Sally Bend's Blog, page 39

Book Review: Seeing is Deceiving by Ghostly Writer (masking, crossdressing)

Title: Seeing is Deceiving
Author: Ghostly Writer
Publication Date: Jan 22, 2023
Genres: Erotica
Protagonist Gender: Male

If you're new to the idea of female masking, then I invite you to check out my series of book reviews on the topic, along with my feature article in the Feb/Mar 2015 issue of Frock Magazine. Not that you need any background - you can jump right into any of these stories and enjoy yourself - but the more you understand something the better you can appreciate it.

Seeing is Deceiving is the long-awaited (10 years!) sequel to Practice to Deceive by Ghostly Writer. It's definitely worth picking up that first book before reading this - even I got a little confused in the opening chapters - but not essential. You'll quickly get a sense of what female masking is, how and why Billy chooses to explore it, and who all the players are . . . and, before long, you'll be drawn into this erotic drama of impersonation and identities. 

Billy is a master of impersonation. His mask is the centerpiece of the novel, a lifelike recreation of his mother's face, right down to the laugh lines, dimples, freckles, and more. It's the fantasy of Hollywood-quality prosthetic effects at home, a mask that fits perfectly, looks completely real, and moves naturally. It's not just about the mask, however, or even the fantasy of crossdressing that began his journey - it's about recreating someone and 'becoming' them. Billy has studied his mother to the point where he can mimic her movements and speech so well, he can even fool her best friends in intimate situations.

Minor spoiler for the first book here, but what makes this volume so fascinating is the fact that we're already beyond the discovery stage. His mother knows, she's accepted it, but she has her own ideas about what his female masking future should look like. So, with the dramatic reveal already behind us, how do you up the stakes? You expose him to more people, introduce more masks, put them on more people, take all of this public (very public) and weave a complex web of overlapping impersonations.

Seeing is Deceiving is like a popcorn thriller where you're constantly wondering what's going to happen next, questioning who is really who, and just waiting for the next complication to arise. It's a guilty pleasure of emotional entanglement, and it only gets wilder as it progresses. However, it's also a deeply thoughtful story of why we like to play a role, the appeal of stepping into someone else's life, how walking a mile in another's heels can change us, and how such lies can impact those around us. The story gets rather convoluted in the latter chapters as too many things go too far, as promises are broken and desires indulged, and Ghostly Writer doesn't shy away from the consequences.

The exploration here feels a little less taboo with the introduction of more characters, not to mention Billy's impersonation being given a purpose, but that doesn't make it any less thrilling. It's humorous, erotic, insightful, and perhaps a little creepy at times, but the vicarious thrill of being Billy being someone else is wonderful. Settle in, turn the page, and enjoy being deceived!

Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀  ♀  ♀

© 2022 Bending the Bookshelf All Rights Reserved

Fetish & Fantasy Freebie Friday – Putting the TG in TGIF!

Well, if it’s Friday, then it must be time to bend our way into the weekend with Fetish & Fantasy Freebie Friday!

Every Friday I search through the free titles on Amazon, looking for those that might be of interest to similarly bent readers, fans, and lovers. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon’s free reading applications.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.[image error]  

 

While you’re on Amazon, if you’d like to support the stories that mean the most to me, could I kindly ask that you give these a read/review?  Enjoy!  

Fetish & Fantasy Freebie Friday - Putting the TG in TGIF!

Well, if it's Friday, then it must be time to bend our way into the weekend with Fetish & Fantasy Freebie Friday!

Every Friday I search through the free titles on Amazon, looking for those that might be of interest to similarly bent readers, fans, and lovers. Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon's free reading applications.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.[image error]



While you're on Amazon, if you'd like to support the stories that mean the most to me, could I kindly ask that you give these a read/review? 




