I read Thrall the first book in the Daughters of Lilith Series some time ago and I remember thinking it was pretty good, so I readily agreed to read the second in the series. I wasn’t disappointed, in fact, I was delighted to find a (for me) rare 5 star read. Incubus has everything needed to make a top book – strong, well-drawn characters with real relationships and motivations that tug at our heart-stings; a unique concept; immediate and engaging writing, and a riveting plot with an unexpected twist at the end.
Braedyn is a Lilitu, a succubus demon, but she’s not evil. Her father is a member of the Guard that protects human kind from the Lilitu, and Braedyn is on their side. She also has a boyfriend, Lucus that she has to keep her distance from because if she lets her Lilitu side take over when they kiss, she will drain his energy, which is, of course, a complete no no. Braedyn wants to become human so she can have a physical relationship with Lucas and eventually marry and have a family. For a Lilitu that isn’t possible; she’d kill him. An angel has told her that she can become human, but she has to not ‘cross the line’ by using her powers to harm. There’s a war coming though, and the Guards will need her powers to help them win it, so her transformation can’t happen until the war is over. The Guard are preparing for the final battle when the Lilitu break through into this world from the ‘other side’. There’s a seal that needs breaking to let them in, but if it can be sealed shut forever, then the war is thwarted and Braedyn can ask the angels to make her human. So the thrust of this story is Braedyn’s search to find a way to shut the Seal forever, but those who she would expect to help her are suspicious and Braedyn has to make some hard decisions. It’s okay to go against her father’s wishes if she’s doing it for the right reasons, isn’t it? But is it okay to steal a secret from the boy you love, even if you do it so you can have a human life together?
Quintenz gives this story depth with Braedyn’s moral dilemma and characters struggling with conflicting desires and allegiances. On top of Braedyn’s search for a way to keep the rest of her race from turning up and killing the whole human race, an unknown incubus is roaming the town, enthralling women, hurting Braedyn’s friends and threatening her. Only at the end is the full extent of the incubus’s deception revealed.
Lucus is a wonderful character, a boy with strong principles and devotion to a cause, and I love how Braedyn’s father always stands up for her. His devotion to his daughter and belief in her goodness is inspiring. Seth, the new addition to the Guard, is an interesting character too.
This is a hard book to put down, but it doesn’t fall into the trap of being nothing more than a series of fight scenes as some YA books do, nor does it read like a million other YA books as many of them do. The varied pacing gives gentler moments and plenty of rich character development which gel into a very satisfying whole. The end is skilfully executed and though it ties up the themes of this book, it leaves the future open for more in the series. I look forward to the next book.
All up, if you like gutsy fantasy of the urban variety this should definitely be on your ‘must read’ list. Don’t let the YA label put you off either, like all the best YA fiction, this can be enjoyed by adults as well. If you enjoyed Lethal Inheritance, I think you’ll enjoy this one too. I give it an unreserved 5 stars.
Buy it now:
US Kindle Store
UK Kindle Store
Link to book on Goodreads : http://bit.ly/ZMRcOW
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Twitter page: http://bit.ly/19WIj9w
