Fear the Wicked

Illusions Duet #2

by Lily White

Book Two in the Illusions Duet:

CONFESS.

It's what he said to me across his altar, what he demanded so that I would be pure.

In the moment he blessed me with his virtue, I was no longer the woman I'd once been.

I was Eve.

His light. His salvation. His bridge to Heaven's gate.

I failed him because my faith was not strong enough.

He punished me for not giving in.

Resisting temptation is never easy.

Not when his hands, his teeth, his heat and hunger were the greatest of my sins.

Genres: Dark, Suspense, Abuse, Cult Classics, BDSM, Thriller, Dark Romance

387 pages, ebook

First published November 29, 2017

About the author

Lily White is a bestselling author who likes to dabble on the dark side of romance. She is most known for her Masters Series, Target This, Wishing Well, and The Five.

When she isn’t writing as Lily White you can find other books by her under M.S. Willis where she has penned the Control Series, the Estate Series, and Because of Ellison (contemporary romance).

Lily enjoys stretching her writing muscles by continuing to challenge herself with each book she publishes.

Reviews

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 YOWZA stars!!

In book one, I learned about the cult that Elijah had created and witnessed how confused and brainwashed Eve became under his influence. I felt her pain, disillusionment, fear, and need. I also saw her devout faith and belief in the ism that Elijah had created. Elijah was clearly a monster, but this book made me see him so much more clearly. I finally got to understand his motives and his story broke my heart. Is it odd that I was truly sympathetic to this character? I really wanted him to get some help and finally obtain a happy ending. His twin, Jacob, wasn’t a true ‘hero’, but he was willing to sacrifice himself in order to stop Elijah’s evil machinations. These boys suffered immeasurable abuse by those who were tasked with protecting and nurturing them. How they turned out doesn’t seem like such a surprise anymore. Then there’s Eve. Or should I say Sedra. I felt so sorry for this girl. I’m strangely drawn to all things ‘cultish’ and I truly believe that this author nailed the darkness that lives within it.

There was no good in this world, only the wicked, and they were the most beautiful, the most charming, the most deceiving…

Fear The Wicked was creepy, painful, heart-wrenching, and dark. This author takes you right into the head of a psychopath whose mind is full of anger, hate, lust and revenge. She also lets us find hope in the hopeless and light in the darkness. If you’re looking for a read that will send tingles down your spine and take you out of your comfort zone, look no further than the Illusions Duet!

Release Date: November 29, 2017
Genre: Dark Romance
POV: Multiple - 1st person
Heat: 3.5 out of 5
Type: Part 2 of the Illusions Duet

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

 
 
I didn't enjoy this one as much as I did book one. It felt too long and drawn out and I found my attention waning quite a few times. I know the author was laying down much needed background, but I found most of the Jacob stuff a bit of a slog to get through. It does pick up at about 80% but that was too late to get me back and fully invested. That said, the writing was still phenomenal. The plot was intricate and engaging. The layers of these characters are slowly peeled back as we get glimpses into their pasts that give clarity to the present. I am not sure what it says about me but I loved Jericho/Elijah. He was the most intriguingly diabolical of the bunch and I was kind of rooting for him. I am not sure what I was rooting for him to do...take over the World maybe (lol), but I found his character entertaining as hell. Again, as with the first, I wouldn't classify this as a romance at all. It was more of a dark psychological thriller with an erotic undertone so there was basically no sex. I was a bit bummed by that, but it didn't affect my rating. Last, it was all wrapped up in an ending that felt a bit rushed and anticlimactic. So yea, not as enjoyable as the first book but still a decent read and a great duet overall. Therefore this one gets a thumbs up from yours truly.

[warhawke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Dark Erotica/Psychological Thriller
Type: Book 2 of 2 from Illusions Duet
POV: First Person - Multiple
Rating:




Faith could help people find an anchor in life, but it could also give an unimaginable pain. What would happen when the wicked walk freely among them? In the battle of good versus evil, will faith save them or lead them astray?



The concept of faith is a fascinating one for me. I always find it interesting to see how one chose a certain path to live. And this book is basically the hows and the whys the things in Illusions of Evil (Book 1) happened.

Created. Molded. Shaped and formed, I was what he wanted. I was what he alone knew existed inside me.

I didn't like Eve in book 1 and I still didn't like her now. I had expectations for her that didn't happen.

I wanted to possess her and cast her aside, protect her and punish her just the same.

Between the two male characters I have my favorite since book 1. But there were parts in this book that shook my faith in him a little lol! In the end he remained my favorite.



Both of them were similar in a way, but completely different from each other. I like seeing how each of them rationalized and coped with the situations.

It was no longer a question of whether I'd given in to the beast inside me. Darkness was always a ring around my vision, death a possibility that hung in the air each time I let go to my desires.

