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Descendants of the House of Bathory #1
The Progeny
New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee brings a modern twist to an ancient mystery surrounding the most notorious female serial killer of all time. A fast-paced thriller like Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and BBC America’s hit series Orphan Black.
Emily Jacobs is the descendant of a serial killer. Now, she’s become the hunted.
She’s on a quest that will take her to the secret underground of Europe and the inner circles of three ancient orders—one determined to kill her, one devoted to keeping her alive, and one she must ultimately save.
Filled with adrenaline, romance, and reversals, The Progeny is the present-day saga of a 400-year-old war between the uncanny descendants of “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory, the most prolific female serial killer of all time, and a secret society dedicated to erasing every one of her descendants. It is a story about the search for self filled with centuries-old intrigues against the backdrop of atrocity and hope.
Emily Jacobs is the descendant of a serial killer. Now, she’s become the hunted.
She’s on a quest that will take her to the secret underground of Europe and the inner circles of three ancient orders—one determined to kill her, one devoted to keeping her alive, and one she must ultimately save.
Filled with adrenaline, romance, and reversals, The Progeny is the present-day saga of a 400-year-old war between the uncanny descendants of “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory, the most prolific female serial killer of all time, and a secret society dedicated to erasing every one of her descendants. It is a story about the search for self filled with centuries-old intrigues against the backdrop of atrocity and hope.
336 pages, ebook
First published May 24, 2016
About the author
Tosca Lee
27 books3,207 followers"Superior storytelling."
-Publishers Weekly
"One of the most gifted novelists writing today."
-Steven James, bestselling author
Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times, IndieBound, and Amazon bestselling author of eleven novels including THE LINE BETWEEN, A SINGLE LIGHT, THE PROGENY, THE LEGEND OF SHEBA, ISCARIOT, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages and been optioned for TV and film. A notorious night-owl, she loves movies, playing football with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband.
You can find Tosca at ToscaLee.com, on social media, or hanging around the snack table. To learn more, please visit toscalee.com.
For book release news and giveaways, join Tosca Lee's Nocturnal Cafe: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
-Publishers Weekly
"One of the most gifted novelists writing today."
-Steven James, bestselling author
Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times, IndieBound, and Amazon bestselling author of eleven novels including THE LINE BETWEEN, A SINGLE LIGHT, THE PROGENY, THE LEGEND OF SHEBA, ISCARIOT, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages and been optioned for TV and film. A notorious night-owl, she loves movies, playing football with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband.
You can find Tosca at ToscaLee.com, on social media, or hanging around the snack table. To learn more, please visit toscalee.com.
For book release news and giveaways, join Tosca Lee's Nocturnal Cafe: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews
February 7, 2017
NOOOOOO this book ends on one HELL of a cliffhanger. I want to cry because I don't think the next book in the series is out until next year...
This book was SO frigging good. Descendants of Elizabeth Bathory the Blood Queen being hunted by descendants of her supposed victims. Secret societies, paranormal elements, and twist and turns galore. We are thrown into the action from the get go, and it just never lets up. Who to believe, who to trust. This book read like a Dan Brown novel. Beautifully written, fast paced, and with wonderful characters that I REALLY can't wait to read more about.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY need book two NOW!
This book was SO frigging good. Descendants of Elizabeth Bathory the Blood Queen being hunted by descendants of her supposed victims. Secret societies, paranormal elements, and twist and turns galore. We are thrown into the action from the get go, and it just never lets up. Who to believe, who to trust. This book read like a Dan Brown novel. Beautifully written, fast paced, and with wonderful characters that I REALLY can't wait to read more about.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY need book two NOW!
February 4, 2016
I received this as an ARC from Tosca Lee - she asked me to read it and perhaps give her a blurb for the book by early Feb. I was super busy, but the premise sounded really cool, so I made time for the book and was glad I did! There's lots going on in this book and there's lots of explanations in the beginning chapters so a reader really needs to pay attention - I think those who enjoy re-reading will pick up on more the second time through.
Once the action starts, it doesn't stop and the characters are very engaging and at times, I wasn't sure who to trust.
This book is a fast paced read and if you like thrillers and mystery and romance, this has it all. There is no doubt a second book will be published so if you like to read an entire series at one go, you're going to have to wait for this one. I'm not sure how many books there will be. I will be reading the second as soon as it comes out.
Once the action starts, it doesn't stop and the characters are very engaging and at times, I wasn't sure who to trust.
This book is a fast paced read and if you like thrillers and mystery and romance, this has it all. There is no doubt a second book will be published so if you like to read an entire series at one go, you're going to have to wait for this one. I'm not sure how many books there will be. I will be reading the second as soon as it comes out.
Want to read
January 25, 2018Emily has voluntarily had her memory erased. She's paid the people who erased her memory relocate her and give her a new identity. When we meet her, the person sent to help her acclimate is leaving.
Helper asks Emily to give her a ride into town, but before they go, she gives Emily a letter written by her pre-memory erased self.
She can read it when she returns.
While in town, Emily (who lives in the middle of nowhere) decides to hit the store, where she meets a man who watches her and behaves strangely.
She goes home to her letter, and her past self tells her to keep her face off the web. Her life may depend on it.
End preview.
SIGN ME UP.
Helper asks Emily to give her a ride into town, but before they go, she gives Emily a letter written by her pre-memory erased self.
She can read it when she returns.
While in town, Emily (who lives in the middle of nowhere) decides to hit the store, where she meets a man who watches her and behaves strangely.
She goes home to her letter, and her past self tells her to keep her face off the web. Her life may depend on it.
End preview.
SIGN ME UP.
May 12, 2022
Started off really well,then started to lose interest maybe not my type of book.won this book on first reads.she wipes her memory hidden secrets who can she trust.I can see some people want to read it a historical and Di Vinci code combined.
June 4, 2017
Full review now posted!
Original review can be found at Booknest.
It got better.
When I first picked up this book, I was pretty excited. Tosca Lee cowrote an amazing trilogy with Ted Dekker, one of my favorite authors of all time, called The Books of Mortals (the first book is: Forbidden). It was Christian speculative fiction at its finest. I’ve read Havah: The Story of Eve by Tosca Lee, which was a reimagining of the life of Eve, but that’s the only book I’ve read written by her alone. When I saw the writeup for this book, a tale about the descendants of one of the world’s most infamous female serial killers, Elizabeth Bathory, I was very intrigued.
My initial issue with this was that I felt like it was falsely advertised. It was a fun, fast-paced book, but it didn’t seem to have any Christian connotations at all. (I read about the book in a Christian Fiction magazine, thus the expectation.) But, as I said, it was fun and fast-paced, so I let the morality or lack thereof go. Maybe it was just a marketing tactic, I thought. However, my moral issues with the book were answered as I got closer to the end of the book, and theology began to become a topic of conversation for our characters. The morals and theology in this book never felt forced or improbable. This was Christian fiction that I feel like non-Christians could be completely comfortable reading. It has a message, but that message is never shoved down readers’ throats.
