Review: Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead (Dark Swan #4)

Publisher - Bantam
Publication Date - 2nd February 2012
Paperback - 400 pages
Genre -  Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 2 out of 5: It was ok

Book Info - Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld...

The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't - or won't - reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon - and risk the ultimate sacrifice...

My Thoughts - Please note, there are some HUGE spoilers for previous books in the series so only read this review if you have already read them. Consider yourselves warned :)

I am a big fan of Richelle Mead and I rate her Dark Swan books as my favourite of all her series'. I have been looking forward to Shadow Heir for a long time to find out how things would end for Eugenie. However, I fear I may have been hyping it up a bit too much in my head as when I finally got to read it, I found myself feeling pretty disappointed.

The first problem I had was the pacing. The other books in the series have all been full of action and moved so along quickly that it was pretty much impossible to put them down. The same could definitely not be said for Shadow Heir. For the first half of the book, Eugenie is hiding in the human world awaiting the birth of her twins. Nothing really happened during this part of the story and I found myself breathing a sigh of relief when the babies were born early as I had hopes that the pacing would finally pick up again. And to a certain extent it does, but not in the way that I have come to expect from previous books in the series, and it still dragged in places.

The second problem I had was that the plot just was not what I wanted it to be. At the end of Iron Crowned, Eugenie is pregnant with Kiyo's children - one of whom will apparently lead the gentry into an invasion of the human world according to a prophecy. Kiyo is dead set that this can't happen and even goes so far as to try and kill Eugenie to prevent the prophecy from coming true. The whole of the Otherworld either wants to see Eugenie dead or will support her whole-heartedly to lead the invasion. I thought that this would be the focus of Shadow Heir. I expected there to be a big showdown between the two factions and I expected something big to happen. As it turned out, this part of the plot just seemed to be brushed over at the end rather than being the main focus. And I felt as though the author only did that to tie up loose ends.

I also found the ending to be disappointing. The author sets it up near the end so that there is an opportunity for a perfect happy ending. However, right at the last second that happy ending is snatched away and I felt very frustrated by that. Don't get me wrong, the ending is a semi-happy one, but it could have been so much better.

The redeeming feature of this book for me was the romance between Eugenie and Dorian. They have been on again/off again during most of the series but in Shadow Heir they are working hard to resolve their issues and what follows is a very sweet and tender romance that leaves no doubt about how they really feel about each other.

Summary - Shadow Heir is a disappointing ending to what has been up until now an amazing series. But the first three books are so amazing that I would still definitely recommend the series to fans of Urban Fantasy.

Other books in the series:
1. Storm Born
2. Thorn Queen
3. Iron Crowned
4. Shadow Heir

Other reviews of this book:
Caught in a FAB Romance / Parajunkee's View / Wicked Lil Pixie

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #1 for 2012 Finish the Series Reading Challenge
Book #21 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review: Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead (Georgina Kincaid #6)

Publisher - Bantam Books
Publication Date - 15th September 2011
Paperback - 304 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it.

Book Info - 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...

My Thoughts - I can't believe that this series has ended! But saying that, I am so happy with the way that it did end that I will admit to shedding a few tears. I guessed how it was all going to end in one of the earlier books but I just wasn't sure how the author was going to make it happen and that was what made me so eager to read this book - to find out what tricks Ms. Mead had up her sleeve! And I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.

The supporting characters were, once again, amazing. The two that really stood out for me though were Carter and Roman. I have always had a bit of a soft spot for Carter but in Succubus Revealed he does so much to help Georgina and Seth (and even Seth's family) that I fell in love with him all over again! What I would really like is a spin-off series about Carter so that we can learn a bit more about him. He's just a bit too mysterious! And as for Roman, I can't really say what made me like him so much as it is right at the end and it would be a great big spoiler - but for those of you who've read this book, you know what I'm talking about!

At the beginning of Succubus Revealed, Georgina becomes her usual over-dramatic self when she learns she is being transferred to Las Vegas. She starts worrying about how her relationship is ever going to last and Jerome came up with a perfect quote that I thought sums up Georgina brilliantly:

"Take him with you. Or date long distance. I honestly don't give a ****, so long as you stop your whining. How can you not see solutions here? You've apparently decided that you being immortal isn't a deterrent to your great love... but a two-hour plane ride is?"