I enjoyed the story overall especially the manipulation parts. However, like in book 1, there was too much telling for my liking. The characters kept explaining what they were doing. Personally, I find more satisfaction when I figure it out myself.

Masks are hard to maintain, they had a way of suffocating you when you were forced to wear them all the damn time.

Fear The Wicked is a story of finding a purpose in life. The series would appeal to readers looking for story of faith and manipulations.

Books in the series:




💋 🙏 💋 . . . (F)BR With Twinsie CC . . . 💋 🙏 💋





For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[CC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jacob Hayle has abandoned his parish and it’s questionable as to whether he’s also left behind his faith. Looking for answers, he travels to his childhood home hoping to gain insight into his own shadows and also those belonging to his brother.

“Vengeance was the steady pulse inside my heart, the black shadow over my eyes and the caustic veil that smothered me day in and day out until I promised myself to take it.”

Jericho “Elijah” Hayle is a man with a mission. Having left behind his past, his vision is about to become a reality. Using effective and inventive ways of manipulation, Elijah’s choices underscore the level and depravity of his vengeance.

“Wickedness is only relieved with pain. And pain is a balm to the sinner’s soul. It flays you open, settles inside, and shreds you until there is nothing left.”

What ensues is a steady crescendo that tests the balance of good versus evil between twin brothers. With both having experienced circumstances that would beget the question of faith, their paths deviated taking very different directions. The notion of piety in religion is also a crucial element in the plot separating those that blindly follow and others who maintain their faith despite setbacks.

“But just like the rest of the fucks that call themselves holy, the only thing you know to do is lie.”

Told in multiple POV, Elijah’s arc offers dimension to a character that is plagued by injustice but his version of righteousness is quite askew. For Jacob, he further develops and makes conclusions about what defines him and beliefs. When the brothers unite, it is such a telling and intense moment that I just wanted to absorb it all and for as long as possible.

Throughout both books in this duet, my feelings toward each brother shifted many times as I was trying to decipher hidden meanings and the motivation for their actions. In regard to Eve, her character felt the least dimensional but her healing process was realistic. Ultimately, the mysterious and ominous tone adds to the somber plot as the author pulls the reader into a world where good is shadowy and evil is downright tenebrous.

Fear the Wicked is a dark psychological thriller that examines faith and sacrifice taking the facade of wicked and righteous. I recommend!!



Illusion Duet:



*An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review.*



*This was a (F)BR with Twinsie Hawkey!*

[Elle ✟ Søren's ♡ (i'm too old for this shite) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3* until we go down STARS!

Despite the brilliant writing from Lily White, I couldn't connect with this book. I really enjoyed Illusion of Evil for twisted reasons. I'm more #TeamJacob and desperately hope he will win against the evil. But it didn't happen right away. For twisted reasons, the author prolong my misery for Jacob to come back.

Basically the story is all about Elijah and his cult. I'm skipping pages because it didn't interest me. Elijah is a sick fuck that I want him gone. Sadly, Sedra/Eve is only worth to spread her legs for him. It was really hard to read it until 80%-ish when I finally found some answers. Also Jacob managed to freed Sedra and sacrificing himself.

I could add more stars if there's epilogue for Sedra and Jacob's future. I wouldn't consider them as a happy ending. They're just starting over and forget everything that happened with them. It really kills me not to know their future together =/

[Philomena Callan Cheekypee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two in the Illusions Duet. Make sure you read Illusions Of Evil first as this starts where book one finishes.

Wow I’m not sure I can put into words what an amazing captivating read this is. After reading book one I couldn’t wait to read this and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. From start to finish I was engrossed in the story. I didn’t wanna put it down. Told from multiple points of view we get the most out of this story.

The twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat and my heart in my mouth. If you love dark and twisted reads then I highly recommend the Illusions Duet.

All I want to do now is sit and re read both these fab reads again. Epic read. I can’t praise this author highly enough.

[SusanAhh · Rating 5 out of 5]

"...it’s a shame that people have been led astray for so long[.]"

This author has so much to say and say it well she does through her mesmerizing, frankly erotic and insightful story and deeply developed characters. While the first book "Illusions of Evil" was primarily told through the POV of Jacob and Sedra (Eve as she was named by Jericho (Elijah) twin to Jacob. In this book, Jericho, who transformed himself into Elijah, also speaks to us.



The weighty, enlightening and spiritual themes are punctuated with dark eroticism, a suspenseful storyline and searingly brutal violence. There is a carefully presented and well rounded message that arises out of the bloody incomprehensibly violent chaos.



Jacob who has renounced the collar of priesthood is on a quest for truth and revenge. He is burdened by the guilt of his brother's trickery that Jacob had again cost a woman her life because of the violence of his lovemaking...Especially since he gave into the temptation of this woman his brother had groomed for him specific to his dark desires despite his priestly vow of celibacy. Sedra is however alive and well tormented again by Jericho (Elijah).



