RELEASE DAY LAUNCH REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: One Tiny Lie (Ten Tiny Breaths #2)

A big thanks to Inkslinger PR for including Krista's Dust Jacket in the release day launch for One Tiny Lie, by K.A. Tucker. Check out my review, then enter to win an amazing prize of a signed galley of One Tiny Lie! Happy book birthday, Ms. Tucker!

One Tiny Lie (Ten Tiny Breaths #2), by K.A. Tucker
Published June 11, 2013
Publisher:  Atria Books
Format: e-book - obtained from NetGalley
Genre:  New Adult Contemporary Romance
To Buy:  Amazon  * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

Rating:  5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Livie has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents' tragic death and Kacey's self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would...and she’s done her best over the past seven years with every choice, with every word, with every action.

Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?

As Livie finds herself facing mediocre grades, career aspirations she no longer thinks she can handle, and feelings for Ashton that she shouldn’t have, she’s forced to let go of her last promise to her father and, with it, the only identity that she knows.

It's interesting how different One Tiny Lie is from the first book in the series, Ten Tiny Breaths. Most times, the various books in any one series are fairly similar. Not that the stories or the characters are the same, necessarily, but more like the tone and mood are similar. Not so in this case, and I have to say bravo to K.A. Tucker for keeping it interesting and keeping me engaged. 

One of the things I was most looking forward to before reading One Tiny Lie was getting inside Livie's head. One of the most curious parts of Ten Tiny Breaths for me was how seemingly well-developed Kacey's little sister Livie was, given the tragedy that they had both endured. She seemed sweet, polite and dedicated to school and her loved ones. How was she so normal when her sister was so screwed up?

We find out pretty early on in One Tiny Lie that Livie doesn't have it together quite as much as one would think. She's painfully shy and introverted and totally focused on being absolutely perfect. And, after one wild night, all that starts to change. And Livie does not handle change very constructively. 

Livie was absolutely delightful! She's so awkward, yet not unrealistically so. She's klutzy and seems to say the wrong thing most of the time. Yet, when she really needs it, she reaches deep down and pulls out a mini pair of brass balls, which was so funny and wonderful. Like, when a strange guy grabs her at a party and sticks his tongue down her throat, her first reaction is not to run away. She punches him in the face instead. I love this girl!

But, Ashton... Ashton is the absolute living end. I couldn't get enough of this guy. On the surface, he a complete rake and a man-whore to boot. But, underneath, he's infinitely more complex. He has secrets and tragedy in his life, and I couldn't put this book down until I found out what happened to him. And how Livie's presence in his life might change him. 

And, really, they end up changing each other in huge ways. With a little help from Kacey's - and now, Livie's - therapist, Dr. Stayner (and, seriously - do therapists as cool as him really exist? Because I might have a nervous breakdown just so I can get treated by one of them if they do), Livie does and says things she never thought she would. And, Ashton finally realizes what's most important. 

Where Ten Tiny Breaths was very somber and dark, in contrast, One Tiny Lie was lighter and much more hopeful. I was captivated and engaged from the very beginning - I started it at lunchtime and at midnight, I finished (maybe not the smartest thing I ever did, since I get up at 5:15 every morning *yawn*). I couldn't put it down until I found out what happened and until I saw Livie and Ashton get their HEA.   

About The Author

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures. 

Contact K.A. Tucker:

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

Giveaway

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