Diana Rodriguez Wallach's Proof of Lies follows young Anastasia Phoenix as she steps into a world of espionage and secrecy while fighting to get her sister back.

Anastasia and Keira have already dealt with the blow of losing their parents in a fiery car crash. When Anastasia discovers signs of her sister's possible demise, she sinks into a depression so deep only the barest scrap of evidence that Keira's alive can pull her out of it. Along with their best friend, Charlotte, and a new transfer student, Anastasia uncovers a shocking conspiracy.

Proof of Lies is very similar to AnnaLisa Grant's Oxblood, but with a more complex storyline that ties into a larger plot. Where Victoria Asher becomes whatever she needs to become to save her brother, Anastasia Phoenix would rather beat down walls to get answers. In other words, Anastasia is a blunt force that dives head first into a situation that could end in her death. Someone with no experience, no resources or knowledge of the secretive world she has stumbled upon, can't just demand answers. Otherwise, the dialogue sounds like someone asking a lot of questions that won't be answered.

The story moves at a decent pace that allows you to absorb the facts that are revealed throughout the story. There isn't a lot of action in the traditional sense, but the tone of the story is just the same. There's an adrenaline rush that comes from wanting to find out what happened to Keira and discovering what's at the end of Anastasia's journey. Compared to the time it took to get to the climax, the ending seemed a little rushed. On the other hand, it could be that the revelations at the end of the story will be more focused on in the next installment. Either way I'm definitely willing to see where Lies That Bind takes us. There are more secrets to unfold and plot twists to explore!
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

Anastasia and her family have been on the move her whole life, never settling down anywhere until her parents die in a car crash, leaving her twenty something sister to look after her. But her older sister, Keira, goes missing leaving behind nothing but blood. Even though she hasn't been the best role model for Anastasia, she sacrificed everything to take care of her and Anastasia will stop at nothing to bring her home, even travelling across the world and finding out that her parents have been hiding secrets. She's walking into a trap and she knows it but how else would she get her sister back?

Proof Of Lies was a pretty unusual read for me, I don't usually read mystery books but i really liked it! From the very beginning, we're thrust into the action and the whirlwind of clues, traps and deception. I'd say this book is Taken meets Abduction(the one with Taylor Lautner).

I really liked Anastasia! Especially when she was about to catapult purple ice cream onto this irritating woman's designer white dress with a spoon! She did have an amazing character growth from the bitter teenager who always fought with the sister to a grown up who realized how much her sister had sacrificed for her and who would do anything to get her back. She really clung to her faith that her sister was alive even though everyone was telling her otherwise. And when the police turned out to be as worthless as a poop, she decided to take things in her own hands.

The author does a great job at mixing reality in this book! I won't spoil but some of the events in this book actually happened in reality! The author used these events to create her own plot and theories and it was just awesome!

The characters were so realistic too!!! Keira, Anastasia's sister, was not shown as a stereotypical saint that sacrificed her future to take care of her sister. Yes she made a few sacrifices and she loves her sister but she can't help the growing resentment she feels for Anastasia. And Anastasia can't help but resent her sister a little too since Keira's off throwing parties most of the time. I loved that they didn't have a clean slate relationship but rather an honest and flawed one even though they loved each other! Great realism there! My favorite character was Charlotte! Anastasia and Keira's roomate who's a badass hacker!

There a few reasons why i couldn't give this book 4 stars or above. Firstly, the beginning started out GREAT! I was super intrigued and we kept having this avalanche of twists that just left me shocked but at around three quarters through, i did start to get a little bored. And it was a little weird because the plot was still action packed to the end and everything but i kind of lost the excitement. I also didn't really feel the romance since it does take a major backstage in the story but Marcus wasn't a bad boy, The only thing that showed he was a bad boy was the leather jacket and motorcycle boots and the bike but his character itself, not the materialistic aspects, wasn't bad boyish at all. Don't get we wrong i still loved Marcus; he was so sweet! But definitely not a bad boy!

But i did love this amazing journey! We took an amazing tour around the world and we were in hot pursuit of the bad guys! If you're into mystery and adventure then this book will definitely not disappoint!

Holy crap! I don’t know where to begin! There’s espionage, conspiracy theories, lies, humor, a little bit of romance, and much more! Anastasia’s life changed in a blink of an eye, the night her parents died. With her sister, Kiera left to raise her, Anastasia is just trying to make it to the age of 18. Kiera throws a party to defuse some stress, and Anastacia’s life changes again. The next morning, Kiera is missing and presumed dead, with only Anastacia believing she’s alive. Time to travel and follow the clues with the help of some friends!

This book takes you all over Italy and the imagery the author paints is so vivid! I truly felt like I was with Anastasia and Marcus trying to figure out the clues to find out where to next! With some unexpected friends along the way, Anastasia has to decide, who exactly can you trust? This story gripped me and did not let go! One aspect of the book I really enjoyed was the last few pages that including the backstory of real life people and events. I would like to get more of Marcus’s story. I guess I’ll have to stay tuned!

It was amazing and I can’t wait to read the next one. Let the journey continue!

