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Why She Lied
Will she have to lose her child to save her child?
The day she tells her boyfriend she’s pregnant, is the same day he tells her he’s been accused of molestation. His trial is set to begin the following day.
She needs answers…
To get them, she tricks her boyfriend into signing a release form, giving her full access to all of his legal documents. She uncovers the truth, he’s guilty.
To save her unborn child from this monster, she gets an abortion.
FIVE YEARS LATER and still rebuilding her life, Julie finds out her ex-boyfriend has just become the most wanted man in America, involved in human trafficking. When detectives ask for her help locating him, she gets drawn into a baffling mystery. What began as a seemingly simple search soon turns into a much darker reality.
Someone from her past is watching…
Bit by bit, the tapestry of her own secret childhood begins to unravel. What she learns about her past will haunt her forever: family isn’t always what it seems.
Can she help bring this predator to justice, or will she die trying?
WHY SHE LIED is a gripping psychological thriller full of mystery, intrigue, and buried secrets.
The day she tells her boyfriend she’s pregnant, is the same day he tells her he’s been accused of molestation. His trial is set to begin the following day.
She needs answers…
To get them, she tricks her boyfriend into signing a release form, giving her full access to all of his legal documents. She uncovers the truth, he’s guilty.
To save her unborn child from this monster, she gets an abortion.
FIVE YEARS LATER and still rebuilding her life, Julie finds out her ex-boyfriend has just become the most wanted man in America, involved in human trafficking. When detectives ask for her help locating him, she gets drawn into a baffling mystery. What began as a seemingly simple search soon turns into a much darker reality.
Someone from her past is watching…
Bit by bit, the tapestry of her own secret childhood begins to unravel. What she learns about her past will haunt her forever: family isn’t always what it seems.
Can she help bring this predator to justice, or will she die trying?
WHY SHE LIED is a gripping psychological thriller full of mystery, intrigue, and buried secrets.
170 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2019
About the author
Julie Coons
6 books149 followersAward-winning author Julie Coons lives in a small town in Oregon. This Does Not Leave This House was her debut memoir. Amy’s bookshelf
reviews awarded it the #1 position for top 10 books of 2018. Her second book, Why She Lied, is based on a true story and winner of the 2019 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award bronze medal. Her third book, Haunted: A Paranormal Awakening, is also a true story about Julie’s paranormal journey. Julie plans to stay in the paranormal genre for a while.
If you wish to connect, ask a question, or invite Julie to speak to your group or organization, contact her at: connect@juliecoons.com.
So much more coming in 2021! Julie also plans to make YouTube videos sharing more of her story. Subscribe to Julie's YouTube channel JULIE COONS and get to know her even better.
Website: juliecoons.com
YouTube: Julie Coons
Twitter: @JulieCoons1
Facebook: Julie Coons Author
reviews awarded it the #1 position for top 10 books of 2018. Her second book, Why She Lied, is based on a true story and winner of the 2019 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award bronze medal. Her third book, Haunted: A Paranormal Awakening, is also a true story about Julie’s paranormal journey. Julie plans to stay in the paranormal genre for a while.
If you wish to connect, ask a question, or invite Julie to speak to your group or organization, contact her at: connect@juliecoons.com.
So much more coming in 2021! Julie also plans to make YouTube videos sharing more of her story. Subscribe to Julie's YouTube channel JULIE COONS and get to know her even better.
Website: juliecoons.com
YouTube: Julie Coons
Twitter: @JulieCoons1
Facebook: Julie Coons Author
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
April 15, 2019
My teammate read the first book of Julie Coons, which was a memoir/autobiography and he really liked it. He recommended me to read the same. At that time I was busy so didn't get time to read it. But last month when I saw her upcoming book, and I took time and decided to read the book. It was indeed a correct decision.
The protagonist of our story is Julie (I am not sure whether she is the author herself or not). Julie, the character, had an abusive past. When the story started, she was living with her daughter. She was working in a hospital's emergency ward. Due to her troubled past, she was more of an introvert and reserved. She worked on her gut feeling most of the times. Recently a guy name James was visiting the hospital frequently due to his mother's health. He liked Julie and wanted to date her. But Julie was ignoring her. James made many people convince Julie to date him. She went against her gut feelings. though she was getting negative vibes from James, she started dating him. Things were going okay (though vibes she was getting never dissipated), one day when James self-invited himself for a night out at Julie's place, things started horribly wrong. Read the book to know more.
My observation about the book. Starting with positive points
1) A pure work of a psychological genius
2) Dark and mysterious till the end
3) Limited characters.
4) Properly focused on the development of Julie's character and her mental state
5) Good suspense building over James' character and surrounded incidents
6) Shocking revelation
7) If it is a true story then I would salute that lady
Now we will start with points of improvement
8) In the first half every alternate page Julie would talk about her gut feeling which became redundant after the first few pages.
9) Though revelation Julie found was at a very big level, people behind the scene didn't hide anything to get away before actions were taken. Seems unrealistic to me
10) Julie's single-handed surveillance. How could she go unnoticed?
11) Frequent narrations of Julie's past, some of them could have been avoided.
Overall a nice psychological dark tale.
Detailed Review Will Follow Shortly - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2019/...
The protagonist of our story is Julie (I am not sure whether she is the author herself or not). Julie, the character, had an abusive past. When the story started, she was living with her daughter. She was working in a hospital's emergency ward. Due to her troubled past, she was more of an introvert and reserved. She worked on her gut feeling most of the times. Recently a guy name James was visiting the hospital frequently due to his mother's health. He liked Julie and wanted to date her. But Julie was ignoring her. James made many people convince Julie to date him. She went against her gut feelings. though she was getting negative vibes from James, she started dating him. Things were going okay (though vibes she was getting never dissipated), one day when James self-invited himself for a night out at Julie's place, things started horribly wrong. Read the book to know more.
My observation about the book. Starting with positive points
1) A pure work of a psychological genius
2) Dark and mysterious till the end
3) Limited characters.
4) Properly focused on the development of Julie's character and her mental state
5) Good suspense building over James' character and surrounded incidents
6) Shocking revelation
7) If it is a true story then I would salute that lady
Now we will start with points of improvement
8) In the first half every alternate page Julie would talk about her gut feeling which became redundant after the first few pages.
9) Though revelation Julie found was at a very big level, people behind the scene didn't hide anything to get away before actions were taken. Seems unrealistic to me
10) Julie's single-handed surveillance. How could she go unnoticed?
11) Frequent narrations of Julie's past, some of them could have been avoided.
Overall a nice psychological dark tale.
Detailed Review Will Follow Shortly - https://chevusread.blogspot.com/2019/...
Read
August 15, 2019The story concept was gut wrenching. It might have been based on a true story. But the style of writing was not good and I found the scenes unbelievable.
I tried hard to like the book, but I couldn't.
I tried hard to like the book, but I couldn't.
