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The Lily Singer Adventures #3
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Allies
What's worse than fighting with allies? Fighting without them!
After learning a truth that would have been easier left in the past, Lily must now cope with the consequences and figure out if she’s strong enough to face the future, and overcome it. With new allies, and old friends, making life complicated, Lily, Sebastian, and Sir Kipling must race to stop her father’s evil plans before they come to fruition. Will they be able to work together and save the day? Or will they let their differences divide them?
Allies is the third installment of the Lily Singer Adventures urban fantasy series. Full of unexpected twists and snarky humor, this story has been known to cause: loud snorts of laughter, inexplicable craving for tea, and loss of work productivity. If you enjoy magic-filled adventures like Harry Potter and Sabrina the Teenage Witch then you'll love Lydia Sherrer's delightful new series.
After learning a truth that would have been easier left in the past, Lily must now cope with the consequences and figure out if she’s strong enough to face the future, and overcome it. With new allies, and old friends, making life complicated, Lily, Sebastian, and Sir Kipling must race to stop her father’s evil plans before they come to fruition. Will they be able to work together and save the day? Or will they let their differences divide them?
Allies is the third installment of the Lily Singer Adventures urban fantasy series. Full of unexpected twists and snarky humor, this story has been known to cause: loud snorts of laughter, inexplicable craving for tea, and loss of work productivity. If you enjoy magic-filled adventures like Harry Potter and Sabrina the Teenage Witch then you'll love Lydia Sherrer's delightful new series.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published April 28, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
May 23, 2018
I was finally able to pick up this book. I've had it sitting on my shelves for a bit and have been dying to continue the series, but had other things I needed to finish first. I loved it, it's starting to get a bit darker and a bit more creepy, while still keeping the humor, which is just adding to what Sherrer has written about the characters to date. I can't say much since it is a sequel, but I did like learning more about Lily's background. I really recommend this series for Fantasy lovers.
April 3, 2017
I read an arc of this book and am voluntarily reviewing it!
This is an amazing series! I actually read this before the first two and could still figure out what was going on. Sherrer does a great job of summary without being boring in the first little snippet of the book of previous book events.
This book got me out of my slump. I was having a rough time of things and I just didn't want to read anything. But I promised to read this book and so I thought I would begrudgingly get through it. However when starting to read the series I felt happy and connected to the characters. I laughed so much and was excited to continue on with the book. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to read this story! The characters are well written, the plot is amazing, and the concept is just so original. Lots of laughter and good times to be had by reading this series. Start from the beginning, don't be like me. But if you feel like you're in a slump time, don't worry The Lily Singer Adventures will kick your butt back to happy town!
This is an amazing series! I actually read this before the first two and could still figure out what was going on. Sherrer does a great job of summary without being boring in the first little snippet of the book of previous book events.
This book got me out of my slump. I was having a rough time of things and I just didn't want to read anything. But I promised to read this book and so I thought I would begrudgingly get through it. However when starting to read the series I felt happy and connected to the characters. I laughed so much and was excited to continue on with the book. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to read this story! The characters are well written, the plot is amazing, and the concept is just so original. Lots of laughter and good times to be had by reading this series. Start from the beginning, don't be like me. But if you feel like you're in a slump time, don't worry The Lily Singer Adventures will kick your butt back to happy town!
June 6, 2019
Audiobook Review
I really enjoyed my re-read of this book, this time in audio. The audiobooks for this series are done so well, the narrator does such an amazing job with this series. Her narration is really spot on and I like how she brings the characters to live. And I love this series, so it's a joy to be able to re-experience them in this way.
I also was surprised with how much I forgot about this book, mostly the second half of this book.
It's great to see how Lily develops in this book. I wns't a fan of the scenes with Agent Grant, especially knowing what will happen next and I always have been team Sebastian. But luckily there are some great scenes with Sebastian as well in this book and I love seeing their relationship deepen.
If you enjoy urban fantasy books, I can't recommend this series enough. Whether in ebook or in audiobook, it's a great experience either way.
I really enjoyed my re-read of this book, this time in audio. The audiobooks for this series are done so well, the narrator does such an amazing job with this series. Her narration is really spot on and I like how she brings the characters to live. And I love this series, so it's a joy to be able to re-experience them in this way.
I also was surprised with how much I forgot about this book, mostly the second half of this book.
It's great to see how Lily develops in this book. I wns't a fan of the scenes with Agent Grant, especially knowing what will happen next and I always have been team Sebastian. But luckily there are some great scenes with Sebastian as well in this book and I love seeing their relationship deepen.
If you enjoy urban fantasy books, I can't recommend this series enough. Whether in ebook or in audiobook, it's a great experience either way.
May 15, 2017
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Allies is the third book in the Lily Singer Adventure series, and I adored it. I’ve now been left with a very solid view of this series: these books just keep getting better. Book one gripped me, pulling me into the series. Book two left me with so many expectations, leaving me super excited to see what happened next. Book three has left me on the verge of exploding, unsure as to how I will deal with everything this series is throwing at us. Honestly, I cannot repeat it enough; this series is getting stronger and stronger.
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Allies follows the same wonderful format of the first two books. The story is split into three parts, each giving us something different, with all of the aspects being wonderfully connected. The more books I read in this series, the more I come to enjoy this way of storytelling. It is such a unique way of sharing the story, and I find myself eagerly anticipating what each aspect will bring us. By this point, you know parts one and three will be Lily focused, and part two will be Sebastian focused, yet you have no idea how these almost individual stories will link together. As with the first two books, the three parts make for one single beautiful story.
Whilst I was amazed at the development that occurred in the second book, I believe my mind was blown away by the things that occurred in this third book. Everything I loved about the second book was amplified further in this one. We have even more development of the characters and the story, more twists and turns are added, and every layer of the story seems to shine even brighter.
