You’ve heard of these groups – the secretive ones that only the crème de la crème are invited into, the ones outsiders speculate about for centuries – I’m the second in my family invited to attend, but to them, I’m fresh meat. New blood. New money, too.They think they’ll elbow past me, that I’m here for their amusement, for them to walk all over, they’ll find out soon enough that I’m not.I may … not.
I may look like one of them, with my designer bags and clothes straight from the Parisian runways, but I’m not. I’m here for answers, to take revenge for blood spilled on their centuries-old Persian rugs.
I transferred here in search for answers about what happened to my older brother, who hightailed out of here, and my friend who seemingly disappeared into thin air. I certainly wasn’t here for the attention of the star hockey player, regardless of how much he willed my eyes his way. I wasn’t here for his scrutiny or his judgment or to read into his mysterious aura. I was here for the society, because only they held the answers I needed. That was, until I found out that in order to get those answers, I needed to go through him. He’s saying if I want in, I have to play by their rules, follow their lead.
It’s a game I’m willing to play.
I may be the second person I know of to be invited into their society, but I’ll be the first to make it out intact.
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The story follows Mae as she transfers to the school her brother was at when something mysterious happens that caused him to leave. When she gets there she finds she may have bitten off more then she could chew.
There were some things that I was not a fan of with Mae and Logan’s relationship. I didn’t start really liking his character until the final few chapters of the book. He would say or do things that made me wonder why Mae even liked him in the first place. Yeah I know we all love the bad boy thing but Logan just wasn’t tickling my fancy.
The flow is my biggest negative for the book. There were gaps in time (which is fine to have in a book) but there weren’t any clear explanation of time passing. Also there were things that just happened that came out of nowhere and i was confused how we got there.
The ending was able to save this book from being rated 3 stars for me. It twisted and turned and changed everything that you thought you knew. Some of the things I had figured out but there were still things that will blow your mind.
This book wasn’t one of my favorite from Contreras but it was a decent enough book. I had hoped for more and the flow was all over the place. I think there was a goal that she had in mind that sometimes she didn’t take the time to develop it. There were quite a few surprises that kept me intrigued but I had hoped for more in the end.
This book kept me glued to it from the first page. There is such a mystery to the story that Mae, Amelia, tries to uncover after transferring to a new university for her senior year of college. Following Mae’s journey as she begins life at this new school and tries to find out what happened to Lana Le you won’t be able to put the book down as you learn about the secret societies, try to figure out why no one will talk about the disappearance and why some people are always somehow showing up around you even with the campus being so big. There were twists and turns I didn’t see coming and things I expected that didn’t happen. Who can you trust when you are trying to uncover the truth about a mystery?
Wow. To say that I was not expecting this type of story is putting it mildly. I had no clue what I was going into.
Actually, I thought I had a clue. I thought this was going to be a sexy love story and don’t get me wrong… it had sexy in it. But it had suspense, mystery, thriller, romance. Everything. This book has everything.
When we first meet Amelia, I liked her from the beginning. I loved how she described her experience with Ella Valentine. Like “bish, get over yourself and move on, Ella dear”. (My words, but ya get the picture!)
Amelia was a chick I immediately liked though I kinda disliked Logan immediately only to swoon over him eventually. But at first, I was all swoon-y over Travis. I loved that Amelia ,or Mae as her friends call her, is feisty and wants to be more than “daddy’s rich little girl”. And she’s Mexican so yeah… every time there’s a Latina character, I smile. Because hey, representation matters and all that.
Okay, back to the writing. You guys, just when you think you’re figuring it out, don’t kid yourself. You’re really not. I’m not saying more on that except that my friend Rea said this book was an experience and you guys, she’s absolutely CORRECT. It’s an experience like no other.
Claire did an amazing job in placing me at Ellis University, at the Lab, at the coffee shop, etc. Her descriptive writing was immaculate and this is Claire at her best.
Again, I’m a huge fan of Claire but I don’t believe we’ve ever seen this magic from her. I can’t wait to read more from this world she’s given us. Also, I want to travel with her to the east coast if she goes for “writing inspiration”. I volunteer as tribute.
I suck at reviews. I’m so intimidated by them. There are those that leave you breathless with their reviews and then there’s me.
But I hope I did this book justice by telling you how I felt reading it without spoiling anything for you and telling you why I found it FIVE STAR WORTHY! Claire, can I get a story on Lincoln or Nolan like… ASAP?
Ps: LOGAN IS MINE!
I’ve been trying to write this review for a few days now. I’ve done a re-read and I’m still stuck on this book. Half Truths is an freaking phenomenal romantic suspense. Claire Contreras writes this genre like no other. It’s no secret that Claire is my favorite author, her romance books are my all time favorite books.
Half Truths will keep you up all night reading. You will not want to put it down until the very end. There is mystery, suspense, romance. The characters she creates are so likable and completely swoon worthy.
Amelia is strong, opinionated and someone you’d want as a best friend. While she has money, lots of it, she’s not snobby or super flashy with it, not in an obvious way.
