The Succubus Gift (The Telepathic Clans, #1)

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The Succubus Gift (The Telepathic Clans #1)

by B.R. Kingsolver (Goodreads Author)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 51 ratings · 30 reviews

Book 1 of the Telepathic Clans Saga.

The history of the Clans, called the Sidhe by the Irish, stretches back to antiquity. The Goddess blesses Her people with 25 Telepathic Gifts. In addition to Telepathy, the Gifts include command over Air and Fire, Telekinesis and Teleportation. In over 2,500 years, She has never bestowed more than 15 Gifts on a single person.

Brenna Morg...more

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Published April 22nd 2012 by Smashwords

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Jan 13, 2013 Melissa Simmons rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-author-for-review, paranormal, adult

The Succubus Gift is the first book in The Telepathic Clans series by B.R. Kingsolver. When approached by the author I was very excited to read this book; it sounded like something I'd really enjoy. It sounded like a really different spin on the paranormal. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and that's saying something.

The story follows members of the Clan as they find a family member they thought to be dead and learn about her abilities. I really enjoyed the emphasis on family and loyalty...more

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Apr 19, 2013 Brianna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-na-reading-challenge, new-adult

I received a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

The synopsis of this story intrigued me. I was definitely a bit hesitant to read a book about the succubus, since it immediately made me think that there would be a lot of sex scenes. However, the main character discovering her lost family, and the promise of Irish mythology were too much for me to resist. In the end, I'm very glad that I couldn't.

Brenna was an awesome heroine, and I actually really liked her. She was str...more I received a free copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

The synopsis of this story intrigued me. I was definitely a bit hesitant to read a book about the succubus, since it immediately made me think that there would be a lot of sex scenes. However, the main character discovering her lost family, and the promise of Irish mythology were too much for me to resist. In the end, I'm very glad that I couldn't.

Brenna was an awesome heroine, and I actually really liked her. She was strong, but she wasn't reckless. She was also really mature and intelligent, because she didn't deny overly long all of the new things she was learning about herself, and I knew from then on, she was going to be awesome to read about, and obviously, I was right. I loved seeing mostly everything happen through her eyes, and I ended the book thinking that she was definitely one of the bravest people I'd seen in a novel in a while.

In addition to Brenna, there were some great side characters. Her love interest Collin was a lot of support for her, but I never felt like we fully knew him, and I'm pretty sure that there's still a lot to learn about him. Callie was an interesting character to read about as well, what with all that she knew about everything going on, as well as Brenna's parents. However, my favorite secondary characters by far had to be Rebecca and Seamus. I loved Rebecca's friendship, and how encouraging and loyal she was to Brenna. Seamus was a favorite for me because he could be so nurturing, but when it came right down to it, he was all about protecting his people. I loved how well all of these characters were written, and the author definitely did a good job at developing them all.

The actual plot of this book was really well-done. It started out with Brenna learning about her family and powers, and I loved that part of it. It was pretty fun and interesting to watch her get acquainted with people, and learn how to use all of her Gifts. But then she finds out that she has the rarest Gift, and that creates a pretty big conflict for her, morally speaking, and I could definitely relate. I love how it took a while for her to accept her gift, because she didn't just change her ways of thinking overnight, and that was pretty realistic. However, after she discovers all of this, a mystery starts to develop, and it gets pretty interesting and tense from then on.

Overall, I really liked this book. I read it quite fast, because it had a great plot. I loved a lot of the characters in this story, but Brenna was definitely my favorite, what with her intelligence and strength. The only downfall of this book, in my opinion, was how quickly the romance developed. I liked Collin a lot, but I can't truly say that I saw where the romance came from. With that said, though, it was a really great story, especially since a part of me thought it'd be quite a bit different. With great world-building, original mythology, and wonderful characters, the author made a succubus story that I really liked, and a series that I could potentially love. (less)

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Mar 22, 2013 Lissette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Brenna Morgan has had her up's and down's. Orphaned from an early age, she's been shuffled from home to home for as long as she can remember. Her solitary existence sets her apart from those she interacts with on a daily basis. Deep inside, she prefers things this way. Her unique powers make it difficult for her to get close to someone. She doesn't quite know how to control them, though she's done everything possible to do just that.