My favourite aspect, however, has to be the development for our two main characters. I’m so in love with them. Honestly, the feelings are driving me crazy. The feelings experienced in this one… well, be still my beating heart is all I can say. They’re both such wonderful characters, and I cannot help but squeal in delight with each new aspect added to their stories. They wiggled their way into my heart with such ease, so much so that I doubt they will ever wiggle free. It’s not just the main characters who are amazing though – everyone in this story is wonderful.
I’ve said it many times, but I’ll leave you with my new favourite phrase: this series just keeps getting better.
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Allies follows the same wonderful format of the first two books. The story is split into three parts, each giving us something different, with all of the aspects being wonderfully connected. The more books I read in this series, the more I come to enjoy this way of storytelling. It is such a unique way of sharing the story, and I find myself eagerly anticipating what each aspect will bring us. By this point, you know parts one and three will be Lily focused, and part two will be Sebastian focused, yet you have no idea how these almost individual stories will link together. As with the first two books, the three parts make for one single beautiful story.
Whilst I was amazed at the development that occurred in the second book, I believe my mind was blown away by the things that occurred in this third book. Everything I loved about the second book was amplified further in this one. We have even more development of the characters and the story, more twists and turns are added, and every layer of the story seems to shine even brighter.
My favourite aspect, however, has to be the development for our two main characters. I’m so in love with them. Honestly, the feelings are driving me crazy. The feelings experienced in this one… well, be still my beating heart is all I can say. They’re both such wonderful characters, and I cannot help but squeal in delight with each new aspect added to their stories. They wiggled their way into my heart with such ease, so much so that I doubt they will ever wiggle free. It’s not just the main characters who are amazing though – everyone in this story is wonderful.
I’ve said it many times, but I’ll leave you with my new favourite phrase: this series just keeps getting better.
October 1, 2020
It's a good book and I would give it a 4.5 actual score. My problem is this book added many new aspects to the main story line without fully explaining.
Lily, Sebastian, Ms. B., and Sir Kipling the cat, along with a little help from the FBI strive to find Lily's father. In the hunt for John Faust, Sebastian ends up in jail charged with murder of a woman who's child was kidnapped by what turns out to be John Faust.
Lily tells her ex-boyfriend, who's a FBI agent about magic and he helps get Sebastian released. But only after promising to keep him informed.
If I write anymore I will give away the entire story. Just beware of a kitty's and their owners claws, they can be long.......lol
Lily, Sebastian, Ms. B., and Sir Kipling the cat, along with a little help from the FBI strive to find Lily's father. In the hunt for John Faust, Sebastian ends up in jail charged with murder of a woman who's child was kidnapped by what turns out to be John Faust.
Lily tells her ex-boyfriend, who's a FBI agent about magic and he helps get Sebastian released. But only after promising to keep him informed.
If I write anymore I will give away the entire story. Just beware of a kitty's and their owners claws, they can be long.......lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2017
Fun read!!! Lily a young wizard and her friends get themselves into a whole heap of trouble.
Lily a bright young wizard has been scholared the past 7 years by Madam Barrington a proper English woman. Ms B. is a no nonsense older wizard that doesn't take too lightly to her nephew Sebastian's or Lily's not quite so strict way of doing things.
Sebastian a young witch who will do anything to keep his friend Lily safe, ends up in a pretty tough predicament.
Along the way they have fae helpers, and one very magical feline. Mr. Sir Kipling brings his own humor to the story.
This book can be read as a stand alone, but there is a lot more to the story if read in order!
I received an advanced copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Lily a bright young wizard has been scholared the past 7 years by Madam Barrington a proper English woman. Ms B. is a no nonsense older wizard that doesn't take too lightly to her nephew Sebastian's or Lily's not quite so strict way of doing things.
Sebastian a young witch who will do anything to keep his friend Lily safe, ends up in a pretty tough predicament.
Along the way they have fae helpers, and one very magical feline. Mr. Sir Kipling brings his own humor to the story.
This book can be read as a stand alone, but there is a lot more to the story if read in order!
I received an advanced copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
March 8, 2017
Loved the book. I found it to be a smooth and continuous read, like the previous books in the series. I am enjoying the storyline and the new characters. I found myself reacting emotionally to the good points and the bad points in the story, and got so absorbed in the book that I wished I was there fighting alongside Lily and Sebastian.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in book 4. I know it will be just as good a read as the previous books.
I received an advanced copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in book 4. I know it will be just as good a read as the previous books.
I received an advanced copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
July 27, 2017
Allies is book 3 of the Lily singer adventures and it doesn’t disappoint. Very much a book focussed on Lily, continuing on from the bombshell of John Faust and how she must regroup and deal with both coming to terms with what happened and how to stop him.
In part one, Lily must take the olive branch offered by her estranged mother and return home. Dealing with the fallout to her siblings when she left, Lily is greeted both warmly and with need to make amends. With the secret out, Lily is able to learn more about her heritage and new family members, but with the shadow of John Faust looming large Lily and her mother must use magic to ward the house and family, a task which is met with a mixed response. Armed with a new path to follow to track down the book of Morgan le Fay, Lily doesn’t realise what a dangerous path she is taking. Does she really have time for a fledgling romance with Agent Grant and does he really have her best interests at heart?
The interlude as always brings us round to Sebastians underworld side, but his attempts to bring down John Faust with the aid of Tina, end in disaster and leave Lily in an even more precarious position coming into the final part.
For the final part, well - i’m going to say very little other than that you won’t be able to put it down!
