Truth Seer

Truth Seer #1

by Kay L. Moody

Not even the truth will set you free in a world of lies.

It's 2121, and Kenyan-born Imara is a human lie detector, making her valuable and dangerous--but most of all, cynical. One can only take seeing the swirling colors of deceitfulness on others for so long.

When her sister is taken hostage into the depths of Egyptian catacombs, only the power to see the best in others can set them both free.

In this intriguing and fast-paced tale, a high-tech future collides with an ancient past. Enjoy this world that yields heroic and flawed characters and demands the ultimate sacrifice.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Fiction

338 pages, Hardcover

Published July 2, 2018

About the author

Kay L. Moody is the YA fantasy author of COURT OF BITTER THORN and THE ELEMENTS OF THE CROWN. Her books feature rich world building, slow burn romance, mythical creatures, and twisty plots.

As a lover of strong female characters, books, and the color pink, she enjoys diving into magical worlds where characters can overcome even their darkest struggles. She lives in the western United States with her husband and four sons. Connect with Kay directly when you follow her on social media @kaylmoody

Visit her website to learn more.
www.KayLMoody.com

Reviews

[Anastasia ｼ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full Review on my blog!

The synopsis instantly grabbed my attention and I am so glad that I read this.

This novel sets in Egypt in the year 2121 wherein the technology is so much advance that you can easily access it by using your ring to project a hologram. But then, what if you have a hila, which I'm guessing is some kind of sixth sense or superpower? I wish it was explained a bit better tbh.

Imara Kalu, the main character, is a truth seer, which means she can identify if a person if lying as she can see colors that define if that person is nervous, hoping, anxious, etc. She is looking forward to be a police interrogator in Kenya and was set to travel right after the graduation party. Things get chaotic when a group called "taggers" cause a stir in the party and kidnapped a few people, including Imara's sister Naki. Not going to spoil toooo much, but you'll have to read this one for sure!

The characters were intriguing, the plot and world building were both developed and interesting, I just wish the characters had more depth tbh.

Overall, I really like the book and I am definitely looking forward for the next one!

*a copy was provided by Marten Press*

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Truth Seer by Kay L. Moody | Review
Healer by Kay L. Moody | Review
Truth Changer | Review


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[Cookie M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imara can read people's emotions. She has a type of a gift called a hila, which is not uncommon in her version of our earth. Some people call heal others, some can sense contamination in substances.
Imara's hila means she can also tell if someone is telling the truth.
She is about to graduate from school and put her fantastic talent to use working for the police in Kenya. But something happens to stop her. A terrorist organization kidnaps several people from the graduation ceremony including Imara's sister.
Imara is one of the group who sets out to rescue them.
As we follow the story we realize these hilas are not the wonderful blessing they appear to be. I made is attracted to a young man in the search party, but she can't get a good read on his emotions, and whether the other party members are telling the truth, and if not, why not.
Emotions are not clear cut. Truth is not black and white. People are not always who they appear to be. Imara's life is going to be changed by this adventure.
Kay L. Moody creates realistic young adult characters. They are intense, idealistic and annoying as hell. Just like they would be in real life, arguing over whose fault it is when mistakes are made, misinterpreting each other's intentions, and laying aside all thoughts of self in the face of real danger.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. I haven't read anything like it. It kept me captivated from the first page through the last and left me wanting more. The book is very well written, flows smoothly and is easy to read.

I love the characters. The characters in this book have Hilas, a special ability. Each of the main characters have a different Hila. Imara is a truth seer. She has the ability to see if someone is telling a lie or the truth, emotions and feelings. Being a truth seer is rare. Imara is an extremely talented truth seer.

This book is full of mystery, adventure, suspense and so much more.

While the entire book only covers about a weeks worth of time, the characters change and grow so much during that time. I think the character who changed the most was Imara. While she is a truth seer, she sees the best and worst of people. She is still going to Hila school and has not yet fully mastered her Hila. Seeing her realize that emotions are as complex as the person feeling them and that you can't judge someone based on what they are feeling or thinking in a particular moment in time, was like a proud parent moment.

I highly recommend this book and can't wait to see what happens next.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Sci-fi is not a genre I read often. There is just something about the books that bores me to destruction. They are a no go zone for me until I got a request to review this series. At a glance, it was exactly what I had been looking for. That is, it was story taking place in Africa. In this case Egypt, and the main character, Imara, was a Kenyan (whoop! whoop!).

