I will not be giving feedback on this book as I couldn’t really get into it but I think others may enjoy it.

4.5 stars — Oh dude!! This book took me through the ringer. I swear, my poor hubby. I was about to start reading again, and gave a huge anxiety induced sigh and my hubby made the mistake of asking me what’s wrong…and after I finished explaining how I wasn’t sure of this person’s motive, and I’m worried about this and that, he just blankly looked at me. I stumped him!!! HA! *snort* The joys of being married to a book nerd.

ANYWAYS. This was a solid follow-up to the first book. Even though it picks up super quickly after book 1 (which I wasn’t expecting, I was thinking it would be a few months later or something), I still feel like this was a solid sophomore book if that makes sense. It’s like, we’d already gotten to know our major players, and had connected with them, so it was easier to get sucked down the rabbit hole with them.

Ellie was delightful as always. That girl does sarcasm like no other. I feel like she went through even more tough emotions in this book than the other. Maybe because Miles had broken through her wall? I’m not sure. But there were quite a few emotional tolls being placed on her head, and it was hard to watch her go through that. Honestly, I thought the way Ms. Cross showcased how many directions Ellie was being torn into was done perfectly — I totally got the whys of it all, but it’s like, jesus, what else?? I just wanted someone to hug that girl.

I had a MUCH harder time deciding whose motives I could trust and not trust in this one. I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say I doubted some good guys, and didn’t appropriately suspect some bad guys.

I was totally surprised by Dominic’s bigger role in this book…in a good way. He brought a lot of interesting elements to the table.

I loved that we got a satisfying conclusion at the end of this one. Does it stop me from wanting another book? Heck no! But I won’t be rolling around on the floor dying if there isn’t one (which I’m suspecting there won’t be). Ellie is a great character, and there are a lot of amazing side characters in this world that it’s easy to want more and more and more… Either way, I’m so glad I finally got to this book to find out what was next for our plucky heroine.

School trip setting, FBI agent in-training hot boyfriend, ex-con artist main character--what is not to love here??

This book sealed the deal for me, and I’m now a lifelong Julie Cross fan. I have loved every book I’ve read of hers, and the Eleanor Ames series are my absolute favorites!

Hiding Lies is the second book in the Eleanor Ames series and is a fast paced, YA adventure thriller that kept me guessing the entire time. These books are best read in order to completely understand the back story of the different characters and to get the total enjoyment from the series.

I don’t want to give away any of the plot for fear of spoilers for book one, Chasing Truth, but I can say that Ellie Ames is an absolute delight to read about, and she’s got a fun, snarky personality that I highly enjoyed. Hiding Lies is super fast paced, and moves along at a speedy clip. Those that felt Chasing Truth was a bit slow, will find that Hiding Lies is much more action packed and quicker paced. Hiding Lies really delves into Ellie’s past, and we learn a lot more about her con welding family, and how they’ve always managed to stay one step ahead of the game.

Miles Beckett is back in Hiding Lies, and hotter than ever. I have such a crush on this junior FBI agent, and I love how fierce and protective he is of Ellie. Also back, and playing a major role is Dominic, who we learned a little bit about in the first book. In this one, we really get to know more about his personality and see what he’s really about.

Julie Cross has done a great job on these books and these characters, and I need more. I’m hoping that we’re being set up for a third book so my fingers are definitely crossed!

4.5 Stars

'Hiding Lies' is the thrilling second installment in a young adult thriller series that fans of the genre need to get their hands on. I've read several of the author's other books and really enjoyed them, so I was excited to get my hands on this one. I was not disappointed. This novel lived up to my hopes and expectations - and then some. Everything about the story is incredibly well done - from the characters and plot to the setting and writing style. Eleanor continues to be a fantastic main character for the book. She's smart, determined, down to earth, realistic, and a force to be reckoned with. I loved watching her figure out the mystery and overcome all the difficult situations she comes face to face with.

Another part of the book I really liked was Eleanor and Miles, which surprised me because I normally don't like a lot of romance in books that aren't in that genre. Like in this, as a mystery, I hate when a romance aspect takes over the entire story and ends up overtaking the actual plot. However, I liked seeing their relationship continue to change and grow throughout the story. I thought the plot of the book was great. Just the right mix of mystery, thriller, suspense and romance. There were twists and turns I didn't expect - which definitely made things more exciting. The pace was quick and had me drawn in from the very beginning of the book. I ended up reading the novel in a few hours because I couldn't put it down. I'm so excited that this book was just as good as the first book was, because a lot of times a series can start off strong only to have the following books fall short. That doesn't seem to be the case here, and I can't wait to see where Eleanor ends up next and what kind of trouble she'll get into. Very highly recommended to fans of thrillers, mysteries, suspense, and even romance - there's a bit of something for everyone to enjoy.