Again, I loved this book, the whole series continues to set the bar high. Lily’s interactions with Kipling are hilarious, I have decided that I do find it extra funny as a cat owner, and often wonder what mine would say to me! I also love how flawed Lily is in this book, she often comes across as very naive in the choices she makes - the revelations of the past and her present causing her to gently unravel as everything becomes a race against time. Her desperation causing cracks in her resolve and lapses in judgement. Her thoughts and feelings for Sebastian are very well played out too and i’m enjoying the tentative dynamic growing between them. The final part is epic, brilliant sequences and lots going on in a whirlwind of action balanced against a heavy dose of peril. There are some moments of real heartache too, so hold on tight! I’m enjoying the little breadcrumbs here and there, of things I’m going to be keeping my eye on too! This is another 5* read for me :)
In part one, Lily must take the olive branch offered by her estranged mother and return home. Dealing with the fallout to her siblings when she left, Lily is greeted both warmly and with need to make amends. With the secret out, Lily is able to learn more about her heritage and new family members, but with the shadow of John Faust looming large Lily and her mother must use magic to ward the house and family, a task which is met with a mixed response. Armed with a new path to follow to track down the book of Morgan le Fay, Lily doesn’t realise what a dangerous path she is taking. Does she really have time for a fledgling romance with Agent Grant and does he really have her best interests at heart?
The interlude as always brings us round to Sebastians underworld side, but his attempts to bring down John Faust with the aid of Tina, end in disaster and leave Lily in an even more precarious position coming into the final part.
For the final part, well - i’m going to say very little other than that you won’t be able to put it down!
Again, I loved this book, the whole series continues to set the bar high. Lily’s interactions with Kipling are hilarious, I have decided that I do find it extra funny as a cat owner, and often wonder what mine would say to me! I also love how flawed Lily is in this book, she often comes across as very naive in the choices she makes - the revelations of the past and her present causing her to gently unravel as everything becomes a race against time. Her desperation causing cracks in her resolve and lapses in judgement. Her thoughts and feelings for Sebastian are very well played out too and i’m enjoying the tentative dynamic growing between them. The final part is epic, brilliant sequences and lots going on in a whirlwind of action balanced against a heavy dose of peril. There are some moments of real heartache too, so hold on tight! I’m enjoying the little breadcrumbs here and there, of things I’m going to be keeping my eye on too! This is another 5* read for me :)
November 3, 2017
This series just keeps getting better! I love these books so much that having received the first one as a free ARC ebook I went ahead and bought all four in paperback and got them signed by the author via post!
Allies is the third book in the series and, as in the previous two, the author has divided the book into two separate ‘episodes’, broken by an ‘interlude’ short from Sebastian’s point of view. I think that this format works really well with the light, fun, easy style of the writing and drives the plot in a similar way to separate episodes of a tv series: each episode follows a shorter arc, but slots in to the bigger story.
The plot (smaller and larger) is great fun, with action-adventure interspersed with a bit of romantic comedy (the area where Lily is definitely at her least competent!).
As always though it is the characters that win it for me, and as the title makes clear, they are the main focus of this book. Lily and Sebastian are as quirkily wonderful as ever, and Mr Kipling is at his snarky-softie best; but the side characters are also engagingly individual. Madam B, Lily’s family, Tina, Richard and most recently Allen: they are not all perfect or heroic, but they are all distinct and believable, and the relationships and interactions are natural.
Very excited to move on to the fourth installment (just as soon as I’ve cleared some more of my TBR pile!)…
Allies is the third book in the series and, as in the previous two, the author has divided the book into two separate ‘episodes’, broken by an ‘interlude’ short from Sebastian’s point of view. I think that this format works really well with the light, fun, easy style of the writing and drives the plot in a similar way to separate episodes of a tv series: each episode follows a shorter arc, but slots in to the bigger story.
The plot (smaller and larger) is great fun, with action-adventure interspersed with a bit of romantic comedy (the area where Lily is definitely at her least competent!).
As always though it is the characters that win it for me, and as the title makes clear, they are the main focus of this book. Lily and Sebastian are as quirkily wonderful as ever, and Mr Kipling is at his snarky-softie best; but the side characters are also engagingly individual. Madam B, Lily’s family, Tina, Richard and most recently Allen: they are not all perfect or heroic, but they are all distinct and believable, and the relationships and interactions are natural.
Very excited to move on to the fourth installment (just as soon as I’ve cleared some more of my TBR pile!)…
May 22, 2017
**This book was reviewed for Lola’s Blog Tours**
Allies is the third in the Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus series featuring Lily Singer and Sebastian Blackwell. While still full of delightful snark, especially by Kip, things with LeFay are really starting to heat up and take a darker turn. As with the previous books, this one is separated into three parts alternating between the Lily and Sebastian.
During the first part, Lily meets a new family member, an uncle named Allen. Brilliant but exceedingly eccentric, Allen lives a hermit lifestyle. No sooner had Lily met this uncle, than he is snatched away by his estranged brother, Lily’s demented father John Faust. The middle story is Sebastian's. He and Tina are pursuing a different lead towards LeFay, by looking into a series of suspicious missing persons cases spanning years. What they find is horrific. The last story finds Lily and her small band ready to confront John Faust and retrieve Allen. Things don't work quite as planned of course. They retrieve Lily’s uncle, but at great cost.
These books just keep getting better. They also keep getting darker. LeFay is proving ever more ruthless in his search for his ancestor's location, and in putting his plans of wizard domination in motion. Murder, kidnapping, and a callous programme of eugenics are simply par for the course. I am very much looking forward to reading the next in the series. There is still so much to learn about Sebastian and his past, and with the mysterious force that gifted Kip with speech.
📚📚📚📚����
Allies is the third in the Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus series featuring Lily Singer and Sebastian Blackwell. While still full of delightful snark, especially by Kip, things with LeFay are really starting to heat up and take a darker turn. As with the previous books, this one is separated into three parts alternating between the Lily and Sebastian.
During the first part, Lily meets a new family member, an uncle named Allen. Brilliant but exceedingly eccentric, Allen lives a hermit lifestyle. No sooner had Lily met this uncle, than he is snatched away by his estranged brother, Lily’s demented father John Faust. The middle story is Sebastian's. He and Tina are pursuing a different lead towards LeFay, by looking into a series of suspicious missing persons cases spanning years. What they find is horrific. The last story finds Lily and her small band ready to confront John Faust and retrieve Allen. Things don't work quite as planned of course. They retrieve Lily’s uncle, but at great cost.
