Review: Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 edited by by Rachel Kramer Bussel

Title: Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Volume 1
Editor: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Format: Paperback, 248 pages
Pub. Date: March 10th 2020
Source: Rachel Kramer Bussel


Book Description:

Super sexy, sensual, and surprising bondage stories from Tiffany Reisz, Somer Marsden, Valerie Alexander, and more collected in this exciting volume by erotica maven Rachel Kramer Bussel!

A cameraman puts a TV anchor on display in a whole new way… Two NASA officials wage an interstellar battle between protocol and desire, and one is taken captive . . . A gender-bending bounty hunter keeps his bounty hostage for more than just the monetary reward . . . Two warring neighbors discover that bondage can be a powerful negotiating tool . . . “Merlin” and the “Lady of the Lake” invoke the magic of the woods to fuel their fiery passions . . .

Best Bondage Erotica of the Year is back with erotica maven and award-winning editor Rachel Kramer Bussel compiling the most scintillating bondage stories into this one amazing collection. With a wide variety of different pairings, genders, and genres, these stories are all united in their deep desire for the mind-bending thrills of this o-so-delectable act. Whether you are exploring your kinky side, are looking for inspiration in the bedroom, or are simply interested in a sexy read, this collection is poised to please and titillate readers of any experience level who are keen to explore the depths of their own passions and penchants for the perverse.



Table of Contents

Chained—Ria Restrepo

Impropriety—Winter Blair

Over Under—Kendel Davi

Protocol—Angora Shade

Beach Blanket Ballet—Richard Bacula

Kneel—Kate Allure

Pretty Tied Up—Zak Jane Keir

The Deepest Part of the Forest—Deborah Castellano

Connection—Lazuli Jones

BYOB—Elizabeth Coldwell

Contrary—Kim Kuzuri

Freefall—Valerie Alexander

Delicate Matters—Leandra Vane

Boundless—Sammy Rei Schwarz

Stronghold—Leif Often

Necessary Roughness—Rachel Kramer Bussel

Safe Sex—Violet R. Jones

Hold On Harder—Dena Hankins

The Student Seat—Sommer Marsden

The Beguiling of Merlin—Tiffany Reisz

Review:

★★★★★

Every time that Rachel Kramer Bussel and Cleis Press release a new anthology, I get excited. It seems like the newest one is always newer, sexier, and more batshit than the last. And I mean that in the best way possible. There's newer scenarios, a wide variety of short stories, a whole manner of arrangements of kink and couplings and throuplings and beyond.

Between the pages of this anthology include stories that feature gender-bending, non-binary characters, couples (straight, gay, lesbian, the works), throuples, groups, young characters, old characters, disabled characters, POC characters, realistic stories, sci-fi stories, fantasy stories, historical stories, Dommes, Doms, role play, chains, ropes, public play, and way too much to keep listing like this. As the title of the anthology implies, the one strand that weaves all of these radically different stories together is the theme of bondage.

Because it's an anthology, I certainly liked some stories more than others. Though I always review only my top three favorite stories, I always take notes on each story and give each one a rating to help me determine the final amount of stars. I can honestly say that out of all the Cleis Press anthologies I've reviewed over the years, this book has the fewest low-rated stars out of all of them. No 1-star, and only one 2-star. The picks for this ones are pretty great to get your smut on. (In fact, 6 of them get perfect 5 stars from me!)

The ones I didn't care for as much are for various reasons- kinks that I'm not into, language that isn't my thing (I think we all have our preferred sexy words and ones that are y i k e s), one story was a bit disjointed and flowery. But, what didn't float my boat might hyper-float yours.

Because these are 20 stories by 20 authors, this book is easy to read either in one go, or in little bites of a story or two here and there.

As always, I'll highlight my top three favorite stories.

The first story that I'll highlight is actually the last one in the book, ensuring that the collection goes out with one helluva bang. It's called "The Beguiling of Merlin: An Erotic Fantasia" by Tiffany Reisz. It's a story I didn't know I wanted. It involves a hetero couple, an art book, history, roleplay, and obviously, bondage. It's a lovely blend of magic and realism, somehow reading as both a wonderful sort of fairy tale and an extremely steamy erotica. It's both pretty and dirty and I'm here for it.

The second book I'll recommend is called "The Deepest Part of the Forest" by Deborah Castellano. You'll probably notice a theme to the sort of stories that I enjoy reading. This story involves Halloween, a primal energy, a big bad wolf, a Red, a forest and, yes, more bondage. I thought this story had a fun, playful yet primal vibe to it. I love Halloween, I love a big bad wolf, and this was just up my alley.

The third one is one that I loved but also puzzles me, because Rachel Kramer Bussel's anthologies have made me acutely aware of the fact that "lesbian historical erotica" is a thing I'm into. Not weirdly specific at all! The last story is called "Impropriety" by Winter Blair. It involves a female/female pairing, a case of malaise, a historical setting, a tinkerer's workshop, bondage (shocking I know!) and an unusual device that may just give her everything she's missing and more. It's sexy, it's playful, it held my attention, and it left me wanting a longer story. I'd read a whole book of Jessamine and Ada. More of this, please!

All in all this book has a scratch to soothe any kinky itch. There's light stories, dark stories, fun stories, a rainbow of characters and a treasure trove of kinks. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and I'm happy to add it to my shelf.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Format: Hardcover, 288 pages
Pub. Date: October 18th 2007
Source: Half Price Books


Book Description:

He consumed her with that kiss, leaving no question that whatever was happening between them was meant to be—that it had always been meant to be…

You can’t stop the future.
You can’t rewind the past.
The only way to learn the secret . . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker–his classmate and crush–who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a firsthand witness to Hannah’s pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.

Review:

★★★★

I know this book is really polarizing for a lot folks, and that a lot of people have strong feelings about it. I'm just not that passionate about it, so this is going to be a really basic review. I have not seen the Netflix adaptation.

I think this book has a good concept. I liked the way that it was formatted, both by using the tapes as a way to hear Hannah's story and by using the tape deck functions (play, pause, rewind) as a way to tie in Clay's narrative and response to her stories.

I will say that this book held my attention. This is probably the fastest that I've read a book in quite a while. It was both intriguing and haunting. I found myself wanting Clay to keep listening and going forward with the tapes, but I also hesitated each time a new person was mentioned, unsure if I actually did want to know what happened to Hannah.

I think I would have appreciated this book when it came out. 2007 would have been freshman/sophomore year of high school for me, when I myself would have been in the throes of my worst depression and high school angst. To me it seemed, melodramatic yes, but also quite realistic. I never questioned the teenage voice that it's written in, and all of the things that happened seemed like they very easily could have been real. That's something that I don't find a lot in a lot of high school books, especially where parties are involved.

I felt connected to the characters, which was sort of weird, considering that Hannah is dead. But the same way that hearing Hannah's voice makes Clay a little jumpy because it's like she's alive again, because her narrative is so strong on the tapes, you feel like you know her. And I felt for Clay, who had to hear so much and continue on with the little chain letter type set up.

I don't think I'll ever read this book again, but I'm not mad that I read it. I don't really recommend it to anyone either- I'd hate for anyone to be influenced by the topics here. If you're suicidal, or have been impacted by suicide, I do not think that this is the book for you.

Review: Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 5 Anthology edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel

Title: Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 5
Editor: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
Pub. Date: December 10th 2019
Source: Rachel Kramer Bussel


Book Description:

In Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 5, award-winning editor Rachel Kramer Bussel takes readers on an outrageous journey into the world of female fantasy and desire. These sexy stories offer up wild, hot, and steamy tales from today’s top authors. You’ll be swept away by the sexiest business deal ever, break the rules in a future world where skin-on-skin contact is forbidden, and discover the art of getting off by phone sex.

From threesomes to mermaid sex, fetishes, sex parties, and much more, these authors steam up the pages with tales of trysts, love, and lust where nothing is held back. If you’re looking to escape from the everyday and discover what happens when women are ready to get totally outrageous, this book is for you.

With new stories by beloved authors including Joanna Angel, Balli Kaur Jaswal, CD Reiss, Sierra Simone, and Sabrina Sol, along with newcomers to the genre, you’ll savor every sizzling page.