I’ve always been a big fan of books/shows/movies with strong, smart and sassy leading ladies, so it was no wonder I’ve enjoyed the Eleanor Ames books as much as I have. The first in the series, Chasing Truth, was great and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen with the second. Well, it should be no surprise at all that Hiding Lies totally lived up to my expectations and was a great continuation of the series.

Hiding Lies picks up basically where Chasing Truth left off. Now, these books can be read as standalones, but I’d still recommend reading them in order as parts of the story carries through. Plus, they’re just that good and you shouldn’t want to miss a minute. But anywho. If you enjoyed the first book and have wanted more of Eleanor and Miles, you’ll want this book. If you enjoy a great, strong heroine (a la Veronica Mars) and you’ve not read any of this series yet, you should.

I’m not going into detail about the plot here. You can find out everything you need to know going in from the blurb. Plus, I don’t want to be responsible for ruining anything for you. What I will say is Hiding Lies had it all — action, suspense, mystery, twists and turns, secrets AND swoony romance. (And, you know, great writing and seriously interesting characters.) I didn’t want to stop reading once I started and the closer I got to the end, the more quickly I was flipping pages. This book definitely took me by surprise a couple times… and it also kept me on the edge of my seat, literally, at least once.

The Eleanor Ames series just keeps getting better! I hope there are (many) more books planned. These books are different from anything else I read and I like mixing things up. Also, I’m just not ready to give these characters up quite yet and there’s definitely more story left to tell.

FAVORITE QUOTES
I don’t want that life again; I know I don’t. But that doesn’t mean I can stop myself from wishing for pieces of it.

I read the first book in this series. Oh my gosh. Before I go on, I must say I've been reading many books with where the guy is named Miles. The name is beginning to grow on me and I think if there is ever a character with this name that is supposed to be "hated", I'm gonna have a hard time following LOL

"Hiding Lies" is the second book in Julie Cross' Eleanor Ames series. Eleanor Ames has this curious personality. I think she likes living slightly on the edge. Only slightly. But she's this amazing character, and the story just captivates you and holds you from start to finish. I was thoroughly engrossed and now I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

I voluntarily requested this book via NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

Julie Cross continues her Eleanor Ames series with Hiding Lies. A story of prior con artist Ellie Ames and her teen FBI boyfriend Miles Beckett.

With Miles gone for a month long vacation with his government secret agent parents, Ellie stays home ready to start a new semester at Holden Prep but when she finds out that someone from her past is planning a scam that’s way in over their heads in NY, the same destination as her approaching school’s field trip, she decides to intervene using her talents to right some of the wrongs she’d done. Even with the help of her well-meaning friends, this operation is could go lethally wrong.

As with the previous book in the series, Julie Cross delivers an intensely addicting story with a witty and independent heroine, a fiercely loyal hero, appealing secondary characters and a fast paced plot with so much action, suspense, twists and turns, I could not put down. The tale crackles both in its moments of intrigue and manipulation when Ellie tries to put all the pieces and players of the con into place as well as the growing relationship between Miles and Ellie.

While Ellie practically throws caution to the wind jeopardizing her legitimate future as an Ivy-League student trying to help the FBI for the sake of the people she cares about, Miles’ role in this installment remains a bit of a mystery that was extremely enjoyable to guess at and untangle. Their characters continue to engage, Ellie with her snark and wit and Mile with his devotion and protectiveness. I enjoyed Dominic’s, one of Ellie’s classmates, more fleshed out role as well as the insight into Ellie’s background.

Even if some loose ends were left which of course beg for another story and made it a bit less satisfying that the previous book, Hiding Lies is a fun, thrilling read with entertaining espionage and covert dealings.

Hiding Lies is book #2 of the Eleanor Ames series by Julie Cross. It is standalone young adult mystery/thriller romance told by the heroine’s point of view with a happy ending.

Hiding Lies is just as thrilling and nail-biting as the first.

Eleanor has been trying to lead a semi-normal life. But nothing is ordinary in Eleanor’s life. She hears the heartbreaking news regarding her mother. She is uncertain of the choices she's made in the past. Her relationship with Miles continues to bloom. I love them together, there the perfect match.