This is so true. Georgina gets so wrapped up in all the little details of the drama of things that she can't see solutions. But she does change a lot during the course of Succubus Revealed and she does some things that I would never have imagined she would do at the beginning of the series. Although I have found her to be slightly irritating at times I'm going to miss Georgina.

Summary - A perfect ending to a very good series. If you have not started this series now then you need to do so very, very soon!

Other books in the series:
1. Succubus Blues
2. Succubus Nights
3. Succubus Dreams
4. Succubus Heat
5. Succubus Shadows
6. Succubus Revealed

Other reviews of this book:
BelleBooks / Fangs for the Fantasy / Wicked Little Pixie
(If you would like your review of Succubus Revealed included here, please leave a link to your review in the comments and I will be sure to add it)

Review: Succubus Shadows by Richelle Mead (Georgina Kincaid #5)

Publisher - Bantam
Publication Date - 18th March 2010
Paperback - 320 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it.

Book Info - 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.

My Thoughts - I think you have probably guessed by now that I am a big fan of Richelle Mead's work - and this book is no exception. Although at times I can find Georgina to be a bit frustrating, I really enjoyed reading Succubus Shadows.

Once again, there is Georgina's group of supernatural friends who are all a lot of fun and who all look out for Georgina. My favourite has got to be Carter - there is just something so intriguing about a hard-drinking, chain-smoking angel. He seems to have a special interest in Georgina and her situation and I really hope we find out the reason for this in Succubus Revealed.

Although I have had some trouble believing in the love between Seth and Georgina in the past, their feelings for each other really shone through in this book. There are many touching moments between the two of them that totally made me believe in their love. I hope that they will get their Happy Ever After before their series comes to a close.

What I didn't like was Georgina's attitude throughout the book. She spends a lot of time being depressed and feeling sorry for herself. Although I can understand how hard her life is (she can't be with the man she loves, the mortals she cares for are all going to die just like all the other mortals before them etc etc) but at the same time this can make the book drag and you do feel as though you are hearing her complain about the same thing time and time again. Luckily her attitude does change later on in the book and she becomes a lot more positive about her future and actually starts taking steps towards achieving happiness. I am looking forward to seeing where this new attitude will take her in the final book in the series.

Summary - Another great installment to this fun series. I can't wait to read Succubus Revealed even though I am feeling a bit sad that the series is coming to an end!

Other books in the series:
1. Succubus Blues
2. Succubus Nights
3. Succubus Dreams
4. Succubus Heat
5. Succubus Shadows
6. Succubus Revealed

Other reviews of this book:
BelleBooks / Feeling Fictional
(If you would like your review of Succubus Shadows included here, please leave a link to your review in the comments and I will be sure to add it)

Waiting on Wednesday: Shadow Heir

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week my "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld...

The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't - or won't - reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon - and risk the ultimate sacrifice...

Review: Succubus Heat by Richelle Mead (Georgina Kincaid #4)

Publisher - Bantam Books
Publication Date - 4th June 2009
Paperback - 512 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Library

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - Georgina Kincaid has been a bad, bad succubus… which should be a good thing. But lately, thanks to her foul mood over breaking up with bestselling writer Seth Mortensen, she’s been so wicked that Seattle’s uber-demon Jerome, decides to “outsource” Georgina to a rival – and have her spy for him in the process.

Being exiled to the frozen north – okay, Vancouver – and leaving Seth in the cozy clutches of his new girlfriend is unpleasant enough. Then Jerome is kidnapped, and all immortals under his control mysteriously lose their powers. One bright spot: with her life-sucking ability gone, there’s nothing to keep Georgina from getting down and dirty with Seth – nothing apart from his girlfriend that is. Now, as the supernatural population starts turning on itself, a newly mortal Georgina must rescue her boss and figure out who’s been playing them – or all hell will break loose…

My Thoughts - You really can’t help but feel for Georgina when reading Succubus Heat. She is devastated by her break-up with Seth so she tries to cover it up by being angry with everybody and embarking on a fling with dark and dangerous Dante. I wasn’t keen on the angry Georgina at the beginning of this book but luckily she becomes more and more like the Georgina I know and love as the story progresses.

Seth comes across as pretty unlikeable I’m afraid. He is currently dating Georgina’s friend, Maddie, which in itself is a horrible thing to do, but he then goes backwards and forwards between the two women when Georgina loses her powers. This makes the reader sympathise with Maggie as she is a nice girl who trusts both Georgina and Seth, who probably never would have got together with Seth had she known about their past relationship.

