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Harrow Faire #2
The Puppeteer
Silver strings she can’t outrun…her trouble now has just begun.
After Cora Glass’s life was stolen by Harrow Faire, things just keep going from bad to worse. Unable to run, unable to escape, there seems to be no way to avoid what she’s become—the Contortionist. But a girl can only take so much.
Haunted by an abandoned and seemingly sentient circus? Fine.
The life of her best friend threatened unless she sacrificed herself? Fine.
Tormented and stalked by a grinning madman who wanted to kill her, and now wants to do worse? That’s where Cora has to draw the line.
As she struggles with the knowledge that magic is real and she will never go home again, she is also forced to contend with the advances of a man who may be the devil himself. And just like the tales of old, she finds herself drawn to him. If only Harrow Faire would slow down and give her a second to catch her breath.
Too bad that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.
__________________
If you’re drawn to compelling villains and sinister love stories, The Puppeteer—book two of the Harrow Faire series by Kathryn Ann Kingsley—is your next book obsession! Dark fantasy and occult horror blend seamlessly with romance in this gripping page-turner!
After Cora Glass’s life was stolen by Harrow Faire, things just keep going from bad to worse. Unable to run, unable to escape, there seems to be no way to avoid what she’s become—the Contortionist. But a girl can only take so much.
Haunted by an abandoned and seemingly sentient circus? Fine.
The life of her best friend threatened unless she sacrificed herself? Fine.
Tormented and stalked by a grinning madman who wanted to kill her, and now wants to do worse? That’s where Cora has to draw the line.
As she struggles with the knowledge that magic is real and she will never go home again, she is also forced to contend with the advances of a man who may be the devil himself. And just like the tales of old, she finds herself drawn to him. If only Harrow Faire would slow down and give her a second to catch her breath.
Too bad that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.
__________________
If you’re drawn to compelling villains and sinister love stories, The Puppeteer—book two of the Harrow Faire series by Kathryn Ann Kingsley—is your next book obsession! Dark fantasy and occult horror blend seamlessly with romance in this gripping page-turner!
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 20, 2020
About the author
Kathryn Ann Kingsley
66 books2,197 followersKathryn has always been a storyteller. Years of scriptwriting for performances on stage and for tourism in Boston led her to writing romantically dark, fantastical tales, which was an obsession of hers that began once seeing The Phantom of the Opera at a young age.
When she isn’t penning new villainous leads, she works in video game development. There, she has been everything from Creative Director to Chief of Staff, Design Manager, Executive Producer, and Principal Writer for various companies in the industry.
She shares her antique home with three very fluffy animals and one very patient and loving husband.
When she isn’t penning new villainous leads, she works in video game development. There, she has been everything from Creative Director to Chief of Staff, Design Manager, Executive Producer, and Principal Writer for various companies in the industry.
She shares her antique home with three very fluffy animals and one very patient and loving husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
October 1, 2020
So was chomping at the bit after that dramatic finale in the previous book and was so excited to jump back on board this crazy train and here we get to see the eventual fallout and got to say
Wow Wow Wow!!!!
I loved this and I bloody adore Simon just so much he is so sinisterly sneaky.
A complete enigma whose as certifiably mad as he is at times lucid his lunacy is just as appealing to me as all his other varied quality’s.
He has one of those vibes where you know you shouldn’t as he’s definitely dangerous and bad for your health but you just can’t help stick your fingers in the fire to feel the heat all the same.
I adored his total disregard for the other members of the Faire and their authority.
And I frankly couldn't find it within myself to really blame him for his animosity towards them, its totally warranted, their past treatment has hardly been warm and friendly and each has certainly played there own part in who he has now become.
I especially liked seeing him stick it to them and was cheering him on from the sidelines.
I even think at times he feels a tiny bit hurt by there open venom deep deep down that is and he’s never going to actually admit to it of course.
So Simon was definitely in total denial regarding his growing connection to Cora.
Trying to rationalise it away as lust or just a fleeting obsession.
She makes him vulnerable and he closed that part of himself off years ago as a coping mechanism and also a form of self-preservation.
This and his previous punishment in the tower has resulted in his totally shattered psyche.
And this is where Simons shadow comes in to play and he does so like to do that, play that is.
I felt a great deal for that part of Simon it’s like most of the good parts have been separated into this entity that’s him but also not and now it’s taken on a life all of its own.
And behind this projection of Simon is all that makes him feel, care, yearn and hope and what’s left behind from this is all the darker pieces of Simon like his malice and his selfishness and his utter unpredictable cruel outbursts.
He’s as changeable as the weather and can flip on a dime, he’s the literal definition of a split personality.
He’s an unapologetic villain and I can’t help being drawn to this puppeteer in all his eccentricity.
And Simons shadow I adored just as much as his namesake he was just so mischievous and full-on and at times so bloody hilarious and totally wicked.
When he was playing with Cora’s shadow inappropriately so amusing.
He is totally harmless but also desperately lonely and neglected wanting attention and he his is instantly besotted and Charmed with Cora.
So let’s talk Simon and Cora's banter together, It was brilliant and the outrageous things that come out of Simon’s mouth oh my they made me smile so much the man has absolutely no filter whatsoever.