Her one treasured possession, an ornate carved wooden box given...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Brenna Morgan’s journey is more complicated than most, orphaned at the young age of eight she has learned to hide her gift of telepathy. After a chance meeting with another telepath she finds a few extended family members and learns her life will never be the same. In a world with a hidden telepathic subculture, Brenna learns the history of the Clan and how to control her powers. This is a fresh take on the succubus myth in a non-magical world.

This is a complex and organized urban fantasy where...more Brenna Morgan’s journey is more complicated than most, orphaned at the young age of eight she has learned to hide her gift of telepathy. After a chance meeting with another telepath she finds a few extended family members and learns her life will never be the same. In a world with a hidden telepathic subculture, Brenna learns the history of the Clan and how to control her powers. This is a fresh take on the succubus myth in a non-magical world.

This is a complex and organized urban fantasy where the subculture of the Clan is based in telepathy rather than demonology or magic, although the law of physics are bent. The Succubus Gift adds a unique and exciting twist to the old myths. Ms. Kingsolver has built an elaborate system of Gifts that are basically a combination of Talents that can be thought of as both distinct and interacting abilities. No one telepath has ever been recorded, in their history, having all twenty-five Gifts until the Clan finds Brenna. The first half of the story deals with her inner conflicts upon learning what she is and how she fits into this new world. Being a highly-educated and moral young woman her life is turned upside down. This is a coming of age story for a reluctant succubus whose strength is incalculable because of her many Gifts and Talents.

There are many characters and all are well drawn, their conversations were both witty and honest. One of my favorites was Rebecca, an oversexed protector (but not a succubus), who became fast friends with Brenna. I loved the way they related and interacted with each other. Then there was Collin, the playboy, who Brenna was instantly drawn to but refuses to have a relationship with. (What? I know, right? She’s a succubus for heavens sake!) This adds an interesting twist though that enhances their conversations and adds a bit of humor I thoroughly enjoyed.

The story is set in a realistic, complex world, just like our own, which helped suspend my disbelief. The plot turns dark when succubi all over the world start disappearing and turning up dead. When Grandfather’s succubus is kidnapped the Clan gets involved. The action takes off as a sting is employed and put into operation. Brenna happens to have the perfect Talent, her mother taught her at a young age, to assist in the sting. However to become the bait she must unleash her inner succubus which will change her life yet again forever. This is an exciting new series to take a chance on; Brenna’s journey is unlike anything I have read before.

FYI: This book contains adult language and sexual situations that may be offensive to some. I found no significant errors.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. ** February 8, 2013
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Nov 10, 2012 Maghon Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, review-4-author

Ok, so let me start by saying I’ve never read anything quite like this book. I’m saying this as a compliment because different is better to me. Sometimes stories about a particular type of character get repetitive so it was a breath of fresh air to see something different. I am particularly fond of how very detailed the author has made the rules and gifts and how they work. Some “gifts” are part of a “Talent” or are a “Talent” in themselves. So, we’ve got magic here lol

I will not lie and say tha...more Ok, so let me start by saying I’ve never read anything quite like this book. I’m saying this as a compliment because different is better to me. Sometimes stories about a particular type of character get repetitive so it was a breath of fresh air to see something different. I am particularly fond of how very detailed the author has made the rules and gifts and how they work. Some “gifts” are part of a “Talent” or are a “Talent” in themselves. So, we’ve got magic here lol

I will not lie and say that even though some parts are very funny, this is a more dark story. Bad people do seriously bad things. To the point that I sometimes got chills while reading. Each character has a story to tell and trust me, some are the types you wish you didn’t know, but it makes them who they are. I really like that I never felt like the story was slow, even when there were things being explained or back stories being told. This is what makes a great story for me.

