Review: Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title: Little White Lies Series: Debutantes #1 Written by: Jennifer Lynn Barnes Published: November 6, 2018 by Freeform (Disney) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: "I'm not saying this is Sawyer's fault," the prim and proper one said delicately. "But."  Eighteen-year-old auto mechanic Sawyer Taft did not expect her estranged grandmother to show up at her apartment door and offer her a six-figure contract to participate in debutante season. And she definitely never imagined she would accept. But when she realizes that immersing herself in her grandmother's "society" might mean discovering the answer to the biggest mystery of her life-her father's identity-she signs on the dotted line and braces herself for a year of makeovers, big dresses, bigger egos, and a whole lot of bless your heart. The one thing she doesn't expect to find is friendship, but as she's drawn into a group of debutantes with scandalous, dangerous secrets of their own, Sawyer quickly discovers that her family isn't the only mainstay of high society with skeletons in their closet. There are people in her grandmother's glittering world who are not what they appear, and no one wants Sawyer poking her nose into the past. As she navigates the twisted relationships between her new friends and their powerful parents, Sawyer's search for the truth about her own origins is just the beginning.  Set in the world of debutante balls, grand estates and rolling green hills, Little White Lies combines a charming setting, a classic fish-out-of-water story, and the sort of layered mystery only author Jennifer Lynn Barnes can pull off.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for and honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I loved Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ The Fixer series and I want to read more of her books so when I heard that she was coming out with a new book that was about debutantes with secrets I was completely on board. And while it was a pretty good read, it didn’t blow me away like I was expecting.

The characterization has this real Gilmore Girls feel. Our main character is the daughter of a former rich girl who got pregnant at seventeen and left home to raise her child. The difference is that these two didn’t have the charm and connection of Rory and Lorelei. It was like later seasons Gilmore Girls where they’ve had a falling out. The grandmother however had strong Emily vibes. She was like this tough an prickly woman who has a surprising heart of gold when it comes right down to it. I loved seeing her walls break down throughout the book along with Sawyer’s. They weren’t quite unlikable characters but they were pretty dubious ones and I always like that in a mystery.

But that was just the start of the dubious characters. This book was full of characters who walk the line between good and evil. So many of them do terrible things throughout the book, some for good reasons and some for terrible reasons. There were some truly devious characters like Campbell and some characters who just made really terrible decision like Lily. I was pleasantly surprised by the relationship that developed between the girls. It started out feeling like a catty mean girls sort of situation but by the end they really came together and made a great team.

However, I do think that the mystery here was kind of lacking. I come to expect JLB to write a twisty series full of last minute surprises so that’s what I wanted here. But it never delivered on that. I think the problem was there were just too many plot points so it lacked a cohesive story. The book was told with these interludes that were happening in the past (or was it the future) that were supposed to explain why the girls were arrested but honestly I think they just confused me needlessly. And then throughout the main novel there was the idea of who Sawyer’s father was thrown in with at least three more side storylines. They all were interesting they just took away from the overall connectedness of the story. I know JLB can write a good thriller, this just wasn’t her best work. I wish she had scaled back a little bit.

But all and all this was a good read. It was fast and entertaining. I read it on a train ride home from seeing my family for Thanksgiving and it was the perfect vacation read.

I give Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. I would recommend this book to someone who is not a huge fan of thrillers but wants a book with some mystery to it. I think contemporary fans will like it more than fans of mysteries.

Have you read Little White Lies? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

****This book is a sequel. If you haven't read The Fixer, proceed with caution. Also if you haven't read The Fixer, seriously get on that because it's fantastic. Here's my review ****

Title: The Long Game Series: The Fixer #2 Written by: Jennifer Lynn Barnes Published: June 7, 2016 by Bloomsbury (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Tess Kendrick, teen fixer extraordinaire, returns in a pulse-pounding thriller about a deadly conspiracy at the heart of Washington.  For Tess Kendrick, a junior at the elite Hardwicke School in Washington D.C., fixing runs in the family. But Tess has another legacy, too, one that involves power and the making of political dynasties. When Tess is asked to run a classmate's campaign for student council, she agrees. But when the candidates are children of politicians, even a high school election can involve life-shattering secrets.  Meanwhile, Tess's guardian has also taken on an impossible case, as a terrorist attack calls into doubt who can--and cannot--be trusted on Capitol Hill. Tess knows better than most that power is currency in D.C., but she's about to discover first-hand that power always comes with a price.  Perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Ally Carter, the second book in this thrilling series will leave readers breathless.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

This book is so complicated in the best possible way. I loved The Fixer for being a really solid YA political thriller and The Long Game was just like that, but more. More action, more thrills, more surprises, and more mystery. The Long Game did not disappoint.

