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The Lily Singer Adventures #8
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus Odyssey
THE JOURNEY MAKES THE MAN...IF IT DOESN'T KILL YOU FIRST.There’s no rest for the wicked or the good, so Lily, Sebastian, and Sir Kipling’s have to hit the ground running as they regroup from their crippling battle with Nergal and search for the fabled city of the ancients.
Only they know the threat Nergal poses, and they must race across the world to find the city and warn the inhabitants before this prince of demons destroys it all.
But they can't do it alone.
Thrown together once again with the fae of Melthalin and Lily's own murderous, conniving father, they'll have to navigate waters so treacherous that one misstep could kill them all.
Long-held secrets are coming to light, secrets that could destroy everything they hold dear.
Including each other.
With 2000+ five star ratings on Amazon and Goodreads and over half a million copies sold, this urban fantasy series full of adventure and snarky humor is guaranteed to cause loud snorts of laughter, tea cravings, and sleep loss. Don't start reading at night or you'll never go to bed! Great for fans of urban fantasy from Harry Potter to Harry Dresden. Pick up Book 8 and race with our heroes against their impending doom.
Only they know the threat Nergal poses, and they must race across the world to find the city and warn the inhabitants before this prince of demons destroys it all.
But they can't do it alone.
Thrown together once again with the fae of Melthalin and Lily's own murderous, conniving father, they'll have to navigate waters so treacherous that one misstep could kill them all.
Long-held secrets are coming to light, secrets that could destroy everything they hold dear.
Including each other.
With 2000+ five star ratings on Amazon and Goodreads and over half a million copies sold, this urban fantasy series full of adventure and snarky humor is guaranteed to cause loud snorts of laughter, tea cravings, and sleep loss. Don't start reading at night or you'll never go to bed! Great for fans of urban fantasy from Harry Potter to Harry Dresden. Pick up Book 8 and race with our heroes against their impending doom.
625 pages, Paperback
Published February 22, 2024
96 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
September 15, 2024
Similar to the last book, slow start and rather repetitive.
I'm not sure whether I'm just not the target audience for this series, because I find so many of these books kinda tedious.
Sebastian and Mallory are the best characters so this one picked up at about half way through when it was more about them, but Lily's constant hesitating over her dad and her feelings for him was such a bore for me. I understand her feelings to a point but I feel like no one can be as righteous as she is, she doesn't seem to have real human emotions most of the time apart from embarrassment. I feel like this book was longer than necessary and the quest style of the first book was slow going and a bit of a chore to get through.
I'm all for a slow burn, but this fire definitely needs some more kindling.
I'm not sure whether I'm just not the target audience for this series, because I find so many of these books kinda tedious.
Sebastian and Mallory are the best characters so this one picked up at about half way through when it was more about them, but Lily's constant hesitating over her dad and her feelings for him was such a bore for me. I understand her feelings to a point but I feel like no one can be as righteous as she is, she doesn't seem to have real human emotions most of the time apart from embarrassment. I feel like this book was longer than necessary and the quest style of the first book was slow going and a bit of a chore to get through.
I'm all for a slow burn, but this fire definitely needs some more kindling.
October 15, 2024
Great addition to the LLHP series. Really appreciated the synopsis in the beginning as it had been a while since I read the others. You can read this book as a standalone, especially with the synopsis, but you will then want to go back and read all the other stories. Hope the wait for the next in series isn't as long
February 5, 2025
Love love love
I absolutely love this series!! I love Lilly and Sebastian, Morgan, Ethyl, and Sir Kipling. I can't wait for the next book!
I absolutely love this series!! I love Lilly and Sebastian, Morgan, Ethyl, and Sir Kipling. I can't wait for the next book!
November 27, 2024
I find Lillie to be incredibly annoying and naïve. I can’t stand the way she talks down to others especially Sebastian. I would give the story 4 1/2 stars if Lillie wasn’t in it but with her it’s only a 2 1/2 to 3 star book for me.
June 18, 2025
This review is for the series in general: this series was recommended to me twice: once via social media as "Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Supernatural" and once via a friend who has met the author. The summary suggests a campy time with some good scares. This should be a no-brainer yet it fumbled. Hard.
First, I love the set up and structure of the books but it might not be everyone's cup of tea (pun intended). Basic set up is this: Story / Interlude / Story. The Story portions will follow either Lily or Sebastian with the Interlude following the other. The whole story arc is the same, only told from different perspectives. I greatly enjoyed this way of storytelling, but I can understand if you don't. Personal preference.