Review:

★★★★


The theme of this erotica anthology is "outrageous", and on this word alone, I'd say this collection delivers. There are 21 short stories in here, each of them drastically different but all linked by that one word. Each story is short enough to read in a quickie, but long enough that it satisfies. Because each story is unrelated to the others in the book, this is a good book to read in bursts. One story here, two stories there.

This collection does a really good job with inclusivity and diversity. There are people of color represented here, as well as people with disabilities, of a number of body types, and of multiple age groups. There's also LGBT and gender inclusivity here, including non-binary characters. Not only people, but kinks as well. There's all sorts of eroticism featured here, from hardcore BDSM to bondage to age play, to voyeurism, and a whole bunch in between.

Because there's such a wide variety of stories and authors here, if I were reviewing each story individually, the ratings would be everything from a 1/5 to a 5/5. I'm not partial to stories written in first person. Some were too rushed. Some didn't sell me on being sexy and came off forced. Some had kinks that I just don't want any part in, and some had vibes that I thought seemed creepy or coercive. On the other side of the same coin, some of the stories are beautifully weaved with sexy language. They have kinks that are right up my alley with words that I love and scenes that I'd love to be a part of. They have unique concepts and take their few pages of space in this book and create something fantastic.

My point mainly being, that there'll certainly be something in here for you, even if you don't enjoy each and every story. For me, the good outweighed the not so good, and just because I didn't like it, doesn't mean it won't be the thing that drives you crazy.

I won't be reviewing all 21 stories, nor will I be harping on which ones I didn't like. Instead, I'm going to touch on the three stories that I liked best. These are in no particular order.

The first story I feel is worth highlighting is "The Summer of 1669" by Jayne Renault. If the title wasn't a dead giveaway, it's a historic erotica. In a pleasant surprise to me, the couple featured in this story is two women. It largely takes place in a memory, of a time spent on a ship on its way over from Europe to the New Colonies of America. It's a bit taboo, a lot erotic, and being LGBT myself, the fact that it's F/F was lovely. It's sensually written in a romanticized way, while still being plenty dirty.

The next story that I liked is called "If the Ocean" by Loretta Black. It too features a couple that is two females. It also has historic imagery (I guess I'm pretty predictable, eh?). The story occurs when a woman happens across a mermaid. Yes, a mermaid. The book promises outrageousness, does it not? Loretta Black does a really good job here of balancing the sexy elements with pretty imagery and vocabulary that make it seem like it should be part of a larger work (which I'd read tf out of, if you're reading this!).

The last one, and possibly my favorite one, is the last story of the book, called "Spin" by Lauren Emily. It's an exception to my "I don't like the first person narrative" rule. It's also, I just now realize, yet another F/F erotica. This is surprising to me since I also like men, but, here we are. I'd like to just say that there are plenty of men in this book, despite my top picks! I digress. "Spin" involves a public spectacle of eroticism set while doing an aerialist routine. I have an affinity for all things that are carnival and circus, so this was a perfect way to end this collection of stories.

Over all, there's a lot of authors here with a lot of stories to tell. They each do so differently, and it goes to show how so many different people can take one theme and run wild with it in all different directions. There's a lot of different fantasies and kinks here, so there's sure to be something for everybody. If you've enjoyed any of the other volumes from this anthology line, it will find a nice place on your shelf among the others.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

Valentine's Day Review & Giveaway: Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 3 edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel!

Title: Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 3
Editor: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: December 12th 2017
Source: Cleis Press


Book Description:

Best Women's Erotica of the Year, Volume 3 delivers the kind of sexy stories you want most: daring, bold, and surprising tales of women who pursue their boundless passions anywhere and everywhere. Edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, winner of multiple Independent Publishing Book Awards, these scintillating scenarios turn the tables on how women are "supposed" to behave. Instead, these uninhibited vixens indulge in their favorite fetishes, do deliciously intimate "Body Shots," and get tied up with "Red Satin Ribbons." They pose nude, dress up, and roleplay, always obeying their most exhilarating impulses. These lusty ladies take your most cherished, private fantasies--from making a sex tape, to taking part in a thrilling threesome, to having a stud delivered to your door hot and ready--and make them come alive. Written by beloved authors Abigail Barnette, Annabel Joseph, and Charlotte Stein along with several genre newcomers, these are erotic encounters you'll want to savor again and again and again...

Review:

★★★ ★

I love Cleis Press anthologies. The main reason why is that they are so diverse, and this book is no exception. There are 21 short stories in this book, but other than being labeled erotic, they couldn't be more different. There are characters of color. There are characters in the LGBTQ category. There are women who are submissive, and women who dominate. There's monogamous couples and polyamorous ones. There are characters in their senior years and ones who are squeaky clean and new. There are ones with realistic body types and even disabilities. It's pretty all inclusive, character-wise.

That expands to kinks and fetishes too. There's a little something for everyone. BDSM play. Exhibition. Ropes. Professional dominants. Roleplay. Even a paranormal experience. I appreciate that they're not all the same bland "oh I have handcuffs" type of erotica, which I see a lot of.

As any anthology will be, it's a bit of a mixed bag. The stories I didn't care for so much, it was either because I didn't care for the writing style or that the kinks involved are not my own (and that's okay!).

Rather than give a mini-review for 21 stories, I'm just going to highlight my top three favorite stories.

The first story that made my list is "Bibliophile" by Dee Blake. It involves a woman with a passionate love for all things books and literature, a mysterious book author, and a shared book appreciation that goes far beyond your local Barnes and Noble employees. It's well written, and because I also have a bit of a book fetish, I really enjoyed the angle of the plot.

The second story is called "Overexposed" by Brandy Fox. This story includes a photographer back in her home state for work, a former lover in the unlikely guise of a street performer, and a luxury hotel. I felt that in the few pages of story, the author really managed to make these two characters connect and have feelings beyond a night at a hotel. It seems hard to do, so well done there.

The final story that rounds out my list is titled "Romance and Drag" by Lyla Sage. This short story is a bundle of queer/gender-bendy deliciousness and includes a drag king, a drag queen, and a lot of flaming hotness shared between them. My partner is gender fluid, and I am queer, and this just happened to hit all of the right buttons for me.

Of course there were other stories I liked too, and some honorable mentions include: "Demon Purse" by Sommer Marsden (paranormal cosplay), "A Love Affair All My Own" by RJ Richardson (ballet, f/f), and "Tanked" by Lynn Townsend (private aquarium).

If you love erotica in all shapes and colors, this is something that'll heat up your winter night. The stories are quick and can be read in any order since they're independent from one another.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaway:

Does this sound up your alley? Good news! Rachel Kramer Bussel has generously offered a copy to ONE US reader 18+.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Big Book of Submission, Volume 2 by Rachel Kramer Bussel

Title: The Big Book of Submission, Volume 2
Editor: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Format: ebook
Pub. Date: December 19th 2017
Source: Cleis Press


Book Description:

Whether you are simply curious about submission or regularly revel in the delights of BDSM, these sixty-nine erotic short stories about submissives will turn you on! From participating in a musical recital that takes a very kinky turn to making a grocery run while using sex toys to indulging in a risqué office encounter during working hours, these subs delight in obeying (or deliberately disobeying) their masters and mistresses in public and in private. They are rewarded and punished in the most wicked of ways that will leave you breathless. Edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, with stories by Selena Kitt, Jade A. Waters, Dorothy Freed, and Sommer Marsden among other talented writers, The Big Book of Submission, Volume 2 offers arousing tales that delve deep into the thrills of spanking, bondage, power dynamics, service, exhibitionism, erotic adventure, and much more.

Review:

★★★★ ★

Rachel Kramer Bussel and Cleis Press have done it again. It's no secret that I absolutely adore these erotica anthologies. This one is no exception- in fact, The Big Book of Submission, Volume 2 goes above and beyond. There's so much erotic goodness to unpack here.

As mentioned, this is an anthology of erotic stories, the connecting theme of which is submission. There are 69 stories total. People tend to think of submission and domination as strictly black and white, perfect puzzle pieces. But this book just goes to show that if you ask 69 people what "submission" means to them- you will get 69 very different interpretations. Which is good news for us, since it ends up producing books like this one.

Submissives of so many different types get a story here. This is hands down the most inclusive erotica (anthology or otherwise) that I have ever read. There are switches. There are dominant Females both with men and with women. There are Dominant males, both with men and with women. In some instances, there's more than those two in the scene. There are some that fit into neither gender category. There are people of color. There are those who are young or new to the idea of BDSM. There are those who are more experienced (such as a grandmother) and those who have been in the scene a long time, sometimes even professionally. There are different body types; those who are small, or curvier, or scarred, or surgically affected. They have representation of so many folks here, it's awesome. Proof that not all erotica is a stuffy white hetero dude in a suit and a doe eyed brunette who has no idea what's going on. *cough* moving on.

As for kinks, there is absolutely something for everyone. Kinks for days, my friend. Including some very specific ones that I enjoy that I did not expect to see. (But which ones? That's up to you to figure out, a lady never tells unless we're Fetlife friends). Here's a very oversimplified list of some of the things you can expect in the way of kink: BDSM (obviously), bondage, rope, training, power struggles, pet play, spanking, a host of different toys, affairs, pegging, role play, blades, gender play, tickling, different time periods, accents/language, food, and strangers. There's bound (pun intended) to be something on this list that sets off your fires.

There are some stories that focus heavily on the connection or romance between characters, so if you're more vanilla-minded don't be scared away!

The few issues I had with this anthology are pretty standard comments about anthologies. Namely, they won't all be winners to everyone. There are some kinks that are not my kinks (and that's okay!) so I didn't enjoy them as much. There are some names/titles/euphanisms that turn me off. There are some writing styles that I just don't enjoy. But the good thing is that in 69 stories, the ones I enjoyed far outweighed the ones I did not.

Plus, each story is completely independent of the other stories, so you can scan or skip or delay the stories you don't think you'll enjoy, without effecting story lines or anything like that.

Rather than talk about all 69 stories and their negative and positive traits, I'm going to highlight my three favorite stories from this collection.

The first is "Chased by the Wolf" by Mischa Eliot. It involves a male Dominant and a female submissive, a costume party, collaring, and a Predators and Prey themed party hosted at the zoo. This party- where dominants dress as predators, and submissives as prey- sounds like one I would absolutely go to. The writing style is playful but alluring, and stands out to me because of costuming and event type.

The second story is called "My Girl, My Boy, My Enby" by Annabeth Leong. The pairing in question here involves a female Dominant, and a submissive who is gender non-binary, who has "girl days" and "boy days" and "non-binary days". This stands out to me because it is honestly the first erotica I have ever read that has a non-binary character in it. And that means the world to me. My fiance is NB, so I was more into, more connected to this story and it set off sparks I didn't know I had. Well done you. It felt very intimate while still being dirty, it was a good balance.

The final story I'd like to highlight is called Oktoberfest Addiction by Roxanna Cross. It involves a male Dominant and a female submissive. It also involves Oktoberfest, risque themed outfits, hair ribbon bondage (fantastic idea), and German mustard in some very interesting places. I like women in dirndl dresses, food, and Germany. Sue me. It was very fun to read, and again the tone was a bit playful and a bit cheeky. It sounded like a fun festival that I'd love to be a part of.

Some other 5 star stories that get a shout out include "Metamorphosis" by Emanuelle de Maupassant (books, public play, libraries), "Imago" by Anna Sky (tattoo guns), "Cari's Recital" by Rod Harden (ha) [public play, bondage, piano], and "Apprendimento" by Kathleen Tudor (punishment, clothes pins, f/f).

All in all this book is one that has a secure place on my erotica shelf. It's such a mixed bag (in a good way!) of different stories and pairings and fantasies and even time periods. It's like hitting "shuffle" on my dirty thoughts, and that's a great thing.

If you're a fan of BDSM, erotica, RKB's other anthologies, or even sex in general, there's something in this book for you.

Thanks to Cleis Press who gave me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Afterparty by Ann Redisch Stampler

Title: Afterparty
Author: Ann Redisch Stampler
Format: Paperback ARC
Pub. Date: January 7th 2014
Source: Won


Book Description:

Emma is tired of being good. Always the dutiful daughter to an overprotective father, she is the antithesis of her mother -- whose name her dad won't even say out loud. That's why meeting Siobhan is the best thing that ever happened to her...and the most dangerous. Because Siobhan is fun and alluring and experienced and lives on the edge. In other words, she's everything Emma is not.

And it may be more than Emma can handle.

Because as intoxicating as her secret life may be, when Emma begins to make her own decisions, Siobhan starts to unravel. It's more than just Dylan, the boy who comes between them. Their high-stakes pacts are spinning out of control. Elaborate lies become second nature. Loyalties and boundaries are blurred. And it all comes to a head at the infamous Afterparty, where debauchery rages and an intense, inescapable confrontation ends in a plummet from the rooftop.

This follow-up to Ann Redisch Stampler's Where It Began, reveals how those who know us best can hurt us most.

Review:

★★

Sometimes, every once in a while, there comes a book that feels like a case of "it's not you, it's me". I believe that this is one of those times. I'm glad a lot of other people seem to have enjoyed it, but it wasn't for me. This review will be vague, because there's a lot of potential spoilers.

The writing style wasn't one that I found enjoyable. It was full of long, flowery sentences that seemed extra detailed just for the sake of a word count. I thought maybe I'd warm up to it as the book went on, but alas I did not. The pacing was also rough. Sometimes the book jumped forward a day, sometimes a week. It was jagged and awkward and hard to keep up.

And then there's the characters. 99% of the time when I don't like a book, it's because of the characters, and this isn't the 1% for me. I didn't care for any of them. Not like "oh, I connect and understand these characters but I dislike them" but as in, I don't care at all what happens in your lives. For me it was a hyper-dramatic version of the 2003 film Thirteen. There's a good girl who doesn't want to be so good. Enter the super crazy, abusive, manipulative cool bad girl who is her downfall. There wasn't anything about her that made her unique, or someone that I could understand being friends with in the first place, let alone the friendship that follows. Think of all the things parents think are the end of the world: drugs, sex, and alcohol, and multiply the drama by 100, and that's what Siobhan gets them into. The main character is generic and forgettable, and doesn't really grow that much by the end of the novel . So, it felt largely predictable in parts.

And the end? What a let down. It didn't make up for my other issues with the book, so I was just left frustrated.

I will say that though it has nothing to do with the story, the cover is gorgeous.

As I said, I think this is a case of it's not you, it's me. So, if you like teenage drama type stories like Pretty Little Liars or Gossip Girl or things like that, go for it. Maybe you'll have a better time.

It Gets Worse by Shane Dawson

Title: It Gets Worse: A Collection of Essays
Author: Shane Dawson
Format: Paperback, 256 pages, autographed.
Pub. Date: July 19th 2016
Source: c2e2 / Anderson Books


Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Shane Dawson returns with another highly entertaining and uproariously funny essay collection, chronicling a mix of real life moments both extraordinary and mortifying, yet always full of heart.

Shane Dawson shared some of his best and worst experiences in I Hate Myselfie, the critically acclaimed book that secured his place as a gifted humorist and keen observer of millennial culture. Fans felt as though they knew him after devouring the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal bestseller. They were right… almost.

In this new collection of original personal essays, Shane goes even deeper, sharing never-before-revealed stories from his life, giving readers a no-holds-barred look at moments both bizarre and relatable, from cult-like Christian after-school activities, dressing in drag, and losing his virginity, to hiring a psychic, clashes with celebrities, and coming to terms with his bisexuality. Every step of the way, Shane maintains his signature brand of humor, proving that even the toughest breaks can be funny when you learn to laugh at yourself.

This is Let's Pretend This Never Happened and Running With Scissors for the millennial generation: an inspiring, intelligent, and brutally honest collection of true stories by a YouTube sensation-turned one of the freshest new voices out there.

Review:

★★★★

This was just the book I needed after my reading slump. Seriously, it's been like a year since I was an active reader. When I saw a signed copy of this at the Anderson's Book booth at C2E2, I couldn't resist.

I'm a big fan of Shane Dawson's YouTube channel, and I wasn't disappointed in this book at all. His dark sense of humor, his passion for film, and his voice are all clear in this collection of essays.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much emotion was in this book. I really related to his struggles. A lot of his stories come from his time as a (self-professed) poor fat kid. I was a poor fat kid, so I really understand the things he talked about like "chub rub" and terrible plus sized Goodwill clothes. I also really related to his discussions about his coming to terms with his bisexuality. I identify that way myself, and it's fairly uncommon to read books where it comes up (other than erotica). It's nice knowing sometimes that you're not alone. Like him, I didn't come out until my 20s, and I struggled for a really long time.

