Тъгата на сукубата

Georgina Kincaid #1

by Richelle Mead

Сякаш любовта и без това не е достатъчно трудна! Представете си да не можете да докоснете гаджето си, без да изсмучете душата му. Добре дошли в света на Джорджина Кинкейд – не особено ентусиазирана от работата си сиатълска сукуба, която винаги се озовава във вихъра на някоя свръхестествена интрига.

сукуба (същ.) – очарователен и неустоим, приемащ каквато си пожелае форма демон, който съблазнява и доставя наслада на смъртните мъже.

жалък (прил.) – сукуба със страхотни обувки и без социален живот. Виж също: Джорджина Кинкейд

На пръв поглед да бъдеш сукуба e страшно готино. Можеш да изглеждаш както си пожелаеш. Имаш убийствен гардероб, а купища просто­смъртни мъже са готови на всичко само за едно твое докосване. Е, те плащат за това с душите си, но на кого му пука за такива подробности?

Но животът на сиатълската сукуба Джорджина Кинкейд далеч не е толкова екзотичен. Шефът й е демон от средно ниво в йерархията, който си пада по филмите с Джон Кюсак. Освен това не може да излезе на свястна среща с някое гадже, без да изсмуче част от живота му. Но за сметка на това работата й през деня е страхотна: заместник-управител в местна книжарница. Там може да си чете книги безплатно, да се налива с мокачино, както и да срещне любимия си автор – сексапилния Сет Мортенсен, който може да се нарече още: този-за-когото-е-готова-на-всичко-за-да-докосне-но-не-може.

Но мечтите за Сет ще трябва да почакат. Нещо зло се появява в подземния свят на Сиатъл. За пръв път неустоимият й чар и триковете за съблазняване, от които мъжете припадат, щом я зърнат, са безсилни. И Джорджина много скоро ще открие, че там някъде бродят същества, които нито Раят, нито Адът искат...

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Demons

343 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 2007

About the author

Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy.

A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.

Reviews

[~Calliope~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

“Love is rarely flawless,” Carter pointed out. “Humans delude themselves by thinking it has to be. It is the imperfection that makes love perfect.”

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is (choose all that apply):
a) Boring as fish.
b) Wondrously crappy.
c) Exquisitely decaf, diet, GMO and gluten-free.
d) Flat as my now infamous herd of ironing boards.
e) A safe haven for severely misunderstood drama llamas.
f) So PG-13 it reads like a Seizure-Inducing Paranormal Chick Lit Type Thingie (SIPCLTT™).
g) ALL of the above.
h) ALL of the above².

Quite logically, a+b+c+d+e+f+g+h = me feeling a teensy little bit like this:



Gif most generously provided by Sarchotic Industries, Ltd

Had this delightfully scrumptious masterpiece simply been a Lame-A-Saurus endeavor and nothing more, I probably would have gone for a stellar 2-star rating. But the author whose name is NOT Michelle Read, contrary to what my ever-decaying little grey cells will have me believe, but Richelle Mead decided the ghastly a+b+c+d+e+f+g+h sum wasn't disastrous enough and went in for the kill by creating one of those irresistibly irresistible female characters I simply cannot, um, you know, resist and stuff, thus inevitably leading us down the Why the Fish Are There No Negative Ratings on Goodreads Road (WtFATNNRoGR™). And here we are.

My Little Barnacles, please allow me to introduce our amazingly endearing, ever-perceptive, super dignified, highly charming, self-effacing, ever-thankful, trustworthy, magnificently respectful, constant-as-can-be heroine, Georgina Kincaid! Wait. I think there’s a problem with my Miraculous Crustacean-to-Puny Human Instant Translation Machine (MCtPHITM™). Let me tweak the settings a little bit to see if I can get a more accurate rendition of my shrimpy thoughts. Be right back and stuff.

Okay, I think I fixed it. Let’s try this again, shall we?

My Little Barnacles, please allow me to introduce our supremely unlikeable, gloriously hare-brained, no-integrity-or-self-respect-guaranteed, eminently unpleasant, wonderfully self-obsessed, ungrateful, fickle-as-fish, self-important, whiny-woe-is-me, delightfully loathsome heroine extraordinaire, Georgina Kincaid! Oh my Bloody Shrimping Lord of the Stinking Fish! I think I’m in 💕love💕 and stuff! Damn, looks like the MCtPHITM™ just misfired again. It’s probably due to overheating or something (it’s been uncommonly hot in the Mariana Trench these last few days). Let me try and find a gif to properly convey the overwhelmingly affectionate feelings I have for Dear Georgina here.



Yes, I am feeling uncharacteristically amiable today.

I have to say that Enchanting Georgina is quite the lovable character indeed (and not just because her idea of a wacky evening is building a bookshelf). No no no, no need to take your anti-bullshit sprays out, my Wobbly Decapods! I’m being totally and complete honest and truthful here! I do lurve the girl beyond all measure! How could I not? She is an overly charismatic, impossible-to-resist succubus after all. I’m pretty sure all the manly males in this masterpiece of a book would agree with me on that one. I mean, every bloody shrimping single one of them falls for her about a quarter of a half second after meeting her, which seems to indicate she’s got some serious Inexorably Enthralling Crap (IEC™) going on. (I personally think it has something to do with her having the undying charm of a weather-beaten dinoflagellate, but I could be wrong.)

The sad thing is, I don’t stand a chance with Georgina Dear. Sigh. She is a Certified Dude Magnet (CDM™), yes, but she also happens to be one of those positively enchanting female leads who do not have women friends, and whose female acquaintances are all cunning, evil bitches. Which means I can forget about adopting kidnapping her and locking her up in my High Security Harem. Damn. I hate my nefarious life so much right now. To think I could have been part of the Georgina Kincaid Love Triangle Hexagon of Doom and Oblivion! And bond with my extremely enticing co-lurve interests Roman, Seth, Doug and Warren during one of the super exciting swing classes Georgina teaches at her workplace after hours don’t eyeroll, don’t ask ! And I will never be the subject of her Exceptionally Exceptional Double Standards (EEDS™), either! Ah, to be Warren just so that Georgina my lover can think me a total sleazebag for repeatedly cheating on my wife with her! When Dear G herself is undoubtedly innocent as the newborn shrimp and has obviously done nothing wrong! I mean, it’s not like she’s the cheating sleazebag’s paramour or anything! Ah, to think I’m going to miss out on such beautiful logic and impeccably principled behaviour!



I guess all that is left for me to do is admire Lovely G’s handiwork from afar. And get all fuzzy inside whenever I read about her Sweet and Not Fished Up At All Times (SaNFUAAT™) with co-lurve interest #124586 #2: he asks her on a date, she says NO again and again. Then she says HELL YES (because duh and stuff)! He wants to buy her a drink, she says NO again and again. Then she says HELL YES (because duh and stuff) and ends up downing two margaritas, two mojitos and a tequila chaser (she has a very firm rule against drinking alcoholic beverages). She gets a little drunk as a result, but stays classy, always. That’s just who Dear G is, a charming girl intent on respecting herself and others at all times! I think you would have to read about the time she had sex with #124586 #2 like a rabid barnacle in heat to get a good grasp on her admirable disposition. She didn’t do it because she actually wanted to, or felt like it, you see (don’t be ridiculous now, such silly considerations are really beneath Dear G). She only did it to buy time and keep him distracted from other stuff! Georgina’s moral probity and sense of self-sacrifice are as unheard heard of as they are commendable, if you ask me. Are you finally beginning to understand why I fell so hard for the girl? And why she will always be in my black, withered heart?



