The Debt of Truth (The Gift of Lies #2)

Norma T.
Rudolph
Genre: 
Young Adult

Summer McCalister has made it a habit of ignoring the people from her small town. If you are going to be the niece of the town crazy, you’ve got to have thick skin, right? Only now Summer knows her Uncle Jake isn’t as crazy as everyone thinks. She knows the rugged rocky landscape called Jake’s Hell is actually home to the alien city Daneye, as well as her bond-mate Bentri.

Working with Ben, Summer managed to save Daneye from its evil governor, Saytiri, who had the gift of lies. The only problem now? Her best friend, Angela, has bonded with Saytiri and to make things worse, Summer can’t stop hearing voices pleading for help. They claim to be the soulless, still abandoned on their home planet, and they tell Summer that Saytiri is the key to their rescue.

Though a slow-paced novel, “The Debt of Truth” retains the reader’s attention. The concept itself has some unique qualities, not to mention a subplot that piques the reader’s interest. However, the author fails to build up suspense and to stir up feeling in the reader during emotional scenes. In so many ways, the story has golden nuggets such as atypical male characters and an amazing backstory. Yet, the author relied on narration (telling) vs. dialogue and body language more than one appreciates. The ending seems convenient and too good to be true. Still, this is a decent read that speaks to the quality of the series.

Jacey Lee