July 16, 2019
He had a lot of people recommending that Julie date him, but there was something that left Julie uneasy. Perhaps if she had followed her gut, her life would not have become even more of a nightmare than it had been. Then again, maybe she never would have found the strength to fight evil at its roots.
Julie Coons’s WHY SHE LIED is a jagged and heartbreaking tale of abuse, lies, deceit and the determination of one woman to protect her child at any cost. Told in the main character’s voice, this reads with a certain frantic and repetitive way, as if the jumbles of thoughts going through the main character, Julie’s head were spilling out with all of the uncertainty and horror she felt.
The story is definitely eye-opening, difficult to read and emotionally charged, but the style of the author’s writing was hard to stay connected with. There was too much repetition and wandering back and forth. That said, I do think it is a book worth reading, as it was based on a true story that is definitely horrendous.
I received a complimentary copy from Julie Coons! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher: Julie Coons
Genre: Psychological Thriller/Suspense
Release Date: March 3, 2019
Length of book: 183 pages
Formats Available: Paperback and ebook
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/2X6yXWa
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2JHItvQ
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Julie Coons’s WHY SHE LIED is a jagged and heartbreaking tale of abuse, lies, deceit and the determination of one woman to protect her child at any cost. Told in the main character’s voice, this reads with a certain frantic and repetitive way, as if the jumbles of thoughts going through the main character, Julie’s head were spilling out with all of the uncertainty and horror she felt.
The story is definitely eye-opening, difficult to read and emotionally charged, but the style of the author’s writing was hard to stay connected with. There was too much repetition and wandering back and forth. That said, I do think it is a book worth reading, as it was based on a true story that is definitely horrendous.
I received a complimentary copy from Julie Coons! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher: Julie Coons
Genre: Psychological Thriller/Suspense
Release Date: March 3, 2019
Length of book: 183 pages
Formats Available: Paperback and ebook
Amazon link: https://amzn.to/2X6yXWa
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2JHItvQ
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
July 28, 2019
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September 9, 2019
Gut wrenching and honest- A BOOK YOU NEED TO READ
I have not cried this much reading a book like I did when I read Julie's story. When I first agreed to read this book I was told how it actually read, and when I mean by that is Julie tells her story of bringing down one of the biggest human trafficking rings ever. I can't believe everything this woman went through to bring these people to justice. To me she is a hero and I would love to meet her personally and just give her a hug for saving all those children that she saved. What she says though, human trafficking is one of the biggest crimes in the United States, not counting Mexico, and other countries. Unlike other subjects that people don't Wanna talk about this needs to be talked about, and we need to stand up and spread the word that this is happening every day to our children and it's getting worse every day and we need better laws for our children to protect them from monsters. Thank you Julie for giving me the opportunity to read your book and God bless you girl stay strong and Godspeed. 😉
I have not cried this much reading a book like I did when I read Julie's story. When I first agreed to read this book I was told how it actually read, and when I mean by that is Julie tells her story of bringing down one of the biggest human trafficking rings ever. I can't believe everything this woman went through to bring these people to justice. To me she is a hero and I would love to meet her personally and just give her a hug for saving all those children that she saved. What she says though, human trafficking is one of the biggest crimes in the United States, not counting Mexico, and other countries. Unlike other subjects that people don't Wanna talk about this needs to be talked about, and we need to stand up and spread the word that this is happening every day to our children and it's getting worse every day and we need better laws for our children to protect them from monsters. Thank you Julie for giving me the opportunity to read your book and God bless you girl stay strong and Godspeed. 😉
December 5, 2019
Sorry but this was pretty awful
First of all the subject matter is disgusting. Secondly, the book reads like a high school essay. You cannot really call it a novel. There was no suspense, nothing psychologically thrilling or compelling. I couldn’t wait to finish this book
First of all the subject matter is disgusting. Secondly, the book reads like a high school essay. You cannot really call it a novel. There was no suspense, nothing psychologically thrilling or compelling. I couldn’t wait to finish this book
February 13, 2020
Repetitive
Amazed at how “simple minded” this book is written. Repetitive. Kept waiting for it to get better and not be formula written. Glad it was free; and I was a sucker who finished it. Was hoping for an exciting ending.
Amazed at how “simple minded” this book is written. Repetitive. Kept waiting for it to get better and not be formula written. Glad it was free; and I was a sucker who finished it. Was hoping for an exciting ending.
August 19, 2019
I was graciously sent a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I was so very excited to read this book and finally sat down during my vacation and devoured it in one sitting.
This book sucks you in right at the beginning. Not many books can do that to me, but this…this I knew was going to be wonderful especially since it was based on a true story.
Being a victim of domestic violence myself this book really hit home. I truly feel so sorry for all the pain and horrendous gut wrenching issues the author has faced. Julie tells her story of bringing down one of the biggest human trafficking rings ever. I can't believe everything this woman went through to bring these people to justice. She is truly a hero!
Human trafficking is becoming a big issue here in the United States and sadly it’s a topic nobody wants to talk about or deal with. Its truly sad. We need to stand together and rise up to protect our children.
This book starts by introducing us to Julie who works at a hospital and we learn about her horrible abuse in the past. Her co-workers are insistent she go on a date with James. However, Julie’s gut tells her otherwise. After saying no, numerous times she finally agrees and goes out with James.
She finds out that James has cheated on her several times and now she finds herself pregnant. That night when she tells James she is pregnant she finds out that he is being charged with molestation of a girl at a daycare he worked at. She now has to make the biggest choice in her life by deciding if she will end this pregnancy and save her unborn baby from this monster or keep the baby and deal with the fact that James will still be able to be around the baby.
5 years later Julie is approached to law enforcement to help bring justice to the monster she once knew as James. This is when Julie finds out about James involvement with human trafficking and the nightmare starts all over again when Julie starts digging and finding out she was almost a victim herself.
If only Julie would have trusted her gut….
One of THE BEST Thrillers you will read this year! Hand down.
*Thank you Ms. Coons for giving me the opportunity to read your book!*
I was so very excited to read this book and finally sat down during my vacation and devoured it in one sitting.
This book sucks you in right at the beginning. Not many books can do that to me, but this…this I knew was going to be wonderful especially since it was based on a true story.
Being a victim of domestic violence myself this book really hit home. I truly feel so sorry for all the pain and horrendous gut wrenching issues the author has faced. Julie tells her story of bringing down one of the biggest human trafficking rings ever. I can't believe everything this woman went through to bring these people to justice. She is truly a hero!
Human trafficking is becoming a big issue here in the United States and sadly it’s a topic nobody wants to talk about or deal with. Its truly sad. We need to stand together and rise up to protect our children.
This book starts by introducing us to Julie who works at a hospital and we learn about her horrible abuse in the past. Her co-workers are insistent she go on a date with James. However, Julie’s gut tells her otherwise. After saying no, numerous times she finally agrees and goes out with James.
She finds out that James has cheated on her several times and now she finds herself pregnant. That night when she tells James she is pregnant she finds out that he is being charged with molestation of a girl at a daycare he worked at. She now has to make the biggest choice in her life by deciding if she will end this pregnancy and save her unborn baby from this monster or keep the baby and deal with the fact that James will still be able to be around the baby.