The plot itself was pretty engrossing. I’ve always thought that Elizabeth Bathory, also known as the Blood Countess, was fascinating. Getting a different possible side to her story was incredibly interesting. And the whole concept of the Progeny, offspring of the Countess with certain unique gifts, being hunted to extinction by a group whose sole purpose was to wipe her bloodline from the face of the earth, was such a cool concept. I totally understand the comparisons to The Da Vinci Code and Orphan Black.
The characters were where the book fell a bit flat for me. Our main character has undergone a procedure to wipe her own memory. Because of this, she has no idea who she can trust. The other characters who cross her path (who I won’t name so as not to give anything away) are a vibrant but fragile group. Every single character was undoubtedly interesting theoretically. But for some reason, I struggled to connect with any of them. They were all so cool, but they didn’t feel real. However, this changed toward the end of the book, especially for our two main characters. But by the last fifty pages or so, I cared for them and felt for them. I just wish I could’ve developed that connection sooner.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I had a hard time connecting at first, but that improved as the story progressed. The plot was pretty fantastic. Do be aware that this ended with a pretty hardcore cliffhanger, so make sure you have book 2 (Firstborn) readily available if you decide to give this book a try!
Original review can be found at Booknest.
It got better.
When I first picked up this book, I was pretty excited. Tosca Lee cowrote an amazing trilogy with Ted Dekker, one of my favorite authors of all time, called The Books of Mortals (the first book is: Forbidden). It was Christian speculative fiction at its finest. I’ve read Havah: The Story of Eve by Tosca Lee, which was a reimagining of the life of Eve, but that’s the only book I’ve read written by her alone. When I saw the writeup for this book, a tale about the descendants of one of the world’s most infamous female serial killers, Elizabeth Bathory, I was very intrigued.
My initial issue with this was that I felt like it was falsely advertised. It was a fun, fast-paced book, but it didn’t seem to have any Christian connotations at all. (I read about the book in a Christian Fiction magazine, thus the expectation.) But, as I said, it was fun and fast-paced, so I let the morality or lack thereof go. Maybe it was just a marketing tactic, I thought. However, my moral issues with the book were answered as I got closer to the end of the book, and theology began to become a topic of conversation for our characters. The morals and theology in this book never felt forced or improbable. This was Christian fiction that I feel like non-Christians could be completely comfortable reading. It has a message, but that message is never shoved down readers’ throats.
The plot itself was pretty engrossing. I’ve always thought that Elizabeth Bathory, also known as the Blood Countess, was fascinating. Getting a different possible side to her story was incredibly interesting. And the whole concept of the Progeny, offspring of the Countess with certain unique gifts, being hunted to extinction by a group whose sole purpose was to wipe her bloodline from the face of the earth, was such a cool concept. I totally understand the comparisons to The Da Vinci Code and Orphan Black.
The characters were where the book fell a bit flat for me. Our main character has undergone a procedure to wipe her own memory. Because of this, she has no idea who she can trust. The other characters who cross her path (who I won’t name so as not to give anything away) are a vibrant but fragile group. Every single character was undoubtedly interesting theoretically. But for some reason, I struggled to connect with any of them. They were all so cool, but they didn’t feel real. However, this changed toward the end of the book, especially for our two main characters. But by the last fifty pages or so, I cared for them and felt for them. I just wish I could’ve developed that connection sooner.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I had a hard time connecting at first, but that improved as the story progressed. The plot was pretty fantastic. Do be aware that this ended with a pretty hardcore cliffhanger, so make sure you have book 2 (Firstborn) readily available if you decide to give this book a try!
May 16, 2016
Emily Jacobs is recovering from a procedure where she chose to have her memory wiped. She remembers small details but can't remember her own name, her family or most of her life before she woke. She's had a caretaker for the last couple of weeks but now it's time for her to be on her own. Before parting her caretaker leaves her a letter that Emily had written to herself telling her not to look into her past and that it would be dangerous.
Of course the past has a way of catching up to us even when not looking. Emily soon finds that she is being hunted. Learning that she is a descendant of a serial killer and what is known as a progeny she has certain powers. This knowledge and being hunted sends Emily embarking on a journey to find out the truth of who she is and who she can trust.
The Progeny is a high speed action packed adventure across multiple countries as the main character tries to learn who she was and how to stop those that are after her and the other descendants. There was never a dull moment in the story once the adventure takes off.
This is one of those reads that half the time I want to yell at the characters to do this or that and the other half I'm rooting them on as they go. It drags you into the whole plot and wanting to know just what it is/was that would make someone go to the extremes of needing to forget who they were and what it is that the character knew she needed to hide from her hunters. Definitely one that kept the pages turning as the action unfolded all throughout.
Overall, great start to a new series with a bit of a cliffhanger ending to lead the reader into the next book.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Of course the past has a way of catching up to us even when not looking. Emily soon finds that she is being hunted. Learning that she is a descendant of a serial killer and what is known as a progeny she has certain powers. This knowledge and being hunted sends Emily embarking on a journey to find out the truth of who she is and who she can trust.
The Progeny is a high speed action packed adventure across multiple countries as the main character tries to learn who she was and how to stop those that are after her and the other descendants. There was never a dull moment in the story once the adventure takes off.
This is one of those reads that half the time I want to yell at the characters to do this or that and the other half I'm rooting them on as they go. It drags you into the whole plot and wanting to know just what it is/was that would make someone go to the extremes of needing to forget who they were and what it is that the character knew she needed to hide from her hunters. Definitely one that kept the pages turning as the action unfolded all throughout.
Overall, great start to a new series with a bit of a cliffhanger ending to lead the reader into the next book.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
June 15, 2016
I must admit that I’m a total sucker for anything that references Lady Bathory. Her history is mired in myth and legend and we’ll never really know what happened. Hence, I hungrily devour anything that might provide either some insight, or some new false horror that I find to be downright gruesome. And because of that, entertaining.
I wish I hadn’t really bothered with this one. I can’t even muster up enough energy to go through all the things I had issue with in this book, but the big one is basically that it didn’t make sense. I don’t mean that there are huge plot holes, or things don’t work well together, but basically there was no reason for this book to be there. The whole story starts out with the FMC having lost her memory, willingly, to escape or hide from something. Reading about her trying to recover her memories and piece together the story all over again, was actually fairly boring to me. She’s obviously gone through all this trouble to erase her memory, only to turn around and start the search over again. I would’ve rather the story that happened BEFORE this book, before she took her own memory, than this one.
I really don’t know what else to say, this book easily flitted from my mind as soon as I was done reading it. All except for the ending, which the only reason it stayed with me was because of the absurdity of it all. I will not be continuing this series. I definitely think there is an audience for this story, but I’m definitely not it.
I would recommend this to those who enjoy fantasy and magical realism.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I wish I hadn’t really bothered with this one. I can’t even muster up enough energy to go through all the things I had issue with in this book, but the big one is basically that it didn’t make sense. I don’t mean that there are huge plot holes, or things don’t work well together, but basically there was no reason for this book to be there. The whole story starts out with the FMC having lost her memory, willingly, to escape or hide from something. Reading about her trying to recover her memories and piece together the story all over again, was actually fairly boring to me. She’s obviously gone through all this trouble to erase her memory, only to turn around and start the search over again. I would’ve rather the story that happened BEFORE this book, before she took her own memory, than this one.