Ah, young love. So touching.

➽ And the moral of this Bloody Shrimping Hell The Bloody Stinking Books Things I Have to Put Myself Through to Complete the Bloody Fishing MacHalo Cleaning Challenge Crappy Non Review (BSHtBSBTIHtPMTtCtBFMCCCNR™) is: You want to read about glorious demons, delicious Nephilim and angel assholes? Don’t read this crap, read Sandman Slim. You’re welcome and stuff.



[Pre-review nonsense]

Many a gloriously excruciating eye-rolling moment was had in the process of reading this masterpiece. Much fun it was.



➽ Full Bloody Stinking Fish of the Slaughterish Shrimp this Book is so Exceptionally Crappy It Fits Most of My Crappiest of Crappiest Bookshelves Now if that Isn't an Achievement I Don't Know What Is Crappy Non Review (BSFotSStBisECIFMoMCoCBNitIaAIDKWICNR™) to come.



Hey, I'm only three years late for this buddy read that never was which seems to imply I'm not that late after all but hey I would have been if it had but it wasn't so I'm not ergo go me and stuff!





It seems I have finally lost it. Worry not MacHalos, we are not going to read this book. It's Pleasure Unbound we will be BRing on Oct. 16. I'm hopeless, I know.





BR with my MacHalo Freaks starting Oct. 16, 2015.

Because surely there must be non-crappy, non-suicide-inducing PNR out there.



Blah blah blah thread

[Kat Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and I enjoyed that it, in a number of areas, was brave enough to break away from the stereotype that the paranormal urban romance genre is famous for.

On one hand, I enjoyed the plot, story and characters. It was paced well, easy to read, enjoyable. The characters were fresh, original in some regards and likable.

The great "reveal" was painfully easy to guess and I had suspected it from the beginning, but I feel that the writing style and characters made up for this lack.

The character of Georgina Kincaid is on the list for one of the more likable female protagonists so far. She joins ranks just under Mac Lane from the Fever Series and Katniss Evergreen from the Hunger Games.

She's not perfect. She may be beautiful and smart, but she is also vain and flawed. I enjoyed the portrayal of a woman who has made many mistakes and actually has a history. I'm sick of my female protagonists being blank cutouts who never did anything or anyone before they meet the hero.

The secondary characters in this story really help it along. Carter, Seth, Jerome, Hugh, Cody and Peter give the story a much needed realistic and humorous boost.

The thing is, you can get silly when dealing with a story about a Succubus. Maybe Anita Blake is getting silly now (Really, how many men can you date? How many times can you have sex a day before you start walking crooked?) But I think Georgina Kincaid allows for the reality (if you could say there was such a thing) of being a succubus. Sex becomes a monotonous job or task. It becomes meaningless and lonely.

*Tips hat to Richelle Mead*

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know you don't like a book when you would rather fold laundry than pick it up again.

As I was struggling with this book yesterday, I was thinking, "Maybe I have some dishes to do or something? What chores can I do?" Not a good sign.

**Some mild spoilers ahead**

Most people love this book so feel free to ignore me. In all fairness, I had read some really good urban fantasy books right before this one so I was coming off a huge UF high when I picked this up. And it did not measure up. At all.

Let me start with the world building, which I found to be incredibly weak. All of these supernatural characters (an angel, an imp, a demon, and some vampires) meet to chat with Georgina and drink beer at her house, seemingly everyday. They kind of bitch about their looks and getting girls and whatever. They seem like overgrown frat boys, not supernaturals. I honestly had no idea about what the heck their roles were. They just seemed to sit around all day and do nothing. The vampires don't hunt, the imp doesn't imp, and the demon and the angel (though they were supposed to be really powerful) do a whole lot of nothing.

These are the least super supernaturals that I have ever encountered.

I was bored by the lack of world-building, totally bored.

The most exciting thing these guys do is go swing dancing in a book store. True fact.

When supernaturals start dying, all of the supernatural friends of Georgina kind of sit there with their thumbs in their mouths and wait to see what would happen next. These guys don't fight, and aside from some lame detective work from Georgina, they all don't seem to really care about the danger facing them. It was really odd.

The whole reason that Georgina attempted detective work was that the more powerful supernaturals decided to keep some information from her. Why they chose to do this was never made clear... I think because they didn't want to worry her or some crap?? The stuff that Georgina "figured out" is really bordering on common knowledge. Why she didn't think to learn more about paranormal beings in the centuries that she has been alive completely baffles me. What the freak do you do with your time, Georgina??? You have no desire to LEARN anything about your situation? You don't know who can kill you or your friends? Who can sense power and who can mask it? Really, nothing???

Georgina also irritated me to no end. If you are going to have a character be a succubus, than make her a freaking bad ass succubus. Georgina was whiny, timid, and fickle. She was all, "Love me, don't look at me, LOVE ME, GET THE F AWAY FROM ME" with everyone, even her friends. And the book was not even hot! Georgina had body and image issues to no end, she had no confidence, and she was just a very unappealing succubus. She did nothing for me, to be honest.

To top off the content issues, there were some editing issues that I couldn't overlook. Now, mind you, my copy was from Amazon, NOT an ARC. This book should be proofread, right? Then explain these little tidbits:

"I was a hair's breath away from kissing Roman again, from taking him somewhere-anywhere-where we could be alone and naked, where I could do all the things I'd fanta-sized doing with him." (loc 2586)



"Christ, I'll never forget the first day I saw you. How feisty you where." (loc 4031)

You what now??

There were so many examples of editing issues like this. It really bothered me and took away from the scraps of reading pleasure that I had.

The only thing that I wanted to do after reading this was write some Jerome/Carter slash fiction. Anyone else feel the sexual tension there?

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot more than I imagined I would. I'm not really a hardcore urban fantasy fan, I much prefer series like this with the softer, chick-lit style writing complete with witty dialogue and hot immortal men. Georgina Kincaid is a very likeable heroine, not a pretentious do-gooder but nice enough that you care about what happens to her.

This first novel in the series is full of steamy sex, hilariously quotable writing and a supernatural mystery to form the background plot. What more can you really want? Granted, it's not a book that will change your life or give you anything particularly deep to think about, but it is fun and enjoyable. My main criticism would be I suspected the outcome of the nephilim murder mystery about halfway through the book... but never mind, I can't wait to read book 2.

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.


This gif represents EXACTLY how I felt about this book... I was eager to start it, I found it a little tough to get into though, I struggled (with convincing myself to keep going) midway through, but at the end everything started happening really fast and suddenly I was finished it lol

I read this book on several glowing recommendations from trusted readers who compared it to the Fever and Night Huntress series (both of which are among my fav PNR/UFs so I was pretty excited to start it.