5 years later Julie is approached to law enforcement to help bring justice to the monster she once knew as James. This is when Julie finds out about James involvement with human trafficking and the nightmare starts all over again when Julie starts digging and finding out she was almost a victim herself.
If only Julie would have trusted her gut….
One of THE BEST Thrillers you will read this year! Hand down.
*Thank you Ms. Coons for giving me the opportunity to read your book!*
August 5, 2019
Trigger Alert: If you are sensitive to violence, abuse, rape, molestation, abortion, forced prostitution and sex trafficking, this may not be the book for you.
If only Julie had trusted her gut instincts about James, she might never have lived such a nightmarish existence. After discovering her boyfriend, James, cheated on her several times, she finds herself pregnant and shocked to discover her boyfriend is accused of molestation. She decides to get an abortion to save both herself and her baby from a horrific monster.
Five years later, Julie is approached by the authorities to help bring to justice the monster she once knew, James. He’s wanted for human trafficking charges and more. The nightmare starts all over again and this time, Julie’s life is hanging in the balance. Can she escape with her life or has her time run out?
In one of the most terrifying thrillers I’ve ever read, Why She Lied is a suspenseful, nakedly honest story based on real-life events. Told in first-person, the readers plunges into the life and mind of Julie. You get to see the day-to-day life of an ER nurse as well as her personal life. The stalker aspect is very detailed and honestly, it scared the crap out of me. I had to read during the day or else I’d have nightmares.
Why is this not quite five-stars? I found the plot dragged in parts and that drew me out of the story. The parts on calling out religious monsters seemed a bit over the top but then, I think it was more of a cleansing for the author than anything else. Other than that, it was brilliant!
I applaud the author for putting a spotlight on these issues plaguing our society. Sexual and human trafficking needs to stop and she urges the reader to take steps to put an end to it. I couldn’t agree more.
If you’re a fan of Harlan Coben or Thomas Harris (Hannibal Lecter books), you’re going to love Why She Lied. Highly recommend!
Favorite Character/Quote: “We, together as a society, are too good to allow this behavior to continue. Our children depend on us to keep them safe. We mustn’t let them down. This has to end, and it starts today with me. All people around the globe … join me to save the children of the world, our future lies in their hands. Let’s stop letting them down. Rise up and end human trafficking. It’s going to take us all working together to finally put an end to it. It’s not someone else’s job. It’s ours.”
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
If only Julie had trusted her gut instincts about James, she might never have lived such a nightmarish existence. After discovering her boyfriend, James, cheated on her several times, she finds herself pregnant and shocked to discover her boyfriend is accused of molestation. She decides to get an abortion to save both herself and her baby from a horrific monster.
Five years later, Julie is approached by the authorities to help bring to justice the monster she once knew, James. He’s wanted for human trafficking charges and more. The nightmare starts all over again and this time, Julie’s life is hanging in the balance. Can she escape with her life or has her time run out?
In one of the most terrifying thrillers I’ve ever read, Why She Lied is a suspenseful, nakedly honest story based on real-life events. Told in first-person, the readers plunges into the life and mind of Julie. You get to see the day-to-day life of an ER nurse as well as her personal life. The stalker aspect is very detailed and honestly, it scared the crap out of me. I had to read during the day or else I’d have nightmares.
Why is this not quite five-stars? I found the plot dragged in parts and that drew me out of the story. The parts on calling out religious monsters seemed a bit over the top but then, I think it was more of a cleansing for the author than anything else. Other than that, it was brilliant!
I applaud the author for putting a spotlight on these issues plaguing our society. Sexual and human trafficking needs to stop and she urges the reader to take steps to put an end to it. I couldn’t agree more.
If you’re a fan of Harlan Coben or Thomas Harris (Hannibal Lecter books), you’re going to love Why She Lied. Highly recommend!
Favorite Character/Quote: “We, together as a society, are too good to allow this behavior to continue. Our children depend on us to keep them safe. We mustn’t let them down. This has to end, and it starts today with me. All people around the globe … join me to save the children of the world, our future lies in their hands. Let’s stop letting them down. Rise up and end human trafficking. It’s going to take us all working together to finally put an end to it. It’s not someone else’s job. It’s ours.”
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/si...
September 6, 2019
The concept of Why She Lied is difficult to stomach and there are some really hard-hitting things that happen in the story. A heartbreaking tale of abuse, lies, and deceit, and a mother’s determination to save her child at whatever the cost.
The way this novel was written was very difficult for me to connect to. It’s a bit jumbled and it is repetitive. I understand the concept of it as it’s told through the eyes of a frantic mother. I just had trouble with it.
Overall, I am glad I read this novel. I think the concept is great. I was affected emotionally by that. I would recommend this one!
3.5/5☆ (rounded to 4)
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from R&R Book Tours as part of a blog tour. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/
The way this novel was written was very difficult for me to connect to. It’s a bit jumbled and it is repetitive. I understand the concept of it as it’s told through the eyes of a frantic mother. I just had trouble with it.
Overall, I am glad I read this novel. I think the concept is great. I was affected emotionally by that. I would recommend this one!
3.5/5☆ (rounded to 4)
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from R&R Book Tours as part of a blog tour. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/
December 3, 2020
This book really didn't do it for me. I've tried to pick up this book twice now and both times I've had to give up around the fifty page mark. The biggest problem for me is the writing style. There's something really jarring about how the main character, Julie describes all of her psychological and mental health issues right off the mark (and there are a LOT of them) and also how the writing is strangely conversational, but without any real flow to it. It's just difficult to read..
I want to learn about the actual plot, but I can't get past how distracting the writing is and how naive and repetitive Julie is. I may try again a third time, but it definitely isn't speaking to me right now.
I received a copy of this book from the author. This has affected my review in no way.
I want to learn about the actual plot, but I can't get past how distracting the writing is and how naive and repetitive Julie is. I may try again a third time, but it definitely isn't speaking to me right now.
I received a copy of this book from the author. This has affected my review in no way.
August 16, 2022
Finished. I liked the message the book had about human trafficking, but was not impressed with the writing.
Despite the book being based on a real story, there were too many things I found just not believable.
Full review to come once I merge my thoughts and notes into one.
Despite the book being based on a real story, there were too many things I found just not believable.
Full review to come once I merge my thoughts and notes into one.
