JAMES W. LEWIS is the award-winning bestselling author of three novels, TANGLED, SELLOUT, and A HARD MAN IS GOOD TO FIND. After spending twenty years in the Navy, James retired from active duty and is now a personal trainer and exercise physiologist in Northern California.
James is also extremely passionate about health and fitness. You can often find him screaming at the top of his lungs while leading a fitness class, doing high-intensity exercises with college students; or teaching older adults the benefits of physical activity for disease management in a cardiac rehab facility.
Tangled by James Lewis was my before bed reading over the last week. I was completely pulled into this story! Does one ever really grow up and outgrow our high school days? So this was supposed to be a nightly read while I wait for my husband to crawl into bed. It turned into my staying up later than I should have to read what was going to happen next. I don’t want to go into details but this will be one of those books that you’ll want “just one more chapter” and that chapter turns into three or four more chapters!
Mr. Lewis’s book is suspenseful and intriguing. You are going to want to know who is who and who is doing what (sorry, being vague) … and you’ll be shocked! I’m going to be honest and say that I can normally guess who the antagonist is but I didn’t succeed in guessing Tangled’s. I was so pleased with the flow and the characters. Even though there were several characters it wasn’t overwhelming to keep up with them. I loved the thrillerish and mystery added to this book. I cannot recommend this book enough! I was pleasantly surprised and delighted in every word! No secret is ever safe in the dark!
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that... my opinions.
How much drama can be associated with a 10 year high school class reunion? Quite a bit.
The author pins a tale around the class of 2005 of Monte Clara High School. Several members of the class tell a story leading up to and after the class reunion. Each chapter is told from one of the class member’s point of view. There is drama, romance, crime and a little bit of mystery which leads to a suspenseful read. One drawback of the novel is that the love scenes are written from a male perspective. Overall a very engaging read.
I was sent this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a kindle giveaway. It had me sucked in from beginning to end. So much drama! I loved it! Almost makes me want to start going to my class reunions.
Tangled is FIRE! From the beginning, we're tugged and drawn to the ultimate finale. And when it comes--the Class Reunion--and we find out who's wearing the Blue Devil Costume, it is a total shocker. Several things you'll want to know: who's wearing that costume and making the videos, what does BB stand for, and who's going to get the ax!
Loved this book. Will definitely read another James W. Lewis novel.
i loved this book. could not put it down and ended up reading it in a little over a day between work and sleep . definately did not expect the ending. i would reccomend this to anyone looking for a new book to read!
Tangled by James W. Lewis is a suspenseful story with a variety of characters with hidden secrets that come together for a class reunion. Gerald & Lisa are married but things haven’t been the same since she started planning their upcoming class reunion. Greg and Aanya are married and struggling since they haven’t gotten pregnant yet. Quinton is Gerald brother and a semi-private investigator who has his eye on a former classmate. Yara is a widow with a dark secret but she knows how to handle it and besides she is great at keeping secrets. This is your class of 2005 from Monte Clara High School.
My Thoughts
The plot and content of this book was on point. It had a consistent flow to it where I was able to keep up with all of the characters as they transitioned into twists and turns happening in the plot. It had a thriller aspect to it but also a little mystery. I didn’t figure it out until the end of the book. Loved it!
The characters were well-developed and I was in tune with their personalities, how they were feeling but couldn’t quite guess on what their next moves would be, which drove me crazy in a good way. These characters secrets brought a small amount of drama, action and the reveals were my favorite parts of the book.
The overall message I took from this book is that what is done in the dark will come to the light and to understand that you will never truly know everything there is to know about the people you encounter. This was an entertaining book with just amount of twist and turns, drama and mysterious element that will definitely have me picking up this author’s next book. Having said that, since I have read all of the author’s previous titles, I can say Tangled is my favorite. I definitely recommend this book to those who like mysteries and suspense thrillers.
This book was provided by the author for review purposes only.
