'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

'Touched by an Alien' Katherine 'Kitty' Katt #1 by Gini KOCH

From the BLURB:

How can a sexy marketing manager join forces with an Alpha Centauri male in Armani to save the planet-using hairspray, a Mont Blanc pen, and rock n' roll?

Easy...

She's Touched by an Alien

Marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt steps into the middle of what appears to be a domestic dispute turned ugly. And it only gets uglier when the man turns into a winged monster, straight out of a grade-Z horror movie, and goes on a killing spree. Though Kitty should probably run away, she springs into action to take the monster down.

In the middle of the chaos a handsome hunk named Jeff Martini appears, sent by the "agency" to perform crowd control. He's Kitty's kind of guy, no matter what planet he's from. And from now on, for Kitty, things are going to be sexy, dangerous, wild, and out of this world.

This is the first book in Gini Koch’s Katherine “Kitty” Katt series. It is available as both a paperback and e-book.

I really thoroughly and surprisingly loved this book. Seriously, it’s awesome.

I found this book because of the cover art. The artist is the incredibly talented Daniel Dos Santos, who draws all of Patricia Briggs’s ‘Mercy Thompson’ US covers. I saw this image up on his website as apart of his book covers portfolio – and because I do judge a book by its cover, I went hunting and found it was Gini Koch’s ‘Touched by an Alien’.

The title kind of threw me, and I almost didn’t bother. Aliens may be how the science fiction genre got its kick-start, but I wasn't sure about an alien themed book. The closest I’ve come is Ann Aguirre’s ‘Sirantha Jax’ series - which I really love, but is set in another galaxy, not present-day earth. I was under the assumption that any alien invasion scifi book would be along the geeky lines of Star Trek. Boy, was I wrong and naïve.

A lot happens right from page one. The opening chapter involves Katherine “Kitty” Katt (yes it’s a stupid name, she only has her parents to blame) witnessing a domestic dispute turn deadly. She watches as a man kills his wife, and then sprout wings with dagger feathers. Katherine bizarrely goes into autopilot; grabbing her Mont Blanc pen she rugby-tackles this weird creature, and innately knows precisely where to stab and kill him.

After her hero-routine she’s swooped up by a group of hunky Armani-clad ‘agents’ who take her somewhere called ‘home base’ in New Mexico where they none too delicately break the news to her that aliens exist, and she might just have a job killing them…

Intense, huh? As the story unfolds Katherine discovers that these ‘agents’ don’t work for Homeland Security, but are actually an alien race called ‘Alpha Centauri’, sent to planet earth to protect us from a parasitic alien species that want to make drones of us all.

This is a fun, fast-paced and sexy read that shouldn’t be taken too seriously. ‘Touched by an Alien’ leans toward the melodramatic and outlandish –but it’s fun and Koch works it so well. Halfway through the first chapter you realize that Koch isn’t basing this story in any sort of realist, nitty-gritty reality – it’s much more of an Alien/scifi soap opera (space opera?). But it totally works. Especially because a good chunk of the story revolves around a very intense and unique love story.

One of the Armani-clad alien agents is Jeff Martini, and one of the first sentences out of his mouth to Katherine is “will you marry me?” Throughout those vital information-dumping chapters Martini provides comic relief and surprising chemistry whenever he turns to Katherine and says “so, how many kids do you want?” and “no, seriously – marry me!” He may sound creepy and clingy, but he doesn’t come across that way at all. This is the quickest romance I have ever read, and I’m a little in awe of how well it works. Martini is very up-front and truthful in his attraction to Katherine, and she eventually relents… that’s when alien bedroom stamina kicks in and Koch writes some very yummy and steamy sex scenes. Let me just say ‘whew boy!’

He stroked my arm and kissed my forehead, and I snuggled closer to him, enjoying the way his naked body felt against mine and revelling in the afterglow.

“You’re mine, you know,” he said quietly.

I kissed his chest. “Only if we do that again. A lot.”

“You drive a hard bargain, but I think it’s a fair price.”

I heaved a sigh. “Good. Nice to know I negotiate well.”

Martini chuckled. “You do everything well.”

