"What if you had to live a life of Lies?
Could you do it if it was to save someone you love?"
These are the questions Geneva Sommers must answer in this gripping third installment in The Geneva Project series. In celebration of it's release, I've got some exclusive goodies just for you all! Below will be the synopsis, a short excerpt, a review with both the author Christina Benjamin and the main character Geneva (how awesome is that??), as well as my review and information on Chrissy and how to purchase her amazing series. Let's begin, shall we?
(I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.)
Synopsis:
Can you live a life of LIES?
That’s exactly what Geneva finds herself doing to protect everyone she loves. While Geneva and her friends embark on a dangerous mission to fulfill her destiny, the dark forces that seek her powers are closing in, putting everyone she cares about at risk. Geneva must lie about who she is, what she knows and her true feelings.
Are all these lies worth it or will she go too far and lose everything she’s been fighting for?
Excerpt:
“Come on I have something you need to see.”
“But – ”
“We don’t have a lot of time. I don’t think my father would be happy if I brought you here.”
The slight fear in his tone urged me forward. I followed him soundlessly through another doorway, down a short hallway and through one more door.
“This is my room,” he beamed.
The hair on my neck prickled. Why did he bring me to his room? I suddenly felt uncomfortable being alone in a room with a boy I barely knew. His father was the leader of a secret society bent on destroying me. Even if Kai wasn’t involved with the Ravinori’s plot, being here with him, where no one else knew I was, seemed risky. The words of my friends echoed in my mind.
‘He’s a spy - I don’t trust him - I’ve seen the way he looks at you.’
And he was looking at me now. He looked nervous and excited all at once, and I mirrored his feelings. Even if being here was risky, I had discovered Malakai’s secret study. If Kai tried something, I felt confident enough in my self-defense that I’d be able to fight him off long enough to escape. My muscles tensed as I formulated my exit strategy and waited for him to make the next move.
Author Interview:
1. Where did you get the inspiration to create the storyline for The Geneva Project? – I have a wild imagination. I look at ordinary things and my mind just naturally starts to transform them into something out of a fantasy. It started when I was young. I would pretend my dog was a wolf and I was little red riding hood. I would pretend my house was a unicorn and my cats were lions, so when I sat down to write a book I guess it wasn’t too surprising that it was an epic fantasy. I think it was a culmination of all the pretend adventures I went on. As far as for Geneva, she was the voice that came out when I put pen to paper. The first 5 words I wrote were “My name is Geneva Sommers…” So I guess she had a story she wanted me to tell.
2. Are there any pieces of your personality/physical features portrayed in any of the characters? If yes, who and what features? – Oh I’m sure there are pieces of me in Geneva. We both have blonde hair and blue eyes. I think certainplaces, people and life experience will always influence my writing. As far as traits, I’m very stubborn, and when people say I can’t do something or tell me no, it makes me want to do it even more, so I see that trait of myself in Geneva’s character.Especially in her relationship with Nova.
3. Novena or Genemi? (Personal choice of ship pairing for Geneva) – Oh my gosh, I can’t decide! And what about Kaineva in book 3 and 4? I’m literally still deciding who Geneva should end up with. Who do you all think?
4. I noticed that in the beginning of "Truth", the writing in Geneva's POV was very simplistic and almost mediocre, but by the end of the book and into "Secrets", the writing seems to mature and become more detailed as Geneva is introduced to more of her powers. Was this on purpose to signify her character development? Or was it simply just on your part as an author finding the groove of the piece? A little bit of both actually. I really did plan for the series to have a bit of a coming-of-age feel. I wanted people to fall in love with Geneva and friends and their fun, youthful innocence in the first book, before diving into the hard decisions that come with growing up. Also, Geneva was just your below average kid before she found out the incredible truth about her identity and started her magic adventure, so I wanted the tone to reflect that. But Truth being my first book, I think I was still finding my voice as well as Geneva was finding hers. The funny thing was, I had no intention of publishing Truth. It was really just supposed to be a fun hobby. My husband published it and submitted it to the London Book Festival and that’s really what spurred me to create the series.
