I had a fantastic time reading this book! Ky was such a badass main character, she had a huge sense of justice, and couldn't let things stand if they were unfair. I loved her story, the mystery of what happened to her 2 years ago, and the group of friends she had! It was so great!

Ky is a tough cookie. She's combative, and she wants to prove her father's innocence. But that's a little difficult, given that he was an FBI agent, and he was convicted of murdering a fellow agent, so while she can't focus on that, she does work on her own case of what happened 2 years ago. There were some really interesting reveals, while dealing with various problems, like the rookie FBI agent.

I really enjoyed the investigation into what happened to her in the past, because boy, do people not want her looking into it, and are treating her poorly. Though there were a few people who were friends, and I loved the support that they gave!

That ending though? That was pretty intense. I can't believe that he would go to that extent, but he hadn't shown much in the way of brains, so I guess he couldn't think of, or though he could avoid, the consequences. It was so satisfying to watch him go down!

This was such a great read, and I can't wait to continue the series!

Amber Lynn Natusch is a new favorite! Dare to you is a story about a young girl who has lost everything....Her mom left her and her dad was framed and put in prison. She now lives with her grandfather and has returned to the community who shunned her for something she was a victim of.

What drew me to this story was how strong willed the main character is. She tough, she doesn't let others dictate to her and she will fight for what she believes in.
Could not wait to get my hands on book two and I'm glad I did.

This book reminded me of Veronica Mars so much and I love it. Kylene is a tough & snarky character. The mysteries were well thought out and exciting to explore. Her best friend Garrett reminded me of Wallace from VM, in that he was always there for her. I liked the fast pace and well developed characters. I'm so glad there will be more than one book!

I received an ARC copy from netgalley for my honest review, so thank you netgalley and publishers for offering me this book! ♡
When her FBI agent father is framed for murder, Kylene is forced to move in with her grandfather, back to the small town that turned its back on her, and the boy who betrayed her.
All Ky cares about is clearing her father’s name, but someone won’t let her forget the photo scandal that drove her away two years ago. As the threats gain momentum, Ky finds an unlikely ally in the rookie FBI agent sent to keep an eye on her.
Determined to expose the town's hidden skeletons, Ky unwittingly thrusts herself into a much bigger plot. They thought she’d forgive and forget. They’re about to learn they messed with the wrong girl.
The cover and title is what originally drew me to this book.
This is my first book by this author. It was alltogether an easy read. ♡ I give this book a
3.5 star rating!

I have to admit, I had a love/hate relationship with Ky. She is super snarky, which I love, but I just felt like she was intentionally putting herself in horrible situations, which I struggled with. There was a lot of eye-rolling at Ky throughout this book, but I ended up getting sucked in regardless. I found myself wanting more once I reached the end and I will definitely be reading the next book, if only to find out what the hell is going on!

Circumstances force Kylene Danners to move back to the town that cast her out two years ago. The novel begins with her first day back in high school for her senior year. Whispers fly in the halls when she appears there, but Kylene is determined to stand her ground. She is also determined to get justice for herself. The boys who were responsible for topless photos of her being circulated were never really investigated. She knows one of the six star football players is guilty and that the rest probably know who he is. Garrett her childhood best friend- not boyfriend- and the new girl in school stand by Ky as she digs into the past scandal.
She is also determined to do something to help her father. He was unjustly imprisoned for killing a man.
What Kylene uncovers is bigger than she ever imagined and could threaten her life.

This was a well- put- together story with lots of suspense that will keep the reader turning pages late into the night.

This book had such Veronica Mars vibes! I absolutely fell in love with Ky within the first few pages! She's snarky and witty! She has a no-nonsense kind of attitude! Her best friend Garrett was so quick and the banter between them was entertaining. Tabby represents the shy Canadian who can't exactly figure out some of the American ways (sarcastically). This trio was what drew me into the book.

