'Succubus Revealed' Georgina Kincaid #6 by Richelle Mead

From the BLURB:

In Georgina Kincaid, succubus and she-demon, #1 New York Timesbestselling author Richelle Mead has created one of her most enticing characters. But with a shot at love, and maybe even redemption, is the ultimate seductress finally going soft? Like hell she is. . .

Georgina Kincaid has had an eternity to figure out the opposite sex, but sometimes they still surprise her. Take Seth Mortensen. The man has risked his soul to become Georgina's boyfriend. Still, with Lucifer for a boss, Georgina can't just hang up her killer heels and settle down to domestic bliss. In fact, she's being forced to transfer operations. . .to Las Vegas.

The City of Sin is a dream gig for a succubus, but Georgina's allies are suspicious. Why are the powers-that-be so eager to get her away from Seattle—and from Seth? Georgina is one of Hell's most valuable assets, but if there's any way out of the succubus business she plans to take it—no matter how much roadkill she leaves behind. She just hopes the casualties won't include the one man she's risking everything for. . .

Following the events of ‘Succubus Shadows’, our favourite Hellish hand-maiden has finally sorted her love life out. Her boyfriend and crime writer, Seth Mortenson, ended his engagement to another woman and burned a lot of bridges to be with Georgina . . . but theirs won’t be a perfect coupling. They’ll have to ration sex so that Georgina doesn’t completely blacken Seth’s soul, and Georgie still has to regularly go out and sleep with random men. But they’re together, and that’s all that counts.

And Seth’s family need Georgina more than ever, with Seth’s sister-in-law, Andrea, sick with cancer and a menagerie of daughters who need looking after.

Georgina couldn’t be happier – so of course, Hell has to interfere. Just as Georgina and Seth get settled down, a transfer comes through and Georgina is ordered to work in the actual city of sin, Las Vegas.

But why is Hell so ‘hell-bent’ on separating Seth and Georgina? What could be gained from the distance between them?

‘Succubus Revealed’ is the sixth and final instalment in Richelle Mead’s fantastic ‘Georgina Kincaid’ paranormal romance series.

I have been anticipating this book like crazy. Georgina has always been an emotional series to read, and Ms Mead has gone to great pains to build a complicated and damned love life for our girl Georige. Having said that, at the end of ‘Succubus Shadows’ there was a light at the end of the tunnel – Seth (finally!) dumped that nerdy ho-bag Maddie and took his Thetis back. But the book also ended on a gasping cliff-hanger when Seth called Georgina by her ages-old original name, Letha.

I must admit, the cliff-hanger wasn’t quite as cavernous as Mead usually likes . . . and for that reason (and for lack of a better metaphor) I didn’t go into ‘Succubus Revealed’ with a fear of heights. I (and many readers) had pretty much puzzled the mystery of this series a few books back – a mystery concerning reincarnation and Hell’s contradictory contracts. So I went into ‘Revealed’ already knowing what Georgina and Co. spend a good portion of the book trying to figure out. It takes a little of the gasp out of the big reveal, to say the least.

Having said that . . . I think Mead plotted this series beautifully, and there is a very romantic story arc running throughout the books. But because I already knew the cliff-hanger concerning the ‘mystery’ of Georgina and Seth’s pasts, I wanted something else from ‘Revealed’. Namely, I wanted more Seth and Georgina romance.

I still haven’t forgiven Seth’s actions in the third book, ‘Succubus Dreams’. I still have a burning hatred for Maddie. And for these reasons, I wanted ‘Revealed’ to be all about Georgina confronting past hurts and Seth earning his place in Georgina’s heart.

Unfortunately, I don’t feel like we got that in ‘Revealed’. Seth and Georgina don’t have many romantic moments, and it’s hard having to keep thinking back to the first couple of books and remind yourself that they were, once, a rather sweet couple. Frankly, there just hasn’t been much evidence of that lately. I’m still waiting for Seth to do something to out-weigh the past pain he inflicted on Georgina with Maddie.

