Rachel the Book Harlot

WARNING: Contains spoilers for Part 1, Milk-Blood.

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"Ten year old Lilly is the victim of a terrible house fire and a wretched family. Her father is an addict with mental illness, her mother was murdered and then buried across the street, and her uncle got her addicted to heroin.

Lilly’s tragic story has been told in the book ALL SMOKE RISES, and it may be true, for the author has broken into your house, and placed Lilly's body on your kitchen counter. He demands you read the manuscript, before cutting his own wrists and bleeding out on your floor.

Now you have decisions to make, for Lilly's body may not be dead, and her family is coming for her."

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 "She closed the door and he was gone, but his soul, his life, his whole world was now trapped inside. They had him now. Wherever he went, a long, unseen

chain was attached to draw him back. All because of the tiny pinhole

in his arm." 

In this sequel to Milk-Blood, author Mark Matthews offers readers a riveting and poignant conclusion to Lilly's story. Told from multiple points of view, we are once again immersed in both supernatural horrors, and the very real human horrors of the characters’ own making. Here, decisions come back to haunt you, both figuratively and literally.

It’s a powerful story that contains everything I loved about Part I: characters that are flawed and compelling, great writing, and a sensitive yet realistic approach to the darker sides of life. This realistic picture is particularly exemplified in the character of Crystal, whose POV sections I found especially fascinating. Seeing life through her eyes, and hearing the rationalizations for her actions was interesting.

If you are a fan of Milk-Blood, then I highly recommend you pick up the sequel, All Smoke Rises: Milk-Blood Redux.

Final rating: 4 stars

**ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**

Image source: www.right-turn.org