The Truth Seer is the first book in the series. Its main character Imara is a truth seer, which means that she can see lies and all other kinds of emotions that people have. She is however not the only one with abilities (Hila) in this futuristic world. There are many more people with different hila which brings us to the beginning of the story. Imara is attending her older sister’s graduation party when a group of terrorists called taggers attack. They take a couple of people including Naki, who is Imara’s sister as hostages who are to be held until their demands are met. Since the police seem reluctant to go after them, Imara decides to go and rescue her sister. Together with two guys, Abe and Siluk, who also have loved ones who were captured, they set off to go and get them back. The hostages are taken to the catacombs which is where majority of the story takes place.

Right from the beginning I knew this book would annoy me. The characters man… They were a disaster. They were a bunch of twenty year olds apart from Abe’s dad, but they behaved more like teenagers. Not the eighteen going to nineteen kind, but more of thirteen going to fourteen. Childish, incompetent and bratty would be how I would describe them. For a group purported to be made up of achievers, they were a big disappointment. At one point in the story, they decide to throw stones as a way to subdue the villain. What kind of stupid idea is that? I don’t know, maybe the likes of Kaz Brekker have ruined me because I am always looking forward to some ingenious master plans and there weren’t any in this book. Thank goodness for Imara who pulled her weight along with everyone else’s.

On the other side of morality were the taggers. They were meant to be terrorists but they seemed to be just a bunch of idlers with strong opinions. Their leader was even more pathetic which would explain why our characters thought it was a good idea to throw stones at her. Incidentally, with such lacklustre characters the story was not any better. It was a relief when I finally got to the end.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author and then I bought my own copy. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4/5

Publication Date: July 2nd, 2018

Genre: YA Sci-Fi Fantasy

Recommended Age: 15+ (some violence, some mature content)

Pages: 340

Author Website

Amazon Link

Synopsis: Imara’s life is finally going the way she’s always dreamed. Until her sister is taken hostage by crazed fanatics, forcing her into a fight she wants no part of.
A hundred years in the future, Imara’s evolved senses as a truth seer give her an advantage over the obstacles ahead. But her gift is also a curse: years of baggage weigh heavily on her shoulders.
Imara descends into the catacombs, leading a rescue mission for her sister and the other hostages. Secrets are uncovered at every turn that threaten to tear the group apart and soon it’s not just the lives of the hostages that are at stake.
When Imara finally understands what the fanatic kidnappers are planning, she’s forced to make a choice that will change her life forever.


I really loved this book! I felt that it was a fun fantasy sci-fi book that kept my interest throughout the novel! The characters were intriguing, the plot was well developed and interesting, and the pacing was on point! The world building was also amazing and I really feel like I was immersed in this world!

However, I do feel that there were some issues with the book. I felt that the characters didn’t really develop that much and the reader was told stuff about them rather than shown. I also felt that the Imara had it unusually easy throughout the book. She doubted she would be able to see past illusions, but seemed to have no issue at all. I feel that if the character had some issue or struggled it would have been more relatable to the reader.

Verdict: I can’t lie, I love this book.

[C.E. Clayton · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Truth Seer” feels like you’re reading the fantasy love child of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider. In it, Moody creates a world where people now have, essentially, a super power that they can learn to use and hone to perfection to help them in a future career. Everything from tasting the weather, to feeling wounds in order to heal them with something more than a doctors touch, to seeing people’s emotions, including if they are telling the truth. Enter the main character Imara, a truth seer who uses her ability—or hila—to see when someone is lying. She wants to use her gift to help the police during interrogations, and she is THIS CLOSE to getting her dream job, when a terrorist organization, based in her hila school’s city of Egypt, crashes the graduation party and takes several people hostage—including Imara’s older sister Naki. Now Imara must use her hila to see through the lies—the illusions—that are keeping her away from her sister before anyone gets hurt.

Moody creates a really interesting world and I loved the fresh take on science-fantasy with hila’s being a form of evolution, plus I really liked that this took place in Africa. Granted, this isn’t an “own voices” book, but I still appreciated that the setting wasn’t European and that the author included so many diverse characters in her novel. Honestly, if you enjoy a kind of dungeon crawl vibe as Imara and her team of rescuers go through the catacombs, disabling traps and narrowly avoiding danger (although not always) then this is 100% the book for you. But that’s also what the vast majority of the book is: going through the catacombs and facing different illusions and puzzles. Sure, along the way there is interpersonal conflict between Imara and the people she’s with, when you can see everyone’s emotions it’s impossible for that to NOT lead to problems. But the pacing of the book could have been so much faster and so much more tense had some of the illusions been removed so the meat of the plot and story could have been gotten to faster.

