I need to start this review with a trigger warning: this book deals with child abuse, human trafficking and modern slavery.
Why She Lied is not a pleasant book. It is not an enjoyable book.
It is a powerful book. It is a shocking book. It is a brave book.
Julie has been abused her whole life: by her mother, teachers, strangers and lovers.
There is a strange detachment to this book and the abuse and crimes are reported in an objective way, no emotion at all. This makes the emotional impact on the reader stronger as our imaginations and empathy respond to the events.
I felt that the narrator has a certain detachment towards her daughter or maybe this is a coping mechanism to keep the good and bad in her life separate: throughout the whole book her daughter Stephanie is mentioned but never seen. I felt it slightly odd, especially as Julie goes off investigating, seeming to abandon her daughter entirely.
Julie appears very self-oriented due to the style of the narrative but this is because she is the only person she can truly trust and she has separated herself from events to protect herself.
Part of me is incredulous that this could be based on reality, and indeed, I am unsure of the extent to which it is memoir as the description says ‘true crime type’ and ‘memoir style’ and ‘based on a true story’, and the main character is Julie, the same as the author Julie Coons.
There was also a psychic or dream element to the book which I wish had been explored further as this showed an emotional side which was missing from the rest of the book.
My heart goes out to the author whose first book was a memoir of the terrible events in her life, and I hope the bravery of sharing her experiences can prevent these atrocities being suffered by others.
Welcome to the blog tour for a truly unique, true crime type thriller, written memoir style called, Why She Lied by Julie Coons. Please read on for an excerpt and a chance to win a copy of the book!
*Warning: This book has many extreme triggers including but not limited to, sexual assault, child abuse, violence, and various types of trauma.
Why She Lied
Publication Date: March 3rd, 2019
Genre: True Crime/ Memoir
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?
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Excerpt
I wanted to throw up. It was so disturbing to hear her talk about a grown man trying to have sexual relations with a child. I expressed my deepest condolences to her.
Then she asked me the million-dollar question: “Are you still with James?”
“No way, of course not, but I have a problem. I found out the day before he told me about his court date that I was pregnant with his child.”
I could actually hear her gasp on the other end of the phone.
Without taking another breath she said, “You have to get rid of that baby.”
Available on Amazon
Giveaway: Print Copy for residents of the United States, and a digital copy internationally!
About the 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. Her books are written to lead a movement toward positive change. She tells the stories of her life with honesty and strength.
Julie Coons | Facebook| Twitter
Blog Tour Schedule
September 2nd
Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com
Breakeven Books (Spotlight) https://breakevenbooks.com
LoopyLouLaura (Review) https://www.loopyloulaura.com/
September 3rd
Scarlett Readz & Runz (Interview) https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/
Touch My Spine Book Reviews (Spotlight) https://touchmyspinebookreviews.com
LIBRORUM IN SEMPITERNUM (Review) http://libroruminsempiternumhome.wordpress.com
September 4th
Just 4 My Books (Review) http://www.just4mybooks.wordpress.com
Shalini’s Books and Reviews (Spotlight) https://bookreviewsbyshalini.com/
Reviews and Promos by Nyx (Review) https://nyxblogs.wordpress.com/
September 5th
Kim Knight (Interview) http://kimknightauthor.wordpress.com
Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/
My Bookish Bliss (Review) http://mybookishbliss.com
September 6th
Mermaid in these Jeans (Spotlight) https://mermaidinthesejeans.com
Dash Fan Book Reviews (Review) https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/
Misty’s Book Space (Review) http://mistysbookspace.wordpress.com
The Faerie Review (Review) http://www.thefaeriereview.com
The Magic of Wor(l)ds (Spotlight) http://themagicofworlds.wordpress.com
Entertainingly Nerdy (Review) https://www.entertaininglynerdy.com
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