Publisher: Evernight Publishing

Guest Review: Truth and Other Lies by Foxglove Lee

Posted August 19, 2014 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: Truth and Other Lies by Foxglove LeeReviewer: Tracy
Truth and Other Lies by Foxglove Lee
Publisher: Evernight Publishing, Evernight Teen
Publication Date: July 11th 2014
Genres: Young Adult
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three-half-stars

Have you ever wanted to get noticed? Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you worked or how hard you tried, nobody in the entire world cared what you did? Well, what if someone famous-and we're talking Oprah-famous, here-noticed you for the one thing you wish you could hide? For your one big secret... That's exactly what happens to 18-year-old Kenneth McIntyre when television guru Prahna Mehta hails his self-published novel as the next bestseller. Little do his new fans know Truth and Other Lies wasn't written by Kenny at all... and it isn't fiction.

Kenny's been keeping secrets for years. Sometimes he feels like he's lying to everybody he loves. When Kenny gets swept into stardom, how will he hide the secrets he's kept for years? And, if his lies are exposed, will anyone stay by his side?

Kenny and Millie are the best of friends. In fact Kenny’s mother took Millie into her home when Millie came out to her parents and they not only kicked her out of the house but stated that she was dead to them.

Millie has cancer and is the hospital – fading more every day. One day when Kenny goes to see her she states that she’s written an novel. Kenny’s not really excited about that even though he knows that he should be.  He’s actually kind of jealous as she wrote a novel that’s over 100,000 words in a months time.  He’s an aspiring author and had been self-publishing his sci-fi work for a few years with not too much notice. Now Millie says she’s written a novel and wants Kenny to read it? He knows that she’s dying but can’t work up any enthusiasm for the book.

As it turns out Kenny ends up forgetting about the book as Millie dies and he’s a bit distracted. When he finally does pull it up on his email he’s struck dumb as he realizes it’s not only good but absolutely brilliant. He makes the decision that he will self-publish Millie’s book on the same site he usually does only he’s not giving credit to Millie for it – he’s taking that credit himself.

During all of this Kenny meets June and Wyn (he is Millie’s cousin). They become friends but he’s shocked when June comes on to him. He’s even more shocked when Wyn comes on to him and he finds he loves them both. Neither Wyn nor June know that the other is cheating…with the same guy.

Truth and Other Lies – the title of the book that Millie wrote – ends up becoming a national bestseller and next thing you know Kenny is on a book tour and is becoming quite famous. June and Wyn, however, aren’t happy when they find out about the cheating, as well as the lie about the book. Kenny is devastated that he might have lost the two people he loves most besides his family and that he might be found out as a fraud. When Millie’s family gets involved it’s the end – or is it?

This was a very interesting read. There were many things about it that I liked but others that I didn’t love all that much. For the most part I felt it was really good and had some deeper issues tied into it that really made me think.

Kenny and the book – Did I feel it was ok for him to take credit for Millie’s work? Not so much. That being said I think that the book itself was one that needed to be put out there as it told of Millie’s life living in an abusive home. I couldn’t agree with his taking credit but when it came down to what he decided to do with himself and the money I loved what he did. I felt it was a huge nod to Millie and her life and was quite proud of Kenny.

Kenny and his relationship with Wyn and June…it was odd. I think that it just wasn’t fleshed out as much as it needed to be and some deeper issues between the three that needed to be worked out were skimmed over. I did like all three of them which was a plus.

Overall I liked the book and felt it was a good young adult read.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

three-half-stars


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