October 28, 2019
Am I just tainted by a life in the mental health and social services professions or are most people this innocent and naive to the fact that human trafficking exists? I was disappointed in the book and didn’t want to finish it, but kept hoping there would be some climactic moment where things became more mysterious instead of being spelled out repeatedly from the beginning. The subject matter could have been incredibly captivating and nail biting but the method of storytelling fell flat and bored me. It also astounded me that the author would consider herself a psychic and have no idea what was going on or be able to draw the simplest conclusions about what the tractor trailers were for and why women kept getting out of them. She was actually unable to connect the dots until the detective spelled it out for her? Really? Overall a poorly executed attempt at the “riveting psychological thriller” the cover promised and I won’t feel a twinge of regret about putting the book in my next garage sale.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2019
People who find it difficult to deal with bad things in life tend to mentally conjure up other or imaginary worlds to escape into. Living in something akin to a war zone can be tough for anybody. It can make you see things that you're mind might find difficult to grasp as it can only take so much. This is where a wild imagination and daydreaming skill comes in for the main character in Why She Lied, a psychological thriller by Julie Coons which is based on a true story. This is the second book that I get to review by this amazing author. The first, a great read by itself, was a novel titled This Does Not Leave This House.
Julie lives in Oregon. Since her breakup with a man named TJ, someone who cheated on her for eight months during their relationship, she had a drop in self-confidence and self-esteem. An admitting clerk in the busiest trauma centre on the West Coast, Julie started dating a man named James, but if this man was right for her was a question that nagged at her from the very beginning. One night, he raped her and got her pregnant. After luring a little girl under the age of twelve out of a daycare center and sexually abusing her, he gets convicted. Can she move forward knowing that the man she fell for is a convicted child molester?
Julie is introduced as a single mother and an empath who has a daughter that nearly lost her life due to an illness called spinal meningitis. She is also portrayed as a hardworking woman that is glued to her job because of her daughter's deadbeat father's unwillingness to support her financially. Her portrayal is that of someone who can become quickly sad and depressed. Her history with guys isn't great. Her rape experience with James is only the second. She was also raped in college. Her childhood experience wasn't a favorable one: she learned rather to doubt than trust herself. But her strong motherly qualities allows her to tackle her life's obstacles head on.
Coons writes in the first person narrative. The first scene vivifies a pretty hectic day in Julie's life as it gives us a glimpse of what it's like to work in a trauma centre. On this day a teenage boy looses his life due to a motorcycle accident; this boy's brother is distraught to the point where he ends up running through her work station and jumping over her counter with one major leap. A short moment later a baby gets abused and flighted to a different hospital for a better chance to survive. She also describes the hospital environment in great detail. She explains, for example, what phone in the ER is meant for multiple trauma. This shift she works ends with her encountering a serial killer.
There are a lot of scary things that happened in Julie's small town. Back in the 60's, a serial killer named Jerome Brudos - he lived on a street not far from where Julie worked - was responsible for the deaths of several woman. He was known as "The Lust Killer". Oregon sounds like a really creepy place to live in. One night, while driving home, she would spot a man in a hooded jacket that would show up on the evening news as being captured for questioning in relation to a recent murder.
While the author strives for an informative beginning, readers might feel that the details are a bit too much. The author focuses a lot on what life is like working in an ER department. The benefit of it is that getting this illustration out of the way is making it easier for readers to familiarize themselves with Julie Coons as an admitting clerk and showing readers all of the different things that she has to deal with for the day.
Ordered by the court to stay away from all children, James is a pretty misguiding character. I didn't like the author's initial lack of effort when it came to describing James physically. The author describes him only as not being a bad looking guy that is tall, dark and a little bit handsome. His friends view him as this really stand up guy whereas Julie knows what a monster he is. James has this friend that Julie ends up conversing with named Mike who is a father of four. Julie thus has a substantial reason for worrying about the safety of Mike's children. James has this innate talent for getting people to both trust and speak highly of him.
Making matters worse is that James eventually makes it to Oregon's top ten most wanted list by the FBI. I couldn't help but notice that Julie's empathetic personality makes it unable for her to see that James even made it to the list. The guy that Julie ends up crossing paths with is a detective named Joe, a man who turns out having an extremely gigantic heart inside him. Someone had been watching Julie and her daughter when she drove up to a secluded trailer in the woods one day. Quite a hair-raising moment during the story. Another is a sure threat that was made on her life through a phone call. "I'm wondering if this could be a lot bigger than just James being a wanted fugitive."
The author writes that she used to think that the worst monsters were religious monsters and that priests and nuns are like wolves hiding behind habits. Though religious sexual predators are not unheard of, I thought this view of hers to be harshly worded and I saw it more as an attack on religion.
This is one of those stalker novels that gets your heart beating pretty darn fast every time you hear the phone ring. Julie Coons offers something indispensable, pummeling through this flyblown business that is child abuse and human trafficking. She inspires readers to stand up against these horrifying monsters that live among us.
July 1, 2019
Do you follow your gut instincts? What do they tell you when you meet people? Do they guide you in relationships or at work? These questions are ones that Coons brings up throughout this story. It is so important to follow those signs that really warn you about those you run into contact with. This story will pull readers in from the shear psychological aspect and the gripping terror that accompanies the main character in her journey to find peace AND justice from those who wish her harm.
Julie works in the hospital and has a job that pays the bills, but it isn’t ideal. The things that she sees can really get to a person…but she trudges on through it all because she has a daughter that needs her more than anything else. She has made it this far, after finally escaping an abusive family situation with her mother, and she is determined that she can definitely be a better mother. Upon pressure from coworkers and friends, Julie starts to see a man who has asked her several times on a date, but something just hasn’t felt right. Instead of going with that feeling and denying him yet again, she goes and ignores all of the signs that something is dreadfully wrong with this man. After things progress with the relationship, she becomes pregnant and decides to tell him, but then the ball drops. James informs Julie that he has been accused of molesting a child and has to go to court, the very next day. Struggling through her emotions and trying to find the truth, Julie knows that this may be the beginning of something much bigger, especially after she begins digging through James’ past and the charges that he faces. Little does she know that her past may be intermingled with his and a much greater evil.
Coons has a hair-raising novel that is very quick in pace, which makes it a little easier to read (even though some of it was difficult to read through due to content). Julie reaches her readers with raw emotional turmoil, grabbing the reader with fear, anxiety, and determination. The story is very well written, with little to no spelling or grammatical errors. Everything was vivid, even though some things were more painful to envision than others—our final thought on this story is that is credible and very enlightening to the darker aspects of society. The criminals that still hold ranks in this country go to lengths that will terrify almost anyone and awareness holds a lot of power. Unfortunately, it is difficult to understand something so traumatic if one hasn’t found themselves in the same situation; however, this story feels real and will give the reader goosebumps from the author’s intense descriptiveness of every scene. If you are a reader of organized crime, true crime, and psychological thrillers, this one should be in your hands next.
A copy of this book was provided to Turning Another Page by the author and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a five-star rating to Why She Lied by Julie Coons.
Julie works in the hospital and has a job that pays the bills, but it isn’t ideal. The things that she sees can really get to a person…but she trudges on through it all because she has a daughter that needs her more than anything else. She has made it this far, after finally escaping an abusive family situation with her mother, and she is determined that she can definitely be a better mother. Upon pressure from coworkers and friends, Julie starts to see a man who has asked her several times on a date, but something just hasn’t felt right. Instead of going with that feeling and denying him yet again, she goes and ignores all of the signs that something is dreadfully wrong with this man. After things progress with the relationship, she becomes pregnant and decides to tell him, but then the ball drops. James informs Julie that he has been accused of molesting a child and has to go to court, the very next day. Struggling through her emotions and trying to find the truth, Julie knows that this may be the beginning of something much bigger, especially after she begins digging through James’ past and the charges that he faces. Little does she know that her past may be intermingled with his and a much greater evil.
