A review by laurenjodi
Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

3.0

Succubus Blues
3.5 Stars

Over a thousand years ago, Georgina Kincaid gave into temptation and lost her soul in the process. Now as a reluctant Succubus, she feeds on the men she seduces, but longs for the love that she has been denied for centuries. When a number of fellow supernaturals are killed by a mysterious hunter, Georgina discovers some unwelcome truths about both demons and angels … truths that may result in the end of her immortality.

An entertaining story, but the world building is lacking and there are certain aspects of Georgina’s character that have me questioning whether she is my type of heroine.

In terms of the supernatural world, we learn that demons and angels exist, however, their specific abilities are never fully explained and whatever conflict there is between good and evil (if there even is one) is not outlined well.

Likewise, Georgina’s background is presented in dribs and drabs mainly via flashbacks, and there are numerous gaping holes not only in her personal history, but also her knowledge of the supernatural (even though she has been around for thousands of years). It is possible that these will be filled in throughout the series, but at this time, both Georgina's character and the world that she inhabits are underdeveloped.

The most problematic aspect of the book is Georgina herself. On the one hand, she is a Succubus so the fact that she has sex with numerous men is to be expected. Nevertheless, her choice of partners is rather icky -
SpoilerWarren is a slime and Roman is little more than a serial killer but she sleeps with him anyway because he’s hot. I also don’t like the fact that she cheated on her husband with his best friend because she was feeling neglected.
, and her numerous TSTL moments are annoying. Moreover, as a demon with the ability to shape shift, one would expect her to be a little less whiny and lot more kick-ass.

With regard to the plot, the idea of a serial killer targeting supernatural beings is intriguing. Nevertheless, the mystery is predictable and Georgina’s investigative skills are limited to stumbling across clues as she goes along.

The romantic elements have potential although I’m not a fan of love triangles and hope that Georgina’s relationship with the shy and hunk Seth materializes sooner rather than later.

Elisabeth Rodgers is a capable narrator and her performance captures Georgina's friendly girl next-door persona very well. Her male voices are good, but could have been better distinguished.

All in all, despite my problems with this specific book, Georgina and company are compelling enough to continue with the series.