5. What made you decide to create a relationship conflict between Geneva and Remi? – I see it a lot in everyday life. So many people have a great friend in their life that wants to be more, but they always want to be with someone else. Kind of like, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone or you never want what you can have. Also I wanted to explore the aspect of what it’s like when friendships start to change. Will you fight for your friends or outgrown them.
6. Did you ever have a bond with an animal similar to Geneva's bond with Niv? – Oh my gosh, yes! I feel like this with all animals. I’m a huge animal lover. I’d have to say that my horse what probably my Niv. I got her when I was in 1st grade and had her until I went to college. She was my angel. I would sleep in the barn and talk to her all night in the summer or go for a long ride in the woods to clear my head. She was the best secret keeper too. ;-) Right now I have a dog that we rescued and he was my inspiration for Niv. His name is Vince and we call him Vin, so I did an anagram to create Niv’s name. We rescued him when he was 6 weeks old and less then 1 lb. If we didn’t save him, he wouldn’t have survived, but I say now that he’s the one who rescued me because he’s always here for me and he’s been with me through some really tough times.
7. Which character do you identify with most? – Oh wow. That’s hard. I can relate to aspects of all of them. I definitely understand what it’s like to be Nova and love someone so much but not be able to make them see themselves the way you see them. But I know what it’s like to be Geneva and feel the weight of having to other rely on your while having self-doubt. I can relate to Remi too, having to play the best friend even though it’s killing you because you want more.
8. Where did you find the ideas for the words in the Beto/Truietian language? – I was on a long road trip to see a Dispatch concert and was listening to their CD. One of their songs was called Beto and the name stuck with me. I have no idea where the word Truiet or their language came from. I took 7 years of Spanish so I feel like that helped influence some of the language choices, but I really love Latin and how it’s the root of everything, so I use that when I’m stuck trying to make up a word. But honestly, most of the words come from my random crazy mind. Ha-ha.
9. Have you considered writing novellas in any of the other characters's POVs? Yes! I’m actually working on one for Remi right now. I’m going to do a spin off series as well that will be a bit of a prequel and have some of the characters in it.
10. Did you have a specific type of music you listened to while writing? (i.e., certain artist, genre, or even if you had a specific playlist). If yes, who was the artist/what genre/list of songs on the playlist? Yes! I’m obsessed with music. Lyrics are the most beautiful books because they make my heart dance. I have a bunch of different playlists on spotify. I can’t usually listen to anything with words while typing or I’ll start adding in the words I’m listening too, so I have a chill track I listen to for writing and then some of my favorites for inspiration. I like Slow Magic or Tycho for writing. Snow Patrol, Bastille, EdSheeran, Cold Play, Matt Kearney, Iron & Wine, Death Cab for Cutie, Bon Iver, Bear’s Den, Half Moon Run.
11. Can your BeliEVAs expect another series or any new books? If yes, can we have any hints? Yes, I plan to do some Novellas from other character’s POV’s. There will be at least one spin off series. Maybe two, including a prequel. I want to do more of Geneva’s journal entries and post them in the newsletter’s just for BeliEVAs. There’s also going to be a line of nail polish in the works for Jemma (from Lies.) Lots of fun things in store. That’s what I love about being in the writer’s seat. The ideas can just keep going. I always love hearing what my readers want me to write next. What do you guys want to see from The Geneva Project series?
Ok so from here down I answered A.) as Christina Benjamin and B.) as Geneva Sommers
12. What's your biggest fear? A.) being completely alone. B.) failure.
13. Who is your must trusted confidant and why?A.) My husband. He’s my best friend and is always honest with me, even when sometimes I don’t want to hear it. But that’s usually when I need it most. B.) Remi. He’s my best friend. We’ve known each other forever and been through everything. He knows me and I know no matter what, he’ll always be there for me.
14. Describe your favorite color in the most descriptive way possible. A.) Pink. Like the pink of rose bud right before it blossoms, like a cotton candy sunset sky, like a fluffy grey kitten’s nose. B.) Green.Like the endless emerald sea of Nova’s eyes. Like the canopy of the rainforest at first morning light. Like the dew that glistens on the grass at dawn.
15. What's your favorite season and why? A.)Summer. No school, vacation, warm weather, boating and beach days. B.) Spring. There’s an excitement in the air that makes you think you can start over new and anything is possible.
