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Bright Lies
He stole her childhood. Can she escape before he takes her life?
Emily longs to be an artist. Her dream comes true when her new stepfather, a rich painter, begins mentoring her. But she’s shocked to discover his dark side, and fear sends her fleeing his fancy home.
After facing further danger in a night on the streets, Emily accepts shelter in a squat. Building a future as an artist, she’s terrified to learn her stepfather has turned to the media to hunt her down. Can she survive betrayal by her new friends and escape a killer’s revenge?
If you enjoy nail-biting suspense, slow-burning secrets and dark domestic noir, you’ll love AA Abbott’s chilling psychological thriller.
Read BRIGHT LIES today and stay by Emily’s side as she runs for her life!
Emily longs to be an artist. Her dream comes true when her new stepfather, a rich painter, begins mentoring her. But she’s shocked to discover his dark side, and fear sends her fleeing his fancy home.
After facing further danger in a night on the streets, Emily accepts shelter in a squat. Building a future as an artist, she’s terrified to learn her stepfather has turned to the media to hunt her down. Can she survive betrayal by her new friends and escape a killer’s revenge?
If you enjoy nail-biting suspense, slow-burning secrets and dark domestic noir, you’ll love AA Abbott’s chilling psychological thriller.
Read BRIGHT LIES today and stay by Emily’s side as she runs for her life!
- GenresThriller
ebook
First published October 24, 2020
42 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
A.A. Abbott
22 books77 followersWho doesn’t love a page-turner packed with mystery, twists and suspense? Those are the books I yearn to read, and I enjoy writing them, too. I’m British thriller writer A.A. Abbott – known to friends as Helen – and I believe a good read is one of life’s greatest pleasures. As a city girl, I've lived and worked in London, Bristol and Birmingham, so it’s no surprise that my books are often set there.
Like 10% of us, many of my family are dyslexic. While I'm not, I want my books to be enjoyed by readers with dyslexia and visual impairment too. That's why I publish my thrillers in a LARGE PRINT dyslexia-friendly edition as well as the standard paperback and ebook versions. Don't forget, when you’re reading an ebook, you can adjust the font on your Kindle to suit your needs. Some titles are published in a conventional large print font too. Bright Lies is also available as an audiobook, recorded by amazing voice actor Eilidh Beaton.
I like speaking to book groups, business networks and social circles, and reading my thrillers and short stories at live fiction events and on Zoom. If you're a book blogger, litfest organiser, reviewer or simply adore books, I'd love to hear from you.
I'm a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, Bristol Fiction Writers' Group, and Birmingham's New Street Authors.
Find out more about the books I love to read and write, and get free short stories, at https://aaabbott.co.uk
Like 10% of us, many of my family are dyslexic. While I'm not, I want my books to be enjoyed by readers with dyslexia and visual impairment too. That's why I publish my thrillers in a LARGE PRINT dyslexia-friendly edition as well as the standard paperback and ebook versions. Don't forget, when you’re reading an ebook, you can adjust the font on your Kindle to suit your needs. Some titles are published in a conventional large print font too. Bright Lies is also available as an audiobook, recorded by amazing voice actor Eilidh Beaton.
I like speaking to book groups, business networks and social circles, and reading my thrillers and short stories at live fiction events and on Zoom. If you're a book blogger, litfest organiser, reviewer or simply adore books, I'd love to hear from you.
I'm a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, Bristol Fiction Writers' Group, and Birmingham's New Street Authors.
Find out more about the books I love to read and write, and get free short stories, at https://aaabbott.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
December 7, 2020
Bright Lies by A.A. Abbott is a character driven dark psychological story about a abused runaway teenager . A gritty storyline with lots of flawed characters this made for an interesting read
I would like to thank the TBC Reviewers request group & the author for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
I would like to thank the TBC Reviewers request group & the author for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
November 20, 2020
Bright Lies is an intense psychological thriller that left me unable to put the book down. Starting in the present day (December 2019), the story starts with Emily’s first-person account as she drives to visit somebody in prison. This is the first twist – it isn’t who I thought it was!
The narrative then flashes back to March 2014, where fourteen-year-old Emily is like most other girls of her age. All the everyday angst that comes alongside being a teenager but essentially with a future to look forward to. With Emily and her mother living on the breadline, all their dreams come true when Emily’s mother marries the handsome and charismatic David. But Emily soon realises David isn’t the man she believed him to be – and this is when things turn sinister, with both Emily and her mother’s life at risk.
When Emily runs away from home, she is rescued by Jack, who is a couple of years old than her. With his own heart-breaking story to tell, Jack’s perspective is told through a third-person narrator; which although places him as a centre character, this contrasts with Emily’s first-person narrative – identifying Emily as the main protagonist, and Jack as secondary. However, Jack is by far the best character in this story. Although Emily has been through an awful lot, and as a reader I wanted to route for her, she is somewhat selfish. This isn’t a criticism – it’s all part of Emily’s character. If Emily hadn’t been so selfish then she wouldn’t have found herself in the predicament that she was. Jack, however, is utterly selfless; he constantly puts others before himself, and when he meets Emily she is no exception. Unbeknown to either character, the lives of Emily and Jack are also linked through a different strand. This isn’t something that is explicit until the conclusion but adds to a sense of poetic justice when the final punch as to David’s fate is delivered.
Whilst the story deals with the all too familiar sensitive issue of child abuse, and this isn’t something I would ordinarily choose to read about, the author deals with this in a skilful way. There was enough detail to allow hindsight into how Emily would be drawn into the situation that she found herself, but not so much that I was put off reading.
One of the things I really liked about this book is how it is structured around fairly short chapters. I kept thinking one more chapter, then just another one, then I can’t put it down now. Then before I knew it, I’d almost finished the book! Whilst this is a fast-paced narrative, the author still takes the time to paint the scene through vivid imagery where ‘brown fields and bare trees sit under a dull grey sky.’ Dialogue and characterisation are both realistic and gritty. I loved some characters, others were pure evil, and at times I wanted to scream at most of them! But one thing for sure is that I know these characters will stay with me long after finishing the book.
I recommend this book for fans of Cally Taylor, Louise Jensen, and Jo Ullah.
The narrative then flashes back to March 2014, where fourteen-year-old Emily is like most other girls of her age. All the everyday angst that comes alongside being a teenager but essentially with a future to look forward to. With Emily and her mother living on the breadline, all their dreams come true when Emily’s mother marries the handsome and charismatic David. But Emily soon realises David isn’t the man she believed him to be – and this is when things turn sinister, with both Emily and her mother’s life at risk.