I really don’t know what else to say, this book easily flitted from my mind as soon as I was done reading it. All except for the ending, which the only reason it stayed with me was because of the absurdity of it all. I will not be continuing this series. I definitely think there is an audience for this story, but I’m definitely not it.
I would recommend this to those who enjoy fantasy and magical realism.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
March 17, 2017
The Progeny by Tosca Lee delivers question after unanswered question through shocking twists and turns with answers that dance just out of reach.
One girl is the center of mystery, she just doesn't know it yet. Emily Porter is the descendant of a serial killer. She's smart, intuitive, and gifted, and she would do anything to save the ones she loves.
I loved this book! I mean...I didn't expect anything less from Tosca because anything she writes is fabulous, but I wasn't sure what I would find hiding in the pages of The Progeny. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. From the start the reader is kept guessing as we're dropped into the mind of Emily. I liked Tosca's use of first person present tense - it's a popular POV right now and I think she did a great job with it. Emily isn't whiny, annoying, or trivial like so many main characters can become. I enjoy how fresh, focused, and smart she is.
I also loved the setting and infusion of history! It's set in modern day just slightly in the future (close enough to be realistic in my opinion) but the flavor of the 1600s is present with a fun, modern type flair. I also personally love anything that has to do with history affecting present day in a mysterious, slightly supernatural type way. So much YES!
Do I recommend it? Absolutely! I think fans of Tosca's other writing will love it despite the fact that it is different than anything else she's written thus far. I also think YA readers will enjoy the fast paced plot, historical fans will like the interwoven backstory, and readers of thrillers and suspense will get their action kick to. Oh, did I mention there's romance too??? So, I guess I'm saying that say pretty much any reader who likes a good book will enjoy The Progeny.
I will caution you readers that there is a slight bit of language for some of you who aren't expecting it, just know it's there.
But really, you'll love this and the end will leave you satisfied but begging for book 2.
Buckle up for this wild ride!
My Rating: 4.5*
Originally posted on my blog:
http://eahendryx.blogspot.com/2016/06...
______________
I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.
One girl is the center of mystery, she just doesn't know it yet. Emily Porter is the descendant of a serial killer. She's smart, intuitive, and gifted, and she would do anything to save the ones she loves.
I loved this book! I mean...I didn't expect anything less from Tosca because anything she writes is fabulous, but I wasn't sure what I would find hiding in the pages of The Progeny. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. From the start the reader is kept guessing as we're dropped into the mind of Emily. I liked Tosca's use of first person present tense - it's a popular POV right now and I think she did a great job with it. Emily isn't whiny, annoying, or trivial like so many main characters can become. I enjoy how fresh, focused, and smart she is.
I also loved the setting and infusion of history! It's set in modern day just slightly in the future (close enough to be realistic in my opinion) but the flavor of the 1600s is present with a fun, modern type flair. I also personally love anything that has to do with history affecting present day in a mysterious, slightly supernatural type way. So much YES!
Do I recommend it? Absolutely! I think fans of Tosca's other writing will love it despite the fact that it is different than anything else she's written thus far. I also think YA readers will enjoy the fast paced plot, historical fans will like the interwoven backstory, and readers of thrillers and suspense will get their action kick to. Oh, did I mention there's romance too??? So, I guess I'm saying that say pretty much any reader who likes a good book will enjoy The Progeny.
I will caution you readers that there is a slight bit of language for some of you who aren't expecting it, just know it's there.
But really, you'll love this and the end will leave you satisfied but begging for book 2.
Buckle up for this wild ride!
My Rating: 4.5*
Originally posted on my blog:
http://eahendryx.blogspot.com/2016/06...
______________
I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.
April 27, 2016
Tosca Lee's The Progeny started out with a bang. Great hook, really great build up, decent characters, very interesting premise. Around 50-60%, it took a weird turn to some partying, which made me take a pause and struggle to push through. I'm glad I did, because soon the explosive pace returned and raced to the finish. But then it ended. I'm okay with cliffhangers, and I know the author has mentioned this is going to be a duology, but seriously. It just ended. It dropped a few bombshells and then ended, with EVERYTHING up in the air!
I'll definitely read book two, just to tie up the story and figure out where Lee is going with her story. But I had to take off a star for the completely unresolved ending and a little extra for that brief period where the story veered off course and left me fighting to regain interest.
A little less than four stars, rounded up.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I'll definitely read book two, just to tie up the story and figure out where Lee is going with her story. But I had to take off a star for the completely unresolved ending and a little extra for that brief period where the story veered off course and left me fighting to regain interest.
A little less than four stars, rounded up.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 10, 2016
MEMENTO meets The Da Vinci Code. The main character, Audra, is faced with an ever-expanding puzzle box filled with centuries-old conspiracies. Danger abounds, as does love. While this book has several frustrating LOST-ish elements, (i.e., why don't the characters just tell each other what they know instead of keeping some things secret for no apparent reason), those moments are easy to gloss over in the context of the big picture. Mysteries, raves, masquerades, evil plots, beautiful people doing ugly things, murder, mayhem, assassins, betrayals and alliances ... what's not to like?
June 20, 2016
Video Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-qKM...
There is so much going on in this book, I recommend that you don't blink while reading it.
When I first picked up this book, I wasn't 100% sure what I was getting myself into. Would it be an amazing action adventure story? Would it be a sci-fi romance? Would there be sushi mentioned? I wasn't even sure who the Blood Countess was in history.
From the very beginning of this novel, things just move and don't stop. You are left putting together the pieces with "Emily". You never know who to fully trust or what anything is really leading up to, and that is the beauty of this story.
Plus the humor is great as well.
I did struggle a bit with the believability of some of the characters and more supernatural elements. Mainly because I wanted answers - I was failing to see how some things were possible. Granted that wraps quite nicely into the confusion of the search that is the main arc of this book.
Some of the character relationships felt a little one dimensional as well. The story gives way to a lot of movement and action (which is good) but the relationship development suffers for it.
I will be picking up the next book. I need to know what happens and I love seeing the Countess's history playing a part in everything that is going on.
There is so much going on in this book, I recommend that you don't blink while reading it.
When I first picked up this book, I wasn't 100% sure what I was getting myself into. Would it be an amazing action adventure story? Would it be a sci-fi romance? Would there be sushi mentioned? I wasn't even sure who the Blood Countess was in history.
From the very beginning of this novel, things just move and don't stop. You are left putting together the pieces with "Emily". You never know who to fully trust or what anything is really leading up to, and that is the beauty of this story.
Plus the humor is great as well.
I did struggle a bit with the believability of some of the characters and more supernatural elements. Mainly because I wanted answers - I was failing to see how some things were possible. Granted that wraps quite nicely into the confusion of the search that is the main arc of this book.
Some of the character relationships felt a little one dimensional as well. The story gives way to a lot of movement and action (which is good) but the relationship development suffers for it.
I will be picking up the next book. I need to know what happens and I love seeing the Countess's history playing a part in everything that is going on.
