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Candy #2
Sweet Liar
Sometimes lies are sweeter than the truth. Beauty is alluring; it can disguise the ugliness beneath. But scarred beauty is even more potent to a girl who vowed never to let her heart be broken again. It was an easy vow for Candy to keep until she met Jonah, an arrogant boy with a face that would be too perfect if not for the scar that marred the skin beside his eye. That imperfect boy earned her trust and won her heart, but the ties that bind people together are fragile, especially when lies are told. Trust is also fragile, and once broken, doesn’t heal like a heart. Trust has to be earned again, and Jonah desperately wants Candy’s trust back. But Candy has more than Jonah to worry about. Her father is in trouble, and she intends to help him whether he likes it or not. People tell her he’s a bad man, and that may be true, but he’s not all bad. Deep down, she understands his brand of badness because she’s so much like him. When Candy finally learns the truth, she’ll have to grow up fast, let go of old grievances, and realize that being vulnerable doesn’t make her weak. In fact, opening herself up may be the very thing that makes her whole again.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
3 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Debra Doxer
13 books373 followersDebra Doxer was born in Boston, and other than a few lost years in the California sunshine, she has always resided in the Boston area. She writes fiction, technical software documents, illegible scribbles on sticky notes, and texts that get mangled by AutoCorrect. She writes for a living, and she writes for fun. When not writing, she’s walking her Havanese puppy and forcing her daughter to listen to New Wave 80s music.
Connect with Debra:
www.facebook.com/AuthorDebraDoxer
www.instagram.com/debradoxer
www.twitter.com/debradoxer
debradoxer@gmail.com
Connect with Debra:
www.facebook.com/AuthorDebraDoxer
www.instagram.com/debradoxer
www.twitter.com/debradoxer
debradoxer@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 4, 2016
“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.”
----Joe Klaas
Debra Doxer, an American author, has penned a compelling YA tale, Sweet Liar which happens to be the second book in the Candy series. This book unveils all the secrets around Candy. She learns about her father's nature of work, and all the secrets behind Jonah's past. But will the truth set Candy free? The first book unfolds Candy's love story with Jonah and we get to see how Candy gets messed up in her father's world. This book continues Candy's story of next phase, where growing up is the only option and to let go of her badass attitude.
Synopsis:
Sometimes lies are sweeter than the truth.
Beauty is alluring; it can disguise the ugliness beneath. But scarred beauty is even more potent to a girl who vowed never to let her heart be broken again. It was an easy vow for Candy to keep until she met Jonah, an arrogant boy with a face that would be too perfect if not for the scar that marred the skin beside his eye.
That imperfect boy earned her trust and won her heart, but the ties that bind people together are fragile, especially when lies are told. Trust is also fragile, and once broken, doesn’t heal like a heart. Trust has to be earned again, and Jonah desperately wants Candy’s trust back.
But Candy has more than Jonah to worry about. Her father is in trouble, and she intends to help him whether he likes it or not. People tell her he’s a bad man, and that may be true, but he’s not all bad. Deep down, she understands his brand of badness because she’s so much like him.
When Candy finally learns the truth, she’ll have to grow up fast, let go of old grievances, and realize that being vulnerable doesn’t make her weak. In fact, opening herself up may be the very thing that makes her whole again.
Candy gets snarled into her father's dirty secrets which is even life threatening. She soon learns the secrets of her father;s trade and needs to make a choice on whether to trust Jonah once again. But in this sequel, things get ugly, as there's no stopping to anyone whoever tries to protect their own kin. And in the middle there is this badass girl, Candy.
The first book was a total disappointment for me, and in comparison to the first book, this turned out to be a real gem. I fell for Candy's story real hard. The author's writing style is pretty good with an equally free-flowing narrative. The pacing, though it is is bit slow, but does not matter, as the story line is layered with so many dark secrets and bone-chilling adventure. Candy's quest towards truth finally kept me glued into the story line.
The story has lots of layers, and as told from an eighteen year old POV, the story is very captivating. Though at times, it bored a little with useless details. The characters, Candy and Jonah, evolves a lot from their previous demeanor. Candy is a brave girl who is out on her own on risky pathways in search of the truth behind her father's profession and the crime. The supporting characters are drawn with a bit of realism and are quite well-developed.
Overall, I liked this book and this book can be read as a stand-alone. since there is not much revealed in the first book.
Verdict: A promising YA thriller.
Courtesy: I received a review copy from YA Bound Book Blog Tours.
----Joe Klaas
Debra Doxer, an American author, has penned a compelling YA tale, Sweet Liar which happens to be the second book in the Candy series. This book unveils all the secrets around Candy. She learns about her father's nature of work, and all the secrets behind Jonah's past. But will the truth set Candy free? The first book unfolds Candy's love story with Jonah and we get to see how Candy gets messed up in her father's world. This book continues Candy's story of next phase, where growing up is the only option and to let go of her badass attitude.
Synopsis:
Sometimes lies are sweeter than the truth.
Beauty is alluring; it can disguise the ugliness beneath. But scarred beauty is even more potent to a girl who vowed never to let her heart be broken again. It was an easy vow for Candy to keep until she met Jonah, an arrogant boy with a face that would be too perfect if not for the scar that marred the skin beside his eye.
That imperfect boy earned her trust and won her heart, but the ties that bind people together are fragile, especially when lies are told. Trust is also fragile, and once broken, doesn’t heal like a heart. Trust has to be earned again, and Jonah desperately wants Candy’s trust back.
But Candy has more than Jonah to worry about. Her father is in trouble, and she intends to help him whether he likes it or not. People tell her he’s a bad man, and that may be true, but he’s not all bad. Deep down, she understands his brand of badness because she’s so much like him.
When Candy finally learns the truth, she’ll have to grow up fast, let go of old grievances, and realize that being vulnerable doesn’t make her weak. In fact, opening herself up may be the very thing that makes her whole again.
Candy gets snarled into her father's dirty secrets which is even life threatening. She soon learns the secrets of her father;s trade and needs to make a choice on whether to trust Jonah once again. But in this sequel, things get ugly, as there's no stopping to anyone whoever tries to protect their own kin. And in the middle there is this badass girl, Candy.
The first book was a total disappointment for me, and in comparison to the first book, this turned out to be a real gem. I fell for Candy's story real hard. The author's writing style is pretty good with an equally free-flowing narrative. The pacing, though it is is bit slow, but does not matter, as the story line is layered with so many dark secrets and bone-chilling adventure. Candy's quest towards truth finally kept me glued into the story line.
The story has lots of layers, and as told from an eighteen year old POV, the story is very captivating. Though at times, it bored a little with useless details. The characters, Candy and Jonah, evolves a lot from their previous demeanor. Candy is a brave girl who is out on her own on risky pathways in search of the truth behind her father's profession and the crime. The supporting characters are drawn with a bit of realism and are quite well-developed.
Overall, I liked this book and this book can be read as a stand-alone. since there is not much revealed in the first book.
Verdict: A promising YA thriller.
Courtesy: I received a review copy from YA Bound Book Blog Tours.
October 23, 2015
OMG!!!!! THIS BOOK, I THINK I AM GOING TO DIE! I AM SO PLEASED WITH THIS BOOK!!! ARGHH!!! I CANNOT CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT!!!!
This book was off the hook! How do I even begin to describe this book???
I loved Jonah and Candy, finally! Alot more romantic scenes between, I honestly loved this story to death! I was missing out so much on this, and to those who have not read this book you guys seriously need to read this, you won't be disappointed!
This book begins with exactly where it left off, but it has more reasoning as to the events that took place in the first books, so you have alot of 'ah, I see' moments. Honestly, this book has a little bit everything, family, love, romance, thriller, suspense, action, comedy what more could you possibly want?
You understand what kind of trouble Candy's father is in, what he did and more knowledge about the organisation which was about time. The light is also shedded upon Heather, she is given more importance in this book and I can see why. We also have a happy ending for our love Theo :')
Both Jonah and Candy were so epic in this book, the more I praise them it is less. Jonah's mysyery scar story is finally revealed, his mother comes back with an interesting twist. I can't say I liked Victor's character, I mean how ruthless can he be? And deluded too?
Oh and Drew! OHMYGOSH! What a traitor! I cannot believe his audacity he is seriously more deluded than Victor, I really hated his character.
I am all over the place at the moment! Can't think straight! :D
This book was off the hook! How do I even begin to describe this book???
I loved Jonah and Candy, finally! Alot more romantic scenes between, I honestly loved this story to death! I was missing out so much on this, and to those who have not read this book you guys seriously need to read this, you won't be disappointed!
This book begins with exactly where it left off, but it has more reasoning as to the events that took place in the first books, so you have alot of 'ah, I see' moments. Honestly, this book has a little bit everything, family, love, romance, thriller, suspense, action, comedy what more could you possibly want?
You understand what kind of trouble Candy's father is in, what he did and more knowledge about the organisation which was about time. The light is also shedded upon Heather, she is given more importance in this book and I can see why. We also have a happy ending for our love Theo :')
Both Jonah and Candy were so epic in this book, the more I praise them it is less. Jonah's mysyery scar story is finally revealed, his mother comes back with an interesting twist. I can't say I liked Victor's character, I mean how ruthless can he be? And deluded too?
Oh and Drew! OHMYGOSH! What a traitor! I cannot believe his audacity he is seriously more deluded than Victor, I really hated his character.
I am all over the place at the moment! Can't think straight! :D
October 21, 2015
Doxer has always amazed me with her writing ability and the wonderful, imaginative stories that she creates so it was no wonder that I found this second installment in the Candy series so fabulous.
If some of you recall that read my review for Like Candy, I had some reservations about the main character. I loved the story but at times Candy was childish and jumped to conclusions way too often and even though I really liked her by the end of the story, I still wasn't completely in love with her character.
I love it when an author can make me do a 360 and completely change my mind about someone. Not only did she change my mind about Candy, but she also made me rethink my opinion about every character since the ending of book one.
Truly this was so much fun. It has so much more to it that I couldn't help by be sucked right back into the story for a second time, and this time, I loved everyone, well, not everyone, but most of them.
