Sally Bend's Blog, page 8

To Please Her Is a Delight with Elena Abbott

Title: To Please Her
Author: Elena Abbott
Publication Date: May 13, 2025
Genres: Romance
Representation: Trans, Lesbian

I have been crushing on the idea of To Please Her since December, when Elena Abbott first mentioned it on her blog. The promise of a trans woman, love and kink, a rope class demo bunny, and a woman with reasons for avoiding relationships caught my attention, and the cover . . . well, it had all the elements to make me shiver with anticipation.

So, how does the read stand up to such lofty expectations? Much to my delight, it not only meets them, but exceeds them in every way. I absolutely adored this book. Seriously, it got into my head and my heart early on, and I had to fight myself to not read it all in one sitting, but to stretch it out and enjoy it over the course of a few days.

Sabrina Doyle is a driven young trans woman with no time for love, few friends, and no family. Shunned for her choice to be true to herself, she’s working two jobs and saving for surgery. When she stumbles into a beautiful woman on the street, spilling coffee all over the woman’s blouse, she has no idea where her promise to make it up to her will lead. That woman is Delilah Holte, a bold, confident, kinky professional with her fingers in two local businesses and her heart in domination. She needs a demo bunny for a rope class, and the cute young woman suddenly in her debt is the perfect candidate.

If there’s a more perfect meet-cute in the genre, I have yet to come across it. This is the kind of accidental encounter that dreams are made of, and the blend of awkward, adorable blend of cute and kink is immediately endearing. Sabrina finds herself caught up in this beautiful woman’s wake, powerless to resist as she discovers the surprises of her inner submissive – and for a scene that is largely clothed and chaste, the rope class is as erotic as it is empowering. What’s more, the casual way in which Delilah accepts and embraces Sabrina being trans is fabulous, and that simple acceptance carries through the whole story, with nary a hint of doubt or fetishizing. More authors can learn from how Abbott so sensitively approaches the subject.

There’s so much I loved about this, but it all starts with the dynamic between Sabrina and Delilah. Even though this is a Domme/sub relationship with very different personalities, their life experiences have a lot of parallels, slowly uncovering complementary needs and desires. Abbott explores themes of family and friendship, being true to one’s self, and finding strength in relationships. There are some dark moments in the story, including some deplorable homophobia and transphobia, but it’s not without purpose. We have to understand where these women have come from, along with what they’ve faced (and are facing) to appreciate their relationship journey.

To Please Her is a story that’s beautifully told, an easy read that welcomes you in with open arms and holds you close, right through to the end. The cast of support characters is small, but delightful, including one we don’t meet until near the very end who made me smile. The power-exchange relationship is just that – a relationship, not a scene – and the way Abbott explores submission, subspace, and protocol rings true. I expected to love this . . . I wanted to love this . . . but even I didn’t expect to love it this much.

Rating:

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Believing in The Last Vigilant with Mark A. Latham

Title: The Last Vigilant
Author: Mark A. Latham
Publication Date: June 24, 2025
Genres: Fantasy
Representation: N/A

The Last Vigilant hooked me from the opening chapter and never let go. What Mark A. Latham has crafted here is an homage to the kind of high fantasy that remains my favorite subgenre, infused with just enough grimdark and military flavor to give the fantasy a sense of gritty tension.

Sargent Holt Hawley is the very definition of a flawed, tragic hero. It’s made clear from the start that he’s fallen from grace, that he’s looked down upon (and mistrusted) by his fellow soldiers as a pariah, but Latham does a masterful job of teasing out his backstory. The more you read, the more you come to like him, and the more you wonder and worry about what he’s done, because the it really begins to feel like the truth will hurt. As for Enelda Drake, the legendary Last Vigilant, she takes a while to warm up to, what with her need to keep secrets and deny the obvious, but there’s a charm to her that only grows as we begin to get glimpses of her vulnerability.