The book was fun I guess, and had witty writing but I found it dragged a little and didn't keep me very engaged. Also I didn't find that this book made me "feel" very strongly. I felt pretty 'feelingless' throughout most of it despite the fact that I definitely wanted to know what happened. Definitely not a page turner. But the writing is good and flows easily. Lol, I know that maybe doesn't make much sense.. However, I have heard many people say that the first book wasn't the strongest and I'm perfectly willing to keep going and see what happens next :)

For those of you who are as big romance fans as I am, I'll say that the romance is there in the books but isn't the major plotline. There is a love triangle (but I've been assured that by the end of the series, she ends up in a HEA with the 'right' guy in the end lol - hugely important point for me).

On to book 2 I guess....

EDIT: For those of you who are wondering, I gave up on the series half way through book 2... it just didn't pick up for me. I like Alpha heroes... and Seth just wasn't Alpha. Its not that I have anything against Beta males, they just don't really do it for me.

[Tatiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I read Succubus Blues first over 2 years ago and liked it A LOT. Since then Mead embarked on a money-making trip and managed to completely ruin Vampire Academy for me. The latest Succubus book was meh as well. (Her Dark Swan books are not even worth mentioning IMO.) I started questioning myself - were Mead's books ever good? Or I simply liked them because this series was one of my first encounters with fresh then genre of urban fantasy?

Good news, Succubus Blues is still great entertainment second time around. It is dynamic and well-paced, it is sexy, it is funny, the characters have fantastic chemistry and the dialog is spunky.

It is however, a bit more chick-lit than I remember. The mystery is transparent, the clues of Georgina's "secret" are not visible only to blind and the world-building is cursory (if you think of it, almost all of the millenia-old immortals in this series appear to have learned absolutely nothing over the centuries of their existence).

And then our girl Georgina Kincaid is the ultimate chick lit heroine, even though she is a paranormal, immortal creature. Imagine Bridgette Jones or Carrie Bradshaw after dating around for a few centuries - here is Georgina for you. A cool friend, attractive to men, sharp-tongued, but alas, has zero clue about relationships with men or life in general.

This time around I didn't like Georgina that much. She is as engaging a heroine as she is infuriating. She is the character with a lot of room for improvement (she could start with not choosing sex over EVERYTHING of importance in her life - friends, lovers, loyalties, integrity). Unfortunately my knowledge of her future exploits did not allow me to appreciate her personal struggles here. Same goes for Seth. He is a potentially charming (in a nerdy way) and loving guy, but... both Georgina and Seth suck in a major way by book 5. I pretty much despise them at this point.

I wonder if I should re-read the rest of the books. I already feel hate towards them both coming back to me...

How will this series end? Will Succubus Revealed be a triumphant or at least respectable ending to this series? Did Richelle put any love in this last installment or just phoned it in? We shall see. I'll be sure to come back and update this review in September. I hope I won't have to deduct stars and put a "DO NO READ THIS MESS!" warning.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We all have moments of weakness. It’s how we recover from them that really counts.”

Georgina isn't your typical succubus. Disliking what she is, she mainly focuses on "feeding" from men without as much of a conscience (like her boss), but doesn't have to slaughter them like succubus of legend. When working in the bookstore as a manager, she meets her favorite author, starts dating a new man in town, and works with other paranormals to figure out who is offing powerful paranormals in the city.

Half the book is left with discoveries of death and having no clue what's up, while the other half is knowing what's going on but tracking down the particular naughty entity. The book has a good amount going for it - there's backstory to explain decisions made but it doesn't weigh down and is done stylishly. There's the humorous side (this book is downright cute) and the personal life of Georgina as she tries casual dating, but there's also mixing with dangerous elements of the city and solving a mystery before it's too late for all of them.

Despite reservations I had for what kind of book it was, I was pleased to see the humor was naturally cute rather than obnoxious and overbearing.

Georgina is a fun character who isn't angsty because of her past mistakes, even if she is wistful. Instead of focusing on woes she accepts what she is but tries to make the best of situations. Side-characters are mixed joys since the author isn't the love interest I thought from the first, the man she's dating turns out fun and three-dimensional (you don't want anything happening to him), the boss is sleazy but well-written, and the other paranormals stand out as authentic enough even if you want to strangle some of the more powerful ones half the time.

Georgina working in the bookstore and enjoying books so much is a big plus. Her co-workers teasing her about making her favorite author's new books last a month was something most readers can relate to, although there's no way I could drag it out like her. All those years must give her way more willpower than this bookworm has.

It's not a serious book and the mystery isn't hard to guess (I knew right away it was between two people), but the ending was a good one that left a wide opening for a sequel. I don't know that I'll continue the series since I see some signs of what may come, but it was better than I figured it'd be from the humor that usually affects this kind.

[Penny Well Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loooove this series.

This is one of my favorite UF series, ever. Admittedly, the first book is the weakest of them all, while book 4 is my favorite. The plot, characters and romance get better and better with each installment.
The love story has an incredible arc and it is absolutely beautiful. You'll need to go all the way to book 6 to find out how it ends, and it is utterly worth it.

Georgina Kincaid is a great strong female character with all her faults. Her insecurities and weaknesses make her a better character, she is not perfect, but she is good. She is flawed and that makes her more real.
Seth, although completely outside of the guys I would normally found attractive, is also great; sweet and kind, he is a character that grows in each book, he is loyal, authentic and loves with his all being. He is mundane and so real that he is the perfect juxtaposition to Georgina.

These books are full of adventure and fun characters, but to me, what really makes them so special is that the love story here is not just your typical romance. What we have here is a TRUE LOVE kind of EPIC love story to the likes of The Princess Bride.

This is the kind story that stays with you, no matter how many books you read or how many years have passed since you first read it , you don’t forget this one.

I completely recommend this series. READ IT!


P.S.: By now, I have lost count of how many times I have read/listen to the audiobooks of this series. The first time, I did actually read them, but soon I knew I would want to come to them again and I got the audiobooks. They are great.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020 update:

Still as good as the first 3 times I read this <3

2010 review:

Urban fantasy books are always difficult for me. Whenever I see a shelf of those in a store, I look at a few titles and hope something will look interesting. They seldomly do, because all these books are the same to me: Hot heroine with at least one guy on every finger. (I blame this on Anita Blake, who I liked, at first, but after a while I got so bored with her books and, I'm glad I did because, apparently, I stopped reading before the completely messed up books came.)

But back to the sassy heroine: this book was absolutely no different, yet I got sucked in (no pun intended) immediately. Quite a few of my friends recommended this to me, and I'm very glad they did, I cannot thank you girls enough.

I love Georgina and her entourage. Some parts of the book were hilarious (the first conversation between G and Seth, for example). I'm not entirely sure about the dancing lessons (seriously?) and it took her a while to catch on with what was happening (but then again, if she had her epiphany in chapter 15, the rest of the book would have been pretty boring) and the climax was you know... a bit short? But the way they, ahem, 'worked' their way towards it was... was... something.

And then there's Seth... Finding a guy like that... Where do I sign? I'd spend the rest of my life being perfectly happy with him.

Best parts of the book: The Kiss. What he wrote in her book.

I felt like fainting dramatically on both occasions.

[Μaria Vrisanaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Η #richellemead είναι η αγαπημένη μου συγγραφέας (❤), έτσι είχα πολύ υψηλές προσδοκίες από το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο εξαιτίας της λατρείας μου για το #vampireacademy .

