mdpenguin's review against another edition
funny
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
I read Amanda first and looked at the listing for the other books and saw that this one was free. I really enjoyed Amanda and this was a good book but if I'd started with this one then I probably wouldn't have gone on. It's well written and the characters are well drawn and lots of fun, but I don't like Beth. I could sympathize with her but not empathize with her. It's not that she's unrealistically naive, but she'd be too slow and bland of a person for me to ever really care about in real life. The book doesn't pretend that she's not annoying in that sense and, thankfully, half the chapters were from Pog's perspective, which I enjoyed a lot. If I didn't like the focal character as much, I really liked the supporting cast in this: they were as good as in Amanda. I suspect that I'll like the later books more, but I'm gong to keep them in reserve for when I feel the need for something fun that's a sure-thing to read.
lassarina's review
3.0
I'm still sort of baffled that I bought this book, never mind read it, but it was fun and interesting, if a trifle heavy-handed in its management of body image and sexual mores. (I mean, I agree with the points about the latter; unsure about the former.) I get why this would be the leading book in a series because of the way it introduces the reader to the world. And it's got a tasty revenge bit.
Most importantly, the author actually gets Chicago right, and I'll give points for that.
Most importantly, the author actually gets Chicago right, and I'll give points for that.
morganhazelwood's review against another edition
4.0
The premise is ridiculous, the story is sweet, and the sex is only moderately explicit. I really liked the characters and their backstories.
tiggum's review against another edition
3.0
When I saw the title of this book I had only one question: Is it funny-terrible, or just plain terrible? It was free, so I decided to find out. Surprisingly, it's actually kind of good? I can't imagine who this title is intended to appeal to, but I guess it sort of worked on me? Except that I wouldn't have given it a second look if it cost any money at all.
Actually, the entire book has that problem, really. I'm not sure who it's supposed to appeal to. I certainly can't think of anyone I'd recommend it to. I think its main strength lies in the contrast between the title and the content. After setting your expectations incredibly low, the book surprises you by exceeding them. It's kind of a clever trick, although I suspect not a particularly effective one.
I won't be reading any more of the series, but I mostly enjoyed this one while I was reading it. It's got about the depth of a well-written video game (Shadowrun Hong Kong, for example) and it takes the protagonist an annoyingly long time to get a handle on her new life, but it's competently written and after a slow start it moves at a decent pace. It's short, it's moderately entertaining. Yeah, it's an OK book.
Actually, the entire book has that problem, really. I'm not sure who it's supposed to appeal to. I certainly can't think of anyone I'd recommend it to. I think its main strength lies in the contrast between the title and the content. After setting your expectations incredibly low, the book surprises you by exceeding them. It's kind of a clever trick, although I suspect not a particularly effective one.
I won't be reading any more of the series, but I mostly enjoyed this one while I was reading it. It's got about the depth of a well-written video game (Shadowrun Hong Kong, for example) and it takes the protagonist an annoyingly long time to get a handle on her new life, but it's competently written and after a slow start it moves at a decent pace. It's short, it's moderately entertaining. Yeah, it's an OK book.
emesskay's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun, entertaining read.
To set the scene - Heaven ("The Home Office") disapproves of sex, so Hell ("The Regional Office") encourages sex, just to annoy The Home office. The Regional Office sends out recruiters to find likely candidates to become succubi, in order to tempt men into having sex or just inappropriate thoughts.
Beth Saunders is a 50ish housewife whose world has crumbled around her. Her husband has divorced her and is marrying a 19 year old, the check her ex-husband gave her as part of the divorce settlement bounced, her ex-husband claims he has no money. Beth is unable to find work, and since neither of her grown children will help her out, she is homeless. None of her so-called friends from the socialite world she had inhabited before the divorce want anything to do with her either. In a moment of drunken rage she meets a recruiter from The Regional Office and signs on to become a succubus. The benefits are good - she can choose what she looks like and change it to suit her will. She will be eternally young, and have all the money she needs. She can also eat and drink as much as she likes and still stay thin. The only thing she has two do is meet the monthly quota for sex or other acts of temptation. When she sobers up (looking like a hot 22-year old version of herself), she has to deal with the consequences of her drunken action, and that is where this book takes off. She joins a team of other succubi and starts getting training on what her new life now means. In the meantime, Beth Saunders is reported missing, and then possibly murdered, and Beth ends up embroiled in her own murder mystery. And there is also that thing about getting revenge on her ex-husband....
The book is told from two points of view, Beth and Pog (the team lead of the team of succubi), so you get the perspective of the bewildered newbie trying to adjust to the new situation and the long time professional trying to train a new recruit.
I found this book highly entertaining, and it is interesting to see the transformation in Beth as she deals with her past and present, and also her effect on the other succubi as they cope with explaining their way of life to someone new to the game (and recently mortal).
The tale is told
To set the scene - Heaven ("The Home Office") disapproves of sex, so Hell ("The Regional Office") encourages sex, just to annoy The Home office. The Regional Office sends out recruiters to find likely candidates to become succubi, in order to tempt men into having sex or just inappropriate thoughts.
Beth Saunders is a 50ish housewife whose world has crumbled around her. Her husband has divorced her and is marrying a 19 year old, the check her ex-husband gave her as part of the divorce settlement bounced, her ex-husband claims he has no money. Beth is unable to find work, and since neither of her grown children will help her out, she is homeless. None of her so-called friends from the socialite world she had inhabited before the divorce want anything to do with her either. In a moment of drunken rage she meets a recruiter from The Regional Office and signs on to become a succubus. The benefits are good - she can choose what she looks like and change it to suit her will. She will be eternally young, and have all the money she needs. She can also eat and drink as much as she likes and still stay thin. The only thing she has two do is meet the monthly quota for sex or other acts of temptation. When she sobers up (looking like a hot 22-year old version of herself), she has to deal with the consequences of her drunken action, and that is where this book takes off. She joins a team of other succubi and starts getting training on what her new life now means. In the meantime, Beth Saunders is reported missing, and then possibly murdered, and Beth ends up embroiled in her own murder mystery. And there is also that thing about getting revenge on her ex-husband....
The book is told from two points of view, Beth and Pog (the team lead of the team of succubi), so you get the perspective of the bewildered newbie trying to adjust to the new situation and the long time professional trying to train a new recruit.
I found this book highly entertaining, and it is interesting to see the transformation in Beth as she deals with her past and present, and also her effect on the other succubi as they cope with explaining their way of life to someone new to the game (and recently mortal).
The tale is told
dms's review against another edition
3.0
http://dms.booklikes.com/post/1588477/review-coed-demon-sluts-beth
justabean_reads's review against another edition
2.0
I saw the author talking about this on Scalzi's blog, and decided to give it a whirl. Pretty much read it straight through on the plane, and enjoyed it, I guess. On the whole, there was way too much talk, and not enough action (or "action"). I didn't really connect with the characters because a lot of the time they sounded like talking points, not people. The actual plot, when it occurred, was engaging enough. Not sure I'll bother with the rest of the series.
More...