She Lies Twisted

by C.M. Stunich

"Pain would bind us together tighter than any cord; death had made us equals, the harpies had made us partners, but pain, pain would make us friends forever."

I was born wrapped in death.

I was bathed in it.

It had always been a part of my life whether I liked it or not. I just didn't expect it to come for me so soon.

Or to be so disappointed to live through it.

I remember falling, like Alice down the rabbit hole, and then I met the boy with stitches in his face. The boy that would show me harpies, demons, souls. The boy that would help me fight my once dead sister. The boy who would restore my belief in friendship and give me the will to live.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Ebooks, Paranormal Romance

283 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 28, 2012

About the author

C.M. Stunich is a self-admitted bibliophile with a love for exotic teas and a whole host of characters who live full time inside the strange, swirling vortex of her thoughts. Some folks might call this crazy, but Caitlin Morgan doesn't mind - especially considering she has to write biographies in the third person. Oh, and half the host of characters in her head are searing hot bad boys with dirty mouths and skillful hands (among other things). If being crazy means hanging out with them everyday, C.M. has decided to have herself committed.

She hates tapioca pudding, loves to binge on cheesy horror movies, and is a slave to many cats. When she's not vacuuming fur off of her couch, C.M. can be found with her nose buried in a book or her eyes glued to a computer screen. She's the author of over thirty novels - romance, new adult, fantasy, and young adult included. Please, come and join her inside her crazy. There's a heck of a lot to do there.

Oh, and Caitlin loves to chat (incessantly), so feel free to e-mail her, send her a Facebook message, or put up smoke signals. She's already looking forward to it.

Stalk me, please!
www.cmstunich.com
www.facebook.com/cmstunichauthor
www.twitter.com/CMStunich

I'm also on Goodreads, Spotify, Google +, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Reviews

[Annette]

Tuesday is still Stunich day! As long as I still have e-books from Stunich on my iPad I will keep on reading happily, discovering all these amazing stories from an author who has very clearly a huge talent when it comes to storytelling, writing and creating lovely worlds and mythologies. Even nicer? I go in almost blind. I don't really know what I start every Tuesday.

And the first thing that grabbed me in this book was the atmosphere. Stunich really did an amazing job with giving this book a certain feel. It's in the way the world is described, it's in the way the emotions are described, it's in the emotions themselves and what's happening, it's also very clearly in the writing style. I think that the atmosphere is already half what makes this book work. It's so well done. I had goosebumps while reading this and felt the shivers rolling down my spine.

Apart from that I really loved the emotional journey of the characters. This book is very clearly about coming to terms with every crappy thing that happens to us and others, about giving heavy emotions and trauma's some place, about learning how to let go and how to move on, about forgiving, others and yourself. That emotional journey is not only touching, it's also very inspiring. It might be a book about death, but it's just as much a book about life, about willing to live and fighting to live.

I have to admit that the mythology wasn't always clear to me. I sometimes had a hard time following what was actually happening, but that didn't take away much joy. Sometimes going with the flow and enjoying the ride is quite enjoyable and amazing too. This is for sure a story by Stunich that I will return to and will read again. I can imagine that when reading back more pieces of the puzzle might click. It really seems to be a typical book that gets even better when re-reading.

[Veronica LaRoche]

I’m kicking myself for not reading this sooner. This book was amazing and well written and of course their were definitely tears in my eyes. Tate attracts death, everyone she loves dies and now she loses her best friend. This story is a crazy paranormal read that I couldn’t put down. I love Tate, Boyd & James, their story is sad and you will definitely not want too stop reading. It’s should be no surprise that I loved this book because every book I read of CM’s it’s absolutely brilliant and I’m always hooked.

[Jacqui]

I almost did not read this book because I found the cover to be, well a bit "cheesy". I am so glad I accidentally click on the book and started reading. The writing is well done and makes for a quick read. Once you start reading this book you will not want to put it down. Well done!

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/15/2020)! 🎁

[Monica]

I gave this book a 3.5 i got it for free on amazon and I'm really glad i did because I'm not sure if its something i would've thought to buy and its definitely worth the read.
While its not my typical kind of book in the sense that it had a gothic feel to it i adored it because of it uniqueness
Neil suffered through her whole 16years being surrounded by death and loss of those she truly loved and it was heart wrenching to say the least and then something happens and she wakes up in the sand no longer her usual self and meets James who's just like her in more then few ways.
The sad irony to this book was on my second day of reading She Lies Twisted I got a call that someone I loved dearly committed suicide and thats something that eats away at your heart knowing that they can take their own lives....
anyways It was amazing though I really wish it went into detail on how Abe and her Mom died

[Leslie]

This is not the kind of story I usually read, but I'm so glad I did. I loved it from the minute I read the summary. Just the wording to tell you what it is about was beautiful.
Once I got started I zoomed through the book, wishing I didn't have to take time out to work and sleep.
What a Twisted love story! Death, death, death everywhere, and somehow she finds someone to hold onto. Love isn't always perfect and pretty.