Candy grew up a lot in so many ways that it was refreshing to see and not only did it make me like her more because of it, but I actually really started caring about her as well.
This was a fabulous second installment and I'm really hoping there will be more books in the series because I think it would be so much fun to continue to watch Candy grow and evolve into the person she wants to be.
If some of you recall that read my review for Like Candy, I had some reservations about the main character. I loved the story but at times Candy was childish and jumped to conclusions way too often and even though I really liked her by the end of the story, I still wasn't completely in love with her character.
I love it when an author can make me do a 360 and completely change my mind about someone. Not only did she change my mind about Candy, but she also made me rethink my opinion about every character since the ending of book one.
Truly this was so much fun. It has so much more to it that I couldn't help by be sucked right back into the story for a second time, and this time, I loved everyone, well, not everyone, but most of them.
Candy grew up a lot in so many ways that it was refreshing to see and not only did it make me like her more because of it, but I actually really started caring about her as well.
This was a fabulous second installment and I'm really hoping there will be more books in the series because I think it would be so much fun to continue to watch Candy grow and evolve into the person she wants to be.
October 21, 2015
At A Glance
Genre: Young Adult
Love Triangle/Insta Love?: Still has the insta.
Cliff Hanger: Nope
Rating: 3 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 8
Plot: 5
Characters: 7
World Building: 7
Flow: 5
Series Congruity: 7
Writing: 7
Ending: 7
Total: 6.5
In Dept
Best Part: Lots of secrets revealed!
Worst Part: Draggggggggggginggggggggggg
Thoughts Had: Oh snap!!!; Get to the point already!
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: n/a
Recommending: eh.
Short Review: Well lots of secrets are revealed in this novel. I was surprised by most of them! I won't spoil any of course :D
The middle dragged like crazy. Almost nothing happened for the longest time and i was bored. This book claims to be less pages than the first, but it has less events happening.
Review in GIF Form:
(GIF to come, internet being slowwww)
Genre: Young Adult
Love Triangle/Insta Love?: Still has the insta.
Cliff Hanger: Nope
Rating: 3 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 8
Plot: 5
Characters: 7
World Building: 7
Flow: 5
Series Congruity: 7
Writing: 7
Ending: 7
Total: 6.5
In Dept
Best Part: Lots of secrets revealed!
Worst Part: Draggggggggggginggggggggggg
Thoughts Had: Oh snap!!!; Get to the point already!
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: n/a
Recommending: eh.
Short Review: Well lots of secrets are revealed in this novel. I was surprised by most of them! I won't spoil any of course :D
The middle dragged like crazy. Almost nothing happened for the longest time and i was bored. This book claims to be less pages than the first, but it has less events happening.
Review in GIF Form:
(GIF to come, internet being slowwww)
October 21, 2015
FULL Review to Come but you all know I needed this --- as I was left hanging!
And Doxer didn't disappoint. :)
And Doxer didn't disappoint. :)
October 31, 2015
Book #1 does need to be read first as this series is not a stand-alone.
At the end of Book #1 we saw Candace aka Candy standing with a gun pointed at Jonah aka Cooper's dad and the gun went off. We were then left with a cliffie , which begins the book in Sweet Liar. We learn that the gun didn't kill Jonah's Dad , but in fact made him more angry for vengeance and we discovered more about what Candy's dad does for a living as he is arrested and detained for selling government secrets to the Chinese Government. The thing is though , no-one knows why and how since in this case there is no money trail. Candy is now thrust into a world which her dad was trying to keep her safe from and a world where finding someone to trust is a whole lot harder than finding an enemy as it is every man/woman for themselves and the loyalty of families runs deep in Sweet Liar , where everyone will go to extreme lengths to protect those that they love and will do everything that they can to have the truth hidden as in this case , the truth is a deadly weapon and sometimes lies help soften the blows that will follow. As Candy goes on a lead from her Dad, she will discover truths and secrets about him that implicate him into treason - but what will her thoughts be after she finds out the reason behind what he did ? If you love adventure , assassins and action with a high school twist to it , then check out Sweet Liar by Debra Doxer today - Book #2 in the Candy Series.
At the end of Book #1 we saw Candace aka Candy standing with a gun pointed at Jonah aka Cooper's dad and the gun went off. We were then left with a cliffie , which begins the book in Sweet Liar. We learn that the gun didn't kill Jonah's Dad , but in fact made him more angry for vengeance and we discovered more about what Candy's dad does for a living as he is arrested and detained for selling government secrets to the Chinese Government. The thing is though , no-one knows why and how since in this case there is no money trail. Candy is now thrust into a world which her dad was trying to keep her safe from and a world where finding someone to trust is a whole lot harder than finding an enemy as it is every man/woman for themselves and the loyalty of families runs deep in Sweet Liar , where everyone will go to extreme lengths to protect those that they love and will do everything that they can to have the truth hidden as in this case , the truth is a deadly weapon and sometimes lies help soften the blows that will follow. As Candy goes on a lead from her Dad, she will discover truths and secrets about him that implicate him into treason - but what will her thoughts be after she finds out the reason behind what he did ? If you love adventure , assassins and action with a high school twist to it , then check out Sweet Liar by Debra Doxer today - Book #2 in the Candy Series.
November 28, 2015
I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have no idea how I somehow managed to miss that this was the second book in a series when I requested it. I'll really have to give the first a read, especially since this book picks up literally right in the middle of all the heat that I'm assuming leaves off in book one. Like, literally right in the middle of an important scene.
So, keeping in mind that I'm reviewing this without having read the first book, I'm giving this a rating of 3.5 stars. This book was a pleasant surprise, truthfully I've been reading some pretty non exciting YA lately, but this did not disappoint. And I was shocked because for awhile there some of the plot elements were making me question where this was going. A secret organization that is exempt from the law, but isn't related to the government, FBI or CIA? Can you see why I had my doubts?
The fact is, Debra Doxer does a really good job of writing about this organization without the cheesiness one might assume. I appreciated the characters and the struggles they went through. While I feel I probably missed a lot of character development from book one, specifically in the case of Candy, I still latched onto her character and was rooting for her from the get-go.
There's a wedge driven between the love interest and I felt like it was a legitimate obstacle, one that Candy handled pretty maturely. I was rooting for her particularly for that reason. She wasn't handling her challenges in a childish manner which can be an issue sometimes in YA, one that turns me off.
I'd like to say more but I feel like I shouldn't until I read the first book!
I have no idea how I somehow managed to miss that this was the second book in a series when I requested it. I'll really have to give the first a read, especially since this book picks up literally right in the middle of all the heat that I'm assuming leaves off in book one. Like, literally right in the middle of an important scene.
So, keeping in mind that I'm reviewing this without having read the first book, I'm giving this a rating of 3.5 stars. This book was a pleasant surprise, truthfully I've been reading some pretty non exciting YA lately, but this did not disappoint. And I was shocked because for awhile there some of the plot elements were making me question where this was going. A secret organization that is exempt from the law, but isn't related to the government, FBI or CIA? Can you see why I had my doubts?
The fact is, Debra Doxer does a really good job of writing about this organization without the cheesiness one might assume. I appreciated the characters and the struggles they went through. While I feel I probably missed a lot of character development from book one, specifically in the case of Candy, I still latched onto her character and was rooting for her from the get-go.
There's a wedge driven between the love interest and I felt like it was a legitimate obstacle, one that Candy handled pretty maturely. I was rooting for her particularly for that reason. She wasn't handling her challenges in a childish manner which can be an issue sometimes in YA, one that turns me off.
I'd like to say more but I feel like I shouldn't until I read the first book!
October 20, 2015
4 STRONG STARS!!!
If you haven't already read Like Candy, then please go HERE to check out the first book in the series. This review will contain spoilers if you haven't already read the first book. :) This is such a unique series. There aren't many YA romantic thrillers out there.
So, I was only 20% in when I encountered my first shocker of the book. The first of several things to come that I didn't foresee. This story is full of little twists and turns. I got all of the answers I was looking for from book one - What exactly is her father involved in? Is he guilty of a crime? If so, was there a good reason? What is Jonah's involvement? And his father's? Yep, but I'm not going to reveal any of those here.
I will say that Candy's search for these answers will leave you madly flipping pages. There are some very intense, heart-pounding moments in this book. There are some comical moments and sweet moments mixed in, too. The nervous energy is always palpable, though, as you know there's at least one man out to do Candy harm.
Ultimately, I quite enjoyed this series. I would absolutely read it if Debra decided to write more on it. By the end of the book you will have all the answers you were originally looking for, but you'll still be left wanting more. Fans of contemporary YA, romance, and crime thrillers will find this a great blend of the three!
*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
If you haven't already read Like Candy, then please go HERE to check out the first book in the series. This review will contain spoilers if you haven't already read the first book. :) This is such a unique series. There aren't many YA romantic thrillers out there.
So, I was only 20% in when I encountered my first shocker of the book. The first of several things to come that I didn't foresee. This story is full of little twists and turns. I got all of the answers I was looking for from book one - What exactly is her father involved in? Is he guilty of a crime? If so, was there a good reason? What is Jonah's involvement? And his father's? Yep, but I'm not going to reveal any of those here.
I will say that Candy's search for these answers will leave you madly flipping pages. There are some very intense, heart-pounding moments in this book. There are some comical moments and sweet moments mixed in, too. The nervous energy is always palpable, though, as you know there's at least one man out to do Candy harm.
Ultimately, I quite enjoyed this series. I would absolutely read it if Debra decided to write more on it. By the end of the book you will have all the answers you were originally looking for, but you'll still be left wanting more. Fans of contemporary YA, romance, and crime thrillers will find this a great blend of the three!
*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
October 10, 2015
In Sweet Liar, we're back with Candy, her father, Jonah, and his father, Victor. We get all our questions answered and we even get more insight into Candy's condition, CREST. I love how the author made that a main part of the story.
Picking up where Like Candy ended, Candy is in her room, the memories of what happened earlier not going away. Her father was taken and Candy thinks she could have possibly killed someone. Jonah and his father are looking for answers but Candy won't give them. She wants to protect her father so she wants to know why he did what he did.
