Christian Fiction Bloggers discussion

❀Abbi and Melanie❀ The Truth of the Matter by Andrew Klavan

I'm finished with the first half now, too!

Wow! This book has started off way better than I expected! I knew Waterman wasn't going to kill Charlie and that he was a "good" guy. Really sad to learn that he was murdered, but it was nice how he helped Charlie even in his death.

I was very surprised by the way Charlie was recruited and that he decided to do it even though it might never become known that he didn't kill Alex and it was all the Homelanders.

Oh, and the scenes where Charlie remembers things that had happened were so cool and interesting! :)

Sorry had babysitting then some fam stuff!

Yeah this was a great start! I admit that I wasn't so sure on where Waterman's loyalties lay-I was pretty sure he was good but there was still an inkling! I was happy that he was good though! And yeah it was sad that he died but it was cool how he made sure Charlie had a shot a getting out!

Yeah that surprised me too! I don't think I would be able to do it knowing that!

Yeah those scenes were pretty cool! It must feel so good to finally be remembering! I can't imagine how awful that would be to forget a whole year! I get frustrated when I forget a name!

I loved how he used Milton 2 to escape! The homelanders were probably so befuddled by it that if it wasn't a life or death situation it would have been funny!

I also like how the goons try to warn Waylen that the bomb is gonna go off but he tells them to shut up and Charlie is able to get away. And then in the woods when he hears them talking about it!

I loved how he used Milton 2 to escape too! I was really surprised to learn about that thing - very cool!

Oh, I loved that too! It was so funny how the guys were talking about it when searching for Charlie.

I wonder what's going to happen once Charlie comes back to the present. Is he going to be seriously hurt from his fall? Will the guys have heard him?

Who do you think the last "good" person alive (who knows about what is really going on) is? A guess of mine is Mike.

Yeah I was wondering about that too!

I tend to think it's not Mike since he tried to turn Charlie in and Charlie had to convince him that he might not be safe-so if Mike had known he wouldn't have tried to put him back in jail. I actually think we haven't met this guy yet unless it's the guy who told him about Waterman but even then we haven't "met" him.

I think it's interesting how each time he gets more memories he is more into the mind of his younger self.

I know this is more in book 2 than this one but I absolutely love the ribbing that the guys give each other! It's so funny!

I forgot that Mike had tried to turn Charlie in... it's been a while since I've read book 1 & 2. :| I think you're right and we haven't met the guy yet.

That is interesting.

LOL! Yeah, I found that really funny too! I loved how they helped Charlie when he stayed at that "haunted" house. :)

I had a feeling right away when Charlie read the note and saw that it was signed with a design, that it was the code. I also found it interesting how Charlie could hear some of what the Homelanders said, but they didn't hear him when he went back in his memories and made noise from the pain.

Yeah I guessed that was the code right away too! Did you try to draw the design without breaking off? I did and I figured it out! I may be a nerd!

Yeah it seemed little strange but he could only hear them if he pressed his ear to the door and listened carefully.

Well I couldn't come up with anything else-you?

I did try to draw it in my mind, but then gave up when I couldn't do it without overlapping and just kept reading. LOL! How did you do it?

True...

I can't either. Ready to read the next half?

I drew it out on paper! You start with right to left part of the x then draw the divider between the roof and house, then draw the right side, the bottom, the other half of the x, the two sides of the roof, and then finally the left side!

Yep!

Cool! Thanks - I now know how to draw it. :)

I'm finished and ready when you are!

Okay. :) I plan on finishing it today. :)

Okay! Can't wait to discuss this and read The Final Hour!

Me too! Do you want to buddy read The Final Hour, too? I have it out from the library and plan on reading it after this one. :)

Actually I was kinda hoping to blaze through it tonight-my sis just finished and she said it was amazing and she didn't want to put it down. She wanted to give it 6 stars. What do you think of maybe just discussing it when we both are finished?

That sounds perfect (especially since these books are such quick reads). 6 star?? Hmmm, now I'm even more excited to read it! :)

:) sweet!

Finished! Wow! I was surprised that Rose was the secret contact!

I loved Margaret - she seems like such a great lady! It was so kind of her to take care of Charlie and not tell the cops he was at her house.

That last scene had SO much action! I loved how Larry went to a neighbor's house and called Rose (saving the day!).

I know! I totally did not see that coming!

Margaret was awesome! I couldn't believe that she didn't tell the police.

Yeah that last scene was pretty crazy! And I loved Larry running to the neighbors too. It was so cool that he memorized the number!

It was cool how Charlie figured out how to hold of the memory attacks at least for a little bit-that definitely came in handy!

