Review: "Incubus" by Jennifer Quintenz

Title: Incubus
Series: Daughters of Lilith #2
Author: Jennifer Quintenz
Publisher: Secret Tree Press
Year: 2013
















"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 giving in to temptation 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 just might be humanity's best hope of surviving the final battle for Earth"

Jennifer Quintenz why do you do this to me? Sleep is good for people, I speak from experience. But somehow your works always have me telling off sleep until I am ready to collapse. It was not a good idea to go to bed 4.30 AM, when I had wake up at 7AM…

So after reading to the early hours of the morning I have now finished “Incubus”. I admit it might not have been nice of me to wake up my visiting sister at 4AM with a loud shout of: “I knew it! I didn’t know it, but damn it, I knew it.” For people who have read the book, this was the moment when I found out who the incubus was. You get it. 

Okay, must calm down.

So, as a sequel to a brilliant opening to the series “Daughters of Lilith”, how did the second book hold up? While reading I kept going back and forth. One time I was almost sure that “Thrall” was better and nothing will ever beat it, but other times I was swearing up and down how “Incubus” must be the single best thing I have ever read. So to sum up, they are both great and make for one hell of a series (especially if you read them back-to-back).

Something I also want to mention is that the cover of “Incubus” IS the single most prettiest and shiniest thing I have ever laid eyes on. The wings, the girl, the sword. Something about it captures this story so perfectly. Just wanted to mention that.

On to the story. I was a little surprised when very early on in the book it became clear that the final battle of all evil is drawing near. I couldn’t help but think that “come on, they just got rid of one, give them a breather”. Which I guess is the point. They do not get a break and if not anything else then the constant now-or-never kept me on the edge of my seat.
The story was paced a tad slower, compared to “Thrall” in which it was BAM – BOOM – BAMBOOM. Which is what I liked about “Thrall” but that is not to say that “Incubus” was too slow. It was still great. I also liked the more human side-story of the battle with Amber. I know, I am too old to care about high-school drama but I have never wanted to punch a book-character in the face so bad before. That was some brilliant writing right there.
If I could wish for one thing then it would be to see Braedyn relapse for a moment. I want to see her give in to the temptation and go Lilitu on everyone’s ass. She made many mistakes in "Incubus" but at one moment I found myself wishing that it wasn't all an accident. In "Thrall" she attacked Parker very intentionally. I wanted something like that but worse.

Braedyn is one thing I liked more in the first book. Because she developed so much in the course of “Thrall”. Here she did make progress but it was a lot more subtle and as I said, what I wanted to see was the giving in.
If I would have the chance, I would just stare at Lucas with suspicion and ask: „After all you have been through, you are still so trusting?” I could not decide if his never-ending faith in Braedyn was sweet or annoying. I think I will go with sweet. So sweet I feel like I'm getting diabetes. 

The book did introduce a few new characters. But not overly much. The most influential of them was Seth. I was torn when it came to him. I will not tell you how it turned out, you have to find out yourself.
As for the incubus himself… I changed my mind a million times about who he was. That kind of thing is really hard not to give away. I was dead-set on one guy and then something happened. But then I doubted myself and it was back to the first guy. Thus the “I didn’t know it but I knew it” part.

Long story short, I loved the “Incubus”. Jenn Q, thanks so much for sending me the copy. I am so happy to give another one of your books five stars and cannot wait to get my hands on “Sacrifice.” (To the skeptics out there, this review is my fair and true opinion, I won’t sell my soul for free books quite just yet).

 This review has been brought to you by your Book Mistress for the day.

-Linda