Blog Tour: A Matter of Truth by Heather Lyons {Review, Dream Cast,+Giveaway!}
Welcome to my stop on the A Matter of Truth blog tour hosted by InkSlingerPR!
I am so excited to share my 5 star review, Heather's dream cast, and a giveaway with you today!
A Matter of Truth (Fate #3)
by: Heather LyonsPublication Date: Nov. 5, 2013
Publisher: Cerulean Books
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age Group: New Adult
Source: e-ARC received from InkSlingerPR and the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 316 pages
Order Links: Amazon
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Not
long ago, Chloe Lilywhite seemingly had it all: a prized spot on the
Magicals’ Council as lead Creator, a loving fiancé and Connection, and a
wealth of good friends. But the poised young woman she projected was
nothing more than a façade. Her parents all but disowned her. Power
plays and accusations of murder within the Council rocked her
confidence. And most difficult of all, her secret, a secondary
Connection to Jonah’s twin brother, Kellan, became painfully impossible
to resist. Desperate to gain control over her rapidly unraveling
existence, Chloe did the unthinkable: she ran away.
Now living and working in Alaska under an alias, Chloe is slowly discovering who she is and, more importantly, who she wants to be. But the more she tries to leave the Magical world behind, the harder it becomes to stay hidden. The Elders are back with a vengeance, and the stakes have never been higher. Chloe finally has to make a choice: embrace her pre-ordained Fate or pave her own way in the worlds. One thing’s for sure, though—she’s finally up for the challenge.
*This is a New Adult title, suitable for readers 18+.
Now living and working in Alaska under an alias, Chloe is slowly discovering who she is and, more importantly, who she wants to be. But the more she tries to leave the Magical world behind, the harder it becomes to stay hidden. The Elders are back with a vengeance, and the stakes have never been higher. Chloe finally has to make a choice: embrace her pre-ordained Fate or pave her own way in the worlds. One thing’s for sure, though—she’s finally up for the challenge.
*This is a New Adult title, suitable for readers 18+.
My Review:
"I know my truth. And I've learned the hard way that a person has to be true to themselves if they want a chance at happiness in life."
I don't even know how to start this review. I am still overcome by all the emotions that Heather has once again managed to evoke in me. I got this one for review quite awhile ago and to be quite honest- I was terrified to read it. The first two books in this series opened the floodgates to my emotions and my heart wasn't ready to FEEL so much yet. I have never in my life read a series where I have been more emotionally invested in its characters as I have this one. Every feeling, every smile, every tear, every heartbreak the main character Chloe feels, I feel too. My heart has been so torn over this love triangle and I swear to you- it's the best one I've ever read. The series is about so much more than the romance though. It's about discovering your true self- what you can live with and what you can't live without, as well as a beautiful story of growing up.
A Matter of Truth is the third book in the Fate series and it picks up right after the previous book, A Matter of Heart, has left off. Chloe has been traveling a difficult road and it has come to the point where everything has completely spiraled out of control. This is a story of her reclaiming that control and making the decision to not let Fate dictate her life anymore.
"Connections are all about whom you belong with. But I'm tired of Fate thinking it can dictate that to me. If I belong to someone, and that person, in turn, belongs to me, it's going to be because we choose to give ourselves like that, not because some nebulous universal concept deems it so."
Fate has dealt her a crappy hand by giving her not one, but TWO Connections (which are essentially soulmates). Those Connections come in the form of twin brothers, Jonah and Kellan Whitecomb. Jonah and Kellan have always been close, as they have their own connection to one another. They are both Emotionals and can communicate without words. Their sibling bond has always been a strong one. Chloe witnesses firsthand that bond deteriorating and she is devastated that she is hurting so many others and believes perhaps they would be better off if she were not in the picture.
This book is all about Chloe's journey to self-discovery and we really see her develop and grow as a character. Chloe irritated me a bit in the previous books because she could be selfish and immature, but by the end of this book I viewed Chloe in such a different light. I am so proud of the girl she's become and I love that she is finally taking responsibility and making her own choices. Not everyone is happy with those choices, but I personally respect that she's making them once and for all.
"People are wrong about Connections. Connections don't define you. Having a partner doesn't define you. Love doesn't define you. You have to do that yourself. You have to decide who you are, what you want, and where you want to go. But when you do find somebody you want to share your life with, it needs to be for the right reasons."
We are introduced to some very important characters in A Matter of Truth. I was hesitant to meet them, but wow. They are probably two of my very favorites! We have Will Dane, who has become Chloe's confidant, her rock, and a very dear friend to her. They have such a special friendship- both of them are hurting and they really lean on and take solace in one another. She loves that she found Will on her own and that Fate had no say in it whatsoever. Chloe has been keeping who she is a secret from Will- she wants to let him in, but talking about her past is so painful for her. He doesn't force her to open up, but once she does- he asks her the hard questions- he forces her to examine her choices and perspective and I had so much respect for him. Will plays a large role in this storyline and his world is completely rocked to the core. I feel it's going to work out in his favor, but wow. I didn't see some of those twists coming!
