Judgement (Deck of Lies book #4) by Jade Varden

Title: Judgement
Author: Jade Varden

                                                           Pages: ebook

                                                           Published: November 27th 2012

                                                           Series: Deck of Lies book #4

                                                           Genre: YA, Mystery, Romance

                                                           Stars: 5/5 stars

Cashing Out

Do I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

How can I, when the truth will destroy us all? Now that I’ve started telling lies, I can’t stop. Not until all this is over, and I’m free of the family that never felt like mine. Maybe it’s wrong. Maybe I’m a bad person.

But it’s definitely the only way I’m ever going to escape them. I have to take the opportunity, no matter how terrible it is...don’t I?

At last, AT LAST I have finished the last book in ‘The Deck of Lies’ series (see reviews for book 1 here, book 2 here and book 3 here) and it was SOOO GOOD! Just the right drop to satisfy my thirst for Rain to get the justice she deserves!

I won’t elaborate on the characters here, as my opinion about them is pretty much the same as book 3. However, what I will write is that I really like how Rain finally grew into the person that she was destined to be. It took guts for her to get through all these trials and tribulations, all these secrets and heartbreak, but she finally did it and she pretty much did it all by herself. She kicks arse!!!

In terms of the actual story, without giving too much away, I LOVEDDDDDDD the courtroom scenes!!! Oh my freakinggggg goodness, it was gooodddddddddddddddd! WELL DONE JADE! It was as if I was watching an episode of ‘Law and Order’. I absolutely loved the personality of not only Asher when he was the super calm and charismatic defence lawyer but also the very dramatic attitude and personality of the prosecutor. Both personalities was used very well to add to these dramatic scenes.

The court room takes up much of the book’s plot and to a good reason. It is here where we find out the anticlimax of the story. I just want to say one thing about this.....IT WAS A BLOODY GOOD TWIST (imagine this being said in a very British accent).  As much as I loved the court scenes, the witnesses testimonies, the teasing and insults that Asher threw as the prosecutor from time to time as well as playing along with the juries, the finale of the court scenes made me buckle ten times over. And it wasn’t just the reveal of the twist that was shocking (although it was just as shocking) but it was the way the twist was revealed. Now for all who hasn’t read this book, won’t have any clue whatsoever I am talking about, but I want this review to be a spoiler free one, because, well simply, I don’t want to ruin this epic conclusion to the series. You just have to find out yourself and experience these emotions and feelings in your own time. I AM NOT SPOILING ANYTHING FOR YOU.

But for those of you who have read it, will know EXACTLY what I’m talking and would probably have felt....or is still feelings...these emotions (or at least I hope).  It’s a shame that most real court scenes are not as dramatic and spine tingling as this was.  

Again, not revealing the actual ending, but I felt very satisfied the whole conclusion and thought the Rain got the justice she actually deserved. This also applies for the other characters. I like how each one got their final ending, some bad (well most of them) and some good.

Finally, I would like to point out that I am pleased Jade used both Rain and River’s name as a metaphor within this book. Of course, both names are an unusual name for characters but I’m pleased it served as something in this series, something like a symbol for their love and for the fact that they will always be together in whatever situation.

I am pleased to give not only this book, but the WHOLE series a 5 OUT OF 5 STARS! I am extremely pleased Jade first contacted to review the first book, so thank you Jade and thank you for bringing this whole series to a brilliant conclusion.