Brenna is mostly the main character. He life is literally uprooted from the first few sentences. I enjoyed learning about her family and how the Clans works. I really enjoy Collin as I will firmly stay planted on his team LOL not that there are plenty of hotties to go around in this story. A Clan is a seriously large family without everyone being blood related. Rebecca is probably my favorite character though. Her and maybe Kallan and Jared. Seamus is The Lord of the Manor without being king, so I really enjoyed his interactions. And I also really enjoyed that they have no judgement with Decisions that need to be made. That’s a good family to be in LoL

I will say that this is definitely an adult story, not just for the romance side, but for some things that occur. I will however contradict that statement by saying its such and interesting story I want everyone to try it out. It’s so unusual to have almost no taboos in a culture that it makes me want to rethink some of my choices hahahaha I will definitely be continuing this series as I really like so many things about it! A really good 4 PAWS from me!! Now go read it! (less)

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Jul 21, 2012 Dolce Amore rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-request

Reviewed for Booked Up

To See Review at Booked Up

When Brenna Morgan sees a man with no thoughts, no mental activity, but whom she could read his emotions, she follows him. After saving him from his pursuers by shielding him, she finally has the chance of finding more about herself and discovers that she has grandparents, an aunt and that her cousin is the same guy she helped that night; she has a lot of money from her late parents and will probably live two hundred years.

Brenna learns that she is...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Aimeekay rated it 5 of 5 stars

So I just finished The Succubus Gift. I wasn't too sure about this one in the beginning. The story just seemed really rushed

in the beginning. But the story's pace seemed to even out and I really got into it.

Things I loved about this book:

Kingsolver did an amazing job at creating this world. I love the detail they put not only into the characters, but into the

clans and the abilities as well. The author didn't just wave away how the telepathy and the different abilities worked.

There is even a...more

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May 15, 2012 Jacqueline Baker rated it 5 of 5 stars

While skipping around the web looking for something different to load to the Kindle, I saw the "Top Pick" review for this book on NightOwlReviews.com's PARANORMAL page and decided to check it out. As another reviewer quipped on the storyline, "Some days a girl just wants to pull the covers over her head and stay in bed -- with a willing young man of course." After reading just the few preview pages, I was hooked and had to continue...so much for my Saturday night! Once I picked it up, I didn't w...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Kelli rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: love-stories, magic, other-paranomals, psychics-and-esp

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

This book had some things that I really liked, but overall was just not my taste. I can see where people would absolutely love it, there were just to many things that made me uncomfortable to truly enjoy it.

First, I received this book through Read it Review it on the New Adult Book Club page, and while technically the main character is 22 and therefor this book is considered New Adult, because of the subject matter, I would co...more *I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

This book had some things that I really liked, but overall was just not my taste. I can see where people would absolutely love it, there were just to many things that made me uncomfortable to truly enjoy it.

First, I received this book through Read it Review it on the New Adult Book Club page, and while technically the main character is 22 and therefor this book is considered New Adult, because of the subject matter, I would consider it Mature Adult.

The writing style was difficult to get used to. The beginning of the book just jumped right in, and I had no idea what was going on. There was no little introductory scene set-up. It was awkward. Also, the writing was in 3rd person but would generally be from one person's perspective at a time, but then would jump for one paragraph to another person only to then jump back. It got very confusing because I had to figure out who thought what.

I think Brenna was a pretty cool girl, but once she found out what she was, she went crazy for a couple days and basically came across as a sex addict. Then she cooled off, and was with Collin (team Collin), but then let's just say (view spoiler) I was going to give this book 3 stars until stuff like that started happening toward the end. Maybe I'm just to conservative but (view spoiler)

Basically, I liked everything in this story except the Succubus part. I liked the idea of the gifts, and the world building. I liked the characters (not Samantha, and maybe not Siobhan either), and I like the intrigue. But to me, it seemed like the succubi were addicts that thought what they were doing was fine because it felt good and gave them the "Glow." Oh yeah, and there were a few pages in there where (view spoiler) I don't think I will be picking up the next one. I guess I am just too conservative for all that free love and using people. Like I said, I can totally see the appeal of this book and really liked parts of it, and if the whoring around thing doesn't bother you, go for it. Overall, it just wasn't for me.

*Edit April 20* I can't get this book out of my head, and not in a good way. I keep remembering more and more things that bothered me (view spoiler) and I can't figure out why the only gift any of the people seemed interested in was the succubus one. Many of the other gifts (there's 25 in total) were way more interesting. But no. they only focused on the female-only, sex-related one. Anyone else care that you can completely disintegrate someones mind and kill them? No? Why would you be with all those pharamones wafting around. Plus, I just can't get over the complete change Brenna's personality went through, even before the whole Samantha bit. She started saying "well I always actually thought the whole modesty thing was dumb." No you didn't! And I don't think you actually liked Collin if you were encouraging him to sleep with another woman so you could sleep with you other boyfriend, and you didn't want to be with Collin until you knew it was for real and for keeps. That makes no sense.

*deep breaths* I could keep going. I need to leave it alone. This just won't quit bugging me, and I really can't remember the parts I liked.(less)

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Aug 27, 2012 Sofia Wren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal

This truly unique book has several things to offer:

1. A smart, attractive and kick-a** protagonist with a lot to figure out.

Brenna has battled her way from foster homes to the top of her class. Her dissertation on psychic activity is gaining attention, and she is teaching this year at John Hopkins.

When people start telling her they are long lost family and that she has some kind of gift she doesn't want to believe them. But she has to, and once she does, she hits the ground running and takin' n...more

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May 01, 2013 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-it-review-it

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Succubus Gift by B.R. Kingsolver is the story of Brenna, a 21 year old girl who has been raised in foster homes since she was 8 years old. She has telepathic abilities and has never met anyone like herself. The story begins the day she does find someone like her who turns out to be a family member. We get to watch Brenna learn about herself, her family, and her gifts as well as make friendships and struggle with relationships an...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Nereid rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: june-reading-challenge

I did not have any real expectations of this book and I was surprised as it was a pleasant read. Brenna has telepathic abilities and was brought up in the foster care system as her real parents were killed in a plane crash when she was little. She knew she had a gift but did not know how to control it until she met someone who introduced her to the Clan. This group of people are her family and her grandfather Seamus runs the family business employing gifted people like herself and manages an int...more

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May 25, 2012 Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars

Let me just start by saying WOW, because this book completely blew my expectations out of the water and then some. The initial synopsis plot struck me as interesting, but it didn’t prepare me for the utterly heart stopping onslaught of sex, violence and paranormal abilities out the wazoo.

In an age where book covers are raved about because they feature a pretty girl in a dress that’s been air brushed to oblivion, I love that The Succubus Gift’s cover has a more traditional art look and feel to it...more Let me just start by saying WOW, because this book completely blew my expectations out of the water and then some. The initial synopsis plot struck me as interesting, but it didn’t prepare me for the utterly heart stopping onslaught of sex, violence and paranormal abilities out the wazoo.

In an age where book covers are raved about because they feature a pretty girl in a dress that’s been air brushed to oblivion, I love that The Succubus Gift’s cover has a more traditional art look and feel to it, with slight enhancements. It features a gorgeously rendered Brenna and features some of the abilities that the reader will be exposed to.

When we first meet Brenna she’s worked hard to make a career for herself after being orphaned as a young girl. She’s lived with being a telepath for most of her life, but never knowing the true nature of her abilities. That is until one fateful day after inadvertently saving another telepath he takes her to meet others like them, and so begins Brenna’s journey of self discovery.

I loved how dynamic Brenna’s character is. She’s smart, witty and takes things in stride, but there’s also the less perfect side where she’s a bit self depreciating, reserved and sometimes has serious anger management issues. It all combines together though to make a character that’s so interesting to watch as she grows from an innocent Catholic girl to a more confident and insanely powerful woman.

A main point of the story was that Brenna needed to learn how to control a lot of powers, and Kingsolver found a good balance between natural excellence and learning from tutors that made the story more believable and allowed the readers to experience the powers with Brenna instead of the character instantly being able to use all these powers and going out into the world to fight super villains.