The mystery element of the book was once again brilliant. Richelle Mead always throws lots of red herrings at the reader so that we are kept guessing right up until the end who the perpetrator is. I am also very intrigued by the visions that Georgina had in Succubus Dreams. They are mentioned several times in Succubus Heat and I can’t wait to find out if it will come true and, if it does, who the man in the vision is.

Summary - All in all I absolutely loved this book. The Georgina Kincaid series is easily one of my favourites and I really can’t recommend them enough to anybody who has not yet read any of these books.

Other books in the series:
1. Succubus Blues
2. Succubus Nights
3. Succubus Dreams
4. Succubus Heat
5. Succubus Shadows
6. Succubus Revealed

Other reviews of this book:
BelleBooks / Feeling Fictional
(If you would like your review of Succubus Heat included here, please leave a link to your review in the comments and I will be sure to add it)

Review: Succubus Dreams by Richelle Mead (Georgina Kincaid #3)

Publisher - Bantam Books
Publication Date - 4th December 2008
Paperback - 448 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Library

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - Some days, a girl just can’t catch a break… especially when the girl in question is Georgina Kincaid, a shape-shifting succubus who gets her energy from seducing men.

First there’s her relationship with gorgeous bestselling writer Seth Mortensen, which is unsatisfying on a number of levels. It’s not just that they can’t have sex in case Georgina inadvertently kills him (generally a turn-off for most guys). Lately, even spending time together is a challenge. Seth’s obsessed with finishing his latest novel, and Georgina’s under demonic orders to mentor the new (and surprisingly inept) succubus on the block.

Then there are the dreams. Someone, or something, is preying on Georgina at night, draining her energy, and supplying eerie visions of her future. Georgina seeks answers from Dante, a dream interpreter with ties to the underworld, but his flirtatious charm only leaves her more confused – especially as the situation with Seth reaches crisis point. Now Georgina faces a double challenge – rein in her out-of-control love life, and go toe-to-toe with an enemy capable of wreaking serious havoc among mankind. Otherwise, Georgina, and the entire mortal world, may never sleep easy again…

My Thoughts - There are lots of different things going on in the third installment of the Georgina Kincaid series. First of all there are the many complications that keep popping up between Seth and Georgina. It is obviously becoming harder for them to stay together as a couple, and although the no-sex rule between them is taking its toll, other more serious issues are coming to the forefront, such as the inability to communicate with or trust each other. Things become increasingly difficult for them when Seth has a near death experience and his outlook on life changes dramatically.

Also, there is a new succubus in town. Tawny is surprisingly inept at seducing men, and as her mentor it is Georgina’s job to try to help her. But things are made worse for Georgina as Niphon, the imp who bought Georgina’s soul, will be staying around until Tawny takes her first victim. Niphon seems to hate Georgina and he does anything he can to make her miserable.

And, last but not least, there are the dreams that she has been having every time that she gets an energy fix from a victim. Georgina experiences a very vivid dream and then wakes up the next morning to find that most of her energy has gone. With her boss, Jerome, away on business Georgina turns to her mortal friend Erik (who made an appearance in Succubus Blues) and an acquaintance of his called Dante to try to work out what is happening to her.

There is a melancholy overtone throughout Succubus Dreams that hasn’t been present in the other books in this series. What with the problems between her and Seth, her memories of past hurts and her longing for a child, we see a very different side to Georgina in this book. It makes the reader really feel for Georgina, as although everybody experiences pain at some point in their lives nobody else has to live with that pain and guilt for all of eternity the way she does. But I love Georgina and I really do hope that she finds some happiness in future books.

Summary - I really enjoyed reading Succubus Dreams and Richelle Mead is fast becoming my favourite author. She has raised many issues that will stay with me, whilst managing to write a brilliant mystery that kept me enthralled in the storyline. I have only just finished this book but I am starting Succubus Heat straight away as I can’t wait to find out what else is in store for Georgina.