May 23, 2021
3.5 stars
The first in an exciting new series by Lee takes readers on an action-packed journey through the world. Hidden identities and special powers based on bloodline, as well as numerous cat-and-mouse games that end in death, will evoke gasps of disbelief as it becomes difficult to discern good people from bad. Intriguing characters and a complex story provide intense drama.
When Emily finally regains her ability to think clearly, she discovers that she paid to have her memory erased and is now living an extremely isolated life in the backwoods of Maine. Yet hidden things don’t stay concealed for long, and Emily is on the run, accompanied by different groups of people, all telling her fantastic stories. Are any of these stories true? Is she really a descendant of a notorious serial killer? Whom can she trust?
The first in an exciting new series by Lee takes readers on an action-packed journey through the world. Hidden identities and special powers based on bloodline, as well as numerous cat-and-mouse games that end in death, will evoke gasps of disbelief as it becomes difficult to discern good people from bad. Intriguing characters and a complex story provide intense drama.
When Emily finally regains her ability to think clearly, she discovers that she paid to have her memory erased and is now living an extremely isolated life in the backwoods of Maine. Yet hidden things don’t stay concealed for long, and Emily is on the run, accompanied by different groups of people, all telling her fantastic stories. Are any of these stories true? Is she really a descendant of a notorious serial killer? Whom can she trust?
June 3, 2016
One of the best thrillers I've read in a very long time. Don't miss this one.
February 26, 2016
Progeny is one killer story! Exploring the violent backdrop of the Bathory’s legacy, Lee pens an intriguing tale of persuasion and mystery, redemption and love! It’s a roller-coaster ride that picked up speed, racing to the gasp-out-loud conclusion. Progeny makes readers hunger for the next installment!
I loved Audra's story, right from the beginning with her missing memory, confusion, and mystery. Danger nips at her heels from the get-go and really never lets up as she traipses across the globe hunting down her past--and come to think of it, her future! It was an adventure discovering with her dangers, truths, foes and friends, and love. And that ending--a sucker punch of awesomeness!
Truly cannot wait for book 2! BRING IT!!
I loved Audra's story, right from the beginning with her missing memory, confusion, and mystery. Danger nips at her heels from the get-go and really never lets up as she traipses across the globe hunting down her past--and come to think of it, her future! It was an adventure discovering with her dangers, truths, foes and friends, and love. And that ending--a sucker punch of awesomeness!
Truly cannot wait for book 2! BRING IT!!
April 6, 2020
Short non-spoiler review. 3.5 stars.
I must say, this was a lot more enjoyable on the second read. I hope this duology ends well, so that I can say for certain I am happy to have read it. I’m leaving my original review intact, because it’s still a decent summary of my thoughts.
So the Progeny revolves around Emily, who is really Audra, who in the first two pages of the novel undergoes a procedure which completely wipes her episodic memory. That is to say, she has no idea who she is, everyone she ever met is once again a stranger, and she has a blank slate. Except not really, and yes that is as frustrating as it sounds. Because Audra is Progeny, Utod, whatever you prefer. Which basically means she is a descendant of Elizabeth Bathory (aka the Blood Countess), and - unlike in real life - has the persuasive abilities that all Progeny are blessed with. The problem is that all Progeny are hunted by the Scoins - basically a group of fanatic murderers who are dedicated to wiping out all of Bathory’s descendants, because, you know, vengeance? Whatever. Point is there are currently more Scoins than Progeny and they’ve infiltrated like every organization. Bad bad bad. So, naturally, Audra gets to live freely for about five minutes before she’s promptly discovered and tossed back into her old, very dangerous life, without the benefit of her memory of what to do in life threatening situations or the names of anyone she used to trust.
Frustrating. Highly stressful.
The thing is that the whole memory thing is actually quite an interesting premise. And this book worked so hard to make it seem like life goes on, even without memory. But, in the end, it really doesn’t. Memory and experiences make up who a person is. You lose your memory, the person you were would be - for nearly all intents and purposes - pretty much dead. And I just couldn’t get that out of my head while reading, even though I knew I was supposed to.
However, writing a novel about the descendants of such a well-known serial killer was extremely interesting, all elements of urban fantasy aside. The conspiracy theories and segments of history were basically my favorite parts.
I don’t really have much to say personally. I enjoyed the book. I definitely plan to read the next one, if only because I now need answers. I want to make one thing clear, though. The blurb we have on here compares this book to, like, the Da Vinci Code, Orphan Black, etc. It is neither, none of those things. It was good, enjoyable enough, but it’s certainly no Orphan Black.
I must say, this was a lot more enjoyable on the second read. I hope this duology ends well, so that I can say for certain I am happy to have read it. I’m leaving my original review intact, because it’s still a decent summary of my thoughts.
So the Progeny revolves around Emily, who is really Audra, who in the first two pages of the novel undergoes a procedure which completely wipes her episodic memory. That is to say, she has no idea who she is, everyone she ever met is once again a stranger, and she has a blank slate. Except not really, and yes that is as frustrating as it sounds. Because Audra is Progeny, Utod, whatever you prefer. Which basically means she is a descendant of Elizabeth Bathory (aka the Blood Countess), and - unlike in real life - has the persuasive abilities that all Progeny are blessed with. The problem is that all Progeny are hunted by the Scoins - basically a group of fanatic murderers who are dedicated to wiping out all of Bathory’s descendants, because, you know, vengeance? Whatever. Point is there are currently more Scoins than Progeny and they’ve infiltrated like every organization. Bad bad bad. So, naturally, Audra gets to live freely for about five minutes before she’s promptly discovered and tossed back into her old, very dangerous life, without the benefit of her memory of what to do in life threatening situations or the names of anyone she used to trust.
Frustrating. Highly stressful.
The thing is that the whole memory thing is actually quite an interesting premise. And this book worked so hard to make it seem like life goes on, even without memory. But, in the end, it really doesn’t. Memory and experiences make up who a person is. You lose your memory, the person you were would be - for nearly all intents and purposes - pretty much dead. And I just couldn’t get that out of my head while reading, even though I knew I was supposed to.
However, writing a novel about the descendants of such a well-known serial killer was extremely interesting, all elements of urban fantasy aside. The conspiracy theories and segments of history were basically my favorite parts.
I don’t really have much to say personally. I enjoyed the book. I definitely plan to read the next one, if only because I now need answers. I want to make one thing clear, though. The blurb we have on here compares this book to, like, the Da Vinci Code, Orphan Black, etc. It is neither, none of those things. It was good, enjoyable enough, but it’s certainly no Orphan Black.
May 9, 2016
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Here's my main issue with this book: I spent 85% of the book shouting (in my head), "WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE TRYING TO KILL EVERYONE?!"
