All words that describe blondes in Novum. All words that Ash despises almost as much as she hates her hair. An unknown virus ripped apart civilization and destroyed millions of lives, leaving few light-haired people in its wake. Years later, life has regressed back to primitive methods of survival in tiny towns like Cedar Hill in the country of Novum.
After being abandoned by her parents as a child, Ash was adopted by Nan and Pop. Found in the woods and left for dead they raised her as their own. She grew up fast, becoming a skilled hunter because it was the only way to survive after Pop died when she was fifteen. Now at nineteen years old, Ash does all she can to stay hidden, being one of the most sought-after people in the country. Survival depends on avoiding the king, with soldiers and bounty hunters always on the prowl it is no easy feat. Ash's craving for freedom and belonging is like a tangible force ripping her heart in different directions.
Diesel is the only friend she has ever known but the way he looks at her is anything but friendly. With stunning green eyes and dark hair, it would be hard not to take notice of the way she feels when he is around. Ash’s secret keeps them apart but when he finds out the truth—how far will Diesel go to protect her? Does he hold the key to everything she ever wanted or will deeply-rooted lies tear them apart?
Willa is a debut author native to the great state of Idaho. Ranch wife by day, she turns to writing to channel her creative energy when she is not chasing her herd of children and cows. If Willa isn't on a horse, she is probably dreaming up her next book. Silver Lies was the product of boredom after having her third son. When she couldn't go out on the ranch and ride her horse, she escaped into writing to cope with the house fever. Willa loves the change that comes with new adventures and challenges, it keeps life interesting! She enjoys writing stories with strong capable women and the realities of living life without modern conveniences.
I was offered a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and feedback.
Ash has been living her life keeping to herself- making a point to not interact more than necessary with the people in Cedar Hill and especially not letting anyone find out she’s blond. She much prefers her life with Nan on the outskirts, hunting, fishing, and trying to survive. Diesel is her exception. Friends since she was a teen, she wonders if she’d be safe to tell him her secret and if their growing feelings for each other could withstand something so intense. But as they grow closer, she can feel there’s things about Diesel she’s unsure of- things that he obviously doesn’t want her to know. And they could cost her not only her freedom, but her life.
Things I Liked Off the bat, one thing that got me hooked was how we entered Ash’s life. We didn’t have to sit through her meeting all of the people that would affect her story- we met them and got a bit of history when it was necessary.
The side characters; first, Nan and Anne’s relationship is incredible. I loved that Nan got to have her life too. Next, Marva. She obviously cares for Ash and they catch up now and then. I love a good gossipy side character. And Will. I need to know more about him for sure.
Things I Didn’t Like There’s nothing I truly did not like. Only little things that I had to dig up-
The timelines sometimes seemed a little blurry to me. The fight with Luke to the cave to being held captive- I was shocked when Diesel didn’t make it Rollins for two weeks.
Small inconsistencies- during the Spring Festival, Ash went to the drink table twice.
Things I Loved The world-building was amazing! Willa does an amazing job of describing Cedar Hill and the mountains around to the point where I felt I was watching a movie.
The story line. From start to finish I was invested. It wasn’t super fast and intense, but that’s how I like my dystopian stories. I want to feel like I’m hiding from something and having those thought and feelings.
The relationship building between Diesel and Ash. I admit, I’m a sucker for a good steamy romance scene. But I actually loved the “fade to black” (new term I learned on here!) scenes between them. For me, it kept the focus on the story and on their emotional connection.
Overall, I will most likely read this again SOON. I finished it right before bed and woke up with some feelings. The ending left me so unsettled, angry, and hurt. Exactly how I love a book like this to end. What’s even better about it, is now I’m going back to conversations between Diesel and Ash- when he says (referring to Ash considering leaving one day) “Little did she know, it’d never happen, not without me” at first I was thinking how much of a protector he was. Now, I feel like he was literally saying she wasn’t going anywhere unless he was completing his assignment. I cannot wait for the second book in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I had the privilege to be accepted as an ARC reader for this debut, almost forgot about it but decided to get this read done before release on 1/9/2024. Thank you for the ability to read your work!
