This book has two main perspectives: two sisters who have different perspectives of how her mother behaved and now that she is dead must come to terms with what she meant to each of them

There is one sister, Hanna, who is like a ghost so people can't see her. Her chapters were the more confusing ones since she doesn't know what she is and she also sees strange things around her

If you like magical realism and books about grief and family then you will like this book

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I was intrigued by the premise of this book and excited to get the chance to read it. The story was strange and at times very slow.

After her mother dies, Hannah doesn’t know how to exist without her. Literally. In fact, Hannah’s not even certain that she does exist. No one seems to see or hear her, and she finds herself utterly alone. Grief-stricken and confused, her sense of self slowly slipping away, Hannah sets out to find new purpose in life—and answers about who (and what) she really is.

Hannah’s only remaining family is her older sister, Leah. Yet even Leah doesn’t seem to notice her. And while Hannah can see and hear her sister, she also sees beautiful and terrible things that don’t—or shouldn’t—exist. She learns there’s much more to this world than meets the eye and struggles to make sense of it all.

When Hannah sees Leah taking the same dangerous path that consumed their own mother—where lies supplant reality—she’s desperate to get through to her. But facing difficult truths is harder than it looks.

Sheer perfection. Could not stop reading. Definitely stayed with me long after I finished the book. Will recommend to others.

I think that my main issue with The Lies Among Us is that the book is not really about what it says it's about. From the description, it sounds like Hannah is going to try to solve the mystery of what she is and also maybe bond with her sister over the death of their mother, but it comes out pretty early that she is a sort of phantom as a result of all of her mother's lies. Her mother has just died and Hannah is in the coffin with her, when she decides to follow her real sister. You would think that Hannah would stay with her sister Leah, who is wrapped up in lies, to try to help her grieve, but instead Hannah goes on a journey to learn more about herself. The magic aspect of this book just felt like it wasn't fully thought out and didn't make much sense. It also didn't feel like the book was about sisterhood or grief as marketed. And Hannah was ultimately afraid that she was going to fade out of existence because her liar had died, but then she doesn't because she has a purpose, so it sort of felt like nothing really happened overall.

We often say that lies take on a life of their own. Sarah Beth Durst does a deep dive into this concept with her book, The Lies Among Us.

To say that Leah Allen’s relationship with her late mother was complicated is to understate the situation. Her mother’s flexible view of reality did actual damage to Leah’s life, costing her relationships and opportunities and, worst of all, destroying their family. Leah leaves her mother’s funeral not grieving, only angry that she has a ton of work to do regarding settling her mother’s estate - work that is complicated by the fact that her mother left half to Leah’s sister, Hannah.

During the funeral, Hannah slides into her mother’s casket, drawing minimal comfort from her dead body. Hannah had spent all her time with her mom, following her as she ran errands and accompanying her as she puttered about the house. Now Hannah has no idea what to do with herself. At a loss as to where to be and who to be with, she follows her sister Leah.

That doesn’t prove to be very wise. Vitriol spills from Leah’s lips regarding her mother as Leah vents to her boyfriend about all her parent had put her through. It’s also clear Leah resents Hannah’s existence and always has. Hannah knows she is unusual - after all, no one sees or hears her, she can slide through walls and doors, and when she goes anywhere without her family, she is hunted by dark wolves determined to destroy her. Given all that, Hannah is deeply confused and concerned as to what will happen to her now that their mother is dead. Determined to give herself a chance at survival, Hannah musters up the courage to leave Leah and look for answers as to what she is and how she can survive.

This story works best when it focuses on Leah. We are with her as she struggles through the complicated dance of dealing with her mother’s estate and her own conflicted feelings surrounding it. A pragmatic, sometimes acerbic individual, she finds the tough shell she’s encased herself in crumbling under the onslaught of emotions clearing her mother’s house brings on. The examination here of abuse that is in no way physical and from people who love you (selfishly and on their own terms but with genuine emotion) is amazing. I appreciated how the portrayal of Leah’s parents shows how very dysfunctional they were in a way that rarely triggered alarms for outsiders and that fell well within the boundaries of what is legal. The depiction of how Leah was left emotionally scarred but feeling like she was somehow at fault for that because she wasn’t mentally strong enough to deal with her parent’s craziness is fabulous. I found myself especially moved by the section that dealt with college, with both adults in her life failing her so thoroughly. I loved how Leah shows both the astounding strength and resilience of abused children while also perfectly encapsulating their internal fragility.