One power in particular, her Succubus Gift (which is in reference to as you guessed it, a Succubus which are known for seducing and having intercourse with men) a rare power that eventually takes the main stage in the story. It provides some of the most hilarious moments as she learns what it means to truly be a Succubus and it also brings the reader to fan-yourself kind of steamy bedroom scenes.

Now with all the different powers on top of telepathy such as pyrokinesis, electrokinesis etc., there’s so much going on in The Succubus Gift. Kingsolver has to explain A LOT of things like the powers, the people, back history, and she manages to do it perfectly without getting the reader hopelessly lost. A few of the powers also have very unique names for them and it can get confusing at times, but Kingsolver added an index at the end that was extremely helpful.

I absolutely loved the cast of secondary characters, maybe a bit more than I do Brenna. There’s such a perfect combination of mafia like grandfather, regal motherly aunt, kick ass best friend and completely adorable, hot, but deadly in a fight - love interest and even other Succubi. Kingsolver crafted these characters with such vivid personalities, they ended up taking on distinct voices and life stories that I craved to know more about.

The villains of the story are kept shrouded in the shadows for the most part, and to me that was perfectly fine. They provided the stressor for Brenna to learn and grow, but frankly they were more terrifying when you couldn’t put a face to them while people were being hunted down. A word of warning, these villains are SO twisted. Kingsolver has them do really graphically violent things that some people may not have the disposition to handle. However, the way that Kingsolver states these events is in a very blunt fashion, she doesn’t dance around them with fancy words, they’re difficult things to write about and I'm glad she didn’t take them lightly and that there’s retribution to be had in the end.

Kingsolver’s way of writing is energetic and keeps up a great tempo. When I was reading this it was easy to see when it picked up for action scenes and slowed down for sensual moments. Especially since Kingsolver is a debut author, this was an incredible piece of work.

Eventually, in the end we find out what’s going on and it blows the doors wide open for an exciting sequel, but it doesn’t end on a complete cliffhanger. We’re left in a very comfortable place, where as a reader you want to know more but it isn’t going to make you angry that it just ENDED RIGHT THERE.

This is a great unique addition to the paranormal/urban fantasy genre and I’d definitely recommend this to fans of the genre! It had everything I could ask for, love, sex, violence, witty banter, supernatural abilities. I am so excited to see what Kingsolver does next! (less)

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May 12, 2013 Sophie Hedley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-it-review-it

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

I liked the whole idea of the book, with the Gifts, and appreciated the quick start - I didn't want to read pages on Brenna's life before she became acquainted with the Clan and was glad I didn't have to.

I did find it interesting to read about all the different Gifts, and what they each do individually. But once the plot developed, I felt it all became a bit complicated.

Firstly, (view spoiler)...more

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May 05, 2013 Brenda- Naughty Bits' Book Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5!

I do love my strong female leads. And Brenna didn't disappoint. She lost her family as a young kid only to one day accidentally find them shortly after finishing college. She didn't let it totally overwhelm her and she was willing for the most part to learn about her family but not give up her freedom. She was strong, funny, sexy, mature, intelligent, and has many Gifts. We don't even get to know ALL of them really yet. It's not everyday a young women finds out she's a succubus and this book...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Sue rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Succubus Gift, by B. R. Kingsolver, is a great debut, by a self-published author. It's pretty flawless by the way of editing, which is very impressive. The writing is clean and concise.

The first chapter definitely hooked me. The reader is thrown into the world that Kingsolver creates. It's a secret world, where telepaths exist. The telepaths are each bestowed with gifted abilities. Some have a few, while others have many of the 25 abilities. Brenna, the main character has all of the gifted a...more The Succubus Gift, by B. R. Kingsolver, is a great debut, by a self-published author. It's pretty flawless by the way of editing, which is very impressive. The writing is clean and concise.

The first chapter definitely hooked me. The reader is thrown into the world that Kingsolver creates. It's a secret world, where telepaths exist. The telepaths are each bestowed with gifted abilities. Some have a few, while others have many of the 25 abilities. Brenna, the main character has all of the gifted abilities which is rare and a surprise to her. She hasn't known any other telepaths, but in a twist of faith, meets another telepath who brings her to meet the others. We are introduced to this telepathic / super ability world fairly quickly which is a great hook for the reader. This happens fast, and the transition is seamless.