When Emily runs away from home, she is rescued by Jack, who is a couple of years old than her. With his own heart-breaking story to tell, Jack’s perspective is told through a third-person narrator; which although places him as a centre character, this contrasts with Emily’s first-person narrative – identifying Emily as the main protagonist, and Jack as secondary. However, Jack is by far the best character in this story. Although Emily has been through an awful lot, and as a reader I wanted to route for her, she is somewhat selfish. This isn’t a criticism – it’s all part of Emily’s character. If Emily hadn’t been so selfish then she wouldn’t have found herself in the predicament that she was. Jack, however, is utterly selfless; he constantly puts others before himself, and when he meets Emily she is no exception. Unbeknown to either character, the lives of Emily and Jack are also linked through a different strand. This isn’t something that is explicit until the conclusion but adds to a sense of poetic justice when the final punch as to David’s fate is delivered.
Whilst the story deals with the all too familiar sensitive issue of child abuse, and this isn’t something I would ordinarily choose to read about, the author deals with this in a skilful way. There was enough detail to allow hindsight into how Emily would be drawn into the situation that she found herself, but not so much that I was put off reading.
One of the things I really liked about this book is how it is structured around fairly short chapters. I kept thinking one more chapter, then just another one, then I can’t put it down now. Then before I knew it, I’d almost finished the book! Whilst this is a fast-paced narrative, the author still takes the time to paint the scene through vivid imagery where ‘brown fields and bare trees sit under a dull grey sky.’ Dialogue and characterisation are both realistic and gritty. I loved some characters, others were pure evil, and at times I wanted to scream at most of them! But one thing for sure is that I know these characters will stay with me long after finishing the book.
I recommend this book for fans of Cally Taylor, Louise Jensen, and Jo Ullah.
November 23, 2020
Emily is 15-years-old. Her mother has just married a wealthy painter and life is looking good. When she was 14 years of age, her stepfather would slip into her room at night. She packs her things and flees with only a few possessions.
She's now homeless, finding an alley to sleep, penniless, and her dreams of being an artist have been forgotten.
Jack was a man of the streets. But he's turned his life around... working as a DJ with a dream of opening his own club someday. One night he comes across a young woman in trouble ... he doesn't realize she's just a teenager and she has secrets and is not above lying when she has to.
Jack takes her in ... and when her step-father comes looking for her ... well, that's when the real trouble begins. The step-father can't afford to have Emily out there, possible repeating the things that he has done to her ... and he wants her silenced for good.
Jack can help her ... or keeping his own dreams intact, he can throw her to the wolf.
This book has content that may be difficult for some readers.
It's a story of a teenager's plight ... her flight in the middle of the night ... and knowing her personal demon is hot on her trail. It's a dark story, suspenseful with characters you'll either want to love .. or want to hate.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
She's now homeless, finding an alley to sleep, penniless, and her dreams of being an artist have been forgotten.
Jack was a man of the streets. But he's turned his life around... working as a DJ with a dream of opening his own club someday. One night he comes across a young woman in trouble ... he doesn't realize she's just a teenager and she has secrets and is not above lying when she has to.
Jack takes her in ... and when her step-father comes looking for her ... well, that's when the real trouble begins. The step-father can't afford to have Emily out there, possible repeating the things that he has done to her ... and he wants her silenced for good.
Jack can help her ... or keeping his own dreams intact, he can throw her to the wolf.
This book has content that may be difficult for some readers.
It's a story of a teenager's plight ... her flight in the middle of the night ... and knowing her personal demon is hot on her trail. It's a dark story, suspenseful with characters you'll either want to love .. or want to hate.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
November 28, 2020
4.5 ⭐
12 year old Emily's life suddenly takes a turn for the better when her mother marries David, a wealthy painter who encourages Emily's artistic talents.
However, David soon starts taking advantage prompting Emily to flee into the dangerous world where she's rescued by Jack, who doesn't know of the life Emily left behind.
This story is not so much a thriller in the traditional sense of edge of your seat action, but in the sense of fear over how real this story could be. It doesn't read that this is all fake but almost as if this is a warning for what has happened so much and will continue to happen.
I could feel every emotion our 2 main characters were going through and I could really follow them on their personal journeys.
It hurt, it was uplifting and it was dark and cruel.
I couldn't help but feel like Emily was let down by everybody, her mother, her friends. Everybody she trusted let her down.
There was a part at the end where I felt one of our main characters actions were selfish as they knew the trouble they could cause but acted that way anyway. This made me dislike this character towards the end. However, the story tells a deep story of grief, trauma and whether you can really put yourself back together after being broken.
⛔CONTENT WARNINGS⛔
▪️Paedophilia
▪️Rape
▪️Drug Abuse
▪️Alcohol Abuse
▪️Violence and Assault
▪️Domestic Abuse
12 year old Emily's life suddenly takes a turn for the better when her mother marries David, a wealthy painter who encourages Emily's artistic talents.
However, David soon starts taking advantage prompting Emily to flee into the dangerous world where she's rescued by Jack, who doesn't know of the life Emily left behind.
This story is not so much a thriller in the traditional sense of edge of your seat action, but in the sense of fear over how real this story could be. It doesn't read that this is all fake but almost as if this is a warning for what has happened so much and will continue to happen.
I could feel every emotion our 2 main characters were going through and I could really follow them on their personal journeys.
It hurt, it was uplifting and it was dark and cruel.
I couldn't help but feel like Emily was let down by everybody, her mother, her friends. Everybody she trusted let her down.
There was a part at the end where I felt one of our main characters actions were selfish as they knew the trouble they could cause but acted that way anyway. This made me dislike this character towards the end. However, the story tells a deep story of grief, trauma and whether you can really put yourself back together after being broken.
⛔CONTENT WARNINGS⛔
▪️Paedophilia
▪️Rape
▪️Drug Abuse
▪️Alcohol Abuse
▪️Violence and Assault
▪️Domestic Abuse
November 22, 2020
This book found me going through so many emotions!
Anger, despair, hope, sadness and understanding.
The subject matter was written well and after discussing it with friends I have given it 5 stars due to the sympathetic writing covering an incredibly emotive subject.
This is my first book that I have read by the author, but it certainly won't be the last.
Anger, despair, hope, sadness and understanding.
The subject matter was written well and after discussing it with friends I have given it 5 stars due to the sympathetic writing covering an incredibly emotive subject.
This is my first book that I have read by the author, but it certainly won't be the last.
February 10, 2021
This was the first book that, gratefully, I was contacted about when I put feelers out, asking for books to review. A very kind A.A.Abbot got in touch quickly and nicely asked if I would review her book, BRIGHT LIES. She had noted I was in the process of reading a similar popular novel of this theme and commented that her book was in the same genre, but a lot less graphic. I jumped at this, as I am honestly finding the one I’m reading rough going. It is a good book don’t get me wrong, just harrowing. So, we swapped details, and I downloaded BRIGHT LIES from Kindle Unlimited since I am a member.