So what started here as a way for Simon to keep Cora Close and recover the piece of himself he lost to her well gradually became so much more for him, he really didn’t mean to catch more of those pesky feelings but it was just inevitable really and Cora doesn’t stand a chance.
This slowly and expertly builds the tension and the chemistry here is off the charts.
It sizzles off the page and hits its mark totally and this is before we’ve even got to any real spice.
Cora is definitely fighting a losing battle and she is drawn to Simon despite her valid grievances against him.
She is attracted to all his devious darkness and she can’t help reluctantly liking and being amused by him despite her many protests otherwise.
So while in the first book I felt we got to know Cora here I felt it was Simons turn to shine and we now get more of a sense of the who and why of him.
We get brief glimpses of a more caring side to Simon at least in regards to Cora.
He is still a total villain but one with some added heart and we do get to see slight cracks in his outward armour.
I’m especially looking forward to the next instalment in this series, the whole concept here is ever so unusual and completely fascinating to me.
I raced through this in one sitting and this was well written and totally captived me throughout.
This author has become one of my favourites and is now a definite auto-buy for me.
She manages to produce such brilliant and striking anti-hero’s that I find myself rooting for 100%.
The villain in my opinion is way more interesting and enticing than the hero.
This gets a big thumbs up I totally recommend this series especially If you like something a bit different from the norm it’s fabulous and if I could give this more than 5 stars I would, I was totally in the zone throughout and this ticked every one of my boxes.
I now need the next instalment like yesterday, I voluntary reviewed a copy of The Puppeteer (Harrow Faire #2)
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
October 9, 2022
I’m having really conflicting feelings about this series so far… on the one hand, I love the circus / fair ground setting - that’s why I picked it up in the first place despite knowing nothing else about the story. It’s magical and dark and intriguing and I want to see more of it and the characters which is why I keep reading. I want to learn so so so much more about the other members of the Family!
The Puppeteer as a villain is terrifying but as a love interest I just feel incredibly uncomfortable. He’s a typical narcissistic abuser and reminds me a little too much of what I’ve experienced myself. Yes, he’s charming and attractive and you feel like you have amazing chemistry but he’s also violent, aggressive, jealous, possessive, makes threats, has delusions of grandiosity and doesn’t understand boundaries or how to respect people. He terrifies me but not for the reasons I think the author intended.
The only way I think I’d be ok with this series ending are if a) Cora doesn’t end up with Simon at all or b) Simon goes through some magical transformation (joining back with his shadow perhaps? Although his shadow also has issues and blatantly doesn’t understand consent either) and losing all his abusive traits and expresses genuine remorse for his behaviour. Otherwise, it just feels like it’s glamorising abuse and makes for a very, very difficult read as a survivor of abuse and domestic violence myself.
The Puppeteer as a villain is terrifying but as a love interest I just feel incredibly uncomfortable. He’s a typical narcissistic abuser and reminds me a little too much of what I’ve experienced myself. Yes, he’s charming and attractive and you feel like you have amazing chemistry but he’s also violent, aggressive, jealous, possessive, makes threats, has delusions of grandiosity and doesn’t understand boundaries or how to respect people. He terrifies me but not for the reasons I think the author intended.
The only way I think I’d be ok with this series ending are if a) Cora doesn’t end up with Simon at all or b) Simon goes through some magical transformation (joining back with his shadow perhaps? Although his shadow also has issues and blatantly doesn’t understand consent either) and losing all his abusive traits and expresses genuine remorse for his behaviour. Otherwise, it just feels like it’s glamorising abuse and makes for a very, very difficult read as a survivor of abuse and domestic violence myself.
November 27, 2022
I really enjoyed this second installment in the Harrow Faire series. Kingsley has created a unique and interesting world here and I loved feeling immersed in it, even when it creeped me out. Much of this book is devoted to Cora struggling to accept her situation, adjust to her place in the circus/faire, and reconcile the attraction she has to Simon, despite everything.
Simon is a villain with charm, who you can’t help but like even when you’re hating him. He’s temperamental, darkly humorous, and not entirely sane. He has an amusingly antagonistic relationship with his own shadow—a shadow who represents a part of him and behaves like a separate, sentient being.
Simon is very JP, with overt “touch her and die” vibes, and his jealously even extends to his own shadow:
“I’m losing my mind…” It was the only explanation. She was going insane. This was all a psychotic break.While Cora tries to adapt, Simon is battling with himself over his feelings toward her. Having any kind of softness towards someone is a foreign feeling to him and not entirely welcome. Despite this, Simon constantly inserts himself into Cora’s space, like a dog marking his territory. He’s obsessed, even if he doesn’t want to be.
“No, Cora. You’re not. That really happened.” Jack reached out and placed his hand on her arm, rubbing it gently. “He shot you. You died. But you just…came back.”
Simon is a villain with charm, who you can’t help but like even when you’re hating him. He’s temperamental, darkly humorous, and not entirely sane. He has an amusingly antagonistic relationship with his own shadow—a shadow who represents a part of him and behaves like a separate, sentient being.