Additionally, there is a lot of dialogue vs. exposition in the book—and lots of pulling of the neck hair on Imara’s part (lol). This made the characters feel a bit flat and put a lot of pressure on the dialogue to be spectacular, and it wasn’t always there. There are decent character arcs, but it got frustrating at times as it took close to 80% mark of the book for the “true colors” of the characters to present themselves. Then things wrapped up really quickly, again through maybe one or two conversations between a character, and I felt like those resolutions needed more time. In fact, it takes until about the 60% mark for the book to get really interesting, which is a shame because, again, the uniqueness of the world and the different hilas was so well thought out that I wanted more of that and less dungeon crawling.

Now, all that being said, once things got moving in “Truth Seer”, they really got moving and I enjoyed the book, which is why I’m frustrated by the things I previously mentioned. I enjoyed the end so much more than the first half of the story. Still, overall, I did enjoy “Truth Seer” and I would absolutely continue on in the series. I mean, I HAVE to know what happens next to Imara and if she and her love interest will make it. There is some violence and the romance is very tame, but cute, so this book is on point for a YA audience, especially if they like a bit of science with their fantasy. The first book is a complete story while setting up the next books in the series rather nicely, and I appreciated that the author managed to do that. Still, with how much the reader is told about the characters rather than shown, the slow pacing through the first half, and my frustration around some of the character arcs and dialogue, I’m giving this book a 3.5 star rating. I really did enjoy the book, don’t get me wrong! There were just some things that kept me from truly adoring it. But thanks to the author for providing me with a copy for review!

[Beba Andric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was something different to my previous Kay reads, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed and this one confirmed my love of Kay's writing. She is one of those authors who bring out ALL the feels in me. She makes me soar with her characters and makes me shed a tear, she makes me FEEL. Character development is one of her Forte's, as is her impressive world building, and her storytelling...oh all right, all right, she's the full package! Gushing, am I? It's hard not to.

How dreadful to have a power to detect lies, emotions, manipulation, greed, selfishness, it sure makes for very trying conversations.That is exactly what Imara's power does, it's no wonder she detests being around other people. Various colours show up when someone says something and Imara can immediately tell which emotion or cadence they are displaying. Although, these skills are sought after by goverments and Imara lands her dream job, only for everything to go belly up. An extremist group called Taggers, kidnap her sister, amongst others and she can't rely on the authorities to try rescue the hostages, she takes the initiative and plunges right into it. Into some catacombs that is...where there are huge dangers, booby traps and illusions line the path.

Abe is a great strong character, I enjoyed seeing him rise to the occassion, no question asked and what he and Imara have going on is so cute. There's no other word I can use, just sweet and cute. I could feel his warm demeanor as much as Imara. The more I read of him, the more I like him, really like him! He's a tad reckless but desire to help Imara is paramount to him. Speaking of which, Imara trusts no one, how can she, she sees exactly what they are saying. But that ability has skewed her truth, distorted it so much that it's painful. Traversing through these perilous catacombs, evading hazards has unexpected surprises. No, not of the physical kind but of the emotional and perceptive kind. Enlightening really, for all concerned, but also dire consequences.

The progression of the story unfurls a deeper plot and mystery in startling revelations with such ease, they creep up on me and I find myself saying "oh!" and "goodness!" a few times. The authors delivery is sublime, constricting a world so imaginatively, adding action and tension to fully immerse one. Perceptions are the mother of all mess ups and the author highlights this so vividly, what one thinks is not always what is. The underlying issues of betrayal and mistrust are dealt with expertly, I was rooting for the "perceived" baddies to see the light. A really great and unusual read and naturally, I need to read what happens next with Imara after....well, after what happened to her! So onto book 2 I go!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this, it had what I wanted the hunger games to be. I liked the characters and the story itself, I liked that the characters were flawed. It was an enjoyable read and hope there's more from the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Clarissa Gosling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. I didn't guess who the Judge was, so that was a good surprise.

[Cynthia Ayala · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strong beginning to a series does a lot of analyzing through a strong narrative. Imara is a strong character because she can see the truth, but the truth is always in the eye of the beholder. And the world isn’t all black and white. The concept and narrative are interesting in that respect because the novel incorporates colors to reflect truth. This makes the novel interesting because often times the world is thought of in black and white when it’s not and just because someone lies doesn’t mean it’s bad. Many of the characters reflect this concept, creating conflict and tension and showing many levels of right versus wrong. It’s a great analytical piece because it explores the facets of what it means to be human. The world functions in the now, and people’s intentions, and emotions shift. This novel capitalizes on that and through Imara the readers sees that vividly. This is a skill and a challenge for Imara because she see truth versus like but not intention. White lies don’t mean the same thing to her as they do to others, a lie is a lie and in her opinion making her a very blunt character. She’s harsh and cold but not in an off-putting way. She’s blunt and hard because the world she sees while colorful is filtered by a façade. It’s a challenge for her which ultimately makes he likeable, but doesn’t limit her character development.

