CANR
WORK TITLE: Listen for the Lie
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://amytintera.com/
CITY: Los Angeles
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: CA 351
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born c. 1983.
EDUCATION:Graduate of Texas A&M University; Emerson College, master’s degree.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Former talent agency assistant in Hollywood, CA.
AWARDS:Edgar Award for Best Novel finalist, 2025, for Listen for the Lie.
WRITINGS
Contributor to periodicals and news services, including America’s Intelligence Wire.
Reboot has been optioned for film by Fox 2000; Listen for the Lie was being adapted as a television series in 2025 by Universal.
SIDELIGHTS
[open new/revised]Author Amy Tintera grew up on the outskirts of Austin, Texas, where she set her sights on becoming a novelist at an early age. One of her favorite books, starring a girl with special powers, was Roald Dahl’s Matilda. By the time she finished high school, Tintera had half a dozen novel manuscripts under her belt; yet the sustained focus on literary fiction in schoolwork left her disillusioned and focusing her energies elsewhere. She earned an undergraduate degree in journalism and a master’s degree in media arts and screenwriting. She initially moved to Los Angeles to work in the film industry, assisting at a Hollywood talent agency,[suspend new] but decided she did not like the work. As a result, she returned to writing. “I’d been writing novels since I was in middle school, so coming back wasn’t hard,” Tintera told My Bookish Ways, adding: “I wrote a YA paranormal romance and a sequel, then after getting a lot of rejections decided to try something without angels or demons.”
Tintera was drawn to YA literature for several reasons. “I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but I noticed a few years ago that many YA authors were writing strong, complex teenage girl characters, and I wanted to be a part of that,” Tintera told Latina contributor Valerie Tejeda. She went on to note: “I also love how YA encompasses such a wide variety of books.” [resume new]Speaking with Elise Dumpleton of the Nerd Daily, Tintera credited Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series with helping her “realize what an exciting, vibrant category YA is” and decide to join in. She proclaimed that her own novels are generally “high-action … with a healthy dose of romance.”[suspend new]
Tintera’s debut novel, Reboot, is a tale of a teenager who returns from the dead as a Reboot, one of an elite group of soldiers who were formerly dead but now work for a corporation that orders the death of civilians and Reboots as well. Seventeen-year-old Wren Connolly was shot in the chest and killed but comes back to life as a Reboot after 178 minutes. “The 178 minutes is important, because the longer it takes a Reboot to rise again, the less humanity they retain, particularly in the way of emotions,” noted a BiblioFiend contributor, adding: “No one has a higher count than Wren, making her a deadly soldier.” Wren 178, as she is now known, works for the Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation (HARC) in the Republic of Texas. Part of her job is to train new Reboots. When Callum 22, aka Callum Reyes, arrives for training, Wren realizes she has a difficult task on her hands because, having come back to life quickly, Callum retains many of his human emotions and is way too slow to be a good Reboot. Nevertheless, Callum seems to touch something human inside of Wren with his constant smile, which nevertheless irritates Wren initially. “A theme throughout the book is Wren’s inability to feel anything but the animal instinct to hunt and kill,” noted a Luxury Reading contributor, who went on to point out that, after working with Callum, “she begins to realize there is more to life than HARC’s directives.”
Wren’s training of Callum is proving to be difficult, especially since Callum has a predilection for asking too many questions. The training process raises the concern of Wren’s human superiors. Wren is also faced with the fact that both her human boss and other reboots abhor her. “Not only do they not wish to cross her, they don’t want to touch her or even make eye contact,” wrote a Flyleaf Review contributor. “Wren is seen as more robotic and artificial than anyone else.” Eventually, HARC deems Callum to be a liability, and Wren is ordered to kill him. By now, however, Callum has rekindled more of Wren’s human emotions. As a result, she decides to disobey HARC and goes on the run with him.
“The tension between Wren and Callum is playful and often sweet, offering plenty to those who appreciate romance,” wrote a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Debbie Carton, writing in Booklist, appreciated the novel’s “quick pace, familiar yet altered setting, and strong humanitarian message.” Calling the novel “a heart-stopping thrill ride,” Voice of Youth Advocates contributor Sarah Cofer went on to remark: “Adventure, danger, and suspense mashed up with a little romance and the walking dead create a fast-paced and well written suspense novel.”
[re-resume new]The “Reboot” story continues with Rebel, which finds Wren 178, Callum 22, and hundreds of others looking forward to life after HARC and finding refuge at a fortified camp. The camp’s inhabitants have likewise been HARC’s enemies, but their aims come into question as their customs include forcing women to bear uncanny children and undertaking hunts for human beings—and the Reboots are in danger again. Callum and Wren alternate narration, introducing a second perspective on the action. Voice of Youth Advocates reviewer Diane Colson enjoyed finding in this sequel “new villains, new friends, and a suitably ambiguous ending.” A Kirkus Reviews writer affirmed that Tintera’s “breakneck follow-up” to Reboot “delves deep into its characters,” especially the “tough, immensely likable” Wren. The reviewer said of Rebel, “Action-packed and intelligent, this science-fiction thriller offers a refreshingly hopeful conclusion.”
Tintera launched a YA fantasy series steeped in warfare among four kingdoms with Ruined. A princess of Ruina, Emelina Flores is beset with misfortune: her kingdom was overthrown, her parents were murdered, sister Olivia was kidnapped, and, unlike most of the Ruined, she lacks magic to make amends. But Em has gusto aplenty, spurring her to assassinate a princess of Lera and cunningly take her place as the betrothed of Prince Casimir Gallegos, intending to both exact vengeance on his parents and locate Olivia. Warrior allies from Olso are on the way, but when Cas proves worthy of admiration—and stirs her affection—her plans go out the castle window. In School Library Journal, Martha Simpson hailed Em as a “resilient and likable heroine with a wry sense of humor, a knack for self-preservation, and the fighting prowess to match.” A Kirkus Reviews writer observed that Tintera’s “mix of violence and vengeance with a star-crossed-lovers story offers … abundant angst, and plentiful cinematic action sequences.”
Avenged, the second “Ruined” novel, finds Em and Olivia ruling the kingdom of Ruina together as their people return home. Em is ready to press for peace, but now Olivia has the vengeance bug, and her telepathic power makes it terrifyingly easy to kill people. Casimir, now in charge of Lera, maintains affection for Em, but his conniving cousin Jovita feels otherwise; when Jovita leads forces against Ruina, all hell threatens to break loose. A Kirkus Reviews writer found Avenged to be marked by “treachery and tentative romances,” while Simpson in School Library Journal noted the “adventure, intrigue, and passion.” In Voice of Youth Advocates, Amy Cummins affirmed that Tintera “presents a diverse, realistic group of characters in her speculative fantasy world” and that the series “has a perfect mix of passion and action.”
