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whosolx's review
5.0
Perfekte Mischung aus Thriller bzw Mystery und Romance. Nicht zu viel und auch nicht zu wenig. Es hat mich nicht enttäuscht. Die Action Szenen waren richtig gut geschrieben und es war auch nicht zu viel Romance im Weg. Genau so ist es richtig.
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Chasing Truth is a YA mystery filled with super spies, intrigue, romance and a touch of teen angst. The combination makes for a fabulous read! The book follows Ellie, a teenage girl who has left her con artist family and is now living with her sister, Harper and Harper's secret service boyfriend. Ellie's left her grifter life behind, but when her best friend Simon commits suicide, she can't let things go. She needs to figure out what happened that night, why he was pushed so far---or if it was truly a suicide at all. Turns out, Ellie's con artist skills are perfect to help her get close to people who might have more information than they've let on. Of course, the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous the search becomes.
What Fed My Addiction:
Ellie's backstory.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was learning about Ellie's past. We know pretty much from the start that Ellie used to be a con artist, but we don't know much beyond that. How did she end up living with her sister and a secret service agent? What made her leave the rest of her family? The details of Ellie's early life unfold throughout the book, and they're fascinating.
Miles and Ellie.
I'm a sucker for a good romance, so it's no surprise that I was more invested in Miles and Ellie as a couple than I was in the mystery Ellie was trying to solve---that's just me. Ellie has quite a few secrets, so she can't let anyone close to her. I don't want to spoil anything, so I feel like I can't go into any detail about how Ellie and Miles's relationship gets complicated---but let's just say that they end up finding their lives woven together in some major ways, but there are obstacles that threaten to tear them apart in others. The romance between Ellie and Miles is slow-developing (but not too slow!) and believable, and I was really hoping for a happy ending for these two (even against some pretty insurmountable odds). One more note: I appreciated the way sex was approached in this book---as something that you build up to in a relationship rather than just jumping into it at the first opportunity. (Not gonna lie, things still moved faster than would be my preference in real life, but the pace was a lot better than a lot of YA books I've read.)
That ending!
Throughout the book, I was kept guessing as to who the murderer was---or if there even was a murder. The ending of this book was pretty spectacular and kept me furiously turning the pages. I was very satisfied with the conclusion and how it all came together. Some aspects I expected, but there were also plenty of surprises.
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Felt a little long.
This book took me a little longer to get through than I expected it to. Even though I was really enjoying the story overall, I wasn't feeling compelled to pick the book up at first (to be fair, I was really busy and mystery isn't an automatic favorite genre---it was the romance that kept me coming back for more, and there was plenty of that too). Once I got about halfway through and the mystery really started to pick up, I got more engaged with that part of the story. It didn't hurt that the romance had kicked up a notch too. By the end, the pace was galloping and I was glued to the book until its conclusion!
Even though I'm not always a fan of crime story type mysteries, this one had enough other elements to keep me hooked. I'm eager to see where Cross takes the series in future books! I give this one 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Chasing Truth is a YA mystery filled with super spies, intrigue, romance and a touch of teen angst. The combination makes for a fabulous read! The book follows Ellie, a teenage girl who has left her con artist family and is now living with her sister, Harper and Harper's secret service boyfriend. Ellie's left her grifter life behind, but when her best friend Simon commits suicide, she can't let things go. She needs to figure out what happened that night, why he was pushed so far---or if it was truly a suicide at all. Turns out, Ellie's con artist skills are perfect to help her get close to people who might have more information than they've let on. Of course, the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous the search becomes.
What Fed My Addiction:
Ellie's backstory.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was learning about Ellie's past. We know pretty much from the start that Ellie used to be a con artist, but we don't know much beyond that. How did she end up living with her sister and a secret service agent? What made her leave the rest of her family? The details of Ellie's early life unfold throughout the book, and they're fascinating.
Miles and Ellie.
I'm a sucker for a good romance, so it's no surprise that I was more invested in Miles and Ellie as a couple than I was in the mystery Ellie was trying to solve---that's just me. Ellie has quite a few secrets, so she can't let anyone close to her. I don't want to spoil anything, so I feel like I can't go into any detail about how Ellie and Miles's relationship gets complicated---but let's just say that they end up finding their lives woven together in some major ways, but there are obstacles that threaten to tear them apart in others. The romance between Ellie and Miles is slow-developing (but not too slow!) and believable, and I was really hoping for a happy ending for these two (even against some pretty insurmountable odds). One more note: I appreciated the way sex was approached in this book---as something that you build up to in a relationship rather than just jumping into it at the first opportunity. (Not gonna lie, things still moved faster than would be my preference in real life, but the pace was a lot better than a lot of YA books I've read.)
