Lies on the Serpent's Tongue is the companion novel to Pearsall's debut Bittersweet in the Hollow (though you don't necessarily need to read that first) and follows Linden's older sister Rowan. In Bittersweet in the Hollow, I thought that the powers that each woman in the James family had was interesting, and Rowan's was no different. She has the ability to detect when someone is lying by their smell, and Pearsall deftly explores how this impacts Rowan emotionally. I never would've considered the toll of harboring unpleasant truths that nobody wants to speak about. This ties nicely into the thriller-esque plot as well, since secrets and lies are a big part of those types of stories.

When Rowan's former friend turned fierce rival (and major liar) Hadrian waltzes back into her life, he ropes her into investigating strange things that have been happening in their town. I liked how things slowly escalated, beginning with stolen property before people start losing their memories and somebody turns up dead. This all seems to be tied to a creature in the forest who is heavily implied to be (similar to?) Mothman which was interesting since the story is set in West Virginia. I thought that the relationship between Rowan and Hadrian was done well too in how Pearsall explores the issues between them and how they put them aside for the sake of their town. This book also expounds upon the lore of the James family and their gifts as well as the relationships between the sisters and their mothers. I particularly liked the sensitive depiction of Rowan's complicated relationship with her mother

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 hints of magical realism, pulled me in completely.

While Lies on the Serpent's Tongue is a companion book to Bittersweet in the Hllow I personally feel it's much better enjoyed if you have read the first book because you already know these characters and have attachments to them. That being said I enjoyed this one even more than the first.

Lies on the Serpent's Tongue is a YA fantasy filled with magic, mystery, secrets, my lies , family, a love story between a witch and the man and a satisfying ending. I very much look forward to more books in this universe !

It was fun to return to the town of Caball Hollow! This time it is the viewpoint of the almost perpetually angry Rowan (due to being able to tell when anyone lies, which is completely understandable). Things are still not quite right though with memories and valued objects going missing, changing people and we get to see Hadrian again (still dark brooding and handsome)! He and Rowan are the ones to solve the mystery this time (though Rowan's sister always have her back too). You get more town history and how it relates to the Bone Tree. I like getting more details about that, which is fascinating, though also quite dark for how it was made. Lots of excitement, a few bodies, and a comatose young man added to the mix and the stakes are just as high as the first book, especially with nosey YouTubers looking for the Moth Winged Man and ginseng poachers stripping the national forest for a quick fortune and destroying the delicate balance.

This is a fun next book and I really hope there will be more, especially after that ending!

This story was an interesting story from an author I don’t know or haven’t read before! Will look at finding other things by this author. I am grateful for the early access, thank you to those that allowed it!

"Where you go, I go," he whispers.

LIES ON THE SERPENT'S TONGUE brings us back to the James sisters in Caball Hollow. Something is happening to the Bone Tree and once again the sisters, with help from a certain Moth Man need to figure out what is going on before it's too late.

I really enjoyed being back in the Bittersweet in the Hollow world and not just because of the whimsical small town or the James family who I grew to love, but for Rowan and Hadrian who had a lot of unfinished business from book one. They never lacked chemistry, and this book showed that in spades. But with secrets, a decaying Bone Tree and the Otherworld slowly seeping into Caball Hollow, the pair had many obstacles working against them. But I'm happy to say by the end I was satisfied with how certain aspects came together even if we are still left with so many unknowns. I am keeping my fingers crossed the author plans to write a book for each of the James sisters. Oh, and a novella about their parents please because I have been rooting for them and hoping for a happily ever after.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. All quotes listed are from an uncorrected text.

3.5 Stars!
The writing is gorgeous, the setting is super atmospheric and spooky, and I was really intrigued by the characters. But there were so many references to the first book to fill in certain gaps that I found myself confused at times. It felt like the previous book left off a massive cliffhanger, and this book picks up where it leaves off, but from a different sister's perspective. And while I love the idea for that narrative style, I just wish we'd had more explanation and time to get to know the characters within their own story.

Once again, I found myself blown away by Pearsall’s writing and her ability to create a vibrant atmosphere. I felt myself drawn into the story, connecting with the characters again, and wanting to see how this story was going to play out. I appreciated getting to see a new perspective, getting to see how this family comes together and deals with trouble in their small town (again) so soon after the events of the first book. I still think the magic system in this world is so interesting & it’s still not something that I’ve really seen done before, and that continues to drawn me to this author and, specifically, this series.