Instead, ‘Revealed’ is Roman’s book. Roman, the Nephilim (half angel/half demon) who swept Georgina off her feet in book one, but became a murdering menace in subsequent instalments . . . only to swing back to being a viable love-interest for our favourite succubus, and eventually her room-mate. I have always been rooting for Roman, and in this book he does make you pause and wonder why Georgina doesn’t choose him. He does something so romantic and gob-smackingly sweet, I honestly wondered why she was wasting her time with Seth.

Romantic qualms aside, ‘Revealed’ is more of the funny that Mead loves to write in this series. It starts with a vampire fondue party, and culminates in a demon bowling tournament. Priceless.

The shirt was standard bowling style, short-sleeved and button-down. My name was embroidered on the front. Flipping it over, I found THE UNHOLY ROLLERS done in elaborate, flaming letters. I arched an eyebrow.
“Really?” I said. “This is what we’re going with?”

One good thing about ‘Succubus Revealed’ is that it ends wide-open. I don’t think Mead has any plans to continue the series or a spin-off series . . . but there is definite wink-wink possibility for Roman and everybody’s favourite hobo-angel Carter to return. I am totally rooting for a Roman/Carter book series. How freakin awesome would that be!?

Overall though, ‘Succubus Revealed’ wasn’t the send-off I exactly wanted for Georgina. Honestly, after all the emotional turmoil she has gone through for hundreds of years, I wanted a BIG romantic finale, and instead we got wet-rag Seth Mortenson still being his surly self. Meh. Roman and Carter stole the show for me, and a series for them would be a dream come true. But for now, I guess fans are saying goodbye to Mead’s Hellish Seattle and this wonderful series about a succubus with a heart of gold. Au revoir, Thetis!

3/5

'Georgina Kincaid' series by Richelle MEAD

SYNOPSIS:

Georgina Kincaid is a succubus. Her job is to suck out men’s souls and shave years off their mortal lives… to be fair, these men get a pretty amazing sexual experience in the bargain. But still – Georgie is a demon succubus. She sold her soul, literally, and now it’s her job to eat souls (the more virtuous, the better). In exchange she lives forever, can shape-shift (a handy talent for when you’re having a bad-hair-day) and all that soul sucking leaves her with a healthy glow.

Georgina has been at this gig for a while now – she saw the Renaissance, black plague, WWI, WWII and bedded more men than you’ve had hot dinners. But the decades are starting to take their toll, and soul sucking doesn’t have the same appeal it once did.

These days Georgie gets her kicks as assistant manager at the Seattle bookstore she works. A big night out involves drinks with other demon denizens – vampires and incubi (one of whom looks like John Cusack). And the highlight of her month is crime fiction author Seth Mortensson coming to her store’s book signing.

But there’s a change in the air… forces of good and evil are at work and concentrated on Georgina. She may have been at this succubus gig for centuries now, but Georgina has no idea what’s in store for her….

I love this series. Love, love, love, love, love! It is definitely in my top 5 favourite Urban Fantasies, and here’s why…

This is a grown-up series. Mead explores the darker side of life through Georgina Kincaid – things like love/lust, infidelity and depression. It’s also quite a bold series, because Mead isn’t afraid to shake things up and risk upsetting fans by turning good guys bad, bad guys good and putting her female protagonist through emotional battery.

Most UF books do veer toward the darker side of life… they tend to be a mash of gruesome, gory, horror/fantasy. But most of those books are also heavily tagged as ‘paranormal romance’ – and a staple of the genre is a good dose of smut and romance. For all the shit-kicking fights in JR Ward’s ‘Blackdagger Brotherhood’ series, fans know that in each book they will get a HEA for one brother. Jeaniene Frost’s ‘Night Huntress’ series has two extremely ass-kicking protagonists, but the books are most famous for the protagonist’s steamy romance (and a certain chapter 32…).

With Richelle Mead’s ‘Georgina Kincaid’ series, readers are genuinely unsure of the HEA. Mead keeps fans guessing and doubting. It makes for exhausting, emotional reading but it’s also a more fulfilling journey – strange as that sounds. In each book fans go on an emotional rollercoaster with Georgina - there are up’s, and plenty of down’s. It makes for ‘robust’ reading, because Mead is so good at characterization and getting fans to invest in her characters and storyline. You really do feel every emotional punch and plot curveball and it becomes exhilarating to be sitting on the edge of your seat while you read. To be so emotionally invested and constantly on your toes… Mead leaves you feeling very energized.

If it sounds depressing, it can be. But that’s just a by-product of a series that is all about a woman who sold her soul to have sex with men for the rest of her immortal life. Georgina is pretty much a glorified demon prostitute. And when we meet her, she’s at a stage in her life when she’s had enough and asking; “what’s the point?”.

Mead counter-balances the naturally morose plot by making Georgina an infectiously charismatic protagonist. She is a hoot – she has a very dark and sarcastic sense of humour. Her wit is at its driest when she’s talking about her sexual conquests – there is plenty of opportunity for Georgina to joke when some of her ‘clients’ are desperate, dateless and living at home with mum:

Turning from the taunting mirror, I stared down the hall at my destination: a closed door with a yellow ‘Men at Work’ sign attached to it. I thought I could hear the faint sounds of a video game bleeping from beyond, though such noises silenced immediately when I knocked.

A moment later, the door opened, and I stood facing a 5’8” guy with shoulder-length, dirty blond hair rapidly receding on top. A large, hairy belly peeped out from underneath his Homer Simpson tee shirt, and he held a bag of potato chips in one hand.

The bag dropped to the floor when he saw me.

“Martin Miller?”

“Y-yes,” he gasped out.

I cracked the whip. “You ready to play with me?”

Exactly six minutes later, I left the Miller residence. Apparently thirty-four years doesn’t do much for one’s stamina.

A series about a succubus has to have smut – and Mead delivers, tenfold. She’s just as good at writing pathetic sexual encounters as she is at sensual and steamy ones. Throughout the series we see Georgina in a variety of positions. Playing sexy seductress, whip-cracking Dominatrix, naughty schoolgirl… there’s a lot of ground to cover, and Mead does most of it.

I love this series. Georgina is one of my favourite UF protagonists and even though it’s been a rollercoaster ride, her romance is one of my favourite (maybe) HEA’s.

There’s only one book left until Mead concludes the series, and it’s coming out 2011. I’ll be sad when it’s all done and dusted, but this is one series I will definitely re-read for years to come.

If you haven’t read the ‘Georgina Kincaid’ series already, why the heck not?

5/5

'Succubus Shadows' by Richelle MEAD

From the BLURB:

Georgina Kincaid has formidable powers. Immortality, seduction, shape-shifting into any human form she desires, walking in heels that would cripple mere mortals--all child's play to a succubus like her.

Helping to plan her ex-boyfriend's wedding is a different story. Georgina isn't sure which is worse--that Seth is marrying another woman, or that Georgina has to run all over Seattle trying on bridesmaid dresses. Still, there are distractions. Georgina's roommate, Roman, is cluttering her apartment with sexual tension. Then there's Simone, the new succubus in town, who's intent on corrupting Seth.

But the real danger lies in the mysterious force that's visiting her thoughts, trying to draw her into a dark, otherworldly realm. Sooner or later, Georgina knows she'll be too weak to resist. And when that happens, she'll discover who she can trust, who she can't--and that Hell is far from the worst place to spend eternity. . .

** SPOILERS **

The following review will make minor-ish references to the events in books 1-4 of the Georgina Kincaid series. If you haven’t yet read those books, you might want to turn away now…

Anyone whose read up to book #3 knows that Richelle Mead’s Urban Fantasy series is a test in patience and heartbreak. Since the gut-wrenching events of ‘Succubus Dreams’ I’ve found that I have to take a deep breath and plunge myself into the world of Georgina Kincaid. Because since that book Georgina has been put through the emotional ringer, and fans along with her.