I love the supporting characters; the high schoolers keep the story feeling fresh and real with all their problems, and then we get to see more into the organization that mostly everyone Candy knows is a part of.
There isn't much violence in this book so if you're looking for an 18 year old to go all killer, you won't get that here. She's like her father but isn't 'exactly' like him. Candy is a strong, confident girl that I think most readers can somewhat relate to.
Complimentary copy provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Picking up where Like Candy ended, Candy is in her room, the memories of what happened earlier not going away. Her father was taken and Candy thinks she could have possibly killed someone. Jonah and his father are looking for answers but Candy won't give them. She wants to protect her father so she wants to know why he did what he did.
I love the supporting characters; the high schoolers keep the story feeling fresh and real with all their problems, and then we get to see more into the organization that mostly everyone Candy knows is a part of.
There isn't much violence in this book so if you're looking for an 18 year old to go all killer, you won't get that here. She's like her father but isn't 'exactly' like him. Candy is a strong, confident girl that I think most readers can somewhat relate to.
Complimentary copy provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
November 9, 2015
Full review posted over at Lekeisha The Booknerd
I'm so conflicted with this. 1. Because I watch way too many movies dealing with intelligence organizations, so this doesn't seem to add up with the things I've learned in that respect. 2. Candy didn't act like Candy here, which threw me for a loop. 3. Drew's addition to this already far fetched plot seems ridiculous. 4. Jonah's demeanor towards Lorraine was cold, kind of. 5. Dad's reason for trading secrets with another country, all for his wife, was admirable.
All-in-all, this wasn't how I thought this sequel would be. Every player in this game isn't that smart. And to be blacker than black ops, you'd have to be pretty darn guarded and skillful. This one fell kinda flat for me. On the other hand, if you've read book one, you should definitely read this one to satisfy your curiosity. How can you not with that big cliffhanger at the end of the first book?
I'm so conflicted with this. 1. Because I watch way too many movies dealing with intelligence organizations, so this doesn't seem to add up with the things I've learned in that respect. 2. Candy didn't act like Candy here, which threw me for a loop. 3. Drew's addition to this already far fetched plot seems ridiculous. 4. Jonah's demeanor towards Lorraine was cold, kind of. 5. Dad's reason for trading secrets with another country, all for his wife, was admirable.
All-in-all, this wasn't how I thought this sequel would be. Every player in this game isn't that smart. And to be blacker than black ops, you'd have to be pretty darn guarded and skillful. This one fell kinda flat for me. On the other hand, if you've read book one, you should definitely read this one to satisfy your curiosity. How can you not with that big cliffhanger at the end of the first book?
March 21, 2016
Thank you SJ for recommending this book to me! This was a fantastic read. In this book, the story picks up right where Like Candy ended. Candy is in her room and trying to figure out what happened in the aftermath of the last book. She thinks she has killed someone and her dad was taken away. This story was engaging and interesting. I like the aspect of mystery, romance, and high school drama all wrapped up into one small package.
Debra Doxer does it again with the way she wrote the story, but most importantly by how she wrote the characters. I connected with the characters in this book. I loved Jonah. He seems to be a sincere and sweet guy, who wants to protect people he cares for. I loved Candy. She may look tough, but she is actually a caring person. She is confident, and smart. The romance was perfect. There were more scenes with Candy and Jonah. I loved them as a couple. Very cute. The ending was perfection. LOVED EVERY MINUTE! Overall, an amazing read.
Debra Doxer does it again with the way she wrote the story, but most importantly by how she wrote the characters. I connected with the characters in this book. I loved Jonah. He seems to be a sincere and sweet guy, who wants to protect people he cares for. I loved Candy. She may look tough, but she is actually a caring person. She is confident, and smart. The romance was perfect. There were more scenes with Candy and Jonah. I loved them as a couple. Very cute. The ending was perfection. LOVED EVERY MINUTE! Overall, an amazing read.
November 23, 2015
Full Review @ http://www.abookishescape.com/2015/10...
The End, as I mentioned before there are several questions that are finally answered. We find out exactly who what when and where! I enjoyed every twist and turn the author gave us throughout the read. I wasn’t sure Jonah and Candy would find their happy ending but somehow things worked out. Jonah figures out a way to be with the one he loves against the odds. The reader gets a lot of closure but there is a friend or two who’s story lines are left a bit open. If this series continues I’d follow it to see how Candy and Jonah are fairing.
My Rating
4.0 Gun, Cat, Garage, Enchiladas, Mom, Safe, Study, Neighbor, Creeper, Secrets, Bird Seed, Bowling, Christmas Trees, Phone, Video, Embrace, College, Assignment, Family, Love filled stars!
The End, as I mentioned before there are several questions that are finally answered. We find out exactly who what when and where! I enjoyed every twist and turn the author gave us throughout the read. I wasn’t sure Jonah and Candy would find their happy ending but somehow things worked out. Jonah figures out a way to be with the one he loves against the odds. The reader gets a lot of closure but there is a friend or two who’s story lines are left a bit open. If this series continues I’d follow it to see how Candy and Jonah are fairing.
My Rating
4.0 Gun, Cat, Garage, Enchiladas, Mom, Safe, Study, Neighbor, Creeper, Secrets, Bird Seed, Bowling, Christmas Trees, Phone, Video, Embrace, College, Assignment, Family, Love filled stars!
May 14, 2016
**This review contains spoilers for the first book, Like Candy. It also contains minor spoilers for Sweet Liar but all major ones will be under spoiler tags**
I was quite up and down with how I read Sweet Liar. I started it last year, a couple of months after I had finished the first book, Like Candy but I put it down after a few chapters. Coincidentally, that was in October when I was in a reading slump. Figures, right?
I picked it back up earlier this year and reread the first part and continued reading the rest of it on and off, when I finally finished it a few days ago. If you look at my reading progress, you can see just a couple of the times I put it down/picked it up. A long journey it has been.
Anyway, despite that, I did like Sweet Liar. I think that I just wasn't as into it like I was with Like Candy because of the reading slump I was in. Overall, I didn't like it quite as much as the first book, but it was still a great sequel.
Things I liked:
What's really great about this series is that it has a lot of character development, especially regarding the main character, Candy (short for Candace). Throughout just two books she undergoes some serious growth (not literally) and goes from being an unhappy, unloved, petty, revenge-filled teen to a grateful, happy, well-adjusted young adult, mainly because of meeting Jonah (the love interest) and being surrounded by loving family, which she thought she never had. The revenge pranks stop - even though those were quite amusing to read, and on reflection, Candy finds herself quite content with life now and where she is heading. Especially after all she has been through, I thought she deserved a happy ending.
Jonah and Candy's father also go through a similar transformation, though not in such major ways, but still realistically so.
I liked getting to know Heather, who is also part of the organisation (which, if you didn't know, employs people to kill bad people, if that made any sense).
I was quite satisfied with the ending. Enough time is given to clarify to the reader what happened after the showdown and how everything and everyone turned out. I liked how The epilogue was a nice touch to finish the book; revealing where the two were now and answering all of my questions. Another thing I thought was realistic was the fact that
As I said in my review of the first book, the romance is nice and slow-burning, and is portrayed very genuinely. Especially because Candy is still hurting from the betrayal and the secrets Jonah kept from her at the end of the last book, I thought it was very reasonable not to trust him, and that she did start to rebuild their relationship after a suitable time when she felt like she could trust him again.
The writing as always is smooth and fluent. Candy's narration and thoughts stayed true to her character throughout, and overall I was really impressed at the author's writing style.
This series is also a duology, which is great, because a lot of YA series can be dragged out into unnecessary trilogies etc. This series had just enough content to last two books, and I'm glad that the author kept it this way.
Things I didn't like:
I was very disappointed with the climax in this book. Everything that happens in the first book and in three-quarters of the second felt like it was leading up to a massive showdown between Candy and Victor, Jonah's father. But that wasn't the case. In a matter of pages, all major issues are wrapped up, quickly and too neatly. How anticlimactic that was. And the way in which
I felt like everything was wrapped up too conveniently and easily, especially after all that has happened in the last book.
I would have also liked a bit more at the end about what happens to Candy's friends. They are quite a major part in the first book, but in this one, they are conveniently brushed aside. I understood that that had to happen due to the way the plot goes in the second book but Candy's friends, especially Lia, are just given one sentence at the end to sum up what happened to them.
Even after reading this book, I still feel quite left in the dark at how the organisation works. I get that some people are employed to kill others, but I really was looking forward to getting to know how the whole thing worked in more depth and what people on the sidelines do (like Candy at the end has decided to do). I got that Candy couldn't know much about it (and by extension, the reader), as she was still learning about what she was meant to do, and this sort of organisation would have to be very secret and kept under-wraps because of the illegal things they do, but I still felt like it would have been good if the reader knew more. I felt that in the scheme of things, the whole 'mysterious organisation that hires people like Candy's father to kill people', was a plot point that propped up everything else that happened/reason for Candy's character development, which overall I still enjoyed but meant that it appeared more out of convenience than anything else.
Because of all of the character development, and because I feel like the author ran out of things to write about, this book wasn't very action-filled, and at the end, I wasn't exactly sure what really happened in the first parts that were significant. As a result, it doesn't seem like much actually happened in this book, and therefore the pacing was a little slow, especially at the start and also the middle parts. It means that there was a lot of character exploration (yay!) but not much really happening in terms of plot and action. I think that there wasn't much of this because there wasn't really anything more the author could add to the whole Candy's father-Victor debacle that hadn't already happened in the first book.
In conclusion, Sweet Liar was filled with some great aspects, but also had some so-so parts. I did really enjoy this series as a whole, and will definitely be looking out for more of the author's works.
3.75 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Quotes:
'My dad says you have to take me home now,' I said, not moving.
'Uh-huh.' Jonah came around the bar and walked toward me. 'He knows that it takes ten minutes to get from here to your house if I drive the speed limit. If I drive like a maniac, I can do it in five. That gives us five.'
