Braedyn Murphy used to think nothing important ever happened in her sleepy town of Puerto Escondido. But that was before she learned she was a descendent of Lilith, the mother of all demons. Now Braedyn fights to protect humanity from the Lilitu - the beautiful, souls-stealing daughters of Lilith.As she fights the Lilitu, Braedyn must also fight her growing love for her boyfriend Lucas - because even a simple kiss could end his life. Their only ray of hope is an angel’s offer to make Braedyn human, but it’s an offer she can’t accept until the world is safe from the Lilitu.
Braedyn knows she’s a key player in this ancient war... but she’s not ready to believe she just might be humanity’s best hope of surviving the final battle for Earth.
Title: Incubus (Daughters of Lilith #2)
Author: Jennifer Quintenz
Publisher: Secret Tree Press
Publication Date: June 21, 2013
Isis' Review:
If you haven't yet read book one of this series, Thrall (Daughters of Lilith), STOP HERE and go read that book first. This series builds each book upon the foundation of the prior book, which means that this review contains spoilers for the first book in the series.
I must begin by saying how incredibly grateful I am that I was able to jump straight from <em>Thrall</em> into this second installment of the series. Waiting would have been sheer torture. As it stands, having to wait several more days for <em>Sacrifice</em> to be released is painful enough. Ms. Quinletz's characters leap off the page and into your heart, leaving you completely invested in what happens for them next.
Learning that she is 'the enemy' is bad enough, but learning that she could kill the boy she loves with a single kiss is torture. Ah to be a teenager, where all your priorities are in order and everything you do is for the greater good. While I write that tongue in cheek, I must admit that Braedyn tries her hardest to put the whole world ahead of her own desires.
Although the big bad from the first book has been out of the picture, it certainly doesn't take long for trouble to come a'knocking again. Within days both Braedyn and Lucas are attacked by a female thrall, something that has been mentioned in Guard legends, but until now had only ever been legend. Which means there is a male Lilitu, or incubus, in town. This means everyone is suspect, as all women are now potential thralls.
Trouble continues to dog Braedyn. . . the guard expands locally, bringing in another researcher/historian, who turns out to be the mother of an annoyingly rude, blond kid that Braedyn & Lucas had encountered at the Mission and again later at school when she stopped some seniors from whaling on him. Both times he's rude and ungrateful, though he warms up a bit by the end of their second encounter. When he and his mom first arrive at the Guard house Seth appears to be terribly embarrassed and eventually makes things right by apologizing and being self-deprecating in a humorous manner. Eventually Seth joins their small group of friends, which he seems happy to do since prior to moving to Puerto Escondido he'd never met anyone else his age that knew about the Lilitu. Just like Lucas before he moved in next to Braedyn. . . Meanwhile Amber continues to orchestrate attacks on Braedyn's friends as part of her campaign to get her to leave Coronado Prep.
The incubus breaks in to Braedyn's dream space somehow, without alerting her to it when he does it. She only discovers it when a message for her is left with Cassie, a message depicting a rose from Braedyn's dream space, a flower no one should ever have been able to see. Luckily Karayan, the other Lilitu raised by a Guard member, steps back into the ring to assist Braedyn. Despite Karayan's mentoring the incubus continues to plague Braedyn's personal dream space.
Now that Braedyn has come to accept what she is, and has turned 17, she is beginning to really test her boundaries, just like any normal teenager. The trouble is, she has abilities that allow her to cause more problems than solve them, and is at that age where she thinks she is always right. This is compounded by the adults trying to keep the younger generation as protected as possible, leading them to exclude Braedyn, Lucas, and Seth from some of the more crucial details. Information that could easily alter the outcome of the book.
