I had very high hopes for this book after reading (and re-reading!) The One Memory of Flora Banks and absolutely loving it.
This book definitely did not dissapoint! The twists and turns throughout the book kept me guessing - for instance I was convinced that Ella had schizophrenia at the beginning but turns out then things that happen later on in the book changed my mind!

I will say that this wasn’t quite as good as TOMOFB - however - it was still a really really good read. If you want something that will keep you guessing throughout then I definitely recommend this book!

Although at about the 20% point I wasn't sure if I liked the book, I found I couldn't put it down and I read it in a couple of days. I did like it by the end. Often, with YA novels especially, I think about how I would have written the same book, and with this I just know I couldn't write a book like this. The energy within it and everything that happens is so different to my own style, but that's not to its detriment at all, it's just how I like to look at books.

Ella isn't altogether a likeable character, I found, but I still wanted her to succeed and was behind her all the way, and I thought Emily did an excellent job of portraying a difficult character. I'm sad it took me so long to read this, to be honest, even though all of Book Twitter kept saying how great it was!

I tried really hard to get into The Truth and Lies of Ella Black but I struggled and had to give up. Sorry this book was not for me.

I've found it really tricky to review this book. It started quite well, I loved the separation of Bella (Bad Ella) and Ella and the way that this was explained to the reader, but the linking of Ella's mental health difficulty with animal abuse did not sit well with me. I was very intrigued by the running mystery of the "number of days until she dies" which did not make sense until the end of the book. I enjoyed the story line of Ella discovering the secret her parents were hiding, but I found the story became a bit too ridiculous and unrealistic from that point on. The vivid descriptions of Rio were wonderful, it made me feel like I was really there, and it was this writing style as well as the need to know how it ended that kept me reading.

After having read another of Emily Barr's books I knew to expect a story that would make me uncomfortable, and that it was likely to address aspects of real life which are not often acknowledged in novels. The Truth and Lies of Ella Black definitely made me uncomfortable, definitely made me feel disappointed in her behaviour (despite the fact that she seems to be struggling with her mental health), and made me wonder at the wisdom of Emily Barr for choosing to risk bring Ella to life in her writing. At times Ella is distinctly unlikeable but I persevered with the story and was gratified to see that her behaviour is explained, and that she grows as character and is altered by her experiences in the story. Bravo Emily Barr, a risky story line but one which you have worked skilfully.
I felt that the almost epilogue-esque ending(s) from Ella and Fiona seemed rushed after the slow pace of the rest of the novel but this was my only disappointment.

Thank you, Netgalley, for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. I have to be honest; I did not finish this book. Ella is one of the worst characters I've read recently. I also didn't like the portrayal of psychological splitting. It felt like a mechanism used to not take responsibility for her actions as opposed to a true mental illness and a response to trauma. It felt like the author figured mental health in teen books sells, so go with it.
I was disappointed as I've enjoyed Emily Barr's work previously. This was not for me.

I really loved reading The Truth and Lies of Ella Black. Ella was complex and wasn´t always the easiest character to warm to however I felt committed to her story. The setting was evocative and the characters were believable. This was my first book that I read from Emily Barr, but I look forward to reading other books by her in teh future.

I think I requested this having read THE ONE MEMORY OF FLORA BANKS, and hoping it would be better. I was disappointed. Again, the story was good, and the writing let it down.

The premise of Ella being dragged half way across the world to escape her biological parents, then escaping herself from her adoptive parents while she struggles to come to terms with the truth, is brilliant. I've never read anything like it.

But honestly, the whole thing read like a huge teenage overreaction. I appreciate the reasons why Ella felt she had to do what she did, but I can't say I enjoyed the novel. It misses the point of the twisty psychological thriller it's supposed to be, and links up with a slightly silly romantic subplot and a whole lot of teenage drama.

There was a point where this could have been a great thriller dealing with a teenage girl's mental health, but alas it was not meant to be. A real shame as there was a lot of potential.

I received an ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley

Emily Barrs book The One Memory of Flora Banks was one of my favourite reads last year so as soon as I was offered the chance to read her new YA Fiction I dropped everything!

Ella finds out (In an unfortunate way) that she has been living a lie, a lie her parents are actually her adoptive parents but have never spoken to her about this. Ella also has mental health issues but is not fully aware of this herself. The story picks up as Ella's life is falling apart, battling with her mental health she finds out she's adopted, her "parents" suddenly take her away to a strange country dropping everything that is normal and comforting to a place with danger around every corner.

