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Cordial Convictions
The truth cannot be hidden.
Marcus Weaving has been nursing a serious case of amnesia at The Barbary hospital. His son's crimes caused a ripple effect in the local community and the media pointed fingers in his direction. As a former mental health professional, how could he not know that his own flesh and blood was planning on committing mass murder?
Determined to recover from his public scars and resume civilian life, Marcus is notably distracted by another patient at The Barbary. Lily is a traumatised young veteran suffering from depression and severe PTSD. She is just as intriguing as her beauty is unsettling for him.
Marcus observes questionable things happening at the hospital. Being a man of principle, he runs to the most logical possibilities, but even they are failing to alleviate his worries. Lily seems to be a conduit for these bizarre events and they are pulling at a familiar string in his spirit.
What should he do? What does this all mean?
Marcus Weaving has been nursing a serious case of amnesia at The Barbary hospital. His son's crimes caused a ripple effect in the local community and the media pointed fingers in his direction. As a former mental health professional, how could he not know that his own flesh and blood was planning on committing mass murder?
Determined to recover from his public scars and resume civilian life, Marcus is notably distracted by another patient at The Barbary. Lily is a traumatised young veteran suffering from depression and severe PTSD. She is just as intriguing as her beauty is unsettling for him.
Marcus observes questionable things happening at the hospital. Being a man of principle, he runs to the most logical possibilities, but even they are failing to alleviate his worries. Lily seems to be a conduit for these bizarre events and they are pulling at a familiar string in his spirit.
What should he do? What does this all mean?
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2025
4 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Kateri Stanley
5 books96 followersKateri Stanley is a published writer, from the West Midlands in the UK. She's a dark fiction lover of any genre. She has a degree in Arts and Humanities. She loves eating chocolate, watching films, telly and game cut-scenes, annoying her boyfriend and looking after her two cats.
More information can be found at www.kateristanley.com. Sign up to her newsletter for exclusive content and special promo codes.
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More information can be found at www.kateristanley.com. Sign up to her newsletter for exclusive content and special promo codes.
Kateri is also active on several social media platforms.
Email: kateristanleywrites@gmail.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/kateristanleywr...
Facebook: http://facebook.com/kateristanley
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateriStanley
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 27, 2025
I liked this. It is was a good continuation of the series. The premise is strong and well thought out.
The cover is very eye catching. I liked the design and the use of colour. It was a great job in this respect.
The book is well written and descriptive. It flowed nicely. The writing is excellent and the effort is tremendous.
The characters were good and we're strong throughout. Good mental health representation via Lily. Also good veteran rep. I enjoyed the characterisation and it worked well.
The story is in third person from multiple points of view. It worked well as it wasn't oversaturated with POVs as some certain thriller writers do. This was excellent work, Kateri.
I enjoyed this book and I really recommend this!
The cover is very eye catching. I liked the design and the use of colour. It was a great job in this respect.
The book is well written and descriptive. It flowed nicely. The writing is excellent and the effort is tremendous.
The characters were good and we're strong throughout. Good mental health representation via Lily. Also good veteran rep. I enjoyed the characterisation and it worked well.
The story is in third person from multiple points of view. It worked well as it wasn't oversaturated with POVs as some certain thriller writers do. This was excellent work, Kateri.
I enjoyed this book and I really recommend this!
June 6, 2025
This is the second book in the Dove And Snake series.
I actually read the first book, Bittersweet Injuries, almost 2 years ago now and I had to have a quick flick through to remind myself where the story had gone.
I remembered finding it a bit of a tough read, but on finishing it, I really liked the storyline and premise - and you know me, I had to find out how this had developed through this second book.
Well, this second book definitely made me sit up and take note.
I found it so much easier to get into and was pretty much hooked I from the start.
Knowing the characters a little already definitely helped this.
I loved the continuation of the old storyline and the development of both Marcus and Lily, with their connection building again even in this new situation.
The setting was perfect and added a more tense, sometimes creepy atmosphere to the storyline.
I loved the multi pov format as this helped give us an all-around view of each of the characters and see the events in different ways.