These books just keep getting better. They also keep getting darker. LeFay is proving ever more ruthless in his search for his ancestor's location, and in putting his plans of wizard domination in motion. Murder, kidnapping, and a callous programme of eugenics are simply par for the course. I am very much looking forward to reading the next in the series. There is still so much to learn about Sebastian and his past, and with the mysterious force that gifted Kip with speech.
📚📚📚📚����
December 25, 2018
The past two Lily Singer books have been a lot of fun, and this one was no different. At this point I'm pretty invested in Lily and Sebastian, so I was excited to see the two of them interact more during this book. I do kind of want to yell at them to start talking to each other more, as the constant miscommunications are getting a little old. That said, I don't mind it too much because it is never the main conflict of the story. It usually gets solved easily, which I'm grateful for.
The plot of this book was solid, and it certainly kept my attention. I still enjoy the format very much, and I like that we get to see what Sebastian is up to in between the two parts of the story. I'm very curious to see what the last book will be like, and how it will wrap up the series.
The plot of this book was solid, and it certainly kept my attention. I still enjoy the format very much, and I like that we get to see what Sebastian is up to in between the two parts of the story. I'm very curious to see what the last book will be like, and how it will wrap up the series.
January 3, 2021
Just finished my third in the series. It is not a competitor for Harry Potter, but it is a bit addictive. I do want to go ahead and read the next one, but I will wait. In this one, Lily and her friends help the FBI round up her ne'er-do-well wizard father. What a guy he is! Trying to take the world over for wizardry. One way to do that is to impregnate unsuspecting mundane women. Once the children are born, he kidnaps them to raise them to be competent wizards or initiates(non-wizard) off-spring. One thing these wizards can do is create portals that connect to places miles away from where the portal is. Thus, you can step through the portal in Tucson, Arizona, and come out in an art museum in New York City. Now wouldn't that be handy?!
March 16, 2024
This is the book where the series goes from, "this is nice, I'm enjoying this" to "I can't put it down, give me more." The plot hangs together pretty tightly, we get the best Sebastian interlude yet, the best cat snark yet, and we get a pivotal scene for any magic-related book: one where the wizard has to explain magic to the mundane. That conversation is usually a testament to world-building since we can gauge the mundane's reaction and questions and more importantly, Lily's (and ultimately Lydia's) answers.
October 1, 2017
Lots of action
Book three is full of action and there are lots of twists and turns. I like this world and its characters though there are times that Lily is unbelievably naive. Her surprise at some of her father's antics almost stretches credulity since I had figured out his dastardly deeds chapters ago. That would be my only complaint about the book though because otherwise it was a page turner for me.
Book three is full of action and there are lots of twists and turns. I like this world and its characters though there are times that Lily is unbelievably naive. Her surprise at some of her father's antics almost stretches credulity since I had figured out his dastardly deeds chapters ago. That would be my only complaint about the book though because otherwise it was a page turner for me.
March 21, 2022
Great series.
May 3, 2017
Allies was another great book in the Lily Singer series! I really enjoyed this one. I do admit it took me a while to get into the book, not sure why. So the start felt a bit slow, but after having read a chapter or so I really got into the book. By then I quickly got invested and wanted to keep reading. The story picks off shortly after the end of book 2 and deals with the aftermath of what happened at the end of book 2. There's a bad guy they're dealing with and want to try and stop, but some other things as well. We also find out more about what the bad guy is up to and meet some new side characters.
I felt the tone of this book was slightly more serious than the first two books, which made sense given the direction the story took, but at times I did miss the more carefree adventurous feel of the first two books. There were some great developments in this one and I liked seeing where the story went. There's a lot going on and it was great seeing how the characters dealt with this new threat. And with the way things end I am really looking forward to delve into book 4 soon.
Like the first two books, this book is again split up into two episodes with an interlude in between told from Sebastian's point of view. We don't see as much of Sebastian in the first part of the first episode as I would've liked, but it was nice to get the interlude after that and see what Sebastian had been up to in that time. I loved seeing the dynamic between Sebastian and Lily in this book and how they maybe slowly are inching towards admitting their feelings. It's the perfect slow burn romance! And they are so fun to read about.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was seeing Lily change in this book. Having been through some difficult stuff at the end of book 2 she now has to deal with that and I liked how she did her best to adjust her attitude at times. I also felt like she acted very realistically, she doesn't change overnight and she does make the same mistake, if you can call it that, again in this book. But that just seems to make her more human and it's part of her personality. It was great to see how she handled things in this book and I feel like she's really growing into her own. She also learns more about magic and grows in that aspect as well.
This book was again very well written and I love spending time in this world and series. There are new things we learn about the world int his one and also about the magic. There are some interesting things Lily learns and discovers in this book. One things I am not sure what to think of is how some fictional character might have been real after all, not sure why, but it just felt a bit off to me. But really that's only a minor thing. We'll see how I feel about that in the next book as it seems that will play a bigger part then.
This book is filled with new challenges for the characters and I enjoyed seeing how they all faced this. I also loved how we got to see even more of Sir Kipling in this book. It felt like he played an even bigger role and accompanied Lily more often and interfered in her life more often. It was fun as I really like Sir Kipling and his snarky personality.
To summarize: if you love a good urban fantasy series with realistic characters I can't recommend this series enough! This book was another great read and I loved reading about all the changes and developments in this book. We see more of Sir Kipling in this book, which was great. And I really liked seeing Lily change a bit in this book as a result of what she has had to deal with so far. She feels like such a realistic character with flaws and strengths and I enjoyed seeing how she dealt with everything going on. The tone of this book did seem a tad more serious than the first two books, but that makes sense given there dealing with trying to stop a bad guy now. The slow burn romance moves slowly along and I liked seeing the small changes in Lily and Sebastian their relationship. There are some new things to discover about the world and magic and some new side characters that get introduced. It was a great read and by the time I finished this one I was just glad I could start book 4 soon as I wanted more!