Before I begin this review, I feel I should state that my review of this book may be a little biased because I have had a very similar experience to that of the protagonist in the book. Therefore, my feelings towards situations and characters may be somewhat coloured by my personal experiences.
I personally loved this book, let’s get that off my chest. Even now, almost 24 hours since I finished it, it is still with me. I am still thinking about it, the characters are still “in my head”. Yes, that may be because of my personal experiences, but I do also believe it is because the story and the characters permeate your mind and your soul, taking residence there and demanding you live the experience with them. A.A.Abbott has done an extraordinary job here of bringing the characters to life, as though you are there with them, feeling what they do, being who they are. The atmosphere of the book is quite suffocating but that is ok because I believe that is deliberate and mirrors how Emily eventually feels in the relationship with David.
Speaking of David. He is the scummiest scumbag of Scumbagdom. He made my skin crawl from the moment he appeared in the book. Abbot has again done an amazing job of bringing to life a truly awful, nausea-inducing, rotten-to-the-core, fiend who you hope all the way through the novel will get what comes to him. Unlike similar novels of this theme, Abbot treads carefully with the subject matter, never becoming unnecessarily graphic but you are always fully aware of what is going on and it is enough to make you feel very uncomfortable, however, not to the point where reading becomes unpleasant.
Another thing I must applaud A.A.Abbott for is her handling of Emily’s descent from an outgoing, happy, carefree, well-adjusted teenager to the timid, panic-stricken, near-alcoholic, shell of a young girl, trying too soon to strike out into the adult world on her own. The shocking transformation from the naturally pretty, fresh-faced, blonde girl to the heavily made-up and newly shaven, bald young woman paralleled this well and showed her internal struggles manifesting on the outside in a very effectual way.
Overall, this book was extremely good. I read it in less than 24 hours which is a record for me and just shows how engrossed I was in it. I think it will be a few days still before the book “leaves” me and I won’t forget this book in a hurry, I can say that for sure. I highly recommend this book and will definitely read more of A.A.Abbot’s books in the future. She’s definitely on my favourites list on Goodreads and Amazon UK now!
For links to buy BRIGHT LIES, scroll further down. Thank you again to A.A.Abbot for letting me review her wonderful book and for putting my request out there! She is a very kind author! Oh and thank you to YOU for reading!
Before I begin this review, I feel I should state that my review of this book may be a little biased because I have had a very similar experience to that of the protagonist in the book. Therefore, my feelings towards situations and characters may be somewhat coloured by my personal experiences.
I personally loved this book, let’s get that off my chest. Even now, almost 24 hours since I finished it, it is still with me. I am still thinking about it, the characters are still “in my head”. Yes, that may be because of my personal experiences, but I do also believe it is because the story and the characters permeate your mind and your soul, taking residence there and demanding you live the experience with them. A.A.Abbott has done an extraordinary job here of bringing the characters to life, as though you are there with them, feeling what they do, being who they are. The atmosphere of the book is quite suffocating but that is ok because I believe that is deliberate and mirrors how Emily eventually feels in the relationship with David.
Speaking of David. He is the scummiest scumbag of Scumbagdom. He made my skin crawl from the moment he appeared in the book. Abbot has again done an amazing job of bringing to life a truly awful, nausea-inducing, rotten-to-the-core, fiend who you hope all the way through the novel will get what comes to him. Unlike similar novels of this theme, Abbot treads carefully with the subject matter, never becoming unnecessarily graphic but you are always fully aware of what is going on and it is enough to make you feel very uncomfortable, however, not to the point where reading becomes unpleasant.
Another thing I must applaud A.A.Abbott for is her handling of Emily’s descent from an outgoing, happy, carefree, well-adjusted teenager to the timid, panic-stricken, near-alcoholic, shell of a young girl, trying too soon to strike out into the adult world on her own. The shocking transformation from the naturally pretty, fresh-faced, blonde girl to the heavily made-up and newly shaven, bald young woman paralleled this well and showed her internal struggles manifesting on the outside in a very effectual way.
Overall, this book was extremely good. I read it in less than 24 hours which is a record for me and just shows how engrossed I was in it. I think it will be a few days still before the book “leaves” me and I won’t forget this book in a hurry, I can say that for sure. I highly recommend this book and will definitely read more of A.A.Abbot’s books in the future. She’s definitely on my favourites list on Goodreads and Amazon UK now!
For links to buy BRIGHT LIES, scroll further down. Thank you again to A.A.Abbot for letting me review her wonderful book and for putting my request out there! She is a very kind author! Oh and thank you to YOU for reading!
December 8, 2020
“Bright Lies” is a thriller that is not for the faint-hearted. It deals with subjects of grooming and child abuse and the effects it has on a fragile young psyche, and yet it’s such an important read as it brings awareness to topics that have been considered taboo for far too long and which need to be talked about in order to prevent such things from happening to more young people. I really appreciated the fact that the story was told from two perspectives: that of Emily, a young girl who finds herself on the wrong side of her stepfather’s attentions, and Jack, a teenager kicked out of his house solely for standing up for what is right. Both are broken and I was hoping for them to get together so they could heal each other’s psychological wounds and learn to trust and love again. I thought the ending was just absolutely perfect for this type of story and I was very glad that I read it. It’s a difficult read due to the subject matter but one that I would highly recommend to everyone. Five well-deserved stars.
October 8, 2021
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Really did enjoy listening to this one. I liked hearing both Jack and Emily's stories combining. Emily's story is so sad poor girl. I found Jack's story frustrating. Both of them gone through something they didn't deserve to go through.
Bright Lies was very gripping, and was hard to turn off. Another one I highly recommend! 😊
Really did enjoy listening to this one. I liked hearing both Jack and Emily's stories combining. Emily's story is so sad poor girl. I found Jack's story frustrating. Both of them gone through something they didn't deserve to go through.
Bright Lies was very gripping, and was hard to turn off. Another one I highly recommend! 😊
October 4, 2021
AUDIOBOOK
What a story. This will break your heart and at times is really uncomfortable to listen to due to the story content but is a great audio and I fell totally in love with the two damage lead characters and my heart just broke for both of them. This is a beautiful audio which even though it has a dark subject matter also has a lot of hope.
What a story. This will break your heart and at times is really uncomfortable to listen to due to the story content but is a great audio and I fell totally in love with the two damage lead characters and my heart just broke for both of them. This is a beautiful audio which even though it has a dark subject matter also has a lot of hope.
November 23, 2020
The subject matter of this thriller is quite disturbing and yet the writing is so well constructed and written that despite the feelings that you are left with you can understand and empathise with the majority of the characters.
When Emily’s mum meets the man of her dreams she is keen that Emily be a huge part of that love. What she doesn’t realise is that her charismatic new beau is more interested in Emily than her and that he is grooming her; making the teenage Emily distant from her mother and from her previous happy life.