What kept me reading was the suspense of the novel as a whole. Trying to figure out who Ky can trust or not had me going. Between trying to solve her father's case (FBI agent accused and found guilty of murder, but completely innocent) and trying to figure out what happened to Ky in the past at this school, it left you trusting almost no one!

I wanted to rush through this book, not because I wasn't enjoying it, but because I was desperate to find out the ending! Who stole the files? Who's trying to hurt and scare Ky? Who's trying to stop her from figuring out her past?

I can't wait for the next book in the "Hometown Antihero Series"!

**** Thank you to Tor Teen for providing a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review****

Trigger Warnings: Sexual Assault (Nude Photos Taken Against A Character’s Will), Physical/Emotional/Verbal Abuse, and Violence

This is a hard book for me to rate and review because on the one hand it was interesting enough but on the other the pacing was really off and by the end I just wanted it to be over. Therefore I’m stuck in the middle with a 3 star rating, I think it’s worth checking out if it sounds up your alley but I can’t say it’s something I’d go around recommending a whole ton.

Plot

First off, the plot revolves around not one but TWO different mysteries Ky is trying to solve: the framing of her father for murder and also who the culprit was behind a photo scandal involving her from a few years ago. While both mysteries started out intriguing enough I couldn’t help but feel like it really started to drag by the end. Especially considering that this is a series and we don’t get a lot of answers in this first book, I feel a bit robbed. There is a much bigger picture to the mystery than we get a look at in this first book, I know there’s a lot more going on but I felt like they could have gone into it more to pique interest in reading the sequel.

It also got to the point where it was a bit hard to follow all the overlapping story lines and “clues”, it felt messy at times and when that happens I tend to lose interest. The plot was just sort of unfocused by the end of the book, like it was trying to hard to do too many things all at once. Which stinks because I don’t think I’ll be looking to read the sequel now because of that.

The pacing is moderately fast, as I said the mysteries are intriguing to start with but by the end it wasn’t enough and the pacing dragged on. There are a few good, minor plot twists but as far as the big reveal towards the end…not surprised at all, which is a bummer. Therefore I thought parts of the story were pretty predictable and also a bit too convenient. That ending twist though was by far the most disappointing because it was so glaringly obvious to me and I don’t think it will shock many of you either.

Characters

I felt the same way about the characters as I did the plot: they were okay. What I did like about Ky is that she’s a strong girl who can defend herself, has no problem saying what’s on her mind, and she was hilariously sarcastic at times. However, as much as I liked a lot of her qualities I just didn’t fall in love with her. She also had a bad habit of making …not the greatest decisions sometimes. Such as antagonizing someone who will physically harm her and putting herself into dangerous situations alone. Yeah, that got old pretty fast.

There are a few other more minor characters such as AJ, the ex boyfriend, Agent Dawson, who I don’t get why is even included in the book, Garrett, the best friend, and Tabby, the new student and also new friend. I didn’t really care for Garrett, I don’t know why but there wasn’t very much to like there. Tabby was cute and sweet, I liked her curiosity. AJ seemed alright but he needed to just let Ky go….it’s downright getting stalkery. And Agent Dawson? Hate. Well hate is a strong word but I really didn’t like him, I felt his character is completely unnecessary not to mention he’s like 23? 24? 25? Years old and is like…..interested in Ky who is a high school student. Creepy.

Romance

I did like that there wasn’t a big romance in “Dare You To Lie”, however, I could easily see a love triangle or love square developing. Not quite sure yet. There are definitely quite a few boys interested in Ky, the main character, and as I already mentioned one is much older and I hope nothing happens there because it’s kind of creepy. However, there isn’t any insta-love or other romance tropes here which was a blessing.

In Conclusion

What I Loved:

Fast pacing
Intriguing mysteries (though they weren’t quite as interesting at the end)
Sarcastic, strong heroine
No romance

What I Didn’t Love:

Pacing did slow down by the end
Plot was unfocused and messy, too much going on
Ky tended to make irritating choices and dumb decisions at times
Secondary characters were kind of meh

Recommend?