I felt the tone of this book was slightly more serious than the first two books, which made sense given the direction the story took, but at times I did miss the more carefree adventurous feel of the first two books. There were some great developments in this one and I liked seeing where the story went. There's a lot going on and it was great seeing how the characters dealt with this new threat. And with the way things end I am really looking forward to delve into book 4 soon.
Like the first two books, this book is again split up into two episodes with an interlude in between told from Sebastian's point of view. We don't see as much of Sebastian in the first part of the first episode as I would've liked, but it was nice to get the interlude after that and see what Sebastian had been up to in that time. I loved seeing the dynamic between Sebastian and Lily in this book and how they maybe slowly are inching towards admitting their feelings. It's the perfect slow burn romance! And they are so fun to read about.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was seeing Lily change in this book. Having been through some difficult stuff at the end of book 2 she now has to deal with that and I liked how she did her best to adjust her attitude at times. I also felt like she acted very realistically, she doesn't change overnight and she does make the same mistake, if you can call it that, again in this book. But that just seems to make her more human and it's part of her personality. It was great to see how she handled things in this book and I feel like she's really growing into her own. She also learns more about magic and grows in that aspect as well.
This book was again very well written and I love spending time in this world and series. There are new things we learn about the world int his one and also about the magic. There are some interesting things Lily learns and discovers in this book. One things I am not sure what to think of is how some fictional character might have been real after all, not sure why, but it just felt a bit off to me. But really that's only a minor thing. We'll see how I feel about that in the next book as it seems that will play a bigger part then.
This book is filled with new challenges for the characters and I enjoyed seeing how they all faced this. I also loved how we got to see even more of Sir Kipling in this book. It felt like he played an even bigger role and accompanied Lily more often and interfered in her life more often. It was fun as I really like Sir Kipling and his snarky personality.
To summarize: if you love a good urban fantasy series with realistic characters I can't recommend this series enough! This book was another great read and I loved reading about all the changes and developments in this book. We see more of Sir Kipling in this book, which was great. And I really liked seeing Lily change a bit in this book as a result of what she has had to deal with so far. She feels like such a realistic character with flaws and strengths and I enjoyed seeing how she dealt with everything going on. The tone of this book did seem a tad more serious than the first two books, but that makes sense given there dealing with trying to stop a bad guy now. The slow burn romance moves slowly along and I liked seeing the small changes in Lily and Sebastian their relationship. There are some new things to discover about the world and magic and some new side characters that get introduced. It was a great read and by the time I finished this one I was just glad I could start book 4 soon as I wanted more!
August 17, 2017
Lily's power hungry father has been busy with dastardly acts. It's up to the Wizarding family to stop his plans of world domination. Their rag tag team doesn't seem like much to fight a powerful wizard like John La Fey but the future of the world depends on them succeeding.
February 11, 2019
As always, Sherrer never fails to deliver. This series somehow manages to always make my reading time fun!
You read my full review for Books 1 to 4 on Camillea Reads here
You read my full review for Books 1 to 4 on Camillea Reads here
August 31, 2020
Well, the third book (which is actually 3 or 4 short books in each book) solidifies that all the characters are just so unpleasant, starring Lily, an "archives manager" who apparently has no idea what an archive is.
Book 1 deals with Lily reestablishing contact with her family. She had a fight with her mother about being a wizard at 17 and hasn't spoken to her in 7 years, or at least, in parts of the books, she hasn't had contact, and in other parts, there have been xmas cards. (Also, I don't understand how she left at 17 and 7 years later she's 23, how she paid for school, and how after 7 years none of her step-sibs have grown up, but I guess we'll suspend our disbelief.) In this book, we find out that she also abandoned her little brother, an abusive move which plunged him into feeling unloved and thinking he must have been a bad brother; he's no longer a happy child, but seems clinically depressed, not that Lily or her trash family notice. But Lily comes back for one night and all is forgiven. Then she realizes her brother's a wizard too, and won't even help to train him. It's really hard to imagine anyone as mean as Lily. She seems to be incapable of love or joy or delight. She has a cat that can talk and all she does is bitch about it. And her family keeps their dogs tied up on the porch all day, the trash bastards.
In Book 2, she attempts contact with her uncle, with the help of Sebastian and her mentor Madame Beresford. Sebastian seems to have more power than both of them put together, but they continue to treat him like garbage. There's also this flirtation with Sebastian. As soon as you think, oh, that's nice, he makes some comment that's like "ish," and I lose all sympathy for him. For instance, they have to hold hands to enter a portal, and he suggests holding something else. Ish. Creepy, not romantic.
In Book 3, which chiefly focuses on Sebastian, we find out that he's stalking Lily, being sexually harassed by the witch Tina (which was casually tossed into the story as if it was cutsy), and has promised his most prized possession to her for her assistance (although it's unclear what assistance she gives) but has no plans to deliver. This book is when the plot starts falling apart. Why does he meet the FBI agent in the warehouse? Why does he expect the police to understand the woman was killed by magic? Why does he send Lily to Anton? Why doesn't Lily ask her mother if Anton Sylvester might be a relative? It's also casually thrown in that her step-father beat the shit out of her brother for lighting a candle in his room, as if this is okey-dokey, reiterating that Lily and her family are complete trash. I'm from the south, it's not an excuse for beating your kids.
Then there's a whole section about the FBI agent and finding and fighting her father, but I don't know if it's a separate book, since I'm on audiobook, I lost the direction there.
The writing has some real promise, it's smooth and articulate, although it occasionally falls into romance-novel speak (eyes do not ever really flash), and the budding romance is tiresome. But I think this author has a great future.