Η ιστορία λοιπόν είναι ωραία, ξεκινάει έντονα και με ενδιαφέρον (βέβαια δεν συγκρίνεται με το va). Είχε μυστήριο, φυσικά φαντασία, αγγέλους και δαίμονες, και έρωτα. Μου άρεσε ο τρόπος που πλησιαστηκαν η Τζορτζινα και ο Ρομάν (κάπου εδώ δηλώνω #teamroman). Είχαν πλάκα, χημεία και μου ταίριαξαν, σε αντίθεση με το σχήμα Τζορτζινα-Σεθ που δυστυχώς δεν με επεισε καθόλου. Δεν Μ αρέσει ο Σεθ 😢.

Οι τελευταίες 80 σελίδες ήταν πολύ ωραίες, στο ενδιάμεσο κομμάτι όμως επιανα τον εαυτό μου να θέλει γρηγορότερους ρυθμούς στη ροή επειδή βρισκόμασταν σε μια κάπως στάσιμη κατάσταση.

❣Λάτρεψα το παρελθόν της Τζορτζινα❣
❣Λάτρεψα τον ερωτισμό ❣

Σε γενικές γραμμές ήταν ωραία αρχή για σειρά. Θα συνεχίσω σίγουρα με τα επόμενα!
3,7⭐

[Lucie V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

✅ Characters
✅ Pace
✅ Kind of love triangle, but it's not annoying
✅(🆗) Plot
✅(🆗) Paranormal creatures (some of them could have been humans from what little we saw of their abilities)
🆗 Twists (they were predictable)

Georgina Kincaid is a succubus. She has been one for hundreds of years, and she hates her nature. She hates not being able to have meaningful relationships with nice guys without draining their life force, and all she wants is to be loved. Trying to have a “normal life”, she works at a bookstore, but having a normal life gets more and more complicated as paranormal beings are being hunted and killed around her, and it even looks like she might have something to do with it.

Georgina is a nice main character, I loved her spunk and witty comebacks, but at times she can also be mean and a little vindictive. It is normal though, no one is perfect, so while I found some of her interactions to be pointlessly mean, it didn’t bother me because it means she is flawed and I like flawed characters. The rest of the characters are interesting and well-developed enough for me to like them, but as is often the case in fantasy or paranormal books, they tend to act like “regular” adults, and not as immortal with centuries worth of experience. Some of their reactions seem a little immature at times considering they are many centuries old.

The plot was just okay though. It was nothing new or super original, and most of the plot twists were predictable so I was not surprised by anything that happened or was revealed. The pace was good, but not great, and I’d say that the romance and kind of love triangle took more space in the book than the actual murders and investigation. The murder mystery was intriguing at first, and I thought this book would focus more on Georgina trying to figure out who was killing the supernaturals around her and why, but she didn't investigate it that much, and the "bad guy" was fairly easy to unmask. Even worse, he almost blurted out his whole plan and reasoning without any prompting. The resolution of the murders was just too easy to be satisfying.

Georgina is happy working at the bookstore until she discovers that the cute guy she’d been flirting with is her all-time favorite author. Georgina feels insanely attracted to him, but she knows she can’t allow herself to get close to him because of her abilities. She also ended up going on a date with a random client of the bookstore so she wouldn’t have to stay late with her boss, and she had a surprisingly good time. Georgina can’t seem to make up her mind about both guys and the more time she spends with both of them, the more she likes them both.

Overall, this was not a bad book, but I don’t feel much for the characters, and I was not that engaged in the story either. I liked it enough to give a try to the second book though, so hopefully the next one will be more engaging and complex.



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[Alkyoni · Rating 1 out of 5]

Georgina Kincaid, Succubus, is leading a lonely life having traded her mortality for eternal youth and beauty and let’s just not get into the reasons why. In order to survive she gets the life force out of humans that she’s having sex with, but being a Succubus with a conscience she only does the low lives, hating the idea of damning the souls of good men. She is unable of forming meaningful romantic relationships with men that she actually likes since even a kiss would suck a considerable amount out of the life force of her smooch buddy. Sex with him would be out of the question.

Then a vampire gets murdered and she steps into her Nancy Drew outfit to find out whodunit.

First of all, let me say that I’m still fresh out of the Kate Daniels experience and I may be a little stricter with this book than I would have been if I had read it before Kate and/or the Fever series.

That being said, where to begin?

I didn’t like Georgina as a character. I think that she’s a show-off, vain, selfish bitch. Now, I could have liked a character like that if she had some wit or self sarcasm to display but unfortunately she’s got none of the above.

I understand she is an original kind of character and kudos to Mead for being bold enough to create her but I am not sure that I understand to what purpose. Was I supposed to be excited by the fact that she’s sleeping around and lusting over a number of guys and at the same time feel for her because she can’t have a normal relationship and children? If she had been straight evil or made no excuses for what she was I would at least love to hate her, but having her saying how unfair the universe is because she can’t have what she wants just made me roll my eyes.

So, she meets a guy and against her better judgment she ponders whether she should keep seeing him or not. I get it, she’s lonely, she is attracted to him and even though her mind tells her that she must avoid him, she longs for a relationship. They go on a date, she tells him they are not to meet again only to succumb a few lines later and agree on another date, again and again and again. Oh, by the way, there’s not just one guy. She actually has to worry about the guy that she’s sleeping with, the guy that she’s flirting with, the guy she is attracted to and the guy that she’s falling in love with. That must had been the reason why for the most part of the book I was having flashbacks of Jack Nicholson slapping Faye Dunaway while she was chanting “she’s my sister / she’s my daughter…”. Make up your mind lady!

The world building was kind of weird considering that Georgina has been around for centuries, her best friends are two vampires and an imp, her boss is a demon and she still has to go through preternatural creatures 101 along with the rest of us. If she had just stepped into the supernatural world that would be totally understandable, but no, she had been around when men stood up saying “I’m Spartacus” and I’m not talking about Toni Curtis here.

Then there is the mystery, which I must admit was nicely executed. Even if you suspect who the villain is, it unfolds nicely through Mead's writing but, for the life of me, I can't understand why everyone was trying to keep Georgina in the dark. A killer is on the loose, he attacks her friends, he leaves creepy letters at her doorstep and everybody refuses to tell her who or what he is. When she decides to investigate on her own, the people that are trying to protect her throw a fit! Why? Does that make any sense?

At first I gave it 2 stars out of respect for Mead's other work that I loved but the more I think about it, that doesn't make sense either. So yeah, finishing this book was definitely exercise in masochism for me :]

[Stacia (the 2010 club) · Rating 4 out of 5]

***RE-read July 2011 as a buddy read with the TPR girls***

I am giving Succubus Blues a higher rating the second time after realizing that the first time I read the book, I had come down off a high from one of my favorites and was way too hard on this one. Even though I enjoyed SB the first time and did consider it to be about a 3 to 3.5, I enjoyed it much more the second time around after knowing the series and characters better (and was able to skim the world building trap of book 1). 4 plus stars! I love this series as a whole (each book gets better) and would love to see more VA fans experience Richelle Mead's adult series as well. Seth = favorite Beta male of all time. In a world of lookalike alphas, sometimes you just want that shy, awkward author instead!