Rating: 3/5 ⭐
I truly went into this book hoping for a really solid start to a Adult Dystopian novel. Unfortunately, I felt like I was dragging myself through sludge to finish this book. Don't get me wrong! I had a feeling there would be typos etc. considering this was originally a self published book and the author did her own editing. That being said... I had some issues with the way this is being marketed & the characters/structure of the novel. Buckle up, friends. (I am not marking as spoilers as most of the detail will be within the individual character reviews sections. If you have not read this yet and plan to, spoiler free, please come back once you have completed it!)
Overall:
I went into this story expected to get a bada** heroine in a dystopian world, and definitely got that. That being said, the whole first third of the novel was filled with clipped sentences that never felt like complete thoughts. I counted 3-6 different typos within that first third, and even more following through to the end of the novel. (To be transparent, I majored in English in college and even took specific courses in English Syntax and phonetics. I tend to look very very closely at these things in any read.) I even got a little miffed at some incorrect usage of expressions (Layne used "have a heyday" to say "have a fit"; heyday- the period of a person's or thing's greatest success, popularity, or vigor), but I just chuckled and pushed on through, thinking this may be intentional since schooling doesn't seem to exist in this universe.
Something I liked about the novel was the overall premise. I truly want to know what the King is doing with the blondes as they are taken to Hope. But we never get anywhere with this line of the plot. We just follow Ash around as she battles with her feelings for her childhood friend and random men she meets along the way. (Which baffles me, but we will get into this more later on) What is Kane's angle? Why the heck is Diesel so weirdly overbearing over his childhood friend while he's messing around with the town hussy??? I like some of the battle sequences, but a lot of them are either too long or too short. There was never a good balance with the prose.
Blond's having supernatural powers once surviving this virus (I assume), is quite interesting. It would explain why the King rallies them up into the capitol of Novum, but is also quite interesting that there is no one to "train" them to have control over them. (Ash has something akin to foresight like the Sharingan in the Naruto universe, and Will seems to have healing abilities)
The ending (without spoiling it) was a bit unexpected, and I appreciated the twist. There was no hint to said twist other than the secrets being kept by Diesel. To be honest, I'd love to read more to find out the ending. I just hope to see improvement in the typos/writing style.
Let's get into the characters now.
Ash (Heroine): She reads like a discount Katniss from the Hunger Games. She grew up with a father figure that taught her how to hunt in the woods with a bow and arrow, who "miraculously" stumbled upon her in the woods when she was around 4 years old. She definitely seems like she is trying to just live her life as a normal woman (although she is very childish) but has to life the life of a recluse because she is one of few surviving blondes that didn't die to this mysterious virus. Her inner dialogue bores me, and again feels extremely juvenile.
Ash sees a handsome/muscly man and starts drooling after them internally. (Her interaction with Kane was downright creepy and I felt uncomfortable reading it, and because I have a theory that he might be her father) She honestly reminds me of a pubescents 16 year old lusting after a boyband. This is why I find it very very odd that the novel is marketed as an "Adult Romantasy Novel" (per Layne's IG posts). Yes, there are graphic depictions of hunting/battles/mentions of fire arms. But the actual writing style felt very YA/Teen fiction. And that is fine, as long as it is advertised that way.
Generally, Ash has a lot of fight in her. I wish this was further explored, instead of the cropped sentences of her inner monologue and the swaps to Diesel's POV. Also, pointers on including something about birth control and there not being an annoying pregnancy trope.
Diesel (Hero): I hated him. Absolutely abhorred his POV, his whole attitude and demeanor towards Ash. He is borderline possessive and overbearing. He legitimately threatens anyone that even tries to greet Ash in the town they live in. That is abusive behavior and it made me extremely uncomfortable. His introduction was fine, and he even seemed like the type of character I'd enjoy learning about. Alas, Layne wrote him to be this big buff manly-man that exists to protect his woman and has no other character traits other than being possessive. (ew)
The fact that he continues to be possessive over Ash when other (seemingly decent, although they had little to no screen time)men(boys?) express interest in her, while he is messing around (allegedly) with Lily makes me sick to my stomach. He claims he does this so he can "forget" about Ash and his feelings for her, but it reads more like he wants his cake and to eat it in the comfort of his messy bed.
