What Lies Within
by James Morris
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
4.5/5 Rating

Book Summary (Goodreads):

“You’re going to die”

A single text message and Shelley Marano’s world is upended. A normal high school senior, Shelley discovers she is adopted. She goes on a journey to uncover her past, only to find she was part of a horrific experiment to test the theory of nature versus nurture. In a culture of violence committed by young people, she may be one of these killers. With the lives of her and her friends in the balance, one thing is certain: she will never be the same.

My Review:

Rarely do I find books that have just the right amount of description, the right amount of dialogue, the right amount of suspense, and the right amount of a love story, but What Lies Within is a perfect balance of all these things. I’m very picky with thriller stories. When I was in high school I went through a phase where those types of movies were all I watched. In fact, I used to read these Lois Duncan books that were like paranormal thrillers. But after high school, those thriller stories all became the same. And over time those stories turned into “gore” stories. It’s been awhile since I’ve found a classic thriller story that is both surprising and unexpecting and a tale worth while. What Lies Within would be a perfect candidate for a book turned into a movie, it was just that good! Not just good, but bone-chilling awesome! It’s a book that won’t disappoint!

What Lies Within is a captivating, intense ride, about a girl named Shelley that relatively has a normal life until she gets a text message telling her that her life is in danger. Before she knows it she’s thrown into impossible situations and gripping truths. She finds out she’s adopted and sets out on a hunt to discover who she is, and more importantly, to find out why the man on the motorcycle is killing people from a list, a list she happens to be on. What Lies Within is suspenseful and intense, and a real page turner.

There are so many things to love about this book! For one, it was like watching a thriller movie, and it’s very obvious that this talented author, James Morris, has written for television. The story itself was very well written, and the character development was substantial. I loved Shelley’s character ARC. It was great to see her fly down that dark path, and you feel for her every step of the way. Her story is so terrifying and it keeps you on the edge of your seat! I also really enjoyed her friend, Winston and loved their interactions with each other. I simply love his personality and how devoted and loyal he is to her, clear to the end of the book. He is a true friend, through and through. I was a little bummed that you could clearly see how much Winston adored her and how much Shelley just disregarded it. And the boy she did like? Remy? He was total bad news. But everything that happens to Shelley in the book is all important because it all helps create the person she ends up by the end of the book. Not only does James Morris give us a fast-paced thriller ride, but also an emotional roller coaster as well. There is so much that happens to Shelley, and it’s hard to put the book down because you hope she makes it out of that situation, and you’re afraid what’s going to happen to her next. And the dynamic between her and the other characters, especially Winston and her Dad is so well done. I love her Dad, and I love how hard he tries to help her and be there for her even though he doesn’t understand what’s happening to his daughter at all. I don’t want to spoil too much since it does have such a surprising, climatic ending, but if you like thriller stories that keep you on the edge of your seat and something unexpecting around each corner, then this book is definitely for you! I honestly didn’t see the ending coming, which I loved even more. There were things that happened to her that made me think that maybe she was crazy and her mind was making all of this up. I was definitely waiting for the ending where you find out that nothing was real. It’s just that crazy of a story, but a good kind of crazy! The kind of crazy that keeps you on your toes and on the edge of your seat!

There are some unanswered questions in the story, and I’m secretly hoping for a sequel. And I honestly can’t think of a single thing I really disliked about the book. It’s a great story, amazingly well written, characters are awesome… There’s just so much to love and enjoy about the book!

And I’m sure you’re wondering what happens to Shelley at the end of her story? Does the truth set Shelley free? Does it cage her? Does it change her entirely? And the experiment she discovers, is it nature or nurture that turns a person violent? Well, you’ll have to read it to find out!

About the Author:

James Morris is a former television writer who now works in digital media. When not writing, you can find him scoping out the latest sushi spot, watching ‘House Hunters Renovation’, or trying new recipes in the kitchen. He lives with his wife and dog in Los Angeles.

Readers, if you enjoyed one of my books, please feel free to leave a review!

Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Author Interview:
Be sure to check out our author interview with James Morris here!

GIVEAWAY:
Since I liked this book so much The Page Unbound is hosting a giveaway for one ebook copy of What Lies Within.
Giveaway is opened internationally!

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