That’s part of what makes this novel special. The world is a complicated place, and while Imara's vision would seem to make it less complicated it doesn’t. Her is so gray that the colors blind her from actually seeing intention. Ultimately this allows her to grow because she learns that not everything is black and white that people are defined more by their actions than anything else. This opens up a whole new world for her.

Overall the pace of the novel is slow. This group of friends is trying to navigate through catacombs filled with traps, but that is the entire novel nothing more happens story wise. So after a while it starts to feel like more of the same and really the only captivating part is the use of color and character development. Theirs lots of tension between the characters because of Imara's ability which is ultimately the driving point of the novel.

Truth Seer is an interesting beginning to a new series despite it’s overall lack of plot development and slow pace because either offers insight into the human psyche.

[Jess Combs · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you had the ability to see (literally SEE) others truths and intentions, would you really want to?

Before reading Truth Seer, I would have said "Um, Yeah!" without thinking twice about it. But now?!?!? I'm not so sure...

Truth Seer takes place in the future, after we've tapped into innate abilities that allow us to basically have superpowers (hilas).  It seems a little far fetched when I say it that way, but Kay L Moody actually had me thinking I could totally have a hila! 

Basically, we're currently in a world where we all have "abilities" we just haven't tapped into yet. Are you good at nursing people back to health? You're probably a healer. Have an incredible sense of smell? Yep, there's a hila there! Can you predict when it's about to rain? You've probably got the same hila as Imara's sister, Naki.  OR at least, you would...if only we'd figured out how to unlock our hilas already. Not gonna lie... I'M SUPER UPSET WE DON'T HAVE SUPERPOWERS!

Oops! I got distracted. I'm supposed to be telling you what I thought about the book...

The main character, Imara, is a truth seer. She's able to see the truth and intentions behind what people say. I both thought this was awesome, and felt so bad for Imara that this was her hila! Because she knows anytime someone is lying, she can't trust anyone. Everyone lies. 

Imara and her sister, Naki, have some issues that go far deeper than most sibling rivalries. But when Naki is kidnapped by a terrorist group called "taggers," Imara risks her life to save Naki and the others who were taken with her. 

My favorite thing about Truth Seer was definitely the characters! I was drawn to Imara and loved how complicated she was. She is constantly seeing the truth around her, but the truth about herself is much harder for her to see. While Imara is my favorite character, there's a mystique about Abe that has me dying to see what happens in the next book... I'm really hoping to learn more about him!

One of my favorite scenes was probably really only my favorite because I found it hilarious and could totally see the scenario taking place in the not so distant future. And I could totally see me talking to my grandchildren the same as Mr. Nazari talks to the students...

... "There's writing on it. There's actual writing on this paper. By hand!"

Mr. Nazari snatched the paper from Darius. "Let me see that." He masked his curiosity with a patronizing look. "You children. Getting excited over paper. It used to be commonplace, you know."

Because of Imara's hila, no one ever questions her. They just go along with whatever she says. But she falls for Abe, who questions everything about both her hila and Imara herself. I loved their back and forth and they may be my new favorite fictional couple!

So those are the pros, on to the cons...

While I loved the book, there were times when Imara rubbed me the wrong way. She said and thought things that just didn't make sense concerning her sister. It really got to me - to the point that I started not to like her so much. But you are given an explanation later in the story and it's this "AHA!" moment, where suddenly it all makes sense and you think "Okay, now I'm shocked she wasn't having even worse thoughts." (So I guess this wasn't actually a con. But I put it here because Imara REALLY angered me a couple of times before I knew what was going on.)

There were quite a bit of typos in my copy, but it may have just been because I had an ARC and these may be taken care of. In case they aren't, I feel I need to mention that it was a problem. There was also a couple of times when the dialogue didn't seem quite right...it either wasn't something I would have expected the character to say, or it didn't sound natural to me.

But basically, I loved Truth Seer and I definitely recommend it for those that enjoy young adult science fiction/fantasy novels. I'm excited to read the next book in the trilogy!

[Ania · Rating 4 out of 5]

The truth hurts. But if you can accept it, it will make you stronger.

Truth Seer, the first book of the trilogy of the same name, opens a compelling, original, and overall underrated story about Imara Kalu, a young woman with the ability to see emotions and intents, who can tell when someone is lying or telling the truth.

I know, I know… we’ve all heard of one infamous Empath or another douchey Telepath. I swear, Imara is not like that. Her hila, the special ability that most humans have developed in the future, is not unique to her, despite being rare, and her interpersonal relationships actually suffer as a consequence of her talent.

