This book was interesting. I’m not sure it’s my genre. I’m still processing. Great writing and character development.

The second book in Lee's Descendants of the House of Bathory series is an exciting thrill ride from the first page until the last. There's barely time to take a breath, as the characters are racing around trying to elude those who wish to bring them harm. In a fascinating meld of fact and speculative fiction, Lee piques the reader's interest in a historical figure and brings to mind "what if?" There are some amazing surprises sprinkled throughout this book that will keep readers riveted to the story.
As a firstborn descendant of Elizabeth Bathory, Audra Ellison had her mind erased so she could protect the secrets. But now she remembers everything, and what she discovers shocks her to the very core. Luka, who was once her hunter, is now her husband, and the two join with others to bring down The Historian, a mysterious person bent on destroying all progeny of Bathory. Their quest is not without peril, and the danger of discovery might be more than any of them can survive.

Pros: this is very swift fantasy YA, full of actions and twists. Elements of history and symbolism with very vivid pop-culture (think Da Vinci's Code mixed with Baz Luhrmann's estetique) make for a vivid, fast read. The historical background is fascinating to these days and less-know parts of Europe might make for a compelling background scene.
Cons: the success of this series depends on your ability to suspend your reason/disbelief. I personally can not. So for me the betterment of Elizabeth Bathory weakens the motivation for the baddies and the story as a whole. Also the characters have no growing arc, they are quite black-and-white in their motivations. So the moving factor of the story are the shocking events, not the well-built internal logic and growth.

All in all: while I have enjoyed the motif and the vivid visuals, this was not the right series for me. But it might be for you.

Firstborn is a fabulous fast-paced follow-up to The Progeny! The secrets, the romance, the underground.... all make for a great read. Can't wait to read more by Tosca Lee!

Tosca Lee is a superb storyteller, taking the historical account of Elizabeth Bathory and weaving many of the historical elements of Bathory's story (see the wikipedia article on Elizabeth Bathory) into a modern convincing account of the descendants of Bathory. Firstborn completes the story that started in Progeny and has the advantage of moving the story along with faster pacing and fully developed characters.

Thrillers aren't really my thing. Too much suspense, too much tension, and they turn me into a big stress-ball. But there was something about the premise behind the first novel in this duology, The Progeny, that drew me in and made me too curious to pass it by. I think it was partly a need to see what the author would do with the Countess of Bathory aspect, but even more to do with the amnesia plot. I do love a good, fictional amnesia story.

With Firstborn, Tosca Lee has delivered a fantastic follow-up to The Progeny. It is an adrenaline-filled joyride from beginning to end. Action scene after action scene is narrated by Audra, the firstborn Progeny of the title, including a dive back into the underground rave-style "court" as Audra and Luka, with help from Jester and other allies, race to survive and to locate the Historian before it is too late to protect Audra's biggest secret of all.

The paranormal aspect continues as Audra learns that as a firstborn her powers are stronger than other Progeny, and that there is a correspondingly higher price to be paid.

While this book is from a Christian publisher, there is little direct mention or reference to Christian beliefs other than a pondering over destinations after death. Despite the unattractive cover (let's just be thankful they didn't go with a "The Girl Who" style title), if you enjoy adrenaline-rush stories with a paranormal aspect, this might be just the ticket.

Once again, this had a strong New Adult feel and a propulsive writing style. The action swept me from scene to scene and any plot holes went whooshing by. I enjoyed how this novel ended and I'm looking forward to reading some of Tosca Lee's more adult and less thriller-y backlist, hopefully later this year.

While the publisher approved me to read a NetGalley e-galley, they archived the file before I was able to access it, so this review is based solely on a library ebook. All opinions expressed are my own.

n this sequel to Progeny, we follow the descendants of Elizabeth Bathory in their struggle to end this war between them and the Scions. Audra now remembers why she erased her memory and who she was trying to protect. Now, Luka has been taken by the Historian and Audra has to risk everything to get him back. With the help of her unlikely group of friends, can she save Luka and end this feud forever.