Fearsome scrabs are raging around the world in All These Monsters, although Clara Rivera Pratt is worried foremost about a monster in her home: her abusive father. When the heir of a weapons company puts out a call to form the all-teen American Team 7 to head to scrag hot spots in Europe, Clara escapes her father—hopefully for good—to join a diverse cohort of fellow fighters. They have hardly started training when scrabs start bedeviling them, and meanwhile Clara starts experiencing tilted romantic tension with Julian, the controlling leader of their team. Finding the plot to be “all action,” with a “rogue scrab attack” every step of the way, Leah Krippner in School Library Journal praised this novel as a “sci-fi action dynamo with romantic overtones that screams for a sequel.” Admiring Clara as a “steely, sarcastic survivor,” a Kirkus Reviews writer appreciated how, beyond the dystopian science-fiction surface, the novel “turns out fundamentally to be about a young woman’s emotional path to transcendence over the cycle of abuse.” The reviewer lauded All These Monsters as “thrilling” and “worthy.”
Clara and company head from London to New York City in All These Warriors, with the members of team seven reorienting themselves toward city-by-city hunting and mop-up missions. Of the utmost importance in Clara’s universe are the repercussions from her relationship with Julian, who has proved himself unreliable enough to be shunned but refuses to leave her alone. Team member Edan has caught more than her attention, while Clara’s maternal Mexican heritage comes into play as consequential scrab-hunting focus shifts across the border. Krippner in School Library Journal reckoned All These Warriors a “solid sequel that ties up loose ends.” A Kirkus Reviews writer likewise called it a “satisfactory duology closer,” as readers “will be heartened by [Clara’s] vulnerable journey of growth—and her ultimate success.”
Standing alone is Tintera’s dystopian young-adult novel The Q, set in a future where Austin, Texas, has been sealed off as a quarantine zone called the Q, serving as permanent home for people carrying a lethal virus. The Spencer gang rules the north of the Q, the Lopezes the south, where Maisie Rojas was born and is now coping with the death of her father, the gang’s leader. When Lennon Pierce, nineteen-year-old son of a presidential candidate, gets kidnapped and airdropped into the Q, with just seventy-two hours before a first-line vaccine wears off, Maisie is willing to guide him to the only exit—deep in Spencer territory—despite the risks, with motives of her own. A Publishers Weekly reviewer proclaimed that Tintera “evokes her Austin hometown to great effect” in this “wildly inventive, cinematic read” manifesting a “near-future, post-pandemic world that sharply echoes contemporary society.” A Kirkus Reviews writer commended The Q as a “thrilling adventure in which the risks are convincingly high, the action nonstop, and the budding romance … believably charming.” The reviewer deemed the novel “ridiculously fun, romantic, and action-packed.”
Tintera made her adult debut with Listen for the Lie, about a twenty-four-year-old woman whose return to her Texas hometown coincides with renewed attention to her best friend’s murder half a decade ago. Lucy Chase’s grandmother’s birthday is a good excuse to return to Plumpton, but moreover true-crime podcaster Ben Owens is in town conducting interviews about Savannah Harper’s death—by blows to the head—and reviving interest in the case. Lucy wants to help: she was found after Savvy’s murder stumbling around concussed herself, painted with Savvy’s blood, and unable to remember what happened. Although evidence was lacking, everyone in town thinks Lucy was guilty, and with her marriage ruined, Lucy herself is haunted by Savvy’s voice wryly urging her toward violence. As Ben keeps digging, and his alliance with Lucy becomes more than professional, the emergence of a male suspect or two may portend Lucy’s redemption.
Chapters alternate between Lucy’s perspective and transcripts of Ben’s podcast, “Listen for the Lie.” Reviewers were laudatory toward Tintera’s first adult novel and her nuanced treatment of themes. A Kirkus Reviews writer was impressed with the “striking commentary” on small-town expectations for conventional behavior and the injury done to nonconforming women. The reviewer deemed Tintera “smart to capitalize on how the true-crime podcast boom informs and infuses the current fictional thriller scene,” even as her novel’s own action “transcends the podcast structure.” The reviewer called Listen for the Lie “smart, edgy, and entertaining as heck.” Noting the classic strain of injustice whereby “the testimony and opinions of men are given more credence than those of women,” Carol Memmott commented in the Washington Post: “Through her deep understanding of this impediment to justice, Tintera succeeds as a writer of gritty fiction, using the true-crime genre as her muse.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer hailed Listen for the Lie as “outstanding”: “Readers will be hard-pressed not to wolf down this intelligent page-turner in a single sitting.”[close new]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, May 1, 2013, Debbie Carton, review of Reboot, p. 83.
Kirkus Reviews, April 15, 2013, review of Reboot; April 1, 2014, review of Rebel; February 1, 2016, review of Ruined; February 15, 2017, review of Avenged; May 15, 2020, review of All These Monsters; June 1, 2021, review of All These Warriors; October 1, 2022, review of The Q; January 15, 2024, review of Listen for the Lie.
Publishers Weekly, November 23, 2022, review of The Q, p. 103; January 22, 2024, review of Listen for the Lie, p. 66.
School Library Journal, April, 2016, Martha Simpson, review of Ruined, p. 173; April, 2017, Martha Simpson, review of Avenged, p. 158; June, 2020, Leah Krippner, review of All These Monsters, p. 70; April, 2021, Leah Krippner, review of All These Warriors, p. 133.
Voice of Youth Advocates, August, 2013, Sarah Cofer, review of Reboot, p. 85; June, 2014, Diane Colson, review of Rebel, p. 84; June, 2016, Jamie Hansen, review of Ruined, p. 82; April, 2017, Amy Cummins, review of Avenged, p. 73.
Washington Post, March 2, 2024, Carol Memmott, review of Listen for the Lie.
ONLINE
Amy Tintera website, https://www.amytintera.com (September 23, 2025).
BiblioFiend, http://bibliofiend.com/ (October 1, 2013), “Exclusive Interview with Amy Tintera: Reboot, Upcoming Sequel and What’s Next.”
Book Cracker Caroline, http://bookcrackercaroline.blogspot.com/ (July 1, 2013), Caroline Waddell, review of Reboot.
Eveline’s Books, http://evelinesbooks.blogspot.com/ (August 14, 2013), review of Reboot.
Flyleaf Review, http:/ /www.flyleafreview.com/ (May 16, 2013), review of Reboot.