Book 1 deals with Lily reestablishing contact with her family. She had a fight with her mother about being a wizard at 17 and hasn't spoken to her in 7 years, or at least, in parts of the books, she hasn't had contact, and in other parts, there have been xmas cards. (Also, I don't understand how she left at 17 and 7 years later she's 23, how she paid for school, and how after 7 years none of her step-sibs have grown up, but I guess we'll suspend our disbelief.) In this book, we find out that she also abandoned her little brother, an abusive move which plunged him into feeling unloved and thinking he must have been a bad brother; he's no longer a happy child, but seems clinically depressed, not that Lily or her trash family notice. But Lily comes back for one night and all is forgiven. Then she realizes her brother's a wizard too, and won't even help to train him. It's really hard to imagine anyone as mean as Lily. She seems to be incapable of love or joy or delight. She has a cat that can talk and all she does is bitch about it. And her family keeps their dogs tied up on the porch all day, the trash bastards.
In Book 2, she attempts contact with her uncle, with the help of Sebastian and her mentor Madame Beresford. Sebastian seems to have more power than both of them put together, but they continue to treat him like garbage. There's also this flirtation with Sebastian. As soon as you think, oh, that's nice, he makes some comment that's like "ish," and I lose all sympathy for him. For instance, they have to hold hands to enter a portal, and he suggests holding something else. Ish. Creepy, not romantic.
In Book 3, which chiefly focuses on Sebastian, we find out that he's stalking Lily, being sexually harassed by the witch Tina (which was casually tossed into the story as if it was cutsy), and has promised his most prized possession to her for her assistance (although it's unclear what assistance she gives) but has no plans to deliver. This book is when the plot starts falling apart. Why does he meet the FBI agent in the warehouse? Why does he expect the police to understand the woman was killed by magic? Why does he send Lily to Anton? Why doesn't Lily ask her mother if Anton Sylvester might be a relative? It's also casually thrown in that her step-father beat the shit out of her brother for lighting a candle in his room, as if this is okey-dokey, reiterating that Lily and her family are complete trash. I'm from the south, it's not an excuse for beating your kids.
Then there's a whole section about the FBI agent and finding and fighting her father, but I don't know if it's a separate book, since I'm on audiobook, I lost the direction there.
The writing has some real promise, it's smooth and articulate, although it occasionally falls into romance-novel speak (eyes do not ever really flash), and the budding romance is tiresome. But I think this author has a great future.
October 2, 2018
Allies (for Lily, Sebastian, Mrs. B and Sir Kipling)
I enjoyed this book as much as , if not more, than the previous one in the series. Each one has the continuation of the overall storyline, but also unique because of the relationship of the characters. By this time, I feel like they are family or at least friends. Join me reading this delightful series. It is a blast!
I enjoyed this book as much as , if not more, than the previous one in the series. Each one has the continuation of the overall storyline, but also unique because of the relationship of the characters. By this time, I feel like they are family or at least friends. Join me reading this delightful series. It is a blast!
July 20, 2018
This 3rd installment was amazing, we got to see a lot more action and romance.
I loved it !!! Cant wait to read the 4th one!
I loved it !!! Cant wait to read the 4th one!
July 27, 2017
Lydia Sherrer kept me on the edge of my seat in the 3rd book of the Lily Singer Adventures. There are twists and turns and moments when I wanted to jump into the book and tag along. I enjoyed it immensely and I can't wait to read Book Number 4!
January 22, 2022
Omg, I'm almost done with this sad excuse of a continuation. Good lord, how many times do you have to repeat the same 5 things over and over and over again?? It's like when you're trying to write an essay and you need to reach a certain number of words so you just repeat everything in different ways literally EVERYWHERE with inane descriptions of absolutely. Every. Single. Movement these people make. You can't have tea in this series without it being described every single time in excruciating and unnecessary detail. Yes, you started us off with the FIRST one describing their pastimes and whatever, we really don't need a reminder every 20 pages of how Lily and Mm. Barrington take their godforsaken tea and sweets with Sebastian's issues cropping up whenever there's space, along with Lily's extremely childish, and thoroughly annoying, personality making molehills out of anthills. Good lord, she has the most infuriating personality I've ever read, she is so concerned about herself, constantly admonishing everything and everyone around her, including herself, because of her "southern properness" that reads just as fake as her made-up problems that could be summarized and solved in less than 2 pages (but surprise surprise, it takes her a WHOPPING whole arc spanning 2 books for her to figure out wtf her deal with her feelings is, jeez!!).
Sad part is that I enjoyed the first book, I mostly enjoyed the talking cat who has the most sense and level head besides Mm. B in the entire franchise. So I was expecting the second and third installments to be more fun but, the more I keep reading, the more annoyed I get at Lily's absolute sorry excuse for a female protagonist: annoying, stupid, naive without a reason to be, supposedly smart who makes the stupidest mistakes over and over again only to be saved by plot armor, incredibly mean to anyone who DARES to have the slightest opinion that she's doing something she shouldn't. You know, if she hadn't been a librarian working at the University she graduated from, I would've thought she was just some random person who'd grown up in a solitary psych ward for the better part of her life because she is absolutely flat with made up problems to "liven" her up some rather than giving her, you know, actual understandable human traits.
I'm suddenly hating the idea of having gotten the whole series, but it was at a discount, so no harm. But jeez, I haven't been this mad at a series in a long time, maybe someday I'll be able to finish this bad, B-roll, TV-like series. I hope I have a better review for when that time comes. As for now, I'm giving up after this book. Unless someone can tell me that Lily actually gives up her stupid late blooming teenage angst in the next installment, I'm done with this.
Sad part is that I enjoyed the first book, I mostly enjoyed the talking cat who has the most sense and level head besides Mm. B in the entire franchise. So I was expecting the second and third installments to be more fun but, the more I keep reading, the more annoyed I get at Lily's absolute sorry excuse for a female protagonist: annoying, stupid, naive without a reason to be, supposedly smart who makes the stupidest mistakes over and over again only to be saved by plot armor, incredibly mean to anyone who DARES to have the slightest opinion that she's doing something she shouldn't. You know, if she hadn't been a librarian working at the University she graduated from, I would've thought she was just some random person who'd grown up in a solitary psych ward for the better part of her life because she is absolutely flat with made up problems to "liven" her up some rather than giving her, you know, actual understandable human traits.
