I truly have no idea what was going on this entire book. I am at a loss for how to even review it because I struggled so much. This was not for me.

Thank you NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to listen and review this book.

I wanted to love "The Trials of Lila Dalton," but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The book started with a compelling description that piqued my interest, but as I progressed, the story became slow and dragged on. Based on the synopsis, I expected more action and engagement, which ultimately felt a bit misleading.

I listened to the audiobook version, and while the narrator was adequate, they didn’t fully capture the essence of the story or bring it to life for me. As someone who often becomes deeply immersed in a narrative, envisioning the scenes as if I were there, I found this book didn’t evoke that experience.

I had high hopes but, sadly, would find it difficult to recommend this book to others. It lacked the momentum I anticipated, leaving me underwhelmed by the overall pacing and delivery.

This book had so much promise and seemed like it was going to be so intriguing. It started off that way, but quickly descended into a very weird story. I think that the author really got mixed up at some point and just started adding random details in and it ended up making the story much more convoluted. I also Wasn’t happy with the political parts of this that also tended to make the story more confusing. I think the book could’ve been much better if it was just better edited and made a bit shorter and a lot less weird.

An interesting premise for a fast-paced legal thriller that starts with Lila Dalton looking up to find herself in a courtroom with no memory of how she got there and is expected to defend a supposed mass murderer. My first book by this author and I liked it. Would definitely recommend for fans of John Grisham. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I listened to the audiobook and while the narrator did a great job, I think this is one of those books that works better in a traditional written format. The storyline was intriguing but I got a little lost and didn’t feel connected. I didn’t love the main character and struggled to finish. I’m sure this will be a favorite for some but it just wasn’t the book for me.

Not as captivating as I expected from the description. Was still a really good read, but not as fast paced as I like. Enjoyed this book!

Lila has no memory of how she got to the courtroom. She doesn’t know who she is or why she’s here, but she seems to be a lawyer defending a man who is on trial. And it only gets more complicated from there.

So, I wanted to love this. I really liked the premise! It sounded so interesting. And I was really digging it for the first bit. But then it got confusing and had so many different things it was trying to do. And so many characters that I would be like, who is this, and sometimes I figured it out and sometimes I didn’t. The ending was ok. It felt very rushed compared to how drawn out the middle was and not clear enough. It felt more like it was trying to shock than make sense out of what they gave you. I did like the setting of the island in the middle of the ocean that you can’t escape. Also, the narrator did a good job. *2.5 stars rounded up*

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced audio copy of this book!

I have mixed feelings about this book. The premise is intriguing: a lawyer defending a client while also being a murder suspect and struggling with memory loss. However, I’m not sure if these elements were tied together well enough. There were parts that felt drawn out, making the middle of the story drag and leading to some skimming. The narrator was enjoyable and contributed positively to the story, but the narrative felt more like a day-in-the-life than driven by action or suspense, despite the presence of high-stakes situations.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️
Narrator(s): ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes, etc: Amnesia, Legal Drama, Blackmail, Conspiracy
POV: Single, 1st Person

The Praise: The premise had a lot of potential but I think it was forfeited in order to have a gotcha moment at the end.

The Critique: There was simply too much going on. It felt very disjointed and confusing. I also feel like there were a lot of loose ends.
<spoiler> Also, I just can’t believe there was all that build up just to lead to a billionaire’s stupid experiment to combat…cancel culture. Give me a break. </spoiler>

Final Thoughts: I really had to slog through this, which was a bummer because I love legal dramas.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media!

Book has excellent premise. Beginning and ending are very good, but the middle goes on too long. Main character is not very sympathetic. Would have worked better as a novella.

Wellll that went different than I expected, I stayed suspicious of everyone especially the unreliable narrator! Really good story, It would make an awesome limited Netflix series! 😉😉

Publisher's summary
I look up to find twelve strangers staring back at me… and I realize I'm the one they're waiting for.
Lila Dalton has no memory of how she came to be in this courtroom; no memory of how she got to the courthouse at all, or why she’s facing a jury who seems to be waiting for her. The man on trial is accused of mass murder, and she’s his lawyer, but she can’t remember any details of the case. She can’t remember anything…
Stranded on an island in the Atlantic Ocean where the most serious crimes are tried, Lila has to prove her client’s innocence if she wants to go home. But how can she solve this case when she’s not sure she can trust anything around her, including her own memory?
The Trials of Lila Dalton is a twisty, unexpected locked-room mystery that follows one woman’s race against time to find a killer, clear her own name, and escape the island that threatens to keep her trapped forever.

Thanks to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this book!

The Trials of Lila Dalton
By: L.J. Shepherd
Narrated by: Ella Lynch
Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
Release date: 10-08-24
Publisher: Dreamscape Media

While I found this book to be somewhat confusing, I think the concept was really cool. I DID enjoy it but think I would have enjoyed it more traditionally reading versus listening to the audiobook.