Hollywood Reporter Online, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ (December 10, 2012), Borys Kit, “Fox 2000 Taps Exec-Turned-Writer for YA Novel Adaptation Reboot (Exclusive).”
Latina Online, http://www.latina.com/ (April 9, 2013), Valerie Tejeda, “Inspiring Latina of the Week: Young Adult Author Amy Tintera.”
Literary Cravings, http://www.literarycravings.com/ (July 18, 2013), review of Reboot.
Luxury Reading, http:/ /luxuryreading.com/ (July 19, 2013), review of Reboot.
My Bookish Ways, http: //www.mybookishways.com/ (May13, 2013), “Interview: Amy Tintera, author of Reboot.”
Nerd Daily, https://thenerddaily.com/ (November 10, 2022), Elise Dumpleton, “Q&A: Amy Tintera, Author of ‘The Q.’”
Overstuffed Bookcase, http://theoverstuffedbookcase.blogspot.com/ (October 4, 2013), review of Reboot.
Penguin Random House South Africa website, https://www.penguinrandomhouse.co.za/ (September 23, 2025), “Amy Tintera on Her Novel ‘Listen for the Lie.’”
Presenting Lenore, http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/ (August 22, 2012), “Author Interview: Amy Tintera Previews Reboot.”
Shoutout LA, https://shoutoutla.com/ (June 14, 2021), “Meet Amy Tintera: Author.”
Solitary Bookworm, http://www.thesolitarybookworm.com (June 26, 2013), Mary Grace, review of Reboot.
Amy Tintera Author Photo Web.jpg
Amy Tintera is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of
Listen for the Lie, as well as several novels for teens. Listen for the Lie, her first novel for adults, was a Good Morning America Book Club pick, the winner of the Audie Award for Best Mystery Audiobook, and a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel, the ITW Best Audiobook Award, Book of the Month's Book of the Year Award, and the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Mystery/Thriller and Best Audiobook. Listen for the Lie has been translated into over twenty languages.
Before becoming an author, Amy worked as a talent agency assistant in Hollywood. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas A&M and a master’s degree in media arts/screenwriting from Emerson College.
Raised in Austin, Texas, she frequently sets her novels in the Lone Star state, but now lives in Los Angeles, where there's far less humidity, but not nearly enough Tex-Mex.
Amy is represented by Faye Bender at The Book Group.
Amy Tintera
USA flag
Amy Tintera grew up in Texas and now lives in Los Angeles, California. She has degrees in journalism and film and can usually be found staring into space, dreaming up ways to make her characters run for their lives.
Genres: Young Adult Fantasy, Mystery
Series
Reboot
1. Reboot (2013)
2. Rebel (2014)
aka Reset
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Ruined
1. Ruined (2016)
2. Avenged (2017)
3. Allied (2018)
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All These Monsters
1. All These Monsters (2020)
2. All These Warriors (2021)
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Novels
The Q (2022)
Listen for the Lie (2024)
Meet Amy Tintera: Author
June 14, 2021
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We had the good fortune of connecting with Amy Tintera and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Amy, what are you inspired by?
I’m inspired by other writers! I’m certainly inspired by other authors, but also by writers in other mediums, like television or film or playwrights. I love to see how other authors approach story and character. Seeing another writer execute an old trope can be both inspiring and a lot of fun.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I began writing novels at a really young age. I was around ten or eleven when I wrote my first book, and I had six novels finished by the time I graduated high school. But, during college and grad school, I didn’t finish writing a single book! That was partly because I was busy, but I also wasn’t sure where my work would fit in traditional book publishing. I have a commercial voice, and most of what we read in high school and college is very literary. A lot of those books killed my love of reading, and with it my love of writing.
But when young adult books exploded after Twilight, I read some of them, and found a ton of interesting work being done in that space. I wrote my own, and sent query letters to 75 different literary agents. All of them said no! So, I wrote a new book. This is one of the most important lessons when trying to get published — you’re going to write a lot of books that don’t sell, or don’t get you an agent. You just have to accept and move on to the next book.
Which is exactly what I did! I wrote the next book, queried 50 literary agents, and actually got one that time around! She sold my book to HarperCollins. I’ve published seven books since 2013, with two more on the way. But I still write books that don’t work out — including the six books I wrote when I was younger, I have 14 shelved novels. Six of those were written after I got an agent! Always moving on to the next book is key, even after you’re published.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve just moved back to L.A. after being in Austin for five years, so I’m still getting reacquainted with the city! But I would definitely take them down to the Santa Monica pier, and maybe take a walk or bike ride down to Venice. A day at the beach is always a good time in LA — I’d love to find a great patio to just sit and have a drink or snack.
I’ve always lived in the valley, and I really like my neighborhood in the Noho Arts District, so I’d probably spend some time there, drop by Republic of Pie, have a beer and burger at District Pub. I also like just walking the Chandler bike path, especially the section with street art.
And as a former Austinite, I’d definitely head downtown to the Alamo Drafthouse! Movies are always more fun with a little beer and loaded fries!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The young adult book community is hugely supportive of other writers — whether you’re published or not! When I first started writing with the goal of being published, I found a lot of support on Twitter and in other online spaces where YA writers were trading advice and helping each other out. And after I got my first book deal, there was a big network of other authors who helped me navigate the stress of my debut novel.
Website: https://www.amytintera.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amytintera/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amytintera
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Q&A: Amy Tintera, Author of ‘The Q’
Elise Dumpleton·Writers Corner·November 10, 2022·3 min read
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In this action-packed adventure from a New York Times bestselling author, two teenagers from opposite worlds must fight their way through a vast walled quarantine zone in a dystopian America toward their only chance for survival.
We chat with Amy Tintera about her latest release, The Q, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Amy! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m Amy Tintera, author of The Q and three other YA series – Reboot, Ruined, and All These Monsters. I write high-action YA novels with a healthy dose of romance, and I live in Los Angeles with my excited dog, Luna.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
I was really young! I was a big reader as a kid, and when I was about nine years old, I read this book where a guy fell down the stairs and died at the end. I was so mad, and I decided that I was going to write my own book, and never kill any characters. I’ve been writing ever since! (I have killed a lot of characters – but never from falling down the stairs! My grudge remains intact.)
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The early book that sticks out the most for me is Matilda by Roald Dahl. I read that book over and over as a kid. I thought that a little girl with powers was the coolest thing ever.
I always wanted to be an author, but the book that made me want to be an author as an adult was Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I was part of that generation of writers who rediscovered our love of reading through that book. It helped me realize what an exciting, vibrant category YA is.
The book I can’t stop thinking about is honestly any book by Emily Henry, but especially Booklovers. I don’t know how she manages to write characters that are so remarkably realistic.
