Box 2 - 37
"Hardcover ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062982451 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062982452"
PZ7.M4784747 L 2022 AURA

I do NOT know where to start with this review. This sequel was just as sick and twisted as the first book. There were so many twists I didn’t see coming. There was fire, attempted murder, a pissed off Orangutang, demented family members after one thing, MONEY. The way McGinnis tips her hat to so many of Poe’s short stories was incredible. If you love Poe, you will LOVE this book. Now I need something light and fluffy to get out of this dark hangover of a story! Thank you Edelweiss for the ARC. ( )

This was an audiogalley so the voice was computer generated and I cannot comment on the final narration. I will say that the generated voice did not help distinguish the characters.

I really should have read book #1 first because I was thoroughly lost for the first 9 chapters or so. I don't know if it would have been less confusing had I been reading it instead of hearing it.

Once I finally figure out what was happening and who the characters were, the book was quite enjoyable. Even though I know how this story ends I would like to go back and read books 1 & 2 again to see if I can catch more nuances of the story. ( )

Book two picks up right where book one left off. Some differences: no internal thoughts from the panther, but we get lots more from Rue the orangutan. Also we don’t hear from Felicity, this time the chapters alternate between Tress and Ribbit (Kermit Usher).

There are many points in this book that will have readers uttering “oh shit”, and hitting the rewind or rereading the page to and think “did I just really hear that”. There were so many surprises in this book. Some expected, and some so crazy and unexpected that the reader sits on the edge of their chair not able to turn their self away.

The reader gets a lot more family dynamic with Felicity, Tress, and Kermit. After all this is a small town and everyone is related somehow. Plus we get to see new things that happened at the party that were not previously known.

Fair warning: this book has much more gore or graphic descriptions than the last one. There are explosions, fires, burning skin, and sooooooo much other eye widening action. I LOVED every minute of it. I liked how it wasn’t completely predictable, had some bat shit crazy things that are still quite believable, and yet maintained itself as a story about family; the good, the bad, the birth, and the found.

To be honest, was this book as good as the first. No. However, it was a very satisfying read, and a great ending to the story. There is a little heart break, a little just deserts, but it works out as it should in the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the conclusion to this story, and will be recommending the duology for years to come. ( )

Delightfully dark, delightfully devious, great complexity and convolution, all making this a perfect finish to the duology. I was eagerly anticipating it and it went well beyond my expectations. ( )