Simon is very JP, with overt “touch her and die” vibes, and his jealously even extends to his own shadow:
“I never thought I’d be jealous of my own fractured psyche, but here we are. Oh, how the world seeks to debase me at every turn. Ah, well.”I liked that Cora has no problem speaking up for herself. Despite seeing the horrors Simon is capable of, she’s not afraid to stand up to him or dish out some violence of her own, which Simon finds he does not dislike:
“I’m proud of you, cupcake. Standing up to me like that…If they see you unafraid to face me down, no one will mess with you. I’m not upset. Dress me down all you want in public, because someday soon you’ll let me dress you down in private.”This book was still slow-burn as far as the romance went but I liked the journey so much I didn’t even mind, and the banter between Cora and Simon was entertaining.
“When I wanted you in my lap, I wasn’t expecting this was how you’d wind up there.”I can’t wait to see where things go from here!
“Go fuck yourself with a corn dog.”
“Sounds squishy. But I suppose if you’re into that, I’m willing to try anything once.” He snickered as she slapped his chest. His arms tightened around her just a little.
August 8, 2021
Book 49/52
Hate your cage. Find another. Build it with your own bare hands if you must- but understand that it is a cage all the same.
genre: fantasy horror
age: adult
Review: To start this off: this is a book with a dark romance, if you don't like those, don't read this.
I'm obsessed with these books!! Simon is such a problematic character, and the relationship is honestly horrifying if it would be a real-life relationship, but I can't help but love him. He is everything I would hate in real life: he is creepy, possessive and obsessive to the point that I don't understand why Cora isn't more afraid of him, yet here I am swooning over all the scenes that he is actually cute and nice with her and trying to make her feel better. He is such a complex and interesting character, and I'm hoping that his background and earlier life get's explained more. So, SO good.
Trigger warnings: rape by a boyfriend and not being believed, mention of torture, being shot, gore
August 19, 2021
I’m having a blast with this series!! 💃 Simon is a perfect villain, so completely smitten with Cora (who’s a total badass) that it’s simultaneously disturbing and adorable. 😍 I love them, both as individual characters and as a couple — such incendiary attraction! 🔥 The slow burn is killing me, but I’m enjoying it too much to care.
October 5, 2020
Perfect as always. I was smiling throughout the book. Can't wait for the next book. And I LOVED his shadow, I wanted to hug him.
February 20, 2021
The Puppeteer is a pretty good next installment of The Harrow Faire series. The second book finds Cora as a part of the faire. She’s the new contortionist and family member. Simon spends most of the book introducing her to how the magical faire works. They cannot die, age, or escape. Might as well perform and enjoy the free food. Cora isn’t so sure. It takes her a very long time to come to terms with this new development. Pretty much the whole book. She tries to talk with Mr. Harrow, pleading with him to let her go. He writes cryptic notes back to her, something he doesn’t do for everyone. A mystery for another book.
Cora has been a broken soul for many reasons, which allows her the ability to find a great deal of empathy for others who have broken souls: Simon, Shadow(who I utterly adore), the clown. We get a glimpse of Simon’s life before the faire. Oh, what he could have been! I think that’s the best part of this book - the feelings of empathy and understanding between the characters. There really isn’t any action. Nothing much happens until the end, but that’s not what keeps a reader’s attention when the characters jump off the page and into your imagination.
Kingsley creates such interesting fantasy worlds. While there may be amazing or even beautiful elements to her worlds, there are always deep, dark undercurrents and sometimes overtones. She weaves a tale that will keep me coming back for more. I’m worried about where she’s going but I guess I’ll keep walking down the unlit path through the dark forest. Let’s see where this goes...
Cora has been a broken soul for many reasons, which allows her the ability to find a great deal of empathy for others who have broken souls: Simon, Shadow(who I utterly adore), the clown. We get a glimpse of Simon’s life before the faire. Oh, what he could have been! I think that’s the best part of this book - the feelings of empathy and understanding between the characters. There really isn’t any action. Nothing much happens until the end, but that’s not what keeps a reader’s attention when the characters jump off the page and into your imagination.
Kingsley creates such interesting fantasy worlds. While there may be amazing or even beautiful elements to her worlds, there are always deep, dark undercurrents and sometimes overtones. She weaves a tale that will keep me coming back for more. I’m worried about where she’s going but I guess I’ll keep walking down the unlit path through the dark forest. Let’s see where this goes...
March 18, 2024
5/5⭐ 2/5🌶️ 😱3/5
"Silver strings she can’t outrun…her trouble now has just begun..."
We pick up where we left off in Book 1 (The Contortionist): Cora is stuck in the Faire, having heard that her existence has seized to be in the real world. She now has the new family to meet - all the circus "resident" performers.
Cora gets to know her villain better, as well as his shadow - in fact, she is starting to develop a relationship of sorts with both of them. She battles her attraction to him, and let's just say, the tension is rising ♨️. Cora also gets to start exploring her life without the constant pain, and also her life as an actual Contortionist. The girl can fold herself into a double twisted pretzel basically.
There is horror vibes, there is dubcon, there is kinky beginnings because it is clear where this is going, Simon is going to do a lot of deliciously dirty things to Cora, and she's going to let him. Yum!
Although she keeps trying to keep him at bay for now, Simon, psychopath that he is, reasons that she doesn't really mean it and that she internally wants him anyway.
Speaking of, Simon is a psychopath, and being in his head which as a reader you get to do a lot, is as dizzying as it is terrifying. We start to understand that something utterly horrible has happened in his life before, and his psychosis is partly to blame, partly a result of that terrible event. Cora wants to find out. She is scared of him and attracted to him at the same time, and their relationship is blooming into a co-dependent and abusive from both sides. No joke, this series has trigger warnings and you should heed them, and it is a dark (DARK) romance.