Coons has a hair-raising novel that is very quick in pace, which makes it a little easier to read (even though some of it was difficult to read through due to content). Julie reaches her readers with raw emotional turmoil, grabbing the reader with fear, anxiety, and determination. The story is very well written, with little to no spelling or grammatical errors. Everything was vivid, even though some things were more painful to envision than others—our final thought on this story is that is credible and very enlightening to the darker aspects of society. The criminals that still hold ranks in this country go to lengths that will terrify almost anyone and awareness holds a lot of power. Unfortunately, it is difficult to understand something so traumatic if one hasn’t found themselves in the same situation; however, this story feels real and will give the reader goosebumps from the author’s intense descriptiveness of every scene. If you are a reader of organized crime, true crime, and psychological thrillers, this one should be in your hands next.
A copy of this book was provided to Turning Another Page by the author and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a five-star rating to Why She Lied by Julie Coons.
July 18, 2019
First, I want to thank Julie Coons for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.
Julie Coons is an incredibly strong and brave woman to share her very intense and powerful story with the world in Why She Lied. This book is not only on my must read of the year-but-my all time favorite read of the year. It is one of those psychological thrillers that will totally shock you, blow you away, make you cringe, make you cry (at least I did), but then you have to remember-this is someone’s true story! This actually happened to someone!! Then all I wanted to do was hug Julie and never let her go.
I will be blunt this is a dark and twisted book. This is not a feel-good book at all! It is a book with a lot of issues that I feel need to be discussed in the review in case it is a trigger for the readers. This book deals with pedophile, sex and human trafficking, rape by nuns and priests at a Catholic School, Abortion and the aftermath of it, narcissistic parents, murder, lots of secrets, molestation, etc. This is not a book for just anyone. This went beyond any #MeToo book I have ever read before.
Julie blew me away with this book. Right away she captured my attention with the book. She mentioned she is in an Em-path and has a caring heart. This is why she went into the medical field. I too have that trait and I too was in the medical field. In the beginning of the book she discussed many medical cases she worked on. This part of the book very much intrigued me to no end. I love medical themed books as well. So I was loving this book.
She continued to capture my interest throughout the book. Why She Lied was one of the books with the most secrets, shockers, twists and turns. This was the first book I was ever truly scared to death for the character and cried my eyes out at the end for her. I wanted to hold her and be there for her at the end of all this.
Single ladies be careful who you choose to date!!! Not everyone is who you seem!!
Julie Coons Why She Lied needs to make it to the big screen or even NetFlix Original! This movie has to be made. I am so incredibly passionate about this book and this author!! This has blockbuster written all over it!! You just have to read the book to see what I am talking about.
I honestly hope by writing this that she was able to heal from all of this. I also hope by writing this that it could help someone in this situation.
Julie Coons is an incredibly strong and brave woman to share her very intense and powerful story with the world in Why She Lied. This book is not only on my must read of the year-but-my all time favorite read of the year. It is one of those psychological thrillers that will totally shock you, blow you away, make you cringe, make you cry (at least I did), but then you have to remember-this is someone’s true story! This actually happened to someone!! Then all I wanted to do was hug Julie and never let her go.
I will be blunt this is a dark and twisted book. This is not a feel-good book at all! It is a book with a lot of issues that I feel need to be discussed in the review in case it is a trigger for the readers. This book deals with pedophile, sex and human trafficking, rape by nuns and priests at a Catholic School, Abortion and the aftermath of it, narcissistic parents, murder, lots of secrets, molestation, etc. This is not a book for just anyone. This went beyond any #MeToo book I have ever read before.
Julie blew me away with this book. Right away she captured my attention with the book. She mentioned she is in an Em-path and has a caring heart. This is why she went into the medical field. I too have that trait and I too was in the medical field. In the beginning of the book she discussed many medical cases she worked on. This part of the book very much intrigued me to no end. I love medical themed books as well. So I was loving this book.
She continued to capture my interest throughout the book. Why She Lied was one of the books with the most secrets, shockers, twists and turns. This was the first book I was ever truly scared to death for the character and cried my eyes out at the end for her. I wanted to hold her and be there for her at the end of all this.
Single ladies be careful who you choose to date!!! Not everyone is who you seem!!
Julie Coons Why She Lied needs to make it to the big screen or even NetFlix Original! This movie has to be made. I am so incredibly passionate about this book and this author!! This has blockbuster written all over it!! You just have to read the book to see what I am talking about.
I honestly hope by writing this that she was able to heal from all of this. I also hope by writing this that it could help someone in this situation.
September 7, 2019
I love to listen to stories about real-life, some are inspiring, motivational and other are a harsh look at the world around us. This one was almost all of it. Not only because it came with a really kind greeting card from the author but because it is also one of the well-written books I came across this year.
One of books’ prime focus was psychological elements of human traffickers, covering the depth of human minds. With each page, you turn you’ll be hooked with the thought of what is going to happen next. Yes, the book is a short read and not a fictional story, but with every new paragraph, it makes you think about the world we live in and how you would have dealt with something like this if you were at author’s position.
About the writing style, I liked how the incidents were written in a well-paced manner and didn’t include too many details that could have gone off-topic. Julie Coons enables the readers to imagine the incidents in the book taking place in their heads very easily, thanks to the way everything is portrayed. In the beginning, the book would feel straightforward and simple but you won’t even realize how soon the twists kick in and you find yourself into a book which won’t let your attention go away.
Reading how Julie dealt with it all will surely make you feel proud of her and also, even while reading the retelling of the incidents, you’ll find yourself rooting for her. Now, for the actual thing that happened, we get to follow Julie’s perspective who’s pregnant and dating a guy, James who is charged for molesting a girl at daycare. She chose to date him only under peer pressure from her co-workers. And as it turns out, it wasn’t the best choice. Though, it leads to something really big. We also find out that Julie worked at a hospital and this wasn’t the first time she has witnessed such a person. Then, the book becomes the history of a mother trying to make the toughest choices and attempting to protect her unborn child from such a monster.
From that moment to her finding out about his involvement in human trafficking, there’s a lot to take in. The rest of the book involves a lot of hidden secrets coming in the scene and making her see how close she was to her world turning upside down. I won’t break down everything in the book because it really deserves your time. So, to find how it all turns out is something you must read.
One of books’ prime focus was psychological elements of human traffickers, covering the depth of human minds. With each page, you turn you’ll be hooked with the thought of what is going to happen next. Yes, the book is a short read and not a fictional story, but with every new paragraph, it makes you think about the world we live in and how you would have dealt with something like this if you were at author’s position.