I've been watching his YouTube channel for years, and I feel like this book made me learn more about the guy behind the channel. I couldn't help but to read the whole book in his tone, and it made the funny parts even more hilarious, and the sad parts even more heartfelt.

I liked that each essay was prefaced with a piece of art done by a fan, and a little bio about the artist. I thought this was a really nice way of incorporating his fans into the book, and it was interesting to see everyone's art style, and how the piece related to the topic of the chapter

There were parts where I laughed my ass off- like when he accidentally ended up in Mexico, or when he started to delve into the world of online hookups. There were parts where I even teared up, like in the last essay when his mom wrote about how proud she was of the man he's become, or when he hired a medium to talk to a deceased relative.

Overall, I'd say if you're familiar with Shane Dawson and are a fan, pick up this book. If you're new to him, you'll still enjoy it, but be warned that it's full of, shall we say, blue humor. Lots of sex jokes and swearing. For me, this is a plus. For others, maybe not so much. It's also worth mentioning that I have not read his first book "I Hate Myselfie". I didn't feel like I was missing anything without it.

Review: Little Peach by Peggy Kern

Title: Little Peggy

Author: Peggy Kern

Format: ARC

Pub. Date: March 10th 2015

Source: Traded



Book Description via Goodreads:

What do you do if you're in trouble?

When Michelle runs away from her drug-addicted mother, she has just enough money to make it to New York City, where she hopes to move in with a friend. But once she arrives at the bustling Port Authority, she is confronted with the terrifying truth: she is alone and out of options.

Then she meets Devon, a good-looking, well-dressed guy who emerges from the crowd armed with a kind smile, a place for her to stay, and eyes that seem to understand exactly how she feels.

But Devon is not what he seems to be, and soon Michelle finds herself engulfed in the world of child prostitution where he becomes her “Daddy” and she his “Little Peach.” It is a world of impossible choices, where the line between love and abuse, captor and savior, is blurred beyond recognition.

This hauntingly vivid story illustrates the human spirit’s indomitable search for home, and one girl’s struggle to survive.

Review:

★★★

This is one of those rare instances where I'm really not sure how I feel about this book. I think it is definitely worth reading, but I can't say that I loved it, and I probably won't read it again. I'm left a bit disappointed, because this is one of my most anticipated reads of 2015. Overall, it was okay.

I will give this book one thing: it's incredibly gritty. The writing feels realistic. Even when the events happening to Michelle are unpleasant (which is a LOT), it feels realistic and not too dramatic. The characters and the settings are all well detailed, and it is easy, albeit unsettling, to place yourself in the main character's shoes. The characters were well written and were easily distinguishable from one another, but I felt they were missing a bit of depth. Honestly, I never really connected to Michelle. Considering this book has the difficult topic of child trafficking/prostitution, I felt I was missing some of that emotional attachment to her, and I felt I wasn't as impacted as I should have been.

A note about the writing that was neither positive nor negative really, but it was a bit hard to read this at times because the characters speak like they would in real life. That is, there is poor English and slang, like "I ain't gonna", etc. While I totally see why the author did this, and it definitely adds to that grit I mentioned before, from a reader standpoint, it wasn't all too pleasant. It doesn't effect my rating, but it was rough in parts.

I also didn't realize that this book is about gangs. It again doesn't really matter, in regards to a review. But when all of a sudden the Bloods were mentioned, I was taken aback. It totally adds a different layer to the story.

I feel like the book was a bit rushed, to be honest. I think that's part of the "missed connection" to Michelle. The story moved so fast that I didn't really have time to grow fond of any of the characters, or even to hate others like her "Daddy". I wish the book had been a little longer, and a little slower of a pace, or at least a more in depth pace.

This topic is an important one. Child trafficking is a huge problem that happens where most of us won't realize it. I appreciate the research that went into this book, and the light the author tried to shine on it. I think that this is a book that will have a lot of people raving and talking: which is good. We need to talk about it. But for me, it's a book worth reading once, but probably not more than that.

I got this ARC through a book trade, in exchange for an honest review.

PRIDE Month Review & Giveaway: Best Lesbian Romance edited by Radclyffe!

Title: Best Lesbian Romance of the Year

Author: Radclyffe

Format: Paperback, 244 pages

Pub. Date: June 9th 2015

Source: Cleis Press



Book Description via Goodreads:

The stories in Best Lesbian Romance 2015 will have readers falling in love with love all over again. A celebration of the swooning sensation of a first crush, the dizzying feel of a first touch and the raw electric elation of sexual passion are all captured here. Radclyffe, the highly lauded romance novelist and master editor always covers the full range of lesbian love- a real spectrum of experience with plenty of room for passion and possibility, as praised by The Advocate, "Every story the human heart can tell."

Review:

★★★

Ah. Lesbian romance. I'm a sucker for a good female/female romance, since my partner and I are happily in love and she is in fact a female. I was excited when Best Lesbian Romance fell into my hands. I love Cleis anthologies, I love lesbians, and I love romance- what's not to like? Overall, this was a really enjoyable book that offers something for everyone. There are different pairings that make each story unique- new lovers, old lovers, "straight" women, butches, femmes. There are tons of variations in these stories, and I think that's part of what makes this book a pleasant one to read. There are 18 independent short stories in this book, so it's easy to read either all at once, or in bite sized little pieces.

Since it's an anthology, the stories were hit and miss for me. I loved some, but didn't enjoy others as much. It's unprofessional and disrespectful to call out specific stories and why I didn't like them, in my opinion, so I'll be vague. There's a negative stereotype in the LGBT community that lesbians move too fast in relationships. It's a running joke. That's how I felt about some of these. These are short stories, so you only have a limited space to create love- I understand that. But a lot of them felt rushed, and not in a whimsical love-at-first-sight kind of way. I was also irritated at a story that kept referring to a girl as a nerd or a geek (I got it the first time) and a story where it closed with the main character saying "Love you too." "Love you" and "I love you" are two very different tones to this reader.

Now that the unpleasant bits are out of the way, I'd like to take my review space to highlight the good stories instead of going over all of the bad. I'd like to share with you my three favorite stories in this anthology. The following stories are in no particular order. The first story that I loved is called "Red Velvet Cake" by Tamsin Flowers. I've read Flowers' work before and loved it, and this story definitely lives up to my admiration of her. This story involves a barista, a loyal customer, and a flirty game of "do you like girls or not". The title drew me in first, admittedly, as I adore red velvet cake. But the whole coffee shop romance thing came off as steamy as a good espresso and sweeter than a frappe. The second story that stood out to me is called "Waterfall" by LT Masters. This tells the tale of a lover left waiting, a stranded and injured hiker, and a hidden cave in the woods. I thought this one was really sincere and it made me all warm and fuzzy inside. I'd really like to see it become part of a longer story arc, but that's just me being greedy, I'm sure ;) I love hiking and the woods, so this was an extra fun read for me. The last one that I'd like to highlight is called "Gargoyle Lovers" by Sacchi Green. This is another author whom I've read before and really enjoyed, so it's not at all surprising that this is one of my top picks. This story includes a honeymoon trip to Paris, a chained rendez-vous on a balcony, a fascination with gargoyles, and a trip to the local adult shop. This one was equal parts of dreamy and sexy, and honestly has created a whole new fantasy that I'd like to bring to life, s'il vous plait.

I tried to just do three, but I am giving an honorable mention to "Like a Breath of Ocean Blue" by Elizabeth Banks, and the story she weaves using the ocean, Kahlua, and a tourist-y t-shirt shop. It's summery and nice, and it's summery and nice while I'm reading it, so it was an extra nice treat.

All in all, I think that this is an anthology that blends together the sex scenes Cleis Press is known for, softened by the melty, warm feeling of falling in love all over again. I'd recommend it to lesbian readers, fans of F/F romance, or even just romance in general. I'm happy to display this on my shelf, and I'm sure I'll revisit some of these stories again.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Get It Now

Amazon | Cleis Press | BN

Giveaway:

Cleis Press was awesome enough to offer up a copy for one lucky reader! 18+, USA only.

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Review & Giveaway: Better Sex in No Time by Josey Vogels!