Overall I didn’t find this story to be anything groundbreaking in the YA thriller department. It’s fun enough to pass some time but there other books I’d recommend spending that time on instead. Still if the synopsis caught your eye give it a try! (That rhymes!)

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book. Unfortunately, Dare You to Lie just wasn't a Me read. The premise was great: the FBI father, the scandal, conspiracies galore! Sadly it just didn't do it for me, despite how badly I wanted to love it.

I couldn't really get into this one, unfortunately. I know it's not fair to lump most of YA fiction into one pile, because there have been some solid books that I've enjoyed in the genre...but for me, the pedestrian way these books are written usually wind up turning me off...and this one fell into that pile. The characters were been-there-read-that, the writing was uninspired, the typical high school antics and back-biting were dull, and once I found out this was the beginning of a series, I decided to stop reading. I know I'm in the minority here, so take my review with a grain of salt, as clearly, most people enjoyed this one. Just not me.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
M/F Mystery
Triggers: Conspiracy, addiction, sexual assault, attempted murder

Whew! I did not really know what to expect from this book, but I loved it! Natusch really sucked me in from the start.

It's fast paced with a few different back stories and directions that this book could take you on. You're pulled in different directions right when you think you're heading straight again. It was a twisty, curvy, bumpy road that you just didn't want to navigate away from.

Kylene is amazing. She's strong, testy, feisty, compassionate, smart and above all, she never gives up. Garrett, Tabby, and Kylene are a fierce threesome. I hope they continue on in the next book. I also loved the insertion of the new FBI agent, despite his arrogance and annoying personality traits.

This book keeps you guessing and when you think you know what's going on, something else is thrown into the mix.

I can't wait to see what happens next!


Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Amber Lynn Natusch is a new-to-me author, and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into her backlist. I was hooked from page one, with a true heroine who took matters into her own hands. Intrigued, I didn't want to put the book down, reading it from cover to cover, but also not wanting it to end. As soon as I hit the ending, I would do just about anything to read the next.

Addictive.

At its core, there are two issues plaguing Ky. Her father has been incarcerated for a crime she believes down to her marrow he didn't commit, and if he did, it was in self-defense. As the daughter of an FBI agent, Ky is extremely perceptive, committed to justice, moralistic yet compassionate, has a savior complex, and highly independent.

Originally leaving town with the excuse of her father getting a job elsewhere, it was an escape from an incident with The Six during her freshman year in high school, feeling betrayed by all those she trusted. But with her father's incarceration, she is forced to move back to the town she escaped, attend the same high school, facing the injustice of those who harmed her going about their everyday lives. She's the pariah – the one who shut down football over her allegations, something no one has ever forgotten in this football town. The only highlights are being with her grandfather, her mother's best friend, and her best friend.

The mystery is front and center, causing my mind to spin as I reasoned out how it all connected. I became paranoid as I read, not trusting any interactions, several times thinking those close to Kylene now were to blame.

Not wishing to spoil the novel, I won't do a recap on any of the plot. Dare You to Lie is an addictive page-turner mystery, narrated by one of the best teenage heroines I've had the pleasure to read.

I highly recommend to fans of the author and young adult mysteries. Just this little taste has intrigued me to read more by Natusch, and I will be impatiently waiting for the next in the Hometown Antihero series

Young Adult age-range: 14+. Darker theme of pictures taken against will while drinking, which were age-appropriate and presented as a moral.