I loved Bittersweet in the Hollow and I was excited to see that Kate Pearsall created a sequel that featured Rowan. I completely relate to Rowan, and I love the unique gift/curse to be able to taste lies.
Although the beginning of this book was a little slow, the narrator does a great job in sucking you into the story and it quickly picks up as we navigate the investigation into who is stealing people's most treasured items and memories. The conclusion to Rowan's story was beautifully done and I am hoping this series continues, possibly with Juniper story Arc?

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Young Readers for the opportunity to review Lies on the Serpent's Tongue. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5⭐️

Discovering my third 5 star read in a 2 month time period has been some kind of wonderful!!! Discovering the Bittersweet in the Hollow series this year has also been some kind of wonderful!!!

And right now, I am utterly speechless!!!

Writing a review for this book is extremely difficult for me right now. All I want to do is word vomit all over this page. No. Seriously. I want to spend the next several minutes talking about every single chapter, character, and the atmosphere of Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue, specifically The Appalachian Mountains. I want to yammer on for the next hour about how this book, alongside, Bittersweet in the Hollow, made me feel and how my impatience is going to get the best of me on the fact that I have to wait until however many months until Kate Pearsall releases the next book in this series (hopefully Juniper’s story). But, I won’t. Yammering about this book would only lead to a ton of spoilers. And spoilers of any kind would be viewed as mean, rude, cruel, and straight disrespectful. So, in order to avoid that, I am going to keep this review short and to the point:

Just pick up this book. No. Better yet. Pick up this series!!! Add it to your TBR List for 2025. Find a nice and comfortable room, pour yourself your favorite drink, and be prepared to get sucked into the Appalachian Mountains. Be prepared to fall in love with The James Family Women. Be prepared to find entertainment in small town drama as well as the “best kept” family history secrets. But, most importantly, be prepared to spend 1-4 days trying to solve a deliciously written mystery that might keep you up all night saying “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON???” over and over and over and over again!!!

💛Oooh how I am going to miss both Rowen Persephone James and Hadrian Finch!!!💛


Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for granting my request of an Advance Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!

Rowan James has the unique gift of being able to sense if someone is lying. When Hadrian Fitch (the biggest liar she’s ever known) shows up on her front porch seeking a favor, her first instinct is immediate distrust. As the townspeople in Caball Hollow start to lose important items and the memories attached to them, she accepts help from Hadrian, but only if he is willing to make a deal.

Read if you like:
- supernatural mystery
- appalachian folklore
- slow-burn romance

I flew through this book and loved every second of it. While I enjoyed Bittersweet in the Hollow, I think I liked Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue even more. I love the dark, atmospheric setting of Caball Hollow and the surrounding forest. The romance subplot and relationship between Rowan and Hadrian is well done. They might be my favorite characters out of the series. The characters and family all such have genuine relationships. The mystery was well done and kept me on the edge of my seat.

If you’re looking for a slightly spooky, engaging, folklore filled read, then don’t hesitate to pick up this series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for a free digital copy of this book. This is my honest review. Publication date: January 7, 2025.

Thanks but no thanks - I'm DNFing at 8%. I think this is a "me" thing - I don't like small town, mystery mythical/paranormal killer type of stories and that's exactly what this is shaping up to be. I find it to be a bit too caricature-esque in its descriptions of small town life and I don't feel any sort of suspense about the moth man.

First off - I really love YA horror/thrillers. This didn't disappoint. This is a sister novel to “Bittersweet in the Hollow” - I don’t think it’s actually required in order for the book to make sense on it’s own. Although I will note that there are some spoilery bits, so if you are planning on reading both; I recommend reading this one second. I adore this kind of book, how can you say no to a little bit of weird forest, mixed with magic, mystery and some cozy YA horror? =

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers for an advance copy of Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue!

Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue picks up where Bittersweet in the Hollow leaves off, however it is not necessary to read Bittersweet to enjoy Lies. I do recommend reading both though, because they are both great books and Lies builds on things we learn and characters we meet in Bittersweet.

Rowan James can sense when people are lying. She harbors so many secrets of her small Appalachian town. Each of the James girls has a gift and most of the time it feels more like a curse than a blessing.

