The Truths That Bind

by Heather R. Logsdon

Seventeen-year-old Brinleigh Saphron is an apothecary’s assistant, living in poverty as her war-torn country slowly struggled to rebuild itself. When a startlingly familiar stranger stumbled into her life, asking a favor Brinleigh wants to decline, that is, until she realizes that helping the stranger gives her a chance to protect a childhood friend from a potentially deadly fate.

Thrust into a world of courtiers, she finds herself saddled with responsibilities far above her abilities, Brinleigh fears she’s made the worst decision of her life. Will she risk it all, including her friend’s life and retreat back into obscurity, or will she rise to the challenge presented to her? And what if she’s caught? Will she be found guilty of treason?

538 pages, Paperback

First published September 6, 2024

About the author

Heather has been enthralled by books since she was little. As a teen she began scribbling down stories in notebooks...then life happened. While she was in college she married her husband, Steve. Together they have four children who keep them on their toes.

Heather was thrilled to finally be able to start writing down some of her stories and sharing them with you!

Something unique about Heather is that she has albinism. Unlike many movies and books would have you believe; this does not render her any magical powers. It just means there is no pigment in her hair, skin, or eyes. So, sunbathing is a no-go. She's also legally blind because your eyes need pigment to finish developing. She doesn't let this affect much of her life, but driving isn't an option. That's why her family ended up living in the University town of Fayetteville, Arkansas. They wanted to be somewhere walkable with good public transit. Now they're settled and loving it!

Reviews

[Randall Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

I've not read to many dystopian novels, but at its most basic level its a good mystery romance. I'm looking forward to the next book so I can see how it wraps up. Its a good clean read and could attract younger and older readers.

[Mills]

The grammar in the synopsis makes me want to weep.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the future, the United States falls to a second civil war and the country is divided in two. The one called Orentis and the other Occident. In Orentis, a constitutional monarchy is established. And it's there we meet a teenage orphan named Brinleigh "Brin" who works in an herbalist's shop, alone since her parents perished when she was a child. But then Harper, a girl who looks just like Brin, comes into the shop and asks a favor that will upend Brin's whole world. Harper has fallen in love with a commoner, and she wants Brin to take her place at the palace among the aristocracy for a little while so that she can be with him.

Brin is hesitant, but ultimately decides to do it. But while there, she encounters a web of secrets and lies, a catty rival, and a prince that she begins falling for against her better judgement.

This book was a fun YA romp - a "Prince and the Pauper" story with a hint of politics and espionage. I enjoyed Brin as a character and appreciated how she learned and became stronger through the situation she found herself in.

I also enjoyed Prince Ronan as a character, and his love and protectiveness of Brin, even after knowing her secret.

I found Lady Bella and Queen Isolde and their motivations a bit harder to understand, particularly Lady Bella's complete 180 in her treatment of her daughter toward the end of the story. Her motives for treating her poorly and then changing her mind aren't ever mentioned, and I found myself scratching my head.

I also found myself wondering a little if the author may have used AI to edit the story, as there were many instances of words that were similar to the ones she meant to use, but didn't mean the same thing. I also noticed the dialog had the wrong punctuation and was a bit clunky in many places, but I'm hoping a decent editor can correct this because it is a fun story.

I will pick up the sequel for sure. 3.5 stars rounded up to four. Thank you to BookSirens and Heather R. Logsdon for the advanced reader copy. This is a voluntary review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Brandi Strassburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute story. There are twists and turns like crazy! Some you might see coming, some you won't. An excellent read! I'm definitely going to be reading the next one.

[Jenn G · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books. Wow. The characters were so relatable and the twists were very good. Can't wait for more of the gemeni chronicals.

[AMBER CLARK]

I felt like I knew the characters right away and that is what made me fall in love with the story being told. Seventeen-year-old Brinleigh Saphron fears she's made the worst decision of her life. The twist and turns just kept coming. I did not expect that ending! What a cliffhanger! What will come next for the Gemini Chronicles series? Suitable for readers of all ages, it's a good clean read with a fairy tale element.

[Shannon Bolton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story! Brin is very relatable and kind. She is the type of person you'd want as a friend. She has lived a challenging life so far but has bore it with grace. As the story started to unfold for her, I found myself steadily pulled more deeply in. I liked the court politics and trying to sort through who was trustworthy and who wasn't. I also am a huge fan of her love interest. While things are up in the air at the end, you're left feeling eager to know what happens next for Brin and everyone she cares for.

A few things that I feel are worth mentioning… There were some elements of the story that I felt could have had a bit more detail or been better built-up. Secondly, I noticed a few grammatical errors that could use some editing. Lastly, I found the short excerpts at the start of each chapter to be a bit hard to follow and/or were confusing at times. Otherwise, this was a great read!

I received an advanced review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

[Allicia Woodring · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot line of this book was interesting and did take a bit before it really got moving with the story; however, it was rather enjoyable! The first line of the book is amazing as well. And there is a playlist that could be listened to making the experience even better! I really enjoyed reading through it, this would be a great read for readers who love a story where world building and dystopian societies take the up the bulk of the writing but the romance was also great throughout this book.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a strong start to the Gemini Chronicles series, it had that fairy tale element that I was looking for. The characters were everything that I was hoping for and enjoyed about the genre. It uses the fairy tale elements and was engaged with what was going on. Heather R Logsdon has a great writing style and can't wait to read more in the Gemini Chronicles series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mappy BookGirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, the characters were amazing and I loved the plot. There were so many twists and turns, I can't wait for the next one :)

[Tracy Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel presents a compelling blend of high-stakes intrigue and character-driven growth. Brinleigh is a relatable and resourceful protagonist, thrust into responsibilities that far exceed her experience, and the story does an excellent job of exploring her moral and strategic decisions under pressure. The author builds tension effectively through political intrigue and personal stakes, allowing readers to feel the weight of Brinleigh’s choices without sacrificing pacing. As a young adult or New Adult fantasy, it balances adventure, suspense, and emotional depth, creating a story that feels both immersive and grounded.

[Micki-D · Rating 5 out of 5]

No it can’t and like that 😭 I have been totally enthralled with this book since I opened it only to end on a major cliffhanger how could you do that to us?

This was a sweet story or love, lost and found family, betrayal

The plot was good but it was slower at first. However once it gets going wow!! The twist and turns kept coming. Some of it I had guessed but not most of it which kept me reading on in suspense as to what would come next.

I can’t wait for the next book

[Cheris Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Truth That Binds - A Review
• The Little notes at the beginnings of the chapters - I love how these little snippets offer a window into the world building without having to use excessive exposition in the story. They offer just enough to intrigue you but not enough to give everything away at once.

• While some predictability existed in the story, a few twists in the story offered enough to keep me on my toes. There were a few occasions I reached a part where I thought I knew what was going to happen, and something else actually happened that had me going, "Oh! Hmmm, I didn't see that coming. I like that!"

• Brinleigh's personality could be a bit frustrating at times, it was completely believable with her lifetime of trauma. I'm looking forward to learning more of how she heals from it and how the world changes because of it.

The book, overall, is a great story, and a great beginning to a series I'm hoping to learn more about.