“Flattery’s nice. Especially coming from the alien sex god.”

I loved the love story. I was really shocked that it worked so well for me, considering the fact that Koch sets up the romance right from the protagonists’ first meeting – it was fast, but held my interest throughout and remained steamy.

Katherine is a great leading lady. She’s not your typical action heroine – she’s a Jewish marketing exec thrown into the middle of an inter-galactic war just because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I loved her. She’s snarky and sometimes barely clinging to her mental stability amidst all the Alien revelations. She’s great.

Martini is amazing. He could have come across as creepy and smothering because he hits on Katherine so quickly, but Koch really finessed his character. He’s funny, charming and just generally swoon-worthy. I loved him!

I loved this book. I went in sceptical, but came out a convert – to the point that I might have to go looking for some more Alien-themed fantasy books. ‘Touched by an Alien’ is extremely melodramatic, with an over-the-top, flamboyant and unbelievable storyline. But it’s fun. Koch doesn’t take herself too seriously – she writes fast and furious action-packed scenes and an even faster romance. It all came together beautifully for me, and I found myself totally sucked in.

Second book ‘Alien Tango' comes out on the 7th December 2010. I can’t wait.

5/5

'Double Play' Pacific Heat #1 by Jill SHALVIS

From the BLURB:

Pace Martin is the ace pitcher for the Pacific Heat. He's got the arm, the experience, and the wins. He's also got the pain, the pressure, and the possible end of his career looming over him. The last thing he needs now is a distraction, even if it comes in the form of a tough, beautiful, tell-it-like-it-is writer who sees past his defenses.

Holly Hutchins knows a good story when she sees one, and the tall, dark, and slightly attitude-challenged Pace Martin fits the bill. But when she realizes there's more at stake than just a win, she starts to see the handsome, broad-shouldered jock in a different light.

Pace and Holly begin a seductive game, but in the face of unexpected betrayal and challenges, they'll have to find the courage to swing for the fences...

This is the first book in Jill Shalvis’s ‘Pacific Heat’ series.

I loved this book. Which is surprising, since I am Australian and everything I know about baseball I learnt from watching ‘A League Of Their Own’ and ‘The Sandlot’.

There is baseball in ‘Double Play’. It’s not one of those contemporary romances that features a sports star but conveniently lacks any real sports jargon. But actually Shalvis uses the baseball theme quite interestingly and wisely. She tosses the terms around; ‘curveball’, ‘homer’, ‘quick pitch’, and the chapters are accompanied by a famous baseball related quote. My favorite; “I don’t want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it” (Rogers Hornsby). I even recognized one of the quotes: “There’s no crying in baseball!” (Jimmy Dugan from ‘A League Of Their Own’). It helps that Shalvis’s main character, Holly, is an investigative reporter doing an expose on the sport via one of the most popular teams, the ‘Pacific Heat’. Holly is able to really dig into controversies like early player retirements, media pressure, drug testing and the price of fame on sport stars. Holly’s investigative works acts as both a plot trigger – when her snooping into drug testing threatens her new relationship with Pace – but also as insight into a sport some readers may not be familiar with. By the end of ‘Double Play’ I was getting a little bit teary at how much the sport meant to Pace, I actually felt like I understood his ‘love of the game’.

I loved Holly. She’s stubborn, uptight, and hard-nosed, and she can’t blaspheme to save herself (fother mucker!). At the beginning of the book Pace observes that Holly isn’t particularly attractive – she’s a bit big, with plain brown hair and plain clothing. But over the course of the book he starts seeing her in a new light – around the same time that he starts to think of her as witty, insightful and down-right cute, he also starts to comment on how sexy, curvy and soft she is. I liked the fact that Holly didn’t undergo some big extreme makeover, but rather her personality shone through and Pace was able to marry her inner charm with her outward appearance. It may seem lame, but it’s a nice subtle message Shalvis sends.

I really liked Pace. He’s very much a ‘guys guy’ - stoic, bull-headed and tough to crack. He doesn’t like showing vulnerability (especially around Holly) and he doesn’t like depending on other people. His shoulder injury really forces him to let his guard down and he undergoes a rather rapid transformation that was great to read – because it is a bit-by-bit transformation.