As for villains . . . well, take your pick. There are nobles, clergy, soldiers, and commoners alike who all play the role of antagonist (some with more scene-chewing glee than others), and even those who don’t give off big-bad vibes still get under your skin. Yes, I was annoyed and angered at multiple points of the story, but I was also surprised to find myself feeling defensive and protective, wanting to spare our heroes from being knocked down one more time.

I mentioned high, grimdark, and military, but this is also a mystery that fits very well into its fantasy trappings. That mystery element makes for what feels like a slow read, but it’s also a smart one . . . and a surprising one. Even when it seems like there’s not a lot happening, there’s a lot to be learned. Of course, the more answers we get, the more questions we have, but those questions just open the story wider, eventually returning it to its fantasy roots. There are some big reveals, some clever red herrings, and some great twists, and Latham crafts the story so well that you don’t even feel cheated or let down when you guess right.

Getting back to the fantasy angle, which is what opens and closes The Last Vigilant, the action, adventure, monsters, and mythology are entirely satisfying. It’s an underlined by the mystery, which creates much of the drama, but it all meshes beautifully together to create something familiar and yet fresh at the same time. The climax here is strong, offering answers to big questions and a resolution to the central mystery, and I think that satisfaction is part of what left me so eager for the next installment.

Rating:

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: From Blood and Ash
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication Date: January 13, 2022
Genres: Fantasy | Romantasy
Representation: None

While I didn’t love it the way I had hoped, and was decidedly less satisfied with how it ended than how it it began, I’m still glad I expanded my romantasy bookshelves and gave From Blood and Ash a read.

Let’s start with the good. This was an interesting read with some fascinating elements and great atmosphere, especially at the start. I felt immersed in the world Jennifer L. Armentrout has created, and could almost feel the tension of it all. There’s intrigue and mystery to the story, with the kind of political posturing that you’d expect of the fantasy genre. I was fully invested in the drama at court, although at least a little of that drama was artificially manipulated by Armentrout keeping key details close to the chest.

As for the romance element, I simply did buy into the central romance between Poppy and Hawke – which is a pretty significant issue for a romantasy. I’d read the warnings about abuse, dark themes, and dubious consent, but there are some whiplash-inducing swings between hate/love, especially in the last act, that beggar belief. I can’t count how many times I closed the book in exasperation, unable to believe that Poppy fell for it yet again. And again. And again.

Also, and this is me being picky, there were a few glaring continuity errors that I found really confusing me because something was said on one page only to be contradicted on the next.

That said, I might read another one, as I’m not entirely opposed to continuing . . . but I’m also in no hurry to do so.

Rating:

Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post

Stacking The Shelves (Reading Reality) and The Sunday Post (Caffeinated Reviewer) are both blog memes about sharing the books we’re adding to the shelves and sharing news of the week ahead.

New Purchases

Nothing new on the purchase front this week.

For Review

Two new review titles this week. First up was The Heretic Cypher by Murray Bailey, a thriller about an explosive secret beneath the sands that could rewrite everything we know about ancient Egypt and religion. Next up was To Please Her by Elena Abbott, an erotic romance about sexuality and submission that I’ve been eagerly anticipating.

Currently Reading

With a 6-hour flight each way, beautiful beaches, multiple pools, and an amazing rain forest, I did a lot of reading on vacation . . . with reviews to come!

As for what I’m reading, I started Heir of Strahd, the new Ravenloft novel by Delilah S. Dawson, while on the beach; The Death Relic by Chris Kuzneski on the flight home; and To Please Her by Elena Abbott the same night I got approved on NetGalley.

Weekend Freebies – Fetish & Fantasy

Well, if it’s another weekend, then it must be time to bend our hearts and minds around preparing for the week ahead, and how better to do that than with some Weekend Freebies!

Every weekend I search through the free titles on Amazon, looking for those that might interest visitors to the ruins. 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.

Enjoy!

Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post

Stacking The Shelves (Reading Reality) and The Sunday Post (Caffeinated Reviewer) are both blog memes about sharing the books we’re adding to the shelves and sharing news of the week ahead.

