[MPOV] The Finest Lies

My rating: 4/5

Goodreads rating: 4.48/5
Published: October 14th, 2021
Author: David J. Naiman
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

High schooler Nicole Hallett has just about had it with her brother Jay, so when a mysterious man appears with an offer to replace him with a better one, she doesn’t hesitate. Nicole has always been impulsive, but this time, she finds herself in predicament far worse than anything she’s experienced. Just like that, an average snow day—usually filled with hot cocoa and snowball fights—is commandeered by the stranger, who forces the siblings into a dangerous game.

Confronted by past reflections, tested by present complications, and threatened by future possibilities, Nicole has until the end of the day to disentangle the riddle of her life.

This suspenseful, yet winsome novel by award-winning author David J. Naiman explores the power of family and forgiveness. But take heed. The truth can cut like shards of glass, especially for those who’d rather avoid it. Sometimes, only the finest lies will do.

I have received this e-ARC from the author in return for my honest review. I had bouts of bad reading slumps due to the previous lockdown and I've tried switching to other genres but it didn't work. My Kobo had also turned on me and suddenly died!!! When I finally got it up and running, I realized all my existing e-books were gone! So I had to hunt and redownload it all again! Gosh so much drama lah! Anyway, finally I was able to finish reading this e-ARC and a thousand apologies to the author for the much delayed review.

The story delved into the most common sibling rivalry's question... ''would you trade your sibling for a better one?'' It's mostly on the sister's point of view. I liked the many moments of eye-opening experiences of the said sister, awareness on the treatment given to the sibling or close friends. With all this, she has finally seen what she has become to and was given the chance to repent. The ending may be the expected one but it is the journey that brings the story up. The author has put in quite an effort to create this unusual set-up yet engaging story.

This is a Young Adult novel with a strong message about family, especially sibling rivalry and shallow minds. It truly is a refreshing read for me with the way the story span and I loved a good ending. All in all, it was an entertaining read for me.

Here's an excerpt from the novel, you can check it out...