Other books in the series:
1. Succubus Blues
2. Succubus Nights
3. Succubus Dreams
4. Succubus Heat
5. Succubus Shadows
6. Succubus Revealed

Other reviews of this book:
Belle Books / Feeling Fictional
(If you would like your review of Succubus Dreams included here, please leave a link to your review in the comments and I will be sure to add it)

Review: Succubus Nights by Richelle Mead (Georgina Kincaid #2)

Publisher - Bantam Books
Publication Date - 5th May 2008
Paperback - 480 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Library

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info -  Georgina Kincaid’s job sucks. Literally. Love hurts, and no one knows it better than Georgina Kincaid. If she so much as kisses her new boyfriend, she’ll drain his life force. Georgina is a succubus – a demon who draws her power from other men’s pleasure. Admittedly, the shapeshifting and immortality perks are terrific, and yes, Georgina did choose to join the ranks of hell centuries ago. But it seems completely unfair that a she-demon whose purpose is seduction can’t get hot and heavy with the one mortal who knows and accepts her for who she is.

It’s not just her personal life that’s in chaos. Doug, Georgina’s co-worker at a local bookstore, has been exhibiting bizarre behavior, and Georgina suspects that something far more demonic than double espressos is at work. She could use help finding out, but Bastien, an irresistibly charming incubus and her best immortal friend, is preoccupied in the suburbs with corrupting an ultra-conservative talk radio star – and giving Georgina some highly distracting come-hither vibes. Georgina is going to have to work solo on this one – and fast because soon, Doug’s life won’t be the only one on the line…

Review - Succubus Nights carries on from where Succubus Blues left off. Georgina and Seth are trying to make their relationship work but there are several things working against them. Firstly, because Georgina is a succubus, they are not able to have any kind of physical relationship as this will drain Seth’s life force and could even end up killing him. Secondly, Seth knows that it is part of her ‘job’ to have sex with lots of other men. These things are bound to make it impossible for a relationship to survive.

I think that the relationship is only able to work because of Seth. He is mature, level-headed and loves Georgina a lot. On the other hand, Georgina is very insecure in the relationship and at some points doesn’t even seem to love Seth very much – she just enjoys being loved by him. But they are such a likeable couple that you will find yourself hoping that everything will work out for them.

There is a lot going on in this novel and because of this the story moves along at such a fast pace that it becomes impossible to put the book down. As well as the difficult romance between Georgina and Seth, there are also storylines surrounding Georgina's mortal friend, Doug, and her immortal friend, Bastien. Although I love Doug, I found Bastien to be a very nasty character, who is egotistical and selfish. I disliked him so much that I had to wonder why Georgina was such good friends with him.

Summary - Overall, the book was written in a style that was incredibly easy to read, and it was full of romance, action and mystery – what more could you ask for! I loved this book and I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.

Other books in the series:
1. Succubus Blues
2. Succubus Nights
3. Succubus Dreams
4. Succubus Heat
5. Succubus Shadows
6. Succubus Revealed

Other reviews of this book:
Belle Books / Brooke Reviews / Dear Author / Feeling Fictional / Love Vampires

Review: Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead (Georgina Kincaid #1)

Publisher - Bantam Books
Publication Date - 1st August 2007
Paperback - 496 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they can often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid’s life is far less exotic. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies. Her immortal best friends haven’t stopped teasing her about the time she shape-shifted into the Demon Goddess getup complete with whip and wings. And she can’t have a decent date without the sucking away part of the guy’s life.

At least there’s her day job at a local bookstore – free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can’t.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle’s 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…

My Thoughts - Georgina Kincaid is a succubus who sucks the life force out of men by having sex with them and I found her to be a very intruiging character. She doesn’t like the life she leads so to ease her conscience she only sleeps with men who have no morals. Because of this, Georgina comes across as an incredibly likeable character. Although she is technically a demon, she isn’t portrayed as evil and that is one of the things I like a lot about this book. She shuns the succubus lifestyle and attempts to live like a human, for example by actually changing her clothes and putting on make up rather than shapeshifting into her outfit for the day.

Georgina cares a lot about other people, which is shown during the flashbacks of her human life and through the way she puts herself in danger to find the person who has been killing her friends. I really enjoyed the flashbacks that showed why she became a succubus in the first place. They showed that although she did give in to a moment of weakness, she was willing to do anything to rectify her mistake – even if that meant becoming a demon. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Georgina and the situation she found herself in. She is obviously incredibly lonely and wants to share her life with someone, but she can’t as she could end up killing the man she loves.

There were many, many types of mythical creature in this story, including vampires, imps, demons, angels and nephilim, and these characters all help to enhance a great storyline. I really enjoyed the mystery part of the novel and I got sucked straight into the storyline.  The ending came as a real surprise with some great twists in the plot.

Summary - Overall, I loved this novel, with its feisty main character, fun secondary characters and a plot that will leave you turning pages until late in the night. For me, this is a must-read series!

