Liars liars liars yeah, they're gonna getchoo

Well FIRST of all, did I ever tell you that story of how I HATE BEING TOLD NO??

Because Netgalley (may they burn in hell) DENIED ME when I requested an advance copy of  Liars' Legacy, Jack & Jill #2 by Taylor Stevens - ME, can you believe it? There should be a law against that if you ask me.
Also I hate and fear rejection, so there's that.

Never let it be said that I'm a quitter though.
I DO NOT PLAY. I GOT ME AN ARC TO READ.

This *could* be read as a standalone, but if I'm being honest the action starts RIGHT FROM THE OPEN and it's complex with several players, and I feel like you would be more comfortable sliding right into the story if you read Liars' Paradox FIRST.
Otherwise the first 1/3 of the book might be a bit confusing as you try to figure out the main players, as it picks up just past where the last book finished, which I LOOOVE.
(go get Liars' Paradox on your Kindle - only $2.99 right now! I'll wait.)

The only thing I can reasonably compare this to is the fun of a John Wick assassin free-for-all, and as we all know, I have a soft spot for the assassins.

This way you'll be all caught up by the time Liars' Legacy is published on December 31st, and it'll be like binge-watching your favorite show that only has two season dropped on Hulu so far but with books.

ALSO I just want to acknowledge and thank Taylor Stevens for letting me be her secret muse, because I KNEW as soon as I read these two lines: "mostly because she wasn't the type that people wanted to have as a friend," and "analog agent working in a digital world," that CLEARLY I was the inspiration here. IT ME.
(okay so maybe I wasn't even a thought near her mind but YOU DON'T KNOW IT COULD BE ME SO SHUTTIE)

In the first book, I found the main characters more intriguing, interesting, layered, and engaging rather than actually likable, which is totally okay for me - I don't have to like you to pay attention to you.  They've grown on me though, for sure, and they're even more fascinating in this new book.
They matter to me even more - I got invested in their lives.

The peeling away of layers of deception and disguise and the quick-change artistry.
The advance thinking chess-like 'game' that is their lifestyle, out of habit AND necessity.
They're pretty freaking brilliant, but with all too real weaknesses and flaws.

With a few more players added, with their own quirks and habits and weirdness and love of violence, well it just brings some more depth, some more layers, to the story.

There is so much conflict, both internal and external, that you really do want to just speed through and keep reading to get to the end as fast as possible because YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.  Remember when you got that OG Super Mario World on Super Nintendo and you didn't sleep for like four days because you had to go JUST ONE MORE level, beat one more boss? Like that.

As you know, I'm not fixin' to give you any more plotline or story than that, because YOU WILL READ IT FOR YOURSELF and I would hate to accidentally spoil it for you. *evil laugh*

Save enough on the Gift Card that is sure to be in your stocking and pre-order, because the publishing date is December 31 and if you're old AF like me, you will want to spend your New Year's Eve snuggled up in a blankie with a hot toddy (or Bailey's Vanilla Cinnamon on the rocks, YUM), with a new good book and the Rockin' NY Eve countdown muted on the TeeVee, ringin' the new year in RIGHT.

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Also don't forget all those people you know with birthdays in January and February - the perfect gift would be both Liars' books!
Is all I'm saying.

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**disclaimery things: I used my ninja-like stealth skills to hack someone's account and read THEIR netgalley approved request of this book SO TAKE THAT NETGALLEY HA!
***Okay that is a total bold-faced lie but it sounds cool anyway. A friend did let me read an ARC from NG because I can totally be the world's biggest pest and eventually you'll do what I want just to escape the waterboard-like torture I can inflict upon a person without even breaking a sweat. It's a talent.

♫ He's The Wild One, ooh yeah he's a real wild child.

I KNOW - you thought I was never going to get this review up!

I was going to be all "I savored this book like a fine wine" so I could sound fancy but seriously who am I kidding, everyone knows I like $5 screw top sweet wine.

I could drink like a whole bottle of that right now. 

OR MAYBE I ALREADY DID, YOU DON'T KNOW.

I *was* however reading with my Picky Eyes because doy, ARC, uncorrected!
Those take me a little longer because I have to force myself to slow down and not zoom through unbarriered and gobble it all up at once.

