What I Read Last Week
Tagged: Anne Douglas, Helenkay Dimon, Lynn Kurland, Morgan Hawke, Pamela Clare, yaoi manga
Hi there!
How is everyone? Are you all ready for Christmas…well, the ones celebrating it, that is? đ I think I am. Well, I need to wrap a lot of stuff but I can’t do that when the kids are around so I’m excused, right? lol
I’m out of whatever kind of reading thing I was in a couple of weeks ago. Thank heavens! I’ve had no problem picking up books this week. I think what did it was A) Your suggestions and B) reading a bunch of m/m. I love reading it…but sometimes it makes me long for a good m/f HEA I guess.
Anyway, on to what I read this week:
First up was Star Crossed: Demon Tailz by Reno McLeod and Jaye Valentine. This is an m/m novella that I was totally into up until the twincest started and I just couldn’t do it. I had to stop reading. I can read a lot of stuff…apparently that’s not included. Ew. DNF
I liked the writing by McLeod and Valentine so my abrupt halt in my previous read didn’t stop me from picking up Star Crossed 2: Opposite Ends of the Spectrum. This story involved a demon and an angel who meet while being held captive and were shown off at what appeared to be a carnival freak show. The two men escape and start a relationship. 10 years later and they’re still in love, but trouble is a brewing – how will the two work things out? I liked this book but was slightly confused by the end and the whole angel thing. If you’ve read this – we need to talk. lol 3.5 out of 5
Next up was Hell Cop by Astrid Amara, Nicole Kimberling and Ginn Hale. I really liked these story about 3 different cops who work in the city with demons and sorcerers and all kinds of various beings. They’re called hell cop’s because it’s pretty much hell working there. 3 really good m/m stories. 4.25 out of 5
Accidentally Were? by Anne Douglas was next on the list. Another impulse buy at ARe. It was the story of a straight laced woman who has a one night stand and now all the dogs in the area are following her around. lol She goes to talk to her best friend’s neighbor cuz he’s a vet. Well he just wants to do her on the floor of his house…so he does. See – she had had sex with a were-being of some sort and one of them had nipped her enough to change her and she happened to be ovulating so she was in heat and all the beasts in the neighborhood were following her scent. Sounds weird but it was pretty funny. The book has some hot sex, humor and of course twu wuv. đ 3.75 out of 5
Half Past Dead by Zoe Archer and Bianca D’Arc was a book I read for The Book Binge. If you like zombies you’ll want to read these two stories, maybe. lol I’ll let you know when my review posts.
My Tracy’s TBR Challenge read for the week was Seduce Me At Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas. This was Win and Kev’s story and I really liked it. I had read mixed reviews of the story and though the book made me want to crawl through it and smack Kev at times I really liked it. 4.25 out of 5
Bad Boys, Bad Boys by Mia Watts was my next read. Another impulse purchase (yes, I do that a lot) but it was pretty darned good. Two cops, best friends and partners, and one’s been having erotic dreams about the other. One night when Geo is drunk he puts the moves on his friend, Mack, and Mack’s freaked out, but can’t stop thinking how good it was. I loved how the two worked it all out. There’s one scene when they’re on a stake out and they’re in the car kissing, yet practically beating each other up as well. Great scene. Do I think it would happen when they were on a stake out? Probably not but that’s where suspension of belief comes in to play. đ 4 out of 5
Next was Jock Dorm: Dar and Gregg by Bobby Michaels. Dar and Gregg meet because Dar, a non-jock, gets put into the Jock Dorm. He falls hard for his roommate and they become great friends. But Dar can’t handle being in love with Gregg when Gregg’s not gay. Guess again. This part of the story was just cute. Gregg and Dar falling in love was pretty cool and I liked that part of the book. Their sex was hot too, the first couple of times, but then it was just too much for me. I think if the book had been shorter with about 1/3 of the sex I would have loved it. I’m sure there are others out there that loved the length of the book and the amount of sex, I’m just not one of them. đ 2.5 out of 5
And last but not least was yet another book that I read for The Book Binge, Smolder by Melina Morel. This one didn’t work for me – which was sad since I was looking forward to reading it. I’ll let you know when my review posts.
Kati’s review of His Intimate Submission (Erotic Explorations, Book 1) by Anne Douglas
Months ago, on a hot Florida night, three friends explored one another. Itâd been good enough that theyâd explored together some more.
But while the sex is as amazing as ever between the couple, Jasonâs shutting Lucy out of the everyday things. Heâs searching. Lucy doesnât know what Jason is seeking, but sheâs scared that might mean leaving her behind. Itâs time for her to pull up her big girl panties and figure out whatâs wrong before things go really bad.
Jason surprises herâheâs not cheating and heâs not about to leave her, but he has an overwhelming desire heâs worried to admit. Lucy will have to demand her loverâs intimate submission to set them back on the path to happiness.
Lucy and Jason are back in this novella. Lately, Lucy has been sensing some distance from Jason. Is he unhappy in his relationship with her? Or is it something else? She resolves to talk about him, and he confesses with much trepidation, that heâs interested in having her dominate him sexually. Lucy agrees to try a Dom/sub relationship, but decides that she needs to do some research about how to go about dominating Jason safely and in a way that is fulfilling for both of them. Lucy speaks with a woman and her lover who have a Dom/sub relationship, and she finds that itâs very important for the Dom to be fulfilled by the actions that they are taking with the sub. And she goes to a sex toy shop and finds a variety of toys that she and Jason can use to increase the adventure in their play.