That ending!
Throughout the book, I was kept guessing as to who the murderer was---or if there even was a murder. The ending of this book was pretty spectacular and kept me furiously turning the pages. I was very satisfied with the conclusion and how it all came together. Some aspects I expected, but there were also plenty of surprises.
What Left Me Hungry for More:
Felt a little long.
This book took me a little longer to get through than I expected it to. Even though I was really enjoying the story overall, I wasn't feeling compelled to pick the book up at first (to be fair, I was really busy and mystery isn't an automatic favorite genre---it was the romance that kept me coming back for more, and there was plenty of that too). Once I got about halfway through and the mystery really started to pick up, I got more engaged with that part of the story. It didn't hurt that the romance had kicked up a notch too. By the end, the pace was galloping and I was glued to the book until its conclusion!
Even though I'm not always a fan of crime story type mysteries, this one had enough other elements to keep me hooked. I'm eager to see where Cross takes the series in future books! I give this one 4/5 stars.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
michellesantiago's review against another edition
3.0
Originally posted on Undeniably Book Nerdy:
Chasing Truth is my first read by Julie Cross and it's one of those books where it was a little hard going getting through it, but in the end I'm glad I finished it. I'm definitely keeping book 2 under my radar.
Our main character Eleanor "Ellie" Ames is a former con artist, and because of this her mindset sometimes goes to there--trying to find ways to deceive or dupe someone first. This makes her feel like a freak and she's trying to leave that far behind her to live like a normal person. She's living with her older sister Harper and her boyfriend Aidan in Washington, D.C.
Thanks to Aidan's connections, she's enrolled at an elite prep school. She hasn't really connected with any of the rich kids except for one, Simon, who was an awkward nerd and an outsider. Simon and Ellie went to homecoming together as friends, when after dropping her off at home, Simon supposedly commits suicide at his house.
Fast forward to a new school year, and Ellie sees a new neighbor move in at their apartment complex. He is Miles Beckett and he is a sexy, if arrogant and, at first, a tad awkward. But, it wasn't long before he is hanging out with the most popular kids at school, who Ellie also befriends (she cons her way into their circle) them because she's suspicious of them and believes one or more of them may be connected to Simon's death. But, Miles seem to be asking the same questions as Ellie--are they on the same side?
With a premise like that, I was excited to read Chasing Truth. Unfortunately, I found the beginning to be really slow. We are getting all of this information about Ellie and her past with her family and how they conned people, as well as information about what happened last spring with Simon. Then, we are also introduced to a lot characters like Ellie's sister Harper and her boyfriend Aidan, as well as Miles Beckett, and all the group of popular rich kids at the prep school. All of these characters do all play a role later on in the story so it was important we establish their backgrounds and such, but it was a lot and most didn't read new and refreshing. Like, initially I feel I've read most of these characters before in similar books, so reading the first 30% felt really slow going. After details about Miles were revealed things did get more interesting and the pacing speed up and I found myself reading faster. Just had to get over the hump in the beginning.
My favorite characters were Ellie, her sister Harper, and Harper's boyfriend, Aidan, who is part of the secret service. Harper and Aidan become surrogate parents of sorts to Ellie--the kind of parents she never had before. I really enjoyed Ellie's relationship with both of them. As for Miles's character, I had him pegged early on as to who he might be. But, I'm not going to say anymore to avoid spoilers. I did like the tension/attraction between he and Ellie--I was shipping them from the start.
Chasing Truth is described as Veronica Mars meets Pretty Little Liars, and I see that. My biggest issue with it is the slow pacing in the beginning and there were times I felt like the story dragged when it shouldn't. It wasn't that I was bored or anything, but I wished there was more action in the beginning. Also, the story almost felt a little too long. However, if you are a fan of Julie Cross and you like mysteries set in a prep school, definitely pick this book up.
Chasing Truth is my first read by Julie Cross and it's one of those books where it was a little hard going getting through it, but in the end I'm glad I finished it. I'm definitely keeping book 2 under my radar.
Our main character Eleanor "Ellie" Ames is a former con artist, and because of this her mindset sometimes goes to there--trying to find ways to deceive or dupe someone first. This makes her feel like a freak and she's trying to leave that far behind her to live like a normal person. She's living with her older sister Harper and her boyfriend Aidan in Washington, D.C.