We also see some flashbacks which helped tie the two books together nicely.
The writing flowed much better for me in this read.
Maybe this was just the mood that I'd read the previous book in - or that the writer has matured into their style - but I'm so pleased that I picked this one up.
Definitely one to read as a series due to the story continuation - but I actually think this works well enough as a standalone alone too given the flashback entries and descriptive writing.
I actually read the first book, Bittersweet Injuries, almost 2 years ago now and I had to have a quick flick through to remind myself where the story had gone.
I remembered finding it a bit of a tough read, but on finishing it, I really liked the storyline and premise - and you know me, I had to find out how this had developed through this second book.
Well, this second book definitely made me sit up and take note.
I found it so much easier to get into and was pretty much hooked I from the start.
Knowing the characters a little already definitely helped this.
I loved the continuation of the old storyline and the development of both Marcus and Lily, with their connection building again even in this new situation.
The setting was perfect and added a more tense, sometimes creepy atmosphere to the storyline.
I loved the multi pov format as this helped give us an all-around view of each of the characters and see the events in different ways.
We also see some flashbacks which helped tie the two books together nicely.
The writing flowed much better for me in this read.
Maybe this was just the mood that I'd read the previous book in - or that the writer has matured into their style - but I'm so pleased that I picked this one up.
Definitely one to read as a series due to the story continuation - but I actually think this works well enough as a standalone alone too given the flashback entries and descriptive writing.
June 2, 2025
Here is my review for Cordial Convictions by Kateri Stanley
I found this book to be a really intriguing story including the snakes and the doves continuing their feud only with new targets in their sights. Marcus Weaving is staying at The Barbary hospital trying to regain his memory. He is attracted to Lily and is friends with her. He notices the changes in her and he realises they are not good but who can he turn to and let them know? This was a thrilling and exciting read that was excellently written and superbly plotted. I was hooked right from the start of the book and I found I just couldn’t put the book down as I needed to know what was going to happen next. The characters were well planned out, brilliantly written and well described. I found the characters to be intriguing and they worked really well with the story. I truly enjoyed this story. I liked the author’s writing style and found it really easy to read. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Blurb :
The truth cannot be hidden.
Greg Weaving took a gun to his workplace and killed several of his colleagues, before turning the weapon on himself.
A year on, plagued by guilt and humiliation, Marcus Weaving has been nursing a serious case of amnesia at The Barbary hospital. His son's crimes caused a ripple effect in the local community and the media pointed fingers in his direction. As a former mental health professional, how could he not know that his own flesh and blood was planning on committing mass murder?
Determined to recover from his public scars and resume civilian life, Marcus is notably distracted by another patient at The Barbary. Lily is a traumatised young veteran suffering from depression and severe PTSD. She is just as intriguing as her beauty is unsettling for him.
Marcus observes questionable things happening at the hospital. Being a man of principle, he runs to the most logical possibilities, but even they are failing to alleviate his worries. Lily seems to be a conduit for these bizarre events and they are pulling at a familiar string in his spirit.
What should he do? What does this all mean?
I found this book to be a really intriguing story including the snakes and the doves continuing their feud only with new targets in their sights. Marcus Weaving is staying at The Barbary hospital trying to regain his memory. He is attracted to Lily and is friends with her. He notices the changes in her and he realises they are not good but who can he turn to and let them know? This was a thrilling and exciting read that was excellently written and superbly plotted. I was hooked right from the start of the book and I found I just couldn’t put the book down as I needed to know what was going to happen next. The characters were well planned out, brilliantly written and well described. I found the characters to be intriguing and they worked really well with the story. I truly enjoyed this story. I liked the author’s writing style and found it really easy to read. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Blurb :
The truth cannot be hidden.
Greg Weaving took a gun to his workplace and killed several of his colleagues, before turning the weapon on himself.
A year on, plagued by guilt and humiliation, Marcus Weaving has been nursing a serious case of amnesia at The Barbary hospital. His son's crimes caused a ripple effect in the local community and the media pointed fingers in his direction. As a former mental health professional, how could he not know that his own flesh and blood was planning on committing mass murder?