To start, the first few books are very intriguing and introduce the world of wizardry and witchcraft in an easy-to-digest manner. The first adventures showcase the differences in wizards and witches and the distain they have for each other; not without cause as wizards are discriminatory against witches.
Where this lost me: Lily and how she is characterized and written. This story is about Lily, so most of the story is told through her point of view, with most interludes switching to Sebastian.
- She's incredibly judgmental but it's never cast as a character flaw. She makes hard-and-fast judgments about her mother, her half-brother, her step-sisters, Sebastian, her father, her mentor...at no point does she ever think to reevaluate her decision-making paradigm after she's proven wrong over and over again. There's no character growth, at least not in the first 7 and a half books.
- She treats Sebastian as an inconvenience at best and a liability at worst, even after they begin dating. If she doesn't trust him, why is she hanging around him let alone dating him? It feels as though she's compelled to be around him because the plot demands it.
- At 24 she's the head librarian, and some reviews I've read say that's too young--her mentor literally set her up for the job. Barrington retired and had Lily take over. I don't find this as unusual as some because it goes to show the nepotism prevalent in the wizarding world. However, all Lily wants to do is be in the library. The later books are better about it, but why go on an adventure if she doesn't want to be there? Just like Sebastian, it seems the plot and the character are at odds with her motivations.
The person I feel for the most is Trish, Lily's half-sibling. She scrapped her way into a semblance of a life and because she wants to make sure their father doesn't harm anyone else, is willing to stand in the gap to make that happen. He already ruined her so she wants to make sure he doesn't ruin anyone else. She's trying to find her peace but because Lily keeps giving him second chances, she's continually pulled back in and is, understandably, upset about it. Trish is the character that makes the most sense.
I lasted 7 full books and gave up in the middle of the 8th book. I tried. I really did. I cannot listen to one more paragraph about how Lily loves Sebastian but doesn't want to make her association with him known so no wizards will judge her for being with a witch or to her justify trying, again, for a relationship with her father after he's made it abundantly clear who he is. I cannot deal with everyone else fawning over a mediocre character, at best, as though she's some prophesized savior.
I really wanted to like this series--the summary is so promising but the execution, especially as the series progresses, just falls off the rails.
First, I love the set up and structure of the books but it might not be everyone's cup of tea (pun intended). Basic set up is this: Story / Interlude / Story. The Story portions will follow either Lily or Sebastian with the Interlude following the other. The whole story arc is the same, only told from different perspectives. I greatly enjoyed this way of storytelling, but I can understand if you don't. Personal preference.
To start, the first few books are very intriguing and introduce the world of wizardry and witchcraft in an easy-to-digest manner. The first adventures showcase the differences in wizards and witches and the distain they have for each other; not without cause as wizards are discriminatory against witches.
Where this lost me: Lily and how she is characterized and written. This story is about Lily, so most of the story is told through her point of view, with most interludes switching to Sebastian.
- She's incredibly judgmental but it's never cast as a character flaw. She makes hard-and-fast judgments about her mother, her half-brother, her step-sisters, Sebastian, her father, her mentor...at no point does she ever think to reevaluate her decision-making paradigm after she's proven wrong over and over again. There's no character growth, at least not in the first 7 and a half books.
- She treats Sebastian as an inconvenience at best and a liability at worst, even after they begin dating. If she doesn't trust him, why is she hanging around him let alone dating him? It feels as though she's compelled to be around him because the plot demands it.
- At 24 she's the head librarian, and some reviews I've read say that's too young--her mentor literally set her up for the job. Barrington retired and had Lily take over. I don't find this as unusual as some because it goes to show the nepotism prevalent in the wizarding world. However, all Lily wants to do is be in the library. The later books are better about it, but why go on an adventure if she doesn't want to be there? Just like Sebastian, it seems the plot and the character are at odds with her motivations.
The person I feel for the most is Trish, Lily's half-sibling. She scrapped her way into a semblance of a life and because she wants to make sure their father doesn't harm anyone else, is willing to stand in the gap to make that happen. He already ruined her so she wants to make sure he doesn't ruin anyone else. She's trying to find her peace but because Lily keeps giving him second chances, she's continually pulled back in and is, understandably, upset about it. Trish is the character that makes the most sense.
I lasted 7 full books and gave up in the middle of the 8th book. I tried. I really did. I cannot listen to one more paragraph about how Lily loves Sebastian but doesn't want to make her association with him known so no wizards will judge her for being with a witch or to her justify trying, again, for a relationship with her father after he's made it abundantly clear who he is. I cannot deal with everyone else fawning over a mediocre character, at best, as though she's some prophesized savior.