I am so floored by the astonishing revelations in this fast-paced edge of your seat nail-biting read that I don't really know what to say. The storyline was flawless and well executed. The characters were all fierce and strong and the climactic moments were intense and bone-rattling. I cannot wait to read the next book. This is a must-read book so stop reading this review and get to it.- YA/NA Book Divas


{I requested a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley. I made no guarantee of a favorable review and the opinions expressed herein are unbiased and my own.}

*will edit and add to my Goodreads and blog (book review) posts later

I am always cautious about reading mystery-thriller novels. It is either I get nightmares after reading (indicating that it is a great read) or a huge HUGE disappointment. But this one DID NOT disappoint me at all! I am keeping this review spoil-free as possible but I cannot help gushing over this book. The entire time I kept guessing who is the culprit and the plot either thickens or get even more twisted. Well written that readers are expect to be taken at the edge of their seats (or beds). Unfortunately, I hate cliffhanger. There! That’s a spoiler for you *winks*
I highly recommend this book specially if you are really into mysteries, thrillers or Agatha Christie type genre.

UPDATED REVIEW:
*Thank you to Tor Teen (via NetGalley) for approving my request to read this eARC, in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review. Every thoughts, feelings, and opinions about this review is solely MINE. *

This novel tells a story of a girl Kylene "Ky" Danners, who returned to her old town in Jasperville, Ohio after her father, a FBI detective was sentenced for the murder he did not commit. But coming back was not easy, because of a scandal that happened a few years ago that sent her and her father to live in a different town. Aside from living with her grandfather, Ky is on a mission to unearth the truth about her father's case and her own.

Readers are introduce to Ky and the townfolks of Jasperville. Ky was a freshman high school when a scandal that involved The Six rocked the quiet town. Because of all the lies surround the scandal, Ky decided to unearth the truth in order to close that chapter of her life and to finally focus on her father's case.

I love a good mystery thriller and this one hits me right through my heart. I love how strong and determine Ky is and that she is affected by how most of the townfolks are treating her. I love her relationship to her father and grandfather, and I get to see where she got her sense of justice.

Even if most part of the novel is predictable, the author puts a lot of twists that truly send you to the edge of your seat (or bed or couch). Every turn of the page makes you guess who are the suspect (or suspects), yet will get surprised and puzzled. Uncovering the truth has never been so much dangerous!

​Lesson learn: TRUST NO ONE.
RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
If you like fast-paced, young adult mystery (action) thriller then this is for you! This is not your average teenage girl who acts as damsel-n-distress. This is your kick-ass modern Nancy Drew-ish that seeks truth no matter how dangerous is, thanks to her belief in the sense of justice. My bookish heart is suffering because I have to wait for the sequel. Cussing the author for making me wait!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but it definitely exceeded my expectations. If you don’t know me you’ll find out that I don’t read synopsis of books before I start them. I enjoy going into them not knowing what to expect because I tend to enjoy them so much more. They all seem to be pleasant surprises to me which I love!

This book has two mysteries in one and while Ky hones in on the one that took her father away from her she starts to uncover clues to who took photos of her two years earlier at a party she doesn’t remember a whole lot of. Ky is such a great protagonist for a mystery in my opinion because although the situation is more serious her dry tones and witty humor keep you reading more.

The relationships in this book are so great. Ky has her best friend, a guy she’s known since childhood, who has never treated her any differently despite what happened to her, a quirky new girl whose naivete is endearing, and the FBI that Ky can’t help but give crap to any chance she gets. The relationship with her grandfather is also a good representation of a family who sticks together through thick and thin. The relationships to me really make this book so great!

They mystery was also well developed and I liked that there are two mysteries to be solved instead of just one. I love that we get more to this series because I want to see the continuing relationship and character development for these characters. If you enjoy a good mystery than you’ll love this one!

*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

I'm having a lot of mixed feel about this book. Part of it is a massive information dump, we are setting the stage for a series filled with twists, turns, and betrayals so laying the ground work for a crime ring and the FBI requires some purge of information. But wow was it a lot to digest. There are so many overlapping storylines and everything seems to twist and turn on each other. I felt like I needed a whiteboard to map out the narratives to keep everything straight.