Seriously, I didn't get it. The premise didn't really explain the craziness of the plot. The premise just says that Emily is the descendant of a serial killer and she has become hunted. Sounds exciting enough, right? Here's what the premise didn't say: Emily is hunted FOR NO OTHER REASON than the fact that she is the descendant of a serial killer from HUNDREDS of years ago. Seriously. THAT'S IT. Apparently there are these hunters who have spent hundreds of years tracking down every single descendant of this serial killer because the victims never got justice or their land was taken from them or something. I never really got it. And okay, I can understand why THOSE PEOPLE would be upset. But this is the year 2016. There is no one alive who was affected by this woman. Oh, and this woman had some kind of power that she was able to persuade people to do whatever she wanted and all of her descendants inherited that power, but the girls had stronger powers so the hunters focused more on female descendants than male ones. Does that sound confusing and convoluted? That's because it is.
Now that I've gotten my rant about the absurdness of the plot out of the way, I will talk about the characters. Emily actually had her memory erased in some surgery (this is not a spoiler because it happens in the first chapter) because the hunters also are in search of some diary and they can get the memory of people they kill. Really, I couldn't even keep this stuff straight. I didn't really have a chance to get to know the character because she didn't really know who she was. She kept reminding the reader every chapter that she had no memory, but people were still after her. There was some insta love that I wasn't feeling and some friendships with people I didn't even care about. The good thing about this book is that it was full of action and didn't drag at all. The bad part was that I still missed some of the action because my mind was reeling too much with all the craziness and I was trying so hard to understand what was happening. There was a surprise at the ending, but I really don't know if that surprise is enough to make me want to read the sequel. Then again, I have a compulsive need to finish most of the series that I start so we will see.
Here's my main issue with this book: I spent 85% of the book shouting (in my head), "WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? WHY ARE THESE PEOPLE TRYING TO KILL EVERYONE?!"
Seriously, I didn't get it. The premise didn't really explain the craziness of the plot. The premise just says that Emily is the descendant of a serial killer and she has become hunted. Sounds exciting enough, right? Here's what the premise didn't say: Emily is hunted FOR NO OTHER REASON than the fact that she is the descendant of a serial killer from HUNDREDS of years ago. Seriously. THAT'S IT. Apparently there are these hunters who have spent hundreds of years tracking down every single descendant of this serial killer because the victims never got justice or their land was taken from them or something. I never really got it. And okay, I can understand why THOSE PEOPLE would be upset. But this is the year 2016. There is no one alive who was affected by this woman. Oh, and this woman had some kind of power that she was able to persuade people to do whatever she wanted and all of her descendants inherited that power, but the girls had stronger powers so the hunters focused more on female descendants than male ones. Does that sound confusing and convoluted? That's because it is.
Now that I've gotten my rant about the absurdness of the plot out of the way, I will talk about the characters. Emily actually had her memory erased in some surgery (this is not a spoiler because it happens in the first chapter) because the hunters also are in search of some diary and they can get the memory of people they kill. Really, I couldn't even keep this stuff straight. I didn't really have a chance to get to know the character because she didn't really know who she was. She kept reminding the reader every chapter that she had no memory, but people were still after her. There was some insta love that I wasn't feeling and some friendships with people I didn't even care about. The good thing about this book is that it was full of action and didn't drag at all. The bad part was that I still missed some of the action because my mind was reeling too much with all the craziness and I was trying so hard to understand what was happening. There was a surprise at the ending, but I really don't know if that surprise is enough to make me want to read the sequel. Then again, I have a compulsive need to finish most of the series that I start so we will see.
July 15, 2016
I received an ARC of The Progeny by Tosca Lee from NetGalley. This is no way influences my opinion on the book or this review.
Emily Porter has had her memory wiped—voluntarily. She can't remember anything about her life before, or even why she decided it was a good idea to forget everything. On top of not knowing the important whos, whats, whens, wheres, and whys about her life, the procedure has left her with a sketchy short-term memory as well. The beginning of the book is really confusing because it's written in first person and the reader is pretty much experiencing everything right along with Emily. We're clueless, disoriented, and totally frustrated just like her because we have no idea what's going on. The only sure thing is that there's a huge secret that all of us are dying to figure out: Who is Emily?
Our questions are quickly answered when Emily finds out she's actually a descendant of the prolific serial killer Elizabeth Bathory and that her name isn't even Emily Porter, it's Audra Ellison. All descendants of Elizabeth Bathory are known as Progeny, and there is a secret society known as Hunters, led by the elusive Historian, hell-bent on wiping them from the face of the Earth. Hunters are able to retrieve the memories of any Progeny they kill, and seeing as Audra apparently knew too much, it's a good thing she can't remember anything about her life.
Despite the fact that Audra no longer remembers who she can and cannot trust, she is forced to make quick allies with people from her unremembered life in order to stay alive. As she travels around the world trying to piece together the puzzles of her past people she thought she could trust betray her, and people she knew she couldn't trust end up helping her the most.
Audra's story is absolutely enthralling and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel.
preorder your copy now: amazon books-a-million barnes & noble
I didn't come to start over.
I came to hide.
Emily Porter has had her memory wiped—voluntarily. She can't remember anything about her life before, or even why she decided it was a good idea to forget everything. On top of not knowing the important whos, whats, whens, wheres, and whys about her life, the procedure has left her with a sketchy short-term memory as well. The beginning of the book is really confusing because it's written in first person and the reader is pretty much experiencing everything right along with Emily. We're clueless, disoriented, and totally frustrated just like her because we have no idea what's going on. The only sure thing is that there's a huge secret that all of us are dying to figure out: Who is Emily?
Our questions are quickly answered when Emily finds out she's actually a descendant of the prolific serial killer Elizabeth Bathory and that her name isn't even Emily Porter, it's Audra Ellison. All descendants of Elizabeth Bathory are known as Progeny, and there is a secret society known as Hunters, led by the elusive Historian, hell-bent on wiping them from the face of the Earth. Hunters are able to retrieve the memories of any Progeny they kill, and seeing as Audra apparently knew too much, it's a good thing she can't remember anything about her life.
Despite the fact that Audra no longer remembers who she can and cannot trust, she is forced to make quick allies with people from her unremembered life in order to stay alive. As she travels around the world trying to piece together the puzzles of her past people she thought she could trust betray her, and people she knew she couldn't trust end up helping her the most.
Audra's story is absolutely enthralling and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel.
preorder your copy now: amazon books-a-million barnes & noble
February 13, 2016
I'm a fan of Tosca Lee's books. She writes amazing stories and I don't even have to know the synopsis of her new books because I'm sure I'm going to love it anyway. But when I read the synopsis for The Progeny, it just blown my mind. It sounded very different from her previous works, so I had very high expectations for this book.
The beginning was a bit slow, but once the story continued, it was absolutely fast! I think the way it started made perfect sense because it helped me to understand the characters and what they were going through.
This book is an authentic thriller. Tosca Lee has written and unstoppable story and you can't even try to guess what's going to happen next because it's full of twists.
I love female protagonists who are brave and are not crying in very page, so Emily was such a great character to read. She surprised me with her complex personality and unusual gifts.
The setting is also great. While reading, in my mind was like a movie full of vivid colors and wonderful characters.
The ending left me gasping and looking for the next page, so I'm more than excited to read the next book in this series and I really REALLY hope not have to wait for a long time.