There are so many twists and turns in this story. You pretty much don’t know what the heck is going on. But it’s excellently written that way. It keeps you guessing until the end. The truth is there, but it’s not easily found. Cross has quickly become one of my favorites, go to authors. Her writing style is brilliant. She’s able to make this characters come to life; you almost feel as if you’re there yourself. Fighting alongside Eleanor. Will there be a #3 in this series? I don’t know. But I honestly believe there should be. I know I’ll be first in line to read.

Hiding Lies is a great young adult thrilling mystery series, and I can’t wait to jump in again.

Overall, Five Boundless Stars

In this second installment of the Eleanor Ames YA spy thriller series, Ellie is trying to make up for her con artist past and her mistakes in the first book, especially putting the wrong person in prison (well, sort of) and hiding things from her boyfriend (though he hid more than a few things himself). Of course, it's not that simple.

Ellie ends up embroiled in another FBI investigation, and this time she's determined to get it right. I'll confess that I felt like the first half of the book was a teensy bit slow---or, actually, lots of things were happening, but I just wasn't emotionally invested in the plot. At about 65% a major wrench is thrown into everything, and that's where I started to get really excited. The rest of the book flew by, and I was eager to see where it all ended up! I give the book 3.5 stars (taking off a half star for that slow start---but if you're a fan of YA thrillers, definitely check this series out!).

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

WARNING – Spoilers Ahead for Book 1
It’s been over 18 months since I read CHASING TRUTH by Julie Cross, yet the characters and story were still so vivid in my memory, I didn’t need any refreshers. HIDING LIES picks up where CHASING TRUTH left off, with life returning to relative normal, considering Ellie’s past and Mile’s future. With Miles returning to his military academy after spending the holidays with his family abroad, Ellie fills her time with her sister, Harper, Harper’s former Secret Service boyfriend, Aidan, and her classmates from Holden Academy.

When Miles fails to meet her as planned after returning from overseas, and Miles’s CIA Agent father makes an unusual request of Ellie, she can’t help but worry about Miles. Things get more interesting when Ellie’s past confronts her in her present, setting up an opportunity to undo the damage from one of the biggest regrets in her short life. With one twist after another, this was the first page-turner I’ve read in a while. I’m a huge fan of Julie Cross, and HIDING LIES reminds me why.

Plot
The plot is flawless. Everything flows with important information is sprinkled throughout so when something unexpected happens, you realize the hints were there all along. This is a “stay up late and read until your eyes blur” kind of story. While some of it on the surface seems implausible for teens, the author always explains it in a believable fashion. And if if she didn’t, I wouldn’t care, because it’s just that good.

The Characters
I have so much love already for former con-girl, Ellie, straight-laced Miles, flakey Harper, and G-man Aidan, but in HIDING LIES, Ellie spends more time with Dominic, the moody secret love interest of Ellie’s tragic friend, Simon. Dominic and Ellie forge an almost friendship and I grew to love him in this book. A number of new characters are also introduced who add a lot to the story, and I also got to know and respect Justice just a little bit more. All the characters are deeply drawn and realistic.

Top Five Things I Loved About HIDING LIES
1. Miles. He drove me nuts with his conflicted feelings, but he totally redeems himself in the best possible way.

2. Ellie. She’s changed by the events in the first book and is less confident, leading her to make choices I might not have expected before, but given everything she’s been through, they are completely within character. I loved seeing a more vulnerable side of her.

3. Surprises. There were so many unexpected twists, I couldn’t put this book down.

4. The ending. Well done and even more exciting and satisfying than the first book.

5. Teen angst. While different this time around, there is no less drama surrounding Ellie and Miles’ romance.

Bottom Line
Julie Cross upped her game and wrote one of my favorite young adult novels ever!

This book is a roller coaster of events that will keep your nerves on edge, and end you up in a pool of love sickness!

Another fantastic book from this amazing author. This story will hit all your emotions buttons. The story will keep you flipping pages.

Phew!

Once again, Ellie and friends lead us on a non-stop ride with twists and turns that no one can possibly see coming. Don't plan on doing anything until this one's done--seriously, it's pretty much un-put-downable. Who's really on which side? What, exactly, are the sides? Who can Ellie truly trust? Where is Miles, and what has he been doing?

Gah! So. Many. Questions.

So. Much. Stress.

It's definitely a good idea to read this book with the events of book one ( Chasing Truth ) fresh in you mind, because a lot of what happens here is connected to previous events. Since I've literally read dozens of books since I read that one, those events were a bit fuzzier in my mind than I would have liked, kind of like that dream you vaguely remember but can't quite grasp the details of...even so, this book kept me turning the pages. If you haven't yet read Chasing Truth, though, I absolutely recommend taking the time to read it before tackling this one.