Title: Better Sex in No Time: An Illustrated Guide for Busy Couples
Author: Josey Vogels
Format: Paperback, 282 pagesegalley
Pub. Date: April 14th 2015
Source: Cleis Press


Book Description via Goodreads:

In those first heady days of a relationship, couples can barely keep their hands off each other. But as relationships mature, sex can get pushed further and further down the list of priorities. Suddenly, instead of a passionate date you can’t wait to keep, sex might start to feel like one more nagging to-do.

It doesn’t have to be that way. And it doesn’t require quitting a job or wearing dirty clothes to reclaim the spark. Couples just need a few moments of tender connection a day (and a few pointers from Canada’s leading sexpert), and soon they’re looking for ways to devote even more time to amazingly hot sex.

Josey Vogels has created a fun and approachable guide for couples that is packed with tips, tricks, and time-guided ideas to try. With this book on their bedside tables, readers start having better sex in no time.

What you learn from this book:
• Ways to sexually connect to your partner in five minutes or less
• Massage techniques
• Why romance matters
• The importance of self-pleasure (and learning new private tricks!)
• Sex on the go
• Tantric sex for busy couples

Review:

★★★★★

I'm a firm believer that your sex life can always be better. For the most part, I'm pretty satisfied with my sex life, but I mean there is always room for improvement. So when I got asked if I wanted to read Better Sex in No Time, I was excited to say yes. I think this book can help any couple improve, even if a little, no matter how long you've been together.

It's important to start out by saying that my partner is a female. This book is written primarily for heterosexual couples- which is in no way a complaint. I found that it was easy to pick and choose the physical things that would work for females, and almost all of the romance aspects are still applicable, regardless of gender. I'm not sure how it plays out for gay men, but for lesbians, there's still plenty of tips in here for you!

The book is divided into four big sections. Part one is "Seduction". Part two is "Foreplay". Part three is "Union" and part four is Spice. I appreciated that this book was chunked in this way, because it makes it easy to focus on the parts that you know that your relationship may be lacking in. There's smaller sections in each part, narrowing the focus even further.

There's a lot of really good tips and advice in this book. There are some really nice (and non-explicit) photographs that help keep the romantic/sensual vibe about the book. There are also helpful illustrations throughout the book that help to explain what the text is trying to convey. Things such as positions or ways to move your fingers, things like that, become more clear when you look at the illustrations. I was a little bit worried when I found out that it was an illustrated book, but they really do add to the advice.

Honestly, I think that this book is perfect for any couple (over 18, blah blah). It's full of advice for any part of your sex life that may be struggling, from adding some kinky fun to the mix, or communication and intimacy problems. It's a book that will happily find a home on my sexuality shelf for reference in the future.

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

Giveaway:

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Review: All the Rage by Courtney Summers

Title: All the Rage
Author: Courtney Summers
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: April 14th 2015
Source: St. Martin's Griffin


Book Description via Goodreads:

The sheriff’s son, Kellan Turner, is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is, and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. Because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town, the truth about him has cost her everything—friends, family, and her community. Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly by a group of kids she used to hang out with, Romy’s only refuge is the diner where she works outside of town. No one knows her name or her past there; she can finally be anonymous. But when a girl with ties to both Romy and Kellan goes missing after a party, and news of him assaulting another girl in a town close by gets out, Romy must decide whether she wants to fight or carry the burden of knowing more girls could get hurt if she doesn’t speak up. Nobody believed her the first time—and they certainly won’t now — but the cost of her silence might be more than she can bear.　

With a shocking conclusion and writing that will absolutely knock you out, All the Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women after an act of sexual violence, forcing us to ask ourselves: In a culture that refuses to protect its young girls, how can they survive?

Review:

★★★

I waited a long while to write this review. All the Rage is a very intense book to read, and I needed some time (a few weeks, actually) to decompress everything long enough to write a coherent opinion on it.

First, I'd like to say that this book's message is so damn important. I think it's crazy that every day when I get on Facebook, there's a new trending story of some teen rape/bullying/sexting case. It's horrifying. Books with themes as deep as the ones found in this book are often close to my heart, because I have experienced them first hand. These are books that need writing, because it is still happening across the country and the world. It's worth reading. End of.

The writing itself is beautiful. Though I can name other books Summers has written, and I've come across her name often on the internet, this is the first time I've ever read anything written by her. She has a great ability to describe human emotion in ways that I'm not sure that I could give a voice. It's beautiful and haunting at the same, almost hollow. It was an almost soothing sense of dread and darkness, which was an odd sensation but a lovely one as a reader (that might make no sense to some of you- sorry about that).

That said, the timing in this book left me puzzled. I wasn't always entirely sure where in the timeline I was, and that made it a bit hard to focus on what was happening. I had all of the puzzle pieces, but struggled at times to put them together into a bigger picture.

The characters left me divided. I felt for Romy, truly, and I wanted her to get all the things that she needed and wanted to calm her mind and restore her life. Because she was so turbulent of a character, my own feelings for her matched. Sometimes she left me confused, and sometimes I really couldn't connect to her. Other times I felt like she was sharing thoughts I've had personally, verbatim. The adults, don't get me started. They're accurate enough- the not listening, the lying, the small town politics. That is where I felt all the rage. I wanted to punch some of them (not unlike the adults in other books on similar topics I've read lately). The romance aspect didn't really add anything to me, but I'm sure there are others who will disagree with me.

In short, this book left me torn. And honestly, I think it was meant to. It's a book that's hard to swallow and slow to read, because some pretty bad themes and actions are within its pages. It is a book that demands more thought and reflection after it's been read. As I mentioned before, I think it's definitely a book that is worth reading, even though I didn't always follow or connect to it in the best way. Be warned, rape and bullying are main themes in this book, so tread with caution if you are sensitive to them. If you benefited from reading books such as Some Boys or The S-Word, you might want to give this one a go.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Best Sex Writing of the Year edited by Jon Pressick!

Title: Best Sex Writing of the Year: The Year's Most Challenging and Provocative Essays on the Subject of Sex
Author: Jon Pressick
Format: Paperback, 256 pages
Pub. Date: March 17 2015
Source: Cleis Press


Book Description via Goodreads:

This first volume of Best Sex Writing of the Year features a number of significant bloggers and some of the most important stories of the past two years. Alexandria Goddard is the blogger who made the important connections in the historic Steubenville Rape Case; Epiphora is the most renowned and saucy sex toy reviewer who has legions of dedicated followers; Lux Alptraum has recently sold the wildly successful Fleshbot and taken an editorial position at Nerve. These contributors (and many others) know the words that sell online, and their presence in this collection will carry tremendous weight with readers.

At the same time, this anthology features topics that have not received as much attention in previous editions. Jiz Lee raises exasperated hands to the ongoing ban of fisting in porn. Internationally acclaimed musician Ember Swift recounts her sexual appetites while she was pregnant. David Henry Sterry remembers his experience as a sex worker providing service to an 82-year-old woman. People — including those beyond the sex community — are learning to consider sex from many different angles, and this collection covers a great number of them.

Review:

★★★★

I have to say, I think this is a great concept for a book. Most of the books that I get published by Cleis Press are fictional short stories, but this book isn't that kind of writing. This is a collection of scholarly articles, each written under the blanketed category of "sex". I'm currently in college and I'm getting a minor in Sexuality Studies. I can say with certainty that I will be citing at least some of these articles in my research in the future as I earn my degree.

I'm not going to lay out all thirty-ish essays that are featured in this book (buy it and read it!), but I will talk briefly about some of the essays that I found the most interesting. One of these is entitled "I Am the Blogger Who Allegedly 'Complicated' the Steubenville Gang Rape Case- and I Wouldn't Change a Thing" written by Alexandria Goddard. As the title suggests, this as an article that reflects on the awful rape case that happened a few years ago, written by a blogger who had captured screenshots and tweets and posted them to spread some light on the situation of just how bad the case was. I'm pretty sure that there's not an adult or teenage American who hasn't heard of this case. It's fascinating to see the shitstorm unfold from such a perspective as Alexandria's, who was both praised and looked down on for her posting of content that the teens had willingly posted (rather stupidly) themselves to social media. I digress. Another essay that I found really interesting is called "When I Was a Birthday Present for an Eighty-Two-Year-Old Grandmother" by David Henry Sterry. Again, the title kind of sums it up, it's about the author's job, where he was hired as an escort for a woman's birthday. It's an interesting view of things, and you get an emotional and almost satisfaction hearing his story.

