A Liar’s Twisted Tongue is out now and self-published by Caroline Cusanelli; 451 pages
Content Warning: Descriptions of death, violence, and abuse of power
About the Author: “Caroline Cusanelli is the author of A Liar’s Twisted Tongue. She’s been writing since she learned the alphabet; stories of frogs and fairies and everything fun and magical, though now she opts to write about beautiful worlds with dark underbellies. When she isn’t writing she’s probably reading, singing, swimming, or exploring. She hopes to be immersed in literature for the rest of her life” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Caroline Cusanelli on the following platforms:
A Liar’s Twisted Tongue follows Desdemona Althenia and Lucian Aibek as they dig themselves deeper and deeper into the lies they build. Desdemona is only trying to survive, having been born into poverty and the lowest ranks of society. She has a fiery magic that will most likely be her undoing, as it was for everyone else who has ever possessed this ability. After an attack against her and her mother, Desdemona ends up at Visnatus Academy, the prestigious school for future rulers and wealthy nobles, and her mother goes missing. Lucian, heir to the throne and stuck in an unwanted betrothal, craves nothing more than revenge against his parents. When Desdemona enters his life, he realizes her untamed power might be everything he needs for his revenge. But as they grow closer, lies are unraveled and an ancient war stirs that might bring them together—or tear them apart.
Caroline Cusanelli’s novel contains a world of vast potential that kept me guessing with every turn of the page. The magic system is fascinating, with different races of orphias, human-like beings capable of different magic and abilities. The orhpias live in a place called Elysia, which has several different worlds that are connected through portals and work in tandem under two ruling families. I haven’t read many fantasy books that use this type of world-building, so it was interesting to dive into the inner workings of this one. At the beginning of every chapter there was an excerpt of “published” or “unpublished” writing from unknown characters in the world, which shed light on different things throughout the book and added to the depth of the world-building. I enjoyed the characters of Desdemona and Lucian, as their perspectives explained more about their respective pasts but also showed consideration for their two wildly different personalities. Both are stubborn and ruthless in order to get what they want. I loved how they developed throughout the story and how their goals of survival and revenge rely on them using each other, even as they try not to care for each other. I knew in the first few pages that the creativity of Cusanelli’s work could not be contained to one novel. The ending of A Liar’s Twisted Tongue left me reeling, and I am sad to say goodbye to Desdemona and Lucian while I wait for the next book of The Fated Blood Trilogy.
Hannah Goerndt, Pine Reads Review Writer