It takes over 300 pages (not all of his POV mind you) for him to say he loves Ash and wouldn't ever leave her, going so far as to threaten full on adults (40+) from harming her while performing a medical examination on her wounds. I could go on and on about why Diesel is the worst male character I have read since ACOTAR.
Nan & Pop: Grouping these two together because they do little outside of be around to make Ash feel loved and otherwise guilty. Both are sweet and loving, but I hate how Nan pushes Ash into Diesel's arms and asks for grandchildren(barf). Pop is around for all of like... 1 chapter and he seems quite mysterious. I wanted to know more about him and his connection to "finding" Ash as a child and something about a book. Their story is quite sad, but again kind of just there to establish that Ash had someone to care for her for 16 ish years of her life.
Will: I have a theory about his identity, but the ages don't add up so I threw it out the window when he was taking care of her at the Hunter House. I actually like him. He seems genuine and caring. I would love to know more about him.
Kane: Another mystery man that apparently makes Ash hot and bothered. Still so weird that she acts that way... anyway. Kane turns out to be the bounty hunter's boss and dyes his hair. Another Blonde and we have 0 idea what his ability is. He freaks me out, but again I do wish I knew more. (I think he might be Ash's father, but again that would be so ridiculously creepy)
Luke & Declan: Despicable. Poor excuses for men. Played their part well, though so I guess they are ok in that aspect.
Ty & Lily: Lumping them together because they are minimal. Ty seems like a push over and I wish he would grow a backbone. Lily is a stereotypical pick-me and I don't want to hate her, but she made that impossible.
Waylon & Rex: Who names their children like this? Waylon seemed semi-decent but he is still a bounty hunter. Rex is deplorable.
I am not going to go into smaller side characters because there were too many. In general, I might pick up the next book simply to know what happens next. However, I'd definitely like to see more of an improvement to the style and editing.
Thank you Willa for sending me this eArc. This was my first one and hopefully not the last one. I really loved the book from beginning to end. Makes me curious for the second book. It was the first dystopian book I read. I loved the main characters Ash and Diesel so much. The end was a total shock for me, what a plot twist!!!
“Wherever you want, Spitfire. Your home is my home.”
Book: 4⭐️ Spice: 🌶️ (Behind closed doors)
This book was my first ARC as a bookstagrammer and I couldn’t be happier about it. I really really liked this book and I’m not that surprised because it’s a romantasy.😍
The story is about Ash and Diesel. Ash is a blond girl that was abandoned as a child. She’s in a world that takes blond people because they’re immune to a virus and they’re never seen again. Ash isn’t asking for a lot of things, she just want to know who she is and to be free. Diesel is her best friend and he has a lot going on in his life. He’s split between two: Ash and his father. But the most important thing about him is that he wants to protect Ash with everything he has.
This book was so entertaining and fast paced. There’s everything you want in a book: romance, hidden identity, dystopian. It’s friend to lovers and not my typical trope but here I really liked it!
I also really like the main characters Ash and Diesel. Ash is so head strong and fierce. She wants to make her own decision and fight anybody that stands in her way. Diesel was a really good morally grey character and you were rooting for him! Sometimes he was a little too possessive over Ash and I wanted him to calm down 😂 but endearing character nonetheless.
If you want a good book with great characters, a great story and flowy writing, this book is for you! Check it out, preorder it, do all the things 🥰
Y’all, this book had me in a chokehold and then Willa Layne had the AUDACITY to end the book like that! 🫣 Dystopian, new adult romance done in THE BEST WAY!!! The dystopian setting isn’t hard to understand. The romance is just right for this storyline. The freaking plot twist has me SHOOK and I didn’t call it, so that’s a huge win. I was so invested in the characters in this book. Ash is so relatable and easy to love as the MFC. There’s mystery thrown in to make you second guess everything you think you know. I’m going to be in a serious book hangover after this… Kissing, fade to black for spice.