Ms. Cross left Ellie (and Miles--thank goodness!) in a good spot at the end, but there's certainly room for another book if she is so inclined...and I for one will be early in line for it if she does, because Eleanor Ames! (I'd prefer not to wait another whole year, though. Just sayin' ;))

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Eleanor and Miles are back and this one is more action packed. In this second book Eleanor is caught in the middle really. Her father is back and her mom was supposed to be getting out soon. Only her mom’s deal didn’t quite work out the way it was supposed to, Eleanor is feeling guilty and is now trying to get her mom a new deal. This pins her once again against her dad. While she is on Christmas break, she is in NY working. Here though Dominic is helping her. He to me helped make the story. I loved how Dominic grew in this book. He wanted to find his way and he took helping Eleanor seriously. Little did either know that Eleanor was in more danger than expected.
Miles meanwhile is missing. Or not on anyone’ s radar and suddenly shows up in NY. His dealings with Eleanor’s dad are in trying to ferret out the rogue agents and finish what his best friend Simon started to uncover. This does at times put him and Eleanor at odds but they do trust one another and this helps.
the story is entertaining and we see such growth in some of the characters. We also see the trust and strength of Miles and Eleanor’ s relationship be tested. At times you forget that these are just high school students but then an action or phrase brings you back to that fact.
You can’t help but enjoy the story and fall for the characters as they work to find out the truth of what Eleanor’ s dad is up to, come against the danger of the mob and why they are involved and see Miles work to continue to finish what his friend Simon started. All the while smiling as we see dominic grow and being to find his way and start to be more serious.
the ending wasn’t what I expected. It ended nicely but also left the door open for more books to be written if desired. I hope so because I would like to see what happens for Miles and Eleanor and see where Dominic lands.

This second installment of Eleanor Ames is just as exciting, intriguing and action packed as the first one.

Eleanor aka Ellie is now going on the straight and narrow, looking forward to a "normal" life.

Miles is keeping up with his training to become an FBI agent. His romance with Ellie continues to blossom.

After their terrible ordeal, Ellie has taken up self defense training with Miles overseeing her progress. After celebrating an early Christmas, he has a planned holiday before resuming his training.

During his absence, Ellie receives some unwelcome news which sets her on edge and she makes a decision to right her wrong. The school outing is the ideal opportunity to put her plan in action. With the help of Dominic, she sets things in motion. It starts off fairly well, but those she is working with are not who they appear to be. Then she discovers that Miles has been keeping secrets which she finds hard to come to term with and starts doubting his loyalty. Will he put his cause before their relationship?

There is no reprieve in this installment. It turns out that an ally is the worst enemy and knowing who else might be a traitor proves to be difficult. Ellie gets a wake up call when she realises that she has been wrong in the reason for her persuit. There is one twist after another. It's so addictive and compelling that I couldn't get to the next page fast enough and was kept at the edge of my seat. The suspense is killing, but it's wrapped up beautifully and I love the way it ends. Great characters and intricately portrayed. Brilliant!

I was kindly issued with an eARC and the views expressed are my personal opinion.

After reading Chasing Truth, book 1 in the series, I could not wait to get my grabby hands on more of Eleanor and her hijinks. I think I found my favorite reads of the read so far, maybe my top YA contemporary read in general. Yep, that is how much I am in love with this book and this world in general. I will admit that I was a little hesitant, regardless of my excitement to read more (and yes, I was so happy that I could binge read the series back to back and not have to wait for book 2...don't get me started on waiting for book 3...Please be a book 3 somewhere down the line, just saying...)

Hiding Lies picks up a few weeks after the events of Hiding Lies, where Ellie's life basically imploded and her almost-kinda-sorta boyfriend Miles was reassigned out of town, leaving her trying to pick up the pieces of her life. The danger that she thought was past in book one ends up coming back to light as well as some truths from her previous life, the life she pretends did not happen. I loved learning more about how Ellie was raised, her true skills, the crimes she took part in and how much she gave up to have this chance at being a "typical" teen. Ellie can never be typical, but watching her struggles and triumphs was so endearing, regardless of her truths I rooted for her to succeed. To me, Ellie can do no wrong, regardless of her questionable choices that made me cringe. Julie brought Ellie to life so well I feel as if I know her, that we are friends.

