The cover and title of this book drew me in. I believe this story is important to many teenage and young people out there. Her journey to find her father is both heart-wrenching and believable.

There were many aspects to this story I enjoyed. Great book for teenagers and young adults.

I particularly felt the story covered the connections within friendship very well

I have tried to read this book twice now but unfortunately i’ve not been able to finish it. The writing just isn’t it for me, but I can totally appreciate where fans of this book are coming from and can see why people enjoy it!
The plot itself was good and I loved the protagonist; she had a super great mind set and refused to back down which was relatable and admirable.
I would recommend this book, I just don’t think it was for me personally!

The only thing I admired from this book is our main character, Skye. She was a hardworking kid and independent. But overall, I can't get myself to enjoy this book, the world building was just no. I get pissed off many times with her mom.

a fun novel, greatly enjoyable

Thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for this review copy.

The Gravity of Lies introduces us to 16-year-old Skye, who is something of an old soul, even though she occupies the body of a teenager. Or maybe it's just that she's never really had the kind of carefree childhood that is considered "normal". Even though there are any number of troubled adults in this world who demonstrate that a secure childhood is not something to be taken for granted!

Nevertheless, Skye seems remarkably well-adjusted and kind, despite having been raised by an alcoholic mother who is anything but. When we meet her, she is living alone with her mother, after her maternal uncle Richard's death a few years previously.

As long as Uncle Richard was around, Skye's life wasn't too bad, because he gave her the nurturing environment that her mother never provided. As for Skye's absent father, she has no idea who he actually is...

Currently, Skye is desperately trying to find a measure of stability in the peripatetic lifestyle inflicted on her by her dysfunctional mother. Skye's mother Mary is paranoid and anxiety prone, and has serious problems with substance abuse.

Effectively the caretaker of her problematic mother, Skye is used to living with very little. She and her mother have been evicted more than once from the fleabag apartments in Los Angeles which they periodically rent. Lodgings, mind you, that Skye pays for with her occasional earnings as an actor doing bit parts. Because her mother refuses to work.

But now they have received an unexpected break - the chance to participate in a reality TV show about five teenagers and their parents, who will live in together in a luxurious home and compete for the lead role in a network television series. While Skye looks forward to not worrying about sleeping in their car for a while, it remains to be seen whether she can pull off this reality TV gig without Mary ruining it for both of them.

The accommodations turn out to be five star quality, but Skye's main preoccupation with regard to participating in the show stems from her conviction that the organisers can help her to locate her father. A father whom she has not only never met, but actually knows nothing about.

Her mysterious father is the focus of Skye's daydreams of escaping her miserable home life with Mary. But ignoring her repeated questions, Mary has always refused to tell Skye anything about him. And the teenager is terrified that her mother will find out that she has secretly made a deal with the producers of the show.

That plan doesn't turn out quite the way that she had envisaged. But Skye discovers that as some doors slam shut, others may unexpectedly open a crack.

Despite some parental shenanigans (and not just on the part of her own mother!), Skye forms an unexpected bond with some of the other kids she meets on the programme they are taping, and they all encourage her to seek out her father, no matter how things turn out.

Skye even meets Sebastian, a boy looking after the grandmother who raised him after his mother was killed, and realises that the hand you are dealt does not have to determine who you decide to become. So when a major twist emerges in the latter part of the storyline, she is able to find her way through it despite her disappointment.

This is a beautiful book about a teenager looking for the answers in life, the joys of found family, and the experience of love in its many forms - from stuffed monkeys and cute boys, to mama birds and friends for life - and everything else in between.

I really enjoyed this YA coming of age story. It was refreshing and unique and I really liked how it took situations that I thought were going to play out one way, and took them in a completely different direction. It was not what I usually read, but I couldn’t put it down.

Skye was a likable character, and her journey of self discovery and found family was both heart-warming and gut wrenching. At 16, Skye is a young actor in LA trying to book gigs and keep both herself and her mother from homelessness. An opportunity to be on a reality show opens up the possibility of escaping the hard life she’s lived with her overbearing mother, and also potentially find out who her birth father is.

I hated Skye’s mother, which was the point, but I found myself so sad for a little girl that had to grow up way too fast and be looked at as a meal ticket for an unwell narcissist. But I did like how Skye finally broke free and began surrounding herself with good people and finding her own way.