Being able to tell truth from lie, while incredibly useful for her dream job, might turn out to be more of a curse than a gift for our protagonist. Because she so easily can tell people’s intentions, this has turned her into a little bit of a judgemental person. She mistruts everyone whose intentions she deems selfish, or those who are insincere no matter the reason. Her ability has become a crutch, and it’s about time that she learned to interact with people without relying on it.

It all starts at her sisters’ graduation party, when an extremist group that call themselves taggers kidnap Naki and some of the other attendants. Imara and some of her classmates, with whom she’s got a very rocky relationship, embark in an adventure that takes them to the Ancient Egyptian catacombs, full of treacherous illusions that only our main character, with her truth-seeing power, can get through.

An incredibly interesting premise, to say the least, with an even more interesting execution: the whole of the story takes place in Egypt, with a Kenyan main character, and a main cast that also includes Alaskan and North African characters, groups that we rarely see represented in media. Yes, a very diverse cast of characters in a non-western setting. Color me (pleasently) surprised! Oh, and by the way, in the future, it is Kenya the great power everyone wants to move to, since it was a little girl there that discovered that humans can develop their supernatural abilities -aka hilas- to make their lives better. I’ve got to note that all this was very well executed, especially coming from a white author.

The only thing I feel could’ve been better is the writing: while not bad, it was a little rusty in places, with a few issues of repetition and a lack of description that sometimes gave me the impression that Moody relied a little too much on “telling” instead of “showing”. Hopefully, this issue will be solved by later novels, because it is the only thing that’s keeping me from giving this book five stars.

All in all, a very good novel, with incredibly well-developed characters, an amazing plot, and an even more interesting setting.

You have a gift. Not just a hila, but a gift. Few people are truth seers, and even fewer are able to achieve greatness with it. You are one of the few. I know it.

Note: I was sent a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Sara Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything Kay Moody writes but was a bit hesitant to read one of her earlier books lest it not measure up. I should have known better than to worry. Everything Kay writes is exceptional.

Set 100 years in the future, 21-year-old Kenyan-born Imara attends an Egyptian school that trains gifted students. Her gift? She can see lies and emotions. Unfortunately, her incredible gift has made her a bit of a loner, even an outcast among her classmates. At her graduation party, her sister and several others are kidnapped by taggers, a small extremist group that wants people's crimes to be permanently attached to their names so everyone will know they are not to be trusted. Imara, along with several old and new friends (?), must enter the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa in the hopes that she can find the taggers' hideout and rescue her sister. Two problems. First, the catacombs are closed to the public after they flooded 20 years prior and even the police are afraid to enter. Second, the catacombs are filled with illusory traps. Will Imara's gift be enough to see them through? And will she and the others learn to trust each other and work together?

This was a fantastic story. I was surprised by twists at several points but also loved how often things were not what they seemed. Imara's ability to see whether someone is telling the truth or lying is not only burdensome but problematic because she can't see motive. She is also used to distrusting people because of her ability to see whether or not they are lying to her. I loved how she was challenged in her beliefs, how she was forced to learn that just because someone was telling their truth, it didn't mean that they were good. I also love how she stayed true to many of her inner values, regardless of whether someone else was telling the truth or a lie. As Abe so often says to her, "You should really think about not sacrificing yourself for other people so much." But this is who Imara is. And her story is one of friendship, of family, and of truth.

I received an ARC from the author and have reviewed it willingly.

[Lourdes · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Many thanks to Ms. Moody for sending me an electronic Advance Reader's Copy (eARC), in exchange for a honest review. This is a spoiler-free review. Every thoughts, feelings and opinions about this review is solely MINE.*

This novel sets in Egypt in the year 2121 wherein the technology is so much advance that you can easily access it by using your ring to project a hologram. But then, what if you have a hila (superpowers)? Well, that is something.

Readers are introduced to Imara Kalu, a truth seer - she can identify if a person if lying as she can see colors that define if that person is nervous, hoping, anxious, etc. - that is set to graduate on her last semester. She is looking forward to be a police interrogator in Kenya and was set to travel right after the graduation party. Things get chaotic when a group called "taggers" cause a stir in the party and kidnapped a few people, including Imara's sister Naki.

My favorite character is Abe, because he is mysterious and obviously like Imara. The complexity of Imara's character is revolved around her hila as a truth seer. I have to admit I was annoyed at her character. Can we also mention the sibling rivalry between the sisters? As having one, I can surely relate to Imara as she cannot help but start comparing herself to her sister, especially with the amount of people who want to interact with Naki. But when she, along with other people got kidnapped, and this has an impact to Imara, who stepped up to save her sister before it was too late.

Since this is an eARC, I'm setting aside some typo errors and dialogue construction. I was not even sure if they will be included or edited once this novel is released. I had to cringe or even re-read the whole page as I do not understand to what they are trying to say.

