Wrap-Up: May 2013

Lots of great reads this month! Though my favorite was definitely Beautiful Redemption, the fourth novel in the Beautiful Creatures series. =) 

Justice (Deck of Lies #1)

A House of Cards...

When you build an entire life on a foundation of lies, it only takes one truth for the whole thing to come crashing down. I never invited the truth in. I never went searching for it. I never had any reason to suspect that the two people I loved most were dishonest with me every second of every day. 

I made one bad decision, and in a single day my entire world changed. If I'm ever going to discover the truth about myself and my parents, I have to trace all the lies back to their source. I have to try to find the truth that they're hiding. 

The more I discover about myself, and my past, the more I realize that lies really are better than the truth. But now that I know the lies are all around me, I can't stop until I've discovered them all. I'll pull each lie away, one by one, and examine it to see what's underneath…until this house of cards crumbles into dust at my feet. 

I just hope I can survive the crash.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Jade Varden's first novel in the Deck of Lies series, Justice, is a tornado of chaos with crosswinds of lies and deceit. When Rain Ramey discovers that she was the victim of kidnapping when she was a baby, the life she knew was swept away. Now, as the daughter of a prominent family she must unravel the mystery behind her kidnapping and catch a murderer while adjusting to her new family. 

Rain is a great main character, surprising readers and herself as the story evolves through her point of view. Readers follow her discovery of being kidnapped and the strange emotions it brings. She's strong, persistent, and brave as she searches for the truth hidden behind the lies she's given. Readers will love her go-get-'em attitude, though her naivete, at times, is bothersome. It's easy to connect with a character when the novel is written in first person, and Varden does a wonderful job at bringing the reader into the story. 

The plot, as the first in a series, continuously builds as the pages are turned. Not only does the story revolve around Rain and her kidnapping, but it also creates a mystery when a teenage girl, who was close to her birth family, is murdered. As the story arcs into the climax, the novel ends with the promise that the story isn't even close to finished.

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1)

WWW Wednesday (52)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

 

01. Currently Reading:
Justice (Deck of Lies #1) by Jade Varden. When a teenage girl abruptly finds out that she was the victim of a child kidnapping, her life is turned to shambles. Loving this novel so far!

02. Recently Finished:
Love Will Find a Way by Barbara Freethy. After Rachel's husband dies in a tragic car accident, she must prove it was really an accident. With that comes old feelings and older secrets.

03. Reading Next:
Without a Trace by Colleen Coble. A mystery about a son and father's disappearance. Can't wait to start this one! :)

Teaser Tuesday (62)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Justice (Deck of Lies #1)
   - Jade Varden


"But I don't understand. What crime are my parents being questioned about?" I asked.
He cleared his throat before answering. "They're being questioned about a kidnapping, Rain."