16. When did you realize you had a passion for writing and/or what triggered it? A.) When I was young. Probably middle school. I just love to write. It comes easy to me. I’m long winded. I could wipe out a 20 page paper in college in one night and be excited to do it again the next week. I think my parents fostered my passion for it. They always encouraged me to follow my dreams and see the world in my own unique way. PS – Ditto of what Geneva says. B.) Writing is my only outlet. It’s where I can be free to speak my mind. It’s where I can write my secrets, organize my thoughts, dump my emotions, explore, create, dream.
17. What do you believe to be the most necessary quality in a good person? A.) Love and Forgiveness. B.) To put other’s needs before your own.
18. Who/what does your family consist of? A.) My husband, my pup Vince, my cats Hank and Ari, my amazing extended family and friends and my awesome readers. B.) Sometimes Jemma when she’s not trying to ruin my life, Remi (he’s been in my life the longest and feels like a brother), my mom (even though she’s a ghost) and I consider Sparrow, Journey and Eja to be family as well. And I really hope that one day I can call Nova family too.
19. What's your guilty pleasure? A.) Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans and any show on the CW B.) Listening to Nova play music.
20. When's your birthday? A.) Dec 3rd if you ask my birth certificate, Aug 3rd if you ask my friends. B.) Apparently it’s June 14th.
21. Who are your favorite authors and/or genres to read? A.) favorite author is almost impossible, but I guess I’d have to say JK Rowling b/c I’m a totally Harry Potter freak! Favorite Genre? YA!!!! Especially if it has fantasy, magic, myths, legends or fairytales. B.) Favorite author, hmm… we don’t get to read a lot for pleasure, but I really enjoyed a few Shakespeare plays that we read at the Troian Center. Favorite Genre, anything that takes me far away from here.
22. If you could go back in time and fix your biggest mistake(s), would you? Why or why not?A.) I’d like to say that I wouldn’t go back to change anything b/c everything I’ve experienced has made me who I am and brought me to where I am right now and I want to believe that it’s where I’m meant to be. B.) I can only correct one mistake? There’s been so many. Knowing what I know now, I would have run away from the Troian Center right after Nova showed me what I could do so that no one else would get hurt because of me.
23. What's your favorite quote from the series? A.) “They will be shining down on all of us … in the new light of every day and guiding us each night in the brightness of the stars.” – Secrets B.) “I smiled to myself recalling the fairytale. I was no Cinderella. I wasn’t waiting for a handsome prince to save me. I would make my own destiny.”
24. What has been your favorite book to write so far? A.) Secrets, that book contains so much of my heart. B.) I had the most fun in Lies.
25. Do you have a life motto? What is it? A.) Share your sunshine. It means find happiness in the little things and share it with others. You never know who’sday you may brighten. B.) Thick as Thieves. It’s what me and Remi used to say to each other. It means we’re in this together and together we can do anything.
26. Do you have any heartfelt advice for aspiring, young, shy, procrastinistic, or doubtful authors?A.) Don’t wait. Start writing now. Even if you never plan to share it with anyone else. The power of putting letters together to create words and stories is pure magic and it’s so freeing. You can go anywhere you can imagine with your writing, you invent new worlds, ideas, people. It’s also a great creative and emotional outlet. Writing is like any form of exercise, the more you do it the better you get, so start now and don’t stop. Journal and never get rid of them. Anyone who writes anything is a writer. Believe in yourself. I already believe in you. B.) Writing helps me get out all the things I’m too shy or nervous to say. I highly recommend it.
Character Interview:
1. What was it like when you discovered you had magical powers? - Oh my gosh! Mind blowing, scary, unreal, thrilling, incredible. It was seriously the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me. I always wanted to let my mind wander that I was destined for more than my dull life as an orphan, but I never dreamed of anything like this.