…“And honestly? I don’t get it. You stand on a mound directly in the path of baseballs flying at you at the speed of light, and yet you’re afraid of her. One woman. I get that there’s a reason you’re afraid. Love can suck golf balls, and we both know it. But taking the walk instead of the hit? That’s just stupid.”

Holly appeared in the doorway, and as she seemed to be able to do, laid her eyes right on Pace.

And damn if something didn’t shift inside of him. “I know,” he said to Wade. “I know it’s stupid to take the walk.”

Holly and Pace had fantastic chemistry. What I liked best about them was that it wasn’t purely physical. I hate it in romances when the author bases so much of a couple’s ‘connection’ on an intangible attraction – i.e.: they look at one another across a crowded room and are ‘drawn’ to one another. Uck. I hate that. Pace and Holly had a slow-burn romance; banter in the beginning, that turned into awkward chemistry and then full-fledged flames. Shalvis writes their attraction in stages, and the reader is right there with Holly and Pace, reading into all those lingering looks and late-night wonderings until it all culminates into some seriously good smutty sex scenes.

Shalvis has wonderfully set-up a series in ‘Pacific Heat’. Pace’s teammates are secondary characters, only Wade (whose book ‘Slow Heat’ came out February this year) gets much of the limelight. But Shalvis drops enough interesting tidbits about the lesser characters that you just know she has their stories waiting in the wings. Among the ‘Heat’ team is Joe Pickler, a second baseman who gave up med school to join the team, and Ty Sparks; second pitcher who overcame childhood leukemia.

Thanks so much to Patti of 'Book Addict' fame for recommending this series.

I really hope there are more books lined up for this series. Shalvis took me out to the ball game in ‘Double Play’, and now I want to go back again, and again, and again…

5/5

'Pacific Heat' book #2

'Road Testing Happiness' how to be happier (no matter what) by Sophie SCOTT

Received from the publisher

Sophie Scott’s book starts with a very relatable and moving introduction from the author. Scott’s search for happiness began when her mother lost her battle with cancer. The death was a huge blow, and in an effort to restore her equilibrium and well being, Scott embarked on a journey of the mind/body/soul to try and find a pathway to the illusive ‘happiness’.

What follows is her journey as she investigates a number of different perspectives and avenues, all with the goal of finding out ‘what exactly is happiness?’

Through 7 chapters Scott tries to tackle the BIG question. She looks for quantifiable measurements of happiness as well as scientific and spiritual explanations. Scott also observes the flipside – unhappiness – by investigating the pitfalls to happiness (stress, grief etc). She explores sleep, sex, diet and a plethora of other triggers of ‘happiness’.

Scott also studies popular and recent psychology theories – cognitive behavioural therapy, concepts of ‘flow’ and meditation, to name but a few.

The quest for happiness is sometimes a philosophic one, other times the book observes scientific methods, as well as spiritual and positive thinking. Each chapter includes a ‘lesson learned’ – interviews and case studies supporting Scott’s findings or simply adding a new and thoughtful layer to her investigations.

There’s an interactive component too, as the book includes journals and questions for readers to write and answer in. This promotes the reflective nature of Scott’s journey, and is a thoughtful addition to the book.

Throughout the book Scott keeps a reflective, light-hearted tone. The subject matter can be quite heavy, but Scott’s ultimately positive writing and determined investigations stop the book from becoming weary. And ultimately this is a book about happiness – recognizing, getting and appreciating it.

5/5

'The Feel Good Body' by Jennifer FLEMING & Anna-Louise BOUVIER

Received from the publisher

These days if you have a headache, you take Panadol. If you have backache, get a $100 aromatherapy massage. If you’ve got flabby bits, pop the latest weight-loss miracle pill. If you’re feeling lethargic, gulp some detox milkshake concoction. But at the end of the day these are all temporary reliefs – a bandaid on a bullet wound. What’s that old saying? ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’ With their book ‘The Feel Good Body’, authors Jennifer Fleming and Anna-Louise Bouvier are giving readers a feel-good fishing lesson… so to speak.

The book promises ‘7 steps to easing aches and looking great’ – and you don’t need to pop a pill or fork out for a weekly spa treatment to do it. All you need is to train your mind and your body to look and feel the way you want.

Fleming and Bouvier’s ‘7 steps’ are related with tongue-in-cheek good nature. They are never preaching or patronizing, rather they impart their wisdom with common sense and relatable case studies. Chapter-titles are indicative of the overall light-hearted tone; “niggly shoulders and flapping arms” or “tight chests and saggy boobs”.

The book also has diary pages for readers to jot down their reactions to the recommended exercises, and built-in quizzes to gauge readers stress levels etc. Such interaction really prompts you to have a go and take Fleming and Bouvier’s advice, with impressive results.

Most of the remedies or cautions are common sense (i.e.: don’t hold the phone between your ear and shoulder). But things like information on why women’s boobs sag, and what bad posture is doing to your organs is quite interesting and will prompt you to make changes (even if it’s just getting properly fitted for your next bra!).

Forget the pills, detoxes and lipo-suction. Finding your way to mind/body balance is a lot easier than you think. If you want to ease your niggly shoulders and floppy belly, just give this book a go.

5/5

'The Reckoning' Darkest Powers #3 by Kelley ARMSTRONG

From the BLURB:

Chloe Saunders is fifteen and would love to be normal. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. First of all, she happens to be a genetically engineered necromancer who can raise the dead without even trying. She and her equally gifted (or should that be 'cursed'?) friends are on the run from the evil corporation who created them. To top it all, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she's leaning towards the werewolf. Definitely not normal...

This is the third and final book in Kelley Armstrong’s YA series ‘The Darkest Powers’. I was sad to read this one, knowing it was the final installment… but my melancholy didn’t last for long because this book is a DOOZY. A rollicking, fast-paced rollercoaster of a read, and I loved every page of it.

The series is set in Kelley Armstrongs’ ‘Women of the Otherworld’ universe – characters from that world are alluded to, but never make an appearance. ‘The Darkest Powers’ trilogy instead follows four uniquely gifted children as they learn the truth about their childhoods and ‘abilities’ - Chloe; the necromancer, Tori the witch, Simon; the sorcerer and Derek; the werewolf. All are children of the ‘Edison Program’ – a scientific study that genetically modified supernatural’s to increase and sharpen their abilities. The only thing is that the program worked a little too well – each of the children was born with a unique gift, amplified. The study tweaked their abilities to manifest at a younger age, and much more potently. The scientists behind ‘Edison’ now believe these kids are a threat to society, and cannot be allowed to roam around with their increased powers. That means, termination…

The action in ‘The Reckoning’ picks up where second book, ‘The Awakening’, left off. Chloe, Simon, Tori and Derek are free from the Edison group and on the run with their dad’s friend, Andrew. They’re hiding out in an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere, and desperate for answers.

There’s a lot happening in this final book – a lot of answers and explanations are given and there’s emotional closure.

Kelley Armstrong is a master of action writing. Her scenes are filled with adrenaline and read vividly. The action is ten-fold in ‘The Reckoning’ – the emotional stakes are high, the clock is ticking and I spent 391 pages on the edge-of-my-seat. And I loved it. Armstrong really is a master of action writing, and she definitely shows her prowess in this book.

Royce spun like a shot-putter, whipping something at us. I dove out of the way. Derek caught it - a bowling ball - then snarled at Simon, "Upstairs!".

"Oooh, good reflexes, superhuman strength, and a very convincing snarl. I think we have ourselves a werewolf." He got right in Derek's face. "How about a little one-on-one, wolf-boy? Battle of the superpowers?"

Since book 1 there has been romantic tension between Simon, Derek and Chloe. Fans will be relieved (/thrilled) to know that their love triangle comes to a head… with a very satisfying conclusion. The romance is tame, very PG13 (since Chloe is only 15). But it’s still very sweet and tender, and there were plenty of times throughout when I was saying “awwww”. Armstrong navigated this romance beautifully. Fans will know that she is talented at writing ‘hot n’ steamy’ romances, Clay/Elena and Lucas/Paige are prime examples from her ‘Otherworld’ series. But Armstrong has proven in this series that she can write such romance at a different pace for a younger readership. Like I said, very tame, but still satisfying and tingly-inducing.