We find Jacob living with a friend for a time lost to his appetites for meaningless and dangerous sex. He seems lost to his wicked nature, but is Jacob " the wicked" one to fear?

It would be simplistic to say this a story of an evil twin versus a good twin. When Jacob finally gets it together to face his past and look for the clues that have turned his brother against him, we find out about "the wicked" that should be feared. There is a reason why Jericho has become "Elijah" and it is wickedness that even Elijah, as twisted his mind is, can now recognize among the more powerful followers of the cult he has established.

Elijah says this about the Sheriff who has drunk the kool-aid he has served:

"Once again I was looking into the face of the truly wicked: the men and women who hid behind the masks of spiritual leaders, teachers and cops, pretending to be helping us when, in truth, they were preying on us for their perverse pleasure. They were the wolves in sheep’s clothing that the world had been warned about."

After learning truths about the consequences of the constant physical abuse their father visited upon his twin boys for the wickedness he perceived in them, Jacob comes to the following conclusion:

"Because, in the end, it’s the deceivers that are the most horrendous of all, and if good men do really exist in this world slowly slipping into Hell, then those men would be better off opening their eyes to the truth that stands before them, because to see it is to fear the wicked."

Through it all we have the lovely, devout and yes, pure heart of Sedra. A young woman who was held in the thrall of Elijah, brainwashed to love, serve and desire the punishment of this twisted man. He made her feel that her natural desire and submissive nature was a demon that needed purging from her body through pain. Through it all she did notice the difference between Jericho and Jacob. She felt the kindness of Jacob despite his need for the darker arts in lovemaking. It is this thread of a true love between Jacob and Sedra that the darker romance reader finds solace and dare I say a small delight? A spark of light through this exceedingly violent saga.



But what of Jericho? Do we blame him for his perversions? He says the following about how he felt as he sang in church as a young choirboy:

"There were times I remembered being so engrossed in the spirit that my heart would race and my lungs would work harder to draw in air. My mind would float off with the harmonious voices and I believed in God's holy light just because my body had been so affected."

I believe any religious ceremony and/or faith experience can be a balm to the battered heart, uplift the spirit, convince and even transport one to another plane of existence. After all, Elijah used the power of his sermons to transport his congregation and the power of a drugged sexual experience on Sedra to make her believe him to be her god.

Who does it serve for one to be "drunk" on faith or religion? Real faith (not religion) takes the sober daily hard toil of love, forgiveness, loving your enemy and dedicating yourself to the corporal and spiritual good of someone other than yourself. Don't get me wrong. I think it is critically important to take care of yourself but never at the expense of someone else. Perhaps, this was Jericho's failing...he did not know how to heal and never tried to heal rather sought relief in becoming the wickedness that corrupted him.

[Mirjam · Rating 3 out of 5]

“There was no good in this world, only the wicked”




What can I say… I’m a bit disappointed in book 2. It was not what I had expected, it dragged somewhat. There was a lot of repetition; about their childhood, the actions of their father and the lack of action of their mother. But we also get answers to the questions we were left with in book 1.

Fear the wicked opens right where Illusions of Evil left off.
Feeling distraught by the events in book 1 Jacob Hayle has fled his parish and, very likely, lost his Faith.
But Jacob is digging in their past, wondering and needing to know what happened to his twin. He goes back to his childhood home looking for answers while facing his own demons.



This book reveals more about Jericho, why he became Elijah, a cult leader, reveling in his ability to brainwash people to make them blindly do he wanted and believe everything he says.
I was more deceitful than the Devil himself, more convincing than the holy-roller evangelical preachers who'd become wealthy in their wicked games.
But in spite of everything that he did, I was rooting for him, I wanted a different outcome.

it’s the people dressing themselves in the shroud of being good men that can commit the most evil.

The book is told in several POVs giving the reader different angles into the actions of the MCs.
The re-uniting of the brothers is a very intense and defying moment that I would have liked to have more drawn out. The ending felt rushed but still realistic.



Because, in the end, it’s the deceivers that are the most horrendous of all, and if good men do really exist in this world slowly slipping into Hell, then those men would be better off opening their eyes to the truth that stands before them, because to see it is to fear the wicked.


Part of the Illusions Duet Series that must be read in order

Love the contrasting white and black cover! So telling for the story of these twin brothers.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Shabby -BookBistroBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exemplary work by Lily. A brilliant masterpiece exposing the rotting underbelly of the age old establishments of Faith & Power. She shines the light on nefarious misgivings of these thespians of Cloth, since it's more dramatic & theatrical than Broadway itself.
I applaud her courage for willing to write about the prevalent predation that's been a constant scandal in the Catholic world. This abuse, however is not exclusive, or limited to a particular faith or religion. I see it as an exposé of yet another example of an age old adage, which couldn't be truer , than in this context.