New Purchases

Despite feeling the need to stock up for vacation, I somehow didn’t buy anything this week. I did visit two bookstores, so it wasn’t for lack of trying, but there was nothing I needed for vacation.

For Review

Just one new review title this week. Community Witch by Ash Kreider was pitched to me as a trans fantasy romance novel with a non-binary aspiring community witch and failed witchfluencer who moves across the country and has a meet cute with a beautiful stranger . . . only to run into The One That Got Away.

Currently Reading

I did pretty good catching up on my review pile this week, but as for what vacation will bring . . . who knows (LOL). I tend to overpack for vacation, since I can’t exactly return to the shelves if my mood changes, so my current packing stack includes (from top to bottom) a little Can-con epic fantasy, some urban fantasy, a fantasy favorite re-read, a romantasy, a dark fantasy romance, an queer archaeological adventure, an epic fantasy ARC, and a chonky sci-fi epic.

In all fairness, this stack will likely change more than once between now and Sunday night, but at some point, I do have to commit and get packed.

The Dominion and the Sugilite: Episodes 16 & 17 by B.J. Frazier (erotica)

Title: The Dominion and the Sugilite
Episode 16 | Episode 17
Author: B.J. Frazier
Publication Date: Jan 10 to 20, 2025
Genres: Erotica | Sci-fi
Protagonist Gender: Various

If you’re new to The Dominion and the Sugilite, it’s a serialized erotic science-fantasy soap opera by B.J. Frazier, set on a female-ruled planet where the power exchange is the foundation of a fantasy-themed society fueled by the magic of gems known as sugilite.

As always, I will do my best to avoid spoilers, but there’s only so much I can not say when we’re deep into the 2nd season.

I wrote in my last review that Episode 15 was rather reflective, exposing new secrets and mysteries, and these next 2 episodes very much follow in that vein. These are chapters that explore consequences, and there are big ones in store for several of our characters. Gaius plays a large role in that, with the consequences of both his actions and his punishment, and despite my suspicions, his suffering seems to be legitimate. If there’s an upside to it, it’s that it draws the nymphs into the story, further broadening the fantasy aspects of the story.

There are also big consequences in store for Geo and Aurora, with a series of scenes that are probably some of the most troubling in the series. Aurora is still holding onto her secret, but close to breaking, while Geo is pushing too hard, earning himself heavy-duty punishment . . . that leads to Aurora coming dangerously close to pushing Geo past his limits. There are some tense moments, and when paired with Acaia’s training around power, limits, aftercare, and a Domme’s responsibility, with Pebbles confidently and responsibly realizing her own power, it feels even more uncomfortable.

Sadly, my favorite scenes here are tainted by an underlying betrayal, with my favorite futa finally getting to stretch her boy wide. It’s such an incredibly erotic series of events, with some really hot moments, but some men just can’t get their priorities straight (pun fully intended).

As always, beneath the soap opera drama and kinky erotica, Frazier infuses the story with power exchange philosophy within the Dominion and social commentary through those from outside the Dominion. With Attis Day coming soon, the story only promises to get bigger and wilder.

Rating:   

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

Falling Under the Spell of the Sex Witches with Crystal Veeyant & Belle du Jour

Title: Sex Witches
Author: Crystal Veeyant & Belle du Jour
Publication Date: Dec 26, 2024
Genres: Erotica | Urban Fantasy
Representation: Lesbian

As the cover blurb promises, Sex Witches is a story of sex, the supernatural, and deep kink in the Nevada desert. I’ve been fortunate to call Crystal Veeyant a friend over the years, so I was excited to explore her first project with Belle du Jour, and the ladies did not disappoint.

On one level, this is the story of a centuries-old romance between Crystal and Valerie, one a long-lived witch and the other her reincarnated lover. On another level, this is the story between a dominant and her submissive, one as experienced as the is powerful, and the other requiring some intense training to relearn her past self’s surrender. Running parallel to their story is that of a young man who, on one level, is a curious kinkster, eager to explore all that Crystal’s brothel has to offer, and on another level, the loyal son of a witch hunter, placed here to take down the witches and their empire.