The vibes apply to the whole series, and this cannot be read as a stand alone, so you have to start with The Contortionist, but do so and then continue on to this one for:
🤹♂️Slow burn romance with a dash of horror
🤹♂️The villain will get the girl (and he is a psychopath)
🤹♂️Said psychopath has strings and can command her body with them
🤹♂️Circus circa 1920 American Faire setting
🤹♂️Reality inversion and dimension pockets (fr)
🤹♂️Found family
🤹♂️Ultimate soul salvation
🤹♂️Kink, dubcon, violence, some gore
🤹♂️Super creepy puppets
All my reviews of Harrow Faire can be clicked through here:
The Contortionist -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Puppeteer -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Clown -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- RTC
The Ringmaster -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- RTC
The Faire -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- RTC
"Silver strings she can’t outrun…her trouble now has just begun..."
We pick up where we left off in Book 1 (The Contortionist): Cora is stuck in the Faire, having heard that her existence has seized to be in the real world. She now has the new family to meet - all the circus "resident" performers.
Cora gets to know her villain better, as well as his shadow - in fact, she is starting to develop a relationship of sorts with both of them. She battles her attraction to him, and let's just say, the tension is rising ♨️. Cora also gets to start exploring her life without the constant pain, and also her life as an actual Contortionist. The girl can fold herself into a double twisted pretzel basically.
There is horror vibes, there is dubcon, there is kinky beginnings because it is clear where this is going, Simon is going to do a lot of deliciously dirty things to Cora, and she's going to let him. Yum!
Although she keeps trying to keep him at bay for now, Simon, psychopath that he is, reasons that she doesn't really mean it and that she internally wants him anyway.
Speaking of, Simon is a psychopath, and being in his head which as a reader you get to do a lot, is as dizzying as it is terrifying. We start to understand that something utterly horrible has happened in his life before, and his psychosis is partly to blame, partly a result of that terrible event. Cora wants to find out. She is scared of him and attracted to him at the same time, and their relationship is blooming into a co-dependent and abusive from both sides. No joke, this series has trigger warnings and you should heed them, and it is a dark (DARK) romance.
The vibes apply to the whole series, and this cannot be read as a stand alone, so you have to start with The Contortionist, but do so and then continue on to this one for:
🤹♂️Slow burn romance with a dash of horror
🤹♂️The villain will get the girl (and he is a psychopath)
🤹♂️Said psychopath has strings and can command her body with them
🤹♂️Circus circa 1920 American Faire setting
🤹♂️Reality inversion and dimension pockets (fr)
🤹♂️Found family
🤹♂️Ultimate soul salvation
🤹♂️Kink, dubcon, violence, some gore
🤹♂️Super creepy puppets
All my reviews of Harrow Faire can be clicked through here:
The Contortionist -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Puppeteer -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Clown -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- RTC
The Ringmaster -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- RTC
The Faire -⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- RTC
October 19, 2022
The gaslighting really grated me and I cannot stand Simon the abuser being the love interest. He's a being to be defeated. It doesn't matter if he's "attractive", he's abusive and abusing her. But damn if this boy doesn't gaslight so much I lost interest in pushing through.
Why couldn't we focus on the carnival more?
Why couldn't we focus on the carnival more?
May 19, 2024
Love all the tropes, love the energy, love the way the characters are built ... don't love the structure of chapters/passages and the narrative flow.
I'll explain.
Unlike book 1 The Contortionist, which was a big overwritten mess, book 2 focusses on Cora in the Carnival, where she mostly chills with Simon, the Puppeteer, while having some important interaction with a) Ringmaster and b) trying to get ahold of the elusive Mr Harrow, who is ostensibly in charge of stuff.
There is a big shift between book 1, which was a normal woman with friends, a chronic illness and a (boring) life getting magically trapped in a freaky magical circus and being horrified by it all, and book 2, in which Cora is established in the circus, her friends, chronic illness and (boring) life are stripped away to leave just a horrified woman behind whose only goal is to get out.
Many of the things I will note are more subliminal and I can't point at one specific quote or passage and say, "hey, look! this is done really badly!". Book 1 was much easier to pin down on it's weaknesses.
Book 2 should have been an increasingly desperate Cora trying anything and everything to navigate the circus, accumulate information, create friction between herself and her colleagues and between them, and of course, try to get out.
Also, Simon is dogging her at every step, and he's her romance option so that's kinda important.
What really kills the momentum here is the pacing, which is dragged to a grinding halt again and again by futile monologues, as neither Cora ("I still want to get out!") nor Simon ("She's dangerous but I want her gah!") ever have anything new or interesting to say.
The monologues are a big ick for me. Not in general, but in this case definitely. Cut it out! We know what the characters want! Let them act!
But it's not just monologues slowing this novel down, it's also overexplaining character feelings and plans during dialogues.
If KAK had zero trust in readers to figure out that Trent was a raging hypersexual homosexual, then you can guess how subtle the back and forth between Simon and Cora was.
Oh yeah no it wasn't. Every time Cora hesitated for some reason, the reason was explained to the readers between the characters talking. Quite often it was later picked up for closer inspection in a monologue because these feelings were complex, y'all. You gotta explain it to the folks in the back, they didn't listen the first time around.