Thankfully this sequel certainly doesn't suffer from the second-book issues that can often plaque a trilogy or series. There is more foreshadowing in this book (or at least that I noticed), which was a bit heavy-handed to me, as it gives away some answers well before they are officially revealed. Regardless, I immensely enjoyed this book and am eagerly awaiting the third installment in this series. The blend of fantasy, mythology and everyday teenage angst is expertly done, almost as if Ms. Quinletz is recounting her own adolescence (though I certainly hope that's not the case)! I strongly advise ignoring the YA labeling, as this book speaks clearly and concisely on multiple levels. You can be in your 80's and still find this author's work to be fresh and entertaining for all audiences.
4 STARS
I must begin by saying how incredibly grateful I am that I was able to jump straight from <em>Thrall</em> into this second installment of the series. Waiting would have been sheer torture. As it stands, having to wait several more days for <em>Sacrifice</em> to be released is painful enough. Ms. Quinletz's characters leap off the page and into your heart, leaving you completely invested in what happens for them next.
Learning that she is 'the enemy' is bad enough, but learning that she could kill the boy she loves with a single kiss is torture. Ah to be a teenager, where all your priorities are in order and everything you do is for the greater good. While I write that tongue in cheek, I must admit that Braedyn tries her hardest to put the whole world ahead of her own desires.
Although the big bad from the first book has been out of the picture, it certainly doesn't take long for trouble to come a'knocking again. Within days both Braedyn and Lucas are attacked by a female thrall, something that has been mentioned in Guard legends, but until now had only ever been legend. Which means there is a male Lilitu, or incubus, in town. This means everyone is suspect, as all women are now potential thralls.
Trouble continues to dog Braedyn. . . the guard expands locally, bringing in another researcher/historian, who turns out to be the mother of an annoyingly rude, blond kid that Braedyn & Lucas had encountered at the Mission and again later at school when she stopped some seniors from whaling on him. Both times he's rude and ungrateful, though he warms up a bit by the end of their second encounter. When he and his mom first arrive at the Guard house Seth appears to be terribly embarrassed and eventually makes things right by apologizing and being self-deprecating in a humorous manner. Eventually Seth joins their small group of friends, which he seems happy to do since prior to moving to Puerto Escondido he'd never met anyone else his age that knew about the Lilitu. Just like Lucas before he moved in next to Braedyn. . . Meanwhile Amber continues to orchestrate attacks on Braedyn's friends as part of her campaign to get her to leave Coronado Prep.
The incubus breaks in to Braedyn's dream space somehow, without alerting her to it when he does it. She only discovers it when a message for her is left with Cassie, a message depicting a rose from Braedyn's dream space, a flower no one should ever have been able to see. Luckily Karayan, the other Lilitu raised by a Guard member, steps back into the ring to assist Braedyn. Despite Karayan's mentoring the incubus continues to plague Braedyn's personal dream space.
Now that Braedyn has come to accept what she is, and has turned 17, she is beginning to really test her boundaries, just like any normal teenager. The trouble is, she has abilities that allow her to cause more problems than solve them, and is at that age where she thinks she is always right. This is compounded by the adults trying to keep the younger generation as protected as possible, leading them to exclude Braedyn, Lucas, and Seth from some of the more crucial details. Information that could easily alter the outcome of the book.
Thankfully this sequel certainly doesn't suffer from the second-book issues that can often plaque a trilogy or series. There is more foreshadowing in this book (or at least that I noticed), which was a bit heavy-handed to me, as it gives away some answers well before they are officially revealed. Regardless, I immensely enjoyed this book and am eagerly awaiting the third installment in this series. The blend of fantasy, mythology and everyday teenage angst is expertly done, almost as if Ms. Quinletz is recounting her own adolescence (though I certainly hope that's not the case)! I strongly advise ignoring the YA labeling, as this book speaks clearly and concisely on multiple levels. You can be in your 80's and still find this author's work to be fresh and entertaining for all audiences.
4 STARS
Jennifer Quintenz is a film and television writer, author, and graphic novelist. She has written for Twentieth Television, Intrepid Pictures, and Archaia Studios Press. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son.
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