-I recieved a copy from the publisher via Netgalley for this review, but this fact didn't influence the review-
---
I don't know what this is about, but it's Tosca's book, so I'M EXCITED!!
Updated after reading the title and the synopsis:
"...Most notorious female serial killer of all time"
Ok Tosca, you got me!
The beginning was a bit slow, but once the story continued, it was absolutely fast! I think the way it started made perfect sense because it helped me to understand the characters and what they were going through.
This book is an authentic thriller. Tosca Lee has written and unstoppable story and you can't even try to guess what's going to happen next because it's full of twists.
I love female protagonists who are brave and are not crying in very page, so Emily was such a great character to read. She surprised me with her complex personality and unusual gifts.
The setting is also great. While reading, in my mind was like a movie full of vivid colors and wonderful characters.
The ending left me gasping and looking for the next page, so I'm more than excited to read the next book in this series and I really REALLY hope not have to wait for a long time.
-I recieved a copy from the publisher via Netgalley for this review, but this fact didn't influence the review-
---
I don't know what this is about, but it's Tosca's book, so I'M EXCITED!!
Updated after reading the title and the synopsis:
"...Most notorious female serial killer of all time"
Ok Tosca, you got me!
April 23, 2017
I'm not usually into thrillers, but The Progeny by Tosca Lee was really good! Fast-paced, intriguing, and keeping your mind spinning! Besides one very gruesome story about a supposed serial killer queen of old (which I whited out), it wasn't too frightening/gory at all.
Unfortunately, I had some concerns. There was a bit of minor language. And the worst, three or four misuses of God's name. Though The Progeny had somewhat of a faith theme, I'm not sure it's actually a Christian fiction book. Also, there was an issue of a couple basically living together ... . Nothing was graphic, or detailed; but definitely implied about halfway through the book. And ruined the whole story for me.
If there's actually a deep Christian theme that unfolds in the rest of the series, I might keep reading. But right now, the characters seem to be ignoring God's Word on some issues.
Three stars, because it was fascinating and well-written, but I have some content concerns.
Unfortunately, I had some concerns. There was a bit of minor language. And the worst, three or four misuses of God's name. Though The Progeny had somewhat of a faith theme, I'm not sure it's actually a Christian fiction book. Also, there was an issue of a couple basically living together ... . Nothing was graphic, or detailed; but definitely implied about halfway through the book. And ruined the whole story for me.
If there's actually a deep Christian theme that unfolds in the rest of the series, I might keep reading. But right now, the characters seem to be ignoring God's Word on some issues.
Three stars, because it was fascinating and well-written, but I have some content concerns.
Read
September 16, 2016I wanted to like this one. A lot. But... I don't know. Not my type of book. :/
May 3, 2017
I am very disappointed right now.
So... The premise of this book (quoted from the summary─not a spoiler) is that there is “a 400-year-old war between the uncanny descendants of “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory, the most prolific female serial killer of all time, and a secret society dedicated to erasing every one of her descendants.” Here's my question... WHY??? What does wiping out her line accomplish? Being a child of a serial killer does not a serial killer make. This is NEVER explained. Also, how does being a descendant of a serial killer endow one with special gifts and/or psychic abilities? Again, this is NEVER explained.
Here's another question... How is it that Audra made the extreme decision to have her memory wiped so that her brain wouldn't contain any of the secrets that the hunters are after, but one such hunter finds her almost immediately after she recovers from the procedure? Based on how many times we heard that “they'll never stop hunting” her, the whole premise is flawed. She's a well-known progeny who everyone claims has gifts that are superior to other progeny, plus we're told often how intelligent she is, so how is it, Tosca Lee, that Audra thought wiping her memory would keep her safe?
And another thing... It's really irritating when a character desperately needs answers to questions BECAUSE THEY'RE IN IMMINENT DANGER and the other characters only give a cryptic response or say they'll meet them later and tell them then. Duh! We all know you'll be dead by then!!!
To compare this book to The Da Vinci Code is absurd, unless the commonality is that they're both books. The Da Vinci Code had you discovering clues along the way which were thoroughly explained and allowed you to buy into the conspiracy. You found out nothing in this book until the end (see aforementioned lack of answers), when you unceremoniously received a huge information dump that included things that were totally unexplained and/or unrelated and left you thinking, are you serious right now?
Although it's told in the first person, this book reads like a narrative of someone relating a story to me rather than me feeling a part of Audra's story. Maybe it had to do with the Audible narrator “whisper-talking” the entire book in a very conspiratorial and urgent tone that I found very distracting.
After saying all this, I didn't dislike this book. In fact, the premise was interesting as were the details of the progeny underground. The failure, for me, was in the execution. Had I been the editor (imho─lol), I think this book would have been fantastic.
So... The premise of this book (quoted from the summary─not a spoiler) is that there is “a 400-year-old war between the uncanny descendants of “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory, the most prolific female serial killer of all time, and a secret society dedicated to erasing every one of her descendants.” Here's my question... WHY??? What does wiping out her line accomplish? Being a child of a serial killer does not a serial killer make. This is NEVER explained. Also, how does being a descendant of a serial killer endow one with special gifts and/or psychic abilities? Again, this is NEVER explained.
Here's another question... How is it that Audra made the extreme decision to have her memory wiped so that her brain wouldn't contain any of the secrets that the hunters are after, but one such hunter finds her almost immediately after she recovers from the procedure? Based on how many times we heard that “they'll never stop hunting” her, the whole premise is flawed. She's a well-known progeny who everyone claims has gifts that are superior to other progeny, plus we're told often how intelligent she is, so how is it, Tosca Lee, that Audra thought wiping her memory would keep her safe?
And another thing... It's really irritating when a character desperately needs answers to questions BECAUSE THEY'RE IN IMMINENT DANGER and the other characters only give a cryptic response or say they'll meet them later and tell them then. Duh! We all know you'll be dead by then!!!
To compare this book to The Da Vinci Code is absurd, unless the commonality is that they're both books. The Da Vinci Code had you discovering clues along the way which were thoroughly explained and allowed you to buy into the conspiracy. You found out nothing in this book until the end (see aforementioned lack of answers), when you unceremoniously received a huge information dump that included things that were totally unexplained and/or unrelated and left you thinking, are you serious right now?
Although it's told in the first person, this book reads like a narrative of someone relating a story to me rather than me feeling a part of Audra's story. Maybe it had to do with the Audible narrator “whisper-talking” the entire book in a very conspiratorial and urgent tone that I found very distracting.
After saying all this, I didn't dislike this book. In fact, the premise was interesting as were the details of the progeny underground. The failure, for me, was in the execution. Had I been the editor (imho─lol), I think this book would have been fantastic.
October 29, 2022
Powiem szczerze, że chciałam porzucić czytanie tej książki, ale powstrzymał mnie fakt, że jest to pierwsza moja lektura w 2022. Niestety kosztowało mnie to stratą wielu szarych komórek. Ta książka jest tak głupia...
Elżbieta Batory zasłużyła na coś znacznie lepszego!