This book is enlightening and brings a lot of unique voices to the table. It's definitely worth giving a read if you at all have sex- er go, all of you adults should read it. It's insightful and informative, and very smartly done. It's my understanding that this is the first edition of this, implying that there will be more. I definitely hope that's the case, because I think it fills a need that's lacking in modern publication.

I received this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Three of Hearts by Kristina Wright

Title: Three of Hearts: Erotic Romance For Women
Editor: Kristina Wright
Format: Paperback, 232 pages
Pub. Date: March 17th 2015
Source: Cleis Press


Book Description via Goodreads:

Three’s company? No, three’s a charm! Three of Hearts features sexy trios who are not just falling into bed, they’re falling (or have already fallen) in love. These stories explore the threesome dynamic emotionally as well as sexually. Whether it’s a couple introducing a third person to their relationship for just one night of fun or for a lifetime commitment, or a woman torn between two lovers who decides not to choose, the focus of this collection of sexy stories is entirely on female pleasure.

Review:

★★★★

I'm a firm believer in the idea that "more is better", and I'm a big fan of Kristina Wright's anthologies. So when I was asked to read a book that combines menage and her taste in erotica? Yes, please. Sign me up for that. I was definitely not left disappointed.

As is the case with most anthologies, there were some stories that I absolutely loved, and others that I didn't care for so much. But the great thing is that these are short stories, so it's easy to skip ones that you don't like in the future, or to read as many steamy scenes as you want, or as little, without fear of missing something or mixing up stories.

This book contains sixteen short stories that all focus on a central theme: threesomes. There's a good representation here of combinations of men and women, ensuring that there's at least a story for everyone.

I'll give a brief highlight, as always, of the three stories that I like best. These are in no real particular order, nor are they the only ones that I enjoyed, just the ones that stuck out the most. The first story that stood out to me was "Eve's Apple Red" by Angela Caperton. In this story, a wife notices a new shade of lipstick on her husband's collar and explores who it belongs to. The reason why I liked this one is because I am an avid hoarder and user of makeup, so I really liked that the wife used lipstick colors to further the writing about her relationship. It catered to my interests in that regard, and of course the sex was pretty delightful too. The second story that I enjoyed is called "Medley of Desire" by AJ Lyle. Within this story, a lovely lady's two boyfriends come together in unexpectedly blissful way. Why I liked this one is because of the well done sex. It was steamy and hot and probably my favorite erotic scene in the book. On a more personal level, I liked it because one of her men calls her kitten, and that's what my girlfriend calls me. So it heated me up in a more personal, specific sort of way. My final highlight is for the story called "A Thief in the Night" by Giselle Renarde. This sexy little number includes a masked man who comes in the middle of the night, ties up one partner and has fun with another. Quite bluntly; that's my fetish. The author captured the sexual tension and the fantasy and the desire really well, and that is a story I'd read again and again.

All in all, I think this is a great collection of erotica. This is a perfect book for those who are in menage relationships or who dream about them. While I didn't love every story, I enjoyed most of them and loved quite a few. This is obviously a book that contains adult themes like sex and BDSM, so naturally I recommend it to readers who are of age. Go forth and get this book, and may it serve as inspiration in your own boudoir.

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

Giveaway:

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Review- Sex and Cupcakes: A Juicy Collection of Essays by Rachel Kramer Bussel!

Title: Sex and Cupcakes: A Juicy Collection of Essays
Author: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Format: Kindle Edition, 64 pages
Pub. Date: October 16th 2014
Source: Thought Catalog Books & Rachel Kramer Bussel


Book Description via Goodreads:

Sex and Cupcakes is a collection of essays from writer Rachel Kramer Bussel reflecting on her years as a sex columnist and cupcake blogger, detailing her dirty and sweet sides as well as sexual adventures, politics, heartbreak, tattoos and more. Sex and Cupcakes reveals the woman behind the stereotype, one far more complex than Carrie Bradshaw and her Manolos, a woman willing to expose herself, on paper and in the flesh, who takes risks and gets hurt and keeps on searching for love, sex, passion and happiness. Includes essays such as “I’m Pro-Choice and I F***,” “Wearing My Tattooed Heart On My Sleeve,” “My Boyfriend’s Fat,” “Champagne Sex,” and “Monogamishmash.”

Review:

★★★★

Sex and Cupcakes is a collection of thoughtful and thought provoking essays from erotica writer (and so much more) Rachel Kramer Bussel. I've read a countless number of her short stories, articles, and anthologies, but this collection of essays is the one that most connected me to her. I feel like these essays act as a window into what makes Rachel, well, Rachel, and it was definitely an interesting read.

What I like about these thoughts is their honesty. They cover a wide range of topics, from body image to erotica writing to cupcake blogging, and each chapter serves to talk about a different facet of life. It kind of underlines the fact that each of us has so many different sides and pieces and masks that we show to different people. What makes me most appreciate her honesty is that it is done with utmost respect while still not sugar coating anything. For example, in one of the essays she talks about how her experience with polyamory was not a good one and that it didn't seem to be for her. However, while talking about that, she never insults the culture or the people in it, which is sadly something that happens a lot when people offer their opinion. It was something that I definitely noticed, in a positive way.

This collection of essays is a sincere one that is fairly quick to read, but offers a lot of information. I've toyed around with the idea of writing erotic short stories myself, but I always somehow manage to talk myself out of it. Rachel offers advice and tips on how to go about writing and getting published, and honestly she made me have a motivation, a want to test my writing skills to see what I could do. Props for that.

I also liked that these essays had citations/recommendations. If she thought a topic needed more exploring, she provided names of books or authors so the reader could go and investigate further. If she had something to say in response to a particular book or article, it was quoted and cited and then intelligently responded to.

This collection gives an interesting insight into the world of erotica, sexuality, and writing in general. I'd recommend it to those in the erotic writing field or to fans of Rachel Kramer Bussel's other works.

Thanks to Thought Catalog Books & Rachel Kramer Bussel for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Blog Tour- Double Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway of A Story of Submission Trilogy by Alison Tyler!

Book One:

Title: Dark Secret Love

Series: A Story of Submission #1

Author: Alison Tyler

Release Date: September 17th 2013

Publisher: Cleis Press

Book Summary:

Dark Secret Love is a modern-day Story of O, a 9 1/2 Weeks-style journey fueled by lust, longing and the search for true love. Inspired by her BDSM lifestyle and based on her private diaries, Tyler draws on her twenty-five years' experience penning sultry stories to create a scorchingly hot work of autobiographical fiction, a meta-novel with reality at the core.

Take a deep breath and get your safe word handy. Alison Tyler will push your boundaries to their limits—and have you begging for more.

Review:

★★★★

Alison Tyler is one of my favorite erotic writers. I've read a fair number of her anthologies, but never an independent story/novel until I got a hold of this trilogy. Her excellent writing shines even more when she is given more pages to work with. She has a gift for pulling her readers (at least, for pulling) me into her stories, and this one is no exception. I was drawn into Dark Secret Love from the prologue. Tyler's writing ensured that I was with Samantha for every scene, every emotion, and every pain that she felt, and I loved it.

Part of this attachment is probably because this book is a blend of nonfiction and fiction, as Tyler explains in the introduction. I think this gives the book a more personal feel, a raw honesty that I don't often find in BDSM-related books. Maybe that's why I like Samantha so much. I related to this main character so much. The desire for pain, the silent "know" that some people just have about those into the scene. These are all things I've experienced, so I felt for Samantha all the stronger. She was my favorite character. I wasn't always the biggest fan of some of her Dom's decisions, so I wasn't as connected to him.

This is a book about exploration into a dark, sexual place. It was fascinating to see Samantha and her emotions and relationships shape over the course of the novel, and I think that it's something that a lot of people in the BDSM scene will relate to. While I can't speak for everyone, I can certainly say that this sub did.

The sex scenes are well written to say the least. They're detailed, dirty, and I'm sure other D words that I've forgotten. There's plenty of them, and they're sure to arouse you. Even some of the darker scenes- and this book is definitely dark- will tug at people and take them by surprise. That said there is more to sex in this book. It's a blend of romance and erotica and nonfiction and fantasy all with a haunting dark tone lying underneath. It sounds like it has a lot of things put into one, but somehow it works. It works really well.

