Review: Devil's Descent II: impure by Claudia D. Christian

Devil’s Descent II: impure 
by Claudia D. Christian
Publisher: DelSin Publishing, LLC

Release Date:  February 10th 2011

Series: Miserable Love Series, Book 2

Devil's Descent I: purgatory sees Julian finding Lily before abandoning her in an uncharacteristic moment of conscience. This sequel takes us to where it all began.

Lily Walker, resident Resurrector for a town that doesn't exist, finds herself contemplating murder.

Julian Douglas, Pureblood Vampire and Lily's former love, finds himself contemplating the same.

However, attempted murder of the other leads Lily and Julian to realize love and hate aren't so simple when sanity is a fleeting thing and obsession cannot be killed...

~ From Goodreads

I first starting reading Devil’s Descent I: purgatory (DDI) late last year but was so confused about what was going on I had to stop. Then Devil’s Descent II: impure (DDII) came out. I knew that this was the prequel to Julian’s and Lily’s story so I thought it might help me if I read this prequel first. I asked the author, Claudia D. Christian if it would ruin the story if I read DDII first and she said it wouldn’t hurt the story and that it might actually help since I was so confused. So with Claudia’s blessing I launched into reading Devil’s Descent II: impure. 

This installment in the “Miserable Love Series” begins in Chapter 8 and takes the reader back two years. Nineteen year old, Lily Walker is the current Resurrector of the secret town of Vickery Hill. Lily is a foul-mouthed heroine with a violent temper.  Devil’s Descent II: impure is the prequel to Devil’s Descent I: purgatory. We find out where Ian came from and learn a little more of the back story between Lily and Julian. The history of Vickery Hill and it’s residents is also revealed. Secondary characters like Lily’s Handler, Jonathon are introduced. It’s through their conversations that Julian’s psychotic history is exposed.

Lily has just found out that her mentor Ian is gone and will never return to Vickery Hill. Ian is a vampire who was sent by Nephilim to train Lily when she becomes the Resurrector at the age of twelve. Lily and Ian become best friends and eventually she falls in love with him. But even though Ian is good and pure he has a secret that he cannot reveal to Lily. Lily is despondent and confused. She doesn’t understand what has happened. Why is the man known to her as Ian now calling himself Julian? 

Lord Julian Douglas is a 325 year old pureblood vampire. He has been away from the “real world” for 150 years and returns to Vickery Hill with vengeance on his mind. When Julian first meets Lily he hates her and actually wants to kill her. He begins to stalk and play head games with Lily even going as far as getting permission to court her. There were a lot of vicious verbal and physical exchanges between the two of them. Julian and Lily fought each other mercilessly. As a Resurrector Lily has supernatural strength and healing abilities so she is able to battle with Julian blow for blow. 

I was fascinated and sickened by the way Julian treated Lily. At times I felt sorry for her but then at other times I didn’t want to care. They both torture each other with their murderous threats against one another. Julian is a total sociopath and treats Lily with a cold, evil, detached manner that sent chills through me. Despite their twisted mind games with one another, I still hoped that there really was just a little bit of real love between them. I mean they really were perfect for each other. Once again, Claudia D. Christian has masterfully woven together a miserable dark love story that had me on the edge wanting more. 

I give Devil’s Descent II: impure 3.5 out of 5 stars.