Power corrupts; Absolute Power corrupts Absolutely



A fallen Angel, a boy of merely 9 years, is a tender victim of molestation and then persecution. He is made to believe that it's his tainted soul that tempts the Devil, and he has to pay for the sins of existence, Because he's done nothing except be! I'm so infuriated at this point of the story. My pulse high and hands completely helpless cause I wanted to wring their necks !

Jericho had regained his control when he became Elijah, and now I feared him, too.

He grows up seeking Omnipotence & Omniscience , hiding his Satanic black soul in the garb of white. He crackles maniacally every time a naive bible thumper kneels in front of him to seek salvation.
He's a definite Pied Piper Of Hamlin , leading the blind mice(rats) to the styx river, no doubt . The tune of your failures in life are not your fault works like a charm in every age , religion, country & race. And this is an opening , these swindlers need to whip the population into frenzy. Promising the townspeople , that the magic wand of Faith and complete submission will grant them bounties of good crops and financial windfalls, Elijah manages to step into the role of their Messiah so easily and unopposedly , it's terrifying

What evil had done is cast fear in the hearts of most Americans, and it was exactly that fear that men like me used to poison the mind with thoughts most average people would never think for themselves. I disguised myself well as a man of God, and as I lurked beneath the mask of a decent man , I was the worst type of demon of all.

Jacob has his own journey back to his own Canaan. His own assignment , to uncover his truth . His return to his parish ,tucked away in the Appalachians , might as well be a forgotten , abandoned shanty town. People are facing penury & destitution and they've come to lean heavily on their church to find some sort of relief. His mission is to now fight the Demon and rescue his trapped parishioners.
At this point, the story takes a turn . Some secrets are exposed. I had expected some, some were clearly a shocker. Lily keeps you occupied throughout , she doesn't let your mind stray away from the train-crash of a story.

Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.

So you watch/read as the event unfold , whilst unable to stop them, you hope for some kind of Divine Retribution , cause we've all heard about Karma and all !
There is absolute villainy in the characters she has created. Elijah/Jericho will scare your breath away , his sidekick Richard should be bound and boxed and thrown in the deep oceans of hell , never to be seen again. Richard in particular fascinated me, his thirst for blood and gore is beyond belief. Why & how is ignored, though I'd have loved to read more about him, this book solely focuses on Elijah and Jacob Hayle. And its more back-to-the-start kinda story so readers get to understand , which events created and shaped this current monster. Father Timothy plays an important part. Though solemnly Silent , he points Jacob in right direction and urges him to ask right questions in his quest for truth.
Eve's journey is backwards in this book. She has to revert back to Sedra and in order to do so , she has to come out of her fog and sharpen her senses back. She's very intelligent and smart , yet hasn't got much to do , because he's been benumbed. Joshua is very endearing in his staunch support & Loyalty to his kin.
Even though Elijah was sickeningly depraved, I found myself rooting for him. His why's & How's somehow made me want to reach out and smoothen the crinkles of his psyche.why would I think that I could change him ?
cause every man is redeemable. I firmly believe that !
........except Lily's characters, they stay true to their form. And that is why she's my MOST FAVE Dark author . The Queen Of Diabolical Men! She never loses track of her narration, never dilutes the characterisation and always takes the path less travelled . A fearless writer , who could damn near teach all the newbies and wannabes Dark authors -How to write 50 shades of Dark , And do it well !

"With all the bullshit that’s going on in this country right now, the particular weapons you’re looking for are in hot demand. That’s good for us because we suck up the profits, but it just means that people like you have to be patient for the manufacturers to send out more shipments.”
"It’s the people dressing themselves in the shroud of being good men that can commit the most evil. They are given access to the young."

The topics mentioned in this Duet are very contemporary. The events unfolding around us , presently,are all skillfully touched upon . It could be a story , true in every decade , such is the power of Lily's writing. There's Gun-control. My Gun is bigger than yours mentality , There's our stupidity in electing a moron to the highest office, There's Church abuse , There's paedophilia and then there's Cult mentality . I want to mention here one important detail . if you insert another name instead of Elijah and nefarious terrorist organization acronym with the word- Cult , it could very well be a Political commentary for the present time !

What evil had done is cast fear in the hearts of most Americans, and it was exactly that fear that men like me used to poison the mind with thoughts most average people would never think for themselves. I disguised myself well as a man of God, and as I lurked beneath the mask of a decent man , I was the worst type of demon of all.

