When Succubus Blues arrived on my review stack, I started to worry that this could be another one of those many, many books that offer nothing but another lascivious sex romp disguised as urban fantasy/horror, providing little more than an excuse to have demons and other supernatural creatures get naked and sweaty with lustful mortals.

To my surprise, I found a book that is driven more by the plot than graphic sex. Now, don’t get me wrong. I like a few torrid sex scenes in my books but I also want a story. I want to get to know the characters, see what they see, feel what they feel, and not just jump from sex scene to sex scene. I think you’ll find that Richelle Mead can write hot sex without it over powering the story.

As a choice of jobs in Hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, have a killer wardrobe and the men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical? As a succubus, Georgina has spent endless centuries using her seduction and shape-shifting abilities to do anything and everything she wanted. But time has taken its toll on her, and she doesn't particularly enjoy her role as a foot soldier in the forces of evil.

In her current guise, she lives a quiet life as an assistant bookstore manager in Seattle who cares a bit more about reading her favorite series of books, drinking mochas and caring for her cat than her real job of adding names to the roll of the damned.

But then someone starts killing her fellow inhabitants of the 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…

What's a poor succubus to do when the doors of both Heaven and Hell close on her cries for assistance?

Ms. Mead has crafted a most impressive debut novel. Succubus Blues was a well written story along with some hot, sexy scenes. I thoroughly enjoyed both the people and the worlds that Richelle Mead created around Georgina - both the mortal and immortal. Georgina still has enough of her humanity to make the reader feel connected to her. She wants what most people want in life - to be able to love and be loved in return.

This book has a great supporting cast: Hugh, her friend and professional imp; Jerome, her demon boss who looks to have a John Cusak fetish; and Carter, the grungy angel who lives to torment Georgina, as well as a host of other equally engaging and likable characters.

Count me among her many new fans, eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series. If you're looking for a hot new author, and equally hilarious and steamy mystery, I'd definitely check out Succubus Blues.

Reviewed By: Theresa
© July 2007