The Rapunzel Dilemma
By Jennifer Kloester
I read this book in the relaxing fresh air by the Murray River. The Rapunzel Dilemma is about a young girl, Lily, whose dream is to be an actor. In order to get there Lily's needs to attend the London Drama Academy. With hard work and help from her uber rich family Lily is accepted into the Academy but it doesn't come without costs. Lily's not used to a life where everything doesn't go her way, so when she starts to get bad critiques and students who do not like her she doesn't know how to handle it. Coupled with the fact Lily has to keep a huge secret from her best friend due to her dad's unreasonable needs, she slowly starts to lose her way. She finds an out of bounds tower where she hides away night after night - the connection to the title of the book. She can't stay locked in the tower, however, and when she meets a mysterious Ronan Carver Lily's not sure she wants to hide away alone forever.
I enjoyed this book due to the romance between Lily and Ronan. Even though their parents and family don't believe they belong together, they know their own hearts. Lily is a spoilt rich kid and Ronan's mysterious past make the novel that much more intriguing. From the beginning I had my suspicions about Lily's new bestie Max at the academy and some were right. I always thought he was the bad guy, however, there is a definite twist at the end that I did not see coming. And can I say, oh how I wish Charlotte's older brother was not gay. He is a total heart throb in my opinion <3
The book was amazing and I recommend it should be read. Love!
Trust Me, I'm Lying
By Mary Elizabeth Summer
The title very much alludes to the theme of the book. The protagonist, Julep Dupree, is a grifter. "For the newbies out there, a grifter is a person who specializes in selling people something that doesn't exist" or in other words someone who fixes something. Julep uses her talents to fix her peers problems at school whilst making money in order to pay for her school fees. The business runs in the family. Julep comes home from school one day to find her apartment trashed, her dad missing, and suddenly the school hottie Tyler Richland, offering his help. Julep has to follow the clues her dad left behind through a maze of creepy stalkers, hit attempts and family secrets. Julep uses everything in her book of tricks, friends and favours in order to find her dad before his marks finds her. A job is never left unfinished because that would be criminal.
Trust Me, I'm Lying is not your usual romantic novel with happy endings. In fact the ending is so shocking and so unpredictable, yet so very predictable at the same time that you have to read as fast as you can just to see it. I read the book in a day because it was so exciting, full of twists and turns at every chapter. Following Julep's story, Julep not even being her own name, makes you want to become a grifter in your own life. Even the little act of never paying for a coffee, even though she drinks multiple per day, is so intriguing. Of course the predictable love triangle between best friend Sam and new and amazing senior Tyler occurs, however, the subtle changes Mary Elizabeth Summer makes adds to the unknown of the whole story. There was no tingly feelings or squeals of delight when reading the book but the mystery and sleuthing made up for that.
Loved the book and recommend if you have time do read it.
