Review ~ The Fabulist by Dawn L Chiletz

Book Description:

Fabulist (fabyələst): a liar, especially a person who invents elaborate, dishonest stories 

After losing her job and her apartment, Samantha Wittaker takes a leap of faith when she tries out for The Fabulist, a new reality TV show promising a prize well worth the risk. Her sexy, tough as nails personality attracts more than just the attention of the producers. She also catches the eye of a couple of contestants as well as a hot, challenging cameraman. 

The twists and turns of reality TV are like nothing she ever even imagined. Deception, danger, love and lust lurk at every turn. 

Sometimes people lie. They lie to save themselves or to cover a truth. They lie to protect feelings or to protect hearts. 

Not all lies are bad. Or are they? 

Can Sam play the game or will the game play her?

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2gSKFh1

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2hRfe8N

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4.5 stars

fabulist

noun

1.

a person who invents or recounts fables

2.

a person who lies or falsifies

This was my first read by Dawn L Chiletz and I have to say I adored it! We are a society that is addicted to reality TV, there is something absorbing about seeing the best and worst in people knowing that the other contestants have no idea. But The Fabulist was not your run of the mill reality TV show, this was a cross between Big Brother and The Apprentice. The prize is a $100,000 job with “The Fabulist.” A fabulist is a liar, an inventor of tales, the more elaborate the better and The Fabulist needs an understudy, an assistant to help him vet out the liars and the master manipulators he comes across on a daily basis in his line of business. The ability to tell truths from untruths is a rare talent, the ability to read a person, to study a person in a matter of minutes/seconds and be able to decipher the most inconspicuous of tells is a formidable talent to have in the unscrupulous world of business and the person who has this ability would be the winner.

“First, what is a fabulist? A Fabulist, in essence, is a liar. Someone who creates tales and stories meant to amaze and cause considerable uncertainty both for the viewer at home, as well as the contestants who’ve been carefully selected based on their skillful ability at finding the truth.”

Sam is at rock bottom, she is in her mid-twenties and despite holding down a high powered, well paid job since she left college, the downturn in the economy has left her redundant. Ever prideful Sam is reluctant to run to the bank of mum and dad and so as jobs are scarce and savings run out she ends up losing her flat and crashing on her best friend’s couch. Carmen is the total opposite of Sam, she is bubbly, outgoing and carefree and addicted to reality TV. Her social life revolves around the TV listings and her favourite programmes.

At the end of one such programme an advert goes out for contestants for this new reality TV Show called “The Fabulist,” Carmen wants to audition and does her best to get Sam to audition too, however, this is one thing that Sam excels at, this competition was made for her, she is the master at two lies and a truth, she can smell bull shit from fifty paces, this competition has Sam’s name as winner written all over it.

“Someone once told me life’s too short to feel regret. You have to take a chance. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes you’re left standing there alone, but either way, you’ll never hear a yes or no unless you ask. I’ll leave here knowing I put it all on the table. I don’t know that everyone can say the same.”

I loved this book and of course we have a romantic liaison thrown in for good measure and good TV, after all, what reality TV show is void of some kind of romance. Sam was sharp, quick witted and had a hair trigger temper, all traits that get her into a fair few scrapes and the object of every other contestant’s wrath and jealousy.

“Lies are like poison ivy. You tell a little lie and nothing bad happens. You walk through it and think you’re okay. Then later, you see a small red patch where the lie starts to take hold. It hurts and it itches, but you ignore it. You make up more lies to cover it. Then before you know it, you’ve lied so much it has spread everywhere. It’s all over your life and you can’t make it stop. He’s poison ivy…”

This was so well written I found myself playing along, taking mental notes of who I thought was a player and who was genuine, who was lying and who was playing the game. This book makes you think about the people that you surround yourself with and whether you are a good judge of character too. Some people are so good at lying that they actually think they are telling truth, would you be able to tell the difference?

“Sometimes people lie. They lie to save themselves or to cover a truth. They lie to protect feelings or to protect hearts. Not all lies are bad. Some are made with the best of intentions.”

This book was different, it was well written, it had wit, suspense, emotion when needed and a good dose of romance. Totally adored it!!

“When I lie, I want to lie down with you.”