A quick note on the cover: I think it's perfect. It's feminine and almost innocent looking, but blended with the cuffs it perfectly symbolizes the journey it holds between the covers.

This is one of the few full length novels featuring BDSM themes that I've ever read, and I'm glad that I gave it a try. This is the first book in a trilogy, and I will definitely be continuing on with the series. This is an adult book with adult themes: explicit sex, BDSM, profanity, and things of that nature. If you're a reader over 18+ who have an interest in erotica, bondage, BDSM, or sex in general, I definitely recommend that you check this book out.

I was provided a copy by Cleis Press in exchange for my honest review.

Book Two:

Title: The Delicious Torment

Series: A Story of Submission #2

Author: Alison Tyler

Release Date: December 16th 2013

Publisher: Cleis Press

Book Summary:

The second in a series of novels by bondage connoisseur Alison Tyler features heroine Samantha progressing with her predilections and exploring the deepest recesses of her master's dungeon and her heart. The Delicious Torment is a Story of O meets 9 1/2 Weeks coming-of-age tale fueled by lust, longing, and based on the author's personal diaries. The Delicious Torment takes readers to Sunset Strip, way up in the sky in a penthouse apartment overlooking Los Angeles with a love affair ensconced in an S&M relationship filled with corsets, crops, and plenty of kink. In the introduction Tyler notes, "This is a novel with me at the center. That is, my heroine is based on me. I’ve sketched her with broad strokes, but at our core we are the same. She’s gotten herself entwined with an older man — nothing new there. But now she has to learn how to maneuver a 24/7 relationship."

Review:

★★★★ ★

4.5/5 stars.

Wow. Unlike book one of this trilogy (which don't get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed), The Delicious Torment has left me with far more feelings. The problem is, these feelings are more complex and plentiful than I'm used to, and are harder to process. I was expecting to like this book, but I wasn't expecting to like it better. Please excuse me in advance if this review isn't the most cohesive thing that I've ever written.

This book is a stunning example of Tyler's writing. I think it's absolutely incredible the way that woman can weave a story. She is so detailed that I would swear I was right there in the story. Logically, I know that this is (at least somewhat) a work of fiction and that's not possible. But the emotions are so intense that it's scary, and the visuals are so clear that it's almost filmic. This is especially skillful, because she uses something almost like subliminal detail: there's no long winded paragraphs that talk about the colors of the sunset for three pages, or wordy sentences about the way an autumn road looks. Her words are compacted, to the point, and precise. Each word feels hand-plucked for the page, like an elaborate puzzle.

Honestly, if you had ever asked me if I'd ever describe a BDSM romance that way prior to reading Tyler's work, I would have probably laughed and told you no way. But here we are. It's fantastic.

I think part of why I enjoyed this work more than the first book is the menage turn that the story takes. Jack and Samantha are the main stars of this book, but it isn't too long before Jack's assistant, Alex, gets involved. This makes everything more challenging, more intense, and just more. I'm a sucker for a good menage story, and this book definitely scratches that itch.

Samantha continues her self-exploration and honestly, I kind of love her. She's so strong and dedicated and my inner submissive longs to be a bit more like her. She puts herself through so much pain and struggle and so many obstacles/challenges that it's rather impressive. I felt the same attraction and relation to her that I felt in book one, possibly even more so.

A note on the cover of this book: I absolutely love the way it matches the first (and third) books in the trilogy. I also think it's a great reflection of the book, because her hands are open and up in a more submissive pose than the first one and the shading and colors of the books are darker. Just like Samantha.

This is a sequel, but in my opinion it can be read by itself. Though, I would recommend reading book one and really as much of Alison Tyler's work as possible. This is a dark but beautifully written BDSM novel that I'd recommend to any erotica or BDSM fan who wants more from their book than just sex. (Though don't worry- there's plenty of that too!)

Thanks to Cleis Press for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Book Three:

Title: Wrapped Around Your Finger

Series: A Story of Submission #3

Author: Alison Tyler

Release Date: September 9th 2014

Publisher: Cleis Press

Book Summary:

Entirely suited to one another, Jack and Samantha continue to explore their sultry, kink-drenched love affair. Jack, a dominant’s Dom, pushes Samantha’s boundaries, making Sam do things she’d never thought she wanted to — never believed she would. He takes her in public, on stage, punishes her with both sensory deprivation and erotic overload. And then he proves to her that all of those actions suit her to perfection. Costumes, erotic toys, role-playing, and a 24/7 BDSM-lifestyle fulfill Samantha’s dirtiest dreams. Yet can she manage to stretch her love for Jack to incorporate his carnal need for his male assistant, Alex, as well? Take the ride with this deviant trio and enjoy their complicated, intricate, happily ever after

Excerpt:

From Book 3, Wrapped Around Your Finger

I never smoked.
So when he saw me with that cigarette in hand he took the symbol to mean that I was messing with him. At least, that’s how he acted.
“Where did you get that?”
First words out of his lips.
I didn’t even try to inhale. “Found it.”
He laughed darkly, a 180-degree flip of the laugh he’d given me when I’d appeared as a French Maid. This was his don’t-lie-to-me laugh. I’d been hoping for some “Daddy’s gonna teach you not to smoke” scene, and what I’d walked into was, “Daddy’s gonna teach you not to go through his drawers,” which was something different
entirely, let me tell you
“Give me that.”
I walked forward, so meek already, the cocky attitude disappearing in a breath. I handed over the cigarette and watched as Jack walked to the balcony and stubbed it out. I was already trembling. The events of this evening kept catching me off balance. I felt as if I didn’t know where I was, what I was doing.
“Now tell me,” Jack said, returning to the living room and sitting down on the sofa, so that I was standing in front of him like the naughty fucking schoolgirl I was dressed as. “What was going through your twisted mind when you grabbed that pack?”
“I thought…” I started.
“No,” he interrupted, “you weren’t thinking. If you’d been thinking, you wouldn’t have opened the drawer.”
“I mean,” I said, feeling the flush of heat creeping up my jaw. “I was trying to find something else. Something extra for the outfit.”
He nodded, as if he understood, but his face had that look I couldn’t read. Was he playing with me or was he actually upset? I could never tell. Didn’t matter though.
The results would be the same.
“Bend over the table,” he said now. The coffee table was low, and I had to kneel in order to obey, but I did so immediately, supremely grateful not to have to be looking at him anymore. His eyes were scaring me. That wasn’t a comforting feeling.
Jack didn’t move, and I didn’t speak. Time played with my head. I knew he was staring at me. I could feel his gaze on me. But I kept my face down, aware of the fear running through my body and the arousal building by the second. I would not fail again. I would wait, no matter how long he took, for his next instruction.
Finally, Jack stood, and relief made me sigh. Relief that didn’t actually materialize. I’d thought he would unbuckle his belt, but Jack headed to the bedroom instead. I heard his footsteps, heard the sound of his cabinet opening, but kept my head down. I would behave, I told myself. In spite of being dressed as the most insolent schoolgirl of all time.
I would make Jack proud.
When Jack returned, I didn’t look up to see what implement he’d chosen. I kept my eyes lowered, trying to show him with my attitude that I was learning, that I was submissive and humble and…
Jack would have none of that. “Kiss it,” he said, brandishing the paddle in front of me.
Jack had chosen the one with the studs, and I had to muster pure courage to raise up and press my glossy lips to the hateful thing.
“What are you being spanked for?” Jack asked next, and my shoulders sagged. I wanted him to simply spank me. I hated lectures or being asked to name my sins. I understood that this was why Jack insisted on this part of the scene. Still, I didn’t even try to get away with, “Because I was smoking.” We both knew I’d gone way beyond that lie.
“I went through your drawers.”
“Yes, you did.”
“I shouldn’t have done that without your permission.”
“Right again,” Jack said.
“I’m sorry, Jack.” I actually glanced up at him this time, and he gave me a little half smile, as if he couldn’t help himself. I must have looked so fucking pathetic.
“No,” he said, as I’d known he would. It was almost a ritual between us, the words he said next. “No, you’re not sorry. Not yet. But you will be.”
He started by spanking me against the plaid pleated skirt. The pain was muffled, and Jack knew this. I think he was giving me a moment to gather my thoughts, to steal my emotions.
He raised my skirt after only a few blows, smacking the paddle on top of my panties. I always managed to forget how much this particular paddle could hurt. I drew in my breath, trying to find a way to deal with the sensation, but Jack was working too quickly. Slapping the paddle repeatedly from one cheek to the other, then covering both with the full length of the mean thing. I white-knuckled the edge of the table to keep myself steady. I didn’t want to make a mistake and try to cover my already smarting ass with my hands, didn’t want to irk Jack any more than I already had unintentionally. I didn’t even want to think about what would happen if I failed again.

