Lullaby (Watersong#2) by Amanda Hocking-a review

LULLABY (Watersong #2) by Amanda Hocking

LULLABY is the second instalment (November 27, 2012 release) in Amanda Hocking’s Watersong series. Amanda’s latest venture into the world of fantasy follows Gemma Fisher as she is forced into the role of a siren.

Some background: In Greek mythology, the sirens were 3 sea nymphs, who were part bird/part human/part mermaid. According to myth, Demeter, the goddess of harvest and fertility condemned the 3 sisters (daughters of the river god Achelous) when they failed to save Demeter’s daughter Persephone from Hades. With their beautiful voices, the sirens would lure sailors and men to their death.

LULLABY continues the storyline at exactly the same spot where WAKE ended. 16 year old Gemma is missing and presumably under the spell of the beautiful sirens. Her boyfriend Alex, along with her sister Harper, has been frantically searching through Greek mythology books looking for anyway to help break the siren’s spell over Gemma. And the deeper they look, the more it seems that freeing Gemma may be next to impossible. Along with Harper’s soon-to-be boyfriend Daniel, the trio pledge to find Gemma and return her home safely.

Meanwhile, Daniel’s feelings for Harper continue to grow but Harper isn’t sure if she is ready for a relationship. Since her mother’s accident, Harper has taken over as both mother and big sister, and she is reluctant to let her feelings for Daniel compromise her search for Gemma. It is only when Daniel points out that he has been the one to effectively save and locate Gemma on the prior occasions that Harper begins to realize that perhaps there is room for someone else in her life. I was able to connect with Harper and Daniel, and perhaps that made the storyline a little more enjoyable. I still wasn’t pleased with the push-me/pull-you affect of Harper’s feelings for Daniel, but like many storylines, there is always some friction between many of the couples.

Gemma is reluctant to return. She knows that the sirens will come looking for her, as they fear that a lengthy separation will mean death to all. With that in mind, Alex continues to profess his love for Gemma, which once again, goes against the mythology that a siren can never be truly loved. Hoping to prove the myth wrong, Gemma makes a bargain with the sirens and it is her fear for Alex that will force Gemma to make a heart breaking decision.

Amanda Hocking is not afraid to write storylines involving death, mutilation or violence. LULLABY (like WAKE) contains some violence and death as it pertains to the sirens need to feed, but there is also some (in my opinion) gratuitous violence. The sister’s callous regard for human life is frightening and when they kill it is without a second thought. Even someone close is never safe from the wrath of an angry siren.

There was more emphasis on Gemma’s family and Greek mythology in LULLABY. Most of the storyline focuses on the search and rescue, including the revelation of Gemma’s connection to mythical characters. Gemma’s fight against the compulsion to feed keeps her humanity intact, but even Gemma will slip up when hunger overcomes all rational thinking.

LULLABY is a quick and easy read, with an interesting look at the sirens and fabled stories from long ago. I enjoyed LULLABY more than WAKE but perhaps it was because there was more focus on the search and rescue, than that of the sirens who sat around looking for their next victim. If you are a fan of Amanda Hocking you will enjoy LULLABY and the Watersong series.

LINKS TO PRE ORDER: Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Copy supplied by publisher.

Reviewed by Sandy