Enjoy!  © 2022 Bending the Bookshelf All Rights Reserved

Book Review: Sarah Makes Her Marriage Chaste by Giles English (erotica, chastity, femdom)

Title: Sarah Makes Her Marriage Chaste
Author: Giles English
Publication Date: March 27, 2023
Genres: Erotica
Protagonist Gender: Male

If you've never read a chastity tale by Giles English, then you're in for something unique. Giles doesn't subscribe to the masturbatory fantasies of men who want to be denied just to heighten the pleasure of their eventual release. Instead, he writes about the reality of long-term chastity, of enforced denial without the promise of release.

Sarah Makes Her Marriage Chaste is a story that takes its protagonist on a journey from the fantasy to the reality. It's set in an alternate timeline where rival political forces played fast-and-loose with legislation to spite one another, accidentally resulting in a mandate of female-led relationships and permanent chastity. When years of longing for a lost element of kink turn Rich into a slovenly 'hanky hubby,' his wife insists they attend counseling and explore new options for permanent chastity.

This is a psychological story first-and-foremost, one that explores the relationship dynamics of a chaste househusband and a breadwinner wife. There's excitement to it, an aspect of fetish that draws the reader in, but it also forces the reader to consider the true purpose and intent behind selfless chastity. It's a sobering read, but it's also one where you can see how happiness is possible, if only Rich would properly redirect his affections.

Of course, this being a Giles English story, the mechanisms and functions of long-term/permanent chastity are a huge part of the draw, and the process Rich undergoes at the NHS is fabulous in its detail.

Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀  ♀

© 2022 Bending the Bookshelf All Rights Reserved

Book Review: Prince Yorick the Bride by Katie Oslow (erotic fantasy, transgender)

Title: Prince Yorick the Bride
Author: Katie Oslow
Publication Date: July 15, 2022
Genres: Erotic Fantasy
Protagonist Gender: Male/Female

I've had my eyes on Katie Oslow's books for a while now, but haven't had the opportunity to give her a read until now. Prince Yorick the Bride was rather different from what I expected, but in a good way.

This is a fantasy story first, a romance second, and a work of erotica third. It's a story with a well-developed protagonist, a large cast of supporting characters, and relationship dynamics (between family, friends, lovers, allies, and enemies) that feel realistic. It's also a solid story with a conflict-driven plot, twists, and betrayals. 

Oh, and there's a magical gender-swap, which is precisely what I came for!

Oslow does a wonderful job of balancing the various elements of the story, allowing it to be erotic at its brightest and coldly sexual at its darkest. The transformation is well done, nicely detailed, and the feminine awakening is natural, occurring through the story as opposed to artificial, self-indulgent self-examination. Prince or bride, I felt for Yorick, and was fully invested in seeing them pursue justice.

This was a wonderfully well-written, well-plotted delight.

Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀  ♀

© 2022 Bending the Bookshelf All Rights Reserved

Transgender Confidential 6: Brenda's Transformation (transgender chastity comics)

It's time once again to enjoy some illustrated delights, courtesy of the wonderful Shadoman and the team at Amazing Transformation Comics.

It's been a little over two years since Shadoman last explored his Transgender Confidential series, so the arrival of Brenda's Transformation is cause for celebration. If you're new to the series, don't worry, as each is a standalone erotic story, connected by theme rather than characters or plot. You're more than welcome to catch up, of course, but you can dive right in with the latest as well.
This is a bit of a unique story in that it's not centered around any sort of trickery, entrapment, blackmail, or mind control. Instead, the feminization is entirely voluntary, something that Brendan (soon to be Brenda) has been looking forward to for years, and that gives it some emotional depth right from the opening page.
It's interesting that such a deep transformation, one enabled from the inside-out using nanites, can change everything but Brenda's penis, but it wouldn't be a Shadoman tale without a little chastity play. Otherwise, she's a beautiful new woman, and adjusting to a new wardrobe means we get plenty of visuals of skirts, dresses, lingerie, and more.
The story takes a bit of a twist halfway through with her rescue of a woman on the side of the road, and that's where the eroticism comes in. It's more sensual than sexual, however, and the use of soft lighting and shadows really creates a beautiful mood. It twists again before the end - not once, but twice, owing to an alternate ending - and while I won't spoil either ending, I will say I love the costume it puts Brenda in! If you're looking for romantic HEA, the first ending will likely be more to your liking, but if you enjoy Shadoman's take on BDSM and fetish, it's the second ending that will set your heart racing. Personally, I loved them both!

