Lullaby by Amanda Hocking

7:45 PM

Pages: 290

Publisher: St. Martins Press
ISBN13: 9781250005656

Genre: Young Adult

Review by Phil

Synopsis (Goodreads.com): Harper only wanted a safe, normal life. But when her younger sister Gemma runs off with a dangerous clique of beautiful girls, Penn, Thea, and Lexi, everything changes. Vowing to get her sister back no matter what the cost, Harper faces danger unlike she's ever experienced. Fortunately, she has Daniel by her side, a gorgeous guys who's devoted to helping her find her sister-and who's immune to the girls' dark powers.

My Thoughts:

To start this review off I would like to state that this review WILL have spoilers of the first novel in the Water-Song Series, Wake. So if you have not read Wake, I highly suggest not reading this review.

So we start off the book literally like .00005 seconds from where the first one left us. Harper, Daniel, and Alex are all on Bernie’s island shocked by the decision Gemma has made to go off with Penn, Thea, and Lexi as a mermaid. For obvious reasons they don’t understand why she has made this decision and decide to try and find a way to get her back. Over the next week Harper, Alex, and Daniel try to find out why Gemma left, and what she has become by researching everything on Greek Mythology in the library.

Meanwhile, Gemma is stuck in a new town and in a new home with the sirens, struggling with her newfound hunger for man-meat, and the enticing call of the watersong. She is also struggling with the Sirens individually and refuses to comply with any of their rules.

Let me just say WOW. I didn’t think it was possible, but Lullaby was actually better then Wake. How do I know this, well I read this book in less than 24 hours…that NEVER happens. Everything about this world that Hocking has created just gives me the chills. The mixture of Greek mythology and modern-day teenagers is something found often within YA, but this series stands out among the rest.

One of my favorite things about this series is that I love how each character has their own tragic past. Whether it be from Demeter’s curse on the Sirens or the car accident that left Harper and Gemma’s mom unstable, everyone has something. And with these tragic pasts, the characters are given real emotion. Every single emotion written in the book I feel and understand, especially Harper who feels the need to protect everyone she is close to.

Another reason why I like this series so much is that I am actually scared of the Sirens. Not even just like a little scared, I mean holy shit run in the other direction or I am going to die scared! I mean Penn and Lexi are B*****s! They, metaphorically and literally, would rip my heart out of my body. For an author to be able to instill that kind of fear in one of his/her readers, then they have done a fantastic job.

My favorite part by far though from this book is Gemma struggling to not become the monster she knows she is destined to be. Her will power throughout the book starts to slowly dwindle and I hope that she can eventually bounce back. I hope through the next two books the gang figures out a way to break the curse, because if they don’t I don’t know what will become of Gemma and Harper. *Fingers crossed for a happy ending!

I give this book 5/5 stars! This also has become one of my favorites!
♚♚♚♚♚