Logan is super sexy and cocky but has a soft spot for those he care for. A sexy hockey player that runs in to Amelia too many times to be a coincidence.
Something that stands out, is Amelia’s brother Lincoln. I want to see more of him, Claire has a way of making me fall in love with the brothers of the heroines in almost every book she writes.
Half Truths is defiantly one of my favorite books by Claire. Her writing is so amazing. The world she creates is so one of a kind. It’s a 6 star read and my favorite book is the year.
What a tangled web we weave…. and Half Truths really is a tangled tale. It’s not your normal romance of girl meets boy. It has all the elements we expect from a well-written romance but it has a whole lot more. The more is the mystery and intrigue that has you on the edge of your seat as you follow Logan and Amelia as they unravel the mysteries of Lana, Lincoln (Amelia’s brother) and the secret societies that exist within the college campus. There’s a lot going on while you watch the attraction between Logan and Amelia develop. He’s delicious and she’s adorable. I’m not sure I would have been as brave as the mystery and intrigue played out and unfortunately for Amelia she finds out some family secrets are best left hidden. As a new reader to Claire Contreras I wasn’t sure what to expect. The story flowed well and I like her writing style. Will I read more of her work? I think that’s a yes and will I be avoiding tall, dark handsome strangers in black or red cloaks? That’s also a yes.
Gripping Suspense. This one will keep you on your toes with all the twists and turns. Amelia/Mae transfers to her father and brothers alma mater for her senior year in college, she wants to be a journalist and her dad wants her to join the family business. She is on a quest to find out what happened to a girl that has gone missing from campus. This school is home to several secret societies with hooded cloak wearing members and bizarre initiations. Amelia gets caught up in an unusual relationship with bad boy hockey star Logan. There is lots of angst, drama, and mystery that includes family, staff, and students. This riveting story will keep you captivated as Logan and Amelia find love amid the suspense. Five Stars !!!
October is a time for me to dive into all my thrillers, suspense and “darker” books. And when Claire said Half Truths was releasing in October and was a romantic suspense, I was all over it. I do love Claire Contreras’s contemporary books, but I’ve missed the suspense. And boy did she nail this one! The perfect combination of mystery, suspense, and romance. I LOVED it and can’t wait for more.
Right from the prologue, I was hooked. It got my heart pumping and wondering WTF! I loved that the prologue was written in 3rd person. It really set the tone and made me live in the moment. I honestly wished the rest of the book would’ve been written in 3rd person as well, not to take away from how well the first person was done. I know the romance readers prefer first person, but I think it would’ve brought the suspense and mystery more alive.
Half Truths is Claire Contreras at her best. She told the story in dual POV from Amelia and Logan’s eyes. The story is mostly from Amelia’s POV. She’s from a well to do Latino family, returning home to attend a University for her final year of college that just so happens to be where her dad went. There is a history there and her family plays a part of it. There is also a secret society that people are aware of, but don’t talk about. They wear cloaks and it’s kind of freaky. And it intrigues Amelia (aka “Mae”) in a way that she needs to know more. Will she get her questions answered? Will she find out what happened to her brother, Lana and who these secret societies are? Or will her questions hurt her in the end?
Then we have Logan and his gang of friends. I wasn’t sure about them at first. They seemed like the typical “popular jocks”. Just out for themselves. But you could tell right away that that wasn’t Logan’s MO. He is broody and has this ‘hate’ thing going on, but he’s the unattainable. He will only give you a small piece of himself until he knows. And when he knows, he knows and he’s all in. So, even if he is broody and kind of a dick, he’s also hot, protective and MINE! I’m claiming him right now. 😉
“Try to touch her again and I’ll kill you. If you ever so much as look at her, I will fucking kill you. If you even think about her once you leave this building, I will fucking murder you in your sleep. Is that clear enough for you?”
With Half Truths you’ll get suspense, mystery, messed up family, strong relationships, characters that are questionable, secret societies and oh so much more. It’s a true experience. I am already thinking about more from this world because the side characters have more to tell. I’m truly intrigued with this book and can’t wait to fall more into this whole secret world and the characters that make it up.
You have to read the mysterious, haunting, suspenseful and emotionally powerful but beautiful romance. Claire Contreras will intrigue you with her masterful way with words. Amelia Baston “Mae” began her senior year at Ellis University as a transfer from Duke University. Her family thought she transferred as a result of her recent break up from her boyfriend. Mae is determined to find out why her brother left the Ellis University and the sudden disappearance of a close friend. She soon discovers the dark side and unspoken society behind the University’s sacred walls. Along the she way she develops a a major crush of the school’s most popular hockey player, Logan Fitzgerald aka “Fitz”. The sexual attraction is undeniable. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
This book blew me away! I actually finished days ago but needed a moment to figure out how to express my feelings.
The Prologue sets the stage for the whole book. Intriguing, intense and just enough information to keep me reeling.
