Lie to Me by Christine Anna Kirchoff

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SKU 978-1-77339-472-5
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My name’s Tevy and you’ll find me staring out the window of a psychiatric center. I’m not crazy, I don’t think. I see angels. Not the sweet faced, flowing robe kind either. I see sword-wielding, flying over our heads and killing each other angels. Everyone thinks I’m nuts, which is why I’m in here. For a while, I thought maybe that something went wrong in my head, maybe from my parents dying. But I was wrong, terribly wrong about everything: my parents, the angels, who I truly am or rather what I am.

Once I’m out, I have to dodge the angels without raising anyone's suspicions including the boy next door that has some secrets of his own. Dylan soon learns I’m not as normal as I pretend to be, but will he tell? Crazy or not, I can’t go back to the isolation ward. I’m thrust into a world I didn’t know existed. A world with angels and monsters … and they’re all coming for me. 

There’s a war coming and it’s time to pick sides.

14+ due to adult situations

 

Excerpt:

Lie. Lie. Lie. I opened my lips to do that but a truth actually bubbled out. “You were right!” No! Crap.

“I was? About what?”

Think of a lie, think of something believable. Suddenly, everything poured out of me. All the terror and fear that had been building up since last night. “I’m still seeing them.” I clapped my hands over my mouth. What have I done? What have I done!

Dylan jerked the wheel and pulled us to the side of the road.

“There was no cat,” I said from between my fingers. “I sleep in the closest because I’m afraid I’ll see them when I wake up and scream. If my aunt finds out she’ll send me back to that place.” Wet, slow tears dripped down my cheeks. “I can’t go back there. I can’t. The straitjacket. The screaming. The bars. I can’t.” A shiver spread through my whole body. “I did like you said. I went into the treehouse last night. I yelled at them and … and…” I stared into Dylan’s brown eyes. “One of them looked down at me.” I covered my face with my hands. My confession would damn me. “I’m crazy.”

Dylan wrapped his arms around me. “It’ll be okay.”

His musky scent made me want to bury my nose in his shirt and never come up. “How? How!” I laid my head on his shoulder and felt the overwhelming urge to scream.

“Tevy. I’m not going to say anything. I can help … holy shi—”

“What?” I picked up head and jerked. There was one of them, the angels, right there. He stood in front of us with huge, black shimmering wings and some kind of metal armor on. “You … you see that?”

“I see that.”

“You really see that?”

“I really see that.”

I’m not crazy! Wait, I’m not crazy? Then the angel drew out his sword and smiled.

“Saw that too.” Dylan let go of me and jammed his Jeep into reverse.

I grabbed his leg, holding in a scream as we spun around and then charged forward. He saw my angel! What the hell did that mean? “It’s following us!” I could see it in the rearview mirror, the wings shimmering in the sun as it flew behind us. I grabbed the dashboard with both hands as we took a corner too fast.

“Where’d it go?” he yelled, still driving down the lonely stretch of road.

“Behind us!” I screamed as it slashed its sword at the back window. The blade missed and suddenly there were more glints. More angels. “Oh, my God.” I counted ten with glittering rainbow wings as we swerved to the right and down some no-name, one-lane road. We bounced around wildly before coming to the end where it met a suburban street, quiet in the early morning hours. “They’re gone.” I spun in my seat to stare back. I didn’t see anything now. “How did you see them? Why did you see them now of all times?” My eyes went wide and I stared down at my hands. “Touch.” I’d been touching Dylan when he saw them. When I let go of him, that was when he asked me where they were. Could it be that simple? How did any of this make any freaking sense? “Dylan.” I turned to him. “They’re real. They are real. I’m not crazy.” Sort of.

Dylan sat in the driver’s seat, breathing fast. His chest rose and fell so quickly I thought maybe he was hyperventilating or something. “Dylan?”

He grabbed the steering wheel and kept gasping.

“Deep breaths. Deep breaths.” I place a hand on his back. He was hyperventilating. “Listen to my voice. Calm. Down.” I pressed my other hand on his chest. “There you go. Easy.” He was freaking out worse than I was. Of course, I’d seen them before. I tried to remember what I did when I first saw them. Oh, right, ran screaming. “You okay now?”

He shook his head but let go of the steering wheel to face me.

“They’re gone.”

He took a shaky breath and then another. Dylan leaned forward, surprising me by pressing his forehead to mine.

“Keep breathing,” I whispered. “We’re safe.”

“Sorry.” He kept staring into my eyes. “Wasn’t expecting that.”

I knew that feeling. “Okay now?”

“I saw an angel. An angry angel. An angry angel with a sword.”

“Welcome to my world.” 

 

Product Reviews

Score: 5 out of 5 (based on 7 ratings)
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5/5
Fantastic!!
Written by Laura on 31st Jan 2021

A unique story and engaging read! Christine swept me up and immersed me in the story right from the start. It was emotional and funny and freaking fantastic! She's become a 1-click author for me.