I also loved the found family aspect. Skye has a love interest in this, Sebastian, and even though it’s not the focus of the story, it was sweet and tender in all the right places. I also loved the other “reality star” kids and how they handed together instead of tearing each other down.

All in all, the book was great, the twist at the end had a great payoff and I would love to see more from Skye and how she is fairing in the future.

The opening of this book really soured my overall view of it. I found it really hard to relate to the characters and incredibly difficult to enjoy the story.

In the city of dreams, trying to make it in Hollywood isn't all it's cracked up to be for sixteen-year-old Skye Perry.

The acting roles she books barely keep her and her mother from starving, and she can never be sure where they'll be sleeping for the night. Skye knows that finding her father is the saving grace that will rescue her from abject poverty and her mother's dysfunction.

There's just one problem: she has to figure out who he is.

When her luck suddenly changes and she lands a spot on a reality show, Skye not only makes friends with the cast, she's given some astonishing news about her father. With her dream so close now, Skye, along with the help of her friends, set out on a road trip in search of her new life.

But nothing can prepare Skye when the truth about her past comes crashing down around her. As she plummets into the unknown, she'll have to follow her heart if she ever hopes to land into the life that was always meant to be hers.

An emotional rollercoaster that stayed with me long after I finished the story. I felt so much pain and sympathy for Skye. I really thought that the story was well written and beautifully done.

The book starts with obsessing over cockroaches. It's probably supposed to be edgy but it's not. The writing didn't appeal to me at all.

The book is a good read for teenagers and young adults. I personally found the book an emotional roller coaster while reading through how Skye's life as a 16-year old teenager unfolds before her. Her relationship with her mother and her longing to be with father makes her a very sensitive character but Dorothy Deene did justice to the character via her writing. I would recommend this book to my friends.

I really enjoyed following Skye and her journey to find her dad, but sheesh this book had an uncomfortable undertone due to Skye's mother.

Maybe a second book without that horrid mother and as Skye continues her journey with the family she connected with at the end of this book would work better for me...

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. All views are my own.

Skye makes a living, just, as a part time actor in LA. With her small earnings, her mom and her manage to get by, living sometimes in an apartment and sometimes in their car. The description of their lifestyle and the emotional pressure her mom placed in Skye was a difficult read, but very compelling.

Skye clearly hates her mom and their lifestyle and is desperate to find her father to escape the abuse. When she lands a part in a pilot episode of a reality TV show, she thinks this might be the opportunity she’s been looking for.

I felt the second half of the book was less realistic than the first. There are a lot of secrets Skye is unaware of and this, to an extent, contributes to her mom’s behaviour. However, the solution was too neat (in the way that Skye tracked down missing relatives) to be believable. Also, the depth of relationships developed on the TV show felt highly unlikely.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to have been sent an ARC of this book by NetGalley. In the wake of child stars that I have grown up with exposing their experiences in the entertainment business and the role that their toxic parents had in them, a story about 16 year old Skye who is stuck trying to book acting roles because her mother won’t work and drives them both to homelessness in a never-ending cycle. She doesn’t know who she really is, or what she really wants, all she knows is that she would do anything to get out of her current situation. Her luck seems to turn when she and her mother are brought on a reality show about talented young people, with producers who want to help Skye find her father, but will finding him be exactly as she hoped, or will it unravel everything that she has ever known.

I absolutely loved this book. I am a sucker for the found family trope and that exactly what this book is, in more ways than one. I would absolutely love to read more about Skye and her journey, both with her friends and her family.

The Gravity of Lies is classed as a Young Adult Romance novel and was published earlier this month.

Thank you Netgalley and Sword and Silk books for the eARC!

Skye is a 16 year old actor struggling to keep her and her mother fed and housed. When she's accepted on a reality show it seems like it could be their big break. Skye doesn't care about acting. She wants nothing more than to find her father and gain some stability, but with her mom sharing nothing it's time for Skye to take matters into her own hands.

This was a sweet easy read. It touched on a lot of issues that teens go through and never diminished the experiences. As a protagonist, Skye struck a nice balance between sensible and following her heart. I never found myself frustrated with her choices.