The story itself is very straightforward. Again, itâs short in length, 52 pages. But Douglas is very effective at building the foundation of mutual respect and desire between Lucy and Jason. Itâs clear in how carefully Lucy researches the lifestyle that she really cares about Jason and wants the experience to be fulfilling for him. The play between the two of them features quite a lot of anal play, which I had no problem with. However, a large chunk of the story deals with, well, preparing for anal play, including a very detailed sequence with an enema, which I found not to my taste at all. Iâd never thought much about the fact that an enema might be in order before prolonged anal play, but I have to be honest, reading about it exercised my squick factor heavily. I understand that this could very well be part of the lifestyle, but itâs one that I definitely prefer not to read about.
Overall though, the story features very hot sexual encounters between a couple who are both likeable and clearly seem to care deeply for each other. But for me the detailed description of one of the acts was really more than I wanted to read about and affected my final grade for the novella.
2.5 out of 5
The series:
This book is available in e-format only from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here.
You can read more from Kati at Katidom
Today we have erotic romance author Anne Douglas here to talk about BDSM, but from a less traditional angle. We’re very pleased to have her on the blog and hope you’ll help us make her feel welcome.
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When many think of a sexually submissive man they arenât thinking of a roughly 6ft tall, tanned, with tousled dark-hair hunk.
But I was.
They also might be thinking leather, whips and 6inch stiletto heel dominatrix boots, or maybe a BDSM club with willing male slaves looking for a Dominatrix.
But I wasnât.
The guy I was looking for was your fairly average guy (okay, just a touch above average), with a great job, great friends⊠and an awesome girlfriend who wasnât afraid to fuck him in the arse with a strap on dildo (pegging, (linky: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegging_(sexual_practice)) for those of you not in the know).
Just a little different than that scene with those delicious black Dominatrix boots, right?
Often female domination comes with an expectation of weak, ineffectual, impotent men. HmmmâŠyet women find strength and power through submission. How does that figure then? Whatâs good enough for the goose isnât so for the gander? (But that, oooh, thatâs a whole other post J). But what happens when the male sub isnât weak or impotent or needing to be âshownâ submission suits him? What if heâs strong (although conflicted) and rather more than capable of getting the job done in bed, but most of all, really enjoys submitting to his partner? Where does he fit into the picture?
Not entirely all that well. It wasnât easy to find what I was looking for â thank goodness for the Internet being filled with kink! I did eventually find a small handful (more like a couple of fingers) of websites/people/groups who are putting a positive spin on being a male submissive â those looking on it as a desirable thing, not an emasculating one.
Female Domination is often tied up with heavy bondage/discipline and I didnât want that for His Intimate Submission (the original title of Subtle Domination will probably give you an idea of where I was going). I wanted to write about a man only just coming to the realization that he wants to be topped in bed; a woman who finds sheâs quite happy to do so; and the way those things changed and evolved their relationship. In other words, curious but inexperienced people pretty much like you and me (well, most of the youâs out there, some of the other youâs are a pretty kinky lot!).
Iâd love to hear others ideas, views or comments on female domination/male submission â Iâm hoping there are a few other ladies out there like me who donât particularly associate with a deep desire to relinquish control (my life is quite out of control enough as it is, thanks).
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Anne is a woman of many talents. Besides writing erotic romance she also handcrafts covers for the Sony eReader (you can find them here at Etsy).
Leave a comment telling us your thoughts on female domination/male submission and you’ll be entered to win your choice of an e-copy of His Intimate Submission or, if you own a Sony eReader, one a cover from Anne’s Addictions.
Contest will end Friday, December 18 at 11:59 p.m. by the time stamp on the blog.
Kati’s review of Curious Intimacies (Erotic Explorations, Book 1) by Anne Douglas
Ready for a night of sports and beer Shaneâs straight best friend, Jason, throws Shane a curve ball with the words âKiss meâ. Shaneâs gay, but Jasonâs notâŠright?
Jasonâs got a problem. His girlfriendâs got a strap-on, and sheâs not afraid to use itâŠon himâŠand he likes it. Where does that leave him? Straight? Gay? Or in between?
Lucyâs not afraid of sexual experimentation in a safe situation. Whoâs safer than your best friendâespecially when heâs already curious about your sometimes not-so-private love life.
On a hot, humid Floridian night, friends find being curious can be very intimate indeed.
Lucy and Jason have a fantastic relationship. Theyâre adventurous in bed together, and are utterly in love with each other. But lately, Jason has been thinking that he might want to add a dimension to their sexual relationship. More and more, heâs been thinking that he might be bi-sexual, and heâs asked his lifelong best friend, Shane who is gay, if he might be willing to kiss Jason and see where it leads. Jason knows that Shane has a lot of experience and would be a great choice to have his first homosexual experience with. Shane cares about Jason and will take care of him.
Shane is shocked, and frankly, intrigued. He and Jason talk about it, and decide that theyâll initiate a sexual encounter. They have a very, very hot encounter, which Lucy interrupts. Shane is both horrified and intrigued that Lucy is so turned on by the encounter. While Shane has never had an encounter with a female, the fact that Lucy is so turned on, and that sheâs interested in having sex with him is a turn on. Soon the three are having a very hot mĂ©nage a trois.
Anne Douglas has a strong imagination, and while this novella is only 44 pages, itâs well written. Douglas does a nice job of giving the reader enough information about Shaneâs friendship with Jason, as well as laying the foundation of Lucy and Jasonâs relationship, so that the encounter is plausible. The book is very spicy with several elements that could very well turn off readers who prefer their sexual encounters a bit more vanilla. But if youâre looking for a hot novella that features a mĂ©nage, this is a great choice.
3.5 out of 5
The series:
This book is available in e-format only from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here.
You can read more from Kati at Katidom
Be sure to stick around because Anne Douglas will be guest blogging with us later today. She’ll also be giving away a copy of her latest release, His Intimate Submission, the sequel to Curious Intimacies.