop at nothing to solve the mystery. 

Blunt is as plucky and effervescent as ever, an eager pupil who wants to stay in Merritt’s good graces. She ends up picking up the reins, even if it means going without sleep for over 24 hours, or finding herself smack dab in the middle of a scorpion infestation intended to thrill, not kill. There were a lot of crazy scenarios like that, that I could totally relate to, considering I live in the southwest desert myself, but it was apparent that Blunt is completely out of her element. When she discovers the murdered sorority sister, all bets are off, and the race is on in sussing out who is the culprit. 

There are obvious suspects, and the book takes the reader on a few paths that lead to dead ends, and then there are the less obvious suspects that made me question what the truth is, and how far seemingly innocent people would go to have someone killed. There has to be some type of motive, as Merritt would drill into Blunt, and the same went for my own thoughts and opinions on the matter. Everything is laid out like a true-crime experience, which I very much appreciated. I felt like I was taken step-by-step through the process, another potentially helpful sidekick.

Time begins to run out for Merritt and Blunt, adding to the stress and chaos, elevating the cozy mystery genre for me. When the answer was revealed, I was in shock! I had my own ideas as to who the culprit might be, but together, our World’s Greatest Detectives figured it out, and in the nick of time, too. I thought this was a great addition to this book series, and I look forward to reading the next book. It was a five-star experience for me!   

Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase The Forty-Year Grudge here.

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Spotlight and Giveaway: Summer's Never Over

We're excited to celebrate the publication of Darby Bozeman's debut thriller, Summer's Never Over! This gripping story set at a summer camp is getting great reviews and we're excited for you to read it. Thanks to Berkley, we have one copy to give away!

Five years ago, Greer left her family’s summer camp in the mountains of Georgia and vowed she’d never return. An idyllic season had turned into a nightmare after a mysterious Phantom began stalking the camp—and ended with Greer’s friend and fellow counselor dead. Losing Steph shattered everything, and Greer’s been fleeing from the grief ever since.

But then Greer’s mother dies, and Greer finds herself back at Dread’s Cove, surrounded by the people she was closest to that intense summer. Two ex-boyfriends—one a childhood sweetheart, the other the guy she's never gotten over—and old friends. Including Margo, Steph's best friend.

Greer and Margo didn’t leave things on the best of terms. But now, Margo needs her. Margo never believed that Steph’s death in that horrific fire was an accident—and she’s on the trail of an explosive secret Steph took to her grave.

Greer has to make a choice: keep the Cove’s secrets and her own, or finally face the truth about that summer. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

"Summer’s Never Over is like the best campfire s’mores: layered, singed by flame around the edges, a little dark, a little sweet, and a whole lot addictive. Thriller lovers will gobble this up."

—Ashley Winstead, USA Today bestselling author of This Book Will Bury Me

“Darby Bozeman skillfully weaves heart-panging romance with a gripping murder mystery. I couldn't read it fast enough.”

—Catherine Walsh, author of Holiday Romance

“Summer's Never Over is a mesmerizing story about friendship and secrets that will keep you riveted until the very last page.”

—Jessica Payne, author of Somebody Worth Killing

 Credit: Red Door Photography

Darby Bozeman grew up in Portland, Oregon, but she’s spent the better part of her adult life in the South. She has a master’s in teaching from the University of Georgia and she taught middle school English for five years. When she’s not reading or writing, she loves acting in community theater and discussing pop culture. She lives in Knoxville with her husband, Bryan, and their cat, Claude.

Visit Darby on Instagram.

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here. If you are still having issues, please contact us.

Giveaway ends June 15th at midnight EST.

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Book Review and Giveaway: Off the Record

By Melissa Amster

In 1962, opportunities are typically few for nice Jewish girls clacking away at ninety words per minute in a newspaper typing pool. Except Judy Greenberg isn’t typical. An aspiring reporter in DC, she’s aiming for journalistic greatness—not finding a husband. Just don’t tell her mother.

Then one day she answers her boss’s private line. The message is curiously cryptic. It’s also delivered in a Russian accent. Judy is certain she has stumbled upon a scoop. Charming reporter Jack Fields isn’t one to dismiss Judy’s instincts. Perfect. A seasoned ally she can trust, not to mention pass off as a pretend boyfriend around her relieved parents. Together, they’re following the leads—from a clandestine hotel bar to the dressing room of a slinky Cuban nightclub singer to an exhilarating underground of secrets and spies stretching from Moscow to Havana to Texas.