Kingsolver creates a comprehensive and imaginative, mythological world. Brenna must learn to master her gifts. The book is about her discovery of these abilities and accepting who she is, and how she fits into this new world. I was very interested to read how this would be explained, and I was not disappointed. Kingsolver weaves a solid story around telekinesis, a goddess and succubus theories. Aside from the succubus part, every other piece of the storyline and plot was fresh

Brenna is a likable character. I felt immediately empathetic towards her from the very start. She's kind, tentative and emotionally wounded. Her transformation to an all powerful and knowledgeable telepath with abilities, is a gradual and well-rounded journey. In fact all of the characters are vibrant and interesting. Brenna has an aunt, who becomes a motherly figure to her, a loyal best friend and of course the token love interest. There is the quintessential Grandfather figure that is the leader of these gifted people, who is an endearing and believable character.

There is a lot of dialogue and some of it is drawn out. I found myself skipping over some parts, because I just wanted to get to the point. Information about the story was presented mostly through dialogue, and some of it didn't flow well, enough for me to notice. The same goes for the pacing. Drawn out parts mixed with action, but something was a little off with the pacing. This is a minor flaw and did not impede my overall enjoyment of the book. There is also some smart and witty banter that is exchanged between characters.

While this is Urban Fantasy, there is a strong romantic and sexual element to the book. Nothing gritty, but instead it read fluffy and humorous at times. Imagine a woman just discovering how powerful her sexual projection can be, and then learning to hone and perfect the skill of a rare Succubus. It provided some funny and steamy scenes to say the least! Kingsolver provides a subplot mystery that gives the characters plenty of occasions to demonstrate their abilities and gifts. The romance is contrasted with some violent scenes in the last half of the book, that were graphic, but not offensive to me.

The Succubus Gift ended nicely with enough lure for me to read the sequel.

(Originally posted on www.rabidreads.ca)(less)

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May 15, 2012 Hennessee Andrews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Brenna is a compelling character. I loved her intelligence, witty charm, and the journey she is on. B.R. Kingsolver has a very in depth, vivid and extraordinary imagination. I was hooked immediately, wanting to learn more, and find out more about the telepath and succubus Brenna. A chance meeting with another telepath and relative changes her life forever, leading her into a new world where she is able to learn about her gifts and explore what it means to be a succubus. Not only is this story ab...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Chie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 04, 2012 Kim Trotter rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

The Succubus Gift is B.R. Kingsolver's debut novel and a great read. I'd recommend it to anyone that's looking for an unconventional romance and love story. The main character, Brenna Morgan, is a strong, highly developed, and intriguing leading female. All the other minor characters are just as interesting, particularly Rebecca (my favorite).

The romantic relationship between Brenna and Collin is unique. I can't think of another book that has a relationship quite like this.

This is a fresh take...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Bob Milne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Before I get into my review, I should be up front about something . . . okay, two things. Number one, I don't generally read a lot of urban fantasy. Not sure why, but I guess I prefer a more complete escape or disconnect from reality. Second, I don't generally read too many books that cross over onto the paranormal romance shelves. It's not that I have anything against romance, just that I'd rather it not be the dominant focus of the story.

So, with all of that in mind, it's a bit of a surprise t...more Before I get into my review, I should be up front about something . . . okay, two things. Number one, I don't generally read a lot of urban fantasy. Not sure why, but I guess I prefer a more complete escape or disconnect from reality. Second, I don't generally read too many books that cross over onto the paranormal romance shelves. It's not that I have anything against romance, just that I'd rather it not be the dominant focus of the story.

So, with all of that in mind, it's a bit of a surprise that I agreed to give B.R. Kingsolver's The Succubus Gift a read, and even more surprising that I quite enjoyed it.