Thanks to Aidan's connections, she's enrolled at an elite prep school. She hasn't really connected with any of the rich kids except for one, Simon, who was an awkward nerd and an outsider. Simon and Ellie went to homecoming together as friends, when after dropping her off at home, Simon supposedly commits suicide at his house.
Fast forward to a new school year, and Ellie sees a new neighbor move in at their apartment complex. He is Miles Beckett and he is a sexy, if arrogant and, at first, a tad awkward. But, it wasn't long before he is hanging out with the most popular kids at school, who Ellie also befriends (she cons her way into their circle) them because she's suspicious of them and believes one or more of them may be connected to Simon's death. But, Miles seem to be asking the same questions as Ellie--are they on the same side?
With a premise like that, I was excited to read Chasing Truth. Unfortunately, I found the beginning to be really slow. We are getting all of this information about Ellie and her past with her family and how they conned people, as well as information about what happened last spring with Simon. Then, we are also introduced to a lot characters like Ellie's sister Harper and her boyfriend Aidan, as well as Miles Beckett, and all the group of popular rich kids at the prep school. All of these characters do all play a role later on in the story so it was important we establish their backgrounds and such, but it was a lot and most didn't read new and refreshing. Like, initially I feel I've read most of these characters before in similar books, so reading the first 30% felt really slow going. After details about Miles were revealed things did get more interesting and the pacing speed up and I found myself reading faster. Just had to get over the hump in the beginning.
My favorite characters were Ellie, her sister Harper, and Harper's boyfriend, Aidan, who is part of the secret service. Harper and Aidan become surrogate parents of sorts to Ellie--the kind of parents she never had before. I really enjoyed Ellie's relationship with both of them. As for Miles's character, I had him pegged early on as to who he might be. But, I'm not going to say anymore to avoid spoilers. I did like the tension/attraction between he and Ellie--I was shipping them from the start.
Chasing Truth is described as Veronica Mars meets Pretty Little Liars, and I see that. My biggest issue with it is the slow pacing in the beginning and there were times I felt like the story dragged when it shouldn't. It wasn't that I was bored or anything, but I wished there was more action in the beginning. Also, the story almost felt a little too long. However, if you are a fan of Julie Cross and you like mysteries set in a prep school, definitely pick this book up.
feldy's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
milkteajeon's review against another edition
5.0
4.5; damn that was good. the start was super fun, especially the ellie-miles dynamic but it got a lot more serious towards the end.
i really liked ellie, she was fun but also realistic and pretty kickass in her own way. i liked miles a lot too - it was nice to see a character who so adamantly stuck to his beliefs (even if it did get the tiniest but frustrating). surprisingly i liked clyde too just from that short appearance at the end
i highly recommend this if you like books like the fixer, the deceivers, even gallagher girls & heist society. this book definitely deserves a lot more reads!
i really liked ellie, she was fun but also realistic and pretty kickass in her own way. i liked miles a lot too - it was nice to see a character who so adamantly stuck to his beliefs (even if it did get the tiniest but frustrating). surprisingly i liked clyde too just from that short appearance at the end
i highly recommend this if you like books like the fixer, the deceivers, even gallagher girls & heist society. this book definitely deserves a lot more reads!
kristy_k's review against another edition
4.0
Every time I think I’m getting too old for YA, a book like this sucks me in. I was hesitant the first few pages when our main character, Ellie, waxes poetic about the new boy next door, Miles. But once that finished, a fun, fast-paced, twisty little YA mystery began. It reminded me a bit of Jennifer Barnes’ [b:The Fixer|22929578|The Fixer (The Fixer, #1)|Jennifer Lynn Barnes|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1418036245s/22929578.jpg|39908713] series (which I loved).
Ellie and Miles had great chemistry and a strong supporting cast of characters which made for some good scenes. I was constantly guessing Miles intentions in beginning and I liked how his story slowly unfolded. Since we were in Ellie’s POV her character was more open to us from the start and it was interesting seeing her character growth from an ex-conartist to someone who was open to having friends and trusting people.
The story revolves around the apparent suicide of Simon, a high school student and friend of Ellie’s. As it unfolds we get glimpses and ideas of what may have really happened that night but there is enough mystery and suspicion to make it difficult to know the truth.
This was a fun and adventurous book that I devoured. Cross is becoming one of my go to authors for entertainment and I’m eager to start book 2 of this series.