I was quite up and down with how I read Sweet Liar. I started it last year, a couple of months after I had finished the first book, Like Candy but I put it down after a few chapters. Coincidentally, that was in October when I was in a reading slump. Figures, right?
I picked it back up earlier this year and reread the first part and continued reading the rest of it on and off, when I finally finished it a few days ago. If you look at my reading progress, you can see just a couple of the times I put it down/picked it up. A long journey it has been.
Anyway, despite that, I did like Sweet Liar. I think that I just wasn't as into it like I was with Like Candy because of the reading slump I was in. Overall, I didn't like it quite as much as the first book, but it was still a great sequel.
Things I liked:
What's really great about this series is that it has a lot of character development, especially regarding the main character, Candy (short for Candace). Throughout just two books she undergoes some serious growth (not literally) and goes from being an unhappy, unloved, petty, revenge-filled teen to a grateful, happy, well-adjusted young adult, mainly because of meeting Jonah (the love interest) and being surrounded by loving family, which she thought she never had. The revenge pranks stop - even though those were quite amusing to read, and on reflection, Candy finds herself quite content with life now and where she is heading. Especially after all she has been through, I thought she deserved a happy ending.
Jonah and Candy's father also go through a similar transformation, though not in such major ways, but still realistically so.
I liked getting to know Heather, who is also part of the organisation (which, if you didn't know, employs people to kill bad people, if that made any sense).
I was quite satisfied with the ending. Enough time is given to clarify to the reader what happened after the showdown and how everything and everyone turned out. I liked how The epilogue was a nice touch to finish the book; revealing where the two were now and answering all of my questions. Another thing I thought was realistic was the fact that
As I said in my review of the first book, the romance is nice and slow-burning, and is portrayed very genuinely. Especially because Candy is still hurting from the betrayal and the secrets Jonah kept from her at the end of the last book, I thought it was very reasonable not to trust him, and that she did start to rebuild their relationship after a suitable time when she felt like she could trust him again.
The writing as always is smooth and fluent. Candy's narration and thoughts stayed true to her character throughout, and overall I was really impressed at the author's writing style.
This series is also a duology, which is great, because a lot of YA series can be dragged out into unnecessary trilogies etc. This series had just enough content to last two books, and I'm glad that the author kept it this way.
Things I didn't like:
I was very disappointed with the climax in this book. Everything that happens in the first book and in three-quarters of the second felt like it was leading up to a massive showdown between Candy and Victor, Jonah's father. But that wasn't the case. In a matter of pages, all major issues are wrapped up, quickly and too neatly. How anticlimactic that was. And the way in which
I felt like everything was wrapped up too conveniently and easily, especially after all that has happened in the last book.
I would have also liked a bit more at the end about what happens to Candy's friends. They are quite a major part in the first book, but in this one, they are conveniently brushed aside. I understood that that had to happen due to the way the plot goes in the second book but Candy's friends, especially Lia, are just given one sentence at the end to sum up what happened to them.
Even after reading this book, I still feel quite left in the dark at how the organisation works. I get that some people are employed to kill others, but I really was looking forward to getting to know how the whole thing worked in more depth and what people on the sidelines do (like Candy at the end has decided to do). I got that Candy couldn't know much about it (and by extension, the reader), as she was still learning about what she was meant to do, and this sort of organisation would have to be very secret and kept under-wraps because of the illegal things they do, but I still felt like it would have been good if the reader knew more. I felt that in the scheme of things, the whole 'mysterious organisation that hires people like Candy's father to kill people', was a plot point that propped up everything else that happened/reason for Candy's character development, which overall I still enjoyed but meant that it appeared more out of convenience than anything else.
Because of all of the character development, and because I feel like the author ran out of things to write about, this book wasn't very action-filled, and at the end, I wasn't exactly sure what really happened in the first parts that were significant. As a result, it doesn't seem like much actually happened in this book, and therefore the pacing was a little slow, especially at the start and also the middle parts. It means that there was a lot of character exploration (yay!) but not much really happening in terms of plot and action. I think that there wasn't much of this because there wasn't really anything more the author could add to the whole Candy's father-Victor debacle that hadn't already happened in the first book.
In conclusion, Sweet Liar was filled with some great aspects, but also had some so-so parts. I did really enjoy this series as a whole, and will definitely be looking out for more of the author's works.
3.75 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Quotes:
'My dad says you have to take me home now,' I said, not moving.
'Uh-huh.' Jonah came around the bar and walked toward me. 'He knows that it takes ten minutes to get from here to your house if I drive the speed limit. If I drive like a maniac, I can do it in five. That gives us five.'
February 27, 2016
Good ending to a nice series. In this book, Candy is confused. She sees Jonah as someone who deceived and lied to her. As someone who used her and didn’t care. she didn’t care what his reasons were and didn’t care what he had to say. No matter what Jonah did. No matter how much he was there for her. No matter how much he protected her and went against his dad. she goes behind his back so she can find out the truth about her dad and finds out something that would blow up Jonah’s world. Did she tell him? No..She kept this from him and pretended that it didn’t matter because she was justified. she railed on him about his secrets and yet one that could upend Jonah she kept from him. that for me was hypocritical. She was being hypocritical and sneaky. Jonah was doing everything to help Candy. He was showing her love and patience. He was giving up a lot and she was acting with indifference and keeping secrets.
The story is about finding the truth about Candy’s dad and exposing Jonah’s dad for the man he was. About Jonah showing Candy his love for her and she closing herself off until it is almost too late. Jonah has to give up so much for her and it was when his world was destroyed that Candy was like oh he loves me he picked me over everything maybe I should forgive him. than she throws his world even more upside down by exposing the secret she had. And yet she couldn’t understand why Jonah was wary. Why he didn’t warm up to things on Candy’s terms. They were in danger and Jonah was risking everything for Candy and her dad and she just didn’t get it. She didn’t see that now Jonah was lost and feeling confused.
As the danger increased and with Jonah’s dad after them because of his singular vision of destroying Candy’s dad, Jonah was protecting Candy and her dad. Helping them and keeping all of Candy’s secrets. He was risking his life and future. When she gets in trouble and Jonah comes to her rescue he still loses his world. He went to do a happy surprise for her, they were in a good place relationship wise and Candy is now in trouble. She is in danger and jonah comes to her side. He loses alot in saving her. But he not once left her.
The writing draws you to the book. The story is interesting in its aspects. We have Candy who is right in being angry but her reasoning becomes hypocritical when she does what she is angry at Jonah for. We have the fight to free Candy’s dad and find out the truth. We have the relationship of Jonah and his dad which is complex. Jonah was so manipulated by his dad but he loved him. His sacrifice for Candy is hard to see because Jonah’s world is destroyed. But by having his world destroyed he is reborn. He is free from the chains that his dad bound him by. Now he could be himself. Than there was the relationship of Candy and Jonah. That was complex and beautiful at the same time. They had to relearn who each other was and trust each other. It was a great journey.
The evolution of Jonah was what I loved the most. He was amazing. No matter how Candy treated him he still worked to help her, believe in her and fight for her. His actions showed his love for Candy. Even when she kept that secret and it was exposed not because Candy volunteered the information but out of necessity, he was forgiving and loving. We see him go through a metamorphosis. He begins as a man who was one tracked. His world was compartmentalized and suddenly there were choices. Tough choices. He becomes the boy he was meant to be. through it all he never wavered on his love for Candy. He stood by her and helped her expose his dad for the man he was and free her dad.
Candy for me I was mixed on. She was still fun but she was also a hypocrite. She had a right to be angry at first but lost that when she kept the secret she did. Her antics against Jonah were wrong and hurtful but part of who she was. she changed though. She began to see people for more. She saw that her actions can hurt others and didn’t get as much pleasure at her pranks when done against those that she cares for.. She sees that things aren’t always what appears of people and begins to become softer in how she treats people. She loves fiercely and is loyal. She is fierce in her pursuit of helping her dad. She is steady in her beliefs and doesn’t care if they aren’t what they should be they are hers and she owns them.
This is a intriguing page turning story in which Jonah is faced with tough decisions, his love for Candy stays steady no matter what she does to him or how she treats him and he helps expose his father for the man he was. This is the fast paced story of the evolution of Jonah and Candy both as individuals and as a couple. the time apart helped them become stronger individuals and get them to see things differently. They began to gain perspective on things and for Candy this was desperately needed. this is the dangerous story of finding out the truth behind why Candy’s dad was considered a traitor and helping to set him free. this was a well written, snarky at times, romantic at times character and emotional driven plot that keeps you in the moment and has you want to see how these two come out in the end.
The story is about finding the truth about Candy’s dad and exposing Jonah’s dad for the man he was. About Jonah showing Candy his love for her and she closing herself off until it is almost too late. Jonah has to give up so much for her and it was when his world was destroyed that Candy was like oh he loves me he picked me over everything maybe I should forgive him. than she throws his world even more upside down by exposing the secret she had. And yet she couldn’t understand why Jonah was wary. Why he didn’t warm up to things on Candy’s terms. They were in danger and Jonah was risking everything for Candy and her dad and she just didn’t get it. She didn’t see that now Jonah was lost and feeling confused.
As the danger increased and with Jonah’s dad after them because of his singular vision of destroying Candy’s dad, Jonah was protecting Candy and her dad. Helping them and keeping all of Candy’s secrets. He was risking his life and future. When she gets in trouble and Jonah comes to her rescue he still loses his world. He went to do a happy surprise for her, they were in a good place relationship wise and Candy is now in trouble. She is in danger and jonah comes to her side. He loses alot in saving her. But he not once left her.
The writing draws you to the book. The story is interesting in its aspects. We have Candy who is right in being angry but her reasoning becomes hypocritical when she does what she is angry at Jonah for. We have the fight to free Candy’s dad and find out the truth. We have the relationship of Jonah and his dad which is complex. Jonah was so manipulated by his dad but he loved him. His sacrifice for Candy is hard to see because Jonah’s world is destroyed. But by having his world destroyed he is reborn. He is free from the chains that his dad bound him by. Now he could be himself. Than there was the relationship of Candy and Jonah. That was complex and beautiful at the same time. They had to relearn who each other was and trust each other. It was a great journey.