I just don’t know about this one.
I felt like the set up was great and then the in between kept me intrigued but the ending left me with questions.
The book begins with Lila Dalton standing in a courtroom suddenly aware that she has no idea who she is or how she got there.
Once she finds out she is the lawyer of a possible murder, she goes on a crazy journey to figure out more about the case and why she can’t remember anything before the courtroom.
I wish this one didn’t fall flat because it had so much potential, unfortunately, it did.
Still 3 ⭐️ because the concept was really different and I always appreciate that.
Thank you netgalley for the AAC

The storyline was captivating, but it felt like the project aimed too high. The book is lengthy and contains numerous threads that remain unresolved by the conclusion; yet, the central theme of the narrative appears to be overlooked.

On the positive side, the book was engaging enough to hold my attention for a full 24 hours. Therefore, it could be a worthwhile choice if you're looking to dive into an audiobook for an immersive experience.

The plot was intriguing, but I think the project became too ambitious. The book is long and filled with different strings that don’t get tied up in the end, however the main objective of the overall arch seems to be left unexplored.

To be fair, the book was involving enough to keep me tethered to it for 24hours. So, maybe this can be interesting if you want to plunge into an audiobook for an intensive period of time.

Spoilers start here:

I’m a bit disappointed that I could figure it out from the start that the person she meets at the changing room is herself in the future. I also reckoned she didn’t have a daughter and that this was some kind of torture (got that one wrong?) but I feel like we spent a lot of time following the journalist and very little time having the big experiment explained to us.
The overall plot gives strong MK Ultra vibes, but at the end of the day is she really on an island or is she confined to some kind of simulation? How is the tech entrepreneur prototyping this experience? If the events erased from her memory are episodic, how is she not bothered by the lack of a computer and a search engine? The feeble quantum mechanics explanation doesn’t solve it for me.
I want to thank Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for ARC of the audiobook. The audiobook narrater was excellent.

L.J. Shepherd's The Trials of Lila Dalton is a fast-paced legal thriller that throws readers into a disorienting world of memory loss and a desperate fight for survival. Lila Dalton wakes up in a courtroom, with no recollection of who she is or how she got there. Accused of a mass murder, she must rely on fragments of her past and the help of a skeptical defense attorney to piece together the truth and clear her name.

The strength of this novel lies in its captivating premise. The "locked-room mystery" aspect keeps readers guessing throughout the story. Shepherd masterfully creates a sense of suspense and uncertainty as Lila grapples with her amnesia and the disturbing accusations against her.

The narrative unfolds through a combination of Lila's present experiences in the courtroom, flashbacks to her past life, and glimpses into the investigation. This layered approach keeps the story engaging and allows readers to slowly unravel the mystery alongside Lila.

While the plot is the main driving force, the novel also explores themes of identity, trauma, and the fallibility of memory. Lila's struggle to reclaim her past is both personal and suspenseful, adding depth to the story.

Some readers might find the pacing slightly uneven in the middle section, and the ending may not be for everyone. However, the overall execution of the plot twist and the satisfying resolution make it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

Overall, The Trials of Lila Dalton is a thrilling and thought-provoking novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Poisoned Pen Press for the ALC / ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So, first and foremost...
This is a debut novel for this author. And it was really good, and ORIGINAL for a debut!! BUT, is there a book #2????

We begin the book with Lila Dalton, an attorney, in a courtroom full of jurors. She apparently is defending an accused terrorist. He is on trial for killing at least 27 people. And supposedly, this was caught on video.

If that's not enough of a shock, Lila has no idea where she is. What she's doing. Or, why she is there. As she sees all the jurors looking at her, and realizes that she is dressed in a suit, just like a lawyer would be, she comes to the astonishing realization that SHE is the lawyer for this accused terrorist. BUT she has no idea how she got there....or anything else.

🛑 **** STOP RIGHT HERE if you don't want to know any more!! **** 🛑

As we go through the book, we come to realize that she may (or may not) have some people on her side. But, more than anything, she is afraid to let anyone know of her predicament.
And, as the chapters progress, little tidbits are put out there for us (the readers) that will keep you intrigued and guessing throughout the book.

I did NOT figure out any part of this, but there were quite a few twists!!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an ARC of the audiobook which was just released on 10/8/24.

#TheTrialsOfLilaDalton by #LJShepherd and narrated nicely by #EllaLynch.

3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 4.

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Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review of:

The Trials of Lila Dalton
by L.J. Shepherd
Narrated by Ella Lynch

Overall, this book was hard to figure out. At times I was completely following the story line (or at least I thought I was) and the next moment I couldn’t grasp who they were talking about. The book does have some big real psychological topics that it presents as well as some far fetched moments. In all honesty, I’m not sure how I quite understand the ending.

This book would be good for anyone who loves court room scenes and has a handle with legal jargon as the book is set in a courtroom.

The concept of this book was great and the first 1/3 of it I liked but then it just got wild and not entertaining for me. Narrator was good - maybe I would like it if I tried it again..

3 stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy

Terrible , So confusing . The characters have so little developing, hard to follow. Is this a murder terrorist mystery ? A cult following ?
Etc!