NA dystopian with an unknown virus?? Woah 2020 flashbacks. Ash is a hunter who has survived this world thus far and wow what an awesome FMC. I must know more about Diesel. But also can we talk about how those with light hair are scarce? Makes me happy to be a brunette. This world building was so well written and I can’t wait to learn more!
I received this ARC for an honest review, all thoughts/opinions above are fully my own!
I received an ARC for this book and I DNF'd it. I've read a bunch of other reviews and I don't know if I'm even reading the same book since it seems everyone really likes it. To me everything was explained fast and multiple times within a chapter. The dialogue was also hard to read because I wasn't able to tell who was talking when there were multiple people at points. I wanted to continue trying to read this book but I just couldn't.
First things first, writing and publishing a book (especially self publishing) is a huge feat and a great accomplishment, so kudos to the author for accomplishing that. Every reading experience is subjective and this review is just my experience with the story, no hate is intended.
With that being said…. This needed a lot more editing and plot/character development. Quite literally nothing happened for the first at least 50% of this book and pretty much could have all been cut and still given you the same story. It took me about 2 months to just get through the first like 60%. The only reason I kept going was that it was recommended to me by someone who loved it (love that for her!)
The main character, Ash, has no depth. At all. All I know is she’s an orphan and has blonde hair and can hunt kind of. That’s it. Can’t tell you anything else about her. Also the love interest, Diesel, makes all her decisions for her (gag).
Speaking of the Diesel. Hate him! He’s icky! I found myself wanting to just skip over any scene he was in (which is a lot of them). He’s controlling and aggressive. Literally no encounter with him did I ever think “wow this is romantic!”
Also, having the basis of discrimination based on being… blonde… of all things… is certainly a choice. I feel like a simple fix is probably just shaving your head idk. But yeah hair color, specifically that hair color being blonde, as the catalyst just feels a little weird to me idk.
The ending was rushed with the big reveal not really being climactic at all. It just kinda…. happened…
I truly hope the author is able to grow and improve as she continues to write! I know there’s a sequel and maybe things go better in that one. I however don’t see myself picking it up.
ARC review: Willa Layne!!!! This book kept me glued to the pages dying to find out what was happening in this dystopian world filled with mystery. The FMC was spunky, strong, and independent, and the MMC made me fall for him in a way that almost left me heartbroken when I learned some of his secrets. The twists this story took really took me by surprise, but in the best way. I know this was marketed as low spice, but I was honestly a little disappointed that after the very slow burn between the FMC and MMC it was a closed door scene and that was it. I should also point out that there were a few instances where there was a typo (Deisel vs Diesel), or the 1st letter of a new chapter was missing, but the typos were minimal enough that it didn't bother me too much while reading. The cliffhanger ending left me with my mouth gaping open, so I was glad for the sneak peek into book 2, which only made me crave book 2 that much more! Great storytelling by Willa Layne, and I'm looking forward to reading more books from her in the future!
I think this book needs more hype! Ash, is a blonde girl who is abandoned at 3 or 4 yrs old. She is found in the woods and taken in by Nan and Pop. They raise her as their own. She learns how to hunt and do all the things around the cabin to survive. Ash is wanted. Blondes are wanted. They dye her hair and she stays hidden. Diesel is her only friend and will do anything to protect her. He ends up finding out she is blonde and wants to protect her even more. He has many secrets of his own. You have found family, low spice, secrets that will floor you, and much more! I highly recommend this book series!!
ARC REVIEW: Wow, Willa Layne did it. Captivating from the first page, 'Silver Lies' drew me into its dystopian world with an intriguing blend of survival, mystery, and complex characters. The narrative skillfully unfolds the life of Ash, a hunted protagonist with a secret that keeps the pages turning. The depth of her relationships, especially with Diesel, adds layers of emotion that I wasn’t expecting. The author's storytelling hooked me, and I found myself eagerly anticipating each twist and revelation, because there are so many. 'Silver Lies' is a compelling journey, leaving me eager for a sequel to unravel more mysteries in this addicting tale.