I really wanted to like this series--the summary is so promising but the execution, especially as the series progresses, just falls off the rails.
May 23, 2024
Wow. I reread the series before reading this book and now that I've finished it I have SUCH a bad book hangover. What am I to do with my life until the next book comes out?!? Read other books that don't have Sir Kipling in them?!?? Every book in the series is better than the last since we can get to know the characters better, see their progression as they grow as people, and learn more secrets about the magical world and the characters. A few quotes from the entire series are available to buy on a shirt or mug, but there are so many AMAZING lines in each book (very much including this one) that I want to save so very many of the quotes. I listened to this as an audiobook which makes it a bit more difficult to save quotes. Also a bit more difficult to look up a word you don't know, but the audiobook experience was still enjoyable. I kind of wish I had it on audio and text together at the same time. I don't know what to say specifically about this book. It's exciting, it's romantic, it's illuminating (revealing exciting things), the writing is amazing, and I never wanted it to end. At least I know that the author is hard at work on the next book and it'll come out eventually. But waiting is hard!!!
June 18, 2025
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Odyssey lost a bit of the intensity of the two prior books, mostly because the sequence of events became predictable as the characters progressed around the world. The best part of the plot is the developments around John Faust Le Fay's past and the origin of his psychopathy. Lily finally gets a true understanding of what her father has done to himself and why. The book also continues the not so subtle allusions to monotheistic or Christian beliefs, but I think the author does a good job of using themes from these that move the characters forward in a natural way and it isn't overbearing. I would love more of Sebastian's point of view going forward. Though the author makes his thoughts clear for the most part through Lily's perspective, I feel like what Sebastian is experiencing could be explored more. My final critique is that the ending came up a bit fast and the final battle felt like it was missing something. The struggle went from 10 to 0 too quickly and with a bit too much "saved at the last minute by random intervention" vibes. I eagerly await the next one.
April 11, 2024
Odyssey has much of the witty humor, slow-burn romance, world-building, and adventure as the previous books in the series, as well as the author's meticulous focus on detail when it comes to the fae and magic. And of course it wouldn't be an LLHP book without plenty of character development. There are even various pop culture gems thrown in
It does, however, dive deeper into gray areas of justice, trust, and love. It takes a slower pace to let the moral dilemmas of the characters breath. And it ends on a cliff hanger since there's still another book to come in the series (and mostly some short stories, novellas, and spinoffs). So new readers: don't dive in expecting this to be quite as lighthearted as earlier books in the series and for everything to get wrapped up nearly with a bow. Read the first 7 books first and be ready for a fantastic 8th part of Lily, Kip, and Sebastian's story.
It does, however, dive deeper into gray areas of justice, trust, and love. It takes a slower pace to let the moral dilemmas of the characters breath. And it ends on a cliff hanger since there's still another book to come in the series (and mostly some short stories, novellas, and spinoffs). So new readers: don't dive in expecting this to be quite as lighthearted as earlier books in the series and for everything to get wrapped up nearly with a bow. Read the first 7 books first and be ready for a fantastic 8th part of Lily, Kip, and Sebastian's story.
March 14, 2024
Oh wow.....Lydia has out done herself! And she needs to hurry up and write book #9!!! Such a wonderful continuation of this story and the depth of these characters continues to grow. I'm so invested in this world and the lives of Lilly, Sebastian, Madame Barrington, Sir Kipling....and, well, the list is too long...
Pick up Book #1 and don't stop till you get to book #8....and don't forget the side stories of Sir Kippling's Cat Magic and Cat Mischief along the way.....they add in so much fun little detail to the stories! Sadly, whilst reading this series nothing else gets done because you can't put them down. :-)
Pick up Book #1 and don't stop till you get to book #8....and don't forget the side stories of Sir Kippling's Cat Magic and Cat Mischief along the way.....they add in so much fun little detail to the stories! Sadly, whilst reading this series nothing else gets done because you can't put them down. :-)
April 18, 2024
Book 8 ODYSSEY is another 5* book about Lily Singer, her boyfriend, Sebastian, her father and sister and, of course, Ethyl, her mentor. Very important is her cat Sir Kiplinger. So, they are looking for the home of Arthur and the other ancient wizards to help them stop the demon attacks. The book is long *over 600 pages” but it covers lots of space and time. Remember they are going back to when the ancients lived, made spells, and ruled. It is fascinating if a bit longer than it needed to be. Anyone who has read the first seven books will love it. The author has a vivid imagination. So, read all eight books and enjoy.
