Actin' Up with Books: THE DARKEST LIE by Pintip Dunn

THE DARKEST LIE

by Pintip Dunn

Publication Date: June 28, 2016

Published by Kensington Publishing

Pages: 256

Source: JenniferHalliganPR/Publisher

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Synopsis

“The mother I knew would never do those things.

But maybe I never knew her after all.”

Clothes, jokes, coded messages…Cecilia Brooks and her mom shared everything. At least, CeCe thought they did. Six months ago, her mom killed herself after accusations of having sex with a student, and CeCe’s been the subject of whispers and taunts ever since. Now, at the start of her high school senior year, between dealing with her grieving, distracted father, and the social nightmare that has become her life, CeCe just wants to fly under the radar. Instead, she’s volunteering at the school’s crisis hotline—the same place her mother worked.

As she counsels troubled strangers, CeCe’s lingering suspicions about her mom’s death surface. With the help of Sam, a new student and newspaper intern, she starts to piece together fragmented clues that point to a twisted secret at the heart of her community. Soon, finding the truth isn’t just a matter of restoring her mother’s reputation, it’s about saving lives—including CeCe’s own…

My Thoughts

Even before I knew what THE DARKEST LIE was about I wanted to read it because of the gorgeous cover. The shades of blue of blue and the girl looking out over the lake captured my attention and I had to know what she was thinking about and what she went through.

THE DARKEST LIE combines the thrills of a mystery with the realities of young adult contemporary which make for a heart-pounding, heart-stopping, and sometimes, heartbreaking read. I read it almost straight through because from the get-go, this book had a hold of me, making me reading it furiously until the very end. When a book takes control of me like that, nothing else matters.

I love that THE DARKEST LIE has the Veronica Mars vibe to it. It's serious and smart, with wit and romance and danger. It takes a look at the many relationships changed, broken, and destroyed because of the scandal. The mystery surrounding CeCe's mother's death was multi-layered with the truth blurred in with gossip leaving the town in an uproar and devastation all around, and we get to know how CeCe dealt with the aftermath of all of it.

Favorite Quotes

"My mother was chaos and passion, devastation and joy. Dad used to say you could reach deep into her eyes and pull out a song." (page 2) - CeCe thinking of her mother how she remembered her and not how she is currently presented to her in the casket at her funeral

"I'm not going to kiss you," he says in a strained voice." After the night you've had, I don't want you to mistake a kiss for anything that other that what it is. But I want you to know, just because I don't kiss you doesn't mean I'm not thinking about it. Doesn't mean I'm not going to dream about it. Doesn't mean I won't want to do it, next time we're togother." - Sam to CeCe after an emotional day and devastating discovery. This is one of my favorite scenes in the book. I fell in love with Sam's character when he first appeared on this scene and this made me love him even more.

"Walking around this school is like wading into a pit of alligators. I never know which body part they're going to chew up and spit out." (page 146) - CeCe describing her high school (or any high school for that matter). Nailed it.

Immediately after finished THE DARKEST LIE, I wished that I had someone to discuss it with. This is exactly the type of book that I would want to read with my book club. I'm sure that when other people finish reading THE DARKEST LIE, they will feel the same way. They will recommended it to their friends. This book has too interesting to keep it to themselves. It's an overall fantastic read. It's one that I will definitely keep on my shelf for future rereading.

I loved it!

Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the publisher as part of an early review tour in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any way other than the ARC provided. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Pintip Dunn graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. She received her J.D. at Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. She also published an article in the YALE LAW JOURNAL, entitled, “How Judges Overrule: Speech Act Theory and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis,”

Pintip is represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. She is a 2012 RWA Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, YARWA, and The Golden Network.

She lives with her husband and children in Maryland. You can learn more about Pintip and her books at www.pintipdunn.com.

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