I think the twists and reveals were well set up. I also really liked the side characters. Overall an enjoyable read

Skye Lark Perry has never had a normal life. Ever since her uncle died, she and her mother have gone from place to place, shelter to shelter, and have even spent more than a few nights in their car. For the past three years, all Skye has known is that she has to take care of her mother because her mother can't seem to take care of her.

Skye is homeschooled so that she can go to various auditions around Los Angeles, which are booked by a not-so-trustworthy "agent". The few jobs she gets are the only money coming in for her and her mother and she knows starvation far too well.

When the opportunity comes for her to be in a small reality TV show, which is designed to find the next cast members for a new drama, Skye is forced to participate. While she's not eager to be there, she is eager for the opportunity to possibly find her father, a person about which she knows nothing.

With twists and turns, Skye finds that her life may be something she never thought possible.

Final thoughts: Clunky and stuttering narration plus a lack of any real chemistry among the characters makes this a difficult read at times. The twists about Skye's life are just very strange and hard to track. It was unbelievable both in plot and in relationships among the characters.

Rating: 2/5

this book was nice!

it follows skye, a 16 year old starting actor, as she struggles through life with her mother, who is not taking care of her as she should. all skye wants is to find her father and all will be well...

i love the friendships developed during the book, and i also liked that the romance story line is only on the side, and that it does not overshadow the family story line.

the plot twist was surprising as well! nice book! I would recommend.

thanks to netgalley and the author for sending me the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

a post will be made on my instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lunarbookshelves/ on the 3rd of july. link will be posted as well!

Reviewed for NetGalley:

This was one of the books that the blurb did not do the book justice. While it illustrates a teenager girl landing a teenage reality show, I feel that the reality story line barely scratches the surface.

Skye, nearly homeless, and at times homeless, moving from crappy apartment to homeless shelter with her mother, living off her Hollywood extra meager earnings, Skye's one goal is to find her father.

Her mother, is no help as she rarely allows Skye out in public without her by her side.

Lots of interesting twists and turns, and I would have enjoyed the book without the reality side plot.

Thank you to Dorothy Deene and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Gravity of Lies" is a captivating and emotional journey of self-discovery and resilience. Skye Perry's determination to find her father amidst a life of poverty and uncertainty is both relatable and inspiring. The book delves into themes of family, friendship, and the power of love, offering a rollercoaster of emotions that keeps you hooked until the very end. The plot twist about Skye's parents adds depth and heartbreak to the story, while the well-developed characters and their genuine struggles make this a compelling read. Dorothy Deene's writing style strikes a balance between rawness and beauty, delivering a unique YA novel that touches upon complicated family dynamics and the challenges of life. Overall, "The Gravity of Lies" is an impactful and unforgettable tale that will resonate with readers seeking a powerful and heartfelt story.

Skye never knows if she will have a roof over her head or food to eat. Even since her uncle died, she and her mother have been moving from crappy apartments to shelters and spending quite a few nights in between in the car.

Her acting jobs are the only thing keeping them fed, but the money runs out all of the time.

Even though she is 16, she can't have a phone and is never allowed to be anywhere without her mom.

She hopes her luck will change when she lands the role on a reality show. she even makes a few friends.

She is desperate to find her father, but what she discovers will forever change her life.

It's an emotional story of a teenager, who is forced to work and support her mother and never knows where she will spend the night. All she wants is to find her father and have a normal life.

It's the kind of story that puts you through a rollercoaster of emotions and you can't help but feel and root for the Skye.

I received this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is about friendship, family, love, and healing. We go through the entire book with our main character Skye, and she’s been dreaming about who her real father is. I can’t go into too much detail about her dad without spoiling the surprise twist.
We have our adorable boy next door type of romance, and Sebastian was every bit the kind of man that most women wished were real. He stays by Skye’s side every step of the way, and both keep a promise to each other.
Then we have the friends that Skye met through a reality show, and we get to see Skye bond with Matt, Garrett, Amber, and Kylie.
Skye finds friendship and love as Sebastian also becomes a part of the little friendship family that Skye had unexpectedly formed.
I’m so used to books relying on romance, so it’s definitely a stand out novel for showing the joys and downs of life.
At the end I picture Skye truly finding the happiness and answers that she was looking for.
I really enjoyed this book, and I hope to see more from this author!