Other books in the series:
1. Succubus Blues
2. Succubus Nights
3. Succubus Dreams
4. Succubus Heat
5. Succubus Shadows
6. Succubus Revealed

Other reviews of this book:
Between the Covers / Dear Author / Feeling Fictional / Love Vampires / Smexy Books

Review: Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead (Dark Swan #3)

Publisher - Bantam Books
Publication Date - 31st March 2011
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Purchased

Rating - 5 out of 5: It was amazing!

Book Info - Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land’s queen, she’s fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful fear...

But who can she trust to help her? Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her. To control the Crown’s all-consuming powers, Eugenie must confront an unimaginable temptation – one which puts her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal danger...

My Thoughts - Once again Richelle Mead has written an action-packed, attention-grabbing novel that I just could not put down. The descriptions of the worlds that Eugenie inhabits are so vivid that you can imagine yourself standing right next to her. And the pages are so full of action that I had to keep reading late into the night.

During the second half of the book there were many twists and turns that left me breathless. The storyline was engaging and I was dragged into Eugenie's world and I didn't want to leave there until the last page had been turned.

However, there was just one minor point that irritated me a bit about Iron Crowned. Eugenie's attitude to relationships and sex is pretty distracting and draws you away from the storyline. She is constantly going backwards and forwards between Kiyo and Dorian, even though both of them prove unworthy of her attention in this book. They both treat her badly yet she can't seem to stay away from them. The fact that Eugenie is so unwilling to be without a boyfriend is a complete contradiction to the strong front that she puts on to the world. I hope that in the next book Eugenie sees the error of her ways and kicks them both to the curb!

Summary - Iron Crowned is one of the best Urban Fantasy novels I have read and, after the huge cliffhanger at the end, I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Other books in the series:
1. Storm Born
2. Thorn Queen
3. Iron Crowned

Other reviews of this book:
Book Chick City / Feeling Fictional / Vampire Book Club
(If you would like your review of Iron Crowned included here, please leave a link to your review in the comments and I will be sure to add it)

Review: Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead (Dark Swan #2)

Publisher - Bantam Books
Publication Date - 13th August 2009
Paperback - 480 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Library

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it!

Book Info - Eugenie Markham is a shaman for hire, paid to bind and banish creatures from the Otherworld. But after her last battle, she’s also become queen of the Thorn Land. It’s hardly an envious life, not with her kingdom in tatters, her love life in chaos, and Eugenie eager to avoid the prophecy about her firstborn destroying mankind. And now young girls are disappearing from the Otherworld, and no one - except Eugenie - seems willing to find out why.

Eugenie has spilled plenty of fey blood in her time, but this enemy is shrewd, subtle, and nursing a very personal grudge. And the men in her life aren’t making things any easier. Her boyfriend Kiyo is preoccupied with his pregnant ex, and sexy fey king Dorian always poses a dangerous distraction. With or without their help, Eugenie must venture deep into the Otherworld and trust in an unpredictable power she can barely control. Reluctant queen or not, Eugenie has sworn to do her duty - even if it means facing the darkest - and deadliest - side of her nature...

My Thoughts - Eugenie is coming to grips with being the Thorn Queen whilst also trying to maintain her life in the human world. Watching the struggle between her human side and her gentry side certainly made for interesting reading. She has been brought up as a human shaman who has been taught that all gentry was bad and it was her job to banish any gentry who tried to enter the human world. So it is understandable that she has trouble coming to terms with the fact that she is the daughter of one of the strongest gentry monarchs that ever lived and that she is now a gentry queen in her own right. The way that the author describes Eugenie's feelings means that you can really feel the fear, indecision and loneliness that her situation brings about.

I love Eugenie's character - I love her strength, compassion and loyalty. When she finally starts taking some responsibility for her people, the compassion and care that she shows for them really endeared her to me. But Eugenie is put through some absolutely horrifying things near the end of the book that I found difficult to read because of the author's descriptions of the events and Eugenie's emotions. But these events seem to change Eugenie and she loses a lot of the qualities that I love about her. Part of me is eager to read the next book in the series because of how the story ended, but another part of me is feeling nervous about it as I don't want to start disliking a character that I have come to love so much if she continues to develop in the way that she currently is.