One of the things I love about this series is the characters. It's been called Veronica Mars meets Scandal and there have never been a more apt description. The Veronica Mars of this equation is our main character Tess Kendrick. I very quickly fell in love with Tess in the first book so here it was great catching up with her and seeing her in action, solving mysteries and fixing problems. She's a smart and sassy teen detective that stands up for those she cares about. But she's also vulnerable, rash, reckless, and constantly getting stuff wrong. I love how complex she is. But she's not the only one.

The Scandal description is because this book is really about the Washington elite and their dealings, which often involves corruption and so much interconnected scheming. A lot of that comes to a head at the school that Tess goes to which is made up of the children of these politicians and wheelers and dealers. There are so many fantastic secondary characters here that are odious and interesting. I love all Tess's friends at the school especially Asher who needs more screen time because he's such a great balance for some of the more serious characters. Tess' sister Ivy is an Olivia Pope-like fixer but Ivy really took a back burner in this book and so did a lot of the other politicians that were a big part of the first book. There was something bigger and even more sinister at play here and it was up to Tess to solve these problems which made it even more interesting and thrilling.

Just like in The Fixer, the plot of this book is full of secrets and intrigue that manifests in an incredibly complicated mystery. It had me seriously guessing from start to finish who was involved and how. I like being able to solve mysteries but just like Veronica Mars I eventually gave up and decided it was better to be along for the ride and let it all unfold. And boy did it unfold. There were so many crazy surprises throughout this book and I seriously could not put it down because everytime I thought there couldn't possible be something else coming, that's exactly what happened. From the word go this book took you on a thrill ride full of mystery and it didn't let you go. Like not even when the book was over did it let you go.

But that being said, I think the pacing may have been a little too much. There was a lot going on. A lot of moving parts to the book that didn't always work together well and flow in a way that felt cohesive. There was a lot of action for sure, which I liked, but things sometimes moved so fast that I didn't have time to register why certain things were happening. It did all come together in the end but the specific plot of this book and the larger plot of the series did kind of feel separate for most of the book. My biggest criticism for this series has always been that it leaves you with a non-resolved resolution and that's what I felt again here. I don't necessarily need it in a tiny bow but if it's going to attempt to wrap there should be no feelings of uncertainty. But it also left me needing a third book so badly. I need there to be a resolution here and for certain things to be validated and vindicated,

On the whole I absolutely loved this book. It really is a brilliant YA political thriller and I seriously hope there is a third book because there is more going on here and I need to know what happens next. I need more Tess in my life.

I give The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you liked The Fixer you will not be disappointed by this sequel. And if you like YA mysteries that have you questioning everything, political thrillers, or want something to get you through until Scandal comes back in the fall check out this series. It's fantastic!

Have you read The Long Game? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: The Long Game Series: The Fixer #2 Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes Published: June 7, 2016 by Bloosmbury (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Tess Kendrick, teen fixer extraordinaire, returns in a pulse-pounding thriller about a deadly conspiracy at the heart of Washington.  For Tess Kendrick, a junior at the elite Hardwicke School in Washington D.C., fixing runs in the family. But Tess has another legacy, too, one that involves power and the making of political dynasties. When Tess is asked to run a classmate's campaign for student council, she agrees. But when the candidates are children of politicians, even a high school election can involve life-shattering secrets. Meanwhile, Tess's guardian has also taken on an impossible case, as a terrorist attack calls into doubt who can--and cannot--be trusted on Capitol Hill. Tess knows better than most that power is currency in D.C., but she's about to discover first-hand that power always comes with a price. Perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Ally Carter, the second book in this thrilling series will leave readers breathless.

Why I'm Waiting 

You know what's fun? When you find out one of your most anticipated sequels comes out a month earlier than you expected. Less waiting, yeah! I thought this book came out in July but imagine my surprise when I saw it on Netgalley and it had a release date of June 6th instead of July 7th.

I read the first book in this series, The Fixer, last summer and it was an absolutely amazing political thriller. And it's YA you guys. How many of those are out there. SO few. But seriously, this book is YA Scandal which is everything you want it to be and more. It's got an amazing mystery, which has super high stakes and will keep you guessing. Plus I feel like there were so many aspects on the mystery that weren't resolved so I need to keep reading to find out how it all gets resolved.

Plus I need more Tess Kendrick in my life. She's a fantastic heroine. Snarky and too smart for her own good and the perfect combination of Veronica Mars and Olivia Pope. I like the way that she has these smaller mysteries at the school that overlap with larger stuff. It's great. I can't wait for more.