2. What's it like being the Eva? - Scary, unfathomable, intimidating, stressful. I don't want to let anyone down. I'm so afraid that it's all a big mistake, ya know? I'm just an ordinary girl. Being chosen to save the lives of others is such a huge responsibility. I plan to do everything in my power to save my people, but sometimes I still feel unprepared and terrified of failure.3. What is a quirky trait you have? - Ugh, I snort when I laugh. It's so annoying, but Nova says it's cute.4. What's your idea of perfect happiness? - (blushes) Whenever I think of the word happiness I think of Nova. I dream of a less complicated future where we can be together.5. What is your biggest fear? - Failure. I don't want to let my people down or hurt anyone I care about. And I'm afraid of others being hurt because of who I am.6. What's the trait that you most dislike in yourself, and in others? - Lies. I hate dishonesty. It breed more lies. I'm guilty of it myself, but I'm learning now matter how good the intensions, Lies only hurt you.7. Who do you most admire that is still alive? - Vida. She has endured so much. She's a survivor and I have hope that if I can fulfill my destiny that there will be a chance for the happiness she deserves.8. What's your current state of mind? - Flux. There are always so many new discoveries about my life, my destiny, who to trust... Nothing is constant. I feel like I've been running on a wheel that never stops changing. I pray I have the strength to harness my powers and defeat the darkness that has plagued my island for so long.9. On what occasion(s) do you lie? - Only when absolutely necessary. Lately I've been lying to protect my friends. I have so many secrets to keep hidden. I feel like keeping them in the dark will keep them safe. At least that's my intension. But things don't often work out as I plan. (Sighs.)10. What do you dislike most about your appearance? - I'm short. It's a disadvantage and people automatically underestimate me because of my small size. It's hard to get respect when you can't look someone in the eye.11. Which living person do you most despise? - Well I'm not sure if he's living or not, but Ravin. He started this whole war and he's the reason for the Flood that killed my family and destroyed our island.12. What's the quality you like most in a man? - (blushes again.) Geez, I don't know. That's a tough question. I guess I like when you have a connection. Like when if feels like your souls match up and you just have a deep understanding for each other and you know that you'd do anything for that person. I don't know, does that even make sense? (Coughs bashfully.) I don't really have much experience in the romance category unfortunately.13. Nova, Remi, or Kai? - (Face turns scarlet.) That's an impossible question. They all mean so much to me... but Nova is like oxygen. I can't live without him.14. Do you see Sparrow better with Remi or Journey? - Oh my gosh, Journey. He adores her. But I don't know if she knows what she has with him. I get it. You can't explain things to your heart, it loves who it loves.15. What words or phrases do you tend to overuse? - Oh... hmm. I'm not sure. I feel like I'm always saying things, like "I don't know," or "just give me some more time to figure things out." My friends are probably sick of hearing that. They're probably over listening to me pine for Nova. Or get in petty arguments with Jemma.16. What/who is the greatest love of your life? - What's, all these love questions. I don't know. (Palm to forehead.) See I just said it again! I guess Nova. I mean I'm not sure I've ever been in love, but the way I feel about him makes me happy and crazy all at once, but I feel l like my heart will explode when I can't be around him or see if with another girl.17. Is being with/loving Nova worth the risk of ignoring Vida's advice? - I dare to believe so. I think filling my destiny is worth it so that everyone will have the freedom to follow their heart and love anyone they want. That's why I'm risking everything, because a life without love is no life at all.18. When and where were you happiest? - I have these vivid dreams about what my life was like when I as a baby, before the Flood. I don't know if they're actual memories of if I made them up, but I'm so happy surrounded by my family.19. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? - I wish I could see the future so that I knew how to defeat the Ravinori.20. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement thus far? - (Nervously laughs.) Not going completely crazy when I learned I had magic powers and that the fate of my civilization lay on my shoulders.21. If you were to die and come back in a different form, what would it be? - I think I'd want to be a bird. I'd love to be able to fly.22. Would you rather live in the forest among the Betos, or in Lux with the citizens? - I always thought I 'd say Lux. I'd dreamed of living there since my first visit, but I feel most at home in the forest. I think I belong there, with the Betos.23. What's your most treasured possession? - My friendship with Remi.24. What's your biggest worry regarding being the Eva? The Ponte deorum? - Failing and having my friends pay the price.25. What do you value most in your friends? - Honesty and loyalty.26. Who are your heroes? - My parents and Talon and all those who fought for me.27. What is it that you most dislike? - Dishonesty and the need for it in my life.28. What's your greatest regret? - Hurting the people I love unintentionally.29. Are you afraid of death? - Yes. But I'm more afraid that it will be meaningless.30. What's your motto? Never say never. Or Never give up.