[Laura Furuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth Seer (Truth Seer Trilogy Book 1)
By: Kay L. Moody
5 out of 5 stars

The story Truth Seer (Truth Seer Trilogy Book 1) by Kay L. Moody is a science fiction/fantasy book. It is a story that has action, adventure, danger, and mystery all rolled up into one. It is a book set in the future in a world where senses have evolved. I found myself enjoying the explanation and details given in regards to the futuristic world. I loved the character of Imara. She is a unique person as she is a truth seer. It is a rare gift. She is a young woman who is strong, independent, and protects others from harm. She has a goal that she is pursuing and is determined to reach it. Imara is also someone who doesn’t easily trust others. Sometimes when viewing situations it is easy to only look at one side. This story has Imara on a rescue mission to save her sister. It is a mission where danger is a constant, suspicions abound, and questions/mysteries need to be answered. Read this book to find out if Imara’s mission is successful. There are times when this story had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. It is a page-turner. I also enjoyed reading about the other characters that are introduced in the story and interact with Imara and each other. The dialogue that occurs had me intrigued. There are characters in this story that are only out for themselves and the agenda that they are pushing. Will they succeed in their agenda or will they be stopped? This is a well-written story that had me hooked from the very beginning and I didn’t want to put it down until I had read the final page. It is the first book in a trilogy and I am looking forward to reading the next story.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Truth Seer is the first book in the Truth Seer Trilogy and debut novel by Kay L. Moody. This is a young adult sci-fi novel, with fantasy, action, adventure, kidnapping, terrorists, danger, traps, discoveries, secrets, super-powers, futuristic, obstacles, drama, and life changing situations.
The story is set 103 years into the future- where humans have developed interesting abilities. The world building in the story was particularly good, laying a solid foundation on which to build this imaginative tale. Ms. Moody has produced and original, descriptive and detail-oriented tale that held my attention, gave me pause, and made me think.
When I first read the premise, I had initially thought having the ability to see the truth in people/situations, would be a really great thing to be able to do- but over the course of the story, I decided that maybe it would be more of a burden than a gift.
All the characters are well crafted, but I feel that they weren’t really put through ‘their pace’ or really ‘tested’ much at all- and therefore not given the opportunity to really develop and grow as the story evolved… but, this is the first book in a trilogy so maybe there is more development to come in the other book/s.
I enjoyed the book, but did notice a few ‘teething problems’, and there was a lot of ‘telling’, instead of ‘showing’. But, again these didn’t detract from the overall storyline and I imagine that these minor issues will be ironed out come the next instalment/s.
I look forward to exploring the rest of this series!

Thank you, Ms. Moody!

[Naomi Valkyrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth Seer is the first book in the Truth Seer trilogy. Truth Seer introduces you to a future world where technology has advanced and people have developed extraordinary gifts. Imara is blessed with the rare gift of being able to see the truth, but rather than feel it is a gift, Imara feels it is a curse. Knowing when someone is lying doesn’t make you friends. It doesn’t make you trust easily either.

When a radical group’s behavior escalates, Imara is forced to rely on her gift to rescue her sister from their clutches. Unfortunately, the rescue is more complicated that Imara wants to admit and she is forced to trust in others to assist her.

During the harrowing attempt at rescue, buried secrets are forced out into the open and threaten to tear the group apart. Lies, betrayal, hurt, envy, and anger threaten to sidetrack everyone and leave the captured to fend for themselves. And as they near their goal, Imara has an important choice to make, one that will change her life, but possibly save many others. Imara goes into the rescue a distrusting realist, but will the adventure turn her into an optimist, or at the very least give her a new way of seeing life?

One of the things I enjoyed about this book is that the gifts are not the usual ones you read about in a paranormal book. Another thing I enjoyed is that the romance pieces of the book do not overshadow the story. The main story arch is wrapped up at the end of the book, however it is left open to continue a new piece of story line.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give Truth Seer (Truth Seer Trilogy Book 1) by Kay L. Moody, 4 stars.

Imara is graduating and about to move on to a career of her dreams. She wants to use her Truth Seer ability for good. Just when she thinks her life is finally going her way, something terrible happens. A zealot wants to change the way things are and decides to kidnap people to help their cause. Imara's sister is one of those kidnapped. With the police not seeming to want to help much, Imara decides to go after her sister herself. Her and few others decided to descend into where they think the victims are being held. Little does Imara know just how much things will change and how much she will learn. What does she do now?

