Siri Mitchell's new thriller

State of Lies by Siri Mitchell

This was the first book that I have read by Siri Mitchell, but it definitely won’t be the last.  There were many things that I liked about it.  The plot was constantly unfolding and carrying the reader deeper into the story.  The characters were likeable and complex.  And best of all, the ending held a surprise!

The plot contained many twists and turns and was impossible to predict.  I felt like I was living the story along with Georgie.  At times it was difficult to put the book down.

I really admired Georgie, and how she rose to the challenge of solving the mystery that threatened her family.  The author managed to make me feel her confusion, hopelessness and desperation.  I wondered along with her just who Sean, her husband really was.  And as for Georgie’s parents, there was definitely more to them than I first suspected.

The story’s ending was something that I did not predict.  Although it satisfied most of my questions, it still left some things unresolved.

The one thing that almost made me quit reading before I had hardly begun was the intimate scene between Georgie and her husband at the beginning of the book.  Though it was handled discreetly, I was still a bit uncomfortable with it.

Although this book is published by Thomas Nelson, there was no mention of God, the Bible or faith in it.  Basically, it was a clean read, but free of any overt mention of faith

.

I am grateful to the publisher for the free e galley to read.  This is my honest review.

Thought-Provoking Message in Fiction

The Camera Never Lies by David Rawlings

This book contained a unique concept—a camera that tells the truth in the photographs that it produces.  Daniel inherits the camera from his beloved Gramps and is shocked at the images he receives from the photo lab.  When faced with the truth about the people and situations in his life, he has a dilemma: continue to hide the truth while risking the debilitating consequences or own up to the truth, facing the painful consequences and escaping the dire predictions of the photographs.  His marriage to Kelly and the health and life of their child hang in the balance.

This book was a departure from the type of fiction I normally read, but I enjoyed it.  The story was thought-provoking and the plot contained an unexpected surprise.  The characters were well-drawn and felt real.  The author’s proposition—a camera that tells the truth—was interesting and kept me reading.  I am still pondering the book’s message.

A reader who enjoys fiction with an intriguing message and a bit of improbability in the plot, will most likely enjoy this book.  I received a free copy from the publisher for this, my honest review.