Ellie and Miles had great chemistry and a strong supporting cast of characters which made for some good scenes. I was constantly guessing Miles intentions in beginning and I liked how his story slowly unfolded. Since we were in Ellie’s POV her character was more open to us from the start and it was interesting seeing her character growth from an ex-conartist to someone who was open to having friends and trusting people.
The story revolves around the apparent suicide of Simon, a high school student and friend of Ellie’s. As it unfolds we get glimpses and ideas of what may have really happened that night but there is enough mystery and suspicion to make it difficult to know the truth.
This was a fun and adventurous book that I devoured. Cross is becoming one of my go to authors for entertainment and I’m eager to start book 2 of this series.
noralue444's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
forever_fictional's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book so much! I have a guilty/ not-so-guilty pleasure of crime and mystery novels and this satisfied every need for it.
The characters were likable- lovable, even- and the plot was nicely intricate and kept me guessing through the whole thing. Yes, a few things were a tad bit predictable but the aspects that really counted in the long run were executed beautifully.
Ellie was a great protagonist which really made the story easy to read and Miles was always going to be that swoon-worthy love interest- it was meant to be!
I like how the romance wasn't rushed and didn't overshadow the main storyline. It was slow-burning and didn't resemble the dreaded 'insta-love' in the slightest- it was quite the opposite!
I found the whole concept incredibly interesting and all the twists and turns had me utterly gripped in a way that resulted in my lack of sleep. (And, no, I didn't regret it in the morning).
It was well thought-out and each small detailed added up so nicely by the end.
Full review: https://forever-fictional.blogspot.com/2016/10/chasing-truth-julie-cross-non-spoiler.html
The characters were likable- lovable, even- and the plot was nicely intricate and kept me guessing through the whole thing. Yes, a few things were a tad bit predictable but the aspects that really counted in the long run were executed beautifully.
Ellie was a great protagonist which really made the story easy to read and Miles was always going to be that swoon-worthy love interest- it was meant to be!
I like how the romance wasn't rushed and didn't overshadow the main storyline. It was slow-burning and didn't resemble the dreaded 'insta-love' in the slightest- it was quite the opposite!
I found the whole concept incredibly interesting and all the twists and turns had me utterly gripped in a way that resulted in my lack of sleep. (And, no, I didn't regret it in the morning).
It was well thought-out and each small detailed added up so nicely by the end.
Full review: https://forever-fictional.blogspot.com/2016/10/chasing-truth-julie-cross-non-spoiler.html
saschadarlington's review against another edition
4.0
4 1/2 stars
In Chasing Truth we are introduced to Eleanor Ames who attends Holden Prep, but isn't like the other extravagantly rich students. Having just escaped from her families life of con, she lives with her sister, Harper, and Harper's Secret Service boyfriend, Aidan. The only friend she'd made at Holden, Simon, her date for the prom, just killed himself after the dance, a fact that Eleanor is still trying to fathom.
Enter Miles, the man next door, who Eleanor meets after a naked woman in his apartment tosses clothes into the pool. Coincidentally, Eleanor discovers that he is also attending Holden, and he's just about as black and white as any person could be. No gray areas for him, and Eleanor is all about the gray areas.
I enjoyed Eleanor. She's snarky, like Veronica Mars, but also has a good bit of introspection. Her "superpower" is that she can always tell when someone is lying. Miles was kind of bland and milquetoasty for my taste.
Chasing Truth was a bit on the long side, but so much was going on, so many mysteries being woven together and surprises that I didn't mind too much. It was a fun ride with an exciting climax.
In Chasing Truth we are introduced to Eleanor Ames who attends Holden Prep, but isn't like the other extravagantly rich students. Having just escaped from her families life of con, she lives with her sister, Harper, and Harper's Secret Service boyfriend, Aidan. The only friend she'd made at Holden, Simon, her date for the prom, just killed himself after the dance, a fact that Eleanor is still trying to fathom.
Enter Miles, the man next door, who Eleanor meets after a naked woman in his apartment tosses clothes into the pool. Coincidentally, Eleanor discovers that he is also attending Holden, and he's just about as black and white as any person could be. No gray areas for him, and Eleanor is all about the gray areas.
I enjoyed Eleanor. She's snarky, like Veronica Mars, but also has a good bit of introspection. Her "superpower" is that she can always tell when someone is lying. Miles was kind of bland and milquetoasty for my taste.
Chasing Truth was a bit on the long side, but so much was going on, so many mysteries being woven together and surprises that I didn't mind too much. It was a fun ride with an exciting climax.