***Original Review Below - Early 2011***

Hmmm...how to review this one. I liked it, then I didn't, then I did. In the end I think like won out. The amount of races and characters in the book sort of threw me a bit, as well as Georgie's profession, but I adjusted after a while and got into the swing of things.

The concept is interesting, and this might be (as far as I can remember) my first ever read with a succubus as a main character. If being one didn't involve giving up my mortal soul, I might even find the job sort of interesting. It's like a better version of a boring old shapeshifter.

Just the advantage of being able to change clothes and hair on the fly would be too great for words. Never mind that it drains your energy...just a quick roll in the hay (with someone you don't care about) and it's all fixed. Okay, so having to avoid getting close to people in order not to drain their energy through contact would sort of suck, but there has to be a workaround, right?

Georgina Kincaid is an interesting character. Usually it's the males in these books that have all the baggage and are afraid to let people in due to terrible wounds. I find it refreshing to see a woman with the burden to bear.

Let's talk about the men. First you have mysterious writer Seth. He seems like the shy, awkward type, but that man sure does have something to hide. Obviously he has a mystery and since this is book 1...it means we get nada. Then you have Roman. Is he a complete jerk hiding inside of a hot facade? Or does he have true feelings under that exterior? Again, book 1. Guess this means I'm on the hook to read book 2. I'm not complaining though. It looks like this might be a fun time.

[Ash Wednesday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you wake up from a dream. Sometimes you wake up in a dream. And sometimes, every once in while, you wake up in someone else's dream.

1.21.14 BUDDY RE-READ WITH ROBIN, BAILEY AND TANDIE

I almost want to up-rate this to a 5.

So very different the second time around. The palpable silences, the knowing looks passed between Carter and Jerome, Carter's odd, quizzical looks at Georgie, Jerome's pregnant pauses... The book in itself was predictable the first time around, but once you've known these characters to the end, when you revisit the beginning, the experience just becomes so much different, much more enriched.

Like a tree that keeps on giving.

And it hasn't even been a year since I last read this one.

My name is Ash Wednesday and I'm a Georgina Kincaid addict.

Megan (Reading Books Like A Boss) and Nereyda (Mostly YA Books Obsessed) are doing a Georgina Kincaid Read-a-Thon on March! Click Here to Sign Up!
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4 STARS

I've been in a perpetual snit fit for not having enough time to actually sit down and read this at uninterrupted lengths but this surprisingly held my interest well enough against hectic workdays, birthdays and a bomb threat in the mall I was having lunch in: it was a dud but this one prevented me from noticing the frantic running for a good ten minutes. Not even kidding.

Okay I'm not exactly Richelle Mead's biggest fan but this one worked really well for me. The heroine, Georgina, was easily likable. I liked her dorky details and the sharp wit that held in check a painful past. Add the fact that she's a succubus with a conscience and really it's so easy to amp up the ham and cheese factor on this one. But it mostly didn't. I've gone through a phase of reading borderline campy PNRs in the past (the Demonica series comes to mind) that were a lot of fun but for completely different reasons. Swing dancing and bowling were not among them.

"Are you always that rough with balls?" he asked finally.
"Most men don't complain."

This one's entertainment factor was further buoyed up by an easy to follow plot and a set of supporting characters with their own adorable quirks and quote-worthy moments. I'm still laughing at you Peter. And Hugh sound suspiciously like he could've had a fondness for chinchilla fur and fedora hats. Lannister style.



But what sets it apart is where Georgina's emotional strife and discontent stems from and the loneliness her choices brings. They're not paranormal at all and easily relatable even for someone who can't shift herself out of a bad hair day. She's really one of the well-layered heroines I've read of from this genre.

I had a driving need to keep up surface appearances - hence the so-called "happy face." I'd smiled and nodded through the worst times of my life, and when the reaction had not been enough, I'd finally just run - even though it cost me my soul.

That and what is possibly the most original idea of a hero in Seth.

While he'd probably lose in an awesome shirt collection face-off with Gabe Merrick, Seth Mortensen, the shy, socially awkward, decaffeinated writer stands to re-write the conventions of where the pinnacle of hotness really lies. And it may involve doing laundry.

And yet for all the originality Succubus Blues bore for me, it did get sluggish towards the last quarter, when the whoddunit gets answered. I liked that the plot was simple but the mystery was pretty transparent early on. This took my interest wandering and when the focus shifted to addressing the resolution, it got mildly annoying at the pace with which the obvious was revealed.

But then the book ended with a very intriguing twist and plot developments that almost makes it impossible not to pick up the next installment as a reflex.

Almost.

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book introducing readers to the world of Georgina Kincaid is just good old fashioned urban fantasy fun. The world building is not intense nor is it complicated. The mystery is easy to figure out and many of the characters act in a predictable way. But damn, this is the most fun I have had reading an urban fantasy book in a long time. The story is told from the point of view of Georgina and she is a succubus with a conscience (supposedly). She loves sex, loves male attention, but misses the love connection that most humans are able to have with their sexual partner. Unfortunately, she is stuck – as a Succubus, every sexual contact instigates her succubus instincts and she begins to drain her partner. So Georgina deliberately only has sex with men she is not interested in romantically or who she actually does not like. Enter stage left two love interests: one reclusive author and one sexy and outgoing professor (who can dance!). Mead sets a plot that was relatively easy to figure out who the bad actor was, but the plot had some surprising twists and the why a character was a bad actor was a complete surprise. So during the big reveals, I still was able to have some level of surprise. The setting is fun for book lovers -- a book store and the plot revolves around Georgina's love for a particular series and author. Something that many readers undoubtedly can relate to.

Succubus Blues was a hit with me because of the characters. I was not that interested in the world (although really, after the twisty reveals came out, I got much more interested in the world) or the murder mystery/threat to local supes that Georgina took it upon herself to solve. Mead writes Georgina in a realistic way that reminded me of well … I will just say people. Georgina reminds me of people. She makes mistakes, bad choices and gets in awkward situations but I could relate to the situations she finds herself in; and unfortunately, I could relate to her bad choices. Mead weaves in Georgina’s current life with flashback scenes from her ancient past (she is a succubus after all, thus immortal). Georgina’s past is not pretty and most of the ugliness is due to her own behavior. The pain and consequences of her choices are real and the root of Georgina’s problems – the initial cause of her current existence is Georgina’s insecurities and her need for male attention. This need and this desire traps Georgina in a cycle that will last forever. But the reader has to question whether Georgina is truly trapped -- or is she thriving?

If you like your urban fantasy characters to have flaws, make mistakes and be tortured – then Georgina fits the description. What was unique about this book – at least for me – is rarely is the female protagonist the tortured character. Urban fantasy is filled to the brim with the ancient tortured male character who needs to hold back so that he doesn’t injure the fragile human mortal women he wants to be with – Mead flips the trope on its back. It is Georgina that is the tortured ancient character and it is her that must hold back to protect the mortal men of whom she is so interested.