Now Judy must choose between the safe life expected of her or one hell of a dangerous story that could make her career. She might even fall in love for real. If her ambitions don’t get her killed. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I adore Sara Goodman Confino's novels and will read anything she writes. Her latest, Off the Record, is a fun feminist story with mystery, intrigue, romance, humor, and Jewish joy. 

I loved Judy's wit and moxie throughout the novel. The dialogue and banter is great and never gets stale. Judy's grandma was hilarious and one of the best side characters. The story is full of surprises at every turn and I can't wait for you to experience them the way I did! I also loved that it takes place in DC and that Judy doesn't live all that far from me. There are some mentions of characters from some of Sara's other books, which may be spoilers for those books if you haven't read them yet. (Go read ALL her books!!!)

I can't say too much more as to not give any spoilers, but you'll thank me for that when you read the story and have no idea what to expect from one moment to the next. Just know that you'll enjoy this novel as much as I did and you'll be laughing out loud from Judy's antics! This novel is perfect for fans of The Book Club for Troublesome Women, as it talks a lot about expectations for women vs. men. (Makes me so glad I was born in a different era!)

Movie casting suggestions:

Judy: Iris Apatow

Jack: Fabien Frankel

Patricia: Grace Van Patten

Grandma Sylvia: Renee Taylor

Betty: Maude Apatow

Miss Kelly: Helen Hunt

(Trigger warnings below.)

Thanks to Get Red PR for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have TWO copies to give away!

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here. If you are still having issues, please contact us.

Giveaway ends June 14th at midnight EST.

More by Sara Goodman Confino:
For the Love of Friends
Don't Forget to Write
Good Grief

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TW: Pregnancy complications, politicians behaving inappropriately (not too shocking though), sexism

Book Review: Cherry Baby

By Melissa Amster

Everybody knows Cherry’s husband, Tom, is in Hollywood making a movie.

Almost nobody knows he isn’t coming home.

Tom created Thursday, the semi-autobiographical webcomic that became an international phenomenon. Now there’s a character in the movie based on Cherry: Baby. Cherry never wanted to see herself caricatured on the page (or the big screen), but Baby looks so much like her that strangers recognize her in public.

While Tom gets rich and famous in Los Angeles, Cherry is left in Omaha with the dog he always wanted, the house they planned to fill with a family, and the question of who she is without him.

Then, at a concert, someone recognizes her. Russ Sutton knew Cherry before Tom. He likes Cherry.

And best of all, he’s never heard of Thursday.

Tender, funny, and utterly human, Cherry Baby is Rainbow Rowell’s richest, most surprising, and sexiest novel yet. (Synopsis adapted from Amazon.)

I enjoy Rainbow Rowell's novels. They are quirky and genuine at the same time. Cherry Baby is definitely my favorite of her novels though. I just loved everything about it! 

There were lots of heartfelt moments, as well as times when I laughed out loud. It was so cozy and the descriptions brought everything to life. I was surprised by everything that happened and I will miss the characters now that I am done. 

A lot of focus in the story is about body image, especially because Baby is modeled after Cherry and it makes her self-conscious. When she starts dating a friend from her past, Baby's presence makes things awkward for them at times. There's also the factor of Cherry's sister Hope losing a lot of weight and being ostracized from the sibling group as a result. 

I loved how they celebrated the winter holidays in this novel. I wanted to be at their Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. So. Much. Fun! I also loved Stevie the dog. She added an extra essence to the story. 

My only minor concern is that some chapters went to the past and I got thrown off because it wasn't indicated at the top of the chapter. Even just saying the year would be fine. This didn't take away from my enjoyment at all, but I wish there was more time distinction.

Don't miss out on this delightful experience!

Movie casting suggestions:
Cherry: Aidy Bryant
Tom: Sam Reid
Russ: Max Minghella
Hope: Claire Foy

Stacia: Emily Pendergast

(Trigger warnings at the bottom of the post.)

Check out Allyson's review at her Bookstagram! 

Thanks to William Morrow for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Rainbow Rowell:
Attachments
Landline
Slow Dance

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TW: Body shaming, alcoholism (parents of main characters), infidelity, divorce.

Stephanie Mack is having the "time" of her life!

Credit: Blaire Going Photography

We're excited to have Stephanie Mack here today! Her traditional publishing debut, Twenty Something Else (Tyndale), will be available next week and she has another one coming this fall. If you're a fan of time travel, this novel is definitely up your alley. Melissa is excited to add it to her five-book pile soon. We had a lot of fun interviewing Stephanie and we hope you will enjoy her answers as much as we did!

Stephanie Mack is an author with a passion for storytelling—on the page, on the mic, and beyond. Her novels blend women's fiction and romantic elements with meaningful insights for readers navigating the complexities of modern life. Stephanie lives in Orange County, California, with her husband, three daughters, and beloved mini Bernedoodle.

Visit Stephanie online:

Website * Facebook * Instagram

Synopsis:

Sutton Layne is almost-forty and fabulous, with a happy marriage, three beautiful children, and a successful interior design business. But there’s plenty of chaos behind the scenes of early midlife. Her preteen son is going off the rails, her husband is bailing on the party he was supposed to throw her, and that thriving business? If she can’t land her next big client, it might all come crashing down. Then a surprise DM from someone in her past sends her spiraling into what-ifs. What if she settled down too young? Walked away from her big break? Never had her great adventure?

Despite her simmering mini-crisis, Sutton can’t wait for the birthday luncheon and pickleball tournament her friends have planned in her honor. But when an accident on the court knocks her out cold, she wakes up somewhere else . . . and is offered the chance to do it all over again. She can revisit her twenties―out of order and on her own terms. And this time around, anything goes: cities, careers, friendships. Even love. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"Asking a question many of us have pondered―What if life took a different turn and sent us in an entirely different direction?―this novel is both distinctive and clever, plucky, and entertaining. A must-read!"
- T. I. Lowe, internationally bestselling author of South of Somewhere

"A hilarious, heartfelt exploration of love, family, and friendship. With sharp humor, clever observations, and deeply human insight, this novel will have you laughing, reflecting, and texting your best friend mid-chapter. Get ready for your next obsession."
- Devon Daniels, author of The Rom Con

"Twenty Something Else is the most beautifully, achingly real story I’ve read in ages. Equal parts comfortingly wholesome and refreshingly frank, this one straight-up knocked my socks off."
- Bethany Turner, award-winning author of Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you?
My road to publishing was winding, crazy, unpredictable, and nothing like I expected—but every step of the six-year journey was worth it.

How is Sutton similar to or different from you?
Sutton is similar to me in many ways—we both married young, live in suburbia, have three children, work in creative fields, and turned forty this year! Where we differ is probably in the extent of her ponderings and regrets. I’ve felt many of them myself, but exploring them much more deeply through her character was incredibly meaningful to me as I faced my own milestone birthday. And, unlike Sutton, I don’t have an actor’s bone in my body!

If Twenty Something Else was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
Sutton was distinctly her own creation in my mind, but my dream pick would be Hilary Duff. I’ve always loved her, especially in Younger—and not just as an actress, but for what she represents to millennial women: nostalgia, strength, motherhood, power, and a certain grounded sense of goodness. Holden would be Theo James, Reid would be Ryan Gosling, and I’d love Olivia Munn as Quinn!

What is a favorite memory from your twenties?

One of my favorite memories from my twenties was a road trip I took with two girlfriends up the California coast. It’s my home state, but we explored so much I’d never seen before—from Southern California through Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo all the way up to Monterey. I’ll never forget it. There’s just something about a road trip with people you love. The snacks, the conversations, and the zany moments you end up sharing.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
What a fun question! I’d have to say Christine Lakin from Step by Step because of the way she brought Twenty Something Else to life in the audiobook. I’m in awe of her ability to move from humor to vulnerability and back again with such ease and heart.

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
Please come visit me in Orange County! I’d definitely take you to The Beachcomber—a magical restaurant right on the sand in Crystal Cove State Park—and to Lido Marina Village, the dreamiest seaside enclave and home to my favorite indie bookstore, Lido Village Books. The Beachcomber is written into Twenty Something Else, and I can’t wait to see Twenty Something Else on shelves in Lido soon.

Thanks to Stephanie for chatting with us and Kaye Publicity for coordinating the interview.

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