I was just approved for this on Netgalley (Thanks Bloosmbury!) and it's taking so much of my self-control not to dive right in because I'm so excited to read it.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on The Long Game along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title: The Fixer Series: The Fixer #1 Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes Published: July 7, 2015 by Bloombury Childrens (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: When sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick is sent to live with her older sister, Ivy, she has no idea that the infamous Ivy Kendrick is Washington D.C.'s #1 “fixer,” known for making politicians' scandals go away for a price. No sooner does Tess enroll at Hardwicke Academy than she unwittingly follows in her sister's footsteps and becomes D.C.'s premier high school fixer, solving problems for elite teens.  Secrets pile up as each sister lives a double life. . . . until their worlds come crashing together and Tess finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy with one of her classmates and a client of Ivy's. Suddenly, there is much more on the line than good grades, money, or politics, and the price for this fix might be more than Tess is willing to pay.  Perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Heist Society, readers will be clamoring for more in this exciting new series.

**** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher (thanks Bloomsbury!) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ****

This book is total Cassi-bait. I mean come on, it combines so many of my favorite things. It's a YA political thriller that takes place in a Washington, D.C.  Boarding school. Okay, so it's a normal school but w'll forgive it for that, because seriously The Fixer is fantastic. It's an intricately plotted mystery with great characters who are full of secrets, and an engaging setting.

What first hooked me on The Fixer was the characters. When we first meet our main character of Tess, she is shipped off to Washington, D.C. after taking care of her grandfather who is suffering for Alzheimer's. She has had to grow up really quickly and taking the role of caregiver it's hard for her to trust other people and take help. I think I saw somewhere this book called Veronica Mars meets Scandal, and that's definitely an accurate comparison. Fans of Veronica Mars will love Tess Kendrick. She's sassy and tough but she's also vulnerable. And her greatest strength is also her biggest weakness. She's so dedicated she often acts without thinking, putting others before herself. She was easy to like, easy to root for, and the perfect addition to the cutthroat and secretive world of D.C. politics.

And that world that she entered was also full of an amazing cast of characters that was just as complex and interesting as Tess. Her sister Ivy is the Olivia Pope of this equation. She's a notorious political problem solver who has all kinds of clout and connections but the only problems she can't solve are, of course, her own. Her and Tess have a really interesting relationship and I liked watching it all play out as the book develops. Then there are all the kids at the school that Tess goes to. Their a who's who of Washington and while they were nice and all I did find them a little one-sided compared to a lot of the other characters. And maybe that's because the members of the Washinton elite that Tess encountered were all so complex and interesting. Every time I thought I had one of them figured out they surprised me with more secrets and intrigue.

But that was just the world of his book, full of secrets and intrigue. I have always loved a good political thriller and the world of secrets and back-scratching perfectly lent itself to the mystery of this book. The author took that concept and built on it to makes something larger than life that was compulsively readable. And while I did like the stuff that took place in the school, when Tess entered the larger world and took on the larger mystery, that's where things started to get really good.  The stakes here definitely felt really high and Jennifer Lynn Barnes created a place where secrets are so common they're almost currency. It had me totally hooked on finding out what would happen next.

But even better than the mysterious world was the thrilling plot. Jennifer Lynn Brnes created an intricately plotted story that was full of so many twists and turns. I saw a few of them coming but for the most part they caught me completely by surprise. And that isn't because there weren't any clues. No, I was just following the wrong lead (which rarely happens to me). The beginning was a little slow, and it took a bit to establish the world and introduce the characters but when it did finally pick up, the book was full of riveting action that had me flying through the pages. I read two amazing books this weekend and it's a testament to both of them that I really couldn't decide which one to prioritize. They were both that mysterious and that engaging.

Although my only criticism is that the ending seemed liked a resolved non-resolution. This is the first book in a series (I'm assuming duology) and while it did resolve the main mystery of the book, it didn't have that satisfying ending that I usually feel when that happens. I think it's because the larger mystery is still unresolved and it seemed like that realization didn't happen until the very end of he book. As if Tess was just like, "oh wait I forgot to solve the mystery." It just didn't feel as empowering. Although I do maintain hope that I wasn't wrong about the culprit in this one, it just hasn't been revealed that I'm right yet.

But when the book was all I over I was left with that "wow, this was really good" feeling and that's always a great way to end a book. And that's probably because this was an all-around great book with likeable characters, and engaging and action-packed plot, and a world full of mystery and intrigue.

I give The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 9 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you like mysteries and/or thrillers, especially if you like political thrillers you should definitely check this book out. Fans of Veronica Mars, Scandal, and House of Cards will love Tess Kendrick and the mystery that unfolds during this book.