The subject matter is disturbing and the signs are there which I was shouting out for Emily’s mum to notice. A fabulous engaging story which I really enjoyed. It made me think that I hoped I was a better mother and that I would have noticed the signs.
I look forward to reading more from this author and will be recommending this book to my reading friends.
When Emily’s mum meets the man of her dreams she is keen that Emily be a huge part of that love. What she doesn’t realise is that her charismatic new beau is more interested in Emily than her and that he is grooming her; making the teenage Emily distant from her mother and from her previous happy life.
The subject matter is disturbing and the signs are there which I was shouting out for Emily’s mum to notice. A fabulous engaging story which I really enjoyed. It made me think that I hoped I was a better mother and that I would have noticed the signs.
I look forward to reading more from this author and will be recommending this book to my reading friends.
November 21, 2020
Gritty and realistic
Well done AA Abbott for penning this thoroughly engaging read. It is both gritty and realistic, not only in how it portrays the sensitive issues of abuse, but also the difficulties faced by those who are compelled through one reason or another to live on the streets.
Emily’s relationship with her step-father David is toxic almost from the off, and finally his inappropriate actions cause her to flee from her wealthy home, finding herself on the streets in the heart of Birmingham. It is here she meets Jack, who has his own difficult past to cope with. Jack takes her under his wing and they find themselves becoming ever closer. I was not sure what Emily would have done without Jack but it becomes clear that Emily will have a big impact on his future.
I found it to be a thoughtful and compelling read. It has some excellent characterisations, particularly of Emily and Jack. The portrayal of David is chilling and he truly was the villain of the piece. I enjoyed how the book has a strong sense of place in its descriptions, especially the underbelly of Birmingham where much of the book is based. The issues the book deals with are well researched and sensitively portrayed and I was gripped until the end.
Recommended to fans of psychological thrillers or to anyone looking for a riveting read.
Please note that a copy of this book was given to me by the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Well done AA Abbott for penning this thoroughly engaging read. It is both gritty and realistic, not only in how it portrays the sensitive issues of abuse, but also the difficulties faced by those who are compelled through one reason or another to live on the streets.
Emily’s relationship with her step-father David is toxic almost from the off, and finally his inappropriate actions cause her to flee from her wealthy home, finding herself on the streets in the heart of Birmingham. It is here she meets Jack, who has his own difficult past to cope with. Jack takes her under his wing and they find themselves becoming ever closer. I was not sure what Emily would have done without Jack but it becomes clear that Emily will have a big impact on his future.
I found it to be a thoughtful and compelling read. It has some excellent characterisations, particularly of Emily and Jack. The portrayal of David is chilling and he truly was the villain of the piece. I enjoyed how the book has a strong sense of place in its descriptions, especially the underbelly of Birmingham where much of the book is based. The issues the book deals with are well researched and sensitively portrayed and I was gripped until the end.
Recommended to fans of psychological thrillers or to anyone looking for a riveting read.
Please note that a copy of this book was given to me by the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 24, 2020
Bright Lies by A.A. Abbott is a new Psychological Thriller with a quite shocking premise.
My first read by this author so I never really knew what to expect. What I found is an extremely compelling, well written, and upsetting thriller from an author clearly prepared to write about traumatic subjects.
The story revolves around 14 year old Emily and Jack, a bit of a bad boy. Both living completely different lives that collide together in explosive circumstances.
Emily is a talented young artist, when her mother marries a wealthy artist called David, one Emily admires, she thinks all her dreams have come true.
Sadly for Emily there are much darker forces at play in this dark and enthralling page-Turner.
The characters have been drawn well, from naive Emily, Bad Boy Jack and the creepy and cruel David.
A.A. Abbott crafts a fast paced and well handled story as she deals with the subject of child abuse in a sensitive way whilst never diluting how awful and sadistic it is.
A thriller not for the feint of heart. Gritty, full of shocks and intensely readable, this is great read from an author i look forward to reading more of.
My first read by this author so I never really knew what to expect. What I found is an extremely compelling, well written, and upsetting thriller from an author clearly prepared to write about traumatic subjects.
The story revolves around 14 year old Emily and Jack, a bit of a bad boy. Both living completely different lives that collide together in explosive circumstances.
Emily is a talented young artist, when her mother marries a wealthy artist called David, one Emily admires, she thinks all her dreams have come true.
Sadly for Emily there are much darker forces at play in this dark and enthralling page-Turner.
The characters have been drawn well, from naive Emily, Bad Boy Jack and the creepy and cruel David.
A.A. Abbott crafts a fast paced and well handled story as she deals with the subject of child abuse in a sensitive way whilst never diluting how awful and sadistic it is.
A thriller not for the feint of heart. Gritty, full of shocks and intensely readable, this is great read from an author i look forward to reading more of.
October 27, 2020
Emily now lives with her mother and stepfather David who is wealthy, a far cry from what they had before. Emily now goes to a private school and David easily spoils her. Emily is only 14 and when things take a turn for more of a relationship than she expected from a stepfather, she has to make a decision. She quickly realises that the only way out is to escape- her mother will think she has betrayed her and David has threatened her. She grabs a few things and takes herself away not really knowing where she is going or what to do. Jack has had a rough life and now finds that he is better to stay on the right side of the law if he is to survive. The pair meet up and Jack gives Emily a life line- somewhere to sleep albeit it rough and a job- albeit hard and low paid but they manage and forge a friendship however Emily knows that David will be after her to keep things secret. This took me a little while to get into however once I did and past the trauma Emily was going through I really enjoyed it. There was something about her and Jack and a tenacity for life that made me stop and think. Many of us have been through a trauma one way or another which may affect our daily lives by being in our heads (and bodies). How we face the future through adversity is our strength. A book of determination and grit against all odds.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
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December 8, 2020
The latest novel from A A Abbott follows the path of young teenage Emily, naïve and displaced from her family life after a charismatic artist enters and disrupts the cosy world she had shared with her mother.
Abbott skillfully moves Emily through trauma without using gratuitous descriptions that may put some readers off the content matter. Her characters are believable and I was particularly impressed by the research that must have taken place to depict the brittleness of young people torn from their moorings, set adrift to survive on their own.
This book is described as a psychological thriller, I would add 'thoughtful' to that description as it doesn’t shock, just awakens in the reader how real a threat sexual predators are and how cunning and long their plans can be in order to get chosen victims under their ultimate control.
It’s a standalone plot, cleverly constructed to keep those pages turning.
The settings of Birmingham, with Bristol and Bath added in are artfully painted, conjuring contrasts of grand, lavish and expensive with the derelict rawness of poverty.
I enjoyed Bright Lies, it was thought-provoking, the characters awakened the appropriate reactions. It’s a quick read, but not a superficial one. The content is lightened with subtle humour and the warmth of human kindness, no matter how small proving there is a way forward in even the darkest of situations.