Men make up the supporting cast of characters (perhaps makes sense for a book about a succubus) and they are likeable, funny and quirky guys. Yes, there is a love triangle (it is a Richelle Mead book after all!) but, I thought the triangle was done well and it actually did not annoy me at all. The spurned or not chosen guy (for the moment) had some truly awkward scenes where his pain was evident. Rarely in urban fantasy books penned by women is the male character who is in the running to get the girl a non alpha type of guy ( I tried to come up with an example to counter my statement, but I can’t – the only one is Adrian in Vampire Academy, but that is written by Mead – any others I have missed or forgotten?). This characterization just happens so rarely and is clearly not the favored character type in this genre but …. Succubus Blues is an exception. So, there is this funny, nice and kinda shy guy who is a love interest – he doesn’t push Georgina around, he doesn’t invade her space and he doesn’t claim her in any way. Instead, he emails her, he cares for her when she is sick and he gets nervous around her. And (don't click unless you read this book, huge book spoiler) I really liked how Mead played with the aggressive Alpha male character. Roman was everything UF readers tend to love in the male character -- aggressive, relentless and he can dance. But in the end, his following of Georgina, his leaving threatening notes, him eliminating anyone or hurting anyone that he felt was "impertinent" to Georgina is just damned creepy not sexy! But in some PNR/UF books this behavior is depicted as sexy. Not here. The stalker and threatening behavior is not painted as attractive, at least not to me, and he turned out to be the semi-psychopathic baddie in this book. I really liked the merging of these characteristics -- the controlling behavior with his ultimate desire to commit murder. And yes, Roman has obviously had it rough. It appears that the angels and the demons have not done right by the nephillim. I get his anger and pain, but he is so damaged that he now does scary things to lesser immortals who are not involved in the painful things done by the angels and demons. But I am guessing we will see Roman again ....

The concept of good v. bad, evils v. pure is played with by Mead. There are angels hanging out with demons and it is an open question how demons are made. This blurring of the lines makes Succubus much more enjoyable than a stark us v. them world (for example the world she created in Vampire Academy had the black and white version of good v. evil, and the starkness of the world got tiresome)

I listened to the narration for the majority of the book and read parts of the book. The narration is done really well, if you enjoy audio books, then I highly recommend listening to it! If you are an urban fantasy fan and are okay with a female character who has sex, has a dark past and makes mistakes then I recommend this series.

I plan on reading #2, Succubus on Top (what a hilarious name for a book about a Succubus)

[Lainey · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's these kinds of books that make me wish Goodreads let me do half star ratings.

This was just ok. I actually found myself very bored during it. It was just... ok.
All the plot twists - I saw them all, but that didn't take away from my reading experience, I just couldn't see how Georgina couldn't see them. Also, what the hell, how misleading was that synopsis?

My favorite character was Seth. How he spoke, wrote, everything was really fascinating to me. He's the only reason why I struggled with the rating because every scene he was in I was like "YAY! SETH!" and then when he would leave, I was bored.

I skimmed the last 10%.

The climax was extremely anti-climatic.

I did like Georgina's flashback scenes - as few as they were.

Probably will be continuing the series but who knows.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok...not sure if I'll be continuing with the series.

[Chris Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book one of Richelle Mead’s Georgina Kincaid urban fantasy series is a steamy romp through Seattle’s underworld. It features an array of quintessential character types such as vampires, fallen angels, and demons, who, surprisingly, do very little to appease their prospective cravings and appetites.

One person who tries to reject her nature is our main character, Georgina. She is a succubus who, for better or for worse, cannot get her life on track. She enjoys reading a great deal and is happy with her job at the neighborhood bookshop, but she also has the ambition of becoming a dance choreographer.

So, what happens when her favorite author comes to town for a meet-and-greet book signing? Well, let’s just say she has a goal in mind, and I quote: "If he wanted to carry me off and make me his love slave, I’d do it, so long as I got advance copies of his books."

There are the bones of a murder mystery strewn about, but it’s inconsequential because the "bad guy" is fairly easy to decipher and never really adds any depth to the characters or ah-ha moments towards the end.

It’s just mediocre. I enjoyed the way Georgina tries to stow away her succubus tendencies, but everything else is just bland. It touches on love, relationships, sex, and violence, but it never really sinks its teeth into any of them.

**Note** - Be VERY careful not to make any mistakes when typing the name of the book into Google with autocorrect on. The euphemism might give you results you did not expect.

📝 | Extra | 📝’s
❖ The intro was fun.
❖ I wonder how many times the word lust was mentioned in this book?

📚 | Category | 📚
❖ Urban Fantasy | Romance

💡| Memorable Quotes |💡
❖ “Sometimes you wake up from a dream. Sometimes you wake up in a dream. And sometimes, every once in a while, you wake up in someone else's dream. ”
❖ “We all have moments of weakness. It’s how we recover from them that really counts.”
❖ “How do you know if a demon is lying? His lips are moving.”

🎵| Soundtrack |🎵
❖ Type O Negative - Black No. 1

⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 2.5 out of 5

[Woman Reading (is away exploring) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5☆ an intriguing premise

Statistics show that most mortals sell their souls for five reasons: sex, money, power, revenge, and love. In that order.

Georgina Kinkaid knows this all too well. As a succubus, essentially a demonic sex worker, she's very competent at her profession. But she is oh so very conflicted.

Honestly, my deepest longing was to have a normal relationship, to love and be loved.

I wanted it. Oh God, I wanted it. I didn't want to hear Jerome chastise me for my "all lowlifes, all the time" seduction policy. I wanted to come home and tell someone about my day. I wanted to go out dancing on the weekends. I wanted to take vacations together. I wanted someone to hold me when I was upset, when the ups and downs of the world pushed me too far. I wanted someone to love.

Bureaucracy is hell on earth, and Georgina does not escape that. Archdemon Jerome is the supervisor of Seattle and Georgina's direct boss. The imp whose day job is a plastic surgeon, Hugh gets mortals to sell their souls. As a succubus, Georgina seals the deal with sex and simultaneously replenishes her life energy levels. Because of her need to feed, Georgina appeases her conscience by preying only upon lowlife men, even though she receives a smaller energy payoff than from a more morally conscious man.

Other supernatural species occupy Seattle. Along with Hugh, two male vampires make up Georgina's inner circle of friends. That doesn't mean all immortals get along, as Georgina is bullied by vampire Duane. The next morning, Jerome accuses her of staking Duane irrevocably dead. It's just the beginning of multiple attacks and killings of immortals in Seattle.

While working as an assistant manager at a nearby independent bookstore, Georgina disregards Jerome's injunctions to stay safe and attempts some Nancy Drew sleuthing. Her appearance and innate charisma as a succubus attract men and eventually Duane's killer. Danger just makes Georgina wonder whether she can have her deepest desire as she meets two attractive mortals.

Most good things come with the risk of something bad.

“Love is rarely flawless,” Carter pointed out. “Humans delude themselves by thinking it has to be. It is the imperfection that makes love perfect.”

Succubus Blues is something a little different in the UF genre, making it an appealing option amidst all the werewolf and vampire stories. The main protagonist is drawn with enough complexity for me to connect with her - an appealing anti-heroine. There's sufficient world building so that this is more than a light mystery from the POV of a courtesan.


#2 Succubus on Top 3 ☆
#3 Succubus Dreams 4 ☆
#4 Succubus Heat 4 ☆
#5 Succubus Shadows 4 ☆
#6 Succubus Revealed 4 ☆

[Geo Just Reading My Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolut superba!