4/5
Some interesting angel personalities and riveting battle scenes
Written by Sharon H on 19th Feb 2018

Sixteen-year-old Tevy returns home after five long years in an awful mental institution. She has convinced her doctor that all those crazy angel sightings following her parent’s death were in her head. But truth is, she really does see angels battling in the clouds, beautiful ones with shimmering wings and scary ones with black wings. Determined to get out of the institution at any cost, she lies to the doctors and everyone else upon her return. No one needs to know she sleeps in her closet at night out of fear. This is her life now and lying will get her through. Two stories weave together as Tevy adjusts at school, holding tight to her secret, but it’s only a matter of time before the bullies and those who really care about her, begin to suspect something. Then there is the angel mystery. Why does only Tevy see them? We learn about a heavenly realm and that Tevy has been chosen for something special. The author’s world building of this realm is awesome. Some interesting angel personalities and riveting battle scenes. A trilogy or sequel seems likely, as the ending feels too good to be true, but overall, this was satisfying to read. Love the sweet romance between Tevy and Dylan.

5/5
5 stars
Written by Liz K. on 6th Feb 2018

Lie to Me by Christine Anna Kirchoff is a young adult urban fantasy novel. Tevy has spent the last five years in a psychiatric center when she makes the mistake of telling people about the angels she saw battling in the sky. The doctors tell her it's PTSD from losing her parents. She'll do anything to go back home, even if she has to lie her way out the door. When her aunt finally takes her home, she quickly realizes that everything has changed. Her parents' furniture is no longer in the house. Their photos aren't on the mantel. Her best friend won't have anything to do with her. The only one that seems to want her around is Dylan, the boy next door. Soon Dylan discovers her biggest secret: she still sees angels. When she learns that the angels are real, she's dragged into the middle of a war. With twists and turns that keep you guessing until the last page, Christine Anna Kirchoff has a witty style that makes for a fun read from beginning to end! The characters are dashing and lovable, easily likable, and make for a delightful adventure. Tevy is a strong and commendable lead who struggles to discover where she belongs in an emotional journey that will capture your heart. Dylan bends the stereotypes of boy-next-door and heroic love interest, being brave and courageous, but also socially awkward, babbling, and bubbly. He starts as a quiet boy with a pet frog whom Tevy stands up for, and turns into an awkward and sweet character who is immediately captivating. Their romance is sweet and innocent, making each other stronger and building each other up. The side characters take turns playing an important role in Tevy and Dylan's journey. The relationships make up an important aspect in their development. Some of the characters have a more surprising role than others. Dylan's down-to-earth deputy father and his best friend, Ben, build upon his quirkiness, providing a source of humor with fun banter along with heartfelt moments. When Tevy returns home, she's forced into new roles, acting a certain way to please her aunt, and discovers that her best friend wants nothing to do with her. Even though she's returned home, she still feels alone until she bonds with Dylan who acts as her place of solace, allowing her to be herself. Lie to Me is a clever and funny, romantic and emotional read that takes serious themes of bullying and mental illness, blending in mythology and humor.

5/5
More About Truth Than Lies!
Written by chrispy on 9th Jan 2018

Lie to Me isn’t about what you think it’s going to be about. Yes, there are warrior angels—good and evil—and a terrible, almost Dickensian insane asylum. And toward the end of the book, there is a terrifying battle scene. There’s a sweet love story, and a super-appealing heroine, Tevy, who tells the book in first person. But what the book is really about is the power of young women to observe the world (or worlds, plural!) around them—and how we’d rather tell them they are crazy and try to silence them, even brutally, than to allow for their truth. Tevy, through the course of this novel, discovers her true heritage, gets to use (at first by accident) her true powers…and learns to fly. For her, graduating from eleventh grade is more a matter of saving the cosmos than getting mired in the typical mean-girls-with-cell-phones dramas. The message? Don’t hide in the closet! Keep your eyes on the skies! You’re not crazy if you see more than the sun and the moon. Tevy’s boyfriend Dylan and his cop father are appealing foils to her developing character. The plot is a wild ride that keeps the pages turning and doesn’t let go. This is an exciting, inspiring read—and I’d love to see a sequel or even a series.

4/5
The TBR Pile
Written by Bella on 19th Dec 2017

Tevy’s is seeing angels. Yeah, angels in the sky fighting each other. They think she’s lost her mind so she’s sent to a mental hospital and learns to lie to everyone, even herself. When she’s free and still seeing the angels, she keeps it to herself until the boy next door sees them too. As Tevy becomes aware of Dillions affection toward her they both learn the truth, as terrifying and dangerous as it is… I’ve read a thousand angel stories (estimating that count) and after a while they all start to blend together. This book is different. The Buddhism gives it this unique quality that really made this story stand out. I admit I have no idea how accurate it is because I don’t know anything about Buddhism. I had no problem following about different levels of heaven and how their wings don’t have feathers but it’s more faith and magic. Honestly, even without that hint of romance it is still interesting. Tevy, my God, the stuff this author threw at this poor girl. Losing her parents, seeing angels, everyone thinking she’s lost her mind and she’s sent into a sketchy mental hospital. This did make me instantly like Tevy. She’s been through hell and she’s come out of it broken but stronger. Dillon is so adorable! He’s silly and sweet and his funny/sarcastic dialogue makes me laugh out loud. This is an intriguing story peppered with first romance and six armed creatures trying to eat Tevy. Definitely entertaining. I’m excited to see what else this author will come up with!

5/5
Wendy - Amazon
Written by Wendy on 9th Nov 2017

This is a great book. I had trouble putting it down. The book kept my attention throughout. I am looking forward to more books.

5/5
Loved it
Written by Wendy on 7th Nov 2017

This is a great book. I had trouble putting it down. The book kept my attention throughout. I am looking forward to more books.