I had never heard of Elizabeth Bathory until the first book in this series. Not sure how I missed the most prolific female serial killer in history, but I did. I loved the way the first book developed, and the sequel didn’t disappoint. There were so many different twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. Certainly, the end was a surprise. These were my first experiences with Tosca Lee’s writing, but I was very impressed and do intend on looking up more books by this author. I really couldn’t find anything negative to say about this book. It’s a little “over the top”, but that’s what I would expect with this type of story. If you’re looking for something to keep you riveted to a page, I recommend picking up both of these books. I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars.



Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled a little with the first in the series, Progeny, as it felt half-baked. When it ended I felt it was half-time in the telling of the story. However, Firstborn has none of those issues. This was excellent and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I think you could read this without the reading Progeny because there is a very good overview of the first novel in the first chapter and having read it I felt immediately up to date in the story.

Audra Ellison is a tremendous character. She discovers the secret that led her to give up everything, well there are actually two secrets but you'll have to read the novel to find out both. She is determined to bring an end to the 400-year war that has led to her kind being wiped out by the Scions and her only way of doing this is to kill The Historian, this master manipulator who is pulling her all the strings of the Scions.

Audra has a special gifting that continues to develop (the ability to persuade people to do things) and together with her husband, Luka, and her merry gang of brilliant young operatives she goes on the hunt. Be hunted or be the hunter.

The story takes us on a tour of Eastern Europe with a difference; as one reviewer describes it, "the rich fabric of the underground", where the Progeny hang out in all their wonderful disguises trying to avoid their designated hunter.

Tosca Lee's writing is exceptional, as always, and we get to feel the vitality and brazenness of this young community. Ms Lee pulls back the covers as she explores the power of identity, giftedness and fitting in reflected by this rich kaleidoscope of characters. The action is fast and intense but Ms Lee gave us short stops to take a breath. And then the bombshells! The identity of The Historian? Who is "double-agent" Serge Deniel really serving?

Unlike the first novel I was very satisfied by the ending and especially the wonderful location of those final pages (a personal favourite spot!). Is there more to tell, are the Progeny able to live in peace, has the reign of The Historian came to and end? My hunch is there is another episode and I really hope Audra Ellison bugs Ms Lee to writing more of her story.

This book can give you a ride for your mind's money. It is imperative that you read the first book of this series, Progeny before diving into this one.

We're talking bizarre locations, nicknames, and characters along with blitzing plotting that will have you either glued to your seat or absolutely confused out of your gourd.

Main character, Audra is remembering and she has to kill the Historian.

It will be difficult for some to keep up with the speed and transitions to such weird locations. I remember having a difficult time with the first book and this one doesn't let up on the weirdness.

There are so many twists and deceptions that you will probably have to read this book over again.

Tosca has a quality about her writing. Her fan base is rabid but some other readers can't quite grasp what they're reading.

Try out Progeny first then buckle up for Firstborn.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Howard Books.

Tosca Lee has done it again! This sequel to The Progeny is just as fast-paced and thrilling as its predecessor, and the surprises and revelations keep coming! If you haven’t read The Progeny yet, I strongly suggest you do so before picking this one up. If, like me, it’s been over a year since you read The Progeny, never fear; Firstborn provides a succinct recap that will put you straight back into the story, and then picks up right where The Progeny left off.

There is very little I can say about this novel without giving spoilers, and if you've already read The Progeny, chances are you need no convincing to pick this book up! But for those who aren’t familiar with the basic premise of this novel, here’s the low-down: The Countess Elizabeth Báthory (1560-1614) has gone down in history as the most prolific serial killer of all time (she’s a real person, by the way, and although the precise number of victims is debated, the highest number cited in her trial was 650). The premise of this novel is that the descendants of her victims banded together to form the Scion of the Dispossessed, and for every one of Báthory’s descendants (known as a Progeny), a Hunter is assigned whose sole job it is to kill that descendant.