Abbott skillfully moves Emily through trauma without using gratuitous descriptions that may put some readers off the content matter. Her characters are believable and I was particularly impressed by the research that must have taken place to depict the brittleness of young people torn from their moorings, set adrift to survive on their own.
This book is described as a psychological thriller, I would add 'thoughtful' to that description as it doesn’t shock, just awakens in the reader how real a threat sexual predators are and how cunning and long their plans can be in order to get chosen victims under their ultimate control.
It’s a standalone plot, cleverly constructed to keep those pages turning.
The settings of Birmingham, with Bristol and Bath added in are artfully painted, conjuring contrasts of grand, lavish and expensive with the derelict rawness of poverty.
I enjoyed Bright Lies, it was thought-provoking, the characters awakened the appropriate reactions. It’s a quick read, but not a superficial one. The content is lightened with subtle humour and the warmth of human kindness, no matter how small proving there is a way forward in even the darkest of situations.
January 11, 2021
When Emily’s mother marries, David, Emily believes her life is going in the right direction. As an accomplished painter, he can teach her things about her own art. Except he wants more than she’s willing to give, and it’s not soon before his affections turn to threats. Fearing for her life, Emily decides to run away, taking her chances on the street. But she’s quick to learn the streets are just as unkind as the home she escaped from.
Even though this book deals with such a sensitive topic, the author wrote about it in a way that is both realistic and compelling. The arc of Emily’s emotions from when she first meets David to when she takes to the streets is realistic and heartbreaking. She dealt with so much, and it seemed as if every time she started to turn her life around, things took a turn for the worst once again.
I also loved the dynamic with Cassie and Jack. Even though I didn’t fully care for Jack’s character, I felt his personality was realistic. Especially in the way he handled the situation with Cassie and Emily.
All in all, this is a dark and captivating read.
Even though this book deals with such a sensitive topic, the author wrote about it in a way that is both realistic and compelling. The arc of Emily’s emotions from when she first meets David to when she takes to the streets is realistic and heartbreaking. She dealt with so much, and it seemed as if every time she started to turn her life around, things took a turn for the worst once again.
I also loved the dynamic with Cassie and Jack. Even though I didn’t fully care for Jack’s character, I felt his personality was realistic. Especially in the way he handled the situation with Cassie and Emily.
All in all, this is a dark and captivating read.
November 17, 2020
Actual rating 3.5
Bright Lies begins with a turn around in the fortunes of single mum Rachel and her teenage daughter Emily when they meet artist David Anderson at a local gallery. A budding artist herself, Emily is quick to become infatuated with this man who worms his way into her affections, marrying her mother within a short space of time. Now accustomed to a more privileged, luxurious lifestyle, attending private school, life for Emily should be plain sailing except David to all intents and purposes is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Preying upon her vulnerability, Emily is eventually forced to take drastic action and seek salvation away from the family home.
Told alongside Emily’s story is that of Jack’s, a good student who has fallen off the rails thanks in part to his homelessness. A keen music lover with aspirations to become a well respected DJ you wonder how these two strangers lives will become connected. It’s fate and cruel circumstances that see Emily and Jack’s lives collide on the streets of Birmingham. What follows is Emily’s concerted efforts to banish her worst nightmares whilst keeping her most deepest secrets hidden from those she meets along the way. Can Jack be her saviour? Taking the reader from Bath to Birmingham this is a storyline with a heavy emphasis on the sleazy side of life.
The most chilling part about this thriller is that the storyline could so easily not be a piece of fiction but reality. The fact that so many youngsters find themselves displaced, cast adrift from families because home is not a safe haven for them, instead it’s a place where the worst, unimaginable horrors occur is enough to make you weep. You can understand why young women, like Emily, feel backed into a corner, forced to make hard decisions because they have so few options left available. The author has endeavoured to convey the gritty reality of what can happen when your immediate family is not the loving supportive unit it should be. Whilst I applaud the author for tackling the plight of individuals such as Emily and Jack I felt their situation was somewhat sugar coated, the writing only skimming the surface of life lived as part of the underbelly of society. Whether she felt there was no need to graphically describe the harsh reality of their situation, leaving the reader to imagine for themselves the true extent of their hardship I’m not sure. Perhaps because some readers may find the content distressing enough the author has chosen to partially gloss over the grimness of Emily and Jack living off their wits, day after day but personally I would have preferred a touch more grit and rawness to the writing so that you could be left in no doubt that it really is the survival of the fittest in Emily and Jack’s world.
You’d have to be made of stone not to empathise with both characters throughout this novel although the ambiguous ending did make me lower my estimation of Emily, her behaviour at odds with all that her and Jack have gone through together. In the final pages she is portrayed as quite cold hearted in comparison to Jack whom I felt has the makings of a true gentleman but maybe you’ll beg to differ!
How would I rate this novel? I think in terms of the ease of read and the fact I zoomed through the pages the writing is worthy of 4 stars. It’s an incredibly easy storyline to follow with no possibility of confusion or becoming muddled with the characters. However when it comes to the actual plot and the execution of the ‘surprise twists’ I felt it lacked any real attempt at obfuscation so that very early on I joined all the dots that enable the reader to see the clearer picture. If I’m honest I felt incredulity that it had taken no effort on my part, not wishing to believe the plot line could be so transparent. I wanted to be forced to work harder to find the answers and for that reason I would perhaps only award this thriller 3 stars but am happy to settle in between. I haven’t come across this author before so I’m unable to compare Bright Lies against any of her other work. I definitely need to investigate other titles though if only to discount the possibility that on this occasion I was lucky with my guesses! My thanks to the author and my online review group for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.
Bright Lies begins with a turn around in the fortunes of single mum Rachel and her teenage daughter Emily when they meet artist David Anderson at a local gallery. A budding artist herself, Emily is quick to become infatuated with this man who worms his way into her affections, marrying her mother within a short space of time. Now accustomed to a more privileged, luxurious lifestyle, attending private school, life for Emily should be plain sailing except David to all intents and purposes is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Preying upon her vulnerability, Emily is eventually forced to take drastic action and seek salvation away from the family home.
Told alongside Emily’s story is that of Jack’s, a good student who has fallen off the rails thanks in part to his homelessness. A keen music lover with aspirations to become a well respected DJ you wonder how these two strangers lives will become connected. It’s fate and cruel circumstances that see Emily and Jack’s lives collide on the streets of Birmingham. What follows is Emily’s concerted efforts to banish her worst nightmares whilst keeping her most deepest secrets hidden from those she meets along the way. Can Jack be her saviour? Taking the reader from Bath to Birmingham this is a storyline with a heavy emphasis on the sleazy side of life.