[Amy Jerome]

I gave this book 5 stars simply because it is such an original concept. I enjoyed the book even though it is "outside the box" for me. I liked the main characters and you learn a lot about them throughout the book. You can really feel the angst and turmoil they deal with. I am glad that it ended on a more positive note, since majority of the book is pretty dark. This book is a must read for those of you who enjoy Zombies/Gothic/Dark type stories. Very well written.

[Patricia]

yeah, so this is a stand alone story by cm, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! i loved the story, the characters (i love how she writes her characters with quirks and flaws, not the "perfect" character with the world on a platter for them.
i loved this entire story and really wish this was a series, so we could follow them to the library, watch their love story, and continue on their adventure.
brilliant cm, just brilliant!

[Bre Smith]

I’m so happy that CM decided to republish this. I’m usually a kindle reader but the second I saw this I bought it even though it’s only the paperback version. It’s one of her earlier books and I never thought I’d get the chance to read it. It was so good! It was also extremely different though, compared to her other books. It’s almost like it was written by someone else but there are certain parts that just scream CM. There is a very slight romance theme to this but it’s more just about d3@th, learning how to deal with it and moving on. It’s written very well (though not as well as her newer books, but she’s had more practice at this point so you can’t really blame her). It’s so beautiful and will make you cry. I’ve never read another book like this; it is very original. If you haven’t read this yet then definitely get it asap! I don’t know if CM will keep it up forever so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

👻Ghosts
💀Reapers
😈Demons
🪽Harpies

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[Jackles]

Ok

I loved the beginning of the book and cried so hard about Boyd because it was like reliving my best friend doing the same thing. I felt as though I was Neil. Then the book got kind of hard to folllow and boring. I ended up just skim reading until the end. I thought for a minute that gma was going to be a bigger part, but she wasn’t.. I mean I felt like there were a lot of moments in the book that could have had more done with them and then they just fizzled out. I’d have given it 1 star, but the emotion it evoked in the beginning upped my rating

[Jenn Green]

I attracted death like honey attracted flies. I wasn't happy about it, but it was fact.

I've been on a bit of a Stunich binge lately and I don't want to stop, I'm pretty sure it's become an addiction and with good reason. Four different books in a row, four completely different stories. Each and every one of her books is unique, engrossing, grungy, dirty, foul, emotional, and a brand new experience Every. Single. Time.

Blood, blood, blood. Every significant moment in my life was covered in it, drenched, soaked, consumed by it.

Neil has been surrounded by death and blood her entire life. Everyone she has ever loved (parents, siblings, ect...) has met an untimely, gruesome death. To say such a tragic past changes her on a fundamental level would be the understatement of the century.

While the students called me That Fucked Up Bitch, the adults had their own name. That Mentally Disturbed Orphan Child Who Will Probably In Some Point In The Future Become An Axe Murderer. Yeah, okay, it was long winded, but when your little dogs name is Sir Wilbert Von Frances, the Third, you don't really care about that kind of thing.

Other than her best friend Boyd, she forms no kind of relationship with anyone, she won't allow herself to. If you have no one, you have nothing to lose. School is a nightmare and even her free time is surrounded by death (only that one is by choice).

They weren't decaying anymore though. I had stopped it. I had beaten death. At least a little bit. Taxidermy. Not a normal hobby for a high school student. I could give a shit less.

With so much exposure to death in her life, you would think her own death would be an easy transition, less of a shock. You would be wrong. For Neil, death is only the beginning. Aside from the obvious blood and violence of this book, it was quite an emotional read. Neil, Boyd, James, and Sydney will all take you to some dark and painful places. You wanna hug them and hope for the best but wonder how the hell they could ever find peace again.

This was the first C.M. Stunich book I've read that wasn't part of a series, and for the first time I finished reading with all my hair still left on my head (she is known for her hair-yanking, screaming for more cliffhangers. Though some are worse than others). Although I'm not really a huge fan of cliffhangers, I've come to expect it from her, not having one is admit idly disconcerting. I'm not quite sure what to do with myself....something must be wrong with me if I can't handle a level ending anymore Lol.

At the end of the day, I would recommend each and every one of her books that I've read 10x's over. If you love a unique and unpredictable story, that is not delivered in shiny sunshine filled wrapping paper, full of awesome characters (good, bad and very verrry bad), lots of bloody action & surprises, than you will find all that and more in C.M. Stunich.

I had always thought death was the end, the culmination of a series of mishaps and suffering, but now I knew for us, it was just the beginning.

Oh , and not to sound random but, I absolutely LOVED the cover. Just wanted to add that =]

[Elizabeth Arrowood]

C.M. Stunich. I love you. :) Not in a creepy way, but GOOD LORD, I love your books. And this is only the second book of yours I've read.