Shadoman is a CG artist who enjoys telling stories through 3D comic art. Originally from the Mid-west, he now resides in Southern California. He is a Viet-Nam vet in his mid-60’s, married to a wonderful gal who is also his best friend and text editor. A film buff with an extensive library, it was his passion for film as a young teen that was his vehicle to escape and expand his own creative mind and become a storyteller.

https://www.renderotica.com/artists/shadoman.aspx

Reviewed by Sally © 2022 Bending the Bookshelf All Rights Reserved

Transgender Confidential 6: Brenda's Transformation (sissy chastity comics)

It's time once again to enjoy some illustrated delights, courtesy of the wonderful Shadoman and the team at Amazing Transformation Comics.

It's been a little over two years since Shadoman last explored his Transgender Confidential series, so the arrival of Brenda's Transformation is cause for celebration. If you're new to the series, don't worry, as each is a standalone erotic story, connected by theme rather than characters or plot. You're more than welcome to catch up, of course, but you can dive right in with the latest as well.
This is a bit of a unique story in that it's not centered around any sort of trickery, entrapment, blackmail, or mind control. Instead, the feminization is entirely voluntary, something that Brendan (soon to be Brenda) has been looking forward to for years, and that gives it some emotional depth right from the opening page.
It's interesting that such a deep transformation, one enabled from the inside-out using nanites, can change everything but Brenda's penis, but it wouldn't be a Shadoman tale without a little chastity play. Otherwise, she's a beautiful new woman, and adjusting to a new wardrobe means we get plenty of visuals of skirts, dresses, lingerie, and more.
The story takes a bit of a twist halfway through with her rescue of a woman on the side of the road, and that's where the eroticism comes in. It's more sensual than sexual, however, and the use of soft lighting and shadows really creates a beautiful mood. It twists again before the end - not once, but twice, owing to an alternate ending - and while I won't spoil either ending, I will say I love the costume it puts Brenda in! If you're looking for romantic HEA, the first ending will likely be more to your liking, but if you enjoy Shadoman's take on BDSM and fetish, it's the second ending that will set your heart racing. Personally, I loved them both!

Shadoman is a CG artist who enjoys telling stories through 3D comic art. Originally from the Mid-west, he now resides in Southern California. He is a Viet-Nam vet in his mid-60’s, married to a wonderful gal who is also his best friend and text editor. A film buff with an extensive library, it was his passion for film as a young teen that was his vehicle to escape and expand his own creative mind and become a storyteller.

https://www.renderotica.com/artists/shadoman.aspx

Reviewed by Sally © 2022 Bending the Bookshelf All Rights Reserved

Book Review: Boyslut by Zachary Zane (memoir)

Title: Boyslut: A Memoir and Manifesto
Author: Zachary Zane
Publication Date: May 9, 2023
Genres: Non-fiction
Protagonist Gender: Male

Although I felt a little let down by Boyslut, having expected more stories of slutty threesomes and risqué Grindr hookups, I fully appreciate what Zachary Zane had to say about sex and sexuality.

If I had to sum up this book in just one word, it would be acceptance. Zane writes about the need to accept who we are and who or what we want to be. Through therapy, socialization, and life experience he explores a journey to self-acceptance that assures us it's okay (and healthy) to have questions and doubts, but also insists we don't let them get in the way of living our lives. It's not an easy journey, and not one without its detours and switchbacks, but he invites us to share in the experiences that allowed him to grow mentally, physically, and emotionally into the titular Boyslut. At the same time, he confronts the attitudes, assumptions, and anxieties that stand in the way of society accepting such an open and joyous indulgence of sexuality. 

