Title: Prison of Lies (Leftover Girl Book 3)
Author: C.C. Bolick
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Mystery
Book Blurb:
After Secrets Return, Jes Delaney is whisked away to a compound hiding those who plan a revolution. Between learning about Golvern and her real family, Jes unlocks more power than she ever imagined. When she realizes her protection has become a prison and tries to escape, Jes discovers just how far her parents will go to keep her. As their grip tightens, Jes manages to break free and flees to Credence. Powerless and on the run, she’s saved by a group claiming to be the real Lucha Noir. Reunited with Chase and Pade, Jes is shocked to learn their leader is also the man who haunts her dreams. Only remembering what happened twelve years ago could free her, but will Jes learn the truth before she makes a choice she can’t take back?
Excerpt:
As I took an angry breath, I realized every eye in the room had fixed on us. “No.”
“He never should have brought you here.”
“He’s got a job to do.”
Christian held up his sword. “So do I.” In one skillful motion, he wrenched the sword from my hand. Holding both swords, he drew himself up to loom over me.
“Wait,” I screamed as he shoved me to the floor. I fell back and my head banged against the polished wood. The force of the blow didn’t hurt as bad as the day I fell while skating, but this jerk had managed to remind me of Tosh Henley.
His voice cut into me like steel. “You are training to be Lucha Noir.”
I rubbed the back of my head. “Sorry, guess I forgot.”
Laughter filled the room around us. “Get out,” he yelled at the others. Shock resonated in their voices, but the room cleared before he could ask again.
Christian’s voice lowered. “Do you think I’m being hard on you?”
“Kind of.” Something about his question made me feel like a total failure. No wonder Dad always told me not to fight.
His eyes narrowed. “Do you think the government of Golvern will treat you with more respect? They’ve killed us for less.” He held out my sword. “Get up. Finish the fight.”
I pushed myself up from the floor and took the sword. In one motion, he spun and again claimed my sword. Both blades stopped only inches from my neck. His snort closed the distance between us like a blast of wind against my face. “If we were on Golvern, you’d be dead now.”
Twisting, he strung his arm around my neck in a headlock. “Is this what you want?”
The crook of his arm closed around my windpipe. “No… I…”
“Christian!” His father stalked across the floor. “Release her.”
Christian lowered both swords and twisted to look into his father’s eyes. “You promised not to interfere with my lessons. We agreed this is my job.”
“Calm down.”
“I will not calm down.” He threw both swords at the table, each landing side-by-side with barely a clank. “How can I teach them to protect themselves if you interfere?”
I stumbled from his grip and landed on my knees.
Thomas looked over me and at Christian. “I am proud you take this job seriously.”
“Then leave and let me finish it. We’re talking battle. Death. Who will protect her when she can’t protect herself?”
The man eyed me with a knowing reservation. “She is different from us.”
“She’s weak.”
“She has a purpose here.”
Christian glared at me. “Have you studied Tae Kwon Do, Jiu Jitsu, or any other human method of fighting?”
“No.”
“Have you ever been in a fight?”
I remembered knocking Tosh to the floor, but somehow, he’d robbed me of that satisfaction. “Who hasn’t?”
He crossed his arms. “Can you do anything useful?”
“I can shoot.”
Christian surprised me with a laugh that shook his entire body. “Shoot what?”
“A gun,” I whispered.
“When you can face me with a gun, then we’ll talk about your use to the Lucha Noir.” He turned to Thomas. “Everyone knows her father is our leader. That doesn’t help any of us. How can we go into battle knowing she’ll be cowering in a corner?”
“I won’t cower,” I spat as I rubbed my neck.
“She has no choice,” Thomas said.
“All the more reason to show her why we’re here.”
Thomas reached for my hand as Christian stomped all the way to the hall. “I am sorry about my son. As you can see, he has no idea who you are.”
“I want him to teach me.” I blinked. Did I just say that?
He looked over my face, seeming to consider. “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What makes your featured book a must-read?
Prison of Lies is packed with secrets and lies, along with one girl’s fight to save her family. Add in special powers, a lost love, and a twist of fate as Jes must claim her birthright to save a planet.
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $30 Amazon (US) gift card
Open Internationally.
Runs April 6 – April 12, 2021.
Winner will be drawn on April 15, 2021.
Author Biography:
C.C. Bolick grew up in south Alabama, where she’s happy to still reside. She’s an engineer by day and a writer by night—too bad she could never do one without the other.
Camping, fishing… she loves the outdoors and the warm Alabama weather. For years she thought up stories to write and finally started putting them on paperback in 2006. If you hear her talking with no one to answer, don’t think she’s crazy. Since talking through her stories works best, a library is her worst place to write… even though it’s her favorite!
C.C. loves to mix sci-fi and paranormal—throw in a little romance and adventure and you’ve got her kind of story. She’s written a dozen books including the Leftover Girl series, The Agency series, and The Fear Chronicles.
Social Media Links: