What readers think of Sometimes I Lie, plus links to write your own review.

Hold onto your black, twisted, psychological thriller hat - this book is a DOOZY! Heck, just look at the title. The main character, Amber, is in a coma, she believes her husband has fallen out of love with her, and yes, sometimes she lies. And that is just the beginning. Told in three different time periods, debut author Feeney does a masterful job of stringing the audience along: Amber's story of "Now," as she experiences her present coma and all the visitors to her hospital room; Amber's story of the previous week prior to her car accident that precipitates the coma; and diaries from a long-ago childhood that tell of a poverty-stricken, loveless, abusive childhood and her best friend. An ex-boyfriend makes an appearance, while the husband and sister play pivotal parts, making one wonder what happened in this 'idyllic' adult life. The red herrings along the roadside are thick and plentiful, and you will find yourself crashing against them throughout the pages of this short, crisp, well-told thriller. I began this book on a Saturday morning, and closed the cover that same night while my husband wondered if my nose was ever going to rise from the pages. It is that kind of book. It will make a reader question the narrator (is she reliable or is she stringing us along?), question the ending (did this really just happen or did I miss something earlier?), and question when the next book by this author is coming out. In other words, this book is a HIT.

If I had only one word I could use to describe this novel it would be " WOW ". It drew me in from the first chapter and I couldn't stop reading until I was finished; having said that there were times I had to stop for a moment -the characters and revelations and scenes described were so intense .
Many twists and turns and surprises, highly recommended

This psychological thriller is a five star plus plus plus book! I tried to set it aside and get some work done, but it wouldn't let me. It kept calling until I gave in and started reading again. And as I was reading I couldn't figure out exactly what was going on. A number of times I thought I had, only to be thrown a loop by the next chapter. This continued to the very last page of the book and I am still not 100 sure what exactly happened. I think I know, but I question my thoughts again and again.

Alice Feeney is a poetic writer with verses that flow one into another. The chapters are written in three different time periods and this works very well to keep the suspense alive. The descriptions and character development are in depth throughout the book. Especially when Amber is speaking from a coma.

Sometimes I Lie will creep under your skin and not let go. A must read book of the year!

OMG! What did I just read?? This book pushed me to keep turning pages. And with each page I turned it became more confusing and less clear - but I could not put it down! Just when I thought I might be beginning to understand - ZAP! - another twist that took me right back to total oblivion.

There is no one you can trust in this novel. Amber tells us from the get-go that she lies, so we know we are going to face an unreliable narrator. The story is told in 3 part; Amber before a bad accident, Amber during a coma - or is it a coma?, and the third part is from childhood journals. One thing that needs to be determined is who is Amber, who is Taylor, who is Claire? Who is evil?

The ending is one of the biggest twists. I have my own theory, but I am not 100 sure. And I think that is what the author wanted. There is scuttle-butt that there is a follow up novel in the works, but that may just be rumor from those who hope to have the author clear up the twists of the ending.

It is not often that an author can so totally confuse the majority of their readers. This is not a novel to breeze through - to follow you must be attentive, because if you are not you will be totally lost. And even being attentive, does not guarantee that you will solve all the twists or the unexpected ending.

How could anyone not take notice of such brilliant writing? I find more and more that as I read each chapter my mind was filled with empathy and eagerness for the outcome.

I was captivated by the descriptions, such as when Amber Reynolds is trying to separate her dreams from her alleged reality, "I can smell my lost time." How great is that sentence?! Another example where I know the feeling too well is when she describes an uncomfortable atmosphere, "...the air in the room is thick with silence and remorse." This sentence transported me inside that room!

I believe the author successfully carries the voice of the unreliable narrator throughout the book. My attention did not wander and I did not have to suspend any belief to be completely wrapped up in the world of Amber Reynolds and the story she is telling us. The ending was satisfying and also left me hoping for another book by Alice Feeney. The ending can stand on its own, yet seems to hint that this story would be continued in a second novel. It is one of my true joys when a book captivates me and I think about it incessantly. I feel fortunate and grateful to BookBrowse for giving us readers the experience of being being able to read a book months before it is published. I am giving this book a rousing round of applause and yelling. Quite detailing on what suppose to be an imaginary write..living a life that makes living a misery.

This is a good, short novel that can be read in-between the heavy, deep, full concentration novels that you can't seem to let go of after completion and the next grandiose historical biography that takes weeks to finish.
Sometimes I Lie proves to be pure entertainment and a page turner without the sophistication of P.D. James but somewhat darker than Agatha Christy. If you like personality disorders, this is for you.

In sync with the current literary trend of unreliable narrators, the protagonist, Amber, frankly lets us know at the beginning of the novel: I'm in a Coma; My husband doesn't love me anymore; Sometimes I lie. Well, don't say you weren't warned! The time frame of the story switches around from the present to the time just before the incident which caused the coma and then a childhood journal. But who's journal?
The twists and turns of this novel were indeed intriguing, as was the feeling that perhaps we were investing our empathy in the wrong character.
Among the ups and downs and in and outs is a fine lyrical writing style and Ms Feeney should be very proud of a fine first novel.
I have no patience with even the slightest ambiguity in a story ending, otherwise I probably would have scored this a 5. Still worth looking forward to this author's next novel.

I enjoyed 'Sometimes I Lie' very much although I did find the narrative to be a bit uneven at times. The middle occasionally lagged which felt out of step with the fast pace of the beginning and the ending. Some readers noted that the book left them feeling 'uneasy' and while I can understand that I find that I like when a story pulls me in so thoroughly that I feel a little shaky afterwards. As an avid reader of mysteries and suspense it's not very often that I don't see the ending coming a mile away but was very pleased that this book kept me guessing all the way through the shocking conclusion. I am looking forward to reading Alice Feeney's next novel!