The Reawakened Passions is another of Megan Hart's paranormal/horror erotica short stories. This short story features everything which makes Megan HarThe Reawakened Passions is another of Megan Hart's paranormal/horror erotica short stories. This short story features everything which makes Megan Hart one of my favorite authors. A cool story with an original take on an old subject (in this case, ghosts) a likeable, realistic couple and well written sexay scenes. ...more
The Darkest Embrace is another of Megan Hart's paranormal/horror erotica books. This one takes place in an isolated cabin in the woods, with no one foThe Darkest Embrace is another of Megan Hart's paranormal/horror erotica books. This one takes place in an isolated cabin in the woods, with no one for miles around except slightly off-putting hillbillies. Yes, it's the oldest horror story in the world. Yet, once again, Megan Hart manages to give an old tale new life. And, I seriously am repeating myself with the majority of the reviews I write for this author but...this story also features a believable and likable couple and lots of sexay scenes.
Here is the thing about Megan Hart, she writes and publishes so freaking many stories and novels there are bound to be a few duds amongst the gems. ThHere is the thing about Megan Hart, she writes and publishes so freaking many stories and novels there are bound to be a few duds amongst the gems. This is one of them.
Moonlight Madness is a part of her paranormal/horror erotica. Sounds like a crazy genre that would never work right? Actually this author did it very, very well with Out of the Dark and her The Resurrected: Part One ten part series. While Moonlight Madness was original, it featured certain... ah, elements that I'm not really a fan of. Imagine Margo Lanagan writing an erotica for grownups and you might just figure out the mystery ;)
The writing is exactly what I have come to expect from this author. But the story line just wasn't my cup of tea. ...more
Dirty tells the story of emotionally messed up Elle and her friends-with-benefits *wink* dude, Dan. The hot scenes were hot, as per usual with Megan HDirty tells the story of emotionally messed up Elle and her friends-with-benefits *wink* dude, Dan. The hot scenes were hot, as per usual with Megan Hart. But all the other stuff... the plot and the main characters and the supporting characters simply didn't hold up as well as they normally do. This isn’t to say this story is bad. Had this been my first Megan Hart novel, it would have earned so many more stars from me. But this author is capable of much better than what is put forth here.
Elle is an unlikable main character. One of those women who is so scarred by her past, who clings to her baggage and uses it as a shield to ward off any intimacy with another person. Elle doesn't just shun romantic attachments, but also regular friendships and acquaintances with her neighbors. She also dresses in simple, black and white clothing. And she decorates her home in only black and white. Yeah, her past is fucked. But by the time we readers learn exactly what horrid thing had happened to her, I was beyond caring.
Perhaps Hart was experimenting with a different style here? What typically makes her novels so very good is how authentic they feel. She presents you with such realistic characters with believable and in-depth personalities. But here, the big mysteryreveal shocker was saved until the end. Long after I wanted to slap Elle and tell her to get over herself. Had Hart exposed Elle's secrets earlier, and shown the readers exactly what she was struggling with, her story may have affected me more. But all I could see was a cold, self-absorbed woman who got far more people reaching out to her than she deserved. After all, how often can a person rebuff all attempts at friendship and romance from the same people? Not too many, in my experience.
This isn’t a book I want to rip apart because Megan Hart is normally so fantastic, and one of my favorites. The woman has written a ton of novels and short stories, in so many genres (well, mainly erotica but they span the range of contemporary to paranormal to sci-fi.) She is bound to have some misses as well as hits. Although this novel doesn’t come close to being as fantastic as Broken, it’s still better than so much of the erotica and chick lit that is out there. (Not that I consider this chick lit, but what else to call contemporary, female oriented fiction?) Anyhow.. two stars compared to Hart’s other works, three compared to anything else like it on the shelves. Makes this a two-and-a-half for me. ...more
While reading this awesome little short, I couldn't help but be reminded of Cinder. In a mere sixty pages, Megan Hart managed to do what Marissa MeyerWhile reading this awesome little short, I couldn't help but be reminded of Cinder. In a mere sixty pages, Megan Hart managed to do what Marissa Meyer couldn't in nearly four hundred; create a believable future world, with future politics and cyborgs. Dirty cyborgs, even. Woo hoo! By pure coincidence (really!) earlier today I was listening to Episode 718 of the podcast Mysterious Universe, which included a discussion on "sexbots" in the second half of the show. For those of you who are interested in sexbots, you can read all about current technology in this article called "Forever Alone 2.0"
At any rate, back to Megan Hart and Seeing Stars. This woman rocks. Once again, she takes an improbable scenario and creates a believable and hot story, with fairly realistic characters. This is a fab little story. ...more
Even if it's bad... It is! ...at least there is smut. Even bad smut is entertaining Or so I thought.
BesidEh, it's only a dollar how bad can it be? Bad
Even if it's bad... It is! ...at least there is smut. Even bad smut is entertaining Or so I thought.
Besides, it's only 118 pages. Surely I can make it through something so short Actually... I couldn't, can't. Ciana Stone has an interesting idea of vamps being aliens and having fertility issues. The problem is, rather than writing a story about said blood sucking aliens, she apparently wrote a paper about them. That is, this "story" is all tell and no show. In addition, the characters have the personality of a cardboard box and the sex scenes are just... painful.
"His thrusts became more urgent and forceful and her cries deeper but he would not gentle his movements. Nor did she encourage him to do so. This was mating at its most primitive. Here was the moment he'd waited for. Her complete surrender. Now she would become inextricably his."