The evolution of Jonah was what I loved the most. He was amazing. No matter how Candy treated him he still worked to help her, believe in her and fight for her. His actions showed his love for Candy. Even when she kept that secret and it was exposed not because Candy volunteered the information but out of necessity, he was forgiving and loving. We see him go through a metamorphosis. He begins as a man who was one tracked. His world was compartmentalized and suddenly there were choices. Tough choices. He becomes the boy he was meant to be. through it all he never wavered on his love for Candy. He stood by her and helped her expose his dad for the man he was and free her dad.
Candy for me I was mixed on. She was still fun but she was also a hypocrite. She had a right to be angry at first but lost that when she kept the secret she did. Her antics against Jonah were wrong and hurtful but part of who she was. she changed though. She began to see people for more. She saw that her actions can hurt others and didn’t get as much pleasure at her pranks when done against those that she cares for.. She sees that things aren’t always what appears of people and begins to become softer in how she treats people. She loves fiercely and is loyal. She is fierce in her pursuit of helping her dad. She is steady in her beliefs and doesn’t care if they aren’t what they should be they are hers and she owns them.
This is a intriguing page turning story in which Jonah is faced with tough decisions, his love for Candy stays steady no matter what she does to him or how she treats him and he helps expose his father for the man he was. This is the fast paced story of the evolution of Jonah and Candy both as individuals and as a couple. the time apart helped them become stronger individuals and get them to see things differently. They began to gain perspective on things and for Candy this was desperately needed. this is the dangerous story of finding out the truth behind why Candy’s dad was considered a traitor and helping to set him free. this was a well written, snarky at times, romantic at times character and emotional driven plot that keeps you in the moment and has you want to see how these two come out in the end.
January 1, 2016
ARC kindly provided by Debra Doxer via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review
Rating Plan
1 star : Strongly did not like the book, writing and plot was bad. Idea of the book was against my liking.
2 star : Didn't like it, didn't find it interesting or gripping. Seemed to drag on to me.
3 star : An average book. Wasn't bad or good. Everything else was well done. Original idea.
4 star : Like a 3 star but has potential to it as a series or the book grew on me as it progressed and certain scenes captured me. I Enjoyed it and read it in one sitting.
5 star : I LOVED IT! I stayed up late until 3 am. Author is a genius, characters, plot, idea, development, EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT. Nothing else can possibly be said except that its 5 STAR!
Review
Eeeeek! I was SO EXCITED about the publication of this novel and its appearance on NetGalley! I couldn’t wait to read ‘Sweet Liar’ after the EPIC CLIFFHANGER at the end of ‘Like Candy’, which is the first novel in the ‘Candy’ duology. If you haven’t read the first novel, please do! It is ABSOLUTLEY AWESOME!!
First of all, let us just admire the cover. Isn’t it gorgeous? And so RIGHT for this book! It is just so…beautiful…*sniffs*.
Candy (or Candace) is just as stubborn in this novel as the previous one, yet is still surprisingly relatable. My fear for ‘Sweet Liar’ was that I, as a reader, would just lose all connection to her as she starts to enter her father’s mysterious world. Many of the actions she did were actually ones I would have done if I WERE in her place. Does that make me a mean or bad person? *chuckles nervously* Ones that she would do and I would not understand or disagree with just made her a more fun character to read about.
There were really emotional times that happened during the book which I experienced. Maybe because the emotions which Candy experienced were so REAL in this book; they didn’t seem fake or incomprehensible at all! For those of you who don’t know me, emotional times reading means tears and hysterical laughter. (And NO, that is NOT BECAUSE I AM A GIRL.) Even though I have never experienced what Candy had, the author made it so easily understandable that the thoughts of losing a loved one like Candy made me so sad. It really evoked a strong sense of sympathy for her; as a result my, my love for her as a character grew. I loved that the author could carry across that depth and insight.
I enjoyed that Candy seemed to grow up towards the end of this book, something that she wasn’t in the first book. The characters, along with Candy, were highly dynamic, and I LoVeD the romance between Candy and Jonah. They just seemed so good for each other! Talking about Jonah: we get to learn heaps more about him and his life before Candy in ‘Sweet Lia’
For some reason, though, the plot moved kind of slow for me up until the middle of the book, except for the bouts of action. The action was absolutely spectacular. There was/will-be dead people, imprisoned people, injured people and dying people. Are you SCARED?? Mwahahaha!
For those of you curious about the style it was written in, it was in third person and narrated by Candy. The plot was well laid out and though through, prose and grammar were also both excellent. I spotted NO SPELLING MISTAKES or TYPOS! Yaaaaay! I loved the author’s writing style.
Am I using the word ‘love’ way too much in this review?
Ok, let’s be honest. I did think ‘Sweet Liar’ was a slight downer when compared to ‘Like Candy’. That is the ONLY REASON I DID NOT GIVE IT A FIVE STAR. I just felt like it was missing something…vital, other than that, I loved it. The ending was…well, it could have been better. I was slightly upset about it, but it did satisfy me as a reader, albeit not completely.
Overall, this was an excellent and satisfying sequel to the cliff-hanger of ‘Like Candy’. As I said before, if you haven’t read the first book, I SERIOUSLY RECOMMEND YOU DO! Make sure you read it! Congratulations to Debra Doxer on publishing this awesome duology!
Rating Plan
1 star : Strongly did not like the book, writing and plot was bad. Idea of the book was against my liking.
2 star : Didn't like it, didn't find it interesting or gripping. Seemed to drag on to me.
3 star : An average book. Wasn't bad or good. Everything else was well done. Original idea.
4 star : Like a 3 star but has potential to it as a series or the book grew on me as it progressed and certain scenes captured me. I Enjoyed it and read it in one sitting.
5 star : I LOVED IT! I stayed up late until 3 am. Author is a genius, characters, plot, idea, development, EVERYTHING was EXCELLENT. Nothing else can possibly be said except that its 5 STAR!
November 8, 2015
After reading the first in this series – Sweet Candy – I knew I had to continue. The first book was punchy and engaging and just had a twist I didn’t see coming – plus Jonah…sigh. The second booked lacked some of the pizazz of the first book but it was still an excellent read and I devoured it in one sitting.
The book picked up where it left off – Thank God! I was going to die if I didn’t find out what happened at the explosive ending of Sweet Candy.
Candy’s father’s risky job comes into fruition and we get a glimpse into the secret world of the off the books world of spies. I loved the organisation premise but wanted a bit more background on what they did – it was a constant battle trying to determine if they were good or bad – or just some of their employees were good or bad, or more importantly trustworthy. The book ends open ended so there is a chance we may find more about the organisation and their assignments in the future.
Candy and Jonah are both forced to make some pretty hard and fast decisions, pushing their characters into uncomfortable and conflicting situations pretty early on.
Candy never waivers with her alliance and trust in her father and burrows down the rabbit hole to uncover the truth and clear her father’s name, finding out more than she bargained for. She struggles towards her feelings for Jonah – I mean come on talk about the ultimate betrayal – but the guy is just so damn charming and sweet, and his allure is at times, difficult to resist. She uncovers her true passion and how far she is willing to go to become part of the organisation her father has worked for his whole life.
Jonah – let’s all take a moment to pause and daydream. Seriously the perfect guy – if you read my last review I gushed about his ability to speak exactly what every girl needs to hear and he didn’t disappoint in this book. I myself had such conflicting emotions towards him because his betrayal of Candy stung but my gosh I wanted her to forgive him in the first five seconds of the book – what can I say the boy has a way with words. Jonah goes through his own turmoil throughout the book – questioning his loyalty to his dad, the organisation and his relationship with Candy. We also find out a bit more about Jonah’s past.
The ending was a high adrenalin action packed manic bundle. On reflection some bits seemed a little farfetched – the stars needed to align for some of it to work out – It was messy and the outcome was sheer luck. If you loved the first book, you won’t be disappointed in the second.
Love you long time
KjThis review was originally posted on Birds that ♥ words
The book picked up where it left off – Thank God! I was going to die if I didn’t find out what happened at the explosive ending of Sweet Candy.
Candy’s father’s risky job comes into fruition and we get a glimpse into the secret world of the off the books world of spies. I loved the organisation premise but wanted a bit more background on what they did – it was a constant battle trying to determine if they were good or bad – or just some of their employees were good or bad, or more importantly trustworthy. The book ends open ended so there is a chance we may find more about the organisation and their assignments in the future.
Candy and Jonah are both forced to make some pretty hard and fast decisions, pushing their characters into uncomfortable and conflicting situations pretty early on.
Candy never waivers with her alliance and trust in her father and burrows down the rabbit hole to uncover the truth and clear her father’s name, finding out more than she bargained for. She struggles towards her feelings for Jonah – I mean come on talk about the ultimate betrayal – but the guy is just so damn charming and sweet, and his allure is at times, difficult to resist. She uncovers her true passion and how far she is willing to go to become part of the organisation her father has worked for his whole life.
Jonah – let’s all take a moment to pause and daydream. Seriously the perfect guy – if you read my last review I gushed about his ability to speak exactly what every girl needs to hear and he didn’t disappoint in this book. I myself had such conflicting emotions towards him because his betrayal of Candy stung but my gosh I wanted her to forgive him in the first five seconds of the book – what can I say the boy has a way with words. Jonah goes through his own turmoil throughout the book – questioning his loyalty to his dad, the organisation and his relationship with Candy. We also find out a bit more about Jonah’s past.
The ending was a high adrenalin action packed manic bundle. On reflection some bits seemed a little farfetched – the stars needed to align for some of it to work out – It was messy and the outcome was sheer luck. If you loved the first book, you won’t be disappointed in the second.
Love you long time
KjThis review was originally posted on Birds that ♥ words
December 15, 2015
Full review originally posted on my blog here
http://misslittlebookaddictya.blogspo...
Candy is back people! Finally I have the 2nd and final book of this duology. I reviewed LIKE CANDY, the first book of the series, a few months ago. Click this link if you want to reference that review first so you'll have a better grip on this one.