At this point I think it's inexperience as a writer. I don't believe that KAK thinks her readers are dumb, I just think she doesn't trust her writing to get her intention across without spelling it out.
I hope this improves over the run of these five books. It's rather annoying and not cute.
I'll explain.
Unlike book 1 The Contortionist, which was a big overwritten mess, book 2 focusses on Cora in the Carnival, where she mostly chills with Simon, the Puppeteer, while having some important interaction with a) Ringmaster and b) trying to get ahold of the elusive Mr Harrow, who is ostensibly in charge of stuff.
There is a big shift between book 1, which was a normal woman with friends, a chronic illness and a (boring) life getting magically trapped in a freaky magical circus and being horrified by it all, and book 2, in which Cora is established in the circus, her friends, chronic illness and (boring) life are stripped away to leave just a horrified woman behind whose only goal is to get out.
Many of the things I will note are more subliminal and I can't point at one specific quote or passage and say, "hey, look! this is done really badly!". Book 1 was much easier to pin down on it's weaknesses.
Book 2 should have been an increasingly desperate Cora trying anything and everything to navigate the circus, accumulate information, create friction between herself and her colleagues and between them, and of course, try to get out.
Also, Simon is dogging her at every step, and he's her romance option so that's kinda important.
What really kills the momentum here is the pacing, which is dragged to a grinding halt again and again by futile monologues, as neither Cora ("I still want to get out!") nor Simon ("She's dangerous but I want her gah!") ever have anything new or interesting to say.
The monologues are a big ick for me. Not in general, but in this case definitely. Cut it out! We know what the characters want! Let them act!
But it's not just monologues slowing this novel down, it's also overexplaining character feelings and plans during dialogues.
If KAK had zero trust in readers to figure out that Trent was a raging hypersexual homosexual, then you can guess how subtle the back and forth between Simon and Cora was.
Oh yeah no it wasn't. Every time Cora hesitated for some reason, the reason was explained to the readers between the characters talking. Quite often it was later picked up for closer inspection in a monologue because these feelings were complex, y'all. You gotta explain it to the folks in the back, they didn't listen the first time around.
At this point I think it's inexperience as a writer. I don't believe that KAK thinks her readers are dumb, I just think she doesn't trust her writing to get her intention across without spelling it out.
I hope this improves over the run of these five books. It's rather annoying and not cute.
October 4, 2020
"That's the look of someone staring at the empty void and wondering if they should just jump into it."
This series just keeps getting better - more intense - darker
A must-read!
This is the second book in the series and it is not standalone.
Cora is grasping for anything that will grant her freedom from the nightmare she finds herself trapped in.
Innocently she decides to appeal directly to Mr. Harrow, he has to understand she doesn't belong here -
His reply?
Far from understanding
He offers an ironically undecidable ultimatum
Cora finds herself torn between her sense of self, her desire for freedom (as false as it was), and her new "family"
Now add to that the confusion her newly ascertained understanding of the Puppeteer and his many parts (This is one of my favorite subtly not so subtle characters) has wrought on her nonexistent libido and she finds the results leave her at times practically catatonic at times or crying a river or worse running to nowhere ( that is a bit irritating)
Possibly she is just insane?
(that was a bit of a mindbending mouthful)
Amidst all this insanity she has found a lifeline (of sorts)
Strings if you will
Tethering her to the here and now
Almost comforting -
If she looks past its origins -
Past the obsessive-compulsive actions of the man who wields them
Past his lack of earthly morals
Oh and his murderous ways
If you enjoy dark fantasy - twisted storylines - vivid characters- Don't miss this series
As always Kingsley has delivered another twisted series that checks all the boxes
This series just keeps getting better - more intense - darker
A must-read!
This is the second book in the series and it is not standalone.
Cora is grasping for anything that will grant her freedom from the nightmare she finds herself trapped in.
Innocently she decides to appeal directly to Mr. Harrow, he has to understand she doesn't belong here -
His reply?
Far from understanding
He offers an ironically undecidable ultimatum
Cora finds herself torn between her sense of self, her desire for freedom (as false as it was), and her new "family"
Now add to that the confusion her newly ascertained understanding of the Puppeteer and his many parts (This is one of my favorite subtly not so subtle characters) has wrought on her nonexistent libido and she finds the results leave her at times practically catatonic at times or crying a river or worse running to nowhere ( that is a bit irritating)
Possibly she is just insane?
(that was a bit of a mindbending mouthful)
Amidst all this insanity she has found a lifeline (of sorts)
Strings if you will
Tethering her to the here and now
Almost comforting -
If she looks past its origins -
Past the obsessive-compulsive actions of the man who wields them
Past his lack of earthly morals
Oh and his murderous ways
If you enjoy dark fantasy - twisted storylines - vivid characters- Don't miss this series
As always Kingsley has delivered another twisted series that checks all the boxes
February 21, 2023
I'm pretty conflicted on how I feel about this - Simon the Puppeteer is still a shitty person and he's worse in this book since he violates her boundaries in multiple ways and has further shown his abusive/manipulative tendencies, both mentally and physically - and he's supposed to come across as an enigmatic yet charming villainous love interest, but I fail to see that.