But wait; there’s more. Progeny have heightened powers of persuasion and are savants. If they make eye-contact with someone, they can project their thoughts and persuade that person to think or see whatever suits their purpose—unless, of course, they are a Hunter. They live their lives in a heightened state of alert, seeking out other Progeny through the European underground. At the time of their death, their incredible ability to project thought becomes their downfall, and their Hunter can harvest their memory, making every other Progeny they have ever met vulnerable to discovery and death.

At the beginning of The Progeny, Audra has had the last two years of her memory erased, along with all names, faces, and other identifiers from her life prior to that. She was protecting someone or something and has no idea whom to trust. With the big reveal on the very last page of The Progeny, she now knows exactly what she was trying to protect, and the stakes are higher than ever. It’s no longer enough to simply stay alive. She must end the Scions, and the only way to do that is to find and kill the Historian.

It’s an intense thrill-ride across Europe, with Audra hunted not only by the Scion, but also by law enforcement, who have branded her a suspected terrorist. Buckle up and hang on! And just wait for the ending. 😮 Could not have been better!

I hate to say it, but I had a really hard time jumping back into this world. I LOVED The Progeny, and I could not wait for the sequel. Granted, I read The Progeny almost a year ago, but that's not unusual with most series I read, and I don't usually struggle to jump back in quite so much. I thought Tosca Lee did an excellent job of trying to summarize the ending of the first novel and ease us back into the world at the beginning of this novel. I was expecting that to help a lot with the disconnected, confused feelings I was having. It did help clarify some things in my memory so I was no longer confused, but I still never clicked with this book like I did the last one. This was still a good book. I enjoyed it. Every bit as intriguing and full of mystery and twists and questionable loyalties as the last. However, I never really totally reconnected with the characters again, and I felt less emotional and engaged this time around. I recommend reading the books back to back or at least a little bit closer together to keep the momentum going. I may try to reread these two together and see if that changes my perspective on this one. This is a well written, intelligent, interesting series and I highly recommend it.

I feel like I waited FOREVER to read Firstborn (Howard Books), by Tosca Lee.  The first book in this series, The Progeny, was by far my favorite book of 2016-I still recommend it to literally EVERYONE!  So when I saw Firstborn pop up on Netgalley I was beyond thrilled to be approved to read the galley!  The first (half) of the book left me wanting more, which was a little tough after such an outstanding cliffhanger at the end of The Progeny.  It was so incredibly fast paced, but lacked a little in drawing me in.  Honestly, I don't think that's the writer's fault.  I think it's like when someone hypes something up so much telling you how much you're gonna love it and then you think it's just okay.  I kinda think I did that to myself.

Then the second half showed up.  And the twist, turns, and full speed of head were perfect.  I couldn't get enough!  Lee really is a masterful storyteller.  I missed the history of the first book, but we really didn't need it.  We needed to story of the characters of the now.  In fact those characters became more personal; a stronger connection was form.  Instead of focusing on the history and the mystery of that you are able to focus on the dynamics between the characters and how it relates to your own life.

Overall I finished the book truly loving it and would definitely recommend it.   But you HAVE to read The Progeny  first, that isn't even an option!

Firstborn will be released TOMORROW May 1, 2017.  So just go and buy both!

A copy of this book was provided to me for review by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was everything I wanted and more. So fast paced and hitting the action right off the back of book one, Tosca Lee has put out another stellar book. Audra and Luka both receive some great character development in this book and I couldn't be happier with their journey. This has all the same twists and turns that The Progeny had and is an edge of your seat thrill ride.

With non-stop action and an interesting cast of characters who range from good to evil and a few that can and do go either way, the book definitely kept me glued to the pages. Since the main character, Audra, chose to have her memory removed in the first book, I learned things that happened to her in the past as she rediscovered the events. It’s definitely a unique and interesting concept. Tosca’s descriptions were so vivid, I found myself completely immersed in the story. I love the free flowing way that she writes; there isn’t a single moment where I felt that a scene was a bit too formal or stiff. The ending had me on the edge of my seat, and took some very surprising turns. I loved every minute of it!

