A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Most immediate thought? This book did not live up to my expectations at all, a fact that I attribute to several factor. One being that I had just don's much care for cult books, so much so that once I read that in the description, I'm pretty hard pressed to pick up. I only bothered to do so because it's Tarryb Fisher - a reigning queen of the twisted read. Sadly, this one just lacked her usual punch. I'd also just wrapped up Janelle Brown's I'll Be You, which not only featured a cult (talk about overkill) but in my opinion, was just a much better story. An Honest Lie is serviceable, and certainly readable, it's just pretty vanilla and run of the mill.

✨ Book Review ✨

📱EBook: An Honest Lie

✍🏻 Author: Tarryn Fisher
Publication Date: April 26, 2022
TW: mental and physical abuse, cult, kidnapping
Rated:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spoilers: yup
Synopsis:

When Rainy reluctantly agrees to a girls’ weekend in Vegas, she’s prepared for an exhausting parade of shots and slot machines. But after a wild night, her friend Braithe doesn’t come back to the hotel room.

And then Rainy gets the text message, sent from Braithe’s phone: someone has her. But Rainy is who they really want, and Rainy knows why.

What follows is a twisted, shocking journey on the knife-edge of life and death. If she wants to save Braithe—and herself—the only way is to step back into the past.

Thoughts: 💭

Where do I begin? The synopsis of this books sounded really good but the cover of this book is completely deceiving and so is the synopsis. I was looking forward to a fun girls trip with Vegas and it definitely wasn’t fun. I wish I would have known in advance that this was a book mostly about a cult. For me it was difficult to read. The present chapters were narrated by Rainy and the past chapters are narrated by Summer. The present chapters were boring. I didn’t care for any of the Tiger Mountian Group: Tara, Viola, Braithe, Samantha, Ursa and Makenzie. They seemed fake. The present, trip to Las Vegas and the past the cult years didn’t seem to mesh.

The past chapters although difficult for me to read were definitely interesting and action packed. Summer, even at the tender age of 13 was a strong willed determined girl. I wish I had half her drive and confidence. Rainy/Summer had such a hard life but still managed to become a artist/sculptor and make a new life for herself in New York. Meeting, dating Grant and moving to Washington State with him. The Tiger Mountain Group is Grants friend group. Rainy doesn’t really care for them and vice versa. So when she finds out Braithe has been kidnapped and goes to help her, it’s a little bit unbelievable. Rainy knowingly went into danger. Who in the world goes to a hotel room and drinks something they have no idea it could do to them?!

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I was just not feeling this one. I am traditionally a romance reader and I dabble in suspense/mystery. I can tell someone that reads primarily suspense would probably like this one better but nothing was really grabbing my attention the first 20% and that is key for me. I think my rating is a personal preference here!

I never know what to expect from a Tarryn Fisher novel and this was no exception. An Honest Lie is an engrossing, unpredictable mystery thriller that had me hooked until the end.
This is a story about an artist Rainy, whose dark past comes back to haunt her during a girl's trip to Vegas.
Filled with angst, suspense, mystery, twists and turns, this story alternates between the past and present day, with both time periods being equally interesting. We are taken on a crazy yet highly emotional journey with Rainy and my heart just breaks for her and her mother in the past chapters.
The story had great character development and although slow at the start it really picked up action wise in the last 30% of the the story with everything coming together however I wished we got a bit more at the ending epilogue.
This was a highly enjoyable tale and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of thrillers.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

I really enjoy the madness that is Tarryn Fisher's writing. Realistically, you need to be suspending belief and you need to be ready to go on a total ride, but if you can do that, her books are never boring and never disappoint.

I love a plot around a cult, so this book was right up my alley personally, I dove right in and devoured this book in one sitting. I realllllly loved that the book moved back and forth from present to the unravelling of Rainy's past a little at a time. The intensity of why someone would join a cult, the realities of being trapped in a cult lifestyle, the horrors of not being able to escape that life are all wonderfully well done in this story.

And I really liked seeing how her past was impacting her present. The only part of this book that really is a bit off the rails and hard to stick with is the last third as Rainy is in Vegas confronting her past but in the most bizarre and wildly out to left field manner possible.

Like I said - you are going to need to take a deep breath and appreciate that the last third of the book is in NO WAY plausible - but it's a lot of fun to read.

Overall, I enjoyed it. Great escapism reading for summer, no question.

Rainy is just going through the motions when it comes to spending time with all the local women in her new hometown. SHe counts the minutes until she can leave, while the others seem to genuinely enjoy her company. In fact, they've invited her to their girls' trip to Las Vegas, and they won't take no for an answer. Rainy finds herself remembering her past as she gets closer to the desert she once left behind. Her memories are of the compound where she was held and abused, and where she lost her mother, she still believes, to foul play. Will she escape the desert again, and will her friends remain untouched by Rainy's past?