I also dislike the fact that there's quite an attempt at the justification of his behavior (particularly his understanding of consent), it comes off as glorifying his and Cora's "relationship" .
On top of that, the author spent too much time on Cora "settling in" the Faire & the Family, although overall the worldbuilding is becoming more intriguing, especially at the end. I'd be interested to find out more of the other characters' backstories.
I also dislike the fact that there's quite an attempt at the justification of his behavior (particularly his understanding of consent), it comes off as glorifying his and Cora's "relationship" .
On top of that, the author spent too much time on Cora "settling in" the Faire & the Family, although overall the worldbuilding is becoming more intriguing, especially at the end. I'd be interested to find out more of the other characters' backstories.
Want to read
December 2, 2020Ratings for this one among my friends are AWESOMETACULAR, it must be really good.
September 25, 2022
Reread Sept 2022: 4.5 stars
Just as crazy and entertaining as I remembered. Taking off half a star cuz I got tired of how many times the author said the H smelled like an antique store and old fashioned cologne. Does that mean he's musty...? Cuz right now they're making him sound like he's musty
—————————————————————
Nov 2021: 5 Stars
I swear I'm not a violent person, but something about heroines smacking the absolute shit out of asshole heroes makes my heart ✨ sing ✨
Example #1, after Simon tells Cora she's a broken thing and a burden:
His first mistake was being an absolute dick when she was having a life crisis, his second was not running as soon as shorty started cracking her neck. He had all the warning signs and still didn't see it coming.
Example #2 (with spoilers for book 1!!), after Simon deadass KILLS Cora to show her she will come back to life:
Mhm you go girl. Swing👏🏼that👏🏼pan👏🏼.
But Simon is equal parts asshole and sweetheart because he respects her violent methods. Just look at how he apologizes for accidentally triggering one of her past traumas:
Is...is this love? Because it's starting to seem a lot like love.
Y'all don't believe me?
I can't believe I'm rly rooting for Cora to fall in love with a murdering psychopath🥳
Just as crazy and entertaining as I remembered. Taking off half a star cuz I got tired of how many times the author said the H smelled like an antique store and old fashioned cologne. Does that mean he's musty...? Cuz right now they're making him sound like he's musty
—————————————————————
Nov 2021: 5 Stars
I swear I'm not a violent person, but something about heroines smacking the absolute shit out of asshole heroes makes my heart ✨ sing ✨
Example #1, after Simon tells Cora she's a broken thing and a burden:
She stood, cracked her neck, then turned to face him. She slapped him. Hard. Right across the face.
His first mistake was being an absolute dick when she was having a life crisis, his second was not running as soon as shorty started cracking her neck. He had all the warning signs and still didn't see it coming.
Example #2 (with spoilers for book 1!!), after Simon deadass KILLS Cora to show her she will come back to life:
“What’re you doing?”
She didn’t answer him. Reaching into the cabinet when she finally found her goal, she pulled out a cast-iron skillet. She spun it in her hand, twirling the handle around as she turned it over to get a feel for it. Good. It was nice and heavy.
Simon smiled. “Finally, you’re grateful! Making me something to thank me? Glorious. Oh! How about an eggy in a basket? I haven’t had one of those in years, and I—”
Cora pulled back with the skillet and, with everything she had in her, she swung for the fences. She cracked Simon clean across the face with it.
Mhm you go girl. Swing👏🏼that👏🏼pan👏🏼.
But Simon is equal parts asshole and sweetheart because he respects her violent methods. Just look at how he apologizes for accidentally triggering one of her past traumas:
When she heard a cabinet door open and shut, she finally looked over to him. Simon was standing a few feet away from her, holding a cast iron skillet out to her by the lip, offering her the handle.
Is...is this love? Because it's starting to seem a lot like love.
Y'all don't believe me?
Shutting her eyes, the last of her tears flowed down her cheeks. He pulled her into him, and she didn’t have the strength left to fight. She let him pull her against him in a hug. He cradled the back of her head in his hand and tucked her under his chin. Shushing her, he held her. “It’s all right, Cora…it’s going to be all right.”
I can't believe I'm rly rooting for Cora to fall in love with a murdering psychopath🥳
November 24, 2020
The Harrow Faire... Wow! Intense and twisted. I feel for Cora so much, Simon is such a lunatic and Shadow is heartbreaking. The "Family" of the Faire have so much still to tell us and Harrow has secrets. I am looking forward to the next book.
Playlists...
The Contortionist and The Puppeteer
For Cora and Simon
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0iN...
Very thematic and great background for the series.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7zk...
Playlists...
The Contortionist and The Puppeteer
For Cora and Simon
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0iN...
Very thematic and great background for the series.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7zk...
June 9, 2024
New shadow daddy unlocked 🔓
July 6, 2023
3.8 🐉
This book was so annoying. Cora was so annoying.
I totally get her. Her situation is not pretty. She was taken away from her life so abruptly, everyone who she knew suddenly didn't know her, she was trapped in this circus with no chance at escaping.
But she was SO ANNOYING. Like the only thing that happened in this book was she trying to uselessly escape, crying, and treating everyone like shit. And also those comments about the ppl there about like "life sucking demons"??? Bro these people have been so kind to you and you refer to them as that? Stfu
Simon was better than her, and that's saying a lot.
I would've accepted it if it was like for half of the book and then she came to terms with it, but I'm telling you this was the WHOLE BOOK. I'm fucking tired.
This book was so annoying. Cora was so annoying.
I totally get her. Her situation is not pretty. She was taken away from her life so abruptly, everyone who she knew suddenly didn't know her, she was trapped in this circus with no chance at escaping.
But she was SO ANNOYING. Like the only thing that happened in this book was she trying to uselessly escape, crying, and treating everyone like shit. And also those comments about the ppl there about like "life sucking demons"??? Bro these people have been so kind to you and you refer to them as that? Stfu
Simon was better than her, and that's saying a lot.
I would've accepted it if it was like for half of the book and then she came to terms with it, but I'm telling you this was the WHOLE BOOK. I'm fucking tired.
October 11, 2020
This was really excellent.
Kathryn has become one of my automatic but authors. Her books are inventive, complex and challenging in their content. She writes her genre - villain romance - very well.
I adored her Masks of Under series, but this one might well eclipse it in my affections.
Simon is rather loveable, for a manic, and I like Cora a lot. The backdrop of a semei sentient faire that feeds on people is a brilliant concept and I pretty much love everything about this series.
Highly recommend!
Kathryn has become one of my automatic but authors. Her books are inventive, complex and challenging in their content. She writes her genre - villain romance - very well.
I adored her Masks of Under series, but this one might well eclipse it in my affections.
Simon is rather loveable, for a manic, and I like Cora a lot. The backdrop of a semei sentient faire that feeds on people is a brilliant concept and I pretty much love everything about this series.
Highly recommend!
June 19, 2022
I can`t say that this one did much to save the first one, The Contortionist (Harrow Faire, #1).
“He cradled her cheek in his hand, and for a moment she hoped he might lean in and—no, bad Cora! He shot you today. He tried to eat you yesterday. ”
--it's not sexy, just disturbing.
October 12, 2021
I had so many things to do last night, and what did I do instead? I read. Way past midnight (like way, way past it. 🙂 ) I thought I'd just finish book 2 in the series and will go to bed.
Ha! I started book 3 right away and read until the ipad fell on my face because my hands got too tired to hold it. 😂
Every now and then a book would grab you keep you, and there's no better feeling than that.
I love this series!
Ha! I started book 3 right away and read until the ipad fell on my face because my hands got too tired to hold it. 😂
Every now and then a book would grab you keep you, and there's no better feeling than that.
I love this series!
October 17, 2020
Slow burn.
Very sweet and weird and different but I wouldn’t really call it horror yet. It’s suspense and mystery and fantasy for sure. But I’m engaged and waiting for the next one although it could have all been put in one book or two. Instead of these short books.
Very sweet and weird and different but I wouldn’t really call it horror yet. It’s suspense and mystery and fantasy for sure. But I’m engaged and waiting for the next one although it could have all been put in one book or two. Instead of these short books.
February 22, 2022
Joining the family
I didn't know if I could love this book as much as the first, but I should have had faith. These characters are every dark wonderful thing I could ask for.
I didn't know if I could love this book as much as the first, but I should have had faith. These characters are every dark wonderful thing I could ask for.
January 30, 2023
4☆ Review:
“𝑳𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒈𝒐. 𝑳𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒈𝒐.”
“𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕.”
“𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐, 𝒔𝒐𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔.”
My whole review of this could just be quotes and I’d be happy with it. The banter in this series is top notch.
“𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌, 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒓.”
“𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒕 𝒎𝒆!”
Cora is now part of the Faire and is struggling to accept it. Her only goal is to find a way to be free. But what if freedom has a cost?
Her character is relatable, but her inner monologues did become repetitive. I now have Simon’s scent memorized from how many times it’s been said.
“𝑨𝒍𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕 𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒌.”
“𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒚. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒎 𝒔𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆.”
“𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘! 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕.”
I’m still unashamedly obsessed with Simon. I know he’s crazy. I know he’s tried to “kill” her multiple times now, but I just can’t help loving him. Now Cora just needs to follow my lead.
𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒔-𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅, 𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒔𝒆. “𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒑.”
This series is such a tease. Simon and Cora have undeniable chemistry and they both know it, but something always gets in the way of them admitting it or moving further. Every moment they were alone together it had me crossing my fingers and hoping for them to make progress. Did they make progress? Some. And I loved it.
Now onto book three!
And for some entertainment, here are two more quotes:
“𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒖𝒔, 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒐𝒏.”
“𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆. 𝑰𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔. 𝑵𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒅.”
“𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒂𝒑, 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆.”
“𝑮𝒐 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒈.”
“𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒔𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒚. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕, 𝑰’𝒎 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆.”
“𝑳𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒈𝒐. 𝑳𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒈𝒐.”
“𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕.”
“𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐, 𝒔𝒐𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔.”
My whole review of this could just be quotes and I’d be happy with it. The banter in this series is top notch.
“𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌, 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒓.”
“𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒕 𝒎𝒆!”
Cora is now part of the Faire and is struggling to accept it. Her only goal is to find a way to be free. But what if freedom has a cost?
Her character is relatable, but her inner monologues did become repetitive. I now have Simon’s scent memorized from how many times it’s been said.
“𝑨𝒍𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕 𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒌.”
“𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒚. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒎 𝒔𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆.”
“𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘! 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕.”
I’m still unashamedly obsessed with Simon. I know he’s crazy. I know he’s tried to “kill” her multiple times now, but I just can’t help loving him. Now Cora just needs to follow my lead.
𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒔-𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅, 𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒔𝒆. “𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒑.”
This series is such a tease. Simon and Cora have undeniable chemistry and they both know it, but something always gets in the way of them admitting it or moving further. Every moment they were alone together it had me crossing my fingers and hoping for them to make progress. Did they make progress? Some. And I loved it.
Now onto book three!
And for some entertainment, here are two more quotes:
“𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒖𝒔, 𝑺𝒊𝒎𝒐𝒏.”
“𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆. 𝑰𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔. 𝑵𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒅.”
“𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒂𝒑, 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆.”
“𝑮𝒐 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒈.”
“𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒔𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒚. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕, 𝑰’𝒎 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆.”
October 20, 2020
By far one of my favorites!
This series has been amazing so far and definitely one of my favorites. The way the author has managed to tell this story has me completely enthralled with the world and the characters. Simon is easily my favorite character with his dark and demented humor and his insanity. He has his vulnerable moments which makes him more endearing and relatable to the reader. His sentient shadow provides some comedic relief at times.
The setting of the series also provides a major element to the overall plot. The Faire is a complex and creative concept the author has managed to concoct which has kept me on the edge of my seat. The elusive and enigmatic Mr. Harrow still hasn’t made an appearance so I’m eager to see him at some point in the series to find out more about him and how the faire came to be.
I highly recommend this book for people who enjoy darker reads with some characters that have questionable morales and is typically seen as the antagonist by most people. It is creative, thrilling, sensual, intriguing, and mysterious. I will definitely be continuing this series and re-reading it over and over again.
This series has been amazing so far and definitely one of my favorites. The way the author has managed to tell this story has me completely enthralled with the world and the characters. Simon is easily my favorite character with his dark and demented humor and his insanity. He has his vulnerable moments which makes him more endearing and relatable to the reader. His sentient shadow provides some comedic relief at times.
The setting of the series also provides a major element to the overall plot. The Faire is a complex and creative concept the author has managed to concoct which has kept me on the edge of my seat. The elusive and enigmatic Mr. Harrow still hasn’t made an appearance so I’m eager to see him at some point in the series to find out more about him and how the faire came to be.
I highly recommend this book for people who enjoy darker reads with some characters that have questionable morales and is typically seen as the antagonist by most people. It is creative, thrilling, sensual, intriguing, and mysterious. I will definitely be continuing this series and re-reading it over and over again.
December 19, 2022
Just like the first book, the world building and the Faire characters were great.
But nothing happened in this book. Not a damn thing to really add to the plot. You could summarize this entire book in about 4 sentences and carry right on to book 3 with no issues.
Cora was absolutely insufferable through 90% of the book. I get that she’s unhappy with her circumstances but did we really need to listen to her complain and try to escape/ask to leave for over 75% percent of the book.
Still no spice. The “romance” feels awkward and uncomfortable between Simon and Cora. There’s hardly any chemistry between the two of them and Simon is carrying what little chemistry there is, solely on his back. You could replace Cora with any other female character and it’d feel about the same.
I just don’t get it. This series had so much potential. Can you imagine if this series was as spicier or if we actually got to learn more about the other 22 members of the family? It’d be top tier. Such a shame.
But nothing happened in this book. Not a damn thing to really add to the plot. You could summarize this entire book in about 4 sentences and carry right on to book 3 with no issues.
Cora was absolutely insufferable through 90% of the book. I get that she’s unhappy with her circumstances but did we really need to listen to her complain and try to escape/ask to leave for over 75% percent of the book.
Still no spice. The “romance” feels awkward and uncomfortable between Simon and Cora. There’s hardly any chemistry between the two of them and Simon is carrying what little chemistry there is, solely on his back. You could replace Cora with any other female character and it’d feel about the same.
I just don’t get it. This series had so much potential. Can you imagine if this series was as spicier or if we actually got to learn more about the other 22 members of the family? It’d be top tier. Such a shame.
October 7, 2020
The Puppeteer Review
Absolutely fantastic story! The more we learn about the Family and especially Simon the more I fall in love with the twisted Harrow Faire. As usual I am blown away by the depth of the world and characters Kingsley has created and for me the next book can't come soon enough. I highly recommend The Puppeteer.
Absolutely fantastic story! The more we learn about the Family and especially Simon the more I fall in love with the twisted Harrow Faire. As usual I am blown away by the depth of the world and characters Kingsley has created and for me the next book can't come soon enough. I highly recommend The Puppeteer.
June 18, 2022
Hands down one of the best romance novels that I’ve read in a while. I recommend this to those who are looking for a dark, fantasy/paranormal romance series. I can’t believe it… it’s so underrated!
The story got me hooked from the start to the end.
The story got me hooked from the start to the end.
November 23, 2021
This was amazing. The romance & sexual tension, the plot!!, the darkness, the is he good or is he evil? was incredible. Loved it.
September 7, 2021
I think I’m numb to the creepiness of this series now but damn did the author crank up the sexiness 😩 I am FAR too invested in Simon and Cora now (if you’re looking for a wholly healthy relationship here... look away). I love the slow burn, but I hope I don’t get bored with them once they finally get together. I can’t wait to see Simon become even more of a giant softie, and Cora fully accept her new place!
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