The story wrapped perfectly, I could not have asked for more loose ends to be tied in a nice little bow, but that doesn't mean I would not love to have another book featuring Eleanor and the trouble she inherently finds herself in. Julie, I am such a fan girl for your books and for Ellie as well as the "Ell-iles" ship! Yet again, I would not change a single thing about these books or this world, it was just the right mash of suspense/mystery/tension/lies and a dash of romance(the swoon worthy kind!) to hook me and keep me fully engaged for the entire journey. Oh, don't forget the snark and humor that color the pages as well- what is a good book without snark? I love Ellie and I know anyone else who pick up this book to read will too!

I am voluntarily reviewing an advance, complimentary copy of this book.

Hiding Lies started off so slowly and with so little interest for me that I felt immediately disappointed. I have loved every single one of Julie Cross' books I've read so far but the first chapters dragged with Eleanor and Miles. I wasn't that enamored with Miles (let's just say that if you were a fan of Veronica Mars, you'll understand what I mean when I say that he's more of a Stosh than a Logan) in the first book, his personality is like watching paint dry.

However. By the third chapter, things begin to happen and from then on, I could hardly set the book aside.

Dominic, whom we met in Chasing Truth plays very prominently in Hiding Lies, and while I would like to tell you more about his character, I'm afraid it would be a spoiler for the first book. Let it suffice to say that he's a fun new sidekick for Eleanor, with an unfortunate habit of popping up when it would be in his best interests not to.

Eleanor's snark is alive and well. We also get to meet her father and are introduced from truths from his side.

All in all, despite those first couple of lumbering scenes, Hiding Lies is a fun read, sometimes exciting read, especially for you fans of Ally Carter's YA mystery novels.

I quite enjoyed reading Chasing Truth, the first book in the Eleanor Ames series, so when I learned that we're finally getting its sequel (after nearly two years) I jumped at the chance to get my hands on Hiding Lies and read it as soon as I can. And I very much enjoyed it, even more than I did Chasing Truth.

Hiding Lies began a few weeks after Chasing Truth ended. But, since it's been almost two years since I read Chasing Truth (and I didn't have time to reread it), I had a hard time remembering and putting together the events in CT and connecting them to Hiding Lies. You definitely need to read CT before jumping into Hiding Lies--events in CT were referenced quite a bit and you would lose a lot of Ellie's character growth as well as her and Miles's relationship development.

Once I was able to meld the events in Chasing Truth to what was happening in Hiding Lies about a third of the way through I was able to enjoy the book much more. I love Ellie! She's goes after things head on and wasn't afraid to bend the rules, but she's also smart and doesn't take stupid chances. I really like the friendship and partnership that developed between her and Dominic too, who was a bit of an antagonist in CT. Aiden and Ellie's sister Harper were back too, but they were more in the background as the focus was more on Ellie's dad and their "family" members. It was great learning more about them and seeing them in action doing a con.

And, of course, Miles was back. To be honest I wasn't too terribly impressed with Miles in CT because you couldn't quite trust him and he was hot and cold (and I understood why he was like that in book one, but nevertheless it's one of my biggest pet peeves in a love interest) towards Ellie. He didn't get as much page in Hiding Lies, but when he was around I swooned. Miles was hot and it's obvious how much he loved Ellie and I just love, love, LOVE them together. Definitely OTP status. They're kind of opposites in a way, but they complete each other and I love all their scenes together, especially the last chapter.

As for the mystery aspect, it wasn't as thrilling as the one in CT as none of the twists and turns really got me, but still highly enjoyable. I was never bored. I did like that it was set in New York, which added a different flavor to the setting yet we still got a bit of that prep school vibe since Ellie's Holden classmates were still around as they were on a weeks-long learning trip.

When I finished Hiding Lies I wasn't quite ready to leave Ellie and Miles behind so I hope Julie Cross brings them back to do more sleuthing and more traveling around the world. But, if the Eleanor Ames series is only a duology, then I really can't complain. The author did a good job tying all the loose ends and the ending was satisfying.

If you enjoy light YA mystery thrillers in the same vein as Ally Carter and Sara Shephard (though not as catty), I recommend Chasing Truth and Hiding Lies.

I feel like I should be out of breath. The action just kept coming in this one. Ellie, our snarky, Veronica Mars-esque heroine is back and things have gotten more complicated than ever.

So many twists and turns. The plot just ran downhill like a snowball building. I also adored the increased character development of side characters like Dominic, and Ellie's teacher Mr. Lance.

I am not ready to let go of this series yet, so I am already desperately hoping for a book 3.