The Lie

By: Ashley Fontainne

Narrated by: Andrea Emmes

Gold Medal Winner - Fiction at the 2013 Illumination Book Awards

Karmen Moncrille's name has been known throughout the world since the age of 16 when her first book shot to the top of the best-seller's list. Now everything she writes is an instant hit, and her legions of devoted fans eagerly await her next release.

The mysterious Karmen always blamed debilitating panic attacks as the reason she avoided publicity and has become a recluse. Which is exactly what she wants the world to think. Only Karmen knows the truth behind her introverted nature. Terrified of being asked where her ideas come from, she fears being branded a raving lunatic.

Now just a week before her 23rd birthday, Karmen's world implodes. The madness that haunts her dreams spills over to her reality and she questions her sanity. Suddenly everything has changed and now the world will transform with her. Her last book will unleash the truth and alter mankind - forever.

Is Karmen's ability to write a gift or a curse? She's about to find out if her entire life is a lie. And why she was destined to write it.

©2013 Ashley Fontainne (P)2014 Ashley Fontainne

Critic reviews

"Ashley nails the struggles of good vs. evil, religious, political, and individual flaws and weaknesses/strengths. The use of Scripture is amazing and her suck-you-in style captivates the reader with her vivid characters and their motivations." (Janelle Taylor, NY Times best-selling author of Necessary Evil)

"Any...reader interested in intrigue, mystery, supernatural thrillers and a thread of spirituality linking all elements will find this an engrossing saga with unexpected turns and a very unpredictable conclusion." (D. Donovan, eBook reviewer, MidWest Book Reviews)

We all know someone that is living a lie...

Could you imagine living your entire life believing you are one person, only to find out that you are actually someone else?? The Lie brings the story of one young lady that has just found out that who she was raised to be and what she believed her life was about is exactly that...a lie. The main character is an author who believed that she was getting her stories from 'ghosts from the past', such as Shakespeare, while sleeping. But, that wasn't the case. Instead, the stories were being fed to her via...well...you just need to read the story to find out. Question is, can she over come past AND her present in order for her to have a future???
Andrea Emmes is a fantastic narrator. She brings the story to a level of intenseness, shows us some fun humor and, yes, even terror is heard in the voice of the characters. I have enjoyed all of the books she has narrated and recommend the book, the author and the narrator!

Great narrative Talent!

Amazin job by the narrator Emmes knocked it out of the park! This narrator talent amazing

A mother's love? Not so much

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It was. The story had my interest from the start

Would you be willing to try another book from Ashley Fontainne? Why or why not?

I might ... depends on the book/plot

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

LOVED Andrea's New York accent. She nailed Emily!

Any additional comments?

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review

Narrator

The narrator was excellent! The different voices she used for each character made it do much fun!

Wow, wasn't expecting that.

Talk about plot twist. I did not see that coming. This book also had very religious undertones, but necessary. I really enjoyed this book, and couldn't find any faults. I loved the characters, even the ones where, in the end, I hated them. I was so intensely immersed in the story that I was blind sided by the ultimate betrayal.
The narration was exceptional. She did a wonderful job.

An Eerily Exciting Read!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! I previously read this book in eBook format & let me tell you... in audio format, this book comes to life! I could never interpret a book the way narrators do. It was like I had never read if before (though I had). The narrator (Andrea) had me on the edge of my seat! I felt like I was listening to a movie, only better because the book is ALWAYS better!

What other book might you compare The Lie to and why?

I don't compare book because if a person doesn't like the book I compared it to, then they won't like this right off the bat & that isn't fair. All books should be judged individually.

Have you listened to any of Andrea Emmes’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I haven't. This is my first listen by Andrea Emmes & I feel she did a good job too! I loved her multiple voices and that New York / Bronx accent Karmen's best friend had! My favorite scene is in the woods where Karmen & Jacob plot a way to end this. I liked Jacob a lot too!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but I started it late one night, so I had to finish it the next day!

Any additional comments?

I am floored! Like I said I had read the eBook format of this story. When I read it, it surely didn't sound like it does now! I love Ashley Fontainne's books. There is never a dull moment & she always keeps me on the edge of my seat. The plot, OMG had so many twists and turns in it. This book is one of her best story yet! Both ladies did a fabulous job. It is a book I will remember for a long time! I intend to listen to it again, maybe around Halloween!

A tense and thrilling read.

Any additional comments?

I'd never heard of this prior to seeing it on Facebook, but I immediately liked the sound of it. I mean it's about a writer who gets her books through ghosts!! Sounds great right, well it was.

