Book Review: Firstborn by Tosca Lee

Title: Firstborn

Author: Tosca Lee

Series: Descendants of the House of Bathory #2

Date published: May 2, 2017

Publisher: Howard Books

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

This is a spoiler free review. Copy of novel received from author for honest review.

Trigger Warnings: Mentions/attempts of suicide, guns, torture, murder

Summary…

Confronted with the secret she went to great lengths to protect, Audra Ellison must do whatever she can to take down a faction of people that have their roots deep in all aspects of society, including police, hospitals, and even online DNA databases. Audra must work with the help of friends, and some unexpected allies, to go after the Historian in order to end a centuries-long war.

This is a sequel to The Progeny. You can find my review of that book here. Don’t worry, If it has been some time since you read the first one, there is a small review at the beginning of the book. However, I do recommend reading it right away because a lot happens in these books and this one picks up directly where the last one finishes, which is on a huge cliffhanger.

What I liked…

• The action: There is rarely a dull moment in this series! The action starts in the very first chapter and doesn’t let up throughout the entire story. It is a rollercoaster to read, as the characters experience good and bad things thrown at them from every angle. If you are looking for action, you will definitely get it in this book.
• The uniqueness: I said this about the first one and I will say it again, this is one of the most unique and elaborate stories I ever read. I was so intrigued by how the author took the history of Elizabeth Bathory and wove it into this tale. I would be happy as a clam to read spin-offs and prequels set in this same world.
• The plot-twists: This book is a page-turner! I did not put the book down because it seemed like new and crazy information was dropped at the end of each chapter, forcing me to read on and find out what happened.
• The history: The basis of this story is in the history of Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who was accused of over 650 murders. This history is smoothly woven into the fictitious tale. I want to research more about the history as a result of reading this book.
• The underground: The progeny live ostentatious lives underground and I loved reading about the dramatic costumes and dancing and music. I definitely do not fit in but it was a lot of fun to read.
• The end: As I moved closer to the end, I dreaded it, because I had no idea how all the messiness was going to be wrapped up. But the author successfully ended the story with grace. It was both heartbreaking and satisfying and I can’t think of a better ending for these characters.

What I didn’t like…

• The pacing: This story features so much, in the best way possible. I appreciate how no scene seems to be wasted in pushing the plot forward. However, it legged at the beginning of the novel, as it seemed that the characters running and talking and running and talking was repetitive. This was completely rectified by the middle of the book, and the last half had none of this, however, I had difficulty staying motivated to read at the beginning.
• The characters: The world-building was done very successfully in this story, however, the characters felt flat to me. I often had to remind myself who was who. There were only a few characters that had any defining features, and that didn’t include Audra and Luka, the two main characters.
• The cover: I know this has nothing to do with the story but… I just don’t really like it.

Overall…

This story was a whirlwind that I am planning on experiencing over and over again in multiple rereads over the years (It has officially been added to the list). I recommend this story to anyone looking for an action-adventure with a unique story based in history.

Talk to me!

Are you interested in historical fiction?

Can you recommend me other good historical fiction novels?

Have you read this series? What did you think?

Let me know in the comments below!

Love,

Jackie

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