Author: Richelle Mead
Title: Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid series, #1)
Genre: Urban Fantasy (with romantic elements)
Publisher: Zebra Fantasy (Imprint of Kensington)
ISBN: 9780758216410
The Romance Author's Verdict: 5/5 Stars
Blurb:
Succubus (n.) An alluring, shape-shifting demon who seduces and pleasures mortal men. Pathetic (adj.) A succubus with great shoes and no social life. See: Georgina Kincaid.
When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?
But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies. Her immortal best friends haven't stopped teasing her about the time she shape-shifted into the Demon Goddess getup complete with whip and wings. And she can't have a decent date without sucking away part of the guy's life. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.
But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny...
I've had this book sitting on my To-Be-Read pile for about a year, if not longer. I've looked at it a number of times and considered whether or not to pick it up. You see, I've read all of Ms. Mead's Vampire Academy books and absolutely loved them. I had high expectations when it came to Succubus Blues and I was scared of being disappointed. It happens often enough.
But finally this week I thought "suck it up, princess!" and grabbed it down from the shelf. And the verdict, you're wondering? Well, you can already see I've given it 5/5 stars, so that should answer your question!
Seriously, though, I am impressed that Ms. Mead's writing style can lead itself so well to both Young Adult and Adult fiction. I could see the similarities that marked this as a Richelle Mead book, as well as the differences in voice between the two singular markets. I've read a lot of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Ms Mead's world in Succubus Blues was a refreshing change to the usual parade of vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters. I also loved the complexity of her world. There's no hard line between good and evil. In fact, in this book, an angel and a demon are best-buds and they regularly hang out with two vampires, an imp, and of course Georgina, the succubus.
Speaking of Georgina, she is the kind of heroine I love to read. Outwardly she's beautiful and confident, yet inside she is a mess of confliction and confusion. Though she is a succubus, she was also very human, I suppose because she once was one.
I think this is one point authors often miss with characterization. Its the flaws in a character that we as readers, as people with feelings, connect with. Sometimes a character will have virtually no flaws, or their flaws are superficial and thus make the character seem shallow. I've said on this blog a few times that I want the nitty-gritty, I want to see the deep dark inside the character. How else are we going to get to know them, to form a bond that will keep us turning page after page? Georgina hid nothing, held nothing back. She had insecurities, she obssessed over her past mistakes, she grappled with regret, she often didn't know what the best course of action was, doubting and questioning herself and the motives of those around her. But she also had moments of real heart, of love toward others and kindness of spirit, despite being a servant of hell.
Okay, maybe I'm rambling a bit. But writers, if you want a study in forming a successful character your readers will connect with, then read a Richelle Mead book. Readers, if you want a fantastic urban fantasy, then Succubus Blues hits all the right notes. I'm off to the library to find the next book in the series...
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