So lets start with the characters, I liked Ky but I didn't love her. She had the tough girl persona and sarcasm down but there was just something missing from her. I didn't fall in love with her and I wasn't cheering her on, she just didn't 'go there' as a character for me. She fell a little short. Now mind you there are a lot of characters, AJ is cute and sweet but he needs to let it go. Agent Dawson...ummm how old are you sir? Tabby adds the comic relief, and Garrett, well I am not sure what to think of him.

It appears that Ky's photo scandal is some how linked to her father being framed? I am still not one-hundred percent sure as this was sort of laying the foundation for the larger story. Does Ky get answers to her photo scandal? Yes, but she is left with way more questions and opened an even bigger can of worms. I think as I reflect on the story what it is missing most is balance.

The transition between teen crime solver and typical teen with silly drama wasn't fluid, in some cases it felt like Ky didn't know who to be or who she was. She was dead set on justice but then she would reminisce about the past and be sucked back in. I think this is something that will improve with time. The mystery/thriller aspect of the story was captivating and I really enjoyed that so I will probably pick up the next book to see what all happens there.

This was an interesting, fast paced story full of twists, with a fierce heroine. It has a great pace keeping your interest and the plot was very engaging.

After a photo scandal forced her to leave town Kylene is back with vengeance and determined to find out what really happened that evening two years ago. I absolutely loved how real Kylene's character was.I could easily understand her and feel her behavior.

Dare You to Lie is definitely a promising start to a series I'm going to continue reading!If you like Veronica Mars then this is definitely a book you should read!

I found this to such a engaging read. I liked how many mysteries were developed in this novel and how the story not had a rather shocking ending that I did not predict but also most of the stories tied together at the end.

I grew to enjoy the main character but I was a tad more invested in the side characters. I often struggle with unlikable narrators but I did enjoy her by the end.

I found this book to fast pace read that reminded me a lot of the show veronica mars. I really hope we get a book 2, because things were left open and I super curious to see what happens next.

If you like mysteries like Veronica mars and Pretty little liars, with more realistic mysteries, this is the book for you!

**Review can be found at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ **

Through no real choice of her own, Ky finds herself back in the same small town she was desperate to leave 2 years ago. Her father is in jail for a murder Ky believes he didn't do, her mother ditched her to go have a new life, and now she is left on her grandpa's doorstep to get through her senior year of high school. With the same kids who made her miserable before and surprise, nothing has changed- they still want her gone. But Ky is determined to help her father and herself regardless of what everyone else thinks.

This story is so fantastic! I thought the synopsis sounded great but I could never have anticipated the amazingness that I was about to enter when I picked up this story. I had no expectations when I started the book, just the vague idea that it was a YA mystery which I am always down for and that the author sounded familiar. Well, I was 100% blown away and invested in this book. Veronica Mars is hands down one of my favorite shows and Dare You To Lie gave me all the Veronica feels I was missing in my life! We have an independent, stubborn and resourceful teen girl who has been wronged by those close to her, a disgraced father, spunky completely platonic best friend, and a small town full of secrets that wants her gone! Please, please sign me up for more of all of this, STAT! Sorry for the use of exclamation points, but in case you can't tell I am super enthusiastic about this book and now must force everyone to read it. So get on it.

This review will be pretty short and vague when it comes to book details because I do not want to ruin anything pertaining to the mysteries. And yes, I said mysteries- as in plural. There were so many mysteries that popped up along the way, some small, some monumental- all so interesting, twisty and important to the plot. Nothing is every easy for Ky, and this book proves it.

I absolutely loved Ky! She was tough, sassy, intuitive, resourceful, hardworking, funny, resilient...pretty much everything I want to be when I grow up. I enjoyed getting to know her during the course of the book and seeing her sense of justice at work was priceless. My favorite part of the story was the relationship dynamics between the Ky and everyone around her, be it the devotion to her dad, the love with her Gramps, the camaraderie with Garrett and Tabby or the snarky banter with Dawson (who I and want to see more of to come, I lurv him and his jerkiness). Amber made all these people seem so real, flaws and all, I felt like I knew them by the end of the book.

So the biggest problem with Dare You To Lie is that it is the first in a series and the rest are not available and I lack patience (it is a known fact). Also, now I am a complete fangirl for Amber and MUST read all her current books so a big chunk of my time now needs to be set aside to do just that. I highly recommend this read for YA mystery lovers as well as Veronica Mars fans. Expect a new addiction.

The last thing Kylene ever wanted to do was return to Jasperville, but that’s exactly what she has to do after her father is wrongly arrested for murder and her mother moves across the country. Returning to the high school that shunned her after the photo scandal ruined her freshman year proves to be as difficult as she expected it to be. Between getting her car windows smashed, threatening notes, a brick thrown through her house’s window, and almost run off the road, someone does not want her back in town reopening closed cases. However, Kylene isn’t about to just sit around and let whoever posted the photos in the first place get away with it again, especially when the clues she discovers start connecting to her father’s case and other criminal activities in the area.

Kylene is so much like Veronica Mars—she’s sassy, feisty, bitter, and not going back down from a fight—and I really loved that about her. She’s tough, loyal, and ready to stay firm in her beliefs. When she arrives back to school, she’s quick to reconnect with her old best friend, Garrett, and make friends with the new girl, Tabby. We definitely see more of Garrett than Tabby, but I enjoyed uncovering the backstory Ky has with Garrett and how supportive he is of her. With those two by her side, Ky faces down Donovan, star football player and one of The Six accused but never charged for the photo scandal. It turns out his aggression and anger is connected to more than just normal teenage hormones, and Ky is determined to uncover every little secret in order to find the key to unlocking her case.

There’s a whole slew of other characters in Ky’s life that all have her back. We have her grandfather who has taken her in, her mother’s best friend Meg who is also an attorney, her father’s old FBI partner Striker, and her father even though he’s in prison. With all these people on her side, Ky’s able to dig deeper into the case and discover surprising clues. While Ky does have all of these people supporting, it definitely felt a little unnatural that her mother never checked in with her.

The mystery as a whole is really intriguing, and while part of it is solved by the end of the book, that is just the tip of the iceberg and more is promised to come in the sequel. I loved how fast the story seemed to move. There was always something going on and by the end of Ky’s first week back, I was surprised that a longer amount of time hadn’t passed with everything that went down. When the mystery itself isn’t focused on, the novel still feels like it’s moving forward with the quick and witty dialogue.

Overall, fans of Veronica Mars will love Dare You to Lie! I can’t wait for the next installment!

Amber Lynn Natusch has created a captivating mystery that will leave readers guessing up until the very end, and then will leave them begging for more.

We're in luck, because this book is the first one in a series, but also not in luck, because (obviously) the next one isn't out yet!

Kylene, the protagonist, was a very likable character. Not only that, but she was insanely witty, and I was totally here for it. The banter back and forth between her and her best friend Garrett was phenomenal. I found myself laughing so many times throughout the book. Ky's other friend, Tabby, was a great character as well. She fit in great with their little friend group, and I can't wait to see her again in the next books.

The scandal that drove Ky from town two and a half years earlier came to light slowly. Natusch gives us hints along the way, so we aren't totally left in the dark, and can figure out the jist of what happened on our own. That incident/scandal is what the majority of the book revolves around, although the main focus behind solving that is Ky's need to clear her father's name and get him out of jail. While at first, it seems like the two events are unrelated, as more evidence is uncovered, it starts to seem like that might not be totally true.

AJ Miller, Ky's former boyfriend, is also caught up in the scandal. Although, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't still ship them. Read the book and you'll know what I mean! Oddly enough, towards the end, I started taking more of a liking to Agent Dawson (who's that? You have to read the book!), although presently/realistically, I know that would never work out. Who knows. Maybe Someday.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I think that fans of Riverdale will absolutely love it. It's the perfect mystery for anyone looking for an awesome young adult series, and I would highly recommend reading it before the next one comes out!