Całe założenie fabuły od początku nie ma sensu. Skoro Elżbieta Batory miała niby silny dar przekonywania innych do robienia tego, czego chce, to nie skończyłaby tak, jak skończyła. A cała ta nienawiść i morderstwa też się nie trzymają kupy. Nic tutaj nie ma sensu i serio jest głupie.
List, który napisała do siebie bohaterka przed wymazaniem pamięci, zupełnie mi się nie podobał. Nie lepiej było zawrzeć w nim jakieś przekonujące kłamstwa? Nie będę się jednak czepiać, bo potem przeszłość i tak dopada ją całkiem szybko. I pojawia się więcej nieścisłości.
Jednak nie mogę pominąć tego, że mimo wymazania pamięci, wiele razy używa wyrażeń typu: "nigdy nie kusiło mnie...", "zawsze widziałam świat inaczej", "tylko, że ja nigdy nie byłam..."
Zawsze po przeczytaniu takich sformułowań pojawiało się w mojej głowie pytanie SKĄD WIESZ? No bo niby wymazali ci pamięć.
Tak wiele rzeczy nie ma tu sensu.
Dlaczego ufa Rolanowi? Ziomek pokazuje jej zdjęcia zrobione z ukrycia i nawet go o to nie zapytała.
Zresztą, po co szuka swoich krewnych, skoro całym celem było zapomnieć o nich, żeby zapewnić im bezpieczeństwo.
Główna bohaterka twierdzi, że jest mądra (dosłownie sama tak mówi) i każda inna postać zawsze twierdzi, że ona jest taka genialna i ma wspaniały umysł itp., ale jednak nie udowadnia tego w żaden sposób. Porównuje uszy do muszli i jajek i mierzy kąt nosa (wtf? to ma niby reprezentować jej genialny umysł), ale zachowuje się zupełnie nielogicznie. Jest strasznie bierna i właściwie porusza się do przodu, bo ktoś ją ciągle porywa albo gdzieś zabiera. No żal.
Do tego bardzo amerykańska logika autorki:
- Mówisz po włosku - zauważam poniewczasie, uświadamiając sobie, że Luka jest przecież Europejczykiem.
No tak, bo w Europie jest tylko kilka języków. W końcu to tylko 46 państw...
Bohaterowie są beznadziejni, a całość opiera się na tak idiotycznym romansie, że brak mi słów.
Powiem szczerze, że książka od początku mi zgrzytała, ale jednak chciałam zrozumieć co te wszystkie nielogiczności oznaczają. Jak się okazuje gówno oznaczają, bo ta książka jest bez sensu.
Jednak podobał mi się proces adnotowania jej. Zaznaczałam sobie te wszystkie bzdury.
Żałuję, że nie zrobiłam DNF...
Elżbieta Batory zasłużyła na coś znacznie lepszego!
Całe założenie fabuły od początku nie ma sensu. Skoro Elżbieta Batory miała niby silny dar przekonywania innych do robienia tego, czego chce, to nie skończyłaby tak, jak skończyła. A cała ta nienawiść i morderstwa też się nie trzymają kupy. Nic tutaj nie ma sensu i serio jest głupie.
List, który napisała do siebie bohaterka przed wymazaniem pamięci, zupełnie mi się nie podobał. Nie lepiej było zawrzeć w nim jakieś przekonujące kłamstwa? Nie będę się jednak czepiać, bo potem przeszłość i tak dopada ją całkiem szybko. I pojawia się więcej nieścisłości.
Jednak nie mogę pominąć tego, że mimo wymazania pamięci, wiele razy używa wyrażeń typu: "nigdy nie kusiło mnie...", "zawsze widziałam świat inaczej", "tylko, że ja nigdy nie byłam..."
Zawsze po przeczytaniu takich sformułowań pojawiało się w mojej głowie pytanie SKĄD WIESZ? No bo niby wymazali ci pamięć.
Tak wiele rzeczy nie ma tu sensu.
Dlaczego ufa Rolanowi? Ziomek pokazuje jej zdjęcia zrobione z ukrycia i nawet go o to nie zapytała.
Zresztą, po co szuka swoich krewnych, skoro całym celem było zapomnieć o nich, żeby zapewnić im bezpieczeństwo.
Główna bohaterka twierdzi, że jest mądra (dosłownie sama tak mówi) i każda inna postać zawsze twierdzi, że ona jest taka genialna i ma wspaniały umysł itp., ale jednak nie udowadnia tego w żaden sposób. Porównuje uszy do muszli i jajek i mierzy kąt nosa (wtf? to ma niby reprezentować jej genialny umysł), ale zachowuje się zupełnie nielogicznie. Jest strasznie bierna i właściwie porusza się do przodu, bo ktoś ją ciągle porywa albo gdzieś zabiera. No żal.
Do tego bardzo amerykańska logika autorki:
- Mówisz po włosku - zauważam poniewczasie, uświadamiając sobie, że Luka jest przecież Europejczykiem.
No tak, bo w Europie jest tylko kilka języków. W końcu to tylko 46 państw...
Bohaterowie są beznadziejni, a całość opiera się na tak idiotycznym romansie, że brak mi słów.
Powiem szczerze, że książka od początku mi zgrzytała, ale jednak chciałam zrozumieć co te wszystkie nielogiczności oznaczają. Jak się okazuje gówno oznaczają, bo ta książka jest bez sensu.
Jednak podobał mi się proces adnotowania jej. Zaznaczałam sobie te wszystkie bzdury.
Żałuję, że nie zrobiłam DNF...
July 19, 2016
Wow. Wow. Wow.
This historical mystery kept me on edge till the very end! Such an intense and fast paced read. Very intriguing and complex concept! I love that Tosca Lee took this old historical myth and weaved this story from it. I haven't seen much done in the Croatia-Hungary-Russia setting either so that was a very refreshing and unique aspect this book had as well.
The characters were very enjoyable and very diverse. American, Croatian, Slovakian, Hungarian, French. The list goes on lol. I loved reading about that, it made me feel like I was in another country and traveling, seeing that culture for myself. The Progeny culture she created for us was so cool too! It kind of makes me think of a gypsy lifestyle in a way.
The plot was so interesting because she had all this mystery but she also added a religious aspect to it all. There's people who take their religion to the extreme and sometimes kill for their beliefs, but that there's always hope for those who know the truth and they'll fight to their end to save others.
This is my first read from Lee and I have to say that I very much enjoyed her writing. It flowed very nicely and I found it easy to follow. The writing also had so many moments of quotable; meaning that there were lines or passages that could be pulled from the story and applied to your own life.
Overall I throughly enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to see where book two leads! More suspense & betrayal & pure boldness from the characters I'm sure and I am ready! :)
This historical mystery kept me on edge till the very end! Such an intense and fast paced read. Very intriguing and complex concept! I love that Tosca Lee took this old historical myth and weaved this story from it. I haven't seen much done in the Croatia-Hungary-Russia setting either so that was a very refreshing and unique aspect this book had as well.
The characters were very enjoyable and very diverse. American, Croatian, Slovakian, Hungarian, French. The list goes on lol. I loved reading about that, it made me feel like I was in another country and traveling, seeing that culture for myself. The Progeny culture she created for us was so cool too! It kind of makes me think of a gypsy lifestyle in a way.