This is an interesting book. Set in the future, it revolves around a group of young people who mostly have special abilities. It is well written, and Imara is a wonderful main character. As someone who is much older than young adult, she was sometimes frustrating, but is perfect for someone of her age. She struggles with things, she is petty at times, she is jealous. But overall you can see that she is a good person with a large heart. She risks everything to find her sister. The story is also well done and quite entertaining. It put me in mind of an Indiana Jones adventure. It will keep you guessing until the end.

A fantasy adventure set in the future, I highly recommend this book to mainly young/new adult but really ages older too will enjoy.

[E.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth Seer (Truth Seer Trilogy Book 1) by Kay L Moody was a original, unique read that had me hooked from start to finish.

My first read by this author, I was excited by the synopsis and I was not disappointed. Well written, descriptive, and entertaining. Right out the gate we are shown what type of character Imara is.

This book is good. I know that sounds vague, but sometimes the simplest words are the best one. Imara really stole the show for me. At first I wasn't too keen on her, but as soon as she had that hard freak out, from her own refection, I know then, that she was more complex, deeper and just more, then most MC's I have read about. She wasn't going to be led by the hand, and the more I read, the more her character shown and, the more you got to know the layers of Imara.

Outside of Imara, the side characters were well rounded and had their own voices. The plot was intriguing and soild. There were twist turns and action. As they searched in the catacombs, I could feel their fears and frustrations. The world building was on point and really brought you into this futuristic world. I am into this story, this series, and I will be adding it to my watch list.

I highly recommend you get your hands on this outstanding read. It delivers and then some; I promise you will not be left disappointed.

Happy Reading

-E.A. Walsh

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I fist read the Synopsis above, I didn't know quite what I was getting myself into. It didn't sound like something I would normally read. Personally I would class this book as Dystopian Fantasy. Its Universe is not overtly fantastic and borders real life. Its set a hundred years in the future with new tech and most humans have developed a new power known as hila. But this book does deliver. The author is obviously skilled at developing multifaceted characters who do grow and change with their environments. They react and speak how you could imagine someone similar, reacting and speaking. Imara, the main character is given this immense ability that gives her an almost omniscient view of the world and people around her, but she is still in the process of learning to wield it properly which becomes a major source of distress in her life. Her voice is strong and wavers when it makes sense. She has her ticks, and her own quirkiness that makes her relatable,

I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend this read, to anyone interested in the Fiction genre. Its easy to read, suitable for older children as well as adults. It is part of a Trilogy and I am really excited to be able to read the next two.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read about intrigue. In the 2100s, everyone has powerful gifts called hilas. Imara is celebrating her sisters hila graduation when a group of taggers attack the school and the Judge kidnaps her sister and several others. Desperate to find them, Imara sets off into dangerous catacombs but will she and her friends find them in time?
A great read. Well developed plot with twists and turns that I just couldn't put down. Well developed characters like Abraxas loud personality while being caring underneath or Imara standing up for herself while still caring for her sister.
A brillaint example of the sci fi genre with a different world of new technology and laws but still being familiar. I loved the hilas with combinations of elements and senses for a new version of powers.
I also loved the visual detail throughout the novel like the vivid colours like green or blue or orange for different emotions against the dark backgrounds giving it a sense of magic. I also adored the detail of the catacombs themselves with the statues and hieroglyphics which was beautifully written. The sense of small spaces and being a amde helped to raise the tension and make you keep reading to see if they get out. Overall a great read and I would give it five stars.

[Kerry Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth Seer by Kay L. Moody is the first book in the Truth Seer Trilogy. Set in the future this dystopian novel will have you hooked.
Imara has finally got her life heading in the direction she wants. Not an easy thing to do when you are basically a human lie detector. But with things finally on track she can be happy. Until her sister is taken hostage.
Imara then finds herself on a mission to track down the kidnappers and rescue her sister. The fight for her sisters freedom takes her on a journey that certainly opens her eyes. And when she had to make a decision it could end up changing her whole entire life.

The blurb of this book grabbed my attention straight away and I am so glad that I read it. The book was interesting and engaging. I found it to be well paced and kept me reading. I wanted to find out what happened to her sister and to find out if Imara would be successful. It was easy to get involved with Imara’s story and take the journey with her. A great book and one that has left me excited for the rest of the series.