The most chilling part about this thriller is that the storyline could so easily not be a piece of fiction but reality. The fact that so many youngsters find themselves displaced, cast adrift from families because home is not a safe haven for them, instead it’s a place where the worst, unimaginable horrors occur is enough to make you weep. You can understand why young women, like Emily, feel backed into a corner, forced to make hard decisions because they have so few options left available. The author has endeavoured to convey the gritty reality of what can happen when your immediate family is not the loving supportive unit it should be. Whilst I applaud the author for tackling the plight of individuals such as Emily and Jack I felt their situation was somewhat sugar coated, the writing only skimming the surface of life lived as part of the underbelly of society. Whether she felt there was no need to graphically describe the harsh reality of their situation, leaving the reader to imagine for themselves the true extent of their hardship I’m not sure. Perhaps because some readers may find the content distressing enough the author has chosen to partially gloss over the grimness of Emily and Jack living off their wits, day after day but personally I would have preferred a touch more grit and rawness to the writing so that you could be left in no doubt that it really is the survival of the fittest in Emily and Jack’s world.
You’d have to be made of stone not to empathise with both characters throughout this novel although the ambiguous ending did make me lower my estimation of Emily, her behaviour at odds with all that her and Jack have gone through together. In the final pages she is portrayed as quite cold hearted in comparison to Jack whom I felt has the makings of a true gentleman but maybe you’ll beg to differ!
How would I rate this novel? I think in terms of the ease of read and the fact I zoomed through the pages the writing is worthy of 4 stars. It’s an incredibly easy storyline to follow with no possibility of confusion or becoming muddled with the characters. However when it comes to the actual plot and the execution of the ‘surprise twists’ I felt it lacked any real attempt at obfuscation so that very early on I joined all the dots that enable the reader to see the clearer picture. If I’m honest I felt incredulity that it had taken no effort on my part, not wishing to believe the plot line could be so transparent. I wanted to be forced to work harder to find the answers and for that reason I would perhaps only award this thriller 3 stars but am happy to settle in between. I haven’t come across this author before so I’m unable to compare Bright Lies against any of her other work. I definitely need to investigate other titles though if only to discount the possibility that on this occasion I was lucky with my guesses! My thanks to the author and my online review group for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.
November 22, 2020
This is a well-written book which takes a compassionate look at a very dark subject, that of child sexual abuse and exploitation, and deals with it in a sensitive way.
Due to the content this book will not appeal to all readers, and although I read it very quickly (love the short chapters!) there were times when I felt so sad, so angry and then so appalled at the way some young people are forced to go their own way, live on the streets or do work in appalling conditions, that I often felt queasy and unsettled.
The characters, especially Jack and Emily, are incredibly realistic and incredibly easy to want to nurture and protect. All I could feel so much of the time I read this novel was an urgent desire to keep them both safe and give them a future.
The stepfather David is extremely easy to dislike and whilst I initially found Emily's Mum Rachel gullible, that is only really because as a reader we are given a synopsis and have a rough idea of what is coming. Sadly, in real life, people like David worm their way into family life, gaining parental confidence, controlling situations and ultimately achieving their perverted wishes to harm innocent youngsters, in such a subtle way that it isn't so easy to spot what is going on under your very nose.
Living on the streets means, amongst many horrors, that it is not easy to wash and that strangely is how I felt as I read; grubby, smelly, unclean and violated. I could feel the cold in my bones, the traipsing up and down to fill a kettle in the unoccupied shelter of the printworks, and feel the gnawing hunger of never knowing when you are next going to eat.
Not to put anyone off reading though, there are no overly gratuitous references, just a steady plot of undoing where I feared in the end for a good outcome.
Jack tore a hole in my heart. He tried so hard to do the right thing even with the people he found himself having to associate with and given very physically and emotionally tough circumstances. He isn't a character I am likely to forget; blame my overactive maternal traits for that. He exhibited such acceptance of his fate that I had to swallow a huge lump in my throat at the end of the book, and even though he isn't real, there ARE real kids out there like him, for whom the next chapter is never very pleasant. I hope fervently that in his fictional world, he is able to find the love he so deserves and people who will do everything they can to help him believe what a wonderful man he is. If not, I will take him in!
The title is very clever and because my heartstrings are so easily tugged, I found the relevance of it to possess a raw beauty. However, you will have to read the book to discover what the connection is!
Having read this latest from AA Abbott I would not be averse to checking out more books by this author.
Due to the content this book will not appeal to all readers, and although I read it very quickly (love the short chapters!) there were times when I felt so sad, so angry and then so appalled at the way some young people are forced to go their own way, live on the streets or do work in appalling conditions, that I often felt queasy and unsettled.
The characters, especially Jack and Emily, are incredibly realistic and incredibly easy to want to nurture and protect. All I could feel so much of the time I read this novel was an urgent desire to keep them both safe and give them a future.
The stepfather David is extremely easy to dislike and whilst I initially found Emily's Mum Rachel gullible, that is only really because as a reader we are given a synopsis and have a rough idea of what is coming. Sadly, in real life, people like David worm their way into family life, gaining parental confidence, controlling situations and ultimately achieving their perverted wishes to harm innocent youngsters, in such a subtle way that it isn't so easy to spot what is going on under your very nose.
Living on the streets means, amongst many horrors, that it is not easy to wash and that strangely is how I felt as I read; grubby, smelly, unclean and violated. I could feel the cold in my bones, the traipsing up and down to fill a kettle in the unoccupied shelter of the printworks, and feel the gnawing hunger of never knowing when you are next going to eat.
Not to put anyone off reading though, there are no overly gratuitous references, just a steady plot of undoing where I feared in the end for a good outcome.
Jack tore a hole in my heart. He tried so hard to do the right thing even with the people he found himself having to associate with and given very physically and emotionally tough circumstances. He isn't a character I am likely to forget; blame my overactive maternal traits for that. He exhibited such acceptance of his fate that I had to swallow a huge lump in my throat at the end of the book, and even though he isn't real, there ARE real kids out there like him, for whom the next chapter is never very pleasant. I hope fervently that in his fictional world, he is able to find the love he so deserves and people who will do everything they can to help him believe what a wonderful man he is. If not, I will take him in!
The title is very clever and because my heartstrings are so easily tugged, I found the relevance of it to possess a raw beauty. However, you will have to read the book to discover what the connection is!
Having read this latest from AA Abbott I would not be averse to checking out more books by this author.
November 25, 2020
If you have a heart for young people, you’ll be moved by this story. It’s not an escapist thriller with high drama and unlikely and unbelievable twists and turns; it is a down-to-earth account that could be from real life – a tale of how two youngsters battle through nightmares to survive. As well as brains not fully formed, teenagers lack the insight that comes with experience; they are vulnerable. They cannot see the danger and your heart goes out to them.