Your latest novel, The Q, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
A ticking clock romantic adventure.
What can readers expect?
Two lovable teens from opposite worlds who must come together to fight their way across a walled city, but still find time to tell jokes and fall in love (priorities).
Where did the inspiration for The Q come from?
Thor:Ragnarok is one of my favorite movies, so I was partially inspired by the idea of a man suddenly being dropped into a totally wild situation. In The Q, Lennon is literally dropped from a plane into the quarantine zone after living a life of privilege on the other side of the wall, and he meets Maisie, who spent her whole life in the zone. I liked the idea of telling a story in this very contained space, with two wildly different characters who find a common ground.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
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Q&A: Cerridwen Fallingstar, Author of ‘Broth from the Cauldron’
My main challenge with this book is that I started writing it in late 2019, and then in early 2020 we started living through a real life pandemic. I wasn’t sure anyone would want to read a book set in a post-pandemic world. Luckily my agent at the time really loved the idea, and no one is actually dying of a virus in The Q (it’s set years later, after the virus has evolved to be less deadly). So it turned out that my book wasn’t too similar to our reality!
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Honestly, the last chapter of the book, from Lennon’s perspective, is my favorite. I knew the ending of this book pretty much as soon as I got the idea, and it never changed. It’s a big, happy, hopeful ending, and I love it.
What’s next for you?
My next book is my first novel for adults, Listen for the Lie, out in early 2024!
Lastly, what have been some of your favourite 2022 reads? Any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?
Booklovers by Emily Henry, as I mentioned. I also loved Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake and Tru Biz by Sara Novik.
In 2023, I’m really looking forward to Amie Kaufman’s first solo YA novel, The Isle of the Gods.
Amy Tintera on her novel ‘Listen for the Lie’
This entry was posted on 12 July 2024.
In this interview with Amy Tintera, the acclaimed author of Listen for the Lie delves into the intricacies of her writing process and the inspirations behind her debut novel. From the challenges of crafting complex scenes to the influences of her Texas upbringing, Amy shares fascinating insights into the creation of her gripping thriller, as well as the dynamics of small-town life, the nuances of amnesia, and the heartfelt relationship between the protagonist and her spirited grandmother. Read on to uncover the stories behind the story and discover the books that have shaped Amy's writing journey.
What was your favourite scene to write?
The big birthday party scene in the middle of the book, which is probably an odd choice, because it was the hardest to write! I actually skipped that scene when I wrote the first draft because I was intimidated by it. It’s a really important scene, and it’s also very difficult because there are a bunch of characters. Plus, I wanted it to be funny, and funny isn’t always easy! So it was months after the first draft was done before I wrote it, and it was very satisfying to get it right.
Your evocation of the setting and dynamics of a small town in Texas is masterful. Did that come from experience?
I grew up on the outskirts of Austin, so I definitely brought my own Texas background to the story! I created a fictional small town because I had a very specific vibe I wanted for Plumpton, and it was a lot of fun to get to create that from scratch. But it was lightly inspired by Fredericksburg, Texas, a city in the central Texas hill country with many wineries!
How much research did you have to do on the amnesia part of the story? Did you find out anything that surprised/fascinated you in the course of it?
It wasn’t a huge amount of research, since there’s a lot of information out there about head injuries. They’re a pretty common trope in a variety of stories, so luckily I already started from a place of knowing a bit about memory loss. I think the thing I find most interesting about amnesia is that it can be a combination of physical injury and psychological, and it’s hard to know which one it is, even for the person who is experiencing it.
“One of my favourite stories about my grandma was the time she got tipsy in New Orleans and was dancing with a bunch of 20-something guys.”
Everyone who has read Listen for the Lie at Transworld has fallen in love with her grandma! What was the inspiration for the gorgeous relationship between her and Lucy?
That’s so lovely to hear! My inspiration for the grandma character was really the older women in my own life. One of my favourite stories about my grandma (who we called Grammer) was the time she got tipsy in New Orleans and was dancing with a bunch of 20-something guys, having the best time. She was in her 60s then, and everyone thought she was so cool. Older women are sometimes portrayed as very one note – they’re kindly grandmas making cookies, or they’re very passive in the story – and I wanted to write a grandma who was very active and sort of explained how Lucy became who she is.
Are there any books that have particularly influenced you as a writer?
So many! Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is the book that got me into thrillers. Liane Moriarty, especially with Big Little Lies, helped me figure out how to combine humour and friendship with a mystery plot. So those two are a couple of big ones!
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera is out now. Author photo credited to Stephanie Girard.
Sex, lies and podcasts converge in Amy Tinteraâs âListen for the Lie,â an edgy mystery that artfully blends our growing obsession with the true-crime genre and our ongoing predilection for murder, mayhem and quirky detectives in fiction.
Tintera strategically plants some of the most popular tropes of the true-crime landscape into her search-for-a-killer tale: The murder takes place in the small town of Plumpton, Tex., where everybody has an opinion about who did it. The victim is Savannah âSavvyâ Harper, a 24-year-old bartender who, like many women who meet her fate in the true-crime genre, is immortalized as an angelic former cheerleader who was adored by everyone. Her suspected killer, Lucy Chase, also 24 at the time of the murder, is remembered as the girl with a temper who once attacked a high school student. She and her well-to-do husband, Matt, whom she met at The University of Texas at Austin, were planning to open a restaurant in Plumpton.
After Savvyâs body is discovered, Lucy is found stumbling along a back road. She is covered in Savvyâs blood and suffering from a traumatic head injury. Lucy cannot recall what happened on that terrible night, but most of the people in town believe she is faking memory loss. Lucy has scratch marks on her arms, and her skin is found under Savvyâs fingernails, but the search for a murder weapon comes up empty and no one is paying attention to the fact that Lucy is seriously injured too.
Lucy moves to Los Angeles rather than live in a small town where everyone thinks sheâs a killer. Also, Lucy has a big secret: In her head, she canât stop murdering people. The voice of Savvy Harper, her dead best friend, goads Lucy into imagining increasingly violent murders - of her mom, her ex-husband, her ex-boyfriend, even strangers. She doesnât follow through, but she hopes these morbid fantasies will help her mind kick loose what happened when Savvy was found bludgeoned to death in Texas Hill Country.
Lucy finds she canât escape her past. Itâs five years later and Ben Owens, moderator for the true crime podcast âListen for the Lie,â decides to investigate Savvyâs death. As Lucy puts it, âItâs probably unfair to say that a podcast ruined my life ⦠But a podcaster dragging the case into the public eye, five years later, doesnât exactly improve my life.â Still, Lucy also wants answers, so she travels back to Plumpton to lend Ben a hand. Sheâs a podcasterâs dream sidekick, and her involvement in the investigation adds fuel to the novel - and the podcast.