The secondary characters in Leah’s life are lovely people who remind us that good people exist alongside the bad. Her boyfriend Jamie, with his compassionate understanding of Leah’s demons and patience with her as she struggles to work through her issues, is #relationshipgoals. Her best friend, Jersey, is the kind of companion we all wish we had - someone who gets what we’ve been through, what it has cost us, and how much support we need (and don’t need) on the road to recovery.

I found the story of Hannah, her path to self-discovery, and the friends she makes along the way far less intriguing. The investigation into what it means to be real, what defines our existence, and what constitutes truth is both underdeveloped and overinflated at the same time. Underdeveloped in that we don’t go deeply enough into how this affects real lives and overinflated in that the fantasy portion seems to give the issue meaning beyond that which it has in reality.

My other quibble with the tale is that the magical surrealism/paranormal element surrounding Hannah isn’t drawn with the level of consistency needed to really flesh out this portion of the story. How her mother pulled off the charade as long as she did isn’t explained, especially given that they lived in a situation where the neighbors would have seemingly caught on. I thought perhaps the wolves might tie into that, but they, too, go primarily unexplained and needed a bit more finessing to make them fully realized and understood.

Fortunately, the author is an experienced writer whose smooth prose, rich imagery, and astute characterizations make reading her books a pleasure. You won’t really notice the flaws until you are at the end of the narrative and thinking things through.

The Lies Among Us had the potential for greatness, but the exposition on what it is like to live with an habitual liar is derailed by utilizing a paranormal element that tells an interesting but ultimately meaningless story.

Those who have suffered emotional or mental abuse at the hands of a pathological liar will rarely find representation that confirms their experience with the veracity of The Lies Among Us. While the book's fantasy/paranormal elements keep the story from being a DIK, Leah's story is still an insightful look at this troubling subject.

Sarah Beth Durst, the Author of “The Lies Among Us” has written a creative, captivating, intense, and unique novel.The genres for this novel are Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, and Magical Realism. There is a touch of satire in this novel as well. The themes throughout this book deal with LIES, and the power that lies have when they get out of control. The author has written an unusual and remarkable novel that vividly represents the theme in this book. The author describes the dramatic characters as complex, complicated, toxic, dysfunctional and quirky. There are twists and turns, danger, threats, secrets, betrayals, and strange and symbolic representations of characters.

After Hannah’s mother dies, Hannah feels a tremendous loss, and questions her own existence. Her sister Leah is dealing with many emotions after her mother’s death, but is very angry that her mother was an obsessive liar. Although Hannah is there for her sister, Leah doesn’t see or hear her. Hannah is searching for her identity, and the meaning of her (Hannah’s) life. Through Hannah’s adventures, she meets several characters just like her, and realizes that they each have a similar effect from lies, and the magical forms that they represent.

Hannah notices that Leah is repeating many patterns that their mother had. Is she too late to discover the truth, and defeat the lies? I highly recommend this thought-provoking novel to others.

😎 B O O K T O U R review & giveaway 😎 featuring “The Lies Among Us” by Sarah Beth Durst!

Happy Thursday everyone! Today is my stop on the book tour for “The Lies Among Us” which released on April 1, 2024!

This book is about two sisters (Hannah and Leah) that grieve the death of their mother in two very different ways.

HANNAH is devastated and does not know how to exist without her mother. She feels as if she does not have a voice in the world and is very alone.

LEAH is bitter and destructive and as much as she hates her mother, they share very similar qualities. She is heading in a very disastrous direction in her life, much like their mother did.

I will refrain from saying anything more because going into this book BLINDLY is the way to go!! This story is very unique and different from anything that I have ever read before. It is emotional and raw and focuses on grief, self discovery, sisterhood and healing.

Can Hannah save Leah from herself before it’s too late??

Thank you kindly to @sarahbethdurst @otrpr @amazonpublishing for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review and a spot on this book tour!