The leading characters, Emily and Jack, are especially vulnerable, and those bent on exploiting them take full advantage – drugs, drink, sex, theft, slave labour all in turn come crashing in to destroy the teenagers.
The settings – districts of Bristol, Bath and Birmingham – are all real places – places you can no doubt find kids exactly like our characters in just the same kind of trouble. If this helps a few of us to become more aware and less likely to walk past on the other side then the impact of this story will achieve more than entrance a few readers for a few hours.
For engage and entrance this novel does – right to the very end – the very last sentence, which, truth to tell, brought a tear to my eye. Character and context, composition and clarity of style are all there. Five stars.
The leading characters, Emily and Jack, are especially vulnerable, and those bent on exploiting them take full advantage – drugs, drink, sex, theft, slave labour all in turn come crashing in to destroy the teenagers.
The settings – districts of Bristol, Bath and Birmingham – are all real places – places you can no doubt find kids exactly like our characters in just the same kind of trouble. If this helps a few of us to become more aware and less likely to walk past on the other side then the impact of this story will achieve more than entrance a few readers for a few hours.
For engage and entrance this novel does – right to the very end – the very last sentence, which, truth to tell, brought a tear to my eye. Character and context, composition and clarity of style are all there. Five stars.
December 27, 2020
AA Abbott Bright Lies
The story follows 2 young people, Emily and Jack. Emily seemingly has an OK life with her mother but they are poor. Her mother then meets David and he showers them both with gifts and compliments. Emily is only 12 but you sense there is more to David. Especially when he disappears off to Thailand for long periods.
Jack had an alcoholic abusive father who killed his mother in a drunken rage. His aunt and uncle take him and his sister in but its clear he's not wanted. After being plied with drugs and alcohol at a party Jack beats up the wrong person and get kicked out.
After Emily snaps and runs away their lives merge together in Birmingham.
There is a lot heartbreak in the story, nothing gratuitously described. The overriding message was that of friendship and support coming from the strangest of places. Betrayal as well.
We all know that things like this happen and it makes me think maybe we should look at people on the streets or who are a bit scruffy and think why are they in that state rather than being dismissive.
This was a great book that I read in one go. It's a 4.5 star. Can't wait to read more.
The story follows 2 young people, Emily and Jack. Emily seemingly has an OK life with her mother but they are poor. Her mother then meets David and he showers them both with gifts and compliments. Emily is only 12 but you sense there is more to David. Especially when he disappears off to Thailand for long periods.
Jack had an alcoholic abusive father who killed his mother in a drunken rage. His aunt and uncle take him and his sister in but its clear he's not wanted. After being plied with drugs and alcohol at a party Jack beats up the wrong person and get kicked out.
After Emily snaps and runs away their lives merge together in Birmingham.
There is a lot heartbreak in the story, nothing gratuitously described. The overriding message was that of friendship and support coming from the strangest of places. Betrayal as well.
We all know that things like this happen and it makes me think maybe we should look at people on the streets or who are a bit scruffy and think why are they in that state rather than being dismissive.
This was a great book that I read in one go. It's a 4.5 star. Can't wait to read more.
March 24, 2021
An enjoyable read with well-rounded characters, I read this book in just two days and would be keen to read more from this author. The story is told from two POV's, Emily's in the first person and Jack's in the third. From Emily's viewpoint we see how she is groomed and manipulated by her mother's new husband David. Some of these scenes were really hard to read as a mother! But kudos to the author for handling them so well. David flatters Emily, encourages her art and with his wealth provides her and her mother with a grand home, private school and luxuries they've never enjoyed before. But all the time he is subtly working on Emily until he eventually makes his move. Meanwhile, Jack has had an unsettled home life and has been homeless, and sofa surfing until he gets a job as a DJ in a club and finds a fairly decent building to squat in. When Emily realises the truth about David she runs away and her path crosses with Jack. I enjoyed the build up of the relationship between them and both characters were very likable. I found myself rooting for them both. The ending supplied a few twists that linked the start of the book to the end in a way I had no expected and I also found the ending satisfying and hopeful for the characters I liked. A great read!
December 25, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. A good psychological thriller centred around two teenagers Emily and Jack. The prologue sees Emily visiting someone in jail but we don’t know who. A well written and sad tale that could so easily be true.
Briefly, when Emily’s mother marries wealthy artist David they think all their dreams have come true. But David isn’t all he seems and from the start it is clear the he is grooming 14 year old Emily for his own unsavoury reasons. Jack has been thrown out of his home by his Aunt and Uncle and has been living on the streets. Having found a job he is now squatting in an old building and is determined to turn his life around. When he saves Emily from being attacked neither of them realise how close they will become, until David comes back into their lives…
A well written story that pulled me in quite quickly and I finished it in a day. That nasty turn at the end had me angry that the wrong person was going to suffer but it was only too realistic. A good read with a number of issues raised that might be triggers for some but they are neither gratuitous or explicit. 4.5⭐️
Briefly, when Emily’s mother marries wealthy artist David they think all their dreams have come true. But David isn’t all he seems and from the start it is clear the he is grooming 14 year old Emily for his own unsavoury reasons. Jack has been thrown out of his home by his Aunt and Uncle and has been living on the streets. Having found a job he is now squatting in an old building and is determined to turn his life around. When he saves Emily from being attacked neither of them realise how close they will become, until David comes back into their lives…
A well written story that pulled me in quite quickly and I finished it in a day. That nasty turn at the end had me angry that the wrong person was going to suffer but it was only too realistic. A good read with a number of issues raised that might be triggers for some but they are neither gratuitous or explicit. 4.5⭐️
November 22, 2020
This book wasn't what I expected at all but I LOVED it. It's one of those books that makes you feel slightly uncomfortable when you read it and gives you the ick but at the same time it had me hooked (and to be fair, you can tell from the synopsis that it's going to be a bit gross). And from the success of My Dark Vanessa across Bookstagram (which I haven't got round to reading yet), I'm guessing people don't mind reading things which make you feel a bit icky.
I wanted to give it five stars because it had me gripped from start to end and I blitzed through it (it's quite a short book anyway) but without giving away spoilers, I was a little disappointed with the ending and how it relates to the very start of the book so I marked it down by .5 of a star. Definitely something I want to have a conversation with you all about though so if you could rush out and buy this book so we can chat then that'd be great! 😘
I wanted to give it five stars because it had me gripped from start to end and I blitzed through it (it's quite a short book anyway) but without giving away spoilers, I was a little disappointed with the ending and how it relates to the very start of the book so I marked it down by .5 of a star. Definitely something I want to have a conversation with you all about though so if you could rush out and buy this book so we can chat then that'd be great! 😘
November 14, 2020
This is a well-written and insightful book that explores the relationship dynamics of people, particularly young people, who have been victims of or witnesses to abuse. Although Abbott's book is honest and doesn't candycoat any of the issues it deals with, it also stops short of delving into the nitty gritty, sordid details of the sexual abuses that are perpetrated. It is easy to deduct what is implied in the text - and this is enough. Although Nabokov's Lolita is often described as a classic and excellent book, I prefer the alternate perspective that one finds here. This is an intelligent, well-written and well-informed book that I would recommend to readers who are interested in fictional takes on real world issues, where the problematic relationships are not distorted or presented through rose-tinted glasses. A very good book, over all. I'm glad I read it.