Lucyâs pretty sure her parents and now ex-husband Matt - they split up after the murder - believe sheâs guilty. One more reason this crime (and this novel) is begging for a podcast. Savvyâs sister speaks for everyone when sheâs interviewed for the show: âShe got away with murder, and everyone knows it. Every single person in Plumpton knows Lucy Chase killed my sister. Itâs just that no one can prove it.â Tintera nails the short-on-facts commentary that infects so many podcasts.
As Ben and Lucy play sleuths, alibis fall apart and new evidence and possible killers come under suspicion, some - male suspects specifically - who the police didnât deem significant enough to investigate. Tintera, the author of several books for young adults, slowly reveals her charactersâ true personalities, which in some cases means a penchant for violence or misogyny. In many ways, âListen for the Lieâ is that age-old story in which the testimony and opinions of men are given more credence than those of women, especially when what women say doesnât fit the narrative that men want to lock into place.
Through her deep understanding of this impediment to justice, Tintera succeeds as a writer of gritty fiction, using the true-crime genre as her muse. She imagines a podcast-worthy criminal investigation that would draw an admirably sized fan base if âListen for the Lieâ was an actual podcast.
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Carol Memmott is a writer in Austin.
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Listen For the Lie
By Amy Tintera
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 The Washington Post
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Memmott, Carol. "Why isnât this a podcast, you may wonder as you read this novel." Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A785475176/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b9e00792. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Listen for the Lie
Amy Tintera. Holt, $26.99 (352p) ISBN 9784-250-88031-4
This outstanding story of a young woman haunted by rumors that she killed her best friend marks the adult debut of YA author Tintera (The Q). Five years ago, 20-something golden girl Savannah Harper was brutally murdered in her hometown of Plumpton, Tex. The same day, Savannah's best friend, Lucy Chase, was discovered amnesia-stricken on the side of the road with her dress covered in Savannah's blood. While Lucy was never charged with the murder, most of Plumpton has long assumed she's guilty--and given the gap in her memory, Lucy has questions of her own. Now living in L.A., she's fired from her investment job when the new season of hit true crime podcast Listen for the Lie renews public interest in Savannah's case. Humiliated, Lucy accepts an invitation from her grandmother, Beverly, to return to Plumpton for a visit. When Lucy arrives in town, she finds Ben Owens, the charismatic host of Listen for the Lie, already poking around, and attempts to stay one step ahead of him as she pieces together the events of that fateful night. Tintera alternates transcripts of the podcast with chapters from Lucy's perspective, getting a lot of mileage from her protagonist's dry wit ("A podcaster has decided to ruin my life, so I'm buying a chicken," goes the book's first sentence) and some devilish plot twists. Readers will be hard-pressed not to wolf down this intelligent page-turner in a single sitting. (Mar.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
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"Listen for the Lie." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 3, 22 Jan. 2024, p. 66. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A781418315/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=59dc003f. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Tintera, Amy LISTEN FOR THE LIE Celadon Books (Fiction None) $26.99 3, 5 ISBN: 9781250880314
Against her better judgment, Lucy Chase returns to her hometown of Plumpton, Texas, for her grandmother's birthday, knowing full well that almost everyone in town still believes she murdered her best friend five years ago, when they were in their early 20s.
Coincidentally--or is it?--Ben Owens, a true-crime podcaster, is also in town, interviewing Lucy's family and former friends about the murder of Savannah Harper, "just the sweetest girl you ever met," who died from several violent blows to the head. Lucy was found hours later covered in blood, with no memory of what happened. She was--and is--a woman with secrets, which has not endeared her to the people of Plumpton; their narrative is that she was always violent, secretive, difficult. But Ben wants to tell Lucy's story; attractive and relentless, he uncovers new evidence and coaxes new interviews, and people slowly begin to question whether Lucy is truly guilty. Lucy, meanwhile, lets down her guard, and as she and Ben draw closer together, she has to finally face the truth of her past and unmask the murderer of her complicated, gorgeous, protective friend. Most of the novel is told from Lucy's point of view, which allows for a natural unspooling of the layers of her life and her story. She's strong, she's prickly, and we gradually begin to understand just how wronged she has been. The story is a striking commentary on the insular and harmful nature of small-town prejudice and how women who don't fit a certain mold are often considered outliers, if not straight-up villains. Tintera is smart to capitalize on how the true-crime podcast boom informs and infuses the current fictional thriller scene; she's also effective at writing action that transcends the podcast structure.
Smart, edgy, and entertaining as heck.
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"Tintera, Amy: LISTEN FOR THE LIE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A779191026/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8a413a7d. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
The Q
Amy Tintera. Crown, $18.99 (352p) ISBN 978-0-593-48617-7
Two teenagers living on opposite sides of a quarantine zone struggle to survive in this thrilling dystopian adventure by Tintera (the All These Monsters series), set in Austin, Tex. When a mysterious virus emerged 20 years ago, the U.S. government built the Q, a walled, city-size quarantine zone for the infected. Now, the Q is divided into two constantly feuding factions stationed in the north and south. Malsie Rojas, 18, who was born in quarantine, struggles to fill the power vacuum left behind after the death of her father, the leader of the southern gang. Conflict begins anew when Lennon Pierce, 19 and the son of a U.S. presidenrial candidate, is kidnapped and air-dropped into the Q. Lennon has 72 hours to escape before risking infection, and the only exit is in the middle of the opposing gang's territory; Malsie, motivated by her own need to obtain urgent medical supplies from the north, agrees to help him traverse the hostile terrain. Tintera evokes her Austin hometown to great effect, complete with signage reading "KEEP THE Q WEIRD," grounding this wildly inventive, cinematic read rooted in a near-future, post-pandemic world that sharply echoes contemporary society. Malsie is of British and Mexican descent; Lennon is white. Ages 14-up.
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"The Q." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 49, 23 Nov. 2022, pp. 103+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A728493991/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f1400673. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Tintera, Amy THE Q Crown (Teen None) $18.99 11, 8 ISBN: 978-0-593-48617-7
Two teenagers come together from opposite sides of a post-pandemic world.
