Amber Lynn Natusch

"When her FBI agent father is framed for murder, Kylene is forced to move in with her grandfather, back to the small town that turned its back on her, and the boy who betrayed her.

All Ky cares about is clearing her father’s name, but someone won’t let her forget the photo scandal that drove her away two years ago. As the threats gain momentum, Ky finds an unlikely ally in the rookie FBI agent sent to keep an eye on her.

Determined to expose the town's hidden skeletons, Ky unwittingly show more thrusts herself into a much bigger plot. They thought she’d forgive and forget. They’re about to learn they messed with the wrong girl."

Dare You to Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch is the first book of a young adult mystery series. In Dare You to Lie, we meet Kylene Danners, the daughter of a jailed FBI agent and the girl in the middle of a sexual assault case. Two years prior to the events of Dare You to Lie, topless photos of Kylene had been posted to the internet. Unfortunately, the perpetrators, players of the local undefeated football team, were uncharged and Kylene's reputation had been ruined, leading to her and her father moving away. Fast forward to present time, Kylene is back "home" to live with her grandfather after her father is sentenced to jail. No one, other than her old friend Garrett and the new girl Tabby, is happy that Kylene is back in town. And when Kylene starts digging into what happened the night of her assault, threats abound and secrets are revealed. The more Kylene learns, the more everything gets intertwined. Both her and her father's case connect dots with a deeper conspiracy: drug and prostitution rings, as well as police corruption,

What I Liked About 'Dare You to Lie':
Everything! First of all, let me say that I love, love, love, love, love Kylene! She was so kick-ass, from her wit and sarcasm to her smarts and fight skills. She is definitely a character to root for. Natusch did a great job in making the characters feel real, even the bad guys. No matter how much I hated Donovan (and with good reason), his character was important to the story. Unfortunately, there are many guys like Donovan all over the world who are also getting away with the very things Donovan gets away with. I'm glad that this is going to be a series as there are many simultaneous stories going on at the same time that would not get "page time" if it was a standalone. There would also be too much to wrap up in one book and that would take away from the premise. Though it means that we have to play the waiting game, I'd much rather a series as there's too much going on for one novel.

What I Didn't Like About 'Dare You to Lie':
Nothing!

Recommend For:
1. Fans of YA mystery/suspense
2. Those who prefer books with strong female leads without the romance and/or overdone love triangle.
3. Fans of conspiracies and conspiracy theorists. show less

I was incredibly and pleasantly (surprised) autopsied by this novel. Don't get me wrong, there are a number of things that leave the reader wanting more (and not in a good way), but overall it was well thought out.

There is a prevalent element of mythology in this novel. Aspects of Greek mythology like the Underworld, Hades, Ares, and other (demi-)godly players are rampant throughout the story. But, it's combined with the (fallen) angels and heaven of religious mythology and stories. It's a show more strange combination that doesn't lend itself to logical commingling, although it worked relatively well here. Perhaps I'm just biased because I adore the mythology in all cultures.

My highest praise for this novel is the writing quality, not the characters, world, or plot - just the simple allure of a book that's written in proper, intelligent English. A surprising rarity in Y.A. books. The author has a wonderful command of the English language and uses vocabulary that make a reader wonder, "What does that mean?" I love books that will chose to use words strode or sauntered, rather than another banal alternative when expressing how someone made their way down the street. You want them to reference a thesaurus to make their lexicon as diverse as possible. No one wants to hear, he said, she said, they said over and over. Perhaps they shouted, or she bit back her words? Anything to give the story real depth and reality.

The shortcomings? Character development and world building. Don't get me wrong, it was certainly there but not as well thought out as it should have been. Relationships were crafted much more quickly than reasonably could be expected and it created a sense of falseness. If more attention had been given to those two aspects, it would have been a strong 4-star rating (rather than my 3/4 rating.)

Another trait of a good story, be it in a book, movie, tv show, or something else is lack of predictability. If you can guess what it going to happen in the story from just the first 50 pages, than it seems less appealing to continue. On this account, the author both confirmed my suspicions and utterly surprised me. Not long into my reading, I was jotting down notes and thoughts as I felt a situation professing. I wanted to have quotes, events, and feelings to reference later - especially if my expectations were fulfilled. The end of the book on the other hand - completely unexpected.

The ending of the novel certainly set up the next book, leading me to believe this is meant to be a series. As such, I think it would benefit greatly from the eventual addition of novellas. They would help strengthen the characters, world, and events that are alluded to during the story but never revealed in their entirety. Don't read this part if you don't want small spoilers, but some of the story lines that I felt were lacking were: Khara's time in the Underworld and with Hades, how Ozereus fell, how Kierson was saved by Oz, a tale of the brother's rounds including some of the supernatural beings they encounter, and even mini-stories that help develop the character's personalities. show less

The first 25% of the book us full of "As you know, Bob" exposition. The entire book is full of women being referred to as whores. Even the main character is judged *by her brothers* on her worthiness to be fucked, and they guard her virtue as if she is their possession.

Why two stars, not one? I like the writing style and think it suits the character. I am interested in Khara and in how she changes and adapts. And the damn plot twist at the end is my kryptonite.

(Provided by publisher.)

"Dare You to Lie" was a fast-paced thriller with a fabulous protagonist. I loved Kylene (Ky) from the start. She had a smart mouth that lacked a filter and she tended to act first and think later. However, she didn't lack courage. Too often she found herself in situations beyond her depth, but she refused to back down in any of them.

As the book progressed, it was obvious that the mystery and hidden secrets went far deeper than Ky ever suspected. It was difficult to know which of the show more townspeople were trustworthy, and which weren't. Although the ending was satisfactory, there were questions left unanswered but I am sure their answers will be revealed in subsequent sequels.

Ky wa supported by some wonderful secondary characters including Gramps, Garrett (her best friend), Tabby, A.J. and Detective Dawson. Garrett was a genuinely nice young man who always had Ky's back and protected her like an older brother. I also loved Tabby, the new girl from Canada, with her irresistible laugh and insatiable curiosity. The humour, bond and friendship between Ky, Tabby and Garrett was delightful. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Tabby and Garrett become an item later down the track.

I am still wondering how the relationship between Detective Dawson and Ky will develop. Throughout most of the book he felt too old for her, but there was certainly chemistry between the two of them. Then there was Ky's ex-boyfriend, A.J., who made it plainly obvious that he was still in love with Ky.

"Dare You to Lie" kept me guessing from the start and, while I had parts figured out, there were surprises, too. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. show less