Buy it here: Amazon | BN | Cleis Press

Giveaway:

Cleis Press has generously offered a set of ALL THREE BOOKS to one winner! 18+, US/CAN only. Full rules in the form below :) Good luck!

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Chapter Excerpt, Review, & Giveaway: Twisted by Lola Smirnova!

Title: Twisted

Author: Lola Smirnova

Release Date: January 21st 2014

Genre: New Adult/Suspense/Thriller



Book Summary:

In the corrupt economy of post-Soviet Ukraine opportunities are scarce. Young and eager sisters – Natalia, Lena and Julia – harbor dreams of a better life. Naïve and tempted by the allure of ‘quick’ money, the girls set off on an adventure that changes their lives forever.

Can they stay out of trouble enough to fulfill their ambitions? Can they hold on to their idealism in a world where depravity and danger are constant companions? How far are they willing to go to make a buck?

Twisted is a disturbing behind-the-scenes look at a world that most will never see. It is shocking, raw, and explicit.

“Twisted tells the story of a young Ukrainian girl named Julia, whose family is struck with poverty after the fall of the Soviet Union. Her two older sisters leave home and become sex workers, glossing over the more distasteful aspects of their occupation, planting the seeds of both curiosity and greed in young Julia. She eventually finds the lure of easy money too beguiling and begins her journey into the darker aspects of drug abuse, drunken stupors, and the horrid and loveless life of a sex-for-sale prostitute... Twisted is an amazing book that is well written and provocative. This book is a worthwhile read.” - Michael Alexander’s BDSM Review

“The characters are real, dialog intoxicating, and the plot well crafted.” – Reviewed by Gary Stout at Readers’ Favorite

Lola Smirnova is currently working on her second novel Crave – a sequel to Twisted. To learn more, click here

Excerpt:

Chapter 2

My name is Julia. I am from Ukraine. I work as an entertainer in one of the many cabarets in Luxembourg City. In other words … I am a prostitute.

Luxembourg City is the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the pint-sized, landlocked country in the heart of Western Europe. By Shanghai, London or New York’s standards, it wouldn’t be strange to have sixty champagne bars in one city, but it does sound quirky when you consider that Luxembourg City is twice as small as Orlando Disney World.

This sleepy and conservative locale, the world’s eighth-largest banking and financial centre, motherland of prioress Yolanda and the 100-watt radio transmitter, is stuffed with sex-orientated ‘establishments’, like the one where I work. What’s more, they are jam-packed with able-to-eat-a-horse-for-the-dough girls from different countries – mostly, of course, Eastern Europeans, who would do anything to make an extra buck.

Champagne bar, whorehouse, brothel, house of assignation, bordello, den of vice; call them what you like, it does not change the core of these places. Although they are often called cabarets, and occasionally there is even strip-dancing involved, you shouldn’t associate them with merrymaking or extravaganza. ‘Trade’, ‘sex’, ‘transactions’, ‘carnal’, ‘barter’ or ‘perversion’ would be the better words to portray this type of nightery.

This is a place where one man can spend thousands of euro in an hour or sip only Coke all night long; where the currency is not money but champagne; where often nobody is really interested in the champagne’s quality or taste, but rather finds its value in the size and quantity of the bottles; where the sanctity of the sparkling drink of the gods and the missionary position are lost in the blue confusion of fake orgasms and sex noises.

It works as simply as a jukebox – to get music, you have to stick in a coin. If you want a girl to lavish attention on you, pay for her champagne.

The cheapest option is a €25 glass of bubbly, which gives you 15 minutes of an affectionate and solicitous bond with a girl at the bar. Pay twice that price and your ‘date’ drinks piccolo, the 250 ml bottle. In this case, the time you spend with her is doubled, but the storyline stays the same. Next: the demi-bouteille, a 375 ml bottle that costs about €180 for half an hour. This ‘denomination’ grants a little bit of comfort, because both of you can move to a dim semi-private lounge, as well as the confidence that physical manipulation will be involved. And last, but not least, is the ‘full house’ for the standard bottle, the price for which varies. It kicks off at €250 for questionable swill, which is reasonable damage considering that in addition to a drink, you get screwed for an hour in the séparé – a private room, most commonly upstairs. You could be asked to pay up to €650 for Cristal or Dom Perignon, where, of course, you cough up not only for sex but also for the champagne’s snobbish name, fine finish in the mouth, and the supplementary fondness and devotion. Sad to say, these pricey bottles – and the one-and-a-half litre magnums that go for €1,000 or more – are a rare occurrence in these clubs.

The uniqueness of such places is that while you, the customer, are having leisure time with your ‘pick’, her mind is constantly dividing the amount that you’ve already spent by five (this is how much commission the house pays her), adding her €60 daily salary and planning how to badger you to buy another bottle, all that while smiling or laughing hard enough to make sure that all of these calculations in her head are not reflected on her pretty face.

Most of the clubs open at one in the afternoon and cease their trading at about four in the morning. Of course, the run has to be split – there are day and night shifts. Even though, practically, there is no big difference between the two spells, the contrast in the clientele is huge.

The day shift – fuck, I hate it! – is all about the married and the perverts, but more often the married perverts. As a rule, they drop by to use their lunch break for a dull, uncomplicated quickie, or for depraved ‘activities’ they have never had the guts to share with their wives and girlfriends. They don’t drink much and have limited time. That is why the club is usually boring and full of freaks, but in the end, who cares if you can get the bottle?

On the other hand, the night transforms the club and fills it with a party flavour – the music is louder, the customers are drunker and the laughter gets more sincere. Even the girls’ sweat looks like a piece of cake. The problem is that the boys often get carried away by the alcohol and the thundering crowd, so their brains switch out of sex mode. If there is no sex, there is probably going to be no bottle either.

But enough, I don’t want to bore you. Let’s set in motion my adventure that, by the way, began without me.

Buy it here: ebook | Paperback

About the Author:

Lola Smirnova is an author from Ukraine, who for many years worked in the sex industry. She recently released her debut novel Twisted. Twisted is a work of fiction, but it is inspired by the author’s real life experiences making a living in the sex trade.
Facebook | Website | Twitter

Review:

★★★★

Wow. This book is one hell of a read, from start to finish.

Based on true events, Twisted is a book about three sisters navigating life in the sex trade. Going into this book, I wasn't too sure what to expect. Whatever I had been expecting, however, didn't prepare me for my reading. This book is intense. It's dark and gritty and crass- definitely not for the faint of heart. The realism is a striking, and often a hard to swallow one.

It's no surprise to my regular blog readers that I often read erotica and sex positive literature. However, that is NOT what this book is about. Sex is in no way romanticized or made to be glamorous. It is a harsh, manipulative, and necessary part of life that fuels a dark life. Add in the seedy nightlife underground, drugs, and alcohol, and this gets all the more real. That's exactly why this book has such a disturbing undertone: this is something that has and is really happening.

Twisted is gripping in an almost perverse way, and the writing itself is really detailed and well done. The thriller/suspense aspect has a sort of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo vibe to it, which I liked since that's one of my favorite books. I was also impressed since (it is my knowledge- correct me if I'm wrong) English is not Smirnova's first language. You wouldn't be able to tell by reading this. I also appreciated that non-English words were in Italics, helping the reader know its meaning by context.

Unrelated to the story itself, I really like the cover of this book. I think it's a good hint of what's inside, and I think it's pretty and quite striking.

This book is an eye opener, and is not one to be taken lightly. That said, it is definitely one worth reading. Be warned that this book is NOT for those under age 18: there is sex, violence, drugs/alcohol, and profanity aplenty. Also be warned that if you're like me, you won't be able to read this in one go- it got so intense that I had to take a breather or two. This is the first book by Lola Smirnova and with writings like this, I'm sure it won't be her last.

Thank you to Book Publicity Services for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaway:

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