The love triangle between Eugenie, Kiyo and Dorian continues in this story. When reading Storm Born I prefered Dorian over Kiyo and this is even more the case after reading Thorn Queen. Dorian completely understands Eugenie and loves her for the person that she is, while Kiyo is completely selfish and asks for a lot from Eugenie whilst he causes her nothing but trouble. At times I felt a lot of frustration at Eugenie for not seeinng Kiyo for what he really is.

Summary - I just love Richelle Mead's style of writing, from her descriptions of the Otherworld, the action and pace of the story to her descriptions of the emotions that Eugenie feels. She has managed to completely absorb me into this story from the very first page of Storm Born and I am really hoping that this will still be the case with the thrid book - Iron Crowned. This series is a must-read for any Urban Fantasy fan.

Other books in the series:
1. Storm Born
2. Thorn Queen
3. Iron Crowned

Other reviews of this book:
Bitten by Books / Book Chick City / Feeling Fictional / Vampire Book Club
(If you would like your review of Thorn Queen included here, please leave a link to your review in the comments and I will be sure to add it)

Waiting on Wednesday: Succubus Revealed

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week my  "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

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...

Review: Storm Born by Richelle Mead (Dark Swan #1)

Publisher - Bantam Books
Publication Date - 14th August 2008
Paperback - 512 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Library

Rating - 5 out of 5: It was amazing!

Book Info - Just typical. No love life to speak of for months, then all at once, every horny creature in the Otherworld wants to get in your pants...

Eugenie Markham is a powerful shaman who does a brisk trade banishing spirits and fey who cross into the mortal world. Mercenary, yes, but a girl's got to eat. Her most recent case, however, is enough to ruin her appetite. Hired to find a teenager who has been taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie comes face to face with a startling prophecy - one that uncovers dark secrets about her past and claims that Eugenie's first-born will threaten the future of the world as she knows it.

Now Eugenie is a hot target for every ambitious demon and Otherworldy ne'er-do-well, and the ones who don't want to knock her up want her dead. Eugenie handles a Glock as smoothly as she wields a wand, but she needs some formidable allies for a job like this. She finds them in Dorian, a seductive fairy king with a taste for bondage, and Kiyo, a gorgeous shape-shifter who redefines animal attraction. But with enemies growing bolder and time running out, Eugenie realizes that the greatest danger is yet to come, and it lies in the dark powers that are stirring to life within her....

My Thoughts - The main character, Eugenie Markham, is just great. She is strong, independent and so, so funny. I found myself laughing out loud during many parts of the book as she is brilliant at the witty one-liner. But what I liked most about her was the journey that she went on through the book. She starts off hating the gentry and is incredibly prejudiced against them, after all she has been told constantly by her parents about how evil they are ever since she was a little girl. However, through her interactions with Kiyo; a gorgeous kitsune (shapeshifter) who she feels an incredible attraction towards; and Dorian, Eugenie realises that the gentry are actually not as bad as she had been lead to believe. These men teach her that, although there are some gentry who do deserve to be hated, not all of them behave in such a way. When she realises that she is half-gentry herself, Eugenie has to do a lot of soul searching as she is now part of what she once hated.

I loved the Otherworld that the author created. The book is full of description of this magical world and I found that really interesting to read. I also enjoyed reading about the character of Dorian. He comes across as incredibly easy going and very funny and he doesn’t seem to take much seriously in life. It is from the interactions between Eugenie and Dorian that some of the funniest scenes occur. I would love to see Eugenie and Dorian getting together at some point during the series as there is a huge amount of chemistry between the two of them. Although I liked the character of Kiyo, he just seemed to be too much of a goody goody to be a serious part of Eugenie’s life for too long.

There is a part near the end of  the book that just didn't work for me. I can't really go into any detail about it without giving too much away, but it feels very out of keeping with the rest of the story, I had trouble understanding what was happening and it didn't  really add anything to Eugenie's story. But this is my only complaint about Storm Born and it didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book.

Summary - I really enjoyed the storyline of the book and it is full of action, humour, romance and magic. It moves along at a fast pace and ended with lots of unanswered questions, making me really want to read the next book in the series. I would definitely recommend this book to any fans of Richelle Mead or urban fantasy.

Other books in the series:
1. Storm Born
2. Thorn Queen
3. Iron Crowned

Other reviews of this book:
Bitten by Books / Book Chick City / Diary of a Bibliophile / Feeling Fictional / Vampire Book Club
(If you would like your review of Storm Born included here, please leave a link to your review in the comments and I will be sure to add it)