This is a book that wastes no time in getting down to business. We barely even know the main character's name yet, and suddenly we're smack-dab in the middle of an unexpected family reunion made awkward by supernatural secrets and secret society politics. It's a little bewildering, but it certainly serves to keep you off-balance, unsure as to what's coming next. Fortunately, Brenna is a strong, colourful, likeable character who serves to keep the reader grounded. Even though she's been a telepath all her life, the revelations of a wider supernatural world (and her place in it) are as new to her as it is to us.

There were two elements of the book that initially kept me reading, and ultimately kept me entertained. The first is the mythology behind the book, which incorporates an ancient Goddess, gifts of telepathy and telekinesis, and an actual succubus. I liked the way Kingsolver played with out expectations of the various elements, twisting them to create a mythological background all her own. It's quite varied and strong, and really holds the novel together.

The second element, the one that kept me entertained, is the strength of her characters. Strong, vibrant, and colourful, they all seem larger than life, the kind of people you really wish could exist off the page. More than that, though, they are characters that grow and evolve. In some cases, that growth simply comes from us learning more about them. In the case of Brenna, however, she really does develop over the course of the story, maturing from this nervous, insecure young woman into someone far more confident, powerful, and capable.

If I were to have one complaint, it would be that the pacing is somewhat uneven. That frantic, headlong rush into the story gives way to several drawn out scenes that seem a little too carefully crafted to create drama, as opposed to moving the story along. It's not a huge issue, and nothing that impacted my enjoyment of the read, just an observation looking back. For the most part, the storytelling is solid and both the action and the romantic sequences work well.

All-in-all, a pleasant surprise.

Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins(less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Petra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, urban-fantasy, paranormal

3,5

http://hazelthewitch.blogspot.cz/2012...

This was an easy and fun read. I hadn't read anything about succubi before, though I had been eyeing some books about them, so it was very refreshing to read this story. I'm a huge fan of vampires and witches, but sometimes you just need a break from them. :)
I liked the way the author showed the succubi (and all the Telepaths), with their history going far back before the rise of Christianity, with roots in Celtic mythology/tradition. The succubi in thi...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Mistik ྉ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr-nauba-group-authors, other-pn, a-z-2013-pnr-nauba-challenge, lendable

I picked up this book after I saw it posted in my group.

The succubus gift - great title since it is the only thing that is talked about in the book. At the very beginning of the read the heroine a perfect 10, or rather 14 to 16, smart, funny, attractive and special, learns of her Gifts and multi million dollar inheritance. She is very unique and a super power since she posses all the Gifts available to those like her. The Gifts include mind reading, fire generation, object manipulation, deathl...more I picked up this book after I saw it posted in my group.

The succubus gift - great title since it is the only thing that is talked about in the book. At the very beginning of the read the heroine a perfect 10, or rather 14 to 16, smart, funny, attractive and special, learns of her Gifts and multi million dollar inheritance. She is very unique and a super power since she posses all the Gifts available to those like her. The Gifts include mind reading, fire generation, object manipulation, deathly self defense but everyone is amazed and obsessed with the Succubus gift: the one where you have sex and drain powers from a partner. WOW, yes I'd be really worried about such gift specially next to the one where I can brain damage people with just a thought. Yes, succubus is definitely worrisome since being beautiful and sexy is a curse. No for real, I was thrown back and I didn't understand the big deal over the book theme; the gift to drain energy and be sexually appealing. The drama was not justified or I'm just an overall sex addict loving girl and can't seem to understand why it's that bad compared to other Gifts she has. It wasn't like the GK of Maed, by the way.

Throughout the 30% of the book these Gifts, especially succubus one is explained in detail and our heroine thinks its the biggest burned of them all. Romance does take hold somewhere along the first 30% but I wasn't buying it since the hero loves her at 13% right after they met. She loves him back, according to her friend, at around 20% due to his mega Charisma.(view spoiler)At this point, I'm sorry, but I had a WTF moment. It was difficult to feel for the H/h when H/h are fk**** other people.