[Kait · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man. I read this book in about 5 hours. I was expecting a vapid "hi, I have a lot of sex, watch me boink all these men" kind of story. At first, I honestly thought it would be, when Georgie started to talk about her designer shoes (note to authors: women don't care about designer shoes as much as you think. Stop mentioning them!), but I really got hooked when we, the readers, meet Seth. After that, I couldn't put this book down.

I don't really have a lot of criticism for this book. The cover is actually pretty stupid, I mean, how over done is the "pale woman with red lips and cleavage down to there, with a few other elements photoshopped in" cover? Based on the cover, I really wasn't expecting much. But it went well.

I suppose some people might say that the writing wasn't as strong as it could be, but I don't think that it was poorly written, nor did it hinder the excellent story.

I really loved this book, and can't wait for the next one!

(ps. there's some smut in this book, but it wasn't overly smutty. For a book about a succubus, one would have expected a lot more sex, but I think that I could count the scenes on one hand)

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saving this for Vaginal Fantasy!

[Lindsey Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4.5 Stars]

Absolutely loved this! I predicted the twist really early on, but that didn't hinder my experience in any way. Can't wait to read the sequel!

[Redhead Haze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: contemporary fantasy, Paranormal
Tropes: angels and demons, impossible love, succubus, love triangle (sort of)
Series: Georgina Kincaid #1
Cliffhanger: No
Spice: 2/5 🌶
Rating: 4.25 ⭐

“Love is rarely flawless,” Carter pointed out. “Humans delude themselves by thinking it has to be. It is the imperfection that makes love perfect.”

I've discovered Richelle Mead a while ago, with her Vampire Academy series and I was fascinated, so I'm honestly not sure why I've been waiting for so long to try this series of hers as well, but I'm definitely glad I did. Maybe I was afraid I'll be disappointed and that it wouldn't compare, but boy oh boy was I wrong. It was catchy, spicy and nicely built and I loved every moment of it.

》》The Plot《《

"Statistics show that most mortals sell their souls for five reasons: sex, money, power, revenge, and love. In that order."

In a modern-day world where evil and good very much exist in all sorts of forms, including angels, demons, vampires and all the other species, Georgina Kincaid is a succubus who hates her nature and wishes to be loved. She's working her "mortal job" at a bookstore, where she's excited to meet her favourite author, only to discover he's the guy she's been flirting with. Which is a problem since, by her succubus nature, there's no way she can allowe herself near him.

“Wow. The harsh lifestyle of a succubus. I wish I had your job.”
“Hey, our side’s always recruiting. You might need to be a little prettier to be an incubus, though. And a little more charming.”
“Untrue. Mortal women go for jerks. I see it all the time.”
“Touché.”

But her wish for love isn't the only thing troubling her. As Immortals start dying and Carter and Jerome (the local angel and demon) begin acting dubious about the entire situation, Georgina must be ready to face that there are creatures out for revenge who are forsaken by both Heaven and Hell. Throw in Roman, the gorgeous dark-haired and blue-eyed guy who's extremely charming and can make her bend her no dating rule, some unexplainable feelings for Seth and the fact that an immortal threat begins leaving her notes and a girl gets her hands full.

“I’m trying to get Georgina to have a drink with me. But I think she’s playing hard to get.”
Cody smiled. “I don’t think she’s playing.”
I looked apologetically at Roman. “I told Cody I’d meet him and another friend tonight.”

The story is pretty fast-paced, with good world building, a few spicy scenes worthy of a succubus and interesting characters. Everything is written from Georgina's perspective and I must say I couldn’t help but compare her with Rose Hataway's (from Vampire Academy) along the way.

》》Characters and Relationships《《

👩🏽Georgina

"Immortal I might be, but reckless I was not. Well, at least not when it counted."

She's a very charismatic heroine and I loved her story. Smart and assertive, having a number 9f skills and owning a cat made her rather dear to me, especially with her crazy passion for books.

🧑🏻Roman

“Not fair. Not fair at all. But”—he looked up hopefully at my building—“at least I know where you live now.”
“Hey! You said you weren’t a stalker.”
He grinned, gorgeous white teeth flashing against his tanned skin. “It’s never too late to start.”

I can't say much but I can feel we have more to wait from him. I just know it. There's just not enough yet.

🧑🏽Seth

I am confused because he's definitely a nice guy but I simply feel like there's something missing. However, his connection with Georgina is undeniable and all that impossible love between a succubus and a mortal has a rather poetic ring to it.

👼😈Carter and Jerome

The angel and demon who oversee Seattle and who are, strangely enough, very good friends. I liked Carter a lot more than Jerome and I'm really looking forward to seeing him in the next books.

》》Favorite Scenes《《

👩🏽Georgina discovering who Seth was
🧑🏻Roman playing along to Georgina's fake date story
🧑🏻 Roman insisting to actually take her out

“All right. It’s 555-1200.”
“That’s the store number.”
“How did you know that?”
He pointed to the Emerald City sign behind me. It contained all of the store’s contact information. “Because I’m literate.”
“Wow. That puts you, like, ten steps above most of the guys that hit on me.”

👩🏽🧑🏻 Assembling the bookcase
👩🏽Georgina beginning to work things out

“Hugh…how do you know if a demon is lying?”
There was a pause, then he emitted a soft laugh, recognizing the old joke. “His lips are moving.”

🧑🏽👩🏽 Seth taking care of Georgina
👼👩🏽Carter saving Georgina
🧑🏻 Roman showing up after all the missed calls
👼👩🏽 Carter being a guardian angel
📜 The dedication on the book

To Thetis,
Long overdue, I know, but very often the things we most desire come only after much patience and struggle. That is a human truth, I think. Even Peleus knew that.
—Seth

》》Conclusion《《

I liked it and I'll definitely go though the next books in the series. I didn't feel like the big plottwists were very surprising, a few of them being actually foreseeable, but the story was good and I especially liked the way it was written: it was funny and it had good comebacks, I liked the Greek mythology references and the biblical part made me think I might actually want to read the Bible. As a general vibe, it reminded me of the White Hot Kiss trilogy and Storm and Fury trilogy, both of them written by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

"I’ve found most people harbor dreams of a more exciting vocation. The one that’s too crazy to ever actually do. The one that’s too hard, too much work, or just too ‘out there.’ The gas station attendant who dreams of being a rock star. The accountant who wishes she’d taken art history classes instead of statistics. People put their dreams off, either because they think it’s impossible, or because they’ll do it ‘someday.’”

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this! It’s been hanging around on my kindle for a very long time. I think I must have bought it in a kindle daily deal many moons ago. I remember starting it and not being impressed after a few pages and left it alone. I was just about to remove it to the cloud from my kindle and I thought I’d give it another shot. And couldn’t put it down! I love Georgina and her crowd of friends. I love that there is romance and hope in a book about a succubus. I loved the world. I’ve already bought the next in the series. I’ve tried and mostly failed with a few of this author’s more recent works, so I’m pleased to find something of hers to really enjoy.

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot diggity dang, I love this book!