About the writing style, I liked how the incidents were written in a well-paced manner and didn’t include too many details that could have gone off-topic. Julie Coons enables the readers to imagine the incidents in the book taking place in their heads very easily, thanks to the way everything is portrayed. In the beginning, the book would feel straightforward and simple but you won’t even realize how soon the twists kick in and you find yourself into a book which won’t let your attention go away.
Reading how Julie dealt with it all will surely make you feel proud of her and also, even while reading the retelling of the incidents, you’ll find yourself rooting for her. Now, for the actual thing that happened, we get to follow Julie’s perspective who’s pregnant and dating a guy, James who is charged for molesting a girl at daycare. She chose to date him only under peer pressure from her co-workers. And as it turns out, it wasn’t the best choice. Though, it leads to something really big. We also find out that Julie worked at a hospital and this wasn’t the first time she has witnessed such a person. Then, the book becomes the history of a mother trying to make the toughest choices and attempting to protect her unborn child from such a monster.
From that moment to her finding out about his involvement in human trafficking, there’s a lot to take in. The rest of the book involves a lot of hidden secrets coming in the scene and making her see how close she was to her world turning upside down. I won’t break down everything in the book because it really deserves your time. So, to find how it all turns out is something you must read.
March 16, 2019
Very compelling subject matter
Like Julie herself admits, she's not a writer, she's a story teller. Her writing isn't very polished and she jumps from the first to the third person very throughout the book, so it doesn't read professionally at all. She could polish her writing up just by paying attention to that single detail. As it is, it's kind of sloppy to read her talking in the first person in one paragraph, then skipping right to the third in the next, and back to the first in another. Even sentence to sentence.
But, I noticed no typos and no editing errors so there were no bothersome mistakes there. And her character development was good (she's the main character) although I'd have liked to have seen Det. Joe built up a bit more.
This book was "based" on a true story, so I'm not sure how much of it was actually true, but did recognize some of the scenes from her other book about the abuse in her childhood. Some of that is touched on in this book, but it's not necessary you read the other book first
Julie does take the matter of human trafficking and being it to the forefront, showing that even in a smaller town in America, not coming in through the borders, but just state to state, humans are being used as commodities. The women are used as "breeders" to continue to produce children to be sold to the highest bidder to be either used for their own sick fantasies, for domestic slavery, for the "owner" to abuse, or to use as human sacrifice in satanic rituals. Even if sold for a less nefarious purpose, the selling of a child is just wrong.
I'm not sure if Ms Julie did any research for this book. There is one statistic listed that she obtained from one other book, but it would have been nice to see a list of maybe some help lines in the back, since she also seems to be interested in advocating to stop this from happening, and states such at the end near, or on, the "About the Author" page.
This book reads more like a memoir than a fictional psychological thriller, so it would probably attract readers who are interested in those, or in her first book.
It's an interesting and well thought out book, but her writing style needs some polish... then again... she does say she's not a writer, so I'll cut her some slack on that
Like Julie herself admits, she's not a writer, she's a story teller. Her writing isn't very polished and she jumps from the first to the third person very throughout the book, so it doesn't read professionally at all. She could polish her writing up just by paying attention to that single detail. As it is, it's kind of sloppy to read her talking in the first person in one paragraph, then skipping right to the third in the next, and back to the first in another. Even sentence to sentence.
But, I noticed no typos and no editing errors so there were no bothersome mistakes there. And her character development was good (she's the main character) although I'd have liked to have seen Det. Joe built up a bit more.
This book was "based" on a true story, so I'm not sure how much of it was actually true, but did recognize some of the scenes from her other book about the abuse in her childhood. Some of that is touched on in this book, but it's not necessary you read the other book first
Julie does take the matter of human trafficking and being it to the forefront, showing that even in a smaller town in America, not coming in through the borders, but just state to state, humans are being used as commodities. The women are used as "breeders" to continue to produce children to be sold to the highest bidder to be either used for their own sick fantasies, for domestic slavery, for the "owner" to abuse, or to use as human sacrifice in satanic rituals. Even if sold for a less nefarious purpose, the selling of a child is just wrong.
I'm not sure if Ms Julie did any research for this book. There is one statistic listed that she obtained from one other book, but it would have been nice to see a list of maybe some help lines in the back, since she also seems to be interested in advocating to stop this from happening, and states such at the end near, or on, the "About the Author" page.
This book reads more like a memoir than a fictional psychological thriller, so it would probably attract readers who are interested in those, or in her first book.
It's an interesting and well thought out book, but her writing style needs some polish... then again... she does say she's not a writer, so I'll cut her some slack on that
August 5, 2019
The story "Why she lied" has been a really riveting and the quickest book I have ever read. It seemed like I had absorbed a lot of details and that you may have gone through just a few pages, but in reality you would have finished half of the book! Julie has a truly skill to explain the pain and agony that the protagonist is going through (possibly due to her own personal experience?!) and edges her readers to feel those same emotions through the pages of her book. And let me tell you right at the beginning that the book is so depressing that I had a few sleepless nights and to think that it was based on a true story! This book is definitely not for the weak-hearted. But if you're someone like me, who cherishes emotional roller-coasters, this one's definitely for you. Apart from having the ability to translate experiences in words, Julie does a tremendous job in covering the story without going hay-way and make the readers transcend through the pages quickly. If you're planning on taking a long train ride, you can pick this book for your company.
In my usual review style, I start by providing my version of the book's summary and then talk about my experience, but I really needed to get that off my chest!
The story is filled with an all-embracing part which closes loop with several parts of the story that you discover as you go through the book. The lead of the story- Julie is a kind and naive women who has been abused all thorough her life from her mother, her husband and her boyfriends and you see how this kind of treatment has made her feel so little about her self which translates to her letting people treat her like a doormat or worse. There is a part in the narration where the lead says that we teach people how to treat us and I only agree with it a little bit. True, we set a certain impression about ourselves with some people, but that is no reason for anyone to treat the other cruelly. I agree that it is very important for us to stand our ground and be strong, but it is also the societies responsibility to refrain from behaving that way and stop anyone who is victimizing someone.
I was pleasingly astonished that the author’s solution for something actually unexpected. I highly recommend this book to anyone.
In my usual review style, I start by providing my version of the book's summary and then talk about my experience, but I really needed to get that off my chest!
The story is filled with an all-embracing part which closes loop with several parts of the story that you discover as you go through the book. The lead of the story- Julie is a kind and naive women who has been abused all thorough her life from her mother, her husband and her boyfriends and you see how this kind of treatment has made her feel so little about her self which translates to her letting people treat her like a doormat or worse. There is a part in the narration where the lead says that we teach people how to treat us and I only agree with it a little bit. True, we set a certain impression about ourselves with some people, but that is no reason for anyone to treat the other cruelly. I agree that it is very important for us to stand our ground and be strong, but it is also the societies responsibility to refrain from behaving that way and stop anyone who is victimizing someone.
I was pleasingly astonished that the author’s solution for something actually unexpected. I highly recommend this book to anyone.