Hannah, overwhelmed with grief and uncertainty, embarks on a journey to rediscover herself and seek answers about her true identity after the death of her mother. She struggles to navigate a world where she feels invisible and isolated, unsure if she truly exists. This story beautifully illustrates how two sisters can mourn the same person in distinct ways. It's a unique experience to be both fascinated and bored by a book's concept simultaneously.

After Hannah's mother dies, no one seems able to see her. Grief-stricken and alone, she looks for answers as to her identity. Seeking out her sister Leah, Hannah finds out that Leah can't see her, either. Hannah sees other odd things in the world, as well as Leah going down the same self-destructive path that killed their mother.

Hannah is spectral and rarely interacts with the world. We find out right away about this, as well as why others can't see her. Leah can't see or hear her and has no fond memories of their mother. She's bitter and angry and sees her entire childhood as being peppered by the little and big lies their mother told. It's hard enough to go through grief with a parent who's loved, but Leah's emotions had long since burned out to nothing. At the same time, Hannah isn't exactly a ghost, but something completely different. When someone is able to interact with her, she is determined to find out exactly what she is and how she came to be, helping her sister as much as possible.

The title comes from the fact that lies can take form in a fashion, whether in the shape of the thing lied about, or a hazy fog. The poisonous lies, especially those spouted when talking about politics or misogyny in bars, are an acidic muck that burns and destroys. While there's a check on the spread of such lies, it can only go so far. I loved this aspect of the world that Hannah lived in, largely unnoticed by people around her. As much as she lives a lonely life, she has incredible love as well, as we see her innocent hope as she journeys to find a purpose in her life.

We also see Leah's life story and how the lies she grew up with persisted and shaped her; much of what she did was in opposition to how she was raised, but lies were also the first coping skill she leaned on to try smoothing out the edges of her life. The glimpses we see of her mother, of the way grief shaped her and began the legacy of lies, is incredibly sad. This became the template for Leah to follow, even if she didn't intend to; in the end, Hannah's gift to her is done in love and hope for a better future. It's beautifully written and imagined, taking me across Long Island and Queens, then dipping into Garden City. It added a hefty dose of nostalgia for me, adding to the theme of grief and longing within the book.

We often say that lies take on a life of their own. Sarah Beth Durst does a deep dive into this concept with her book, The Lies Among Us.

To say that Leah Allen’s relationship with her late mother was complicated is to understate the situation. Her mother’s flexible view of reality did actual damage to Leah’s life, costing her relationships and opportunities and, worst of all, destroying their family. Leah leaves her mother’s funeral ungrieving, only angry that she has a ton of work to do regarding settling her mother’s estate - work that is complicated by the fact that her mother left half to Leah’s sister, Hannah.

During the funeral, Hannah slides into her mother’s casket, drawing minimal comfort from her dead body. Hannah had spent all her time with her mom, following her as she ran errands and accompanying her as she puttered about the house. Now Hannah has no idea what to do with herself. At a loss as to where to be and who to be with, she follows her sister Leah.

That doesn’t prove to be very wise. Vitriol spills from Leah’s lips regarding her mother as Leah vents to her boyfriend about all her parent had put her through. It’s also clear Leah resents Hannah’s existence and always has. Hannah knows she is unusual - after all, no one sees or hears her, she can slide through walls and doors, and when she goes anywhere without her family, she is hunted by dark wolves determined to destroy her. Given all that, Hannah is deeply confused and concerned as to what will happen to her now that their mother is dead. Determined to give herself a chance at survival, Hannah musters up the courage to leave Leah and look for answers as to what she is and how she can survive.

This story works best when it focuses on Leah. We are with her as she struggles through the complicated dance of dealing with her mother’s estate and her own conflicted feelings surrounding it. A pragmatic, sometimes acerbic individual, she finds the tough shell she’s encased herself in crumbling under the onslaught of emotions clearing her mother’s house brings on. The examination here of abuse that is in no way physical and from people who love you (selfishly and on their own terms but with genuine emotion) is amazing. I appreciated how the portrayal of Leah’s parents shows how very dysfunctional they were in a way that rarely triggered alarms for outsiders and that fell well within the boundaries of what is legal. The depiction of how Leah was left emotionally scarred but feeling like she was somehow at fault for that because she wasn’t mentally strong enough to deal with her parent’s craziness is fabulous. I found myself especially moved by the section that dealt with college, with both adults in her life failing her so thoroughly. I loved how Leah shows both the astounding strength and resilience of abused children while also perfectly encapsulating their internal fragility.

The secondary characters in Leah’s life are lovely people who remind us that good people exist alongside the bad. Her boyfriend Jamie, with his compassionate understanding of Leah’s demons and patience with her as she struggles to work through her issues, is #relationshipgoals. Her best friend, Jersey, is the kind of companion we all wish we had - someone who gets what we’ve been through, what it has cost us, and how much support we need (and don’t need) on the road to recovery.

I found the story of Hannah, her path to self-discovery, and the friends she makes along the way far less intriguing. The investigation into what it means to be real, what defines our existence, and what constitutes truth is both underdeveloped and overinflated at the same time. Underdeveloped in that we don’t go deeply enough into how this affects real lives and overinflated in that the fantasy portion seems to give the issue meaning beyond that which it has in reality.

My other quibble with the tale is that the magical surrealism/paranormal element surrounding Hannah isn’t drawn with the level of consistency needed to really flesh out this portion of the story. How her mother pulled off the charade as long as she did isn’t explained, especially given that they lived in a situation where the neighbors would have seemingly caught on. I thought perhaps the wolves might tie into that, but they, too, go primarily unexplained and needed a bit more finessing to make them fully realized and understood.

Fortunately, the author is an experienced writer whose smooth prose, rich imagery, and astute characterizations make reading her books a pleasure. You won’t really notice the flaws until you are at the end of the narrative and thinking things through.

The Lies Among Us had the potential for greatness, but the exposition on what it is like to live with an habitual liar is derailed by utilizing a paranormal element that tells an interesting but ultimately meaningless story.

Those who have suffered emotional or mental abuse at the hands of a pathological liar will rarely find representation that confirms their experience with the veracity of The Lies Among Us. While the book's fantasy/paranormal elements keep the story from being a DIK, Leah's story is still an insightful look at this troubling subject.

This book has an unusual storyline, which captures your imagination. So much so that you can't stop reading it.!
It kept you thinking about the ending, makes you consider the trouble caused by lying!

Sadly silly me didn’t realize reading the synopsis that while this is a story of grief of two sisters who lost their mother, it is also mostly a story about ghosts and a ghost world. Hannah, the ghost sister, whose perspective we get in the beginning, I just didn’t care for because as a ghost she just doesn’t feel real to me.

DNF’d at 5% because I knew I’d just end up giving it a bad ratings. I’m not interested in reading about ghosts.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and it is quite an intriguing tale. It is told from the POV of two sisters, Hannah and Leah, and their perspective on the world. Their perspective is very different because Hannah is not alive. You don't learn this from page one, but very quickly. But not knowing this makes the intro chapter very odd...why is someone in a casket with their mother, and why doesn't anyone get her out?

The premise of the book is interesting: is there another world out there made up of our lies? That people, objects, and animals have been created by the stories we tell others?

I enjoyed seeing the world through the two sisters. It gives a perspective that I might not have considered. I don't know if I prefer one over the other, but both are unique. Leah is real and trying to figure out her life now that she is alone. There are struggles for her based on all of the lies her mother told, and becoming the woman she can be if she only gives herself a chance.

You do have to suspend belief while Hannah is telling her story. But it is intriguing and did have me pondering different possibilities.

This book is probably not for everyone, but if you enjoy magical realism and family, you might enjoy this one. 

We give it 3 paws up.

Book: The Lies Among Us
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Source: Netgalley
Genre: Women's Fiction/Drama/Fantasy

Short Blurb: After her mother dies, Hannah doesn’t know how to exist without her. Literally. In fact, Hannah’s not even certain that she does exist. No one seems to see or hear her, and she finds herself utterly alone. Grief-stricken and confused, her sense of self slowly slipping away, Hannah sets out to find a new purpose in life—and answers about who (and what) she really is.

‘Somewhere out in the world, there must be countless albums that were never made, books that were never written, symphonies never played. Is there a library somewhere filled with stories never imagined? What about a school of facts never learned? A museum of treasures never saved? A theatre of plays never performed?’

