Heather’s Bookshelf: Catch Lili Too
Author: Sophie Whittemore
Released: 11/16/20
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
“I was born beneath the sun, my skin baked like clay, and soulless for all I know. We aren’t born. We simply appear. We seduce. We eat. And we exist until the universe decides that we shouldn’t.”
“Catch Lili Too” introduces Lili, an immortal siren, as she finds herself in a depressive state and just trying to hide away from the world. But the world has other plans, as Lili is drawn into trying to catch a serial killer by her impromptu ghost friend Byron.
While Lili investigates, she encounters many different fantastical beings including vampires and zombies. Two siblings, one a necromancer and the other a witch, join in the investigation to make up the beginnings of a team of unlikely supernatural wannabe sleuths. Their search soon reveals that the sleepy little town of Gamin is not all that it seems to be.
Lili is a complex and interesting character. She wants to be kind and wishes that she was a a valued member of the little group. But regardless of her desires, Lili finds that her past (most that she can’t remember at first) and her instincts as a siren are counter to her truly belonging. The characters are diverse, each having their own personality, strengths, and weaknesses. It makes for an interesting cast of characters that you want to root for.
Trigger Warning: murder, suicide, violence, mental illness
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I will say that it is not going to be for everyone as the story itself is quite out there. It also happens to be filled with a huge amount of mythical creatures and a protagonist that is sarcastic and funny in a dark way that carries throughout the storytelling. But that’s why I liked it. The little touches of jokes about places the characters could be besides the Sweeney Inn or the ghost rants in Spanish…it made the story unique and interesting. Even the premise of Lili being an asexual siren is ironic and intriguing. I also didn’t mind the ending, although I thought that it felt a little rushed and wish that the clues would have revealed themselves more throughout the story instead all at once. I see how the author established a world and set it up for future stories. My only complaint about the book is that portions of it were a little hard to follow. Characters were introduced partially or just dropped into scenes. It was also challenging at times understanding what the point of a scene was, especially in the middle of the book. I enjoyed the ride though and look forward to reading more by this author.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A fun ride filled with mythical characters and a murder mystery. Unfortunately, the story falls apart a little in the middle and the build up to the ending is rushed.
Want to learn more about the author? Check out my interview with Sophie Whittemore:
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here:
Interested in submitting your book for review? Visit my review page for guidelines and submission requirements.