If I had to come up with a title for this one based solely on the story, I couldn't have done a better job than Tangled. It suits these characters and their lives perfectly. In all honesty, I wasn't quite sure about this one in the beginning. There are several characters introduced very quickly, and most of them aren't at all likable. It's pretty much a who's cheating who rundown of everyone's life as their high school reunion approaches. Not exactly what I expected from the blurb. Ah, but here's the rub - I couldn't stop turning the pages. The more these characters drove me crazy, the more I wanted to see how it would all play out. And wow, did it really play out. The ending is one of those jaw-dropping twists that I certainly didn't see coming. These characters irritated the living daylights out of me more times than not. I wanted to smack, choke, or shake every single one of them at least once during the story, and I spent a good deal of time hoping they'd all get their just desserts. The suspense comes in little by little as the story progresses, as do the questions, and the answers to those questions charge in like a freight train. This one may be different from what I expected, but it turned out to be one of those books that will stay with me and has certainly put this author on my radar.
I received an ARC from James Lewis. James Lewis applies a unique spin on the class reunion theme in his latest thriller, TANGLED. It’s time for the Monte Clara High School Class of 2005 to celebrate their 10th class reunion which includes a cast of characters that make Peyton Place look like a convent. Lewis does a superb job of weaving believable characters with common problems into an intricate plot of jealousy, infidelity and promiscuity. There is a “who done it” subplot that kept me glued to the story in an effort to solve this thriller. The reunion committee organizers ingeniously utilize social media to increase interest and paid registrations while ultimately creating an unexpected element of surprise to the reunion that left me speechless and shaking my head while proclaiming, “No they didn’t!”. I really enjoyed this novel. Lewis kept me engaged, the story plot was well developed and progressed at a good pace. The characters are believable (i.e., not multimillionaires and royalty) and complete with backstories. Lewis’ “terminology” was enlightening and often humorous. I was frequently the object of a side-eye glance from my hubby as I chuckled while reading this novel.
TANGLED by James W. Lewis was a different type of read from my usual but written in a way that kept me involved. Gerald and his twin, Quentin, are the two primary male characters. Lisa, Gerald’s wife, is on the ten-year high school reunion planning committee and very involved in that endeavor. Greg, a former classmate and his new boss is not very likable and makes frequent appearances in the story. Tara is a mysterious woman of great beauty who bumps into Gerald on the oceanfront where both seek solitude and peace, and the two of them are able to connect on a deep level. This story revolves around all of these people and more coming together for their high school reunion and what happens when they do.
There is plenty of suspense in this story and a few very likable characters, plus some despicable ones. The plot is interesting with an enjoyable setting, but I found the dialogue hard to follow as the differences in background between this reviewer and the author were clear from the beginning and left me reading by general context rather than my usually adequate comprehension. Mr. Lewis has a good heart that shows through his writing; his dedication touched me and I would recommend other readers give his writing a try.
So glad to be done with this….What may have been an interesting and maybe even fun premise for a story about a high school reunion was ruined with not one likable character and some very uncomfortable porn. The author seemed to be trying to impress too hard with his slang/hipster vocabulary and I had to talk myself into finishing the book when Yara SAID, “I am literally speechless...” That might be my favorite wrong use of the word “literally”. Yara was a truly despicable villain with a psychopathic mission to make everyone as miserable as her. Everyone else was just stupid cheaters that talked to themselves out loud, too much. I was very amused at the book discussion question, “Has anyone ever caught you ‘smashin’ in public? Where?” That actually might prompt a very fun drunk book club discussion.
Tangled by James W. Lewis tells the story of the events leading up to the reunion of the Monte Clara high school ten year reunion. It appears that one gradate of this class is after revenge and will stop at nothing to achieve that revenge. Everyone's curiosity is aroused when a mystery person begins to masquerade as the school mascot on social media via videos depicting negative events that happened during high school. Caught up in the mystery of Who is the Blue Devil, interest in the reunion is increased to the point that attendance is expected to be extremely high. Before the reunion is over, someone will cheat with an old flame, someone will reveal a dark secret, and there is the threat of a murder. Who is the Blue Devil? Will there be a tragedy or a happy ending to this reunion? Read to find the answers in this suspense tale that delves into the psychological realms of revenge.