Very significant and urgent call for all of us to rise like Jacob's Army and put an end to this .
It's no secret that I'm her ardent admirer, I'm in love with her writing style, her bravery in pushing the boundaries and the innate curiosity of going where no writer has gone before, that makes her my Unicorn & must read author , Every book !
Now my peeves - the story didn't end on the same note , but that's just MY opinion.
And biggest peeve-when are you gonna format paperbacks Willis!!!!!! . The day she does, I'll be ordering every word she's ever written and hold these beauties in my hand !
Lastly a few things I would've wanted to read more about .
How's and why's of Richard, The formation, background & Rituals of the "Family".
Hopefully she writes more about this .Here's to hoping 🤞



Get a big glass of wine , say Hail Mary's and dive in !
5 Crucifying Stars
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[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily does it again. I'm utterly speechless. This duet has woven an intricate tale of taboo, dark, and edgy. I spent most of the time reading this on the edge of my seat.

This is the second book in the duet, so you need to read Illusions of Evil. The twists and turns keep you guessing, leaving you wanting and needing to turn the page. The intricate web woven with in tense passion, desire, and some incredible bumps. Just when you think you know what's happening, the path changes and you're left gasping.

Loved every word. Lily is a mastermind, creating masterpiece work, one word at a time.

[Cécile Smits · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second part of this dark duet lives up to its title......and then some! I’m lost for words,truelly....This isn’t just dark,it’s black and i warn you....you need to brace yourself,no....you need to buckle up and hold on for dear life if you read this! But it’s worth it,i promise.

[Expresso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well good golly gee!!! Oh man! Oh man! Oh “friggin” man! If loving White’s twisted mind is wrong, I don’t want to be right!

What do I say? Where do I start? First, you must read Illusions of Evil. You can’t allow the cart before the horse. Things will make more sense, trust.

In FTW, we learn as sons of a preacher, the boys experienced some things that doesn’t make them quite right in the head . White does a fabulous job building up to the crazy and delusions! Oh how I wish I could say more!

If you’re a fan of Lily White, then you will appreciate the mind play! She’s gonna mess you all the way up! And oh what a wonderful feeling it is to wallow in Lily’s kind of crazy!

Four stars!

[Thea™ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book #2 in the Illusions Duet.... and - sorry! - but I'm sooo glad it's over! 😉 Although I definitely liked parts of this books, the religious mambo jambo was really boring. And at long last, the end was very 'standard'! For me, there was nothing exciting or spectacular or surprising about the end... at all. It even felt a little rushed? Like Lily White was done with it... like even she wanted it to end, lol! {Beetje flauw, 'standaard' einde wat bovendien afgeraffeld voelde!}
For me this duet was kinda boring and disappointing. And that's probably me, not the book! I'm truly impressed with Lily White's writing skills.... although book #1 was more impressive for me than book #2.

[Lo Bookfrantic · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 ★★★★ Stars

 

Genre:  Dark Erotic Suspense
Type: Book 2 of 2 from Illusions Duet
POV: First Person – Multiple

 

"The people dressing themselves in the shroud of being good men that can commit the most evil…Those men would be better off opening their eyes to the truth that stands them, because to see it is to fear the wicked."

 

Fear the wicked; continues the journey of manipulation and deception; of what is wrong and right.  Is hard to review this book without giving away spoilers for book one so I am going to try to keep it short.  I personally liked knowing the main reason one of the characters turns out the way he is; I don't even blame him for trying to get justice of his own; however some of the things he does were just difficult to justify.

 

"The best method of trapping a victim and forcing their silence is to make them believe that they, too, were dirty."

 

I had very high expectations for the heroine on this book as for I didn't really liked her in book one; I was really hoping her character would step up but instead I was annoyed by her and very disappointed.  I must say there was one character that turned around and surprised me; he wasn't even one of the main characters but he had some common sense and figured things out better than others and I liked that about him.

 

"It's not the fault of the faith that we've sunk so far, it's what's been done with it in the hands of power hungry men."

 

On this second book and the conclusion of the duet we get answers to so many questions we had from first book.  I did however wished instead of retelling us what happened I would have enjoyed it more if we had gotten actual things happen.  I liked how Jacob decided to find his own answers and do what he thought it was right even if that meant sacrificing his life for what he believed.  Overall; I liked the premises of the story and the illusions as the titles itself.  This book would be appealing to readers who are open minded about faith, believes and deceptions.

 



Illusion Duet:
 



For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:


 

[WendyW ~ Girls Just Wanna Have Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

That the truly wicked are the men hiding behind the guise of faith while committing the worst of sin….

This duet is a disconcerting psychological thriller. Lily drives the tension in unpredictable ways all while emphasizing the complex and tortured relationships between her obsessive and pathological characters.

Many abhorrent things have been done in the name of religion. It has been the catalyst for so many nefarious purposes. Lily’s daring willingness to write a book involving such a controversial subject matter is fearless. Such a topic is not always so receptive.