Review:
After being left on a small cliffhanger after "Secrets", I honestly had no clue what to expect from this book. There were a lot of questions as to whom Jemma pledged her allegiance to, as well as who had feelings for whom, and if those feelings were reciprocated. I will keep this review as spoiler free as possible, for ALL three of the books, for those who are wishing to purchase the series. To begin, just as was mentioned earlier in the author interview, Christina mentioned that she wanted to display Geneva's character development through the voice of the piece, and after reading "Lies", I have to say that this is the best character growth that I have ever seen depicted across a series. From the way that Geneva willingly is ready to sacrifice herself for innocent orphans and even children that now reside at the Troian Academy, most of whom she has never met, all the way to how she deals with the relationship conflicts between her, Remi, Nova, and even Kai, who you will all get to meet in this book. This book is an action-packed, heart-pounding, swoon-worthy read that will leave your eyes watery until the very last sentence. I guarantee that you will search the following pages to try and find more of this extraordinary story to devour. (And don't be shocked if you become a hardcore Novena (Nova and Geneva), Genimi (Remi and Geneva), or even a Keva (Kai and Geneva) shipper. It will happen. Trust me.)
Some of my favorite quotes from this book are:
“They suit you, Geneva. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Your face without freckles would be like the heavens without stars,” he whispered.
—Kai
My only hope was we would be strong enough to rebuild our love from the ashes left behind.
—Geneva
‘They will scorch the earth with flame, burning out all that was good, only to start anew.’
—Book of Secrets
“I don’t want to leave you, Geneva. You’re all my family now."
—Sparrow
‘To achieve harmony, the sun and the moon must work together, despite their inclination to chase after the stars...The sun must give up the stars.’
—Book of Secrets
Sometimes the truth is harder to swallow than the lies we often live.
—Geneva
I was no Cinderella. I wasn’t waiting for a handsome prince to save me. I would make my own destiny.
—Geneva
“Nova... I’m... so... sorry. I...”
“Shut up and kiss me,” he said breathlessly.
—Nova and Geneva
"Love... all it does it hurt you and make you keep secrets and tell lies."
—Journey
My love for Nova was my Achilles heel.
—Geneva
“In the forest,” I said to him, staring into his stormy green eyes.
“In the forest,” he said.
—Nova and Geneva
“Is he nuts?” Luca asked.
"No, just in love," Journey grumbled.
—Luca and Journey
(Keep in mind that these are all quotes from the ARC version. Some quotes may be deleted or changed slightly in the final publication.)
Rating:
5 out of 5 stars. Hands down. Recommended to any readers that enjoy YA novels, suspense, action/adventure, and even romance.
About The Author:
Award-winning young adult author Christina Benjamin grew up in the little town of La Plume, PA where at an early age she fell in love with writing. She began to write short stories in grade school and continued practicing her trade all the way through college where she attended the University of Central Florida to complete her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Technical Writing. After spending some time writing for blogs and websites she decided to get back to her true love of telling stories.
Benjamin’s writing hooks fans of mega-hit YA fiction like Harry Potter and Hunger Games, and offers them a new series to obsess over. She paints a vivid world, where magic and imagination run wild in her epic tale of adventure, courage and friendship.
Christina now lives in North Florida with her husband, and character inspiring pets. She spends most of her time writing. Benjamin is dedicated to giving back to the community and speaking at schools to inspire creativity in young writers. When she has free time she enjoys to read, listen to music, shop and travel.
Social media links:
Amazon Author page link:
Goodreads Author page link:
Link to Trivia Quiz on Goodreads:
Book Trailer
Links to purchase her books:
"Truth"
"Secrets"
"Lies"
Amazon pre-order
Well my little book cubs, that wraps up my stop on Christina Benjamin's "Lies" Blog Tour! I hope you all enjoyed it and that I have sparked your interest in this wonderful series. Have a great day!
❤️
Catheryn
The Book Lioness