ACR rating: Liked it, but the ending made me love it. I need the sequel!
I am an ARC reader and am so glad to have been able to read this! My mind was blown away by the end of this book! I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to read the next in the series! Willa Layne's ability to describe the scenes, settings, and characters was simply beautiful work! The plot twists had me chomping at the bit, and the cliffhanger at the end just ruined me, lol! Loved it! I highly recommend this book!
ARC REVIEW: This was such a good read! And the ending?!?! Excuse me?! The world building was easy to follow, and the story flowed perfectly. Ash is an amazing FMC and I'm 100% invested in her story! I loved the dystopian/unknown virus although it gave me some 2020 flashbacks 😂 I loved all the twists and turns and bonus points for me not being able to guess what was going to happen! I'm so excited to read the next in the series!
I could not put this book down!! I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next. There were so many twists and turns, it will keep you engaged for sure. I also love how I felt like I was part of the story. It draws you in and you get attached to the characters. Phenomenal!!!
Arc review: Oh my goodness!!!! I absolutely loved this book!!! I couldn’t put the book down. It read so easily and the suspense and mystery has you begging to turn the page find out what happens next. I’m on the edge with the cliffhanger! I need to know that Ash makes it! I can’t wait for the next book!!!!
Silver Lies by Willa Layne Kindle Edition - 403 pages
I am excited about this book. This is just the book if you are in a reading funk, nothing seems to catch your attention like you want -- this book had my hooked instantly and before you know it BAM -- that ending will do you in!
This is a New Adult dystopia storyline with some romance to tie it all together. I love dystopian books, and Willa Layne did an amazing job giving us a dystopian setting that is easy to follow and understanding the background for what is happening.
We are following along with the FMC - Ash's POV. Ash is an awesome FMC, she is strong, determined, and fearless. Diesel gives off a feeling like he is holding something back, but I love how he is protective of Ash. Willa did a great job writing all the characters in the story. I love the worldbuilding we are given and how we get a pretty great history of everything. I am looking forward to book 2.
This book is challenging my previous stance on a book needing to be “thicker” to fully capture and describe a world plus all the complexities. Because in under 400 pages I was transported into this story, altered and then spit back out asking for MORE!!
We have Ash. She lives in a cabin on the outskirts of town with her ‘parents.’ Then we have Diesel. Her best friend who is VERY possessive, I mean protective of her. Oh and it’s all set in a world that is trying to function after a plague dessicated the population. Basically. The setting of the book is like the first 30 minutes of The Hunger Games, and then all the twists start coming!!
It’s been so hard for me to properly put my thoughts into words for this book because it truly has spoken to my soul. I have always wanted a life of simplicity with a love that is pure and feels like coming home (😉). This book transported me into a world where those dreams were a reality and I will forever be obsessed.
HOLY PLOT TWIST!! Thank you Willa for sending an eARC to review, I am on the edge of my seat after finishing. It has been awhile since I felt pulled to read anything in the dystopian genre and I was so engaged the whole time. The pacing was phenomenal, and the characters were so easy to love. I can’t stop my brain from making theories that I have to wait to see if they come true! I am a sucker for a powerful FMC, and this book gave me just that. And woah, overprotective mmc is a new one for me and didn’t feel like it was done too intensely, so I enjoyed it as well! There were so many lyrical moments in the writing that were so beautiful as well. I actually cannot believe the ending still. Reeling.
Dystopian/ living off the grid. Secrets and love! This book had my attention from the beginning! Beautifully written and described a world of living with no running water or electricity gives you vibes of pioneer days with a world ravaged by an illness prone only to those of blonde. I absolutely cannot wait for the 2nd book in the series! The touch her and die vibes diesel gives are are swoon worthy but are they pure? Ash has lived not knowing who she is or where she came from and seeks to uncover more of who she is! I received this book as an ARC read and am so happy the author trusted me with her book!
This book took me back to my teenage years when all I did was read dystopian themed books, however Willa has created something incredible for us adult readers. Silver Lies is a fade-to-black fantasy romance novel about a dystopian world that has been created due to an unknown virus targeting those with blonde hair.