It should come as no surprise that this is a story that’s full of beautiful, sexually aggressive, wonderfully kinky women who enjoy each other’s attentions as much as that of their clients. Crystal’s stories always have a lot of sex to them, but the sex is character-driven, fitting personalities and advancing the story forward. The intertwined mysteries of two young people learning their way beneath the witches, each for their own reasons, is what pulls it all together, with secrets that only heighten the erotic tension.

There is some violence to the story as conflicts come to a head, but Crystal is never one to let her characters suffer – unless they enjoy it, of course – so you can rest assured there are happy endings waiting for all.

Rating:

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame (but a little dull) by Neon Yang

Title: Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame
Author: Neon Yang
Publication Date: May 6, 2025
Genres: Fantasy
Representation: Lesbian

I wish I had better things to say about Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame, but I wasn’t exactly overwhelmed by my first encounter with Neon Yang. The concept here was interesting, but the pacing and the narrative didn’t live up to it, and Yeva had the potential to be a great protagonist, but I found the character development lacking.

Let me start with the pacing. Aside from two significant time jumps, the story moves very slowly, with no sense of drama or urgency. As for the narrative style, it’s shallow, heavy on telling and light on showing, and all in the first-person, making it read like some kind of YA fairy tale.

As for the characters, I was so excited about the promise of Yeva, the legendary masked guildknight, armored and oath-bound,  trained in the art of dragon-slaying . . . and yet an outcast in so many ways, severed from her family by a selfless act of courage that saves her sister’s life, but reveals her magic. She has such potential for depth, but aside from coaxing her out of her armor, none of it is explored, despite the opportunities to do so. As for Lady Sookhee, she was little more than a plot device with no depth beyond her sickly presence and sweet demeanor, with the secret of her illness telegraphed so strongly, the final act is entirely anticlimactic.

This just didn’t work for me, neither as a fantasy nor as a romance. Maybe it would have worked better as a full novel with room to explore and develop, but the only thing that kept this from being a DNF was the length.

Rating:

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Stacking the Shelves & The Sunday Post

Stacking The Shelves (Reading Reality) and The Sunday Post (Caffeinated Reviewer) are both blog memes about sharing the books we’re adding to the shelves and sharing news of the week ahead.

New Purchases

A rather diverse collection of new books sliding onto the shelves this week:

The First and Last Adventure of Kit Sawyer by S.E. Harmon, an M/M adventure romance that’s The Mummy meets Indiana Jones . . . but cute.The Traitor’s Mercy by Iris Foxglove, an M/M dark fantasy novel that’s been compared to Kushiel’s Dart and Captive Prince.Bloodletting by William D. Prystauk, a mystery set in New York’s S&M subculture featuring a punk rock investigator, the Goth-girl of his dreams, and a transgender dancer.For Review

Nothing new for review this week, but I did submit a number of exciting requests – Herculine by Grace Byron (transgender horror), Wickedly Ever After by R. Lee Fryar (cozy romantasy), What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller (matriarchal romantasy), Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon (epic fantasy), and A Holy Maiden’s Guide to Getting Kidnapped by Katy Nyquist (fantasy romance) – so hopefully I’ll have more to share soon!

Currently Reading

One week until we leave for vacation, which means I’m spending more time thinking about reading on the beach than actually reading (LOL), plus I have a 100k word novel to finish proofreading for a client, but I want to catch up with some kinky reads from friends that I’m very late getting to.

Off The Beaten Path by Marie Sann & Yann Krehl is a super fun graphic novel that is gorgeously illustrated; The Dominion and the Sugilite by B.J. Frazier is a kinky sci-fi soap opera; and Sex Witches by Crystal Veeyant & Belle du Jour is a story of BDSM, magic, and witch hunters.