What an absolutely magnificent, unique, beautifully written tale. I don't often stumble across brand new, completely fresh ideas and premises in books but this one is in a league of its own. Full of fascinating magic, vivid characters, dark threats, and a smattering of optimism, this story ultimately is a triumph of hope when all seems lost. Absolutely fantastic read!

Cover Art: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️/5
Plot: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️/5
Protagonist: ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️/5
Ending: ⚡️/5

Plot:In Red Valley, California, you follow the rules if you want to stay alive. But even that isn’t enough to protect Sadie now that she’s unexpectedly become the Liar: the keeper and maker of Red Valley’s many secrets.

🌈This book features a real, likeable protagonist. In 2021 we have been a little stuck for those, but Lilly is absolutely fantastic. A strong, independent female character who gets over her self doubt and fights for her kingdom. For that reason, you should definitely read this book.
🌈This book is GRIPPING, until the end when it feels slightly rushed. 3/4 of the way through this book there is a twist that I didn’t even see coming, I didn’t even pick up on the possibility of a twist and yet there it was, leaving me with my mouth wide open, unable to speak. But after that, the book takes a sharp nose dive into boring. Perhaps it lost momentum at that point, perhaps I raised my bar of expectations after reading that. I’m not sure what it was, but, the end did not match the rest of the book. The end felt like the end of a Disney film where the rest felt like a dystopian multiverse.
🌈One of my biggest pet peeves is unnecessary characters and this book features a couple of them. In my opinion, an unnecessary character is one who does not add to the storyline, one where the re-equilibrium can be reached without us meeting them. Sometimes side characters have short sequences that help us to feel empathy for characters, or build an understanding as to why the protagonist/antagonists act the way they do. But, in this book, a few of the unearthly, magical characters where unnecessary which just feels like wasted time in to the book as we as an audience have to not only spend a page being described them, we also spend time wondering why on earth you’d introduce dementor-like characters but then do absolutely nothing with them. They had potential man, why didn’t the author use it ? Another unnecessary character was the river, the river is drawn on the cover art & in the slogan for the book, but it appears for only a short scene and seems no more dangerous then a non-magical earthly river

Overall Rating:⚡️⚡️⚡️.5/5
Would I read it again? Y

I received this book from the publishers via Netgalley for a review. Loved it. What a book great characters with plenty of twists and turns. One of the best books of 2021.

Everyone raised in Red Valley knew the rules. Everyone knew of the King and not to ever cross him or his men. And everyone knew of one of his workers: The Liar.

Sadie’s mom was well known around town as the Liar of Red Valley. People were scared and intrigued by her. When she died, Sadie became the one they feared. Sadie gets thrown into a position she didn’t want or know anything about. Through different encounters, meetings with the King, and all different gods at play for the war of Red Valley, Sadie learns who she really is and what her destiny truly is.

A fantastic ride of psychological, supernatural, thriller, and science fiction aspects that create The Liar of Red Valley. 5/5 stars. Easily one of the best books that has stuck in my memory.

#theliarofredvalley #netgalley

a dark monstrous full of magic book with so many twists and turns. posted my detailed review on my blog link is here. https://hkfictionclub.com/the-liar-of-red-valley-review/

What a strange and unique novel - it's lovecraftian with some Americana and a little bit of urban fantasy. The book revolves around a young protagonist and her inheritance of 'The Book Of Lies' - a way of covering things up for others that comes at a cost. The plot goes fast, with death, horror, supernatural elements all melding together to a breakneck finish which almost comes too fast. Hopefully this is the first in a new series - recommended.

5/5 stars!

I really liked this book! It was a page turner and I ended up finishing it in 2 days.

We follow Sadie in Red Valley, California, a small town where weird things happen. Sadie suddenly becomes the Liar of Red Valley, a position where she holds secrets of the many residents of the small town. But not everyone in the town is human or are happy with the changes in the Valley, yet, the Liar has tremendous power. How does she use that power? Well, you gotta read more and find out! If I say anything else, I’ll be spoiling the book.