An Honest Lie was addictive. It captured my attention and had me questioning where things were going from very early on. I questioned the intentions of the characters and wasn't sure who to root for throughout the book. The way the end played out and how Fisher tied it up was very well done!

2022 is the year of cult books and I’m here for it!! Right away, I was absorbed into this book especially with Rainy’s past and present POVs. Her past really showed how impressionable children are and I found her strength to rebel- incredible. At around 60%, I found myself less interested. Some of the scenes that should have been addicting we’re just a bit too long for my liking. This one had great potential but ultimately, fell flat for me.

Thank you @graydonhouse books for my copy!

Rating: 3/5

This is the first book of read by Tarryn Fisher and it was good, not exceptional, but an interesting book about the lasting effects of a child being brought into a cult with her mother.

This would be a solid three stars from our average readers, four for the right readers. A bit slow on pacing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC.

I would read anything by Tarryn Fisher, but luckily I don’t have to, since she continues to put out incredible thrillers. Unlike her past books, Tarryn focused on women helping, saving and supporting other women and I am here for it! The book is as twisty as other books she has written, but the female friendship she has given her characters really makes them shine. They are not perfect, but they see past each other’s flaws.

Of course there is more to the book. A cult, past secrets to unearth and expose, and more. But the female friendship really shines!

I was SUCH a big fan of The Wives that I had such high hopes for this one...and it was such a let down. It took like 200+ pages to get to the plot line that was discussed on the back of the book. I understand the importance of setting the scene but... that's a bit ridiculous. Especially because then the last quarter of the book raced by. There were some twists that kept me interested, but honestly, I wish I had just let this one pass me by.

I couldn't get through this one. It just fell flat and over done. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC>

Tarryn Fisher is one of my favourite authors so when I received a copy of her latest book An Honest Lie to review, I was thrilled.

We are introduced right away to main character Rainy. She lives in Washington State in the mountains with her boyfriend. She's an artist and moved from New York to be with him. After she moved, she was included into his circle of friends and has now been invited on the annual girls trip. This year they are heading to Vegas. Vegas, however, is the last place Rainy wants to go. She has a past and she doesn't want to relive it.

The story goes back and forth from when Rainy was a teenager to present day. The storyline is not fast paced but I found it captivating. I enjoyed the background story and how it lead up to real time. When in Vegas, one of the girls on the trip Braithe goes missing. Rainy receives a text message from the captor.

The last quarter of the book picks up in pace and its a race against the clock to save Braithe and figure out what the captor wants.

It is dark, a bit sad and there are some trigger warnings of child abuse but a good solid read. Four stars.

Tarryn is a master at her craft. Weaving and winding you down paths not knowing where they’ll lead. No surprise here, she’s done it again!

Told in alternating voices of Rainy and Summer, with chapters of now and then. The past and present collide during a girls weekend to Vegas.
Somewhat of an over the top plot line, I enjoyed it, because I am a sucker for books about cults.

Unfortunately I didn’t like this book. I love a cult, but this didn’t feel cohesive. I felt like the cult was thrown in because it’s buzzy, not because it made sense structurally. Not one for me but I’ll try the author again.

Complex characters,with flaws and strengths are the hallmarks of a Tarryn Fisher book.

Rainy, struggling to fit in with the women of Tiger Mountain and against her better judgement, is convinced to take a trip to Vegas, the home of some of her deepest trauma. And so begins a psychological thriller that blends together the brutal realities of growing up in a cult and the enduring trauma faced by it’s survivors as well as ugliness that women can inflict on each other.

The story flashes between then and now. Its a quick read, one you wont be able to put down until you know how everything ends up. This is a book you will be creeped out, uncomfortable, and somewhat scared. Ultimately, its a story of overcoming your past and finding strength within yourself.

Many thanks to NetGallery, Tarryn Fisher and Harlequin Trade Publishing (Graydon House) for this on the edge of your seat/always remember your strength book.

I had so much trouble getting into this one and it just didn't grab me like I was hoping it would. It just started so wordy about stuff I found it hard to actually care about: the personal relationship of the main character that I just couldn't relate to, nor was I interested in trying to relate to. The big twist fell a little flat for my likings and it just missed the mark for me.

I received an ARC, but my opinions are all mine.

An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher is a mind-tripping experience. This story is unexpected and exciting so that you are sitting on the edge of your seat. Rainy Ives lives in the tree-top-covered part of Washington when a girl's trip to Vegas turns into a nightmare bringing the past and the present head-on collision course. Tarryn Fisher does it again; what a perplexed, dumbfounded, discombobulated story that will addle your brain!