Going into this book, I didn’t realize it was book #2 in the Harlan Winter series. I’m not sure if you need to read book #1 first but I was pretty confused what the point of this book was for about the first 50%. I’ll revisit my book review after I read book one. Which both are available to read and listen on KU! However, I did receive the audio version of this book and the narrator, Chris Abernathy, was so good! It was a nice short audio book and it was super easy to all in one afternoon!

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the audio-arc of Head Full of Lies!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio!

WOW!! What a great movie!! This had me hooked from page one!!! What a great twist and that ending!!!!!! I didn’t realize this was a 2nd book in the series so I wish I would have read that first but I still enjoyed this book

Head Full of Lies by Jordan Farmer and narrated by Chris Abernathy is the epitome of "I was NOT expecting THAT"

Firstly, outstanding narration from Chris Abernathy. A brilliant narrator who has a clear cadence and fantastic tone. Perfect

Harlan Winter is trying to get away from his past, so he has moved home and opened a small occult book shop, where he ishoping to live out his days in peace. That is, until teenagers break onto his store and steal books, one of which was an old grimoire, one with a history as extensive as his own, and then some

The town is also home to a coven, one whose numbers (and finances) have significantly dwindled, and so, they make their money from podcasting and paranormal investigations. The daughter of this coven is one of the teenagers who robbed Harlan's store and she needs to sell the books to an old adversary of her fathers because she needs the money. She cannot have a child be born into the coven and live the doomed life she has endured

However, Her father wants to get her back, Harlan wants his book and the boy she is with, wants her love

Oh my goodness, there was so much in this that I really need to listen to the prequel. This is like Silence of the Lambs meets Fear and Loathing meets Supernatural. The flow is fast and dynamic, the storyline engaging and characters easily discernable. Absolutely outstanding!

Thank you to Netgalley, Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio, the author Jordan Farmer and narrator Chris Abernathy for this outstanding ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I did not realize this was a second book in a series and wish I would have read the first one too. This was a decent and quick thriller. It was a fun reading experience.

I didn’t realize this wasn’t the first book and I felt like I was missing some decently important information. But it also was just pretty dang boring

I am just now realizing this is book two, so maybe my review would be different had I read the other book prior to this one.

With that in mind, I did have a hard time following this story. I felt that the writing took sporadic jumps that had me a bit lost. I also listened to the audio version, which can make it more difficult to follow quick changing storylines in my opinion. As for narration- I loved the production, I just wish I could’ve got into the story more.

Narrated by Chris Abernathy
Presented by Brilliance Audio

I really wish NetGalley would advise when a book is not the first in a series.

That said, this seems like it still would have been terrible even if I had knowledge of this 'lighthouse incident' that they kept referring to.

The story is about two troublesome teens who steal an occult book and travel across the country to sell it. Harlan Winter, hero occultist of the series, chases after them, since its his book they stole.

I honestly just could not get invested. I didn't care about any of these characters, and the book constantly referred to the 'lighthouse incident' and I, not knowing this was a sequel, kept waiting for the book to delve into what had happened at the lighthouse. So maybe those who have read that first book will appreciate this more than I did.

The plot seemed really weak to me - I don't recall what made this particular stolen book special at all, and nothing particularly interesting happened along the journey aside from bad guys getting their comeuppance as violently as possible. The ending seemed strangely brutal and I'm not at all sure why it was necessary. Basically, a lot of violence for minimal payoff.

Also, why do I keep reading books that seem to deliver the message: 'having a baby will ruin your life'???

I don't think there was anything particularly redeeming about this one, but maybe those who have read the first book in the series will appreciate this more.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

Book Title: Head Full of Lies
Series: Harlan Winter #2
Author: Jordan Farmer
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Chris Abernathy
Publisher: Brilliance Publishing-Brilliance Audio
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: May 21, 2024
My Rating: 3.5 Stars

I was drawn to this story as I was born and raised in West Virginia – Yep a ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’.
The state is beautiful just like the lyrics in John Denver song –“Country Roads” ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vrEljMfXYo
However most stories feature the poor and uneducated so I was hoping Jordan Farmer’s Harlan Winter would make me proud.

Story starts when Harlan Winter returned to his corner of Appalachia, where he wants is to run his occult bookshop;
The thieves are two local teenagers who leave Appalachia in a stolen car and heading to Florida where a buyer is waiting for their goods.

Story turned out ‘better than Okay’!

Want to thank NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 21, 2024.