One thing that struck me about the book is how Zane explores definitions of bisexuality versus pansexuality, and how he deliberately claims the former not in spite of but because of its social stigma, even as he goes to great pains to regularly assure the reader that transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming individuals are included in his definition. And it's not in a by-the-way aside or pandering way, it's sincere inclusion that I appreciated every time.

For a book about sex, what I think resonates most is what Zane has to say about relationships, the intersection of love and sex, and how and where the two can divulge. There are some interesting explorations of polyamory and open marriage that I found encouraging, and some frank discussion of how intimacy can interfere with sexual attraction - not because we've "fallen out of love" but because our sexual attraction may work differently. Yes, there's a lot of talk about random hookups and one-night stands, but there are also feelings and emotions to navigate.

Admittedly, I was a little taken aback by the frankness with which Zane discusses drug use, and the way he so casually dismisses STIs, but I realized you can't pick-and-choose your stigmas. He's writing about an openness and honesty that you can't fairly compartmentalize or place conditions on, and the admissions about his own behavior are all part of being a Boyslut. In some ways, I wish I had his confidence, his sort of selfishness, but there are consequences within even an open marriage that I feel demand more consideration. 

Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀  ♀

My sincere thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

© 2022 Bending the Bookshelf All Rights Reserved

Fetish & Fantasy Freebie Friday - Putting the TG in TGIF!

Well, if it's Friday, then it must be time to bend our way into the weekend with Fetish & Fantasy Freebie Friday!

Every Friday I search through the free titles on Amazon, looking for those that might be of interest to similarly bent readers, fans, and lovers. Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon's free reading applications.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.[image error]



While you're on Amazon, if you'd like to support the stories that mean the most to me, could I kindly ask that you give these a read/review? 




Enjoy!  © 2022 Bending the Bookshelf All Rights Reserved

Book Review: Cassiel's Servant by Jacqueline Carey (fantasy)

Title: Cassiel's Servant
Author: Jacqueline Carey
Publication Date: August 1, 2023
Genres: Fantasy
Protagonist Gender: Male

Having taken some time to think it over, I'm very much of two minds about Cassiel's Servant, Jacqueline Carey's retelling of Kushiel's Dart from Joscelin's perspective. 

On the one hand, I'm a HUGE fan of Phèdre's story and was eager to have an excuse to revisit the realm of Terre d’Ange. It's a gorgeous world and an epic story, full of characters I've loved and loathed (sometimes at the same time) for two decades. Even though we start from a different place, exploring Joscelin's youth and training as a Cassiline warrior-priest, the world and the writing are wonderfully familiar. We're witnessing his youth for the first time, but doing so already knowing where his story ends, and that allows us to appreciate key moments and the meanings behind them. 

Of course, that foreknowledge also allows us to anticipate the seeds of romance planted between Joscelin and Phèdre, and being inside his head reveals when and where his affections began. That's probably the most interesting (and significant) part of the book, knowing the truth behind what Phèdre could only infer from glances and mannerisms. Because of that, we get to experience his character growth and development at an earlier stage in the story, which softens many of his edges. 

On the other hand, there's nothing new in terms of plot, no pivotal revelations to which we weren't privy the first time around. In many ways it's a weaker story because Joscelin is only a witness to so much of it, and his narrative lacks the urgency and self-awareness of Phèdre's. More importantly, through his voice it becomes a more traditional fantasy, sanitized and thinned out, without the groundbreaking eroticism of the original. It's interesting to experience the emotional pain behind his disdain for Phèdre's assignations as an anguissette, but it's her physical pain (and pleasure) that made the original book such a standout work of art. 

Cassiel's Servant is an interesting experiment in narrative, and there's no question that reconnecting with Joscelin, Phèdre, and Hyacinthe is entertaining, but the whole book feels unnecessary (at best), and a awkward censorship of Kushiel's Dart (at worst). 

Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀  ♀

My sincere thanks to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

© 2022 Bending the Bookshelf All Rights Reserved