Richelle Mead was one of my many high school guilty pleasures. I'd sneak off to read Vampire Academy over and over without a second thought. I always knew I wanted to read this series but it either continually slipped my mind or my local bookstores would sell out (and online bookstores wouldn't have it available). So, I finally caved and remembered this book existed when I found book #4 at a local charity book sale. I bought this book full price (which is SUPER rare for me, I'm a deal hunter) and I do not regret it in the least! Especially since I am already hooked on this series. AND, I just ordered the second book FULL PRICE. Yes, ladies & gentlemen, I love this series so much already I'm buying the books FULL PRICE.

So, off to the review races:

Georgina Kincaid is a succubus. You know, the types of mythical creatures that lure men in with sex and intrigue. She's sassy, a total book nerd and is totally the type of character I want to read about. She does have her flaws, her food source is energy from humans, but who doesn't?

So, we meet Ms. Kincaid as she works at her local bookstore and learn that she is TOTALLY OBSESSED with Seth Mortensen (an author of her favourite book series that kind of sounds like Bones but sexier). One day, a man comes into the bookstore and she begins to rave about how she would totally be Seth's book slave. And, wouldn't you know it, SHE SAID IT TO SETH.

My gosh, I already was giggling because I totally saw it coming BUT IT WAS STILL FUNNY.

To keep moving along the plot: There is also many other immortal creatures hanging around - vampires, angels, demons, etc. Some of these are her friends, some are her bosses and some are just strangers on the street. Humans don't know about them though, so SHHHH. Everyone seems to live in perfect harmony.... you know, until they don't. Suddenly immortal creatures are dying and Georgina is pulled into the turmoil of figuring out who, what, why, when and how.

Meanwhile, Georgina is kinda into Seth but a hot guy Roman also comes into her life and chases her around the city. She eventually gives in, because he's hot, and they dance (literally and sexually).

This book is absolutely marvelous for me as a reader. I totally dig Richelle's writing style and tone, her books move at a relatively fast pace, and they are funny AND romantic AND sexy. This style might not be for everyone, but it is totally for me!

I could see some of the plot twists from a mile away, but I didn't come to this book for some Dan Brown style mystery. I came for the love triangle, the sassiness and the fantasy. It felt like Vampire Academy but 18+, meaning more sex, more adult-like themes but all the drama and intrigue the YA universe gave me.

Is there negatives? Absolutely!
Georgina made some poor drinking decisions, couldn't see some of the bad guys (even though it was painfully obvious) and has a bit of a 'poor me' complex. It's been centuries since you've been in love darling, get over the mistakes you made and LIVE.

Other notes: for Georgina being a succubus who has sex with lots of men, this book is not the erotica you might think it'd be. It seriously felt like a good mix of New Adult and Adult romance novels. It's more romantic comedy with fantasy than erotica.

Overall, I love this book. It was a fun ride that let me enjoy it. As long as you don't take this book seriously, you'll enjoy the ride to. I'd highly recommend it to any Richelle Mead fans (especially Vampire Academy fans).

Five out of five stars!

[~Tina~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Already a huge fan of Mead's Vampire Academy, I wasn't sure how I'd take her Urban Fantasy series since I've never been a huge fan of it really. Leave it to Richelle Mead to change all that and have this sensational masterpiece hit my favorites shelf!
I don't know how Mead does it, like the first VA book it was a slow go in the beginning and this one was the same way for me, but then out of know where your hooked to ever word, every character and it was impossible to put down.
I really should have had more faith.

Georgina is definitely my kind of gal. She's a sassy little minx and I guess that's needed, you know, since she has to work for hell and all. But even with her job having ups and downs, she still handles everything quite well with quick wit and quirky habits. I find it utterly adorable when it comes to her love of books and her logic while reading them. I also loved that she teaches and loves to dance. Her past is so sad and haunting and I was completely absorbed in her memories during that time. I sympathize with the fact that she can't really ever have a real romantic connection again, but through it all, she still remains...Georgina.

The men in her life? And I do mean all of them. Hugh, Doug, Jerome, Carter, Peter, Cody, Roman and last (but far from) least, Seth, are all wonderfully amazing and the funnest bunch of guys I ever meet in a book. Loved them all.

As for the love triangle, I feel bad for G, since I even had a hard time picking between the too.
Roman hung on my arm pretty much through out the whole book. I instantly liked him right from the start. Building shelves, bowling, salsa dancing, he has a very attractive confidence and easy nature about him that I just adored.
I.should.have.known.

Then there's Seth, ah sweet unsociable, shy shy shyy, Seth. Better with written words then actually speaking them, it took me a bit to warm up to the guy to be honest but in the end? That kiss and the chapter that followed it? That was breathtakingly beautiful.
Thetis...how priceless and perfect is that?!?
Seth baby, all the way!

The mystery surrounding the book, in true Mead fashion, was utterly brilliant. Did.not.see.that.coming. At All. Loved the twist and turns we found in this book, which makes it that more addicting and incredible.
All in all I adored and loved Succubus Blues, it has everything you'll ever want in a paranormal UF. Outstanding characters, sexy steamy scenes, unpredictable plot that keeps you on your toes and writing that keeps us thrilled and entertained right till the very last page.
I could go on and on but I can't since I have the next book at the ready.
So all I'm gonna say is read this, all of you, everyone single one of you, read.this.now.

[Caro the Helmet Lady · Rating 1 out of 5]

Look, Georgina, it's nothing personal... Really. It's not you, it's me...
Haha, just kidding! It's you. You suck.
DNF at 25%. Bye!

[Georgette Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I should write a proper review for this book since it's one of my favourites. I've recently re-read it after about 5 years and it's definitely held the test of time for me.

In regards to the safety of this (I'll just do this for the entire series since all the books follow on) - it's probably the most unsafe series in existence. There's cheating, other woman/other man drama, and detailed sex scenes with other men (it's written first person in the h's POV). Having said that, I think it's necessary to keep any kind of romance intriguing over 6 full-length novels.

Onto the review - I re-read this one day and completely lost track of time because Richelle Mead's writing style is just perfect for me. It's engaging, witty, filled to the brim with tension and easy enough to read that my eyes stayed glued to the page without anything breaking the flow.

So, for the first book, it's an interesting one. The main relationship in this book is between Georgina and Roman, despite Georgina and Seth being the main pairing of the season. It's interesting to see their comparisons, and it's impossible not to love Seth's geeky, timid character as he watches the confident succubus from afar.

Richelle's characters are always gripping. Their faults are real and their dialogue is real and entertaining. In a 6 book series I can't touch on them all, but of course Seth is the real hero. The reclusive writer is just the right amount of shy and sexy. He's not so painfully introverted that the tension between him and Georgina seems unrealistic. The way he opens up to her and gains more confidence around her is one of the most endearing things I've seen in a character.

The only other character I'll look at is Carter, because I've always had a soft spot for him. Seattle's scruffy angel is the gem of the series for me. Hanging around with hell's beings, his humour keeps me on his toes and his motivations are so intriguing that he's always kept me hooked. His and Georgina's platonic relationship is my favourite of the series by far.

And the ending. I'll leave no spoilers, but there's not a look of books I cry at, but the last three chapters of this book had me in floods of tears. It's a gorgeous writing from Richelle and shows just how invested I am in her characters. (Just to make clear, it's not a sad ending exactly, just an emotional one). It is a cliffhanger.



I've mainly focused on the romance and the characters, but it's really the plot that holds all of this together. It's a fantastic mystery that keeps you page-turning right until the very end.