Lies on the Serpents Tongue, Kate Pearsall
Lies on the Serpents Tongue, Kate Pearsall
List: $27.50 | Sale: $19.25
Club: $13.75

Lies on the Serpent's Tongue

Author: Kate Pearsall

Narrator: Julie Webster

Unabridged: 9 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/07/2025


Synopsis

In this haunting companion to Bittersweet in the Hollow, a girl who can smell the lies of others uncovers the incendiary mysteries of her small Appalachian town.

Everybody lies. And in knowing their lies, I become the keeper of their secrets.

As Caball Hollow slowly recovers from a tumultuous summer, the James family must also come to terms with their own newly revealed secrets.

18-year-old Rowan James has spent her whole life harboring unpleasant truths—that’s what happens when you can smell lies on the teller’s breath—and building walls around herself to block them out. Like her younger sister, Linden, who can taste the feelings of others, Rowan has long struggled with her gift, which has taught her that everyone distorts the truth, and no one is who they seem to be. So when her old rival Hadrian Fitch shows up on her front porch—bloodied and bruised and asking for the kind of help only she can provide—her first instinct is distrust.

Except Hadrian’s attack isn’t the only strange occurrence. Now small items are disappearing, but rather than report the losses the owners act as if their missing things never existed. Rumors of a new monster prowling the Hollow begin to swirl. But how can Rowan smoke out the culprit in a town full of secrets? And worse, how can Rowan trust beautiful, solemn Hadrian when every other word he speaks has the distinct burnt smell of a lie?

About The Author

Kate Pearsall is a creative thinker, an award-winning copywriter, and a storyteller. She has a degree in business and public relations and has written for magazines and newspapers. Bittersweet in the Hollow and Lies on the Serpent's Tongue were inspired in part by a childhood listening to her mom’s stories about growing up in the Appalachian Mountains and visiting family in West Virginia.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Brend on September 20, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy I was a little disappointed by this as a sequel but it was a good book on its own. While it failed to grab my attention as well as the first one, we're following well developed characters and a story that makes sense in the world that's been stablished. The thin......more

Goodreads review by Books_the_Magical_Fruit (Kerry) on January 06, 2025

Kate Pearsall has such a way with words. The opening paragraphs were so poetic and beautiful that I was sucked into the story immediately. The main character, Rowan, can detect foul smells from the mouths of those who are telling a lie. Throughout the book, I wondered to myself if I would like her g......more

Goodreads review by Stefanie on January 07, 2025

I actually can't even express how much I love this series! The characters that Kate has created feel so real and loveable. I was so intrigued to see how this book would follow on from Bittersweet in the Hollow and I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint! Both the writing and plot felt like a contin......more

Goodreads review by Amber's Book Cave on January 01, 2025

This isn’t the type of book I usually go for, but I found Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue to be such a satisfying read. Rowan’s journey, as she navigates her magical gift and untangles a murder mystery, was captivating. Caball Hollow’s dark, atmospheric setting, with its eerie small-town charm and hint......more

Goodreads review by Jenny on August 09, 2024

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for making my dreams come true with this ARC. Bittersweet in the Hollow was my favorite YA read of 2024, one of my favorite overall reads of the year and I’m over-the-moon that Rowan is the subject of the second book. Only months after the event of Bittersweet in the......more


Quotes

Praise for Lies on the Serpent's Tongue

"Pearsall again paints an atmospheric family saga studded with folk magic, intrigue, sisterly bonds, and romance, and Rowan’s compelling character development ties the multifaceted plot together." —Booklist

“This gothic Appalachian mystery works as a stand-alone but weaves together complex characters and storylines from 2023’s Bittersweet in the Hollow. The plot is intricately crafted, with key information held back until the novel’s explosive conclusion… Sparkling and darkly atmospheric.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The atmospheric writing captures the impact of the supernatural on real-world events… An engrossing supernatural story with a nice slow burn romance... Strong first buy.” —School Library Journal

“Rowan’s strength as a narrator holds it all together, anchoring the story in her intensity, rage, and utter devotion to her family… Fans of the previous title will not be disappointed, and readers new to the series will happily head back to the first book.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books