My biggest problem with LIKE CANDY was the way it ended. It left off like the end of a chapter, not the end of a book. Fortunately SWEET LIAR picks up right where it was left and we don't have to wait long to find out who......er....um...well who Candy shot. Yup I said it, spoiler alert!
Quick refresher, Candy is the only child of a widower--her father--who is an operative for some unnamed non government group of spies that never really get explained. She thinks her dad works for the CIA, but not true, as she shockingly discovered in the world of lies, betrayal and secrets she'd stumbled into. And those are totally not her biggest problems!
That would be Jonas--the hottie undercover 20 something year old that totally stole her heart-- his car-cra father and the charges of treason on her now in-prisoned father.
The whole book is driven by her need to find the truth, get revenge, clear her father's name so he can come home, and find a way to heal her betrayed heart and best friend dying of cancer. (NO this doesn't turn into a magic type thing, it's science all the way on the cancer front)
All the characters from book 1 are back, and we finally get answers that were never given in LIKE CANDY for so many things. The characters were wonderfully featured to also tell their own stories, yet not take anything away from Candy and Jonas's story.
I want to say so much more, but if I do I'll give away the whole book, more that I already have above.
I'll leave it at this: you're not going to see a lot of the things that get thrown at you coming, and the story goes in a lot of interesting directions! I loved getting to see more of Jonas--who he really is and learning about his past that just made him more of a hottie hero in my book. And I felt like every character got their just desserts in the end :)
Debra Doxer definitely has a winning pair of books on her hands here, but I totally recommend having both ready at hand so you can go from LIKE CANDY to SWEET LIAR with out having the horrible hangover cliffy I had to deal with. I enjoyed this series, and most likely will enjoy what ever Debra writes next!
Caio Addicts!
~Dynomoon
http://misslittlebookaddictya.blogspo...
Candy is back people! Finally I have the 2nd and final book of this duology. I reviewed LIKE CANDY, the first book of the series, a few months ago. Click this link if you want to reference that review first so you'll have a better grip on this one.
My biggest problem with LIKE CANDY was the way it ended. It left off like the end of a chapter, not the end of a book. Fortunately SWEET LIAR picks up right where it was left and we don't have to wait long to find out who......er....um...well who Candy shot. Yup I said it, spoiler alert!
Quick refresher, Candy is the only child of a widower--her father--who is an operative for some unnamed non government group of spies that never really get explained. She thinks her dad works for the CIA, but not true, as she shockingly discovered in the world of lies, betrayal and secrets she'd stumbled into. And those are totally not her biggest problems!
That would be Jonas--the hottie undercover 20 something year old that totally stole her heart-- his car-cra father and the charges of treason on her now in-prisoned father.
The whole book is driven by her need to find the truth, get revenge, clear her father's name so he can come home, and find a way to heal her betrayed heart and best friend dying of cancer. (NO this doesn't turn into a magic type thing, it's science all the way on the cancer front)
All the characters from book 1 are back, and we finally get answers that were never given in LIKE CANDY for so many things. The characters were wonderfully featured to also tell their own stories, yet not take anything away from Candy and Jonas's story.
I want to say so much more, but if I do I'll give away the whole book, more that I already have above.
I'll leave it at this: you're not going to see a lot of the things that get thrown at you coming, and the story goes in a lot of interesting directions! I loved getting to see more of Jonas--who he really is and learning about his past that just made him more of a hottie hero in my book. And I felt like every character got their just desserts in the end :)
Debra Doxer definitely has a winning pair of books on her hands here, but I totally recommend having both ready at hand so you can go from LIKE CANDY to SWEET LIAR with out having the horrible hangover cliffy I had to deal with. I enjoyed this series, and most likely will enjoy what ever Debra writes next!
Caio Addicts!
~Dynomoon
March 7, 2016
Where to begin on this one. I feel like both books almost don't go together. I did enjoy reading the first book, but the second book I thought was a lot better. The story was fast paced and had a lot of more action in it. I loved that we got to see more of what Candy's dad did for work since that was something touched on a lot in the first book, but we had fewer answers. The book didn't really deal as much with romance or high school drama, but more with higher level drama.
The story continues with Candy who just shot an intruder who happens to be her sort of boyfriend Jonah's dad. Candy's father is then taken into custody by the company he works for and she is told she will never see him again.
I liked that during the entire book Candy was trying to prove her father innocent. She had bling loyalty to him and faith. She believed he would never do anything to hurt her. She would use the mantra what would my dad do to answer questions. We got to see how much compassion Candy had for her father. Also, he was the only family that she had left since her mother had passed away and she didn't get along with her aunt and cousins.
I loved the relationship that developed between Candy and Lorraine. Candy was originally comparing Lorraine to her mother, but once she got to know her she was able to see Lorraine as her own person. I think this is true in any new relationship you look for similarities from past experiences, but you should never forget no two relationships will ever be the same.
Heather is one of my favorite characters in the book. She just says the right thing at the right time all the time. I love her ability to help out Candy and also giving Theo a chance. She saw past Theo's disease and saw him for who he is a person. When someone is very ill it becomes challenging for people to see them as who they are. Heather went out of her way to help almost everyone in the book get what they want. She is an unsung hero in my book! I would love if there was another book based on her!
I would suggest this book for a time when you have an extended time to binge read. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting! I needed to know what was going to happen. This would be a great vacation read!
I was received this from the YA Bound Book Tours for the purpose of providing an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The story continues with Candy who just shot an intruder who happens to be her sort of boyfriend Jonah's dad. Candy's father is then taken into custody by the company he works for and she is told she will never see him again.
I liked that during the entire book Candy was trying to prove her father innocent. She had bling loyalty to him and faith. She believed he would never do anything to hurt her. She would use the mantra what would my dad do to answer questions. We got to see how much compassion Candy had for her father. Also, he was the only family that she had left since her mother had passed away and she didn't get along with her aunt and cousins.
I loved the relationship that developed between Candy and Lorraine. Candy was originally comparing Lorraine to her mother, but once she got to know her she was able to see Lorraine as her own person. I think this is true in any new relationship you look for similarities from past experiences, but you should never forget no two relationships will ever be the same.
Heather is one of my favorite characters in the book. She just says the right thing at the right time all the time. I love her ability to help out Candy and also giving Theo a chance. She saw past Theo's disease and saw him for who he is a person. When someone is very ill it becomes challenging for people to see them as who they are. Heather went out of her way to help almost everyone in the book get what they want. She is an unsung hero in my book! I would love if there was another book based on her!
I would suggest this book for a time when you have an extended time to binge read. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting! I needed to know what was going to happen. This would be a great vacation read!
I was received this from the YA Bound Book Tours for the purpose of providing an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
April 28, 2016
Also posted at The Quirky Reader
Certainly, this isn't a book about candy store thieves who run off in the middle of the night in Robin Hood fashion to help satisfy every sweet tooth out there. It's way more than that.
Basically, the series is all about this badass chick named Candy - who is not as sweet as her name sounds - and her pursuit of uncovering the truth of her father's shady occupation and at the same time falling in love with the wrong boy at the wrong time.
I randomly selected this title on my Kindle without bothering what it's all about and surprisingly, a few chapters in, I was engaged with the story. Though the plot's not groundbreaking for fiction, Miss Doxer makes up for her engaging writing. It feels like watching a modern teenage drama a la Pretty Little Liars.
That's right - Candy does not take shit from anyone. Her ways of revenge were really entertaining though it's hard to imagine someone in real life doing something like that (bird pooping someone's Jeep anyone?).
I thought Candy was a fantastic character. She's fierce and headstrong. Major brownie points for me. Overall, there was great character development from Like Candy to Sweet Liar.
Now this is where it starts to spiral down. Jonah as a love interest was pretty meh for me. Though I enjoyed reading about his character, I wasn't that convinced of his feelings towards Candy especially in Like Candy. He was more okay as Candy's friend or something.
Oh, come on, Miguel where is your heart???
Okay, alriiiiight. I might've thawed out a bit in the second book especially after Jonah redeemed himself. But from there on out, it still feels like their relationship was rushed.
As for the mention of spies and assassins, I found the mystery/thriller aspect of the novel to be quite tame. I was honestly expecting like a big fight in the end, but it ended before it really started. And I was left wanting for more thrills.
Overall, I had a really good reading experience. If you're in the mood for something slightly dangerous in the contemporary department, then try this series out. I'm still disappointed that there weren't candy store thieves though...
Certainly, this isn't a book about candy store thieves who run off in the middle of the night in Robin Hood fashion to help satisfy every sweet tooth out there. It's way more than that.
Basically, the series is all about this badass chick named Candy - who is not as sweet as her name sounds - and her pursuit of uncovering the truth of her father's shady occupation and at the same time falling in love with the wrong boy at the wrong time.
I randomly selected this title on my Kindle without bothering what it's all about and surprisingly, a few chapters in, I was engaged with the story. Though the plot's not groundbreaking for fiction, Miss Doxer makes up for her engaging writing. It feels like watching a modern teenage drama a la Pretty Little Liars.
That's right - Candy does not take shit from anyone. Her ways of revenge were really entertaining though it's hard to imagine someone in real life doing something like that (bird pooping someone's Jeep anyone?).
I thought Candy was a fantastic character. She's fierce and headstrong. Major brownie points for me. Overall, there was great character development from Like Candy to Sweet Liar.
Now this is where it starts to spiral down. Jonah as a love interest was pretty meh for me. Though I enjoyed reading about his character, I wasn't that convinced of his feelings towards Candy especially in Like Candy. He was more okay as Candy's friend or something.
Oh, come on, Miguel where is your heart???
Okay, alriiiiight. I might've thawed out a bit in the second book especially after Jonah redeemed himself. But from there on out, it still feels like their relationship was rushed.
As for the mention of spies and assassins, I found the mystery/thriller aspect of the novel to be quite tame. I was honestly expecting like a big fight in the end, but it ended before it really started. And I was left wanting for more thrills.
Overall, I had a really good reading experience. If you're in the mood for something slightly dangerous in the contemporary department, then try this series out. I'm still disappointed that there weren't candy store thieves though...