Both sides of the coin are never as shiny as they proclaim. Many cults cloak themselves behind the institution of religion, they twist and test the faith of their followers in order to fulfill their own narcissistic objectives. On the opposite side of the coin, the secular institutions are the breeding grounds for power hungry self righteous persons who conceal or cover up the darkness within the church. In Fear The Wicked you will see these beliefs tested and manipulated, you will see the corruption and wicked acts covered up and buried.

…..a set of twins standing on opposite sides - one light, one dark.

Elijah and Jacob, two brothers, identical twins. Both raised with a religiously heavy hand, but yet turned out differently. Both not unlike the church and the cult. One representative of each. Elijah akin to the ways of the cult, testing and twisting for his own purpose. Jacob and the church alike in their camouflage of the dark and wickedness within.

Toss in an instrumental innocent and angelic accessory and the story jumps to a new level of shameful sinfulness.

As expected, Fear The Wicked delivers dark themes, torture, tragedy and murder! It is socially deviant with generous helpings of seduction, lies, manipulation and control.

Lily White is a favorite author of mine and continues to intrigue and enrapture me with each and every one of her books. Say your hail mary’s and put your FAITH in Lily White!!

CONFESS!!

[Evie Summers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Fear the Wicked
Author: Lily White
Series: Illusions Duet #2
Genre: suspense
Heat: 1/5
Rating: 3/5

Background
Lily White has fast become one of my must-click authors, and having very much enjoyed reading the first in this duet, I was awaiting the second with much anticipation.

Cover
Much better than the first, this cover is dark and really grabs the attention whilst providing a small hint about what's to come.

Writing
White is, for the most part, a fantastic writer: thoughtful, concise, poetic. However, I found I struggled a little throughout this second part of the novel. Perhaps it was the writing style or perhaps it was just that I couldn't stand Elijah's POV (of which there was considerably more here).

Either way, everything just felt incredibly drawn out and repetitive, enough to provide me with the impression of someone enjoying exhibiting how clever and how much thought had gone into the characters and their deceit. This is the main reason this book was only rated three stars. It became a struggle and I really found myself wanting to finish it just so I could remove it from my 'Currently Reading' shelf.

Characters
Whilst Elijah and Jacob were developed nicely here (perhaps, in some respects, developed a little too well!), Eve just felt more like a doll, a prop along for the ride, despite her major role in the first novel. I understand the themes moving to the brothers and familial love, and uncovering the darkness of the past, but I prefer my characters to be more than just love interests, and be more interesting than that (and, indeed, stronger).

Conclusion
Although maintaining its intrigue, the slower pace of Fear the Wicked lets this second instalment down, making it drag and lost its power. This, and an ending that hints at a slight cop-out, leave this read as three-stars for me — Lily White, however, remains on my one-click list.

[Selena Lanovara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of you seat page turner every chapter felt like a cliffhanger. Brilliant You feel for all 3 of them Eve aka Sedra, Elijah aka Jeremiah and Jacob.

The twist and turns. My take on religion is simple god forgave us for our sins. He saw the wicked of the world. It was up to you to fight it but not how you think.

How lost people will follow those they believe are stronger, mightier, holier, without second guessing right or wrong.

Either Stand with the Wicked or Fight with all you got not to be tempted into dark. There is always light if your looking in the right places.

[Romance Readers Retreat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long been a fan of Lily White’s dark and twisted mind and after reading her recent dark psychological thriller, Illusions of Evil I could not wait for the conclusion. In the first book, we meet Jacob, Elijah and Eve and venture down the twisted path of a mad man. In Fear the Wicked, we get to experience the horrors that shaped him and set him on his insane path of destruction and revenge. Some books leave you struggling to find words to accurately do them justice and this is one such book. White takes us down a twisted, complicated, often horrific rabbit hole that you can’t look away from. She has the ability to make you care about characters that you should want nothing to do with. This was a slower read than book one and in part reads like a commentary on the horrors committed in today’s world in the name of religion. This will not be a book for everyone, White knows her audience and is a master at crafting a Take they will eat up. If you like your dark pitch black and your psychological thrillers as twisty as possible you will adore Fear the Wicked and Illusions of Evil.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars - 2.5 Flames

DISCLAIMER:
DO NOT read this Duet if you:
1. Haven't read the first one
2. Are a devout Catholic who doesn't want to revisit issues within the Church
3. Are one of those readers who judge an author by what they write
4. Had a difficult childhood and have triggers

REVIEW:
Good Lord!!!! This Duet has definitely pulled me through some of my personal comfort zones. Not so much due to the content of the story, but by the subject matter. I'm not a "religious" person by any means, but to take issues that we've all read about in the news and twist them in to something SOOOOO Lily, is brilliant.