From the minute I read the blurb of 'Tangled', I knew I had to read this. It's hard to find a really good psychological, who-don-it, thriller. Tangled is a gripping and extordinary piece of literature that captures the readers attention and doesn't let go one bit. Not one iota of a second. I, as a reader wanted to know the connection of everyone everything. I wanted to know who was doing whom, and why was betraying who. I needed to know they 'why' and the 'how'. 'Tangled' was here for it all, and I was right along with it, socking it up. Every last bit of it. I haven't enjoyed a good read in this genre in a while. Mr. James Lewis is a masterful writer and I will be reading more form him in the future. I requested and read a review copy of 'Tangled.
Synopsis: Welcome to the Monte Clara High Class of 2005 Reunion. Home of the Blue Devils.
Someone will cheat with an old flame.
Someone will reveal a gruesome, dark secret.
And someone might die.
At this epic party, everyone is wearing a mask, but who will get the last laugh?
TANGLED is a gripping psychological suspense with a twisted ending that will surprise and satisfy you at every turn.
wow, I read this straight through and didn't see that end coming. I don't have to tell you that this is a fantastic book. Crazy characters, a lot of sex (ugh), murder for hire, breathtaking ending.
Ya’ll are not ready! James W. Lewis has done it again!! Great characters, compelling plot, and one of the most distinct voices in contemporary fiction today. I can’t say too much or I’ll spoil the plot but let me just say that when the description talks about the high school reunion from hell they weren’t kidding! Fast paced with jaw dropping moments - I highly recommend!
It took a minute to get into the story. There were so many characters and a lot of dialogue. A wimpy man is difficult to relate to. A bitchy heroine isn't a new phenomenon. I was always cheering for the hero to come out on top. Mission accomplished. A good read...
I liked this book. The charachers were very interesting to read. I gave this book a 3.8/5 stars rating. I liked the plot, but I had issues on the way the story put. For example, the story supposed to be suspense. I believed was morely a crime drama. Overall, I liked the ending of story. I do not mind reading more of the author stories in the near future.
So I will admit I struggled a bit at first with the story. I had a hard time with all the characters, especially since some names were close sounding. But once I figured it all out, the book went smoothly for me. I wish there was more mystery but it did get great at the end. Overall, I enjoyed the book.
This is a book about a high school class of 2005, and a few charactors adventures leading up to their 10 year class reunion. To say there are a lot of tangled webs in this story would be a great under statement. I found this to be a very good but not a great story. Mr. James W. Lewis does show much promise as a storyteller.
Oh if you like who done its you are going to love this one because it is so going to keep you guessing right up until the very end I promise you! The title is so very appropriate because it is tangled and very good. I have never read James Lewis before but I am sure to read him again. Loved it.
The beginning was a little hard to keep all the characters together, but once you get them together...wow. Tangled keeps you guessing and the ending was not what I expected.
Interesting story about a group planning their 10th high school reunion. Lots of infidelity among the married couples. All comes to a satifying conclusion the night of the reunion.
The Monte Clara High Class of 2005 is planning their tenth reunion. A mystery person has been posing as their school mascot and posting strange videos on social media to get the attendance numbers up. Who is this person and what are they really up to? Before the reunion night is over, the questions will be answered provided everyone is alive to hear them. I enjoyed reading this book. It has interesting characters, lots of suspense and kept me reading nonstop to see the outcome. I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Wow! I enjoyed this book, Class Of 2005 are celebrating their 10th class reunion for Monte Clara High School, everyone is looking forward to seeing what's going on with each other, but the biggest high light is to find out who is responsible for the outrageous videos that have been featured on the website! Old friends, old romance’s and a whole lot of Drama!! Old scores will be settled.
Great read, the story flowed very well, the characters were well developed, the author didn't miss a beat, I was on the edge of my seat, just when I thought I had the story figured out , I was hit with a totally different outcome! I feel like it should have been more to the ending.
I really enjoyed this book. It grabbed me from the start. I have never read a book like it. I am so very glad that I did read it. I plan on letting others enjoy it as well!
I had the pleasure of prereading TANGLED by Author James W. Lewis, it's a fast, paced novel with engaging characters, unique dialog and plot twists that will keep you captivated. #gettangled