**Transparency disclaimer: I have to admit this is a leeeetle bit of a Gimme because I knew going in that I was going to looooove this as much as I do the other #PeterAsh books, unless of course somehow author NickPetrie sustained some sort of subdural hematoma or other brain injury or split personality disorder (OMG IT IS SO A THING SHUT UP YOU DO NOT KNOW BECAUSE ARE YOU A DOCTOR? NO YOU ARE NOT) and completely changed the character and his writing style. Luckily for me us fans- and Nick himself of course- that does not appear to have happened.

You know I read a LO O O O OT of different series, they're my favorites. You've seen my book lists and recommendations and I have argued belligerently had discussions with nimrods people who DO NOT RE-READ THEIR BOOKS AND HOW IS THAT EVEN ALLOWED?
Seriously, when you're in a certain mood and want to have certain feels, you reach for the comforting words of THIS author and THAT particular book in the series because it is full of what you need to cure what ails you, at least for a moment when you are lost in the story.

Okay wait, this is not at all where I was going.
Series (serieses? series'?), right.

Out of the tens of...I don't even know how many...series I've read, there are less than a handful that I've ever thought, "No, THIS is the best one!" after every. single. book.
And then came Peter Ash.
And once again, the newest book is my newest favorite of the series.

This one doesn't even have much of a buildup to the action - chapter two and BAM! it was right in my face and I was anxious and curious and wondering and worrying.
I worry about Peter, you know. I get anxious for him. I FRET over him and the things he goes through and feels and thinks.
There are hints of dark humor in fight scenes that made me laugh out loud.
One of my favorite lines in the book tickled me because of the context and also gave me a deeper appreciation for my beloved thick hardback first editions, "You can't do that with a paperback."
At one point I was racing along, caught up in the story that I knew was leading right to the climax which made me a little sad because that's nearly the end and then I looked and THERE WAS WAAAYYY TOO MUCH BOOK LEFT AND WHAT ELSE COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN HERE AND PASS ME THE ZOLOFT.
And that is how I know that the author is an excellent writer and the book is an excellent book.

Yeah, that's pretty much all the actual book information you're getting because it is so much more fun to uncover it for yourself WHILE YOU READ IT, right?
All you need to do is trust me (which you should already be doing) and start reading.

I pretty much dig these loners that aren't superheroes, they're not perfect, they're full of hard edges and rough layers and sometimes they fuck shit up either accidentally or on purpose, they can be emotionally crippled or unavailable and I am getting so turned on right now.
#PeterAsh - If lovin' is you is wrong, I DON'T WANNA BE RIGHT.

Wait. Where was I going with that? I keep getting off track.

What I meant was regardless of all that, they try to do the right thing  and do it the best way they know how, and that is why I love them.
Plus I am so much of all that myself so I feel like we have a lot in common only I am not nearly as skilled in combat or self-preservation BUT I COULD BE SOME DAY so you better just watch yourself, missy.

ALSO I learn stuff from these books so technically Nick Petrie IS MAKING ME SMARTER.
These books are educational you know!
Plus it was pretty groovy that this book was featuring Iceland and last year I did a book review that referenced Iceland and some of its practices which only proves that WE ARE RIDING THE SAME WAVELENGTH BRO which makes me even cooler, so.

I'm not going to tell you to GO PREORDER THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW! because if you're a fan and you're smart then you've already done that in anticipation.
I AM going to tell you that if you haven't read this series yet, START RIGHT HERE right now.

Lookit I'm giving you plenty of advance notice so that you can start reading at the beginning and get caught up by the time this new one is on the market January 14th and you'll have those Christmas gift cards burning a hole in your pocket and now I've given you the precious gift of how to spend them and saved you all the dithering.
YOU ARE WELCOME.
Now go do what I say and don't make me come looking for you because neither of us wants that.
For different reasons. #Lazy

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**secondary disclaimer: I was given a free ARC of this book because I pestered the author for several months and I am receiving no other compensation except the glory of getting to read it before most everyone else. I did possibly swear a blood oath (willingly and without being asked, in fact, there might have been some kind of protestation against it but I didn't pay any mind to that) to give an honest review for that privilege. Now I might lie to you about some things in life (well OF COURSE those pants don't make your butt look more like a whole junkYARD in the trunk)(and sure, love ya too, mmhmm whatever) but I would never ever commit the egregious sin of lying to you about a book.
I'M NOT A MONSTER YOU KNOW.