This may be the final book in the ‘Darkest Powers’ trilogy, but my reader’s intuition tells me it may not be the last we see of Chloe Sanders… A character is introduced toward the end who hints at a possible reappearance. I for one would be thrilled if that was the case. Yes, Armstrong answers lots of pertinent questions in this final book. BUT there’s still plenty of room for future plots and revisiting of characters. I think it would be great if these teens could be introduced to the ‘Otherworld’ world and pick up their continuing stories that way…

But even as I say this is the ‘final’ book, it’s a bit of a fib. At the back of ‘The Reckoning’ is a small (tiny, miniscule) excerpt from new book ‘The Gathering’. This new book is set in the same ‘Darkest Powers’ universe, but will follow a new group of supernatural teens as they navigate their way through the Edison Experiment. So while Chloe’s story comes to a close in ‘The Reckoning’, the series lives on for another trilogy (release date pending).

But like I said, I strongly believe that Chloe, Derek, Tori and Simon would make wonderful *adult* characters in Armstrong’s ‘Otherworld’ universe. I don’t know if her YA readership would follow their story over to an adult series (that is, admittedly, already 10 books deep) but I think Armstrong’s adult fan base would really appreciate the new additions to a beloved series. Just my 2 cents.

I love, love, loved this book. This was another ‘most anticipated’ 2010 release for me, and as usual Ms. Armstrong did not disappoint. ‘The Reckoning’ reiterates her status as one of the head-honchos of the Urban Fantasy genre, while also highlighting her versatility in genre swapping from adult to YA. If you haven’t already, I strongly suggest you read her ‘Darkest Powers’ trilogy – it’s a doozy!

5/5

'Anetakis Tycoons' Trilogy by Maya BANKS

Maya Bank’s ‘Anetakis Tycoons’ trilogy revolves around the lives of three wealthy Greek Hotelier’s. Chrysander, Theron and Piers. Each book follows one brother as his love-life spirals out of control.

‘The Tycoon’s Pregnant Mistress’ concerns Chrysander, when his mistress falls pregnant and is then under threat from money-grubbing kidnappers.

‘The Tycoon’s Rebel Bride’ follows Theron, who finds himself unwittingly falling for his 24-year-old charge.

‘The Tycoon’s Secret Affair’ is all about Piers, whose one-night-stand storms back into his life fiver months later, with the claim that she is carrying his child.

If the book titles don’t give it away - this series is pure unadulterated romance. The, dare I say, ‘trashy’ kind. They are published by Harlequin Mills & Boon, and follow a pretty predictable plot.

I am a fan of Maya Banks’ erotica. The ‘Anatakis Tycoons’ trilogy is her only ‘tame’ romance, and to be honest it’s not as good as her more hard-core stuff. Because of the genre’s she writes in, Banks’ books lack things like characterization, believability and fulfilling plot. But most of the time her smut makes up for it. In this romance series the smut is tame, exactly what you’d expect from Mills & Boon… but that means that overall the series is fairly flat.

Expect predictably Alpha males. Conveniently easy situations for our heroines. Unbelievable good fortune for our wealthy Greek tycoons and general schmaltziness.

That’s not to say this series isn’t a fun, light read. If you’re looking for a good dose of romance that requires little thought, this is for you. And occasionally the writing elicits genuine smiles;

“See, Jewel, it’s not so hard to train the Anetakis men,” she said cheekily. “Marley has whipped Chrysander into admirable shape, while I have turned Theron to my way of thinking. I can’t imagine you being any less successful with Piers.”

“Theron, keep your woman quiet,” Chrysander said mildly. “She’s inciting discontent among the female ranks.”

The ‘Anetakis Tycoons’ isn’t great, but it’s not bad. It’s just typical Mills & Boon… a wee bit trashy, but a lot romantic.

2.5/5