In this second book of the Duet, we get down to the nitty gritty. The answers are finally given to the one question left hanging from the previous book, why? Why was Elijah the way he was? Why did he hate so much? Why was he out to destroy? The answer was so simple and yet so obvious, that I'll admit that I was a little disappointed in myself for not seeing it. But once the truth was uncovered, everything fell in to place.

While Elijah had broken his brother down, convincing him that life had repeated itself, he wasn't prepared for the fact that his brother was smart. Smart enough to finally snap out of his funk long enough to decide to search for the answer to his "why" question on his own. But even Jacob wasn't prepared for that truth. A truth he felt he should have seen. Known. Felt. But despite the truth and initial feelings, Jacob couldn't stand by and watch his brother destroy the parish and town he once led.

Poor Eve. How easy it's been to control the mind of a young beautiful girl. A girl who was taught at a young age that religion was everything. That He was everything. Just to find out...(nope, I won't ruin that one).

I can honestly conclude this review by stating that I 100% feel for all of the characters in this Duet. Each one has their own issues and deals with them differently. Each one had a reason for "doing" or "being" the way they were. I can't fault any of them. It's truly amazing how the psyche works.

*I was gifted this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Angela Plumeria]

Wow, so this duet was well done. Tons of plot points and suspense and makes you empathize with all the characters, even those who don’t deserve it. This duet was not a romance though there were lots and lots of X-rated scenes and loads of violence, too. Maybe I’d characterize it as a horror if it were a film, maybe as a book it would be suspense/drama. It was entertaining and compelling. A little sloppy on the editing, but super strong storyline and packs alot of shock value. Despite the prolific sexual scenes and elements, this was not a SEXY book, fyi.

[Nadine Bookaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
This book had a LOT of WTF moments for me, and I seriously only have one HARD LIMIT when it comes to books and this book touched on that subject a few times and I will be honest here I had to skim through a couple of pages to pass it over. That being said I will now go on with my review.

If you like dark books I think you will enjoy this one especially if you enjoy your books more on the taboo side of things. You MUST read the first book in the duet "Illusions of Evil" before you read this story otherwise you will not only miss out on a great read (I enjoyed the first book more than this one) but you will be missing a good chunk of the story line. We pick-up where the first book left off with Jacob leaving and Elijah still the head of the "Family" but now he is setting his sights on the town folk as well.

You can see my full review here: https://nadineisobsessedwithbooks.blo...

[Meredith is a hot mess · Rating 3 out of 5]

The level of depravity and deviance in this duet had me mostly entranced. Somehow I was able to leave my morals at the door, and let Lily White take me down this dark rabbit hole.

Book 2 was just as disturbing as book 1, but unfortunately the story fell flat. Book 1, Illusions of Evil, is something I'll reread, but I can't say the same for this book. It was too long. There were definitely parts that could have been edited out. I found myself skimming quite a bit.

Ok, the rest of this review has Major Spoilers. I tried to condense my thoughts, but it's a bit of a mess because I'm still trying to process everything.

There were high points that had me mesmerized. My eyes were glued to every word of Eve's POV, and especially when Elijah and Eve were together. The times they were together were few and far between compared to the amount of time Elijah spent with various townsfolk. I would have been happier with more Elijah and Eve scenes. Jacob and Eve scenes were practically nonexistent.

The ending was unsatisfactory. The epilogue came across as lazy or rushed. It would have been more powerful to see Sedra's healing process. Instead there was just a fast-forward in time and Sedra was all of a sudden healed from all her trauma.

Sedra's reacquaintance with Jacob seemed inauthentic and contrived. I would have liked there to have been more time spent on her feelings regarding Jacob's past actions.

This is my sick/dark/twisted side coming out but I kind of wanted Eve to end up with Elijah. Their relationship was sooo fucked up, but I witnessed way more passion between Elijah and Eve than Jacob and Eve. It would NOT be morally right for them to be together, but if I'm going all out reading a dark and fucked up story lets keep the story that way. The ending seemed whitewashed to me.

I would have been more satisfied with the ending if Jacob had spent more time with Eve at some point in the book. We see more darkness in Jacob in book 2, but by the time he was with Eve it was at the very end and he was good. I would have liked to have seen Jacob's dark side interacting with Eve's revelations and healing. That was what made Illusions of Evil so compelling. Jacob's dueling sides interacting with Eve.

Trigger warnings: If you need one this duet isn’t ideal. This is un-pc in so many ways. There’s twisted non-con, abuse, and a victim suffering from stockholm syndrome.

[Kim BookJunkie ~ Editor & Proofreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you read ILLUSIONS OF EVIL, a part of your soul will be missing until read this gripping conclusion! In this sequel, we are finally given an explanation regarding why Jericho/Elijah is as screwed up as he is. I was glued to the pages as Jacob, “dug deep” to find answers to the questions both he and I shared about why Jericho was so evil. In FEAR THE WICKED, we also get more examples of just how warped Jericho/Elijah’s mind has truly become. The actions of this dangerously crafty, depraved character provided us dark-book lovers with pages and pages of deliciously twisted entertainment! Yep, despite having written so many dark books, Lily White was yet again able to come up with new, shocking material!

