I could not read this. Talk of suicide so soon after losing a friend was just not a good idea at the time.

Although this is the second book in a series, you do NOT need to read the first before this one. (I haven't read the first one yet!)

This title covers the challenging topic of suicide (which Zoe attempts) as well as friendship and what that really means. Tori positions herself as a friend to Allison (Zoe's roommate) and then as a friend to Zoe and Zoe's boyfriend, James. Yet, it is all a web of lies that Tori has created as she tries to find her place in the world.

Very interesting book that shows not only how connected we are, but also that some people are not who they seem to be.

Zoe wants to end her life but instead of leaving her friend Alison and boyfriend James a suicide note, she plans her suicide so that she can explain why to her friends before she dies.

Tori wants Zoe’s life and is waiting on the sidelines to take James and Alison away from her.

A hard hitting book about mental health problems, that does not shy away, delving deep and how it impacts on the people surrounding the person who commits suicide. A very well written book that will stay in my thoughts long after reading it.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

this is a dark, emotional, thought-provoking read....

Butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.

This is the second book in the Butterfly Effect series... A very appropriate name because all these characters have such entangled lives, the simplest of actions could alter almost everything... this book could possibly be read as a standalone, but I think I would have appreciated it more had I read the first book in the series, and I may go back and do so...

This book deals with some pretty heavy issues primarily suicide and mental illness... because of the subject matter this is a slower read... I think the subject of suicide was handled well, and realistically... I think for those of us who have never contemplated suicide it is very difficult to understand what drives a person to take their own lives.... so what I appreciated about this book is it really focused quite a bit on the impact it has on those around the person wanting to commit suicide, the person with the mental illness... my ex husband is an untreated bipolar with narcissistic disorder, even though we have limited contact now he still is my children’s father.... and even though they have almost no contact with him, it still is something that will have an impact on their life forever... I mention this because I think the more we share about mental illness the less taboo it becomes.... I also bring it up because I have firsthand knowledge of the impact someone’s mental illness has on those around them, I think this is something that is often overlooked....


Zoe wants to commit suicide after the happenings in the first book (another reason I think you probably should read the first book 1st).... but before she does she wants to say goodbye to her boyfriend and her best friend.... tori is just waiting in the wings to take Zoe‘s place in both James and Allison‘s lives.... tori is a complicated character that added an entirely new level to the story, with all her lies and manipulations.... Zoe without necessarily meaning to cast quite big web that started dragging a lot of people down into the dark with her....

This is a well told story that will open many discussions... recommend, but I’d recommend you read the first book 1st....

This book deals with suicide and mental health. If you are feeling suicidal then please pick up the phone and ask for help. There is support out there and you deserve to find respite from your pain with support and kindness.
The Victoria Lie is the second book in the Butterfly Effect series and quiet a few of the characters from The Second Cup are in this book. This can be read as a standalone, but it is still worth reading the first book because there are recurring characters and it’s a really good book!

Sarah Marie Graye once again tackles the difficult issues of suicide and mental illness with intelligence and a good understanding of what is seen and what is felt when dealing with this. Mental illness does not just affect the person living with the illness, it also deeply impacts those around them.

The Victoria lie examines the impact that mental illness has on the people that are not the focal point of that illness. There are those that feel pain and those that look upon the devastating situation as an opportunity to infiltrate the emotional situation and manipulate it to their ends.

While the book initially looks at Zoe and her suicidal attempt and the eventual diagnosis. The story focus shifts to those that the attempt touches. I like that this series is titled The Butterfly Effect because it really is the perfect description of The Victoria Lie.

Unlike my usual fast paced reads, this multiple point of view tale, travels at a slower pace but that works for this story.
I did not find this to be an easy read, it is dark and emotional and evoked a lot of feelings within me but that is to be expected with such an emotive storyline.
Sarah has an amazing writing style. It is clear and concise, and this is imperative when we are dealing with a series of characters to follow, who all have their own feelings and agendas.

I enjoyed all of the characters in this book and found them well rounded and well developed. One of the characters tells quite a few lies, which makes you think about the particular lie in the title. I found that mental health was very well depicted, although not overwhelmingly so, despite it being a big part of the main plot. It kept me engaged and I really wanted to find out how it all unfolded.

This story was really well thought out. I was gripped from the start and wanted to know what happened to each of the characters. The topic behind the story is that of Mental health which is dealt with and written with sensitivity. Feelings and emotions are described and make you feel with the characters. I will be looking out for more books by this author.

This is a bit of a mixed bag for me. Good exploration of suicidal tendencies and the difficulties with mental health issues.

But all characters? Really?

I found the pace to be slow paced, and some of the incidents unlikely. Would an off-duty nurse discuss a patient with her next of kin in a public place? I don’t think so but maybe I am wrong?

Also I found Zoe’s ADHD diagnosis stemming from a possible caffeine addiction to be a bit unlikely.

Slow paced, without real depth. Was glad to finish it.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I am not sure how to write a review about this book and found I had no understanding of why someone would kill themselves. I skipped through a lot

The first thing you need to know about this series is that it is like the film festival version of books. If you imagine it being like one of those weird films you see at the film festivals, then you have The Butterfly Effect series. The second thing is that both books in this series have a theme of suicide. I have to admit reading this book, it started off semi-normal with Zoe who has planned to kill herself, and she ends up in the hospital ready to say goodbye to the two people she cares about as much as she can - Alison and James. I have to admit though Zoe was later diagnosed with ADHD, I would have her more so diagnosed with possible sociopathic tendencies. We also are introduced to a tag-along character Tori aka Victoria who is a compulsive liar and loves to be needed so much she thrives off it. She's the type of person I could imagine being diagnosed with Munchenhausen Syndrome. We then also have Ruby who is a childhood friend of Alison's who has come up for support. Zoe's plan of attack backfires, but that's not going to stop her from completing her plan of death. I am still a tad confused as the author brought in characters from the first book and it showed how they had drifted apart since the end of the book. For me, even after finishing the story - I am confused. The point I think though is that every action has a consequence and that one step can lead to a combination of different events - known as The Butterfly Effect.

The Victoria Lie' by Sarah Marie Graye is a story about a despondent young woman who unsuccessfully tries to commit suicide. Zoe finds out that she is suicidal because of an undiagnosed mental condition. 'The Victoria Lie' is an analysis of Zoe's mental illness and how it affected her relationship with her circle of friends. This psychological novel was just a little to slow paced to interest me. I managed to finish this book but I must admit that it was not cup of tea.

This was a great read that had a well developed plot and characters. The author handled the difficult topic of mental illness in a respectful way.

I didn’t enjoy this book at all...it was a pointless, coincidence of characters who all had more or less something mentally wrong with themselves but who were all interweaved in each other’s life’s.
The style of writing was quite good but the “story” if you can call it that lacked real depth.

This is a really well thought out story. I read this in one sitting. I was gripped by the story and wanted to know what happened to each of the characters. Mental illness is dealt with sympathetically. Feelings and emotions are well described. I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoyed The Second Cup. I hope there are more books to come.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.