She Lies Twisted was unexpected. I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started reading. It was little too angsty for me in the beginning and I stopped reading to read another book I've dying to read about, I dunno, a little bit in. Little did I know, if I had read just a few more pages, it would draw me in and make the world dead to me as I got so enveloped in the story I just couldn't look away.

So powerful, and so crazy. I love Stunich's imagination. Crazy powerful love. The paranormal aspect of the book was incredibly unique. A grim reaper aspect that has never been told. It was interesting and vivid. It's like the stuff of nightmares, but I wasn't scared.

This book delved deep into a sensitive subject: suicide. It isn't hard to guess that death is the overwhelming theme of this book, but really, love is the theme. That's what I love about this author. She isn't afraid to poke at taboo subjects and expose them. She isn't afraid to use vulgar language and she isn't about to pretend that teenagers don't have sex. Or that they don't fall in love. Shit happens, and for the main characters in this book- a LOT of horrible shit happens. At very young ages.

In this book, soul mates find each other only after death, and they heal each other from the hurt and the mistakes and the fierce love they had in their lives. There was no part of this book I could have guessed beforehand. It was unlike anything I've ever read. I kind of get tired of reading the same love story over and over again. This was nothing like that.

I highly recommend this book to anyone and I look forward to devouring many more of C.M. Stunich's books.

[pinK]

This book made me feel like I was seventeen again. Tatem reminds me so much of myself when I was a teenager that it was nearly impossible not to relate to her. Also, like Tatem, I have lost my sister, so this story ended up being a very unusual and interesting look into my own life.

There was a great chunk of the story where I was fairly confused, but things were gradually worked out to where I could understand what was going on. I've always had a thing for reaper books, and this was no exception. I found the dynamic between herself and her twin the most interesting part of it all. When family dies, it seems like all hell can break loose, causing drama from their life that you never really knew existed. I've experienced this with the death of my sister, so the way this was written (even though my sister obviously has never come back from the grave) was eye opening for me. It helped show me that what I am experiencing with my sister's death is not abnormal. Perhaps I'm looking deeper into the story than intended, but I found hope in Tatem. She was able to overcome death as well as accept it. She's able to move on, which is something so many of us have problems doing. Her inner strength is completely beautiful to me.

Okay, enough of my tangent!

This is a quick read that can show you not only death, but acceptance. It's fairly dark, but I'd still recommend it to readers of YA.

[Ashley Williams]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it was tragic yet inspiring. The paranormal aspect was unique, and the romance was adorable. This is the second book of Ms. Stunich's that I've read and I have to say I am a becoming a big fan of hers. This book was balanced, there was some downtime in between the action (I've read some books in which the action is non-stop, and it can be overwhelming). The main character is easy to relate to, and you can empathize with her emotions. I like the layout of the book as well, its quite elegant. It's a quick read and definitely worth it in my opinion.

It seems like death follows Neil everywhere. She had lost every member of her family but her Grandmother, who happens to be lost in a world of her own. The only person Neil can rely upon is her best friend Boyd.

That is until tragedy struck again and Neil was alone. She tried to pick up the pieces of her broken life and move forward, but fate saw fit to step in. One minute she was falling, the next she literally woke up dead.

She meets a strange boy with similar stitches, who seems to be the key to unlocking some of the mysteries of her new undead life.

[Kay]

I wasn't sure for a while if I was going to rate this book a 3 or 4 stars but the story has really stuck with me so it gets a 4 for that.

The first thing you will notice when you start reading is that, this book is very bleak, especially the first third of it. While I like bleak and dark books, it was almost too much. Fortunately, this does get better and during the last half of the book there is a strong message of hope.

I really liked the overall concept of the book. It's got a gothic, grim reaper, zombiesque thing going on and was unlike any other urban fantasy out there. It was refreshing to read something with such a unique idea.

I liked both of the main characters and the relationship between them. I think that the characters and some parts of the book could have been fleshed out a little more. I would have loved to have learned more about the library and the harpies and how being a summoner really works.

This book was well written. There were a few minor editing mistakes but nothing worse than you would see in a traditionally published book. I definitely plan to check out more books by this author.

[Lauren]

Neil has had tragedy surround her entire life. Death seems to follow her around. After her best friends death she literally goes downhill. (Sorry bad pun) I felt like so many details were missing from this story. I thought the story line was original, but needed to be explained further. This is a book where you keep going What?!?!! And never really know why. WaAR

[Ashley]

Whew! Another great read! This lady never disappoints me! It was a very quick read. The main character is sixteen. I didn't know that coming into this book. There's no romance, so if you're looking for that kind of paranormal read, this one isn't for you. I still loved it anyway!

[Patty]

love the cover,sounds great!!!!!!!!

[Angela]

9/14/2012: Free on Kindle