This is book 2 in the Progeny series. Having read the first book awhile back, I’d have to say that even with the brief summary, I didn’t think it worked well as a stand alone book. While a lot of the previous story came to me as I read, at times, I felt a bit lost. I had to refer to the list of characters and the review that was included a few times.


Tosca Lee is definitely a talented author, and I’m looking forward to reading more books by her. I highly recommend this series.

This is a sequel, and like the first book in the set, it is well written, fast paced and intriguing. Tosca does a masterful job of telling a tale which captivates the readers mind.

Another fantastic adventure. The conclusion to this story was perfect. Tosca Lee knows how to write heartpounding chases. I felt exhausted along with Audra and Luka.

Could not wait to read this book after THE PROGENY.....LOVED this book/series. Have highly recommended it to my reading circle.

After I finished book one (The Progeny) last year I wanted to cry over the cliffhanger we were left with. Now finally a year later we have book two. And I LOVED it. Not as much as book one, but it was still a phenomenal follow-up (conclusion??) to this series.

Again we have the same fantastic writing. Crazy breakneck pace (more about this in a minute). Twists and turns. Great main characters and an excellent array of secondary characters. So what not 5-Stars? This one had a little less "meat" if you will. The pace was SO fast it was RUN RUN RUN for the entire book. I missed the history and background the first book had. Everything from the characters, the history, even the romance between Audra and Luka seemed to take a backseat to the action. That certainly wasn't a bad thing per se, just made this one slightly less preferable to the first.

That said this one was still a fabulous read. I am not sure if there will be more in this series. I hope so. We are saved from a crazy cliffy, but it still felt like there was more story yet to be told as there were a few loose ends still flapping in the wind. All in all two thumbs up from your truly!

The sequel to The Progeny, my top pick for last year, had big shoes to fill, luckily it did not disappoint.

After Audra Ellison went to extreme measures to erase her past from her memory, she has now come face-to-face with what she tried so hard to forget. These secrets she was willing to die to protect are now what make her more vulnerable than ever to both the Historian and traitors within their midst. All her efforts to protect those she cares about seem to be falling short. The man she loves, Luka, has fallen into the hands of the Historian and she is in a race to meet the demands to save his life. Her powers are growing but also take a toll on her physically and emotionally. With the help of her friends and unexpected allies, Audra risks everything in order to save them all and stop a four-hundred-year-old war between progeny and scion. Just when things look their worst, Audra feels she is in over her head and isn’t sure if she can be the answer they are all looking for.

Fans of Tosca Lee’s The Progeny have been anxiously awaiting the sequel, Firstborn. I have now read The Progeny three times; I had to reread it before starting Firstborn to make sure I remembered everything correctly and it was just as good as the first time. With a book that good, it is hard for a sequel to live up to the hype. Luckily Firstborn does not disappoint. There is just as much suspense and tension as the first book and the ending was even more than I expected. Audra goes through so much in a very short period of time when all things are considered. She doesn’t know if she has the strength to be what everyone needs her to be and if she is strong enough or what will she be like when it is all said and done. One of the ways I determine a book is outstanding is if when I am reading it I see it playing out in my mind as a movie. That can happen with a lot of books but the movie in my head isn’t always the best. Firstborn would be a blockbuster that doesn’t let up. In a way, I wish this wouldn’t be the last book for the series, it’s so good that two installments just don’t feel like enough. But on the other hand, if it were to be spread out over a few more novels, it would have made the story less enjoyable by having fluff and too much unneeded story. Tosca Lee is the kind of author that everyone needs to read, either these books or one of her other works. There is something for everyone out there. Firstborn is a book I will be recommending to everyone that enjoys a heart-pounding suspense ride that will take you to another world away from any troubles you might be having. I know it is still early in the year, (at least for me reading this in February), but I am going to go ahead and name this my top pick of the year. It will be hard for anything to top this.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.