Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fantastic debut novel, 18 Feb 2007
For over 4000 years Jezebel has thoroughly enjoyed her role as a Succubus; after all seducing men, sucking out their souls and escorting them to Hell was what she was created for and she's pretty good at her job. Yet since King Lucifer made His Announcement to all denizens of Hell Jezebel (aka Jesse) has a sizeable bounty on her head and plenty of demons happy to collect. Unable to escape evil's radar, she does the only thing possible and convinces a human witch to turn her into a soulless mortal.
Now wearing a human body and a shield against evil, Jezebel decides to hide herself in New York City, supporting herself as an exotic dancer. Working for Belles strip club is easy money, her human body positively reeking of sex appeal despite her renounced Succubus status; however even a human body and a powerful charm is not enough to keep Jezebel hidden form the legions of Hell.
I cannot believe that "Hell's Belles" is a debut novel; from the first page Ms Kessler draws the reader into a wonderfully dark world in which the deadly sins are personified (what else would Jezebel be but a creature of Lust), with quotas to be met and souls to be properly judged for punishment. JK has created a wonderful character in Jezebel; a morally corrupt ex-demon you can't help but like (try figure?). Even without a soul, Jezebel discovers that it is possible to fall in love within her human body; however when said paramour refuses her advances due to her emotional state; she finds herself seriously tempted to whip of her protective ward and embrace her old powers; all in the name of revenge.
I now eagerly await this book's sequel; "The Road to Hell" due for pub. Nov 07 and have nothing left to add but buy "Hell's Belles" and enjoy!
|
|
|
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended., 4 Mar 2007
Jezebel the succubus has run away from hell. Taking a job as an exotic dancer, she thinks she's made a fresh start. But it's not that easy to put her past behind her.
It's so refreshing to read about a heroine who is completely comfortable in her own skin. Jezebel/Jesse has a sharp wit and a deliciously wicked sense of humour. She's an incredibly sexual creature and revels in being a succubus, so her new career choice of stripping is a natural one for her to make.
Initially it's hard to work out how we can have sympathy for her, she's such a selfish creature of instinct and need. However, once she takes human form, her newfound mortality begins to change her and she begins a slow almost unnoticeable transition from amoral demon to something else. The first experiences Jesse has as a human are incredibly well written and make you realise how strange it must be to see the world for the first time.
There are really two stories being told here; the first is Jesse's flight from hell and how she copes with being a mortal; the second is about the events leading up to her decision to flee hell (told in flashback). Unfortunately the flashbacks (of which there are several) are intercut with the main story and aren't signposted that well (the first happens in Chapter 6). Leaving the reader confused about what is happening, until you get used to the style.
For people who like to know: - this is written in first person, and there is some strong swearing, but this is in context and is something the person who said it would say.
I think it's slightly misleading that this has been marketed as a romance, I believe it's much more of an urban fantasy. The romantic subplot definitely takes second place to Jesse's story. But this shouldn't put readers off - Jezebel is such a rare outspoken heroine, it's worth taking the time to get to know her. (And kudos to Ms. Kessler for using a Ghostbusters reference. :) )
The Road to Hell (Book 2) is released in November 2007.
Looking for other Succubus stories, check out Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead for a different take on succubi.
|
|
|
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A soulless demon finds love, 22 Aug 2007
Jezebel is a 4,000 year old succubus (a demon) whose job is to entice people into hell through horizontal means. However when she goes AWOL from Hell, tricks a witch into making her human (and stealing that witch's form and credit cards/ID) she sets out on life as a newly born human in New York. The author writes her first experiences of being human, drinking coffee, eating muffins, being in public spaces etc excellently - these were really enjoyable parts of the book.
Jezebel, or Jessie, isn't at all a sympathetic character to start with. She steals the witch's identity, doesn't care about other people and seems largely amoral. However her new human nature is clearly changing that part of her character and she starts to care for people and to change. She gets a job as a stripper in a club, Hell's Belles, which suits her skills from her former career admirably. However she's already bumped into Paul and he is about to cause another big change in her life. On the run from other demons who are trying to drag her back to hell, protected merely by her humanity and with the amulet she wears round her neck, can Jessie keep herself safe and out of hell? And what is it that caused her to leave Hell in the first place?
Rather confusingly a few chapters into this book Jessie seemed to be back working as a succubus and leading a man to hell. It became clear eventually that this was a flashback and there were other examples of this in the book - it might have been helpful for the fact this was backstory to be more clear. However these sections, where Jessie is in Hell, were fascinating; somehow the author has written her description of the different levels in Hell and some of the characters in a lighthearted and yet scary way with definite overtones of Dante.
This is a fairly earthy book with fairly explicit descriptions and a woman who is certainly at home with her feminine side. However there is more to this story than just sex as there's an interesting plot and some significant characterisation of Jessie. Paul, the hero, is rather more of a cipher and we almost learn more about the Satyr Daunuan but there are many good side characters in this story which lift it above the average paranormal romance and made it an easy and fun read.
Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007
|
|
|
|
by Jackie Kessler
by Karen Chance
by Richelle Mead
by Kim Harrison
by Karen Chance
With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is). 
Amazon Home