April 23, 2018

Hiding Lies Blog Tour: Review, Excerpt + Giveaway



Hiding Lies (Eleanor Ames #2)
Author: Julie Cross
Genre: YA Mystery/Suspense
Release Date: April 17, 2018
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Description:

At Holden Prep, dirty little secrets always have a way of coming to the surface. 

Eleanor Ames has never been what she seems. Average high school student on the outside, but reformed con artist trying to break free of her past on the inside. When Eleanor receives startling news about someone from her previous criminal life, plans for a new operation coinciding with her school’s upcoming field trip quickly consume her. 

But operations rarely go according to plan. And this is one her irresistible teen FBI agent boyfriend, Miles, would never approve of. 

Now, more than just Ellie’s reputation is at stake. If she fails, it could be her life. 

Buy Links: https://entangledpublishing.com/hiding-lies.html


OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28220973-chasing-truth

My feet have been dangling. I start to lift them up, attempting to conceal myself. But I’m not fast enough. Warm fingers wrap around my ankle.

“Got you,” the guy says. “How long have you been up there spying on me?”

“Spying? On you?” I shake my head. “Don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m waiting for someone. He’ll be here any second.”

The hot guy takes the binoculars and looks them over, analyzing the zoom-in and recording switches hidden on the underside. “Fancy. Not exactly for recreational use.”

That’s because they’re Aidan’s. My sister’s boyfriend. Up until two weeks ago, when he was forced to resign, Aidan was a Secret Service agent. He used all kinds of spy gear in his former job—like these high-tech night-vision binoculars.

I hop down from the tree, assessing the intruder, searching for body language that says friend or enemy, even though I already know the answer. No harm in having a little extra practice. Role-play is definitely a skill of mine, but it’s also a muscle that must be worked regularly. “Just so you know, I am trained in self-defense. Wouldn’t try anything if I were you.”

“Yeah?” He lifts an eyebrow. “That’s good because this place is sketchy as hell.”

We both glance around the deserted warehouse building beside us, the vandalized lumberyard nearby, and the questionable items strewn across the walkway leading to the giant warehouse door—condom wrappers, broken beer bottles, cigarette butts.

“You’re right, it’s sketchy,” I say. “I better take off before something bad happens.”

“Wait…” Hot Guy reaches for me, his fingers curling around my waist. He tugs me until my back rests against the tree and we’re hidden from anyone on the street. “Tell me about this other guy you’re waiting on.”

I stare up at him, taking in the cocky smirk, perfectly messy dark hair, and blue eyes that hold dozens of secrets. “What other guy?”

He grins, showing off two perfect dimples to go with the rest of his perfects. “Good answer.”

Then, before I can refocus on the role I’ve been playing, he leans down and kisses me. It’s only been a week but feels like a month. Maybe longer. His cheeks are cold, but his lips are warm and tender. I bring him closer and closer until his slinged arm is lodged between us.

“Miles,” I mumble against his lips.

“Uh-huh.”

“Miles,” I repeat, too caught up in this kiss to celebrate the slip he just made. “That’s his name. The guy I’m waiting on.”

“Miles. Sounds like an asshole. Forget him.” He pulls away just enough to see my face. His good hand rests against my cheek. He looks like he’s about to dive into kissing me again but hesitates. “It’s really cold out here.”

“And sketchy,” I add. “Why would you pick a place like this? You can’t coast forever on the whole mysterious-hot-guy persona. So if that’s your plan, I’d rather meet at the Y or Planet Fitness like a normal person.”

He rolls his eyes. “Yes, that’s my goal in life. Devote all my time to training to be a spy so I can impress girls.” 
Hiding Lies is the thrilling second installment in a young adult thriller series that fans of the genre need to get their hands on. I've read several of the author's other books and really enjoyed them, so I was excited to get my hands on this one. I was not disappointed. This novel lived up to my hopes and expectations - and then some. Everything about the story is incredibly well done - from the characters and plot to the setting and writing style. Eleanor continues to be a fantastic main character for the book. She's smart, determined, down to earth, realistic, and a force to be reckoned with. I loved watching her figure out the mystery and overcome all the difficult situations she comes face to face with.

Another part of the book I really liked was Eleanor and Miles, which surprised me because I normally don't like a lot of romance in books that aren't in that genre. Like in this, as a mystery, I hate when a romance aspect takes over the entire story and ends up overtaking the actual plot. However, I liked seeing their relationship continue to change and grow throughout the story. I thought the plot of the book was great. Just the right mix of mystery, thriller, suspense and romance. There were twists and turns I didn't expect - which definitely made things more exciting. The pace was quick and had me drawn in from the very beginning of the book. I ended up reading the novel in a few hours because I couldn't put it down. I'm so excited that this book was just as good as the first book was, because a lot of times a series can start off strong only to have the following books fall short. That doesn't seem to be the case here, and I can't wait to see where Eleanor ends up next and what kind of trouble she'll get into. Very highly recommended to fans of thrillers, mysteries, suspense, and even romance - there's a bit of something for everyone to enjoy.

 



Julie Cross is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction, including the Tempest series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex, Timestorm (St. Martin's Press). She's also the author of Letters to Nowhere series, Whatever Life Throws at You, Third Degree, Halfway Perfect, Chasing Truth, Off the Ice and many more to come! Julie Cross was a longtime resident of central Illinois but has recently moved her entire family across the country to continue her academic studies at Stanford University.

Author Links: 
Website: http://juliecrossbooks.com/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliecross1980 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FansOfJulieCross/ 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3429117.Julie_Cross

 







 

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