July 4, 2019
Why she Lied is a book that intrigued me because of the human trafficking part. I have read plenty of such books and keep an eye on others that revolve around the same theme. The problem with such books is that they often end up being completely gruesome while not giving much details about the chain of events, how it happens, how can you recognize a trafficker because let’s be honest, one can’t assume such a horrific thing about anyone. Yet, knowing that your boyfriend (even if it is ex) is involved in something like that and not only involved but a key component? That’s devastating.
Since the author mentions that this book is based on a true story I was even more terrified because most of it reads like fiction. I don’t know which parts exactly are true and which are fictionalised for thriller effect. Yet, a thriller it is. I loved reading this book. Julie is such a fantastic main character and though I was bothered a bit about shifting narratives, the changing Point of Views from first person to third person, mostly I could get behind what was happening and picture it in my head. Trust me, it wasn’t a pretty sight. The book was filled with twists and turns and is such a great mystery. It is a really dark read but since I have read darker stuff, I could manage it just fine. One thing I really liked about this book was the details. In such kind of books, if you can’t immerse yourself in the book, you won’t have any fun and the only way to truly get into a book is through details. I haven’t read any other books by this author but I think she has a good style.
Since the author mentions that this book is based on a true story I was even more terrified because most of it reads like fiction. I don’t know which parts exactly are true and which are fictionalised for thriller effect. Yet, a thriller it is. I loved reading this book. Julie is such a fantastic main character and though I was bothered a bit about shifting narratives, the changing Point of Views from first person to third person, mostly I could get behind what was happening and picture it in my head. Trust me, it wasn’t a pretty sight. The book was filled with twists and turns and is such a great mystery. It is a really dark read but since I have read darker stuff, I could manage it just fine. One thing I really liked about this book was the details. In such kind of books, if you can’t immerse yourself in the book, you won’t have any fun and the only way to truly get into a book is through details. I haven’t read any other books by this author but I think she has a good style.
November 10, 2019
Julie is very reluctant to date James. She is a single mother with no help from her ex, she was abused as a child and raped in college - no wonder she is reluctant to start a relationship with a new man. She began dating him and even though she had fun, she never really got over the feeling that there was something not quite right with him. On the day she was going to tell him that she was pregnant with his baby he confessed to her that he was going on trial the next day for child molestation. She checks with all the legal people she knows and finds out that he will have access to his baby even if he is found guilty. To make sure that doesn't happen, she has an abortion.
Five years later when she is finally getting her life back to normal, she finds out that he was and still is involved in human trafficking. I can't say much about that as I don't want to give away important parts of the plot but she begins to work with the police to help them track down James who is now the most wanted person in the country. As she helps the police, her own life is endangered and she finds out horrific secrets about her past.
This is a book with a lot of gripping psychological mystery, intrigue, and buried secrets. According to the author, it's based on a true story. The plot in the book is well done but the writing needs to be polished. The author claims to be a story teller instead of an author. She tells a great story but it could have been better with smoother writing.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Five years later when she is finally getting her life back to normal, she finds out that he was and still is involved in human trafficking. I can't say much about that as I don't want to give away important parts of the plot but she begins to work with the police to help them track down James who is now the most wanted person in the country. As she helps the police, her own life is endangered and she finds out horrific secrets about her past.
This is a book with a lot of gripping psychological mystery, intrigue, and buried secrets. According to the author, it's based on a true story. The plot in the book is well done but the writing needs to be polished. The author claims to be a story teller instead of an author. She tells a great story but it could have been better with smoother writing.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
May 31, 2019
I was contacted by the author to please check out this read, I really appreciate when authors do that ...that they will connected me directly .. or have one of their peeps do that. SO COOL. I did reply with I have KU ... I would be happy to see if it was a fit for me. I love a good mystery ... u know that. Whatever makes you happy, I am sorry I had to laugh at another reviewer ... pure fiction .. i think the point was it was based on a true story .. not a word for word truth??! u have to be looking at what is said, duh!! and at least have a pic on your profile page to say such??! i mean honest reviews are what authors want ...both good and bad ...but be truth in all u do. so silly. i think it is amazing how events similar to this do happen in our world ... right under our noses ... u think an area is so great ... shocking and heartbreaking. emotions will be in this read ... for sure. I think u have to trust your gut always. that is true. no matter what you do in life ... if u feel one way ... feel it .. allow no one u crush that. well written. i see only 2 books on Julie Amazon page .. I hope and pray one day there will be more. best of all u what you do. & enjoy it!! Check out this read!!
July 14, 2019
Why She Lied by Julie Coons is a refreshing new dark psychological thriller with a great concept, a nicely executed plot and decent characterization. This book had just the right amount of complexity to make it an engaging read without being too overly complex.
Overall, this book was a gripping thriller. The characterization wasn't exactly spot on, but I cared for the main character, Julie, enough to read through the entire book with interest. The layers of background made her a likeable lead and, although the flashbacks and some character traits felt redundant, I felt she was a decent protagonist. Though, again, I wasn't able to connect or relate to her entirely for some reason.
The writing was good for most parts, though at times the narration felt redundant and there was more of 'telling' rather than 'showing.' As it was on the simpler side, the reading was easy and the book, because of the tight pacing, turned out to be a surprisingly quick read even for a less-than-200-pages-book.
I liked this book and would recommend to all thriller lovers, especially the ones who love reading dark thrillers with layered and complex characters.
You can also read this review on www.thereadingbud.com
Overall, this book was a gripping thriller. The characterization wasn't exactly spot on, but I cared for the main character, Julie, enough to read through the entire book with interest. The layers of background made her a likeable lead and, although the flashbacks and some character traits felt redundant, I felt she was a decent protagonist. Though, again, I wasn't able to connect or relate to her entirely for some reason.
The writing was good for most parts, though at times the narration felt redundant and there was more of 'telling' rather than 'showing.' As it was on the simpler side, the reading was easy and the book, because of the tight pacing, turned out to be a surprisingly quick read even for a less-than-200-pages-book.
I liked this book and would recommend to all thriller lovers, especially the ones who love reading dark thrillers with layered and complex characters.
You can also read this review on www.thereadingbud.com
June 10, 2019
What drew me to Why She Lied was the fact it was based off a true story, the author's life. The writing is simple, but the subject material is not. We follow Julie as she navigates a relationship she should have never been in and all the horrors that follow. When you think things can't get worse, they do, and so much more so.
I think it would be easy for a reader to judge Julie for her mistakes, but a person that has been raised in such an abusive atmosphere tends to repeat their mistakes because they are a learned behavior. Her mother was a narcissist who was both physically and mentally abusive, which was carried on through Catholic school. That was the precedent in which her relationships followed.
While there are a few words in here that are offensive, and could easily be removed, I thought Why She Lied was a compelling read. Julie is a remarkably strong person, who survived through so much to be able to come out on the other side to tell her story. The story is a bit repetitive at times, but the message is strong. Every year thousands of women and children are stolen and sold into slavery. Julie's story is just the tip of the iceberg. Nicely done.