The plot was so interesting because she had all this mystery but she also added a religious aspect to it all. There's people who take their religion to the extreme and sometimes kill for their beliefs, but that there's always hope for those who know the truth and they'll fight to their end to save others.
This is my first read from Lee and I have to say that I very much enjoyed her writing. It flowed very nicely and I found it easy to follow. The writing also had so many moments of quotable; meaning that there were lines or passages that could be pulled from the story and applied to your own life.
Overall I throughly enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to see where book two leads! More suspense & betrayal & pure boldness from the characters I'm sure and I am ready! :)
August 3, 2016
I can't believe just how much I loved this book! Initially I was a little skeptical about it, but I loved how easily it sucked me in right from the first page. The writing was very easy to read, and overall addictive. I found it hard to put down and could have easily finished it in one sitting. I loved the main character, and I loved that we were reading from the perspective of someone who has no memory of her past. I think it made the story that much more thrilling, because right along with her, you never really knew who you could trust, or what was going on. The book took turns I never expected at multiple points in the book, and it constantly kept me on my toes. I also really enjoyed the varying personalities of all of the other characters that were added. The history behind the book is was super intriguing, and it definitely makes me want to read more about Elizabeth Bathory. The entire idea behind her being a blood countess was so interesting, and I felt made a great storyline for the book. The cliffhanger nearly killed me, and I only can not wait to get my hands on the next book! If you like books with paranormal aspects, then I would highly recommend picking this book up!
January 31, 2019
I've written this review for Really Into This
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
A real departure for me. This story was truly inventive with lots of twists and turns and a cliffhanger, oh my. Definitely held my attention and should be a hell of a continuation. Not too sexual or too scary for younger readers.
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
A real departure for me. This story was truly inventive with lots of twists and turns and a cliffhanger, oh my. Definitely held my attention and should be a hell of a continuation. Not too sexual or too scary for younger readers.
June 10, 2018
This book has been on my to-read list for a while now as it sounded very interesting. It grabbed me from the tagline of a serial killer descendant and the amnesia storyline. Emily Jacobs wakes up in a small hidden town of Maine with no recollection of her past or her life. All she has is a letter explaining to her that she paid for her memory to be wiped and it to look like she has been killed in an accident. That's all good and well, but she is about to discover that she is being hunted by a group called the Scions . Why ? Because she is part of the bloodline of Elizabeth Bathory - an ancient serial killer and for the past 400 years all the females in the bloodline have been hunted down and killed. In order to protect the bloodline and save their children, the children have been put in adoption and normally are safe until they turn 18 when their powers come to play. The men are hunted too but it's the females that are seen as the most dangerous . Emily's real name is Audra and she's not just being hunted because of her relationship to Elizabeth Bathory. Audra is special as it seems she actually is from Anastasia's bloodline - more pure and powerful . A line that was thought to have never existed. We discover too that Audra fell in love with her hunter Luka and that she wiped her memory to save them both. This was quite a fast-paced book and fans of stories like The Da Vinci Code will love. What got me was the cliffhanger in the book which showed the true reason on why Audra got her memory wiped and it showed that true love is the biggest weapon that their is and sometimes we will go to extremes to protect those we love unconditionally. I am now looking extremely forward to reading the next book due to the cliffhanger we were presented within The Progeny.
June 3, 2016
OH MY GOSH!
AHHHH! Fantastic! Such a wild ride! Fast paced, action packed, full of mystery, and suspense. I loved it!
OK Deep breath. Maybe write something slightly more collected.
I read The Progeny beginning to end in one sitting and finished at 1:22 A.M. It was amazing! I’m now in the process of rereading it. I fell in love with the characters immediately. The tension between them, the chemistry, all the rich subtext in their interactions with each other, and the layers upon layers of personal motivations, secrets, and loyalties made for deep and complex characters that I could happily spend several books with. The rich settings and attention to detail are very much what I’ve come to expect from Tosca, but the pacing is entirely new. I’ve often described her style as something to be savored with a cup of tea in a comfy chair. The Progeny had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning and wouldn’t let me go. Even after I finished (and after waking up the following morning), I walked around in that after book haze that only truly great stories leave you with. My only complaint is that book 2 isn’t out yet. The suspense just might kill me.
AHHHH! Fantastic! Such a wild ride! Fast paced, action packed, full of mystery, and suspense. I loved it!
OK Deep breath. Maybe write something slightly more collected.
I read The Progeny beginning to end in one sitting and finished at 1:22 A.M. It was amazing! I’m now in the process of rereading it. I fell in love with the characters immediately. The tension between them, the chemistry, all the rich subtext in their interactions with each other, and the layers upon layers of personal motivations, secrets, and loyalties made for deep and complex characters that I could happily spend several books with. The rich settings and attention to detail are very much what I’ve come to expect from Tosca, but the pacing is entirely new. I’ve often described her style as something to be savored with a cup of tea in a comfy chair. The Progeny had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning and wouldn’t let me go. Even after I finished (and after waking up the following morning), I walked around in that after book haze that only truly great stories leave you with. My only complaint is that book 2 isn’t out yet. The suspense just might kill me.
September 3, 2018
Emily Jacobs has had her memory and past erased. She's been isolated in a cabin in Maine with the intention of starting a new life. Soon, two separate strangers interrupt her secret world thrusting her into a worldwide chase to find out her roots and discover who is trying to kill her.
Tosca Lee writes an exciting book revolving around ancient murders linked to the Blood Countess, the Hungarian noblewoman who allegedly murdered 300 women.
History is woven with the science of today, DNA plays a role in the quest to find out why Emily is being threatened. With an interesting twist, Lee upturns the accepted historical record and puts forth some interesting and viable concepts. Similar to Dan Brown and a dash of Robert Ludlum, this is a fast-paced thriller that will keep the reader guessing until the end. With beautiful European cities as the backdrop, the book is descriptive as it is well-written. Can't wait to start the next one.
Tosca Lee writes an exciting book revolving around ancient murders linked to the Blood Countess, the Hungarian noblewoman who allegedly murdered 300 women.
History is woven with the science of today, DNA plays a role in the quest to find out why Emily is being threatened. With an interesting twist, Lee upturns the accepted historical record and puts forth some interesting and viable concepts. Similar to Dan Brown and a dash of Robert Ludlum, this is a fast-paced thriller that will keep the reader guessing until the end. With beautiful European cities as the backdrop, the book is descriptive as it is well-written. Can't wait to start the next one.
December 14, 2019
I enjoyed this duology the second time around as much as the first. I really needed just one more paragraph....just one.
- The series is fast paced with twists and turns you won’t see coming.
- The world is fascinating and unique.
- I definitely recommend starting with the first book and I recommend both.
- The series is fast paced with twists and turns you won’t see coming.
- The world is fascinating and unique.
- I definitely recommend starting with the first book and I recommend both.
June 10, 2018
I enjoyed this book very much. At first I wasn't sure what I would think, but it is a great book! Emily Jacobs is the descendant of a serial killer. What a fun book for me to read and it was captivating. I love it! *This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.*
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