November 10, 2015
*I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This did not in any way affect my rating or my review in the slightest. All thoughts expressed in this review are unbiased and my own.*
Actual rating: 3.7
Alright, here’s the thing: I was a little disappointed with Like Candy, because there was way too much high school drama, so I didn’t expect much of Sweet Liar. I thought it would be pretty much like the previous one, but I was wrong.
There is still a lot of high school drama, a lot of focus on different relationships, but this time, I think there’s a little less, which was great.
It starts where Like Candy ends. Candy’s father is taken, and Candy needs to help him. She is also mad at Jonah for lying to her – totally rightfully, too, I mean, he lied about something big – and he wants her to forgive him. There is a lot of focus on that in this book, maybe a little too much, which made the book a little slow-paced for a big part of the book, and then when things started happening, it felt like everything happened at the same time, and one part was almost a little too fast-paced. That was also about when the high school drama stopped for a little while.
I still don’t really like Jonah. I mean, he lied to Candy about a really big thing, and then he expects her to forgive him just like that. Lying isn’t something to be taken lightly upon, and he acts, at least at first, like it isn’t a big deal that he lied to her, but it is, and she is obviously going to need time to forgive him for it.
Candy is an okay enough character. I can’t always relate to her decisions, but that might be because we’re nothing alike, so it doesn’t make her less relatable, I’m sure some readers can relate to her, but I couldn’t always do that.
The characters are okay, for the most part, the plot was okay, although a little slow-paced at times, the writing was good, and it was overall a good read. It was more like my first expectations of this series than Like Candy was, and I was happily surprised when I started reading.
Actual rating: 3.7
Alright, here’s the thing: I was a little disappointed with Like Candy, because there was way too much high school drama, so I didn’t expect much of Sweet Liar. I thought it would be pretty much like the previous one, but I was wrong.
There is still a lot of high school drama, a lot of focus on different relationships, but this time, I think there’s a little less, which was great.
It starts where Like Candy ends. Candy’s father is taken, and Candy needs to help him. She is also mad at Jonah for lying to her – totally rightfully, too, I mean, he lied about something big – and he wants her to forgive him. There is a lot of focus on that in this book, maybe a little too much, which made the book a little slow-paced for a big part of the book, and then when things started happening, it felt like everything happened at the same time, and one part was almost a little too fast-paced. That was also about when the high school drama stopped for a little while.
I still don’t really like Jonah. I mean, he lied to Candy about a really big thing, and then he expects her to forgive him just like that. Lying isn’t something to be taken lightly upon, and he acts, at least at first, like it isn’t a big deal that he lied to her, but it is, and she is obviously going to need time to forgive him for it.
Candy is an okay enough character. I can’t always relate to her decisions, but that might be because we’re nothing alike, so it doesn’t make her less relatable, I’m sure some readers can relate to her, but I couldn’t always do that.
The characters are okay, for the most part, the plot was okay, although a little slow-paced at times, the writing was good, and it was overall a good read. It was more like my first expectations of this series than Like Candy was, and I was happily surprised when I started reading.
February 15, 2016
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review in any way.
I really enjoyed the first book Like Candy when I read it back in August, and after that cliffhanger of an ending I've been waiting patiently for the release of book number two. The book kicks off right from where we left off in Like Candy, which is something I really liked about Sweet Liar, there was messing about with a pointless little recap, we're thrown straight back into the action.
One slight issue I had with the previous book was Candy's tendency to be slightly immature. I'm happy to report that Candy definitely matured a whole lot more in Sweet Liar, sure we still got to see some funny Candy style revenge that admittedly wasn't the most mature thing, but nonetheless entertaining!
Candy and Jonah hit it off big time in Like Candy, but then BOOM huge revelation and that relationship crumbled pretty quickly. In Sweet Liar Jonah I was totally a Jonah supporter! I understood Candy completely but damn that boy was cute!! Jonah definitely had some seriously swoon worthy lines, and yes I may have actually verbalised my swooning more than once!
"Jonah smiled gently. 'Even though there's a good chance you're going to break my heart, I want you to know it's yours.'"
I mean come on! How cute is that?! I love a bit of sweet romance and cheesy lines in my YA books, it can make shipping so enjoyable!
I loved the secrecy that surrounded Candy's father's job in the first book, and the mystery continued in Sweet Liar, sure quite a bit more light was shed on her father does and who he works for, but I still definitely have questions, because 'The Organisation' is certainly mysterious!
Sweet Liar missed out on 5 stars from me as although I enjoyed it, I felt like that something extra special was missing, I'd definitely recommend the Candy books, especially if you're looking for a fun read!
I really enjoyed the first book Like Candy when I read it back in August, and after that cliffhanger of an ending I've been waiting patiently for the release of book number two. The book kicks off right from where we left off in Like Candy, which is something I really liked about Sweet Liar, there was messing about with a pointless little recap, we're thrown straight back into the action.
One slight issue I had with the previous book was Candy's tendency to be slightly immature. I'm happy to report that Candy definitely matured a whole lot more in Sweet Liar, sure we still got to see some funny Candy style revenge that admittedly wasn't the most mature thing, but nonetheless entertaining!
Candy and Jonah hit it off big time in Like Candy, but then BOOM huge revelation and that relationship crumbled pretty quickly. In Sweet Liar Jonah I was totally a Jonah supporter! I understood Candy completely but damn that boy was cute!! Jonah definitely had some seriously swoon worthy lines, and yes I may have actually verbalised my swooning more than once!
"Jonah smiled gently. 'Even though there's a good chance you're going to break my heart, I want you to know it's yours.'"
I mean come on! How cute is that?! I love a bit of sweet romance and cheesy lines in my YA books, it can make shipping so enjoyable!
I loved the secrecy that surrounded Candy's father's job in the first book, and the mystery continued in Sweet Liar, sure quite a bit more light was shed on her father does and who he works for, but I still definitely have questions, because 'The Organisation' is certainly mysterious!
Sweet Liar missed out on 5 stars from me as although I enjoyed it, I felt like that something extra special was missing, I'd definitely recommend the Candy books, especially if you're looking for a fun read!
February 11, 2016
*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. *
This book took me a while to finish solely because I started college so I haven't had time to read. This being said though, I found that I didn't get as captivated as with Like Candy. Not to say this was a bad book. It had its moments where it would draw me back in and I'd get through a bit in one sitting.
This picks up right where Like Candy ended. Candy has just fired the gun and you finally get to see whether she kills Jonah's dad or not. Her father ends up getting taken away from her and the story is basically Candy trying to prove his innocence while battling with her feelings for Jonah.
I have to be honest and say that I was not as in love with this book as the first. It just seemed very static until the end. There were a few bumps in the road but for the most part there weren't too many plot twists. You learn if Candy's dad is guilty and why he's done what he has. You learn more about Jonah and his mother. The one plot twist that I wasn't thrilled about was Candy's dad being involved with Jonah's mom. I don't like picturing him with anyone but his ex-wife and its weird since Candy and Jonah are a thing...They even acknowledge how odd it'd be if their parents ever got married. Must be some good genes that run in those families.
Overall I am happy with the outcome of the book. I am kinda hoping for a third? I think Doxer could pull that off with Candy training for the same institution her father's in. There could be more kick butt crime action. I'd happily read it just to read more about Jonah and Candy who I ship so hard. But if not then I am content with this ending. Gave it one less star than Like Candy just cause I didn't enjoy it as much but I still did love it.
This book took me a while to finish solely because I started college so I haven't had time to read. This being said though, I found that I didn't get as captivated as with Like Candy. Not to say this was a bad book. It had its moments where it would draw me back in and I'd get through a bit in one sitting.
This picks up right where Like Candy ended. Candy has just fired the gun and you finally get to see whether she kills Jonah's dad or not. Her father ends up getting taken away from her and the story is basically Candy trying to prove his innocence while battling with her feelings for Jonah.
I have to be honest and say that I was not as in love with this book as the first. It just seemed very static until the end. There were a few bumps in the road but for the most part there weren't too many plot twists. You learn if Candy's dad is guilty and why he's done what he has. You learn more about Jonah and his mother. The one plot twist that I wasn't thrilled about was Candy's dad being involved with Jonah's mom. I don't like picturing him with anyone but his ex-wife and its weird since Candy and Jonah are a thing...They even acknowledge how odd it'd be if their parents ever got married. Must be some good genes that run in those families.
Overall I am happy with the outcome of the book. I am kinda hoping for a third? I think Doxer could pull that off with Candy training for the same institution her father's in. There could be more kick butt crime action. I'd happily read it just to read more about Jonah and Candy who I ship so hard. But if not then I am content with this ending. Gave it one less star than Like Candy just cause I didn't enjoy it as much but I still did love it.
March 4, 2016
Real rating is 4.5/5
*I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review*
After a long wait I can finally write about the sequel to Like Candy, entitled Sweet Liar.
I very patiently, (okay fine IMPATIENTLY) waited to read this book and it was most definitely worth the wait. The book began exactly where Like Candy left off. Although overall the book was great I have to admit I was a little disappointed with the beginning which is why I couldn't give it the extra 0.5. In the beginning I felt that Candy was being a little too generous with Jonah and I felt she should have been a little more emotional. I realize that Candy's personality doesn't call for this but I wished the fallout reaction was a little more prolonged. It felt like she fell down, brushed herself off and then ran back into the arms of Jonah. Besides this the book was so clever and magnificent that it was very easy to get over my issue. The way that Doxer reveals the plot and ties all the strings of the story together was brilliant and I really enjoyed the reveal of all the mystery that was in the first book. I really love Candy's and Jonah's mature character (except when Candy pulls pranks). It was a breath of fresh air from the characters you would typically find in a young adult book. Even though the characters are mature they are still able to develop through the story line. I wish that this series could've been a trilogy so I could read more about Candy but I'm content with how the story ends. I can't wait to see what Doxer comes out with next!
Contact Me: jenminoa0820@gmail.com
Check out the author: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDebraD...
Check out this book: http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Liar-Cand...
*I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review*
After a long wait I can finally write about the sequel to Like Candy, entitled Sweet Liar.