This is going to be one of the shortest reviews I've done. This book didnt work out, way to much drama, and well I DNFed it shortly after starting it just wasnt working out.

I didn’t know what to expect with this book but I can honestly say that I was blown away by the story. From the USA to Italy, readers are taken on a journey which, instead of finding answers, begins to unfurl even more mystery and intrigue.

Although essentially a YA book, this story is far from what I would have expected from this genre. It's not the traditional sweet college drama but instead, holds a depth and complexity that I didn't expect. The writing was strong and the characters were fascinating. With every page turn came another twist and soon you begin to wonder just who can be trusted with the information and evidence uncovered.

The story is set around a bioengineering company called Dresden. Created by the scientist parents of Anastasia and Kiera Phoenix, and another man, Randolph Urban, it's a company with hidden secrets. When Anastasia and Kiera’s parents are killed in a car accident, Anastasia and Kiera’s lives are changed forever. Kiera, who is training to become a doctor, becomes Anastasia’s legal guardian and despite loving each other, this changes the dynamic of their relationship. Counting down the months until Anastasia turns 18, Anastasia is finding life living with her sister challenging, especially with the parties she arranges at their home. It’s following one such party that Anastasia’s life plummets once again into a darkness that this time she may never recover from.

After finding a blood covered bathroom, Anastasia presumes her sister is dead. A memorial is held and Anastasia sinks into an abyss. Her only saving grace is her sister’s flatmate, Charlotte who, along with her parents, takes responsibility for Anastasia. Anastasia is the only person who won’t believe that her sister is dead. With her new found friend Marcus, also a Dresden child, and Charlotte, the trio head off into the unknown to find out what exactly has happened to Kiera and where exactly her so called boyfriend, Craig, has been hiding since Kiera’s death. An anonymous tip-off to the police starts a chain of events which leads Anastasia and Marcus to Italy where they hope to reveal the secrets of her parent’s lives.

This really was a memorable book and story. Whilst not a romance, per se, there is some simmering chemistry between Anastasia and Marcus to enjoy. Part 2 of the Anastasia Phoenix series is to follow and I can’t wait to unlock yet more secrets in relation to Anastasia and her family.

This ebook was kindly provided by the author, publisher and Netgalley prior to release date in return for an honest and unbiased review.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley for review.

Proof of Lies has a great pace and keeps you guessing. The book got me interested right away and it made it hard to put down. Can't wait for book two.

Proof of Lies takes family secrets to the next level. The mystery is intriguing and I've got to say I had no idea what was going on or what was going to happen next. The big reveals were made all the better by the surprise. High-speed boat chases, gelato, iconic European scenery, kidnappings, and numerous bad guys, Proof of Lies combines action, romance, and mystery with a touch of history.

If I had to liken Proof Of Lies to a movie combo I would say Taken meets the Italian Job meets The da Vinci Code meets Spy Kids.

Three years ago, Anastasia lost both her parents in a horrific car crash while they were on one of their research development trips. As top scientists at an engineering firm they took a lot of trips and moved Anastasia and her sister, Keira, around frequently. Three years on, Anastasia is living with Keira who has become her guardian. But one morning, Anastasia discovers her sister has disappeared and the bathroom filled with blood. The police seem to be doing nothing and, consumed by grief, Anastasia isn't sure what to do until her sister's friend and roommate (and amateur hacker) discovers that maybe there was more to Keira's disappearance. Anastasia begins a globe-trekking hunt for clues, that reveals her parents weren't who she thought them to be.

Anastasia is a competent heroine, but not overly ambitious or ridiculously confident in her abilities. She speaks multiple languages and is a martial arts black belt, but she doesn't need to employ these skills until things get serious over halfway into the book. She is realistic about her assessment of situations and yet sometimes, amusingly, far fetched "This was beyond reckless. He could have a gun. He could have lots of guns. If he was a spy, or a criminal, he could have a weapon of mass destruction in the trunk."

Anastasia's relationship with her sister is equally realistic. They are at each other's throats until Keira goes missing and then Anastasia doesn't hesitate to risk her life to rescue Keira. There are plenty of great relationships in Proof of Lies, especially Anastasia's friendship with roommate Charlotte. And the romantic interest is supplied by new classmate and fellow child of Dresden employees, Marcus. As they spend more time together, they realise they have more in common than expected. I really liked that Anastasia first resists her attraction to Marcus. Yes, there is attraction, which she readily acknowledges, but she is too worried about her sister and her own grief and guilt to feel right about following that attraction, which prevents this book slipping into romance territory too early. There was also a part of me that was suspicious of Marcus - when investigating crimes (even fictional ones) I find it best to suspect everyone. And there are plenty of suspects.

Proof of Lies is the first book in the Anastasia Phoenix series and sets the scene for what promises to be a very exciting series, combining world geography and history with intrigue, conspiracy theories, and family secrets. I really liked that the ending of Proof of Lies gives readers a tidy resolution to the main mystery but leaves many questions unanswered and a whole new mystery to be investigated in book two.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.