Determined to recover from his public scars and resume civilian life, Marcus is notably distracted by another patient at The Barbary. Lily is a traumatised young veteran suffering from depression and severe PTSD. She is just as intriguing as her beauty is unsettling for him.
Marcus observes questionable things happening at the hospital. Being a man of principle, he runs to the most logical possibilities, but even they are failing to alleviate his worries. Lily seems to be a conduit for these bizarre events and they are pulling at a familiar string in his spirit.
What should he do? What does this all mean?
May 31, 2025
I’ve waited a long time for this sequel to Bittersweet Injuries and from the first pages it did not disappoint.
After the traumatic events of a year earlier, Marcus Weaving, suffering from amnesia, is living at The Barbary hospital, but while he’s trying to get his life on track, he’s disturbed by another patient, Lily, herself a veteran suffering from PTSD. I quickly remembered why I loved these characters so much. Marcus with his strong sense of duty and principles, and Lily who although she has her own battles to fight, is drawn to Marcus for reasons she doesn’t understand. There are some fantastic characters, both supernatural and human, good and evil, in this and the story drew me straight in and never let go until the final page. There’s plenty of action and drama throughout and as I continued to read I had so many hopes for Marcus and Lily.
I loved Cordial Convictions and Kateri knows exactly how to pull you in and keep you enthralled. Although you can read this book as a stand-alone I would definitely recommend you read the first in the Dove and Snake series to find out the origins of Marcus and Lily and how they came to be.
After the traumatic events of a year earlier, Marcus Weaving, suffering from amnesia, is living at The Barbary hospital, but while he’s trying to get his life on track, he’s disturbed by another patient, Lily, herself a veteran suffering from PTSD. I quickly remembered why I loved these characters so much. Marcus with his strong sense of duty and principles, and Lily who although she has her own battles to fight, is drawn to Marcus for reasons she doesn’t understand. There are some fantastic characters, both supernatural and human, good and evil, in this and the story drew me straight in and never let go until the final page. There’s plenty of action and drama throughout and as I continued to read I had so many hopes for Marcus and Lily.
I loved Cordial Convictions and Kateri knows exactly how to pull you in and keep you enthralled. Although you can read this book as a stand-alone I would definitely recommend you read the first in the Dove and Snake series to find out the origins of Marcus and Lily and how they came to be.
January 1, 2025
I received an ARC of the book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a supernatural novel in which evil (snakes) has pitted itself against good (doves). The book opens with Lucy (Lucifer or Lucille, depending upon the situation) and her demons attacking, then killing, fans at rock concert. She is planning an uprising so she can steal the throne from Jove (God). The book then pivots to a psychological institution known as The Barbary. Marcus Weaving (an ex-psychiatrist) is there because he suffers from debilitating panic attacks. His younger son Greg was responsible for a factory killing spree. Marcus feels he must do penance for his son’s actions. We’re also introduced to Lily, who’s been sent there by one of her brothers. She experiences dreams which she perceives to be real; even though they are spread over centuries of time. Marcus and Lily are attracted to each other. I’m not going to divulge any further details but I highly recommend this book. I can’t wait to read the next instalment!
May 31, 2025
Thank you @zooloosBT For letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Cordial Convictions is book 2, but you can read as a standalone, as I did. This is the thriller genre. The story is written from different points of view, which I thoroughly enjoyed and felt like I got to know the characters better, and it all linked in well. The story is about Marcus, whose son Greg took a weapon to work and killed several people. Marcus was a health professional and did not see his son struggling and has found this difficult, and now he is in a Barbary hospital suffering from amnesia. I found Cordial Convictions sad at times and has great suspense running through the book. I liked how the story went from present to past, it worked very well and is a thrilling read. The story is written elegantly, and I enjoyed the description and detail of Kateri Stanley's writing. I will definitely be reading book 1 and reading more of her books. 4 stars
December 15, 2024
Do you enjoy stories with demons, protectors, and forgotten love ?
Fallen angels turned demons, trying to influence humans, while on the contrary, the doves are trying to protect them.