That car chase scene was pretty insane! There were so many chances for them to die-I couldn't believe they made it out alive!

That was neat. :)

Totally agree! That car chase was an intense scene! I love how Charlie was able to get the knife. ;)

Can you believe that Charlie sneezed in the woods? So glad the cops decided the noise was nothing and left!

I liked how Charlie left money after taking some food - it showed his character. :)

Yeah it was cool how he got the knife!

No I couldn't believe that! I agree that I was glad the cops didn't investigate!

Yeah that was cool!

I loved the flashback scene with Beth (even though we already read some of it in the last book) it's so cool how they are so perfect together and the maturity they have! That last night/day must have been torture!

I agree! It must have been horrible - to know what was going to happen and not be allowed to explain it to your friends/family. I loved pretty much all of the flashbacks! It was great how they filled in parts of the story. :)

Can you think of anything else to discuss? I'm drawing a blank. :|

Nope I'm out too!

Onto The Final Hour?

Definitely! Gotta see how it ends. ;) Look forward to talking about it when we're both done. :)

:) me too!

Wasn't that airplane scene intense?! It was so cool how he was able to fly the plane and outsmart the Homelanders. I was really worried that Rose or Mike was going to end up dying when the plane blew up and was very relieved when both of them survived.

Yeah that was crazy! It was amazing how Charlie maneuvered the plane-I especially loved how he used the power line! And yeah I thought for sure one of those two were gonna die! I felt so bad when Patel died! It was kinda sweet how his last words were "my wife".

My sister was obsessed with the first line of this book and I have to agree that it is pretty cool!

Abingdon sounded horrible! Especially Dunbar! I can't imagine trying to survive in there!

I was really worried as to how Charlie was going to convince Blade and his guys that he killed Dunbar without actually doing it but his plan was brilliant. I wouldn't have had the stomach to do it myself but it was cool!

I loved when Mike picked him up in the Jeep! I kinda guessed it was him but it was such a relief!

At the end I thought for sure Mike was dead! (It actually made me cry.) But I was so so happy when he made it-he's a pretty awesome guy!

It was amazing and I loved how he used the power lines, too. It was really sad that Patel died.

That was a great line!

Definitely horrible! I can't believe Dunbar was allowed to do what he did. Same here - I don't know if I'd be able to take what Charlie went through. :(

It was brilliant! I didn't think Charlie would kill Dunbar (although for a few moments I wasn't sure) and I had no idea what he was actually going to do. I loved how Dunbar was shocked that Charlie was going to let him live after everything he did - and was going to do - to him. I definitely wouldn't have had the stomach to do what Charlie did. :|

I loved that too!!

I thought for sure Mike was dead too (and I think I cried as well) - I was so relieved that he lived! It was great the way he had told Charlie to leave him and stop the Homelanders... I felt so bad so Charlie then - having to leave Mike.

I loved the way Charlie beat Prince (using a pressure point in his hand). I also liked how he was going to save him if he would just drop the backpack.

Yeah I felt bad for him having to leave Mike too!

I loved that too. His be willing to save Prince truly shows how great of a guy he really is!

I liked how everyone from Waterman's team was at the mansion! I was really curious as to what had happened to them so it was really cool to see that they all made it!

I couldn't believe Charlie agreed to take the memory medicine again even knowing that it could kill him! Especially not knowing if he actually saw enough to be of any help! His calling Beth was sweet! She really handled everything so well!

The whole run through the tunnels was crazy! Dodging trains and bullets-that's insane!

I was curious as to what had happened to Waterman's team, too! I was glad they all survived. :)

I know! I couldn't believe it either. I was glad it actually worked and he remembered what he had seen. It was sweet and Beth did handle it very well.

Totally agree! It was very crazy! Plus they had to avoid that one line - I would have been so freaked out about that. :O

Remember when they went down that tight tunnel and a train was coming towards them? That was an intense scene! I found it so interesting how Mike found that little safe place that workers use... and then said he hadn't even known it was there! Talk about a close call!

Yeah that would have freaked me out too! And that was an insanely close call!

I loved Mike's line about getting seriously annoyed if those "Islamist guys" shot him again!

I loved the last chapter, with Mike, the president's call and seeing his family!

I loved that last chapter too! I loved how Charlie reacted to the phone call and when he said something like "so I don't have to go back to prison?".

I also loved the last line of the book. :)

Yeah both of those lines were awesome!

Well I'm out of things-you?

Same here. This was fun! Loved discussing both of these fantastic books with you. :)

Ditto!!

:)