I love Emily Barr's writing. She's made me feel like I know and love her main characters and I always want more from them..
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I kind of enjoyed the story, but not sure who would actually want to read it as such. The story was ok, though a little far fetched at times. It was an easy read and happy to have had a chance to review it, but not sure I would recommend it overall

I did not find this as compelling as I'd expected. A slow burn that peters out occasionally but is worth seeing through.

The truth and lie of Ella Black, is a strange novel that I found quite frustrating to read. The story is based on a teenage girl who clearly has some psychological issues and is suddenly whisked away from school by her parents to Rio de Janeiro with no clue to what is going on.

It was at this point that I wanted to understand why she had been pulled from school in deep secrecy however the author really strung the grand reveal out and by doing this it was nearly as dramatic or ground breaking as I had hoped for.

I found Ella’s behavior rather annoying, although she had a mental imbalance it was quite to read and bear with. Also the story was a little far fetched when you find out the real reason she was suddenly transported to the other side of the world. I don’t think this is would be a normal reaction by anybody in today’s society.

Overall, it was a bit of a disappointing read, considering the beginning started off quite well and held my attention. The middle and ending really didn’t work for me.

I chose to read this book as I absolutely loved Emily Barr's earlier novel, The One Memory of Flora Banks. This latest book is about a young girl who suddenly realises that everything about her life is nothing but a lie. While I wasn't so enamoured with this book as I was with 'Flora Banks', it is a fairly decent if rather far fetched story but it was certainly not as enjoyable as the author's earlier book. Hopefully her next book will be a great one.

Ella Black lives a privileged life but doesn't feel like she fits in her own life. In her head she is two people....Ella and Bad Ella who she calls Bella. One day her parents pull her unceremoniously from school and whisk her away to Rio De Janeiro. Ella is sure there is more going on than they are telling her, but soon regrets her efforts to discover the truth when she finds out she's adopted. Struggling to come to terms with the truth she runs away to the favelas. But soon she discovers an even more disturbing secret about her past.

It's said that everyone has one good book in them. If that's true this definitely was not this authors moment. It's not awful, it's just not that great either. It felt very much as if the author knew where it started and where it finished but wasn't so clear about the 300 pages in-between. Sadly after her Flora Banks success this was quite disappointing.

Ella Black, a talented, lonely teenager is taken out of school by her parents for a holiday in Rio. Not told the true reason for their rushed departure she discovers her parents have been hiding a secret all her life. Confused and angry she runs away into the back streets of Rio, the shanty town favelas in order to battle her demons. A fast paced mystery that will appeal to readers.

This book was a bit dull and boring. I struggled to finish this book. I would of given up but i felt bad stopping. Skimmed some pf it

Normally when I get an ARC I always finish the book no matter how bad it is, but this time I just couldn’t finish it. It’s written very poorly which made me laugh sometimes, yes it’s THAT bad.

In the book we follow Ella Black, which is in my opinion the biggest bitch and ungrateful piece of .. I ever met (I’m not even sorry). She thinks the world turns around her and actually wants her parents to get divorced, with no solid reason why whatsoever.

For some reason the author decided that having a mental illness is a good excuse for animal abuse. Yes you have read this right, at some point Ella ends up killing a bird with a hammer, like?? At this point I just felt anger and disappointment that an author actually thought this would be a good idea to put in a young adults book without any warning whatsoever. I just decided to stop reading.

It upsets me because it doesn’t only puts people with a mental illness in a bad light but also people who are adopted.

I have read The one memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr which was so much better but after this book I refuse to read a book of her ever again.

Unfortunately I was unable to get into this book. At first I thought it was a sequel so I was putting it off until I'd read that. I tried three times to start the book but failed to get past the first 50 pages.

Lots of twists and turns in the book that kept me fascinated until the finish with some great wow’ moments. At the start I found the book a little slow to get into but suddenly I realized that I was captivated by it and couldn't put it down.

Not for me I'm afraid. Girl with a seemingly split personality - strangely called her ‘bad’ side or Bella. One day her parents pull her out of school and take her to Rio de Janeiro - as you do. This book is probably supposed to be about mental illness, but its not really. Ella 's condition is not really probed or discussed. She just an annoying 17 year old. I am to be fair probably not the target audience so I will just say that it didn't work for me and leave others to take a view.

I was given the chance to read this book by NetGalley - all views are my own