I'm suddenly hating the idea of having gotten the whole series, but it was at a discount, so no harm. But jeez, I haven't been this mad at a series in a long time, maybe someday I'll be able to finish this bad, B-roll, TV-like series. I hope I have a better review for when that time comes. As for now, I'm giving up after this book. Unless someone can tell me that Lily actually gives up her stupid late blooming teenage angst in the next installment, I'm done with this.
May 7, 2017
As I continue my habit of reading books in series out of order, this is book three of the Lily Singer adventures. Sebastian and Lily are, however reluctantly, starting to face up to their feelings about each other. Even Madam Barrington is beginning to be forced to reevaluate her opinion of Sebastian.
All this reexamining is helped along by the fact that Lily now knows a good deal of the information about her past that first her mother and then her mentor, Madam Barrington, had kept from her in a not altogether well-thought-out plan "for her own protection."
Sebastian is still keeping secrets "for her own good." Her new maybe-boyfriend, FBI Agent Richard Grant, is also keeping secrets, and some of that may also be "for her own good," although some of it is just for the sake of his case.
What adds insult to injury is that her cat, Sir Edgar Allan Kipling, is in cahoots with Sebastian to protect her...
You can see why Lily might be getting a little bit frustrated with people in her life trying to protect her by keeping secrets.
Lily is trying to be more confident and assertive. Sebastian is trying to be more thoughtful about what Lily really wants.
But the big issue is that they're discovering that Lily's father, John Faust LeFay, has been kidnapping children for years. The fact that he's recently kidnapped his brother, Lily's Uncle Allen, is a minor point by comparison.
It's a story that keeps moving, and things keep happening, and you won't get bored. Still just a light, entertaining read, but still a lot of fun.
Recommended.
All this reexamining is helped along by the fact that Lily now knows a good deal of the information about her past that first her mother and then her mentor, Madam Barrington, had kept from her in a not altogether well-thought-out plan "for her own protection."
Sebastian is still keeping secrets "for her own good." Her new maybe-boyfriend, FBI Agent Richard Grant, is also keeping secrets, and some of that may also be "for her own good," although some of it is just for the sake of his case.
What adds insult to injury is that her cat, Sir Edgar Allan Kipling, is in cahoots with Sebastian to protect her...
You can see why Lily might be getting a little bit frustrated with people in her life trying to protect her by keeping secrets.
Lily is trying to be more confident and assertive. Sebastian is trying to be more thoughtful about what Lily really wants.
But the big issue is that they're discovering that Lily's father, John Faust LeFay, has been kidnapping children for years. The fact that he's recently kidnapped his brother, Lily's Uncle Allen, is a minor point by comparison.
It's a story that keeps moving, and things keep happening, and you won't get bored. Still just a light, entertaining read, but still a lot of fun.
Recommended.
January 19, 2025
Yet again, Lydia Sherrer's 'Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus' series had me fixated on the pages of Book 3: 'Allies'.
This, too, was well named, as Lily gathers her friends, and allies, around her, in order to find out as much information as possible, about her father, John Faust L'Fey, and his dreadful plans to make Wizard-kind rulers over the 'Mundanes', or those without magic!
There are plenty of secrets being held back, that Lily has to find out, before she can truly trust everyone involved in helping her, and also plenty of shocks along the way, as she delves, ever deeper, into her father's labyrinthine life.
But, more than anything, as she learns each awful step that John has taken, in his mad quest for supreme power, Lily is determined to stop him at any cost to herself.
To do this, she knows that those who have gathered to help her, are more important than ever before, if she is to do what's needed to stop the mad plans of the megalomaniac, she has to call her father!
I really enjoyed reading this book, to the point that, once again, it's Silly O'Clock in the morning as I finish it. Because of this, I'm desperate to go straight on to Book 4: 'Legends', in order to follow on in Lily's journey - this time, to England, as she follows in her fleeing father's footsteps.
But, once I've had some sleep, I'll do so and, once I reach the end of this next book, I'll catch you on the flip side, to let you know what I think of this next stage of Lily, Sebastian, and Sir Edward Allan Kipling's, journey!
This, too, was well named, as Lily gathers her friends, and allies, around her, in order to find out as much information as possible, about her father, John Faust L'Fey, and his dreadful plans to make Wizard-kind rulers over the 'Mundanes', or those without magic!
There are plenty of secrets being held back, that Lily has to find out, before she can truly trust everyone involved in helping her, and also plenty of shocks along the way, as she delves, ever deeper, into her father's labyrinthine life.
But, more than anything, as she learns each awful step that John has taken, in his mad quest for supreme power, Lily is determined to stop him at any cost to herself.
To do this, she knows that those who have gathered to help her, are more important than ever before, if she is to do what's needed to stop the mad plans of the megalomaniac, she has to call her father!
I really enjoyed reading this book, to the point that, once again, it's Silly O'Clock in the morning as I finish it. Because of this, I'm desperate to go straight on to Book 4: 'Legends', in order to follow on in Lily's journey - this time, to England, as she follows in her fleeing father's footsteps.
But, once I've had some sleep, I'll do so and, once I reach the end of this next book, I'll catch you on the flip side, to let you know what I think of this next stage of Lily, Sebastian, and Sir Edward Allan Kipling's, journey!
December 14, 2019
I honestly bought this book because I was in a Reading challenge at my public library and one of the challenges was to read a book set in your hometown. I was born in Atlanta and that is where Lily Singer, wizard and Library Archivist lives and works.
I read the book in two days and then over the next week finished the entire published series. And the next week finished the spinoff books.
The books are a simple and fun read and I am a pretty fast reader. The story is compelling and the the main characters are fun. What is a lot of fun is the dialogue between awkward Lily, charming Sebastian and Lily’s snarky talking cat (although he doesn’t start talking till book 2).