In a dystopian future, Austin, Texas, is now a sealed-off independent quarantine zone known as the Q. It's where 18-year-old Maisie Rojas has grown up. The Spencer gang rules the north, while the south is under the control of the Lopezes, but there's a turf war brewing and other incumbents vying for power. When Lennon Pierce, the 19-year-old son of a U.S. presidential candidate, is kidnapped and dropped into the Q via parachute from a plane, he is given a newly developed short-acting vaccine. He now has 72 hours to leave or else become a permanent resident. The populace inside the walled-off zone's borders has adapted to live with the deadly virus but still pose an infection threat to the outside world. But the only legal exit into the U.S. lies on the other side of the Q, deep in Spencer-controlled territory, where terror, danger, and possibly death await. Maisie and Lennon become allies: She will lead him out and, on the way, try to fix some of the south's leadership problems. This is a thrilling adventure in which the risks are convincingly high, the action nonstop, and the budding romance between Maisie and Lennon believably charming. Both characters go through interesting arcs as they handle generational mistakes and the intersections of power, fear, and history. Orphaned Maisie's mother was from the U.K., and her father was Mexican American; Lennon is White.
Ridiculously fun, romantic, and action-packed. (Thriller. 14-18)
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"Tintera, Amy: THE Q." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2022. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A719982951/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=cf37ea49. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Tintera, Amy ALL THESE WARRIORS HMH Books (Teen None) $17.99 7, 13 ISBN: 978-0-358-01241-2
The sequel to All These Monsters (2020) picks up seamlessly where the last one finished.
Clara and her faithful teammates are still killing scrabs—ferocious predatory monsters—in London, despite the devastating murders of their leader, Grayson, and three other teammates. Scrab numbers are down, but the recruits are in desperate need of respite. Nonetheless Clara remains loyal to the fight and her friends in team seven, even if it means orbiting the same universe as Julian, her former team leader, an explosively angry, controlling ex who physically assaulted her and is now relentlessly emailing her, seeking redemption. Clara’s emotional recovery from her traumatic relationship with Julian takes the main stage. Her emancipation from this abusive relationship is powerful, but the novel feels cluttered by the scrab plot, which drags at times due to a substantial decrease in action. The large cast of characters that was endearing in the earlier title does not receive further development, and readers may find it hard to track who is who and why they matter. Nonetheless, those invested in Clara will be heartened by her vulnerable journey of growth—and her ultimate success—in developing mutually loving relationships with her best friend, Maddie; distant brother, Laurence; and love interest, Edan. Clara and Laurence are Mexican and White; the first title described a diverse supporting cast.
A disjointed yet satisfactory duology closer. (Science fiction. 14-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Tintera, Amy: ALL THESE WARRIORS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A667031333/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=41e05ba6. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
TINTERA, Amy. All These Warriors. 336p. HMH. Jul. 2021. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780358012412.
Gr 8 Up--As the sequel to All These Monsters opens, Clara and her team are pulling out of London and taking a break in New York City to plot their next moves in the battle against alien scrabs. There is some division among the team as they try to decide whether to focus their efforts on hunting scrabs, tracking the corruption at the Monster Defense Group (MDG), or establishing a scrab cleanup brigade to mop up after scrab insurgencies have been nullified. The majority of the book centers on tension building over a possible showdown with the controlling boyfriend from the first book, while delighting readers in the posh lifestyle provided by crashing at a team member's parents' house. The boyfriend evolves into a stalker ex who constantly calls, texts, and emails Clara. He follows her from city to city, becoming more volatile as it becomes clear Clara now has eyes for another team member with whom she regularly shares a bed (note that sex is strictly implied, never discussed). Clara is biracial (her mom is Mexican and dad is white), and her mom's backstory becomes significant in the final chapter when a scrab hunter media tour focuses heavily on Mexico and South America. VERDICT A solid sequel that ties up loose ends, but can't stand on its own. Purchase only where the first was popular.--Leah Krippner, Harlem H.S., Machesney Park, IL
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Krippner, Leah. "TINTERA, Amy. All These Warriors." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 4, Apr. 2021, p. 133. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A657694785/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9142ba44. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
TINTERA, Amy. All These Monsters. 464p. HMH. Jul. 2020. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780358012405.
Gr 8 Up--Clara has decided to drop out of high school, leave her dysfunctional, abusive family, and join a privately run monster defense firm poised to take on the "scrab" insurgency in Europe. The recruiting agency will pay for a one-way ticket, but those who wash out are on their own when it comes to getting home. For Clara, however, there is no turning back. She's lived in fear of her father for years, and this opportunity is her golden ticket even if it ends up a death sentence. Scrabs appear in different forms across the globe but have certain commonalities: They are ruthless, impenetrable, snarly monsters. Following a harrowing escape from her father, Clara is accepted onto American Team 7--comprised of all teens. They are green around the gills, but internet darlings with a strong social media presence. The book is all action: Every' time the team is on its way to training, it is interrupted by a rogue scrab attack. Meanwhile, Clara finds herself in the romantic clutches of her controlling, older team leader who will remind readers of Clara's father. The character development is powerful and action sequences are well conceived, but the story barely wraps up at the end, leaving questions about leadership motives and the possibility that the scrabs are not the enemy. VERDICT A sci-fi action dynamo with romantic overtones that screams for a sequel. Recommended.--Leah Krippner, Harlem H.S., Machesney Park, IL
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Krippner, Leah. "TINTERA, Amy. All These Monsters." School Library Journal, vol. 66, no. 6, June 2020, p. 70. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A625710143/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=deb54e5f. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Tintera, Amy ALL THESE MONSTERS HMH Books (Teen None) $17.99 7, 7 ISBN: 978-0-358-01240-5
The world is being ravaged by scrabs, ferocious monsters who target highly populated areas in order to kill humans.
The U.S. has closed its borders and turned a blind eye toward Asia and Europe, where the scrabs are most rampant. Meanwhile, Clara Rivera Pratt has been fighting her whole life against another terrifying monster: her abusive father. Feeling hopeless about graduating high school, she’s failed two classes but excels at combat. When Grayson St. John, wealthy heir of a weapons company, puts out an international call for a fight squad to help defeat scrabs abroad, Clara responds to the call and escapes her home for the first time, joining an ethnically diverse team of American teenagers from different socio-economic backgrounds. It may be a death sentence, but staying put will surely lead only to an even worse outcome. She is a steely, sarcastic survivor readers will cheer for as she battles scrabs and also faces the deep wounds left by her father’s abuse. What appears to be a dystopian science-fiction adventure turns out fundamentally to be about a young woman’s emotional path to transcendence over the cycle of abuse. Tintera gracefully balances heart-pounding action with compelling connections between Clara and her teammates, all told through snappy dialogue and prose. Clara is biracial, with a Mexican immigrant mother and white American father.
A thrilling and worthy #MeToo story with frightening monsters of all kinds. (Science fiction. 14-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Tintera, Amy: ALL THESE MONSTERS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A623602732/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3c31559c. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
TINTERA, Amy. Avenged. 416p. HarperColl ins/HarperTeen. May 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062396631.