April 11, 2025
Edit please
I have read the entire series and I can honestly say that this very long book (should have been 2 books) had an exciting adventure at the end but getting to the end was difficult due to the long winded writing. I made it through because I am invested in the characters but with about 100 pages less It would have made story soooo much better. It was finally getting awesome at the very end..But there is a cliffhanger. Although the ending was not satisfying by any meaning, I am looking forward to the next book to released later this year..I need to know what happens next. Hopefully I won't have to skim as much to get through the next book.
I have read the entire series and I can honestly say that this very long book (should have been 2 books) had an exciting adventure at the end but getting to the end was difficult due to the long winded writing. I made it through because I am invested in the characters but with about 100 pages less It would have made story soooo much better. It was finally getting awesome at the very end..But there is a cliffhanger. Although the ending was not satisfying by any meaning, I am looking forward to the next book to released later this year..I need to know what happens next. Hopefully I won't have to skim as much to get through the next book.
February 10, 2024
Love, Lies & Hocus-Pocus: Odyssey is a terrific continuation of the Lily Singer series.
It continues to reveal new secrets and knowledge about her world, and the secret history of wizards.
It also advances several human stories, ones we have been dying to know more of- and at the same time it leaves mysteries to be discovered.
It's fantastic- a very worth-while addition to this enjoyable series. I loved it!
It continues to reveal new secrets and knowledge about her world, and the secret history of wizards.
It also advances several human stories, ones we have been dying to know more of- and at the same time it leaves mysteries to be discovered.
It's fantastic- a very worth-while addition to this enjoyable series. I loved it!
March 11, 2024
I loved this book. I'm pretty sure I remember hearing this would be the last in the LL&HP series, and began to wonder how Ms Sherrer could possibly wrap things up in the remaining pages (yes, I'm a counter of unread pages). But there'll be a Book 9, date TBA. Whew. Seriously, the plot thickens, the prophecy begins to tighten, and we'll have to wait another year or more to find out what's next. It's hard to remember that only weeks have passed for Lily and her friends...
March 11, 2024
Great series
This series is quite a bit of fun, with so much happening in the fight between good and evil. There are so many gray areas mixed into this, just as in real life. Lily and Sebastián are such wonderful characters and Kip is pure delight. My feline master is quite happy that Kip is representing his tribe well. The descriptions of the various settings are good, though I had some trouble picturing the mansion in England. I await the next installment
This series is quite a bit of fun, with so much happening in the fight between good and evil. There are so many gray areas mixed into this, just as in real life. Lily and Sebastián are such wonderful characters and Kip is pure delight. My feline master is quite happy that Kip is representing his tribe well. The descriptions of the various settings are good, though I had some trouble picturing the mansion in England. I await the next installment
March 12, 2024
The author hit a homerun with this book. It is that simple. She has matured in her writing, subtly weaving life's lessons into Lilliy and Sebastian's story that many people can take to heart. There is of course the light-hearted, cat snark. Yet there is still the seriousness of the tale. I am impressed with how the author's writing style has matured and grown. I can't wait to read number 9.! Further, I am curious to see what she writes further down the road.
March 11, 2025
Absolute must reads!!
Harry Potter fans, you simply must read these books!!! I love,love,love these books!!! I was hooked by book one and I cannot wait for the next book to come out!!! When I read Ethel Barrington's parts I can't help but hear Maggie Smith in my mind!! I can't put these books down!!! You don't know what you're missing!!! You will not be disappointed one little bit!!!!
Harry Potter fans, you simply must read these books!!! I love,love,love these books!!! I was hooked by book one and I cannot wait for the next book to come out!!! When I read Ethel Barrington's parts I can't help but hear Maggie Smith in my mind!! I can't put these books down!!! You don't know what you're missing!!! You will not be disappointed one little bit!!!!
February 13, 2024
Bravo! Another great adventure in the Love, Lies and Hocus Pocus series... this one keeps you on the edge of your seat. I love this series and Odyssey did not disappoint. The character development through all the books gets even better with this one. Excellently written with exciting adventures, snarky humor and romance. Lydia is one of my favorite authors!
March 22, 2024
I’d actually rate this 3.5. I honestly would stop reading the series if the non-human characters weren’t in it. I enjoy the cat;Pip; the Fae Fox, cat, and elk much more than Sebastian and Lillie.