Having read all the books and the next one out in a month, I have done a reread and I’m busy developing my theories for Book 6. Clues are there and some red herrings. As I work on the theories, and check back though the books I have found more.
The books could be read stand alone, since explanations of the world are there, but that would only be half the fun.
I highly recommend. This series brings me back to the Harry Potter days of reading non stop, then going over the books with a fine toothed comb to figure out what was ahead, but in much shorter books.
I m so glad this was in my library challenge, since I most likely would not have bought the book to start with.
I read the book in two days and then over the next week finished the entire published series. And the next week finished the spinoff books.
The books are a simple and fun read and I am a pretty fast reader. The story is compelling and the the main characters are fun. What is a lot of fun is the dialogue between awkward Lily, charming Sebastian and Lily’s snarky talking cat (although he doesn’t start talking till book 2).
Having read all the books and the next one out in a month, I have done a reread and I’m busy developing my theories for Book 6. Clues are there and some red herrings. As I work on the theories, and check back though the books I have found more.
The books could be read stand alone, since explanations of the world are there, but that would only be half the fun.
I highly recommend. This series brings me back to the Harry Potter days of reading non stop, then going over the books with a fine toothed comb to figure out what was ahead, but in much shorter books.
I m so glad this was in my library challenge, since I most likely would not have bought the book to start with.
December 5, 2022
The main character is Lily Singer, a young librarian and archivist of a women's college in Atlanta. She is also a wizard, and caretaker of a secret wizard's archives. In the last book she had finally met her long lost father, only to be taken prisoner by him as he attempts to create some new master race of wizards. In this book Lily and her allies try to track down her father who is also being sought by the FBI. Adventure calls, despite the fact that Lily would like nothing more than to stay home with her cat, read a book and drink tea. She is aided by her best friend, Sabastian Blackwood, her mentor Mrs. B, and her sarcastic talking cat. Their search leads to her discovering her uncle, who she had never known. From there things go horribly wrong and Lily is forced to fight to save her friends and try to defeat her father. Along the way she learns a great deal about herself. This was a great book with amusing characters and a suspenseful story line with lots of twists and surprises. I would recommend this to all fans Harry Potter and The Hobbit.
August 21, 2023
3.5 rounded up.
This is a YA fantasy book, which is a combination of two things I normally avoid, so please keep that in mind.
As others mentioned, the story does get a bit darker in book 3 (this made me happy). I found the plot development kept me moving forward, though there is a lot of conversation vs. action.
The thing I like the least about the overall series so far is the (in my opinion) incredibly 'youthful' interactions that make up the romance angle. It just feels like two teenagers barely getting to know what a crush is.
And what I like the most? Sir Kipling, still. It shows that Sherrer truly adores this character because he has the most identifiable,enjoyable personality of the bunch. It's really fun to listen to him nag, lol.
Overall, this is good for what it is. I just don't like YA stories, and yeah, I never gravitate towards the fantasy genre. (Yet here we are, lol. )
This is a YA fantasy book, which is a combination of two things I normally avoid, so please keep that in mind.
As others mentioned, the story does get a bit darker in book 3 (this made me happy). I found the plot development kept me moving forward, though there is a lot of conversation vs. action.
The thing I like the least about the overall series so far is the (in my opinion) incredibly 'youthful' interactions that make up the romance angle. It just feels like two teenagers barely getting to know what a crush is.
And what I like the most? Sir Kipling, still. It shows that Sherrer truly adores this character because he has the most identifiable,enjoyable personality of the bunch. It's really fun to listen to him nag, lol.
Overall, this is good for what it is. I just don't like YA stories, and yeah, I never gravitate towards the fantasy genre. (Yet here we are, lol. )
July 24, 2024
After the harrowing escape from her evil father’s clutches, Lily recuperates with her mother and stepfather and their family. She gets to know her younger step and half siblings again, and convinces her mother that they need to protect them from her evil father, who will likely seek revenge. Her young half-brother is maturing and showing signs of being a wizard. She and Madame Barrington try to locate Lily’s father, John Faust LeFay, through his younger brother Allen, another powerful wizard.
In the meantime, an FBI agent has been eager to date Lily - but then she discovers he has a motive. She cuts things off with him, but discovers she needs him to help put her father out of his child kidnapping scheme, in which he’s trying to develop a strong wizard race to dominate the world. The book is quite long, but there’s a lot of action, which kept me listening. Some story lines are wrapped up, but since John LeFay and his two younger children escape, the saga goes on.
In the meantime, an FBI agent has been eager to date Lily - but then she discovers he has a motive. She cuts things off with him, but discovers she needs him to help put her father out of his child kidnapping scheme, in which he’s trying to develop a strong wizard race to dominate the world. The book is quite long, but there’s a lot of action, which kept me listening. Some story lines are wrapped up, but since John LeFay and his two younger children escape, the saga goes on.
August 11, 2022
Like this series very much, especially the sassy cat comments. (Cat Magic) This edition has a great cover - see the cat and the crab facing off. I like all these monochrome/silhouette covers much better than the full-color versions. These are the essence of fantasy, encouraging our imaginations.
My 4-star rating means I enjoyed this book/series very much, and will keep it handy for re-reading.
(I save 5 stars for top all-time favorites.)
I'm working my way through this series a couple of volumes/month, as I can afford them. And, unlike most series, which have to be read all at once, in order to keep track of what's going on, I remain very involved with these characters from month to month. The most important test of good writing - that the characters live in my mind like distant family.
My 4-star rating means I enjoyed this book/series very much, and will keep it handy for re-reading.
(I save 5 stars for top all-time favorites.)
I'm working my way through this series a couple of volumes/month, as I can afford them. And, unlike most series, which have to be read all at once, in order to keep track of what's going on, I remain very involved with these characters from month to month. The most important test of good writing - that the characters live in my mind like distant family.
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