One of the most unique books I've ever read. It started well, then became a little slow. I was beginning to lose patience but somehow didn't feel like leaving the story unfinished. And I'm so glad!

It's eccentric, weird and fantastic! A well written story, told from a very unique, kind of unimaginable perspective. The best thing about writing is that it creates glorious imagery.

‘She didn’t want to forget memories she had; she wanted to forget memories she didn’t have— the ones she should have made if her life had been different.’

It's about a dysfunctional family, siblings bond that could have been, friendship, purpose and lies.

I loved Hannah. I loved Sylvie. And their friendship. The idea of the mysterious man in white aka white rabbit, was so intriguing. I found Leah, Hannah's sister a little annoying, sometimes. However, as I neared the ending, her behaviour, her feelings became par for the course.

The ending is so good, poignant. It conveys an important message, without being preachy (not at all preachy).

My only problem with this book was that it meandered at some points, got repetitive. Leah's point of view is important, sometimes very interesting, but many times, it felt unnecessary. which made me restless. given the subject of the story. I wanted it to be crisp. Could have been a couple of chapters shorter.

Nevertheless, I loved reading this book for its unique story idea, for good writing. Read (it's free for Prime Reading, I think) if you're looking for a different read.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

I have enjoyed several of Sarah Beth Durst books and am always impressed with her creative mind. This time while her ingenuity was there, the story just didn't capture me like normal. There is a very clever premise, but I had moments of confusion and couldn't connect with the characters. I really think it was a "me" issue...I'm not sure why because I usually love this author. There is complex world building and a mystery surrounding what is actually happening. The story of sisters and grief after the loss of the mother with a very complicated relationship dynamic. but also taking place in a world filled with magical realism...

I will still get excited over this author even though this one was a miss for me. Sadly, only 2.5 stars for me.

I feel like I've covered a lot of strange books and plots over the years but this one was full of new ideas!

From the title and cover I was expecting some kind of murder mystery/thriller-esque story (went in blind to this one) but instead got a fascinating blend of family drama and magical realism. I felt there was a really strong theme of grief running through this that came across with a lot of tenderness, particularly towards the end. It was so lovely seeing characters who really stick up for each other, whether they've known each other forever or only just met. Towards the beginning, I was worried that there were too many plot points to keep track of and that the split perspectives were too different, but around half way they began to properly intertwine and I was brought back on board.
Definitely wins my vote as a more unusual YA!

This was definitely different! I've read a few books from this author and they've all had such unique premises that interested me but they never fully land for me and I think I've figured out what it is. It's the fantasy that loses me. I suppose I like metaphors of oozing lies more than I like ghost lie wolves in the muck of lies. If the author would stick to gothic horror- no supernatural, I think every book would be a 5 Star.

We don't know what Hannah is and that's really creepy. We meet her on the day of her mother's funeral and we find out that her mother was a very complex and flawed woman. Hannah has a sister, Leah, but she can't see Hannah because.. does Hannah exist? What is she? Can she figure that out in time to save her sister from herself?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!

I enjoyed reading The Lake House. Reading The Lies Among Us by Sarah Beth Durst was another fantastic novel by this author!
I had a great time reading this one.
Wonderfully written with fascinating characters. I was fully pulled into this story from the start, and each chapter just pulled me further and further in. The characters sprang to life with an amazing, deft touch I find rare. I throughly enjoyed this wonderful book.

Thank You NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I thought the premise of this story was super interesting, and the beginning sucked me in, and then as we got farther into the story my interest kind of came and went back and forth. It was interesting to see how both Hannah and Leah grieved their mother in different ways, and how different their upbringing was. And once we figure out why the girls are so different, things begin to make sense and go completely unexpectedly weird. Hannah goes off on a journey of self-discovery that I did enjoy, especially how she wasn't content to just let things be the way they are, she wanted to change her world, and I think she managed to do it. Leah was a bit harder to connect with, although once we get the background on her mother and her childhood the puzzle pieces begin to click together.
While this story didn't 100% work for me, I thought the writing was good, and the plot was super interesting. I have read one other book by this author that I loved so I will definitely continue reading her books.

I liked the sister aspect of this novel and the different points of view but I was not expecting the fantasy aspect of it. It got a little confusing for me. This was not what I was expecting but I did enjoy parts.