Lillie has to work with her father to try to solve a series of magical puzzles, although she doesn’t trust him, and her aunt, boyfriend, and cat all hate him.
Lillie has to work with her father to try to solve a series of magical puzzles, although she doesn’t trust him, and her aunt, boyfriend, and cat all hate him.
April 24, 2024
I really love this series. It’s hard having to wait for the next book.
This is book 8 in an ongoing series. If you liked the first 7, well, you are already hooked and don’t need me to tell you this is good. If you haven’t read the other 7, why are looking at reviews for book 8? Go start at the beginning.
This is book 8 in an ongoing series. If you liked the first 7, well, you are already hooked and don’t need me to tell you this is good. If you haven’t read the other 7, why are looking at reviews for book 8? Go start at the beginning.
June 15, 2024
Another strong entry in this series. This one is a bit longer than most of the earlier ones, but not as long as seven. However, the plot structure in the amount of ground covered is comparable to books four, five and six, so it feels a little more difficult to justify the length of this book. That being said, I enjoyed myself the whole time and will be reading the next one as soon as it comes out
July 10, 2024
mission almost accomplished
How much more can they handle!! Will they find Merlin, Morgan and the demon? What will her father do and have the fae deserted them? I can’t believe I am done with book 8 and where is book 9–I am going to be stressed until I can read it—hope everyone reads these books!!
How much more can they handle!! Will they find Merlin, Morgan and the demon? What will her father do and have the fae deserted them? I can’t believe I am done with book 8 and where is book 9–I am going to be stressed until I can read it—hope everyone reads these books!!
September 13, 2025
Review
Kinda long, but I'm glad it didn't end but left me hanging for the ultimate conclusion. Did like the deepening relationship between Lily and Sebastian. Confusion that it took all this time to find Merlin but he's been out and about several times in Lily's past and knows her Aunt by name. I have enjoyed the stories and am invested in the characters.
Kinda long, but I'm glad it didn't end but left me hanging for the ultimate conclusion. Did like the deepening relationship between Lily and Sebastian. Confusion that it took all this time to find Merlin but he's been out and about several times in Lily's past and knows her Aunt by name. I have enjoyed the stories and am invested in the characters.
January 15, 2026
Enjoyed it though I did wish there was less John Faust. I am excited though to see where the story goes. I do hope they are done with nergal though I don’t think that they are. And I want to know what the prophecy is. What does it have to do with lily and Sebastian? All in all I did enjoy reading this book and this series I do love the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2024
Very nice…
This is a very fine entry to the series. Very engaging. Very contemporary. The way the story flows is very smooth and satisfying. The interplay between Lily and John is maddeningly good. As is the sexual tension between Lily and Sebastian. And then there’s the Cat…
This is a very fine entry to the series. Very engaging. Very contemporary. The way the story flows is very smooth and satisfying. The interplay between Lily and John is maddeningly good. As is the sexual tension between Lily and Sebastian. And then there’s the Cat…
March 26, 2024
Fantastic Book, best one so far. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Started the new series Dark Roads Trilogy, Book One, Accidental Witch. The books go too fast. Looking forward to Book 9 of Love, Lies and Hocus Pocus.
November 1, 2024
Not much plot
Only about 10 percent of this lengthy tome actually advances the story. Instead of plot, we get a long look at the characters of our saga. To quote the text it does feel “eternal.”
Only about 10 percent of this lengthy tome actually advances the story. Instead of plot, we get a long look at the characters of our saga. To quote the text it does feel “eternal.”
June 15, 2025
I am having SUCH a good time
These light, mystical adventures are JUST the escape I've been needing. I devoured the first 8 books and have mixed feelings about waiting for the rest of the series.
These light, mystical adventures are JUST the escape I've been needing. I devoured the first 8 books and have mixed feelings about waiting for the rest of the series.
October 10, 2025
I would love to give it a 5 except I felt that the travels through the various portals storyline was tiresome and really did nothing to support nor help the narrative.
However, I enjoyed the story and can hardly wait for the next volume in the series to come out.
However, I enjoyed the story and can hardly wait for the next volume in the series to come out.
March 7, 2024
so sad that I’ve finished this book
It is the book I have waited for…for what seems like ages. And now, I must wait again for yet another age.
It is the book I have waited for…for what seems like ages. And now, I must wait again for yet another age.
March 7, 2024
Odessy
A great read full of twists...enjoyed every bit of the adventure. Looking toward the next piece of this story full steam....
A great read full of twists...enjoyed every bit of the adventure. Looking toward the next piece of this story full steam....
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews