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Lullaby: Watersong #2    by Amanda Hocking Amazon.com order for
Lullaby
by Amanda Hocking
Order:  USA  Can
Griffin, 2013 (2012)
Hardcover, Softcover, CD, e-Book
* *   Reviewed by Hilary Williamson

Lullaby follows Wake as the second in Amanda Hocking's appealing Watersong series. But if the title makes you think of mermaids, don't - this is a tale of ruthless sirens, the ones whose enticing songs lured sailors to watery graves.

In Wake, immortal sirens (Penn, Lexi and Thea) desperately needed to add to their number, to assure their survival. After two failed attempts they settled on sixteen-year-old Gemma, a talented swimmer with a deep love of the ocean. They enticed her to take a drink that radically changed her. She gained extreme strength, healing, beauty, and the ability to breathe underwater, but also a siren's need to feed on men. The trio had already killed several local boys.

As the first episode ended, Gemma consented to go away with the sirens in order to save the lives of those she loved most - her mothering elder sister Harper and her boyfriend Alex. As Lullaby opens, they are desperately trying to find her, with the help of Daniel, who is attracted to the controlling Harper. In the meantime, Gemma is trying to suppress her new siren hungers and suffers for it. When she finally succumbs, she is deeply shamed and does not tell Alex or Harper after they finally track her down.

This second episode ends after Gemma returns home, and is followed by the siren trio, out for blood, especially the monstrous Penn. Fortunately Daniel is immune to their influence and Gemma believes she might have found a way to break the siren curse. She makes a truce with the other sirens, who remain in Capri to keep an eye on her. And she makes a tough decision about Alex - for his own safety.

Lullaby is not as good as Wake, the story seeming drawn out more than necessary. However it still intrigues enough to leave fans anxious for the next Watersong episode, Tidal in spring 2013.

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