[Krystal Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth Seer, Book 1 in the Truth Seer Trilogy by Kay L Moody
4 out of 5 Stars
This book gave me the shivers. Sci-Fi Fantasy is not my normal genre that I typically am drawn too, but I was oddly rapt with this book. The characters were very intriguing and Imara is absolutely one interesting character. This book is set one hundred years in the future, so some of the setting, I found to be a bit farfetched, however, since this is a sci-fi book, it is not outside the realm of the book so it did not take away from the story.
Imara and her sister are engaged in a rescues mission that is life and death and this book will keep you gripped to the pages of your book for each turn. I found myself holding my breath at some points, and in others I was having to go back a re-read just so I did not miss anything.
The pace was good, not to fast, but quick enough to keep you engaged. The banter was witty and the characters fun. The author did a fabulous job.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth Seer (Truth Seer Trilogy Book 1) by Kay L. Moody is a y​oung adult sci fi, action, adventure, fantasy story and ​is an interesting read. When you live in a world that is full of people who have different talents and you thought you knew truth from lies, but what happens when it turns out it is not always as it seems. Everyone’s version of the truth maybe truth to them but not to you. Someone's version of the truth is a way to make others feel better. In the midst of fear and the unknown sometimes you start to see what has always been there, you just never stopped to really look. The premise of the story is original and Kay’s narrative is very descriptive of the world in which she has created but for all that I felt it was lacking in exposing the full potential of the characters growth and their gifts but this didn’t detract from the overall storyline which kept you engaged.
An interesting start to the series

[Kaitlynn Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth Seer- Kay L Moody

5-stars

Truth Seer by Kay L Moody is the first book in the sci-fi fantasy Truth Seer trilogy. I loved this book from start to finish, it was intriguing, captivating, suspenseful, entertaining and full of twist and turns that left me sitting on the edge of my seat. The amount of detail that Kay L Moody wrote in this book is simply incredible, she made it possible to easily picture everything playing out in my mind, which made it very entertaining.

I was able to read this book in one sitting because I was so captivated by the storyline that I didn’t want to put it down, I just had to read until the end. I loved how this storyline was so original, I’ve never read anything like it, which made me love it even more! I can’t wait to continue this series when book 2 is released. I would absolutely recommend this book to others!

[Andie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth Seer is a YA sci-fi/dystopian by Kay L. Moody and the first book in a trilogy of the same name. This book takes place in the future, humans have developed remarkable abilities. Imara is a truth seer, she is training to become a police interrogator when terrorists kidnap her sister. Now Imara will need help if she is going to rescue her sister. Her story will catch your attention and immediately get you hooked, there is so much action, deceit, betrayal and truths you won’t want to believe. This story was an original concept, and was written in a way that makes you feel like you are there with the characters. Imara is a great character, she was strong and capable but still showed great character growth through out the story. This was my first book by this author and I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth Seer (Truth Seer Trilogy Book 1)
By Kay L Moody
4 stars

When I first read the blurb for this book I was really intrigued, although I have read a few books in this genre it’s not one of favourites to read however I did really enjoy this book. Aimed at YA I thought that it was a really well written story that flowed well and had great characters. I liked that it was set in the future and thought that the author did a great job describing the setting and world building. Her writing was detailed and my attention was held throughout the story. I liked the originality of the storyline and think it was a brilliant first book in this series. Along with a great storyline was some very imaginative and very well thought out characters.
Overall an enjoyable read that was well written, I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Roxana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say, it’s been a while since I’ve read a book like Truth Seer by Kay L Moody. I was surprised by what the author offered the reader, as well as impressed of the storyline and the way in which it was portrayed.

We get to meet Imara Kalu and all of the bravery that she has to offer the world. Most especially when it comes to rescuing her sister from terrorists. I don’t think that I’ve read anything like this book before and was content with the way that the author handled the entire storyline. I liked that this was a YA sci-fi fantasy novel, yet it felt like more. As the reader, I couldn’t help but obviously root for Imara - hoping that she would succeed in her trials. Her journey was most definitely a hard one, but I was impressed nevertheless by her courage.

This was my first experience by this author, and let’s just say that I’m looking forward to reading more.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book set in Egypt, about 100 years in the future, people have recognized that things that may be a little extra good at compared to others, are actually a superpower. Not as exciting as flying or shooting lasers out of your eyes, but things like tasting the weather or temperature around you, "seeing" emotions in others, being able to touch things and know the age and composition. Nearly everyone has some sort of skill and there are academies to help you learn how to hone and polish your skills that usually manifest at puberty. In this world, Imara is a truth seer, one who can see emotions and know if people are lying or telling the truth. A valuable but also isolating skill. In this book she helps in a days-long, scary rescue with some twists that rock her world. I'm interested to see how the characters develop in the future books.

[Jennifer Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I was given an arc in exchange for an honest review, all opinions in this review are my own*
What would you do if you could see people's true feelings? Would you be able to trust anyone? That is what faces Imira in this epic book. Imira is a truthseer which means see can see if people are lying or telling the truth. She also sees people's emotions. When her sister gets abducted by a minister figure she needs people to help but who can she trust when all she sees is lies. Will she ever find her sister? These questions make this book a truly awesome read. The author does a great job of creating a world (using real world areas) and characters that leave the reader wanting more even after the last page is read.