I immediately loved Amelia. Her strength and confidence shine upon meeting her. Going against the grain and attending a different school only to have to come back where her family felt she should have been in the first place. She has so much to prove. Literally.
And Don’t even get me started on Logan. His darkened presence and the secrets that surround him give the appeal of wanting to know him yet stay as far away as possible all at the same time.
Every person I was introduced seemed to play a part. So many insights into the big mystery making it almost impossible to trust ANYONE. With every new discovery, the truth seems to move further and further away. The suspense is off the charts and kept me on my toes until the very end. The romance factor is really just an added bonus.
This book left me wanting to read it all over again to see if there was something I missed. Definitely one of my favorite reads this year.
Excellent read by Claire. A pager turner from the beginning to the end. An unique and fun book that can be devoured easily in one sitting.
Mystery, suspense, romance all wrapped up with well developed characters and original storyline. Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
I loved this book. I expected romantic suspense, and Claire Contreras really delivered. The characters are well developed, and we get to know Amelia, who goes by Mae, and Logan, their friends and family over the course of the story. Amelia begins by transferring to a new university to investigate what happened to her brother, Lincoln, and how it is tied to the secret societies. The suspense behind what really happened to Lincoln builds throughout the story, at the same time Logan and Mae’s romance develops in a slow burn. Just as Logan and Mae’s finally get together, surprise plot twists result in Mae finding herself in a life-threatening situation. This book was an exciting read, and I could hardly put it down.
5 Stars
Half Truths is the all new stand-alone by Claire Contreras. It is the first book in the Secret Society series and OH MY GOSH this book!!!! It is so different from everything Ms. Contreras has ever written. Full of lies, secrets,and twists and turns you never see coming.
I really can’t say much without spoiling it all but I can say that Amelia and Logan are two of my favorite characters ever! They are so complex and I seriously fell in love with the both of them. Logan was intense at first and a complete jerk, but as the book progresses, he had me swooning!
I honestly loved every single thing about this story. The mystery, suspense, and even the secrets had me glued to the pages from beginning to end. I cannot wait to see where this series goes! Highly recommend reading this book!
I enjoyed reading this book.
I found the first half of the book to be slow and it took me a while to get in to the story and to connect with the character’s. But once i did, i was totally hooked.
There was a lot of mystery to do with the secret society’s with twists and turns. Secrets are revealed with a few shocks for some. A good start to the series and im intrigued to read more.
Half Truths was AMAZINGLY good! I was captivated from the first page. Amelia has transferred colleges after breaking up with her long time boyfriend. She is now attending her fathers and older brothers alma mater, Ellis University. The semester before, a former, high school classmate of hers had gone missing and something happened to her brother that he wasn’t talking about. Amelia was hoping to find some answers on what happened to them. Amelia gains attention from star hockey player, Logan Fitzgerald. He is mysterious, handsome and broody. And he is Amelia’s neighbor.
This book was full of suspense and I enjoyed trying to figure things out before they happened. I may have figured some of it out, but there was a lot I never saw coming. I enjoyed Amelia and Fitz and watching their relationship develope. Claire did an brilliant job writing this suspenseful love story and I can’t wait to see what she writes next. I have enjoyed everything I have read by Claire Contreras, but this book is definitely her best work to date.
This was a nice mystery/love connection type story.
I enjoyed the mystery that had you on edge for quite a bit of the book. It was an interesting take on secret clubs and the real/rumors that go around about them. I found the storytelling and characters believable and the story hard to put down.
definite A+ read.
Well that was one hell of a ride. I really enjoyed this book, the characters were all so diverse and I could see each one having their own story. The spark between Logan and Amelia is immediate, but the flirty banter and the mystery of the whole book really makes this a slow burn. I’m looking forward to more in this world.
Good Lord I do not even know where to begin with this book…
Secret societies, hot romance, suspense, drama, betrayal, excitement, amazingly complex characters…all the feels!!
This book had everything I didn’t even realize I wanted in a book.
Claire wrote a story so unique and enticing that I was so upset when it was over. I was not done getting to know all of these wonderful characters…and when i thought i had them all figured out and knew what was going to happen…BOOM!! Mrs. Contreras strolls in a drops the mic and everything changes in a “whoosh” of excitement.
Claire has outdone herself in a whole new way. This book was so different for me from all of her other works, and I am so grateful to have been allowed on this journey.
Highly recommend this book to absolutely anyone and everyone!
Page turner to the max!!
A riveting story that completely amazes and confounds you! To say I was enthralled with this book is just the beginning of how much I loved it! The complexity in the characters…the richness of the story and above all, the anticipation of what may happen next. The twists and turns of amelia and Logan’s story will astound you and you will keep wanting more! Amazing job!
I’ve been loving romance suspense novels recently and I loved Half Truths. There were many twists and turns I did not anticipate. I loved the complexity of Logan and loved Amelia.
The story is so well written. It was mainly written from Amelia’s POV but there some great pivotal parts written by Logan’s POV.
This was a top 2019 read for me.