I've honestly struggled to get into this book. There are a lot of characters, and I had difficulty keeping track of who was who. It did not help that this is the second book of a series, and I haven't read the first one yet 🙈
However, it picked up halfway through, and I really enjoyed it. Once my brain could figure out exactly what was going on, the plot kept me turning the pages. It subsequently makes me want to read the first book, and the next one 🙈
I do think that you could read this book without necessarily reading the first one, but I think it would help being familiar with the world/ timelime.
Fallen angels turned demons, trying to influence humans, while on the contrary, the doves are trying to protect them.
I've honestly struggled to get into this book. There are a lot of characters, and I had difficulty keeping track of who was who. It did not help that this is the second book of a series, and I haven't read the first one yet 🙈
However, it picked up halfway through, and I really enjoyed it. Once my brain could figure out exactly what was going on, the plot kept me turning the pages. It subsequently makes me want to read the first book, and the next one 🙈
I do think that you could read this book without necessarily reading the first one, but I think it would help being familiar with the world/ timelime.
January 10, 2025
I went into this one thinking I knew what to expect, but I was so far off the mark!! I read this twice because there is so much content and storyline. I have to mention the colorful descriptions of characters and scenes are explosive!! This kept me thinking and turning pages at the edge of my seat gripping and raw! I was definitely rooting for a few characters, and I'm happy they made it through. There were so many betrayals and the gas lighting was so high level!! I need a rest before I read the second book, because my mind is so full right now. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest opinion.
August 8, 2025
Cordial Convictions is a heavenly family drama playing out on earth. It is centered on themes of family, love, lust, grief, betrayal, trauma, and father and son relationships. Lucifer has a grudge on Jove who is God in this story and decides to take his revenge out on humanity in what seem like small acts of rebellion throughout history picking on his fellow brothers and sisters one by one either persuading them to fight for his cause or martyr them. But all this is just a distraction. I enjoyed reading this novel but perharps the relationship between Marcus and Lily overshadows or distracts from the power of the story.
May 26, 2025
This book carries on the story from book 1, I would definitely recommend reading that one first as you get to know about the characters and events that are carried on in this book.
More POVs are in this one and we again see timelines from the past which are fascinating.
Brutal at times but also heartwarming and full of emotions this really is a fantastic read.
It’s hard not to give things away as so much happens, a definite one sitting read for me.
This is a book I could read again as it’s that good 👼
More POVs are in this one and we again see timelines from the past which are fascinating.
Brutal at times but also heartwarming and full of emotions this really is a fantastic read.
It’s hard not to give things away as so much happens, a definite one sitting read for me.
This is a book I could read again as it’s that good 👼
December 20, 2024
this is book two and in retrospect i maybe should have read the first book seeing as i might have gotten more info but saying that this had a really good plot to it. i struggled keeping up with all the characters that were introduced but after that i found myself continuously turning the pages. i will def be going to read book one and look forward to the next book.
demons
protectors
fallen angels
doves
demons
protectors
fallen angels
doves
May 29, 2025
Thanks to Zooloo's Book Tours and the author for this ARC - I'm officially really into this series now.
This instalment was sadder than book one, and certainly needs content warnings. That being said, I'm super-engaged in the overall narrative and what's going on in the bigger picture outside of the two main characters. The setting was really well-used, and I enjoyed the way Marcus approached his situation, given his qualifications. I can't wait for book three!
This instalment was sadder than book one, and certainly needs content warnings. That being said, I'm super-engaged in the overall narrative and what's going on in the bigger picture outside of the two main characters. The setting was really well-used, and I enjoyed the way Marcus approached his situation, given his qualifications. I can't wait for book three!
May 31, 2025
Recommend
Cordial Convictions by Kateri Stanley.
The Dove and Snake series book 2.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the cover and blurb of this book. I did like Lily and Marcus. I liked the writing style and the story. Im enjoying this series. Im looking forward to the next book.
Cordial Convictions by Kateri Stanley.
The Dove and Snake series book 2.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the cover and blurb of this book. I did like Lily and Marcus. I liked the writing style and the story. Im enjoying this series. Im looking forward to the next book.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews