Liked it but didn't fall head over heels like I did for the first book. "Follow Me Back" could have stood on its own, I am not sure I actually should have read the sequel.

I was so excited to read Tell Me No Lies because I really enjoyed the first book. I have to admit I was a little disappointed by this one. I found it very confusing in the begging but I did like the twist in the end. I have mixed reviews on this one.

This is the second book in the Follow me Back series, as i started the book i wasn't aware of this - which is my own fault :) and was slightly confused as to the 2 main characters background stories, because of this i found it difficult to find as much empathy with the character of Tessa than what i would have done if i had read the first book. DEFINITELY READ BOOK 1 FIRST!

The plot itself was well written, it included some twists that were not easy to figure out, some of them i didn't figure out at all! The book is about Murder, Hate, Jealousy and Love (not all in that order) We find out straight away that a crime has been committed by the Police Transcripts that are present throughout the book, the chapters kind of jump from police transcipts to the past story that got them to been in the police station.

I would definitely recommend this book to a) anyone who has read and enjoyed the first and b) anyone who loves a book full of twists and turns (But read book #1 first!)

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
Thank you to @netgalley and @sourcebooksfire for allowing me to read this advanced copy that comes out in June!
I did not realize that this was book two in a series. Maybe I should go back and read the first one!
This book follows rock star, Eric, and his "secret" girlfriend, Tessa. The plot takes off from the beginning, which I believe might be due to the first novel ending with a cliffhanger. At first I wasn't quite sure where the plot was going due to the rotation between the past and present. However, I believe that it was this unknown that kept me reading. For a YA novel, I thought that it had a good amount of action and twists.

I received an ebook arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the sequel to last year’s Follow Me Back. I enjoyed this book, but I had some issues with the portrayal of Tessa’s mental illness and some of her behavior. I couldn’t buy that someone with her severe agoraphobia could do things she did early on in the book. I don’t want to spoil anything with the details, so all I’ll say is some of her actions later on near the end were very dumb and took me out of the story because they just didn’t make sense.

I enjoyed the story and the reveal, but wish Tessa’s character had been fleshed out and better developed.

TL;DR – Not as good as the first book in the duology. The author spreads herself over too many minor plot points and the main plot suffers.

I don’t remember really having an issue with the main characters in the last book, but man, in this book both Tessa and Eric are kind of annoying. All of the sudden they both just seemed really young to me. I mean, I think they’re both supposed to be like 17? And they’ve run off together? Um, no. Just no. Their interactions with each other as well as with other characters just seemed kind of immature.

Something I did like is that this book kind of takes a look at social media and some of the potentially damaging effects of it. However, I didn’t feel like it was always seamlessly integrated. I also liked the mental health representation. I liked the fact that it was there, but I did find myself wondering every once in a while about the authenticity of it. I just felt like a lot of Tessa’s actions and reactions didn’t make much sense to me, but that’s coming from someone without an anxiety disorder. So if anyone has any input on how authentic they felt Tessa’s anxiety disorder was portrayed, please let me know.

The plot in this book was just not as good as the last book was. I felt like the author spread herself a little thin with her other minor plot points like Tessa’s relationship with her mom and the other thing that happens that I don’t want to mention because of spoilers. These other plot points, while potentially interesting, just seemed kind of random and unnecessary. I wish the author had spent more time developing the main plot. While the book still had me guessing who was behind everything, I don’t feel like it was as twisty-turny as the first book and that’s something that I really loved.

Overall, this book isn’t awful, but I also didn’t think it was that good. I just remember feeling really amazed and confused at the end of the first book and this one did not leave me with that same feeling.

Overall Rating: 3
Language: None
Violence: Mild
Smoking/Drinking: None
Sexual Content: Mild

Note: I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I do my reviews in the form of answering questions

What made me pick this book up:
Uh, I read the first one and it was amazing.

What did I like about the cover:
I like how it still ties in with the first one. It has a female person standing on the front, with her face scribbled out. But it's scribbled out with the same blue sparkly color like on the first book.

I like how it represents Tessa and her not wanting to be seen. It matches well.

What made me read this book:
Freaking cliffhanger ending of the first one. And I had to wait a little bit too, and I finished the first one and I was like I NEED THE SECOND BOOK NOW.

Well we had requested it both on Edelweiss and on Netgalley and we were denied for both. So I was really sad and thought I had to wait until freaking June. Well the publisher emailed Jenn and asked if she wanted a copy for review, and of course, yes.

What did I like the most:
It was a lot like the first one, in a way that you had no idea what the f was going on. It was written really well, and had you on the edge of your seat.

Of course it was written well in a way that you didn't know whodunnit until the author wanted you to. I think that's one of the best things about her books that I've read. It honestly keeps you guessing, and every time you think you have it figured out, you really don't. So it makes you keep wanting to read more and more.

And of course it was one of those WAIT WHAT moments. The whole thing was definitely a mystery and also very thrilling.

I can't say too much without giving the book away, but the characters were still written well, and the story was amazing.

Let's just say that a certain someone, who you never thought would, actually saved Tessa in the end.

What didn't I like:
I still feel like after everything, Tessa was still so naive. I mean, I can't say what I would do in the same situation, but honestly, after everything wouldn't you think maybe you should stop and actually think about what is happening, and who to trust?

I was mad about the "who" but I guess it ended up fitting all together anyway.

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
I do want to read more by this author. This was the conclusion to this duology, so we're done with Tessa now. But I know I want to read more books by the author.

Overall This one was definitely worth the wait, it was just as good as the first one!

this book was a whirlwind of emotion! I could not put this story down! from the cover and description i was immediately captured! This one click read kept my interest peaked! I highly suggest this book for those wanting to get out of a reading slump as you will not be able to put it down.

Well, that explains it.

Tell Me No Lies was just as readable and plausible as Follow Me Back was. I enjoyed the action elements much more in this book than book 1. However, what I did NOT enjoy was that Tessa is so dang weak throughout the whole book. I mean, come on. We spent book 1 with a weak Tessa. Could we have had her a bit stronger in book 2? Everyone has strong days. I would have liked to see that a bit more with her.

Back to the good:
I like how the author left definite cues as to most of what was going to happen and then used all of those elements in the big reveal. If I hadn't read Follow Me Back, I think I would have missed much of the nuance in Tell Me No Lies. The relationship between Tessa and Eric unfolds beautifully and encounters realistic bumps in the road. The best part is how they overcome those obstacles and demonstrate a real caring for each other.

To me, the resounding themes of this book are:
1. If you need meds, take them religiously.
2. Damaged people can love and be loved.

Tell Me No Lies felt like a huge step down from Follow Me Back, which is fairly disappointing. Unlike its predecessor, TMNL was lacking in something essential to FMB: suspense. It was much much more predictable, and FMB's luster made the sequel look dull in comparison. While I appreciated that the formatting of the book (interviews, past-present sort of thing) followed through, I was generally underwhelmed by all that happened.

Nothing about any of the characters' personalities stuck out, and it seemed like they weren't much beyond their basic framework. Being surprised is h a r d.

I remember being involved in FMB, not because I liked the characters (because highkey nope to all of them), but because I enjoyed the constantly changing plot. Dynamicity and unpredictability are what thrillers/suspense novels are supposed to be dependent on, and I didn't get to see either in this one.

While I didn't have to remind myself that I still had this sitting on my virtual bookshelf, putting it down wasn't difficult, due to the lack of urgency that came with each chapter. I held an interest in what happened with the characters and the direction of the plot, though it seemed to be muted.

Satisfaction regarding the sequel is kind of iffy, but I'm glad that I read past FMB nonetheless. I can't say that my opinion speaks for everyone either, so hopefully TMNL works better for others than it did for me.

My thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC <3

I probably shouldn’t have picked up Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger, since I wasn’t a huge fan of the first book in the series, Follow Me Back, which is about a girl who doesn’t leave her house but meets the musician she’s obsessed with online using Twitter. However, the ending of Follow Me Back had such a fun twist I felt compelled to find out what happened next. Unfortunately, the mystery from the last book was solved in the first 20 pages and I should have stopped reading there.

I won’t spoil Follow Me Back, but while that book was deliciously readable and a bit absurd, Tell Me No Lies starts off very boring and while that improves, the entire book is incredibly immature and ridiculous. It felt like the worst impression of fan fiction, with a romance I didn’t care about and characters with no dimension to them. Yes, there were still twists, but mostly they made me roll my eyes and instead of sympathizing with the characters like I did in Follow Me Back, they just got on my nerves. There’s also a whole subplot I never really got the point of, but I suppose that’s leaving room for book 3? Remind me not to pick that up if I’m tempted, I know that YA thrillers can do better than this.

On some level I appreciate the idea of a story that tackles the weird world of the internet and the dramatic effect it has had on our relationships. We can bond or fall in love virtually and we can also use the internet to hide from reality, or to act out our worst impulses.

I wish this book had more self-awareness about all this, because I found this series kind of disturbing.

Tell Me No Lies continues the story of the first book. Without spoilers, here are some of the things I'd like to know more about.

1) I'm not sure if the book is suggesting that Tessa's stalker (the backstory of which is still never really explained) triggered her anxiety or whether she had severe anxiety before.

2) Is any of this romantic? This story moves more into swoony romance territory. Or tries to - I wasn't really feeling it. I suffer from pretty bad anxiety myself, but I really felt that this book used anxiety to try to make Tessa seem more feminine and fragile and in need of protection. (In my experience anxiety is a serious barrier to relationships, not in any way an aphrodisiac.)

3) I actually liked Twilight back in the day, but it's been ten years so.... Will we ever move past Twilight fanfic? idk, I've never read the Fifty Shades trilogy, but from the movie trailers, it looks like that Dakota Johnson has both a stalker and an alpha male too.

4) Was it too much to hope that this book would tie up all the loose ends from the first, rather than just continue to confuse me? Dorian Cromwell - was there any point to that? The stalker - is it so much to ask to find out exactly what happened there back from the beginning in New Orleans?

I can fully accept and endorse that people might enjoy this as a guilty pleasure but overall it wasn't for me.

I was surprised to find out that "Follow Me Back" was actually part of a duology, and I knew I needed to read it! However, as "Follow Me Back" could have stood on its own, I am not sure I actually should have read the sequel. "Tell Me No Lies" picks up after the first book ended, and we follow the past and present in alternating sections- the past right after the first ended and the present where characters are being questioned about a murder- but whose, we don't know. I had to go back and read the ending of the first book so I could follow the start of this sequel.

At first, I found it a little slow, and some sections read like a cartoon villain (Blair's). However, once I got a bit of the way into it (15%), I found myself heavily engaged and couldn't put it down- I had to know what happened to whom and where the story would take us. After being in exile, Tessa has moved back to civilization where she has been working as a social media consultant- somewhat of a nightmare for someone who suffers from anxiety around crowds/the spotlight. As the book evolves, there are forces working against her- some from outside but most from within, as she has not refilled her anxiety medication.

I really wish they could have kept her on her medication and under the care of a therapist in the book- her paranoia was most of the plot of the book and really served to drive the plot. I think it would have been better to let the outside forces drive the book and keep her treated. I had some issues with the plot and how things were framed, but on the plus side, it was certainly as page-turning as the first book. Overall, I would say to enjoy the first and read this one only if you feel you absolutely need the closure.

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Meh! I had two main issues with the story. It felt forced and it took forever to get remotely interesting.

By the time we delve more into what happened, I found my mind wandering and basically thinking how this plot line could have been tighter AND much more interesting.

This was a pass for me.

Tell Me No Lies starts exactly where the first book left off, which made reading these two books back to back that much better. I can’t tell to much about the plot without giving away either things that happened in the first book away or spoiling this one, but I will say that it was really hard to put this book down. The obsessions and creep factors of the first book continue and definitely go up a few notches. There are a lot of suspects and even a few red herrings that keep you guessing as to what is really going on. There is also a very nice twist at the end, that just blew me away.

If you are looking for a thriller that deals with obsession, fans, stalkers with a romance this is the series for you. It would make for an excellent beach read, but it might make you a bit paranoid that someone might be watching.

After Follow Me Back, I was anxiously awaiting Tell Me No Lies. While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't as thrilling or as fulfilling as the first. It did answer the questions I had at the end of Follow Me Back, so that was a plus. However, a lot of what happened in Tell Me No Lies was laughably ridiculous. It definitely read like a teenage soap opera. That's not to say it was a terrible book, but it was full of lots of eye-rolling worthy moments. I likely would have enjoyed the story as a whole if it ended with Follow Me Back.

I did not realise this was book 2 of a series i will need to pick up book one before I can read this one.

I hadn't read the first book in this duology but to be honest, as an adult reader of YA, it wasn't so difficult to piece together.

This book was well-written and paced well - it was an easy read for me and think it would be suitable for an older YA audience - covers issues around mental health, social media and does this well without being sensational or blase.

Tell me No Lies is book two in the Follow Me Back Series by A.V. Geiger. I read Follow Me Back last year and enjoyed it. However, I hadn’t realized it was going to be part of a series so I was a bit miffed at the ending cliffhanger. I felt better once I realized there was going to be another book in the series.

*** If you haven’t yet read book one in this series then I wouldn’t read any further as there may be spoilers***



At the end of book one, we are left not knowing what happened to rock star Eric Thorn and Twitter Queen, Tessa Hart.

In book one, Eric had been feeling frustrated and anxious. Those feelings had increased after another popular rock star was killed by an obsessed fan. His PR people made every decision for Eric, and it didn’t seem like it was about the music anymore. But Eric found an unlikely ally in superfan, Tessa Hart. Tessa had issues of her own, including the fact that she suffered from Agoraphobia. Tessa gained notoriety online after creating the hash tag #EricThornObsessed on Twitter. At first, Eric and Tessa clashed but then grew closer.

Now both Eric and Tessa are gone. Eric’s Twitter account is frozen and his cell phone was found in the snow, smashed with blood all over it. So when Tessa suddenly appears months later, everyone including the police are sure Tessa knows where Eric is.

A story of love, obsession, jealousy, secrets, and lies!

Though I did find the beginning a bit slow, for the most part, this was still a quick read. The story is told from present and the past using flashbacks and interspersed are Tweets from Twitter, Snapchat messages, as well as Police Interview Transcripts. Like the first novel, there were parts of the story that I found implausible. However, this is a fictional YA Thriller so I just tried to go with it.

The author again shows just how social media can interfere with our lives. She brings to light important issues like internet safety, stalking and harassment, Agoraphobia, and other mental health issues.

This was an intriguing read with a lot of action and some good twists and turns. Though I did enjoy the first novel in the series a bit more than this one, I’m still glad I read it as I really wanted to find out what happened with Eric and Tessa. There were a few things that didn’t really work for me and I felt that some questions were left unanswered, but overall, I am satisfied with how things came together in the end.

I'd like to thank Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Major warning for ableism, minor warning for spoiling Follow Me Back.

*sighs*

When I read Follow Me Back, I actually thought it was a standalone. Imagine my surprise when it turns out to be the first book in a duology! Having enjoyed the book so mAuch, of course I'd go for Tell Me No Lies when I had the chance to read it.

I rather wish I hadn't now.

To give credit where it's due, Tell Me No Lies is exactly as readable as its predecessor and difficult to put down. Every chapter brings some new information, big or small, to light and demands you keep reading. Lately, it's been very easy for me to put down a book and do something else instead, but this is one book that wouldn't let me. Once Tessa and Eric get caught by Eric's awful manager and brought back to Hollywood, Eric and Tessa both become paranoid messes.

Oh, and Blair is out and about, of course. Still very obsessed with Tessa too. Romantically obsessed stalker characters get me every time!

The first sign of what troubles this novel comes from how Tessa and Eric get found in the first place: they go to a villa expecting to meet Dorian Cromwell, a pop star who also faked his death. During a press conference amidst his arraignment for tax evasion, Dorian reaches out to Eric and, when the opportunity presents itself via Snapchat, Eric replies. Our darling couple then proceeds to the villa where Dorian says he'll meet them.

But remember, Dorian just got arrested for tax evasion after his faked his own death. Are the authorities in Europe really going to release him and let him go off to Central America for such a meeting? Of course not! The guy is a flight risk! If Tessa and Eric had taken just a second to think things through, they would have known something was up. Alas, the narrative required they hold the Idiot Ball and walk right into an obvious trap.

That isn't the only time readers will see right through the book either. Tell Me No Lies is full of such transparent, eyeroll-worthy twists.

Then comes the ableism. See, Tessa never refilled her Ativan (also known as lorazepam) before she went on the run with Eric and it's a given that she never did it while hiding with her beau in Mexico either. After the two go to Hollywood and Eric's management cooks up the story that she was hired to pull off the publicity stunt of his "murder," she doesn't get it refilled then either. All that leads to her taking her medication very sporadically throughout the book.

BIG NO-NO THERE FOR MEDS MEANT TO BE TAKEN DAILY. Being that I've been prescribed Paxil as a daily anxiety medication and was formerly prescribed additional Xanax for emergency situations, I know a bit about this. Taking my Paxil as sporadically as Tessa takes her Ativan would give me flu-like symptoms at best and make Paxil less effective in treating my generalized anxiety disorder at worst. The Xanax was approved for me to take sporadically, but I almost never did. Even tiny doses of it knocked me off my feet and sudden anxiety attacks simply didn't happen.

Anyway. Tessa is already on edge in part due to her taking her meds so little, but after she and Eric finally have sex, she stops taking her Ativan altogether. From there, she spirals downwards into being a seriously paranoid unreliable narrator. Why? Because it's so impossible to keep someone on their psychiatric meds and make them an unreliable narrator!

Except that's an accurate description of my mother, who has been on meds for depression for 20+ years and is a highly unreliable narrator.

None of this is on Tessa, whose reasons for taking her meds so haphazardly and then not at all are entirely believable. Plus she's a fictional character. I'm placing the blame on the narrative because it's for the entertainment of largely neurotypical narrators that a mentally ill girl like Tessa is taken off her meds in order to advance and complicate the story.

This happens all the time in any media which stars a mentally ill character. No one can think of any other way to tell stories about us! We're almost never the Chosen One or the hero, entertaining with our journey toward saving the world. Characters like us entertain by suffering until we either die or are granted live-saving medication at the very end of the book.

Even though Tessa gets back on her meds by the end and the message is to stay on them if you have them, the novel relies on her mental health meltdown to entertain readers and give the story more of a thrill by making her point of view untrustworthy. This is ableism toward the mentally ill. Full stop. Find better ways to write us or don't write us at all. All of us, diagnosed or not, deserve better.

Like I said on Twitter,

Keep mentally ill YA characters on their meds 2K18

Stop taking mentally ill characters off their meds to make stuff happen or make them an unreliable narrator 2K18.

If you read and enjoyed Follow Me Back like I did, just pretend it's a standalone. Pretend Tessa did in fact murder Eric and disappear. That's a much better conclusion than what Tell Me No Lies offers you with its ableism, unbelievable miscommunications, and bad twists.