I very patiently, (okay fine IMPATIENTLY) waited to read this book and it was most definitely worth the wait. The book began exactly where Like Candy left off. Although overall the book was great I have to admit I was a little disappointed with the beginning which is why I couldn't give it the extra 0.5. In the beginning I felt that Candy was being a little too generous with Jonah and I felt she should have been a little more emotional. I realize that Candy's personality doesn't call for this but I wished the fallout reaction was a little more prolonged. It felt like she fell down, brushed herself off and then ran back into the arms of Jonah. Besides this the book was so clever and magnificent that it was very easy to get over my issue. The way that Doxer reveals the plot and ties all the strings of the story together was brilliant and I really enjoyed the reveal of all the mystery that was in the first book. I really love Candy's and Jonah's mature character (except when Candy pulls pranks). It was a breath of fresh air from the characters you would typically find in a young adult book. Even though the characters are mature they are still able to develop through the story line. I wish that this series could've been a trilogy so I could read more about Candy but I'm content with how the story ends. I can't wait to see what Doxer comes out with next!
Contact Me: jenminoa0820@gmail.com
Check out the author: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDebraD...
Check out this book: http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Liar-Cand...
December 6, 2015
Honestly I have read this without reading the first book. But for sure I'll give it a shot after reading all the books off my TBR list.
Every page unveils a mystery little by little that will make you read it till the last page. After heading a particular scene, I kept reading I was starting to get hooked. The real personality of each characters was slowly unveiling. One of them is showing it when he's/she's in an emotional state making his guard down.
I love how the characters makes effort to get back what he once had. They have their own ways to protect what was left so they won't go through that same pain that almost killed them again. This book also made us feel how important it is to have someone you can trust by your side.
I was shocked when the book ended. I felt like "What happened?!" It was like the drama kept going on and then stop. It was getting good then boom! Ughhh,,, I wish it didn't ended up like that. *sniff sniff
I just hate how Candy prolongs her trust issues with Jonah. The reason doesn't justifies Jonah's mistake to her. I don't really understand why Victor wants Sebastian be gone for good. Maybe if I read Like Candy I'll know. Also the first part of the book is dragging too long. When I made it to the middle where the climax is starting to build up, that's when I kept going on reading. I would rate this 3 stars but they still made me read it till the end that's why I decided to give it a 4 Sweet Stars!
Tesairie's Book Reads
Every page unveils a mystery little by little that will make you read it till the last page. After heading a particular scene, I kept reading I was starting to get hooked. The real personality of each characters was slowly unveiling. One of them is showing it when he's/she's in an emotional state making his guard down.
I love how the characters makes effort to get back what he once had. They have their own ways to protect what was left so they won't go through that same pain that almost killed them again. This book also made us feel how important it is to have someone you can trust by your side.
I was shocked when the book ended. I felt like "What happened?!" It was like the drama kept going on and then stop. It was getting good then boom! Ughhh,,, I wish it didn't ended up like that. *sniff sniff
I just hate how Candy prolongs her trust issues with Jonah. The reason doesn't justifies Jonah's mistake to her. I don't really understand why Victor wants Sebastian be gone for good. Maybe if I read Like Candy I'll know. Also the first part of the book is dragging too long. When I made it to the middle where the climax is starting to build up, that's when I kept going on reading. I would rate this 3 stars but they still made me read it till the end that's why I decided to give it a 4 Sweet Stars!
Tesairie's Book Reads
November 17, 2015
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book picks up where the first book, Like Candy, left off with a cliffhanger that left me wanting more. I thought the first book was a fun read that hooked me in quickly, and this one was no different. Candy is a great character and a strong female lead. Jonah is a great love interest for her. In this book, Doxer tells us more about Candy's father and the secret organization he works for, and we find out important information that helps to understand him and who he is at heart more. Doxer does a great job at writing a thriller that has some romance and friend/family drama to the story as well. I enjoyed this series a lot and would happily read more about Candy if Doxer decides to continue the series. This one did not end with a cliffhanger like the first book, and though it isn't left that way, it does leave it open enough to provide for more material for another book. I would love to know how things go for Candy with the decisions she makes as the book ends. Highly recommend this duo/series!
The book picks up where the first book, Like Candy, left off with a cliffhanger that left me wanting more. I thought the first book was a fun read that hooked me in quickly, and this one was no different. Candy is a great character and a strong female lead. Jonah is a great love interest for her. In this book, Doxer tells us more about Candy's father and the secret organization he works for, and we find out important information that helps to understand him and who he is at heart more. Doxer does a great job at writing a thriller that has some romance and friend/family drama to the story as well. I enjoyed this series a lot and would happily read more about Candy if Doxer decides to continue the series. This one did not end with a cliffhanger like the first book, and though it isn't left that way, it does leave it open enough to provide for more material for another book. I would love to know how things go for Candy with the decisions she makes as the book ends. Highly recommend this duo/series!
December 17, 2015
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Sooooo, in Like Candy we were left hanging in a major way! Thankfully, all of our questions were answered plus some new material introduced in Sweet Liar. Candy's father has done some things that probably weren't the best things to do, but he had a really good reason. In turn, Victor (Jonah's father) is after him for some vengeful reasons and will do anything to see him suffer. Because of what has happened Candy has lost her trust in Jonah. Can Candy and her father be reunited? Will Jonah earn back Candy's trust? I loved how the characters developed in this one. Candy did grow up a bit, but she still did a few of her famous pranks. I also loved getting to see more of Theo and reading his humor despite his condition. This was a nice ending and I thought it felt complete. In the end things do look up for Candy and the gang. There's plenty of action and drama and secrets revealed in this one! Overall, a very great read!!
Sooooo, in Like Candy we were left hanging in a major way! Thankfully, all of our questions were answered plus some new material introduced in Sweet Liar. Candy's father has done some things that probably weren't the best things to do, but he had a really good reason. In turn, Victor (Jonah's father) is after him for some vengeful reasons and will do anything to see him suffer. Because of what has happened Candy has lost her trust in Jonah. Can Candy and her father be reunited? Will Jonah earn back Candy's trust? I loved how the characters developed in this one. Candy did grow up a bit, but she still did a few of her famous pranks. I also loved getting to see more of Theo and reading his humor despite his condition. This was a nice ending and I thought it felt complete. In the end things do look up for Candy and the gang. There's plenty of action and drama and secrets revealed in this one! Overall, a very great read!!
December 18, 2015
*A copy of this book was received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Hmm... It's taken me a few days to read this, mainly because of work but also because it didn't go how I expected.
So, I read the first book Like Candy a week or so ago and I was loving the blossoming relationship between Candy and Jonah but I wasn't so keen on the other half of the plotline, the dad thing.
Unfortunately that was what this followed up on, especially after that cliffhanger ending from the last one. I needed an explanation but I also wanted more of the romance.
We did get it, along with an emotional rollercoaster, but the main plotline in this was around Candy's father.
It didn't grab me like the first book did but I'll admit to having a good old cry at the end.
There were nice bits and not so nice bits and together it was alright. It was a good ending to the story--and I'm assuming it is the last one?
Hmm... It's taken me a few days to read this, mainly because of work but also because it didn't go how I expected.
So, I read the first book Like Candy a week or so ago and I was loving the blossoming relationship between Candy and Jonah but I wasn't so keen on the other half of the plotline, the dad thing.
Unfortunately that was what this followed up on, especially after that cliffhanger ending from the last one. I needed an explanation but I also wanted more of the romance.
We did get it, along with an emotional rollercoaster, but the main plotline in this was around Candy's father.
It didn't grab me like the first book did but I'll admit to having a good old cry at the end.
There were nice bits and not so nice bits and together it was alright. It was a good ending to the story--and I'm assuming it is the last one?
January 20, 2016
So this for me s a YA in its own league. I liked that it has all the awesome ingredients, high school pranks, actions, some espionage and a bit of romance. This book kept me locked in from the first page, and trust me there was nothing predictable about this story. I kept thinking that Jonah would at some point turn around and betray Candy but I was wrong. I did question his loyalties for the longest time though. I really liked Theo, he had the best jokes even for someone who was dealing with Cancer. Some one needs to get me his inspirational calendar it had some really great nuggets in there.
I also liked that there are just 2 books in the series….. yes I know there are usually three but this wonderful author made it 2.
I loved the ending of the story it wasn’t what I was expecting but all the same a splendid ending that put a smile on my face.
I also liked that there are just 2 books in the series….. yes I know there are usually three but this wonderful author made it 2.
I loved the ending of the story it wasn’t what I was expecting but all the same a splendid ending that put a smile on my face.
August 24, 2016
If I could describe this book in one word, it would be unnecessary. Not unnecessary in the sense that it shouldn’t have been written, but unnecessary in the fact that there was a lot going on that should have just been erased. Candy spent too much time thinking about how mad she was at Jonah for lying to her, but at the same time thinking how it was so hard to be mad at him. Um..HELLO, he lied to you about who he is. He is a grown ass man pretending to be a teen in high school(that just screams PERVERSION to me), and he was trying to get your father put away. If those reasons aren’t a big enough red flag, then you need to seek help, and get your priorities straight!
Read the rest of my review, HERE
Read the rest of my review, HERE
November 9, 2015
17/20
En bref, un second et dernier tome qui a parfaitement répondu à mes attentes et qui m'a permis de vivre pleinement cette aventure avec Candy et Jonah. Les pages se tournent très vite, la plume toujours aussi agréable (et facile pour moi) de l'auteur m'a permis de ressentir pleinement les doutes, les joies et les peines des protagonistes. Le final nous réserve quelques surprises et est juste parfait au regard de cette aventure !
http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...
En bref, un second et dernier tome qui a parfaitement répondu à mes attentes et qui m'a permis de vivre pleinement cette aventure avec Candy et Jonah. Les pages se tournent très vite, la plume toujours aussi agréable (et facile pour moi) de l'auteur m'a permis de ressentir pleinement les doutes, les joies et les peines des protagonistes. Le final nous réserve quelques surprises et est juste parfait au regard de cette aventure !
http://www.leslecturesdemylene.com/20...
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