Ash is our strong willed FMC who is surviving in life while also trying to protect her secret identity from those around her. Diesel, our mysterious MMC, is her childhood friend, who has cared for her and helped her throughout the years but also has his own secrets.
Whew!! This one starts out a little on the slow side but as you move through and the author builds the world you get ensnared. I couldn’t put this one down and I can not wait for the next one!!!!!
Didnt even get passed 5 chapters of the book. I really wanted to like it but it was so boring. Whats so special about being blond? I really wanted to like it but found it silly and boring.
Before I say anything, I want to thank Willa Layne for graciously allowing me to receive an ARC of Silver Lies. It has been a privilege to read this work before publication.
Here we go; first thoughts: This book did NOT have the right to be that good. Now, onto the details.
The world of Silver Lies is the post-apocalyptic fantastical Kingdom of Norvum. The population is left in tatters generations after a virus wipes out those with blonde hair, and to this point, no one knows why. Our main female character is Ash, who lives with Nan and Pop, who found her in the woods when she was young. She is a bit of an outcast and kept away from the town most times, and for excellent reason, she may have brown hair, but it's dyed to hide her blonde hair. There is one kid in town who offers his friendship to Ash. Diesel is the son of a close friend and helps make sure they have what they need. Ash and Diesel have a strong friendship and bond over hunting; all this gave me was the nostalgic vibes from the 2010s, the great time of post-apocalyptic Young Adult novels and movies.
The trials and tribulations during one fateful hunting trip expose secrets from Ash and Diesel and their world, threatening their friendship as it becomes more serious. Occasionally during my read, I made internal comments to myself about Diesal's actions towards Ash; he is very much a "Touch her, and you'll die" and "I would kill for her," vines which don't get me wrong, I love that in a fictional man. It turned into a very possessive behavior, and it boils to a point for Ash that she feels suffocated. However, it's all for a reason, I promise you. I am known for not seeing a twist even if it slapped me, but out of all the things I thought could happen, I did NOT expect that ending. I would've thrown the Kindle at the wall if I wasn't renting this apartment. I fell head-first into this world and did not want to leave. I need more of these characters; the cliffhanger was just too good.
One thing I have to commend Willa on is that I read a lot of Romance, Rom-Com, Romantasy, and Spicy Romance, and it takes a person with a STRONG grasp of chemistry to write a book and have the characters turn the readers into mush when they read them, and let me tell you, I was scrunched into my blanket awing at this couple with no shame. Lastly, if there is one thing I will end with, WHEN IS BOOK 2 COMING??
ARC review, I was given a preview of this book for an honest review.
I really, REALLY wanted more spice haha. Diesel gave me those, fan yourself vibes with his Alpha protectiveness but I understood why it wasn't there... but a girl can dream. This is the first book that I have read that's more in the fantasy romance realm, but I couldn't put it down even though I had to at times. Ash is a strong character lead and her journey is rough. This book kind of gave me the same vibes I got from watching the show "See" ... we are basically in the future, in this dystopian society that has been thrust back into what I would consider the 1700-1800's, where people who are blonde are considered dangerous because of a deadly virus that wiped the planet of the population. This virus did not touch blondes, and Ash is blonde, and special. She can see better than most at night, she has a keen sense of ESP, where she can see things right before it happens. This book also runs you through the gamut of emotion with everything that happens with Ash. I am not sure how I feel about Ash and Diesel ATM. I really wanted to punch Diesel a few times with how he was towards Ash but I also wanted Ash to just admit how she felt. We had such highs and lows between the two of them and then we find ourselves in this nice cozy spot and then BAM, we get the cliffhanger of an ending. I am extremely excited for the next installment. I read the preview at the end of this book and we are only GETTING into the thick of it. I appreciate this book for what it is. Its a new way of reading a love story for me, because at its core that's what it is. I thank the author for opening me up to a new way of getting that heart beating satisfaction of two people falling in love. Can't wait for book 2!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I enjoyed the novel "Silver Lies" an unreasonable amount. Although there were many points in the the story in which common cliches could be found and the historical set-up was confusing, I believe this was a great read. My favorite part would have to be the relationship that occurred between the FMC and MMC (keep in mind that I enjoy dark romance a good amount). The first half of this book was a bit slow, but as it continued I couldn't put it down. The FMC, Ash, is a strong-willed woman who works to survive in the area she lives with the circumstances that she has. The reason for these circumstances, a blond haired virus, was not really explained and I viewed it as a side plot. For me, the mixture of all the different aspects just led to a good romance read for me, I would not say the same about the fantasy aspect though. I also adored the minor antagonist, Lily, for being such a b*tch as it strained the relationship between the characters and made me want to scream, but also helped whatever the heck their relationship was, to grow. I only wished that the supposed disease that caused blond people to be so wanted in terms of being arrested would have been explained.