Gr 8 Up-While rescuing her sister from imprisonment in Lera, battle-skilled Emelina Flores gained a reputation for revenge. But her ruthlessness pales in comparison to that of Olivia, whose telepathic killing power leaves a trail of dead bodies behind them as the survivors of Ruina return home. The two rule together as queens, and Em hopes that Casimir, now king of Lera after the deaths of his parents, will keep his promise to leave them alone. But his cousin, Jovita, who thinks Cas is weak because of his romantic connection to Em, defies him and attacks Ruina, with disastrous results. Adding to this power struggle is Prince August from OIso, who offers the services of his warriors to protect Ruina if Em agrees to marry him and join their kingdoms. While Em and Cas want only peace, that seems unlikely to happen when hot-headed Olivia, Jovita, and August each vie for dominance. Em again proves to be a strong, conflicted character, but the wry sense of humor she displayed in the first book is sorely lacking here. Cas and some of the supporting cast are sympathetic, and another forbidden romance propels the narrative. However, pure hate and the desire for revenge make other characters seem one-dimensional. Graphic descriptions of exploding heads and other carnage caused by Olivia as she rages out of control become tiresome after a while. Still, there is enough adventure, intrigue, and passion to advance the plot and fuel interest in the next volume. VERDICT Fans of Ruined will want to read this installment.-Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT
Simpson, Martha
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Simpson, Martha. "Tintera, Amy. Avenged." School Library Journal, vol. 63, no. 4, Apr. 2017, p. 158. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A488688297/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d4d4d841. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Tintera, Amy. Avenged: Ruined, Book 2. HarperTeen, 2017. 416p. $17.99. 978-0-06-239663-1.
Avenged, the eagerly anticipated sequel to Ruined (HarperTeen, 2016/VOYA June 2016), delivers on the potential of this fantasy series. In the first book, protagonist Emeline (Em) Flores rescued her sister, Olivia, from a year of captivity in Lera. Olivia now intends to wreak vengeance upon not only the Lerans, but also the people of Vallos and Olso so that the magically-powered denizens of Ruina can take over their lands. Em knows that the new Leran king, Casimir Gallegos, will change his predecessor's policies against the Ruined--if he can keep his cousin Jovita from stealing the throne. The star-crossed love between Em and Casimir began after their marriage in Ruined, while Em was pretending to be his betrothed princess from Vallos. In Avenged, the romance grows.
Tintera explores the parameters of leadership, justice, power, and sisterhood. Olivia and Em decide that, rather than having only one of them rule the Ruined as a monarch, they will lead together as a pair. In their diarchy, Em will do the negotiating while Olivia does a lot of killing. Olivia constantly slaughters humans, and Em fears Olivia cannot stop. Avenged reveals that humans and the earth can fuel Ruined magic, which might help Em's quest for peace (and love). Supporting characters' relationships deepen and cross kingdom lines. Latina author Tintera presents a diverse, realistic group of characters in her speculative fantasy world. Her unique adventure is impossible to forget, set in a four-kingdom land to which readers will wish to return. The Ruined series has a perfect mix of passion and action.--Amy Cummins.
QUALITY
5Q Hard to imagine it being better written.
4Q Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses.
3Q Readable, without serious defects.
2Q Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q.
1Q Hard to understand how it got published, except in relation to its P rating (and not even then sometimes).
POPULARITY
5P Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday.
4P Broad general or genre YA appeal.
3P Will appeal with pushing.
2P For the YA reader with a special interest in the subject.
1P No YA will read unless forced to for assignments.
GRADE LEVEL INTEREST
M Middle School (defined as grades 6-8).
J Junior High (defined as grades 7-9).
S Senior High (defined as grades 10-12).
A/YA Adult-marketed book recommended for YAs.
NA New Adult (defined as college-age).
R Reluctant readers (defined as particularly suited for reluctant readers).
(a) Highlighted Reviews Graphic Novel Format
(G) Graphic Novel Format
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
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Cummins, Amy. "Tintera, Amy. Avenged: Ruined, Book 2." Voice of Youth Advocates, vol. 40, no. 1, Apr. 2017, p. 73. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A491949552/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=75aab7ae. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Tintera, Amy AVENGED HarperTeen (Children's Fiction) $17.99 5, 2 ISBN: 978-0-06-239663-1
Kingdoms and heirs continue to clash in this political fantasy sequel to Ruined (2016).In the previous volume, Emelina Flores, formerly "useless" princess of Ruina, freed her sister Olivia, toppled a king and queen, and helped the Olso invade Lera, but these victories fade quickly under continuous violence. Sharing regency with Olivia, Em looks for refuge for the surviving Ruined even as magic-wielding, murderous Olivia seeks revenge. Meanwhile, Casimir Gallegos, now an orphan and king of Lera, struggles to preserve his kingdom while fending off his usurping cousin, Jovita. Em and Casimir's marriage was false, but their love remains, and other characters also long for intimacy despite the graphic bloodshed. All characters suffer for the sins of their parents and a legacy of racism--here, due to magic rather than skin color, as Em is olive-skinned, some of the magic-wielding Ruined are dark-skinned, and some Lerans are also olive-skinned brunettes. Constant skirmishes stymie reconciliation. With multiple narrators and abrupt transitions, plot progress is slow and scenes are sometimes related repetitively. Modern colloquialisms and cliches ("smiley face," "holding pattern," "positive spin") clash with the faux-medieval, geographically ambiguous setting. Similarly, the steam-powered machines of the Olso conflict with the otherwise feudal political maneuvering of Lera and Ruina. Treachery and tentative romances but no resolution; best for fervent fans of the first one. (Fantasy. 14-adult)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Tintera, Amy: AVENGED." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2017. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A480921903/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=e5faf67c. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
TINTERA, Amy. Ruined. 368p. ebook available. HarperCollins/HarperTeen. May 2016. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062396600. POP
Gr 8 Up--Unlike most other people from Ruina, Emelina Flores has no magical abilities. After her parents, the king and queen, are murdered and her younger sister is kidnapped, Em must rely on her cunning and skill with a sword to exact revenge against the royal family of Lera and rescue her sister. She quickly dispatches Princess Mary of neighboring Vallos and takes her place as the bride of Prince Casimir in order to infiltrate the castle. But unlike his genocidal father, Cas is kind, and Em is unexpectedly attracted to him. When an army of warriors from the kingdom of Olso attacks, per Em's plan, she has to struggle with her new affection for her husband as she continues her quest to destroy Lera. Em is a resilient and likable heroine with a wry sense of humor, a knack for self-preservation, and the fighting prowess to match. Cas is a sympathetic character who is a skilled fighter with a sense of duly to his family and country. Secondary characters are more narrowly focused on defending their respective kingdoms and don't display much depth. Told in the alternating points of view of Em and Cas, the book features action, palace intrigue, romance, and a large spattering of blood and gore. Just when it appears possible that love might conquer hate, there is a twist at the book's end guaranteeing a sequel that will likely be even more violent. VERDICT This book will appeal to fans of female-powered battle-filled epic fantasy.--Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Simpson, Martha. "Tintera, Amy. Ruined." School Library Journal, vol. 62, no. 4, Apr. 2016, pp. 173+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A448686413/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d14d080c. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Tintera, Amy. Ruined, Book 1. HarperTeen, 2016. 368p. $17.99. 978-0-06-239660-0.