The only reason I did not give this book 5 stars was that it felt a bit cumbersome at times. Although unbelievably eloquent, sometimes I felt that the religious musings and information was a bit excessive and occasionally, repetitive. Overall though, it’s an intense, consuming duet proving yet again how insanely talented Lily White is!

***ARC generously gifted from the author in exchange for my honest review***

[Nadia Debowska-Stephens (Obsessed by Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a rare thing...a book that leaves me in awe. This two part series is defined as a dark psychological thriller and it really lives up to its genre. With an underlying commentary of current affairs and the real horrors that are the 21st century reality I was taken away to a small mountain side town that was blind sided by their conviction in their faith as their desperation took them to a whole new low of humanity. The slow unraveling of the past, the secrets exposed to reveal the whys only added to the sheer bleakness of the human condition- we are weak, greedy and driven by power. Power to make those weaker than us submit, to use them and abuse them and manipulate them. Makes a man seem and feel like a God...

Awestruck by the sheer magnitude of this writer’s ability to create a story that revels in exposing the bowels of humanity by creating characters you just can’t help but feel for I wanted the twins to have their vengeance Old Testament style - an eye for an eye. It’s was such an emotive story that I suddenly realised I was unsure who’s side I was on and was their any really choice to be made? My heart ached for all that was suffered and I kind of appreciated the lengths he was willing to go to expose the real threat to our society - silence, turning a blind eye, passivity. It’s a great story and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

A five star crucified read

[Cindi Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Created. Molded. Shaped and formed, I was what he wanted. " "I loved him and feared him. Worshipped him and despised him. I couldn't live without him, even while knowing he would one day kill me". This is Eve, the brainwashed, tortured, mentally and physically abused wife of Elijah. The ultimate case of Stockholm. This is the rest of her story, along with more of the background of both Elijah and Jacob, the twin brothers who both had blackness in their souls. Much will finally be revealed about the sinister cult and it's ultimate purpose. It will take a strong stomach and heart to read this second part of the Illusions Duet. Dark doesn't begin to cover it. But it is so very worth it to get their stories. This is not a stand alone, so be sure to read book one. Illusions of Evil first.

[Melanie Cesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I disguised myself well as a man of God, and as I lurked beneath the mask of a decent man, I was the worst type of demon of all. I couldn’t take credit for the idea – the same types of demons had long ago preyed on me.”

There were a lot of layers to this story. The start is much slower paced than the first book while laying all the “ground work”, but it really picks up halfway through the story.

My heart ached for these 3 characters. Seeing into Jacob & Jericho’s past is heart aching, Jericho’s present and how he chose to deal with his past is disturbing and gut wrenching, and all that Sedra endures is painful. As the layers unfold and we see more into each character, feelings morph and an understanding takes hold of you.

I wasn’t sure what type of ending Lily White was going to give to each of these characters and, as the plot picked up, I couldn’t wait to see how this was all going to go down. This complex story and Lily White’s intricate writing will have your emotions all over the place in this dark and twisty tale.

[ReadingDiva Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

**review to post soon**

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa! What did I just read? This is the conclusion to Jacob, Eve, and Elijah's story and what a wicked twisted ride it was. I'm glad that we get to see why Elijah/Jericho is as insanely evil as he is and those reasons made me feel for him. But omg the things that he does in his quest for revenge are beyond evil. This book will have you questioning good vs evil. Nature vs nurture. Faith vs disbelief. Is organized religion just another guise for a cult? Are the most evil people of all hiding in plain sight? Give this duet a try and you won't be disappointed.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beta Read

Another will written read from Lily White an epic second book in the Illusions Duet.

The conclusion - Will the veil be removed!

You will know the first part of this story, now lets look back to the past and beyond all the smoke & mirrors, secrets uncovered, betrayal's and shocks are in store along with brutal scenes when revenge needs to be fast tracked.

Who are the real victims in this story and can anyone walk away a survivor.

[Laura Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fear the Wicked
By: Lily White
4 Stars

This is book 2 and you must read book 1 of the Illusions Duet before starting this one. It’s a Wicked ride and you most definitely want to buckle up for it!

Picking up right where we left off in Illusions of Evil, we now get to learn of what these boys went through to become who they are today. Not a pretty picture, that’s for sure.

This story had me trying to think am I rooting for the good or am I standing up for the evil? There is plenty of evil here, that’s no doubt!

It’s a book that you must go into with an open mind and let it seep into your head slowly. Taking in each and everything that happens. One that at times I was wanting to put a brown bag to my mouth so that I could breathe better.


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