When the town’s biggest liar comes to Rowan asking for help, she is hesitant. And then things start disappearing, tangible items as well as memories, and Rowan knows she can no longer sit idly by. When a neighbor’s body is found, the stakes increase, and Rowan is thrust into a race against time to figure out who, or what, is ravaging their town.

I really enjoyed this one! Even though it’s listed as a companion, I cannot stress enough that I think reading Bittersweet in the Hollow before this one is the best choice. Lies really expands on everything that we know, and while Kate does a good job at flashing back to fill new readers in, it really wouldn’t be the same as getting the full experience.

I really like the characters. They all have a little internal struggle of right versus wrong, and the lines are blurred pretty grey all around which makes for a very interesting story. The James sisters, aside from Rowan, can be a tad difficult to keep straight at times, which is really my own negative for this story.

It is YA and I’m not sure how well true young adult aged readers will take to the slower pace of storytelling, but I loved it. It was a creeping, foreboding sense of dread and worry that emanated throughout the book until its conclusion.

The Appalachian setting is near and dear to my heart, growing up not far from the mountains and spending a lot of my childhood camping in them. It’s such a fascinating area, full of lore and history…and a population of people who persevere no matter the challenges, who do not get the recognition they truly deserve.

I’m not sure if Kate is done with these characters or not, but I would surely read more if she were to continue.

It was so fun to be back with the James sisters. I truly enjoyed Kate Pearsall's first book, Bittersweet in the Hollow, and this one was just as fun. This magical family living in Appalachia and surrounded by folklore - tied with mystery and supernatural elements makes for a page-turning adventure.

The mystery in this book was taken to the next level compared to the first and has me hoping that the author will continue with this family and their adventures in Caball Hollow.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

It's a rare thing when a sequel lives up to the first book, and rarer still when it surpasses it. When I first read bittersweet in the Hollow I was a bit hard in my review, I really thought the story had potential but it had gotten bogged down in the middle and was trying to tell too many stories at once. However it still stuck with me and I was really excited to hear that Lies on the Serpents tongue would be out soon. I was even more excited when I finished reading it because anything that the first book missed the second book polished. The characters and setting were as lovely as ever, the secrets were revealed in perfect timing and the story was more focused in. I flew through this book but still had time to appreciate it. And I love that the ending leaves an open door for the next book (which better be happening) but doesn't leave such a cliff hanger that you are mad about waiting. Congratulations Kate

Rowan’s journey, balancing her magical gift with solving a murder mystery, kept me hooked. The eerie, small-town charm of Caball Hollow—with its Appalachian setting and whispers of magical realism—was beautifully atmospheric, pulling me into its dark yet enchanting world.

Though the romance subplot between Rowan and Hadrian was minor, it felt heartfelt and added depth to the story. The pacing slowed a bit mid-book, but the mystery remained engaging, and the conclusion tied up threads nicely while leaving room for future installments.

Even without reading Bittersweet in the Hollow, this story stood strong on its own, with clear explanations. The focus shifted more heavily toward magic and the origins of Caball Hollow and the bone tree, diverging from the family-centric mystery of the first book. Still, fans of YA mysteries with magical realism and cozy intrigue will find much to love here!

To be honest I wasn’t aware this was a second book, before I choose to read it. So maybe, that’s why I can’t really understand the story. It failed to grasp my attention despite most reviewers said this book can be read as stand-alone (meaning, I don’t really need to read the first book before reading this book).

I can’t understand the concept, the plot, simply because there are so much references from the first book.

I guess the books is just not for me. I DNF this book for now, but maybe I’ll read it again later when I get to read the first book.

This might need to be a part of your life if you enjoy books with folklore legends, forest and town secrets, truths that have to come out, rivals that might need to rely on each other, and YA Dark Appalachian Mysteries.

I loved the atmosphere and feel to this book, with an on edge feel right away from Rowan, and the book kicks off immediately. Now this IS a companion novel to the book “Bittersweet in the Hollow” which by the way is another good book, but I don’t think it’s actually required in order for the book to make sense on it’s own. Although I will note that there are some spoilery bits, so if you are planning on reading both; I recommend reading this one second.

I adore this kind of book, how can you say no to a little bit of weird forest, mixed with magic, mystery and some cozy YA horror? Kate’s writing is light and easy to read with a flair of romanticism that kept me content. I’m very much hoping we get to see more of the James sisters, but if not, I’m looking forward to reading more of Kate’s work.