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Cover of Lies on the Serpent's Tongue

Lies on the Serpent's Tongue

by Kate Pearsall

🌶️fade to black·spoiler·Bittersweet in the Hollow #2

Why Read This?

You'll be immersed in an atmospheric family saga with compelling character development and a satisfying blend of mystery, magic, and heartwarming resolution.

Synopsis

A beautifully dark YA set in Appalachia tinged with magic, mystery, murder, and romance. For fans of House of Hollow and Wilder Girls! As Caball Hollow slowly recovers after 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 people’s lies—and building walls around herself to block them out. Like her younger sister, Linden, who can taste the feelings of others, Rowan has long resented her gift, which has taught her that everyone lies and no one is who they seem to be. So when her old nemesis, Hadrian Fitch, the biggest liar of them all, shows up on her front porch—bloodied, broken, and asking for help only she can give—her first instinct is distrust. But something new is stalking the Forest that surrounds Caball Hollow. Now things are disappearing. At first, it’s small stuff—like letters, photos, and keys. But then, Rowan notices people around her are losing their memories. And when the body of a neighbor is found in the middle of town, Rowan knows there’s a link between this death and all the events disturbing the Hollow. Can she find what—or who—the link is before it takes another life?

At a Glance

4.02 ★ Goodreads
Spice Level🌶️fade to black
Endingspoiler
PairingM/F
Romance Pacingslow burn

Top Tropes

forced proximityhidden identityhomecoming / small town return

Mood

emotionaldarksuspensefuleeriesecretive

Book Details

Goodreads Rating

4.02 ★

Page Count

320 pages

Published

2025

Primary Genre

Ya Fantasy

Pairing

M/F

POV

First Person

Romance Pacing

Slow Burn

Cliffhanger

spoiler

Audiobook

Available

Yes

Format

Standard

Narrator

Julie Webster

Narrator Count

Single

Tropes

RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

Mood

sign in to see writing style, pacing & more

Characters

FMC: witch/mage sign in to unlock

Spice Details 🌶️

none

deathkidnappingmurdertraumaviolenceanxietycaptivitygriefmental illnessstalking

World & Setting

low fantasy / secret magic sign in to unlock

Reading Context

cathartic release sign in to unlock

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