A dystopian novel set in Novum. An unknown virus killed and destroyed millions of people, with the exception of blond haired people. These blonds are being hunted by the King’s men. This is a story of Ash and Diesel. Ash was found abandoned in the woods and taken in by Pop and Nan. She grows up learning to survive and keep her secret hidden from the town and her best friend, Diesel. Diesel also has secrets. How will the love these two share survive once those secrets are revealed.
Each chapter is told from the perspective of Ash and Diesel. We begin to understand their love for each other and the secrets they hold. This book had me wanting to read just one more chapter and then another and another. Engaging, enthralling, and suspenseful. I am excited about Golden Secrets, Book #2, in the Silver Lies series.
I would highly recommend this book. Put it on your TBR. The book will be published on January 9, 2024, so preorder it today
Thank you to the author, Willa Layne, for the e-ARC.
This is everything I needed in a dystopian fantasy!!
Umm Willa Layne first off why did you have to do that to me with that plot twist of a cliff hanger. The way I would not accept that as the ending and was gasping for my last breath because of the shock.
This book if perfect for those who don’t want a lot of world building. The story picks up so seamless with no confusion pulling your into the story where you don’t want to stop. I loved seeing our FMC grow and find herself. Find a joy in things she was missing. She was so easy to love and root for. The romance in this book was so fitting as well. I love how sweet and innocent it was. For me it gave me those giddy feelings I felt when reading Divergent.
I can’t wait to see how the side characters that got brought in will play a part in future books and where this will lead. Since I’m not sure how forgiving I can be from this one lie.
ARC review: This book was different from any other books I've read recently. Mixing an unknown virus with small elements of magic and an added dose of mystery. What happens to all the blondes in the kingdom? And the CLIFFHANGER UGH, one part I did NOT see coming. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, and I hope it dives more into the magic system and brings to light the true happenings within the kingdom.
I did feel like the first portion of the book was very monotonous. Same thing, different day, but when the action started, it drew me in deep, making the book hard to put down. I NEEDED to know what happened next. Also, I felt like the book was largely based on bringing Ash and Diesel together, even though I foreshadow that they will not stay together. Ash being naive, Diesel being all she really knew, and Diesel's overprotectiveness mixed with his secret doesn't make for a long-term relationship. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and look forward to the next one!
Finished Silver Lies: A Low Spice Dystopian Romantasy Novel by Willa Layne. It’s book one in the Silver Lies series and it’s good!!! The story is told in dual POV’s (Ash and Diesel). The book takes place in a dystopian world after the world was plagued with a virus. This virus has left people with blonde hair with special abilities.
Ash FMC is adopted after being found in the wood as a little girl and had a very close bond with her adopted parents. Ash is blonde and blondes are being hunted so her mother dyes her hair so no one knows. Ash is very strong, independent, and a great hunter.
Diesel MMC and he is very protective of Ash. Diesel is very secretive so we don’t learn too much about him, only that he is being sent the Kings army in search of blondes.
The story building was so good and this book had some twists and turns. There weren’t many answers in this book I think it was just laying the foundation for what’s to come. Well I was left on a cliffhanger and I have to know what’s going to happen I’m completely invested now!! I received this book as an ARC for my honest thoughts and opinions. I loved this book!!!