Lying Season [Paperback]

LYING SEASON, book four in the Experiment in Terror Series, centers around the ever-freaking-adorable Perry Palomino and her partner (and would-be love) Dex Foray. In this installment, Perry and Dex are investigating a reportedly haunted mental institution in Seattle. Scary, huh? Turns out, that scenario is not nearly as scary as the fact that Perry is spending the week with Dex in his apartment... oh, and his longterm girlfriend, Jenn, too. Let the fun begin.

Whoa. That pretty much sums up my feelings at this moment. When I finished LYING SEASON a few hours ago, I thought I should probably sit on my thoughts for a day or two and let everything settle. But I don't think waiting will change anything. So here goes...

LYING SEASON. What a perfect name for this book. Perry and Dex have never been wholly upfront to one another, about their complicated and turbulents pasts, certainly not about their feelings towards one another. But the level of dishonesty is ratcheted up to a new, disturbing level in this book. Like I said, Dex has never been totally honest about his history. In LYING SEASON, though, Dex's protective shell begins to chip away, and he begins to reveal pieces of himself to Perry. It's haunting, disturbing, and quite heartbreaking. I've never seen Dex this vulnerable. I don't think he'd ever been this open with anyone before, even Jenn. Only Perry does he trust. But then he reveals these secrets he's been keeping from Perry. Things that don't seem to be a huge deal to an outsider, but have a tremendous impact on her and show her how truly selfish he can be. He just... I don't know. I love Dex, I honestly do (cue the Olivia Newton-John music), but sometimes, I want to slap the literal crap out of him.

And Perry, sweet Perry. This girl, she keeps going, no matter what life (and Dex) put her through. She's starting to gain some much needed confidence now. And I love that. And she always acts with the best of intentions. But she turns a dark corner in LYING SEASON. What she does...it made me so disappointed in her. I still love her. I totally get why she does it, and know that she does have good intentions. But I wanted to climb into my book and shake the girl. You cannot mess with people's minds and bodies like that, Perry!

And Jenn. I gave you a fair chance. I was determined that there must be something worthy in you if Dex loves you. Screw that. For all the fans of the series who've wanted to know Jenn better. Here's your chance.

Even though the series is called Experiment in Terror, LYING SEASON is the first book in the series that made me nearly pee my pants from fright. The other books did have tense, scary moments, but nothing that compares to this scenario. What is more terrifying than a mental institution? A haunted one at that? Compound that with a ghoulish blast from Dex's past and you have a true Experiement in Terror.

LYING SEASON definitely left me with more questions than answers. The last few chapters had me reading with my eyes bugging out and my hand over my mouth so I wouldn't swear in front of my kids. The chemistry between Dex and Perry has never been hotter. The stakes have never been higher. The dialogue, internal and verbal, has never been sharper or as laugh-out-loud funny. I must give Halle some serious credit. She is a master at bringing the characters and story up to the very cusp of happiness, then pulling the rug right out from under them. She has never given Dex and Perry an easy road, or an easy out. And I suspect that will be the case until the very end. The ending to LYING SEASON...I'm still shattered. The fact that I'm still shell-shocked is a compliment to Halle's writing. I am excited, anxious, and terrified to read book five in the series ON DEMON WINGS.

Favorite Quote:

" 'What are you saying?' I asked softly.
'I'm saying that you're like my best friend,' he said. 'You are my best friend, and I could never let pills take away what makes you, you. Your heart. And your beautiful soul.' " (pg. 213, ARC)

ch-ch-ch-ch-changesssss...

To start, this book is almost a complete departure from the previous 3.5 novels. Picking up on the heavy relationship aspects of Dead Sky Morning, Lying Season is most assuredly aptly named and takes the emotional and relationship aspect of the series a step further than its predecessor.

Once again we change locale here. This time it's off to Seattle, Dex's personal stomping grounds. Dex has gotten them into a local mental hospital that has never given permission to any previous ghost hunting crews. In addition, the Shownet office Christmas party is coming up that same week so Perry's invited to come up and stay with he and Jenn at their apartment for the week. That's right. Jenn. THE Jenn. What's more intriguing? Jenn is the one that insisted she stay in their spare bedroom...curiouser and curiouser. This alone, as I'm sure you can imagine, is a recipe for disaster. Believe you me: You.Will.Hate.Jenn!!! =)

While taking steps to investigate the ominous mental institution Perry and Dex also run into a rival ghost hunting team that are pretty much riding their coat tails, albeit with a larger budget and on real television. That really helped to put a little focus on their show and how it's getting out there, it's no longer just underground.

This is easily the most emotionally driven, character background oriented story in the series as it reveals much more about Dex as well as Perry and each of their haunted pasts, no pun intended. We learn some more about the infamous 'accident' in Perry's past that has been inferred and mentioned from time to time in earlier installments and we also learn a thing or two about Dex's troubled past.

But as I said, Lying Season is the perfect description for this novel because there seems to be almost no character in the book that is actually 100% on the up and up. We know Dex is a self admitted liar, but Perry in some very 'I can't believe she just did/said that' moments, also throws some curveballs in there that quite honestly had my eyes opened up to the size of silver dollar pancakes.

There are a few twists and turns in here, some of which I figured out and some that really and truly shocked me. The element of terror is still present throughout the book, although the characters and their development is really what's on display here. The ghost investigating scenes are truly creepy and well told with an almost chilly and claustrophobic quality to them. Perry still sees things that others don't and what she sees this time strikes a little too close to home and makes for a very interesting development. She also has some dream sequences that open up her past to the reader a little bit more. As always, Halle dangles the carrot leaving you wanting more..in all regards.

Hints about what's to come are planted all over the novel and this, more than any other in the series I feel, has the biggest cliffhanger ending and makes you want to read the next one so much it's palpable.

Perry is really coming into her own as a sexy and caring and smart young adult despite her past and her unique 'affliction'. It's a fine line between being a believable character and becoming a 'Mary Sue', but I don't see the author taking her into that territory. Her pen is seemingly too deft for that so it's nothing that need be worried over.

This change of pace comes at a good point in the series, taking the focus off the actual ghost investigating sequences somewhat and focusing more on Perry and Dex's past, their present and their future..whatever that may be.

Really can't recommend this highly enough and I'm left scratching my head as to why there aren't more reviews of these novels here on amazon..people are really missing out on some fun reading.

I don't think I've been so addicted to a series since I read the Xanth series in high school. Ms Halle write a very emotionally charged book this time, with a cliff hanger that has me biting my nails waiting for the next installment.
This book was more character driven in my opinion. I liked seeing Perry interact with people outside her family and Dex. I also noticed that in the book you really get a feel for how much Perry has grown and matured. Yet there's still a witty cynicism to her. On the other hand I think Dex backpedaled a couple years in the maturity department. I also lost a lot of respect for him as a character. Although a few more pieces of the puzzle that is Dex are revealed. Another main player in this book is Jennifer, Dex's girlfriend. While I really disliked her, I also felt kind of bad for her. Dex and Perry seem to have a connection through their mutual "talent" and similar traumatic backgrounds, that Jenn could never hope to have let alone understand. Not to mention, I was already biased against her from reading the previous books. Mainly because I want Dex and Perry together, because they make a cute although slightly crazy couple.
The relationship drama is broken with a trip to a haunted asylum, which I was a little disappointed in as I expected it to be scarier. Also there is the arrival of a competitive ghost hunting team. And an angry ghost who's haunting Dex.
Now I need to mention, once again this series is labeled YA by the author, but I really don't think anyone under 17yrs should read this book. Just my own opinion.
All in all another 'I don't want to put this book down' segment in this series.