1⭐️

DNF: 25%

Unfortunately, it is at 25% of this book that I am going to have to end my reading journey. Going in, I knew I had every right to be nervous. Whenever a book contains the tagline Knives Out meets The Inheritance Games, I immediately get nervous because most books NEVER live up to this expectation. While I ABSOLUTELY love the movie Knives Out, it’s The Inheritance Games part that turns me off. I really wish publications would stop using this series to sell other authors’ work. In my honest opinion, The Inheritance Games series was just an okay read for me. It is not a series that publications should use to sell other authors’ work. Case in point, this novel. The lies we conjure has more of a Knives Out feel instead of an The Inheritance Games feel. This novel contains its own originality. Where it lost me, as a reader, was (1) from the beginning, it moves VERY slow; (2) it contains witches and these paranormal characters aren’t ones that I enjoy reading about; (3) there were a whole lot of names thrown at me at once and it got hard to tell each one apart; and (4) the magic system was just a little difficult for me to understand. Had I read this along side an audiobook counterpart, I probably would’ve finished this and rated it a little higher. And while I am not the correct audience for this novel, I have no doubt that this will eventually find its audience between its publishing year and several years from now, especially for individuals who love anything witchy, witch-related, and need something YA to read during Spooky Season.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for granting my request for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book. I think my review was lost in my own archives until I realized that it had not been published through. Nevertheless I remember this book as having great storylines about history, manifesting magic and energy into our lives, and supernatural meeting our natural world that would be enjoyed by those seeking some magical realism into their reading.

Dnf at 52%

The storyline was quite dull for me. It should have felt like a high stakes kinda thing, but it never felt like there was a tense moment.

I couldn't get into it because it didn't feel like things were progressing too much either.

Exactly as advertised, a YA Knives Out with magic. I like a tight novel, all the events happening in a few days. The magical world building was very clever and the setting well done. Highly recommend.

This book is like The Inheritance Games but with witches! So many teens are going to love it, and they will not be wrong.

A few things--some melodramatic villain speeches, some truly cringey names (Winter Hegemony, really?), some uneven pacing, and a lack of distinctive characters--keep this from being a 5-star read.

HOWEVER. It is definitely a worthwhile mystery to unravel! Takes a pretty masterful storyteller to reveal details in a way that hints at their significance so that plot twists don't feel unearned, while not giving away the game too soon.

Overall, I'd recommend this to both friends and to my high school students, and I'll definitely be on the lookout for Sarah Henning's next book!


***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review.***

Thank you to Tor Teen and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

Oh my goodness, what an amazing ride of a book! I was not expecting to be immediately hooked the way I was. And I certainly wasn't expecting to not be able to put this book down. From the mystery of the girls being asked to pose as others, to the mystery of the murder, I needed more information immediately, and I wanted to do nothing else.

The characters themselves were all so compelling in one way or another, and I adored watching them unfold throughout the story. The more we learned about someone, the more questions we had, and I couldn't get enough.

I loved the witchy-ness of this book and how it all tied together in the end. There ended up being such depth at the end in the most moving way.

If you're looking for a witchy mystery, do not pass this one up!

I have read several other books by Sarah Henning and think her fans will find a lot to like here. As usual, Henning creates an interesting world full of characters striving to make a difference in their lives and for others around them. The plot reminded me of the movie Knives Out in a way. Two sisters thrust into a magical and dangerous situation in house full of unique (and deadly) characters. There were many tense moments and I found the plot engaging and easy to follow.

If you enjoy a good mystery, you'll certainly want to check out Sarah Henning's The Lies We Conjure.

I love knives out so I was instantly sold on this book. The addition of witches in the locked room murder mystery just added to the fun for me. I liked that the POVs were from an outsider just finding out about magical families and a witch. I feel like that gave depth and better explanation to the plot.

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

I’ll just say it upfront; I loved this book. Witches. Supernatural thriller. Locked-room murder. Yes, yes, yes, please. I couldn’t put this one down until it was finished.

The Lies we Conjure is a fun, fast-paced thriller that will keep you hopping and guessing at every turn. I love a mystery which I cannot easily guess and one that doesn’t feel like cheating, and this book is exactly that.

Read the full review here: https://horrortree.com/epeolatry-book-review-the-lies-we-conjure-by-sarah-henning/

The dark fantasy, magical competition storyline has been done multiple times in the same publication cycle and while this was a perfectly fine iteration, it wasn't the strongest one to come out. None of the characters were overly compelling and the comparisons to Knives Out created a draw that didn't hold up it's end of the bargain. Overall, a solid rec for readers looking for more things like the Inheritance Games, but not a first tier rec.

During a meeting of witch families, the leader of the four lines is murdered and the remaining participants must solve clues to find relics and solve the murder before they can leave the grounds. Two unwitting participants, Wren and Ruby, had been recruited to attend this dinner by an elderly woman who wanted them to pretend to be her long lost granddaughters, and they may be pawns in a very dangerous game.

Great for fans of Inheritance Games with a fantasy twist!

The Lies We Conjure has witches... it has murder... it has magical intrigue.... safe to say I was EASILY HOOKED! I had so much fun with this novel and am so fortunate to get an ARC copy, I can't wait to see what Henning comes up with next!

This was definitely my cup of tea. 4.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to Tor Teen and Macmillan for the advanced copy.

This book was gripping and twisting. Even when I expected part of the twists, the writing made me question myself over and over again. The magic system and the history was great. That there was so much backstory and context given to the story made it heavy at times, but in a way that gives weight and meaning. That you feel empathy where you don't expect and later anger due to attachment to the characters. I was on board for the entirety of this fun ride. The -.5 was for some minor pacing issues. Looking forward to reading more from Henning!

I was intrigued by the book when I requested it on NetGalley. Knives Out meets Inheritance Games with magic? Yes please!

Right away the reader is pulled into the story with mystery, murder, prophecies, deceit, relics, witches, magic with every turn of the page.

The stakes are high as Ruby and Wren are caught up in a spectacular inner battle with magical families on the brink of destruction. Power and control is a stake and everyone is a suspect. I loved the magical world Henning created. Full of legacy and danger. Auden was especially great. Ruby is so smart, even while her and Wren are throw Into this crazy world, they stay true to each other. The end was so great and such a great surprise.

The audio narrators, Barrett Leddy and Kristen DiMercurio, were fantastic. The tones and expression used for each character nailed what was written for their personalities and situations.

The twists and turns were excellent and so unexpected. I couldn’t have begun to guess what would happen next.

I received a NetGalley approval from the publisher for the ebook. I borrowed a copy of the audio on Libby. All views are my own. There is language.

Sarah Henning's THE LIES WE CONJURE is a fun, fast-paced mystery that would appeal to fans of Stephanie Garber and Adalyn Grace. The book is pitched as Knives Out meets The Inheritance Games but it that neglects the magical world that Henning has created. It feels like the best bits of later Harry Potter books with tangled family trees and secret magical gifts only some possess. Overall, a magically good time.

Two sisters are approached by an elderly woman who asks them to pretend to be her granddaughters for a family function. However, when they get there, they realize there is a lot more going on than they thought - including magic.

I loved the premise here, but I don't think the book delivered on it. I was in with the first two chapters, but once they actually got to the manor, it really slowed down for me. It was ultimately just ok - not bad but not really what I was wanting based on the premise.

The magic in the book is super fun and the comps are spot on for this story! The relationship with the sisters was easy to follow and something many can relate to.