Emelina Flores has nothing left to lose. Ruina, her homeland, is a wasteland, ravaged by war with neighboring Lera and Vallos. Her parents, the king and queen, are dead, and her sister is a hostage. Unlike most of her people, Em has no powerful magic, although she is determined to get revenge at any cost. Em, with the help of her friends Damien and Aren, murders the young princess of Vallos, taking her place as the betrothed of Crown Prince Casimir of Lera, and infiltrates the palace, planning to kill the royal family and rescue her sister. As she comes to know her new husband, however, Em finds herself attracted to him and the prince seems to return her feelings. Em starts to question her mission, until a chaotic attack on the palace forces her to flee, not knowing whether Cas is a captive or dead.
Although filled with plenty of gore and excitement, Tinteras third novel may leave the reader unsatisfied. Readers might feel they have inadvertently picked up the second, rather than the first, volume of a series, especially given the perfunctory character development and frequent expository interruptions. The author tantalizes the reader with hints of complex and potentially intriguing setting and characters, but ultimately fails to deliver to her audience. Cliched writing ("clomping" horses' hooves and swords "plunged" into chests) slows the narrative pace even more. Libraries will need to add this title only where teen readers demand an endless supply of sword and sorcery fantasy.--Jamie Hansen.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
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Hansen, Jamie. "Tintera, Amy. Ruined, Book 1." Voice of Youth Advocates, vol. 39, no. 2, June 2016, pp. 82+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A455183955/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f082098d. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Tintera, Amy RUINED HarperTeen (Children's Fiction) $17.99 5, 3 ISBN: 978-0-06-239660-0
An undercover operation goes awry in this series-opening political fantasy. Despite a rising death toll, royal families of four kingdoms continue to plot one another's demise through martial, marital, and sometimes magical means. Eager to stop the extermination of the magic-wielding Ruined of Ruina and find her kidnapped younger sister, Olivia, the chosen Ruined heir, Emelina Flores kills Princess Mary Anselo of Vallos, assumes her identity, and weds Prince Casimir Gallegos of Lera. "Useless" Em lacks bone-crunching, viscera-splattering Ruined powers but continually plans how to kill people, using household decorations if necessary. She is aiming to extract information on Olivia's location before killing Casimir and his family and letting the warriors of Olso attack, but budding romance stays her hand...and provides most of the plot. Em and Cas share the narrative as well as a history of overbearing, bloodthirsty parents--Em's mother's method for keeping the peace was "to kill everyone who threatened it"--and their gradual courtship is marked by endless misunderstandings and opportunistic slaughter. Tintera's mix of violence and vengeance with a star-crossed-lovers story offers an olive-skinned heroine and only slightly lighter-skinned hero, abundant angst, and plentiful cinematic action sequences, if few sympathetic or developed secondary characters. Readers expecting resolution must wait for the sequels. Standard fantasy and warfare featuring a lethal leading lady. (Fantasy. 14-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Tintera, Amy: RUINED." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A441735084/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=28b51fcc. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Tintera, Amy. Rebel. HarperTeen, 2014. 352p. $17.99. 978-0-06-221710-3.
At the conclusion of Reboot (HarperTeen, 2013/VOYA August 2013), Wren 178 was standing with her new love, Callum 22, along with hundreds of other Austin rebooters, gazing at the sign marking "Reboot Territory." This is exactly where they are at the beginning of this sequel, only this time Callum tells the story. The narration alternates between Wren and Callum for the rest of the book. Readers quickly learn of Wren's power over the group; her exceptionally high number, 178, indicates the number of minutes that she was dead before she was "rebooted." After fleeing the harsh life at HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation,) Wren and her group are looking for sanctuary. It seems they are welcomed into a fortified compound inhabited by fellow enemies of HARC, but the behavior of these new allies quickly becomes weirdly ominous. For one thing, there are hauntingly strange reboot babies. All females are expected to bear such children. Wren herself is immediately recruited to participate in "hunts" that target human beings. Wren, Callum, and their friends realize soon enough that they have traded one danger for another.
Readers who are continuing the story from Reboot will appreciate the addition of Callum's perspective, as well as new villains, new friends, and a suitably ambiguous ending. But despite Tintera's efforts at weaving the complex backstory into the advancement of the new plot, it is difficult to capture the intensity of the characters' relationships, or of the danger presented by old enemies. It is better to read Reboot before tackling this sequel.--Diane Colson.
Colson, Diane
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
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Colson, Diane. "Tintera, Amy. Rebel." Voice of Youth Advocates, vol. 37, no. 2, June 2014, pp. 84+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A375949404/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=e6521160. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.
Tintera, Amy REBEL HarperTeen (Children's Fiction) $17.99 5, 6 ISBN: 978-0-06-221710-3
A breakneck follow-up to Reboot (2013) delves deep into its characters. Wren 178 has successfully led a group of Reboots to freedom after breaking them out of the facility where they were imprisoned and forced to act as soldiers carrying out the bidding of the humans in charge. The numbers associated with Reboots' names represent the minutes they spent dead before rebooting-reanimation as more physically sound versions of themselves, a side effect for some of a rampant virus that has plagued humanity in this near-future world. This second novel smartly delves into questions of ethical responsibility, placing Wren in the middle of situations in which others look to her for leadership even as she longs to escape the burden and forcing her to choose whether or not to challenge the radical notions of the leader of the refugee camp in which they've sheltered. She's a tough, immensely likable narrator-a task newly shared with her love interest, Callum 22, this time around. Their alternating narration works just fine, but it somewhat lessens the sharpness of her voice. At the same time, readers who are thrilling to their developing romance may well like the insight into Callum's thoughts. Action-packed and intelligent, this science-fiction thriller offers a refreshingly hopeful conclusion. (Dystopian adventure. 14-18)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Tintera, Amy: REBEL." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2014. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A363187440/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0ec6c0a2. Accessed 25 Aug. 2025.