We also meet Will's dad, Cameron. I absolutely fell in love with him also. Cameron is the father figure Chloe never had. He believes in her, wants the best for her, and treats her as his own daughter. Will and Cameron are 100% there for Chloe and they welcome them into their family and with open arms with ZERO hesitation and there were a few scenes I got teary-eyed at how beautiful that was. Chloe's own parents have never been nurturing, loving parents and she is so overwhelmed at how quickly and willingly they accept her as their own.
Chloe also has developed friendships with a steady group of people she works with who really care about her.
Yet, as wonderful as these new people are, Chloe only has fleeting moments of happiness with them. Her heart has been ravaged by the past and she can never let those feelings of utter pain and heartbreak go. Jonah and Kellan are never far from her mind and she especially can't stop dreaming about one in particular. Losing them both has made her so desperate for even the smallest hint of how they are and even though she wants them to be happy, she is completely wrecked.
To add insult to injury, the Elders are back- but this time Chloe must defeat them without the help of the Guard or the Counsel. We find out some very interesting things about the Elders and what Chloe can do in relation to them. I cannot wait to see what happens on that front next! Not only are the Elders back, but Jens Belladonna and Sophie Greenfield make appearances that really leave you left bereft and wondering what their angles are.
Jonah and Kellan. Oh boy. Where do I start? I love both of these guys so so much and I hate everything they have gone through. Both have so much love for Chloe and not being with her absolutely destroys them both. Both handle that very differently. Kellan is used to being without Chloe and he tends to wear his pain more on his sleeve that Jonah does. Jonah internalizes everything and lets it build to the point where he forgets to take care of himself. Losing Chloe shatters him and he does not handle it well at all. I am not surprised by some of the decisions he makes in regards to his and Chloe's relationship in this book at all.
"You tore me apart," he continues, "but you absolutely gutted my brother."
I am completely satisfied with the turn of events in this book in regards to the romance. I felt it was time for Chloe to make her choice and when she did I honestly felt it was the right one. I hate that one has to endure the pain of losing her, but I have hope Heather is going to take care of this in the right way and I look forward to seeing how she resolves everything in the final book. I am definitely still afraid, as ANYTHING can happen, but I completely trust Heather to stay true to her heart, as well as her characters, about which direction this story should go.
However, my heart is STILL a-flutter over the last 1/4 of the book and I thought it would burst with emotion.
"You're more to me than just my Connection. You're the person I'd want to be with even if there were no Connection."
"I actually do wish I had the power to break our Connection so I could show you that, even without it and Fate and everything else out there, I would still choose you,---------. You're who I want. You're who I need."
I just don't know how to convey to you all how much you need to read this series. Heather is such a talented author- her writing is beautiful and you are immediately drawn in to this fantastical world and its beautiful, poignant characters. An emotionally charged read that opens your heart to so many varying emotions, A Matter of Truth is an excellent addition to the Fate series and I cannot wait to see where the journey will lead us next!
Heather's Dream Cast:
A Matter of Truth
introduces a lot of new characters to the Fate universe, so I’m thrilled to
share my dream cast with you all today!
Since early on, I’ve always seen Imogene Poots as Chloe
Lilywhite, the heroine of the Fate series:
Chloe’s got her hands full with two guys. Give a younger Ben Barnes blue eyes and a tan and he
makes the perfect Jonah and Kellan
Whitecomb.
Here’s Jonah . .
.
And here’s Kellan
. . .
A Matter of Truth
introduces us to Will Dane. Trevor Donovan makes a really good Will:
Will’s dad, Cameron
Dane, looks a lot like Brad Pitt
to me:
In Alaska, Chloe works at the Moose on the Loose diner with
Will. She also works with Paul
(ignore the baby, or not, because it’s cute) . . .
And his on-again-off-again girlfriend, Frieda . . .
And Ginny . . .
She also meets Erik,
who looks a lot like Benjamin Bratt
to me:
I’d love to hear who readers think fit these characters!
Giveaway:
About Heather Lyons:
Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing
stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an
archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced
by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger
music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends
who love to read and be read to. 
The first two books and Jonah's novella in the Fate series are currently $.99! GO GO GO!!!!! I also added links to my reviews to prove to you how awesome these books are. :D
5 comments
Ok, so I didn't read your review yet since I haven't written mine but I know it is amazing and I'll be back to read it when I finish mine :-) The dream cast is so perfect! I can picture these actors so perfectly, I will probably be thinking of them when I read the next installments.
ReplyDeleteI am so excited to learn about this book and Heather Lyons. I definitely want to read!
ReplyDeleteAwww, I love a book that gives you all the FEELS, and this sounds like an amazing read! I love the quotes you shared, and that dream cast is super cool! I can't wait to find out which "team" I'll choose ;) Thanks for sharing and for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteLove the dream cast! I have the first two books so I need to crack on and read them! And that review really makes me want to make that happen sooner rather that later.
ReplyDeleteYay! I can read your review now and girl, you knocked it out of the park! Such a fabulous review. So many feels there and I share them all with you. I was really happy about the choice she made too! And you are so right, the journey and growth in Chloe was incredible. I also saw her as a completely different girl after this book. I need book 4 like yesterday!
ReplyDeleteLeave me some comment love! And I will get around to commenting back!
My blog is an award-free blog, however, as I just do not have the time to follow-up.