March 23, 2021
An engrossing tale of two people, one a runaway and one thrown out through no fault of his own, who eventually meet. We see the very sad and somewhat seedy side of life but Jack and Emily are doing okay and managing to make a living, even to save up in the hope of getting a flat. Drugs and casual sex are often the order of the day, but Jack devotes himself to Emily and they form a couple.
The stepfather who abused Emily finally finds her - one of the people at the nightclub where she works has ratted on her for the reward money. When the stepfather turns up, Jack gets into a fight with him and ends up in prison. Emily returns to her mother and an epilogue shows us the stepfather has been imprisoned for abusing her. The epilogue also shows us Emily visiting Jack - her letters had been intercepted, so he thought she didn't care. The ending is one of optimism. Emily will wait for Jack and hopefully he can regain his success as a DJ.
Well-written and kept me page-turning and interested. Would thoroughly recommend this book and will be looking out for more by this author. Thank you AA Abbott for your hard work in writing this for readers' enjoyment.
The stepfather who abused Emily finally finds her - one of the people at the nightclub where she works has ratted on her for the reward money. When the stepfather turns up, Jack gets into a fight with him and ends up in prison. Emily returns to her mother and an epilogue shows us the stepfather has been imprisoned for abusing her. The epilogue also shows us Emily visiting Jack - her letters had been intercepted, so he thought she didn't care. The ending is one of optimism. Emily will wait for Jack and hopefully he can regain his success as a DJ.
Well-written and kept me page-turning and interested. Would thoroughly recommend this book and will be looking out for more by this author. Thank you AA Abbott for your hard work in writing this for readers' enjoyment.
November 8, 2020
3.75*
I was lucky enough to get an arc via The book club reviewer group.
AA Abott is a new author to me.
Emily escapes from a situation with her Step father and ends up on the streets where she is rescued by Jack. Her step father is after her to shut her up, and Jack ends up with a difficult choice to make saving Emily or losing his future ambitions.
This book is told mostly from Emily’s POV but occasionally Jacks.
It was a quick easy enjoyable read. No real surprises it was all pretty textbook grooming techniques.
I liked that it is set in Birmingham.
The character I warmed to was Jack. Likeable trust worthy, loyal and loving.
I didn’t find Emily a likeable character, I felt that she was manipulative and self centred. Although I did feel sorry for her at one point.
I was lucky enough to get an arc via The book club reviewer group.
AA Abott is a new author to me.
Emily escapes from a situation with her Step father and ends up on the streets where she is rescued by Jack. Her step father is after her to shut her up, and Jack ends up with a difficult choice to make saving Emily or losing his future ambitions.
This book is told mostly from Emily’s POV but occasionally Jacks.
It was a quick easy enjoyable read. No real surprises it was all pretty textbook grooming techniques.
I liked that it is set in Birmingham.
The character I warmed to was Jack. Likeable trust worthy, loyal and loving.
I didn’t find Emily a likeable character, I felt that she was manipulative and self centred. Although I did feel sorry for her at one point.
November 8, 2020
This book is disturbing, not because there are any graphic scenes, but because it could all too easily be a true story. I read this book because I have read others by this author so I knew it would be well written. I wasn’t wrong. The characters and their differing personalities are well described and interesting. There are also a few nice unexpected bits at the end that link to things which happen early on in the story. The author has done a really good job with this book. This is not a genre I usually read and I found it a little slow for my tastes (thought not for the genre), but that is what makes it so realistic. I was lucky enough to receive and ARC and I will definitely be buying this when it becomes available later this month
November 23, 2020
*this book has triggers of: child abuse/sexual assault/drugs/paedophilia*
Thank you for providing me this ARC to read.
Firstly, let’s start with the positives: the storyline was good and the author took quite a risk with some of the topics. It was an easy, quick read.
Now the not so good: the writing style felt quite poor and it felt like I was reading a book for a child with the way things were written (not the topics obviously though). The characters were not realistic at all, particularly the step-dad. I felt the book was rushed and ideas and storyline were not executed well, which was a shame as I think the idea and plot could have been done really well.
Thank you for providing me this ARC to read.
Firstly, let’s start with the positives: the storyline was good and the author took quite a risk with some of the topics. It was an easy, quick read.
Now the not so good: the writing style felt quite poor and it felt like I was reading a book for a child with the way things were written (not the topics obviously though). The characters were not realistic at all, particularly the step-dad. I felt the book was rushed and ideas and storyline were not executed well, which was a shame as I think the idea and plot could have been done really well.
October 15, 2021
I love A.A.Abbott books, they're always well written & have some flawed characters.
Bright Lies is a fantastic psychological thriller that tickets on several sensitive subjects including child abuse & grooming.
Compelling, thrilling & utterly gripping. I will be finishing the test tonight when I go to bed.
Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot & audible book.
𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 4 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
Bright Lies is a fantastic psychological thriller that tickets on several sensitive subjects including child abuse & grooming.
Compelling, thrilling & utterly gripping. I will be finishing the test tonight when I go to bed.
Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot & audible book.
𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 4 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
November 16, 2020
14 year old Emily has been shown/taught things that no one of her age should see. Along comes Jack who sees a woman in need. Emily is being hunted down by her antagonist to make sure she keeps quiet.
Who will survive?
Will Emily be saved?
Read this hard hitting, gritty story to find out.
Highly recommend
Who will survive?
Will Emily be saved?
Read this hard hitting, gritty story to find out.
Highly recommend
November 23, 2020
A.A Abbott has written an absolutely brilliant book in Bright Lies, totally engaging from the beginning.
I was hooked from the first chapter and struggled to have to put it down to go back to my normal life, I wanted to sit and read straight through but any chance I got to read it, I did.
The story of Emily who leaves home for good reason and ends up on the streets until she is taken under Jack's wing. Jack a reformed bad boy and Emily develop a bond but what a journey they go on.
Read for yourself, you won't be disappointed.
I was hooked from the first chapter and struggled to have to put it down to go back to my normal life, I wanted to sit and read straight through but any chance I got to read it, I did.
The story of Emily who leaves home for good reason and ends up on the streets until she is taken under Jack's wing. Jack a reformed bad boy and Emily develop a bond but what a journey they go on.
Read for yourself, you won't be disappointed.
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