Richelle Mead is a masterful storyteller, and her true talents lie in characterization. She builds these characters who are so vivid and wonderful, and as readers we wish they were real people we could call up for a chat and hang out with down at the pub. And her characters are so charismatic and endearing that readers do get emotionally invested in their lives – as readers we read vicariously. This is a good thing, most of the time. But for ‘Georgina Kincaid’ fans, we’ve been there through every step of Georgina’s heartbreak and heartache. I can only speak for myself… but Georgie’s emotional tumbles have often left me feeling a little bruised and battered. I finished both ‘Succubus Dreams’ and ‘Succubus Heat’ with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart. Silly it may be, but it’s just proof that Ms. Mead knows how to hook her readers and write beloved characters.

There’s good news and bad news about ‘Succubus Shadows’. Bad news; be prepared for more emotional battery. I bawled my eyes out again, but I’ve come to expect that from a series in which I have so much emotional investment. The good news; for all those heart-wrenching chapters there is a HUGE pay off. Seriously big, big changes that will make up for all the tears previously….

Fans of the series have long been speculating and chatting about the series conclusion. With only one book to go until the series is finished, that speculation has kicked up into a furor. There is one popular theory floating around about how all of Mead’s clues and tidbits will come to a head in the final book… and fans will be happy to know that in ‘Succubus Shadows’ all of fans supposing and guesswork is all but confirmed.

“Sometimes I just feel like the same things are happening to me over and over. Like, even this siren thing. Why me? In the last year, I’ve been targeted over and over. What are the odds? Why does this keep happening?”

I love, love, love Richelle Mead. Anything she writes, I will buy. Because I haven’t been disappointed by her yet. Her most popular series is ‘Vampire Academy’, but I personally think her *best* series is ‘Georgina Kincaid’. It has all the right elements of Urban Fantasy – mythology, romance, smut, action and fantastic characters. ‘Succubus Shadows’ is one of the best books in a quality series. Everything comes together beautifully – the storyline is intense but rewarding, the characters have high-stakes emotions and are fascinating to read. I devoured this book in one day, it was that good. Even when I was crying through those tough chapters, I loved every minute of this book. It was one of my most-anticipated books for 2010, and Ms. Mead did not disappoint.

If you haven’t yet, you must get into the ‘Georgina Kincaid’ series. It is a dark Urban Fantasy – there are heavy doses of romance and smut (of course, it is about a Succubus after all) but Ms. Mead does like to explore the darker side of human emotions in this series. Regardless of the emotional whirlwind, ‘Georgina Kincaid’ is a staple of the Urban Fantasy genre and absolutely addictively delicious.

5/5

P.S. - Fans of the ‘Dark Swan’ series will also be pleased to know that at the end of ‘Succubus Shadows’ there’s an excerpt of the 3rd book, ‘Iron Crowned’, set for a 2011 release.

Richelle Mead Q & A

So I went to listen to Richelle Mead's Q&A at the Knox Civic Centre (her first reading in Australia) as apart of her worldwide promotion for 'Blood Promise'.

Here's the scoop;

- Rose has 2 more books told from her perspective in the 'Vampire Academy' series. But Richelle has been contracted for 6 more books set in the VA universe, but told from the perspective of a new character. The new character is someone we have met before - but Richelle obviously can't reveal who the narrator of the spin-off series will be, because that would give away who lives and dies in the next 2 books.

- The 'Dark Swan' series was contracted for 2 more books, but Richelle tentatively said there is potential for more Eugenie books.

- While the 'Georgina Kincaid' series is Richelle's personal favorite (mostly because Georgina's sense of humor is very close to Richelle's own) it sounded as though that series will be wrapped up in the next 2 books ('Succubus Shadows' released April 2010).

- Richelle said a big inspiration for her novels came from reading the 'Dragonlance' series by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis.

- I asked Richelle about any new series/books in the works, and she said something about a new potential adult project.

- There are no plans for a Vampire Academy movie. No studios have bought the rights to her books, and while Richelle knows about the many youtube trailers for a fictional VA movie, she can't bear to watch them. She said she reacts oddly to seeing people's representations of her books - even fanmade pictures and videos.