Overall, the world created was very interesting, the writing was very good too, but I didn't see the plot until after the first half; it was basically all world building and the heroine coming to terms with her Gifts. The heroine was flawless and I was bored. The romance would work for me even if it was an open relationship of sorts but I did not feel the connection between the H/h.
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Mar 19, 2013 Beverly rated it 4 of 5 stars

My thoughts:
Fantastic story. Interesting, captivating plot and wonderful characters. A spin I haven't seen with the psychic set. The infrastructure of the clan was clever and original. The shared "gifts" was intriguing. It was fascinating to watch Brenna's transformation, although I thought it took long enough for her to decide what she wanted from Collin.

I truly enjoyed this first installment of the Telepathic Clans Saga and cannot wait to read the next two books.

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Nov 20, 2012 Silvia (Darkest Sins) rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review was originally posted on my blog, Darkest Sins.

I wasn't new to the subject because I read about succubi before, but I have to say that BR Kingsolver presents a total different myth from the one I used to know and it surely is a world full of intriguing talents/gifts to discover. Your attention is divided between the background Clans of Telepaths' conflict and Brenna's story, where you assist to her change and where you probably find your curiosity to be on the highest level.

Unfortuna...more

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May 15, 2012 Mia Darien rated it 3 of 5 stars

If GR allowed half stars, I'd actually give this 3.5 but it doesn't, so it has to be 3 since I can't quite say I *really* liked it.

I liked the world and paranormal setting Kingsolver created. I really liked the "unconventional" aspects of the romance. This felt more like a... paranormal coming of age story to me, but that's nothing wrong there. Some of the drama felt more like drama for drama's sake, with a bit more summarizing of events than I like, and Brenna made me want to gnash my teeth at...more

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May 19, 2012 Taura rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! I don't think I will be able to look at people the same way any more. What if a person I am talking to is a telepath? What if somebody can really read your mind. (?!?!) I am not sure who I loved more - Brenna or Rebecca. They are so different. Can't wait to read more in this series. :O)

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Apr 22, 2013 AlwaysReadingBooks rated it 3 of 5 stars

I believe that this could be a great book. I liked the concept and the whole gist of the book but the thing that bothered me about the book was that it was all over the place and the story kept jumping. One while I was reading about one thing then the next I'm trying to figure out what happen to get me to the next point.

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Jul 30, 2012 Alan Denham rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: f-sf-on-kindle

Still reading this, just over halfway through. So far? Very promising. There are elements of Romance which I would not normally read at all, but also some complex work on mind powers that might (not yet decided) make up for the inclusion of the romance that does, just occasionally, move over towards the edge of the soft (very soft, so far) porn genre. Not a bad mix - I shall certainly finish this, might read some more in this series. I suspect it might be important to read them in order!

Break ....more

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May 06, 2013 Andrew Allred rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very very well done book. I loved the world and the take she took on the succubus, it had well done world building and great characterizations. The heroine was very fleshed out and i so totally loved her she was awesome and for those who want some sexy fun times u will definately find them. My only complaint was once in a while some stuff wasnt fully explained but that in part was because i didnt read the list of powers till after i finished. So i recommend reading it before starting the story....more

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Apr 17, 2013 A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) added it

Shelves: e-book, urban-fantasy, paranormal, indtale

3.5 stars

Full review in April issue of InD'tale Magazine.

http://www.indtale.com/reviews/succub...

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New Adult Book Club: #13 - The Succubus Gift	47	140	May 16, 2013 04:28am
Succubus: New novel, new series - tired of the same old thing?	1	8	May 06, 2012 07:36am
Paranormal Addict...: New novel, new series - tired of the same old thing?	1	8	May 06, 2012 07:31am

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About B.R. Kingsolver

I made silver and turquoise jewelry for almost a decade, ended up in nursing school, then took a master’s in business. Along the way I worked in construction, as a newspaper editor, a teacher, and somehow found a career working with computers.

I’ve always been shy and I have spent a lot of my life alone with a book. I first tried to write a novel when I was 15, a science fiction book set in an alte...more

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Succubus Unleashed (The Telepathic Clans, #2)

Succubus Rising (The Telepathic Clans, # 3)

The Telepathic Clans (The Telepathic Clans, #1-2)

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The Succubus Gift (The Telepathic Clans #1)

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