Karmen was 16 when she wrote her first book, which became an instant bestseller, and every book after that was a hit. She has more money than she knows what to do with but her life isn't all roses. She has a secret that she has never shared with anyone and that secret may just ruin her life. See Karmen sees Ghosts, specifically ghosts of dead writers who whisper to her. When she was 16 she woke up one morning to a full book written, with no recollection to haven written it. All her books are like that and she knows that if anyone finds out, her life will be ruined.She became a virtual hermit and only talks to her mother, her uncle and her best friend.

For her 23rd birthday, Karmen decides that she needs a break. She goes back to the little town she grew up in. She stays at the cabin with her best friends but her life is just about to take a turn for the worst. When her nightmares start invading the day, and her friends life, Karmen doesn't know what to do. She is terrified! With the help of her mother, best friend and ex boyfriend. Karmen must translate the latest thing she wrote, because it wasn't a book this time but a page in a foreign language, and try to figure out why this is happening to her. Why does she have this "gift" and what is it for?

I don't want to say much else about the plot because I could inadvertently ruin it so I'll get on with the review.

I was pretty much blown away with how much I loved this book. I wasn't sure what to expect because I knew it had a christian theme to it and while I'm not a fan of some of them, I have read a few I've enjoyed. I'm not a fan of the ones that preach religion and try to force it on you but this isn't one of those. This starts off with an occult ritual and sacrifice and from there it's pretty dark. For anyone worried that they won't enjoy it because it's a christian book, don't fear, you will love this!!

Plot wise, I absolutely loved it! The twist at the end was phenomenal and not one I saw coming at all. Through the whole book you are in constant suspense and intrigue because you can't see where it is going. The author sure knows how to tell one heck of a story. It's chock full of twists and turns and will keep you guessing till the end.

I loved Karmen. She has a big weight on her shoulders and at times it feels like the lie she is living will cripple her, but she stays strong. She battles internally with the way her books come to her, she doesn't like making so much money from a lie but she has no way to stop it and her mother makes her publish the books. She doesn't have much of a life and relies on her mother and BFF. My heart absolutely broke for her at one stage during the book (not going to say when because it's a major spoiler but for anyone who has read it will know what I'm talking about) but I admired her spirit and strength of character for getting back up and fighting.

Anyway. The Lie was a tense and thrilling read and one that will have you turning the pages as fast as you can to see what happens. I loved everything about it and applaud Ashley Fontainne for her ability to keep me guessing. Usually when I'm reading a book I can guess the "who done it" but not so here, and that's because of the authors amazing story telling. It's such a unique and captivating tale and one I can't recommend enough.

I listened to the audio and loved it. Andrea Emmes did an amazing job of bringing Karmen to life. She made you feel the tension and terror and brought you into the story. Her emotional telling of the story made me want to listen to it in one sitting. I'd highly recommend the audio!!

Scary!

What made the experience of listening to The Lie the most enjoyable?

I commute 2 hours each weekend, each way. Four hours is a long time to spend in the car with an 11 year old. We generally have vastly different taste in music, so I decided to try audiobooks. The fact that BOTH of us enjoyed The Lie, made it the most perfect book imaginable!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Karmen was our favorite character. She represented everything that we ourselves feel insecure about... Though not to quite the same extreme.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene was when Karmen finally confronted her mom. My son's favorite was when Kyroli made a bloody mess on the airplane.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Is the ultimate gift a curse from the Devil?

Any additional comments?

At just a couple of hours long, and not rampant with sex, this was the perfect audiobook to share with my preteen son. Andrea Emmes did a wonderful job narrating; we especially liked her voice for Jacob.

A Great Thriller with a Paranormal Twist

I love all of Ashley's books. They're all full of chills and suspense. This book is not lacking in either plus it has a very supernatural twist that packs a punch. I enjoyed this book and again almost listened to this one in one sitting. I love the female protagonist Karmen Moncrille, with her vulnerability and then turning it into raw courage to stand up and use Good to triumph over the evil.

This was a very unique story where Karmen is an author who at first thinks she is being visited in her dreams by authors from the past to write books in the present. And her family and friends that she depended on the most were the people that she could count on the least. This story had some very unexpected plot twists that had me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Andrea Emmes does a great job as the voice actor in this book. I always knew who was talking and she added some giggles in the dialogue in the right places. Good voice inflections plus I enjoyed her Brooklyn accent.

I received this audiobook foc in exchange for an unbiased review.

Almost Apocalyptic

SMALL SPOILERS AHEAD! Karmen Moncrille's whole life is a lie. Her amazing ability to write, her family, her friends, all lies! She started writing at a young age and had her first book published at the age of 16! How? Dead authors visit her in her dreams and write them for her. Everyone loves her books! I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but I will say this almost becomes the biblical apocalypse! As always, I love Ashley Fontainne's work. Great narration by Andrea Emmes. There were a few times I had trouble telling the characters apart, but overall I enjoyed it.