I think it would be easy for a reader to judge Julie for her mistakes, but a person that has been raised in such an abusive atmosphere tends to repeat their mistakes because they are a learned behavior. Her mother was a narcissist who was both physically and mentally abusive, which was carried on through Catholic school. That was the precedent in which her relationships followed.
While there are a few words in here that are offensive, and could easily be removed, I thought Why She Lied was a compelling read. Julie is a remarkably strong person, who survived through so much to be able to come out on the other side to tell her story. The story is a bit repetitive at times, but the message is strong. Every year thousands of women and children are stolen and sold into slavery. Julie's story is just the tip of the iceberg. Nicely done.
August 12, 2019
Holy cow, this is a compelling read, I couldn't put it down. In the book, Julie states that she's not a writer, she's a storyteller. While that sounded weird at first, it made sense by the end, and somehow it totally works. The writing is simple, and sometimes repetitive, yet it adds to the readability and frantic pace. It feels like a friend is telling me her story in every day language. Every few pages I would stop and think, holy s- did this really happen? It's a compulsive page-turner, thriller and mystery. It's also a story about one woman's strength and courage, it's about survival, relationships, community, believing in yourself and in doing the right thing even when it's scary. There's a lot going on in this story, it will surprise you and inspire you to think about your role in the world.
March 12, 2021
TRIGGER WARNING TO THE MAX!!!
•Rape
•Mental, physical and sexual abuse from family members and a partner
•Kidnapping
•Child abuse and child molestation
•Sex trafficking/ sex rings
•Murder
•Abortion
Sooo sad what the main character had to deal with, the abuse from her mother and growing up with that physical and psychological pain. She’s such a strong character and great mother. This really got me; this kinda stuff happens in real life almost every single day weather we know it or not. I knocked down a star simply because it repeatedly talked about some of the same things over and over again. My mind was blown about the details that went into this story; I would really recommend it if you can handle all those trigger warnings. It’a very upsetting what these girls have to go through and deal with.
•Rape
•Mental, physical and sexual abuse from family members and a partner
•Kidnapping
•Child abuse and child molestation
•Sex trafficking/ sex rings
•Murder
•Abortion
Sooo sad what the main character had to deal with, the abuse from her mother and growing up with that physical and psychological pain. She’s such a strong character and great mother. This really got me; this kinda stuff happens in real life almost every single day weather we know it or not. I knocked down a star simply because it repeatedly talked about some of the same things over and over again. My mind was blown about the details that went into this story; I would really recommend it if you can handle all those trigger warnings. It’a very upsetting what these girls have to go through and deal with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2019
3.5/5 stars
As a fictional story, this made for one hell of a thriller, but being based on real life events made it super creepy. If only Julie had trusted her instincts and never dated James, she would have totally dodged a bullet. However, the trafficking would have continued, her abusive past would still have happened, and the nightmare scenario would continue to play out for the other victims involved.
There are an awful lot of triggers attached to this story since it does indeed deal with some very hardcore issues. And knowing this was based on a true story made it more difficult to read. Not because of the topics covered - I was ready for that - but rather it was the memoir style of delivery that I struggled with. I found it difficult to stay in the story because of the blur of fiction and truth, at times it felt incredulous that some events and thought processes happened. Much of the story was told in a 'stream of consciousness' style which, for me, was distracting and slowed the pace considerably at times when events were really taking off.
That said, there were some moments that had me absolutely gripped and fascinated, desperate for a satisfying and timely conclusion. There is no depth to which these monsters will not sink to get their way, and this story highlights how they groomed some very vulnerable people through manipulation at every level. We know, unfortunately, that trafficking happens, yet seeing it from this angle was an eye-opener. kudos to the author for wearing her heart on her sleeve and sharing the story with us.
I received a copy of this book as part of a blog tour and write this review voluntarily.
As a fictional story, this made for one hell of a thriller, but being based on real life events made it super creepy. If only Julie had trusted her instincts and never dated James, she would have totally dodged a bullet. However, the trafficking would have continued, her abusive past would still have happened, and the nightmare scenario would continue to play out for the other victims involved.
There are an awful lot of triggers attached to this story since it does indeed deal with some very hardcore issues. And knowing this was based on a true story made it more difficult to read. Not because of the topics covered - I was ready for that - but rather it was the memoir style of delivery that I struggled with. I found it difficult to stay in the story because of the blur of fiction and truth, at times it felt incredulous that some events and thought processes happened. Much of the story was told in a 'stream of consciousness' style which, for me, was distracting and slowed the pace considerably at times when events were really taking off.
That said, there were some moments that had me absolutely gripped and fascinated, desperate for a satisfying and timely conclusion. There is no depth to which these monsters will not sink to get their way, and this story highlights how they groomed some very vulnerable people through manipulation at every level. We know, unfortunately, that trafficking happens, yet seeing it from this angle was an eye-opener. kudos to the author for wearing her heart on her sleeve and sharing the story with us.
I received a copy of this book as part of a blog tour and write this review voluntarily.
March 13, 2019
This was an Excellent Book and Julie Coons is a Extremely Good Writer. The fact that the Story was True Floored me. She truly is a Brave Person. The twist was nothing I expected. I knew it was a Sex Traffickting Ring, although not to the point of being a Worldwide Ring. Was not even expecting her own Family being Involved. These Sinister Elements against Childern and Adults must be Eliminated. Should not be here in the 20th Century. Thank You for bringing this Heinous Story to Light. Bless You.
March 27, 2019
Interesting premise
Coons tells a good story, and Why She Lied is definitely a thriller. I like Coons's writing style, and have been drawn to her words and style before. I liked the backstory, and how not only the author weaves an interesting story, the story's character, Julie, is trying to make a new life, while a past life haunts her. A seemingly simple story premise grows and develops with those twists that not many see coming. It's a well-deserved read, and it definitely is a thrilling, and unsettling story. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Coons tells a good story, and Why She Lied is definitely a thriller. I like Coons's writing style, and have been drawn to her words and style before. I liked the backstory, and how not only the author weaves an interesting story, the story's character, Julie, is trying to make a new life, while a past life haunts her. A seemingly simple story premise grows and develops with those twists that not many see coming. It's a well-deserved read, and it definitely is a thrilling, and unsettling story. I look forward to reading more by this author.
December 21, 2020
This book certainly keeps you wanting to know more. It was interesting to find our that the one who lied, either forgot that she had once been a part of the human traffic cult or never knew she had. She became involved with the police when they asked for her help in trying to find her ex-husband. However, she became so obsessed with what was being discovered that she did some investigating on her own and eventually found and had proof of what was really going on, This made the police able to finally go in and solve the situation and put many people in jail for what they were doing to women and children. At times hard to read, but one that has to be read to understand what kinds of things are being done to people all over the world. This is one book that you must read for yourself as you will be as surprised as I was, to things that go on in a world that is so hard to imagine.
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