I can fit this book into so many different genres, but the top that comes to mind are: fantasy, thriller, and horror. It’s a dark modern fantasy novel, set in the real world. The book starts off slow, giving you the vibe of a small town thriller, but as the plot progresses, it becomes more. We are introduced to several very interesting side characters who actually affect the plot and are necessary in the overarching storyline.

Walter Goodwater develops a brilliant story with a wide range of characters, unexpected twists and turns, that I just couldn't put this book down. There are also many unique concepts that I love. Red Valley is fascinating and you definitely get horror vibes from some of the characters.

One small issue, which isn’t an issue per say, I wanted the book to be longer. I really hope the Liar of Red Valley gets a sequel or more books. Walter Goodwater created this wonderful town and concepts that I would definitely pay money to read more about. If you’re looking for a standalone fantasy book with unique concepts, strong female characters, and great plot, please pick this book up! I need to talk to someone about it! :)

What made me want to read this book was the premise, it interested me from the start and I expected this to be something I’d enjoy. The execution let me down. Everything felt too quick, too abrupt. There was no build up toward the major events that happened and so failed to keep me intrigued. The characters also had no complex motivations or personality; I found it hard to feel anything towards them. This book may have surprised me at some points, but it wasn’t enough to lift my enjoyment unfortunately.

Do not trust the Liar.

Do not go in the River.

Do not cross the King.

If you live in Red Valley, California these are the rules you grow up knowing to follow in order to live, to survive. But suddenly for Sadie, these rules are not enough. Her mother passes away unexpectedly. But aside from the shock of losing her mother, she then realises she has inherited her mother's mantle as the Liar of Red Valley. For years the Liar has kept and created the town's secrets. The only problem is that her mother never trained her to take over, so Sadie needs to learn on the job, and fast. Because things are happening in Red Valley, that even for their town, are weird. Wrong. Even more dangerous than usual. The monsters are getting more brazen. The King of Red Valley is losing his grip. If Sadie can’t figure out how to fix all of this, then more than just a few people will die - the entire town will be lost.

This book gripped me from the very beginning. A fantastic mix of horror, fantasy and thriller, all combining to make something special. Magic, creatures, horrors of the night. They all feature, and more. It was creepy, it was emotional, it had you vested in the town's survival, in Sadie, and other pertinent supporting roles from the beginning. The book is fast paced, you really feel like you are running to keep up with Sadies desperate struggle for survival for not only herself, but also for all she cares about.

There was a brilliant mix of characters, some fantastic plot twists, and some very relevant and current themes explored, in a very clever way. I won’t spoil them here, but I will say - read this book. I would love to see it turned into a series. Could we see more from the Liar? And from Red Valley? I devoured this book, much like I imagine The King would devour an enemy!

*I received this book from NetGalley for review but all opinions are my own.

What if you could make people's lies become "truth"? Red Valley is a mysterious place protected by the King and his Liar. The Liar must protect the secrets of the town. But when the Liar dies, her daughter Sadie is expected to pick up the reins. Only one problem- Sadie has no idea how to be the Liar, and it seems her mom has been lying to her. Sadie must unravel the secrets of Red Valley and face the King.
The Liar of Red Valley is a fast paced magical realism book with some really interesting magic going on. It was full of twists that I didn't see coming and magical characters that I never would have imagined.
I thought this book was pretty unique. I enjoyed it a lot!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read for review.

I found this read incredibly disappointing based on the potential of the premise. Poor pacing, writing, and two-dimensional characters muddled what was a very interesting concept in Sadie's journey becoming the Liar of Red Valley.

I feel like Goodwater bit off more than he could chew fitting so many elements, characters, and magical entities into this bo0k, and a scaled-back approach would have been much more readable.

I don't read many horror stories
But this one intrigued me
This is full of mystery and magic
With twists and turns which are unpredictable
I liked the main characters and how they fit together
The story flows so well it's really hard to put it down

If you like horrors and fantasy this is for you

Thank you netgalley, Walter Goodwater and rebellion for allowing me to read this book

The characters and the plot were very good. The story telling was really good too. For me I would only read it once because I’m trying to branch out more but for someone else, they could easy read this more times if they love this kind of book.

Someone hold my purse; I am in shock: this book is so good that I am shaking. Seriously, I loved this so much.

Before I give my detailed review, I'd just like to mention that English is NOT my first language, therefore I apologize in advance for any typo, grammar error or any kind of mistake in my writing. But as the book is not yet planned to be translated in my language (I think), I have the solemn duty to convince English-speaking people to read this book, talk about this book and love this book, so one day my country will want it too. Because I sure need this book in Portuguese.

Anyway. About the book: I took an interest for it because I thought it was a dystopian fantasy, maybe even sci-fi. I was NOT expecting it to be what it is. But that's not a bad thing, I love it when books are not what I expect, because expectations are ordinary. Surprises are nice. As soon as I started reading it, I felt like I was reading one of those reaaaaaally good creepy pastas. The ones that send creeps down your spine and make you shudder at every gush of air. The ones that make you feel scared to leave your room after sundown.

That's Red Valley. That's what Red Valley made me feel while reading. I felt anxious, but in a good way, and I felt scared, but also in a good way. The writing and the main character make you feel like you're there, right by her side, watching her go about her mission, talking to these people, fighting the evil ones and slapping that damned sheriff and anyone who tries to get in her way.

The Laughing Boys have me the real creeps, more than any other creature. The dudes at the bar too. There was something about them. And River... wow. I want so much to know more about them all, but at the same time, what makes them so special is how little we know about them. It's what makes them scary. The more we know about things that scare us, the less we feel scared, right?

The plot twists were... wow. I cursed at least twice. Out loud. I was- I don't even have words for what I was. But I was so shocked at them. I really did NOT see them coming. And the ending was amazing. That lady, that entity... I have a feeling about her, but I shall not share it.

Man, there was never a moment of boredom in this book. Things just kept happening. And I didn't feel like it was rushed, either. It was just the right pacing to make us feel like Sadie - like there was never a moment of peace -, while at the same time we could digest the things happening.

I loved this book so much. I loved Sadie, but most of all, I loved Beto. I know, there are a lot of great characters in there, but Beto was IT for me. That dude deserves a spin-off.

I'm not sure my review helped, since I mostly said only good things. But if I found any bad stuff while reading, I didn't bother to take notes, because all the good things are just way bigger. In the great scheme of things, this book is pure and simply GREAT. I do not give 5 stars lightly, but man did I give them to this one as fast as light.

Thank you so much, Rebellion and Net Galley, for the opportunity to read this. And thank you, Walter Woodwater, for writing this.

p.s.: On my blog and social media, I shall post a translated version of this very same review, somewhere in August. If you don't mind.

After Sadie’s mother’s dies she becomes the new Red Valley’s Liar - someone who keeps people’s secrets and can cover up everyone’s lies. Every cover up comes with a cost. Red Valley is ruled by The King and his men - a mysterious and dangerous force. 

This was an interesting and inventive book. Different to what I’ve read before. Different to what I expected. Mysterious. I loved reading about what sort of truths people wanted changing.

I wasn’t sure what was going on at first but it all makes sense as the book goes on. I did find it somewhat difficult to get into at first. A little hard to follow at times, however the pace was fast.
I finally was about to immerse myself into the story around 25% of the way in. I’m glad I stuck it out, though, because it got so good and interesting, especially when Sadie began digging into her family history. The pace and my interest waxed and waned and I was a little bored, especially in the middle. 

I struggled to place the genre. It’s like a mix of magical realism and a psychological thriller. There were supernatural aspects with magic and thrills. 

 I felt connected to Sadie and felt like I was reading through her eyes, however I couldn’t connect to any of the other characters. It was just like they were vessels to tell the story. The twist near the end was amazing - I didn’t suspect a thing. 

Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for a chance to read and review this book.

Let me start by saying that this is my first adult horror book. Actually... aside from the few Goosebumps books I read as a kid that gave me nightmares for week, I'm fairly positive this is my first horror book EVER. (If you're wondering, yes I was scarred from the 2008 animated movie Monster House, and yes, I did make my mom leave the theatre with me 30 minutes in to Paranormal Activity 4. I was 14.) So I went in to reading this with A LOT of apprehension. Usually people stick to the genre they love, but I was so caught by the cover and synopsis that I decided it was time for me to venture out and culture myself of the adult horror genre at the ripe age of 21.

Well, I gotta give a hats off to Walter Goodwater, because he blew my expectations (and hesitations) completely away. I think the reason why I enjoyed it so much is because it read more of a sci-fi adventure, where I was so invested into figuring out the big mystery of Red Valley and tearing apart the characters true intentions. Like any unexpecting heroin, Sadie is thrown into a position she doesn't necessarily want; even though it comes with the power of dominating her entire town. Unlike other characters I've read, where it takes me a moment to connect or even root for them, I found the opposite happening with Sadie. I liked her right from the get go, and she often reminded me of a 21st century Nancy Drew (if Nancy were in the Supernatural universe).

The ONLY reason I couldn't give it five stars is because I felt some areas lagged in the book. I found the plot wasn't evenly spread out, or didn't keep me going from devouring this book. At parts, I felt I was reading a filler chapter, which is definitely okay; I think I just expected more of fast paced action from adult horror. BUT that might also be my pre-determined opinions about the genre and my VERY novice experience in it. Overall, I truly enjoyed The Liar of Red Valley, and I've already recommended it to several of my friends who are totally into this type of genre.

I hate when I DNF books so I powered through this one even though it was a bit rough for me.

Things liked: I really liked the main character and her development. Sadie is left behind as her mother dies and has to pick up the pieces. I thought her character growth was well executed. I also enjoyed this idea of a "liar" and the magic that they hold. It was an interesting concept and I thought it was neat.

Things I did not like: Overall I just felt that this book lacked plot development and that was my biggest reason for the 2/5 stars. I felt like there was so much opportunity for more development that just did not happen. The ending also for me was very abrupt and did not conclude much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

It's hard to find words how good this book is! The writing style is perfect, the story flows and you won't even notice when a few hours passed and you're finishing the book.

Sadie's mum was a Liar, her power was created by a King who runs Red Valley even though no one ever saw him. She would help people by writing a lie in her book, and even though the lies have a price - time taken from people's lives, customers kept coming. For generations Liars family told thousands of lies. A small ones, and a dangerous ones. Some people were ready to kill to protect their lies...

Sadie is lost, not only her mother didn't pass any Liar's knowledge to her, but she also died unexpectedly never telling Sadie that she has cancer. The girls' world is turned by 180' overnight, from having a relatively normal life to talking with her dead for hundreds of years ancestors, fighting with a crazy police undersheriff on a crusade, and running away from demons.

I loved the characters. I'd love to see them on the big screen. The bear-killers, Laughing and Crying Boys, the King himself, they're all fantastic creations.

The story flows, I couldn't stop reading it and if I've started during the weekend, I'm certain I'd finish it in one sitting. Extremely engaging and very entertaining. It has a great heroine, a fantasy, a horror and a mystery. I couldn't ask for more in a book.

Well deserved 5 stars and I can't wait to read more books by the author.

This book was bloody amazing! HP Lovecraft meets Neil Gaiman meets Stephen King. So frigging good! Less than 25% of the way in, I was looking up the publisher and was thrilled to get to buy a signed hardcover copy with sprayed edges. Hell yes!

The things that made this book hard to put down: the sweet main character Sadie (when I say sweet, I mean sweet as in cool, gnarly, hella good, dope, Gucci, GOAT, POG, lit, phat, radical...), DARK THINGS, the plot twists. I just had to find out what was going to happen. The ending was a very nice mirror to the beginning.

If I could offer any bit of regret, it would be that it didn't quite get dark enough for my tastes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book.

This is, without a doubt, the most creative book I’ve read all year. There’s magic, a King, and a Liar, but there’s also a town in California that’s set in the modern day. This book will send you on a rollercoaster ride that’s a mixture of horror and fantasy. One of this year’s truly great books.
I loved the lore and magic in it. And I especially loved the main character, Sadie. She has fire and is a force to be reckoned with. The plot is rich and the villains and side characters are wonderful to read about. Definitely recommend.