Oh yeah, talk boring to me.
After the initial excitement of purchasing a Nook... and then discovering the ridiculous price of most ebooks, along with the fact that there are many more deals on Amazon than there are on Barnes and Noble... I've decided to be adventurous and read more self-pubs and inexpensive stuff. Granted, not everyone is a ridiculously talented Susan Ee, but there must be other gems out there. And, at the same time I have to acknowledge the fact than in these self-pub and unknown author adventures there are going to be many more duds than there are great finds.
Megan Hart is amazing, and quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Not only does she write realistic, hot and convincing sex scenes but she creatMegan Hart is amazing, and quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Not only does she write realistic, hot and convincing sex scenes but she creates well rounded characters and has a flair for paranormal tendencies. Yeah, I know... well written paranormal/horror smut sounds super bizarre and too good to be true, right? (Well, too good to be true for certain weirdos like me, lol) Somehow this woman manages to do it.
The Resurrected is a novel which is currently broken down into smaller sections. As of right now there are six installments which ranging from "free" to $0.99 on Barnes and Noble (sorry Kindlers, I don't know what the Amazon price is) Part One is (you guessed it) the introduction. We get a dangerous tornado and a little lurving with a sexy cop. Just when things start picking up...part one ends. Not on a cliffhanger or anything. But Megan Hart has set up this story nicely and I am looking forward to getting to the action (and the action!) in part two.
And hey… for all of you on the Goodreads challenge... even though this is all one story, the serialization of the parts means you get credit for separate books here on Goodreads, it's a great way to help meet your challenge goal :) ...more
Well, it had to happen eventually. After so many amazing books, it appears that Megan Hart let me down with Deeper. This story switches between past aWell, it had to happen eventually. After so many amazing books, it appears that Megan Hart let me down with Deeper. This story switches between past and present. Then being twenty years ago when Bess spent the summer away from college in a beach town. She cheated on her emotionally (and geographically) distant long term boyfriend, Andy, with the town bad boy, Nick. Alternate chapters titled Now revisit Bess, Nick and Andy back at the beach house in present time. You know the phrase, "you can't go home again"? Apparently, in this book you can.
Back then Bess spent the summer managing an ice-cream shop. Her four-year relationship with Andy was on the rocks. Her new relationship with Nick was exciting. Adding to the story are nerdy co-worker Eddie (who has a massive crush on Bess) and token-gay co-worker Brian (who not only cheerleads Bess, but grinds on her at dance parties and pops a boner, despite being gay.) There is also an odd frenemy, Missy. She and Bess are about as different as two people can be. In addition, Missy takes bitch to a whole new level, prompting me to wonder exactly how and why they became friends to begin with.
Fast-forward to now when Bess and Andy are married but separated. Bess is again spending the summer at the beach house, with Nick. Good old Eddie has grown up to buy the ice-cream shop and even offers Bess her old job back. So, over a span of twenty years, we find people still stuck in the same roles and attempting to recapture what had once been.
In Bess, we have a woman who simply doesn’t know what she wants. The pseudo-stability of her unfaithful husband Andy? The intense sexual relationship with Nick? The friendship with Eddie? Bess doesn't make decisions for herself, she simply reacts.
As for all of the men in Bess’ life, Hart never gives a sense of any of them. This was perhaps the biggest disappointment for me. One thing Hart usually does so well (in addition to the smut) is creating well-rounded characters with deep, realistic relationships. But none of these people ever felt real. We know that all these men wanted Bess, but damned if I know why. She is an unlikable character, and frankly I saw no chemistry between her and any of the men.
As a short story or novella this might have been more powerful and enjoyable. But as a full length novel, it reads as extreme wish-fulfillment. Who doesn’t want to go back to an amazing time in their life, get that moment back, tie up loose ends and get closure? I know I do. But I also know that as meaningful as it may be to me, that little segment of my life would be a huge snooze fest to anyone else forced to endure it.
Don’t get me wrong. I still love Megan Hart and plan to continue reading her. The woman has written so many novels and short stories, some of them are bound to be less than spectacular. ...more
The hot parts were hot and the plot didn't try too hard; that's all you can ask from erotic, right? Although I like the author's writing style, havingThe hot parts were hot and the plot didn't try too hard; that's all you can ask from erotic, right? Although I like the author's writing style, having read only two of her novellas, I am sensing a trend. Protag Glory James has steamy scenes with sexy guys... and then feels guilty and conflicted about it. While I found this to be somewhat refreshing in the first novella, Taking Her Boss, it got a little stale here. So the lesson is that it's okay to enjoy nasty deeds as long as you feel contrite the next day? What a bummer! I still enjoy this author, but I'm feeling a little let down by all of the second guessing Glory does about her affairs. ...more
What makes this book work is that part of the plot involves the awkwardness of Glory's relationship with her boss and whether it should be continued.What makes this book work is that part of the plot involves the awkwardness of Glory's relationship with her boss and whether it should be continued. As with most erotica, the characters weren't quite as in depth as they could have been. Reading more of Glory's inner conflict, her personality and her other relationships would have made this a much better story. I am so tempted to give this three stars because I like the fact that the author allowed Glory to struggle a bit with her new relationship. This is one of those rare times when I wish Goodreads had a half star system...2.5? 2.75? Taking Her Boss just doesn't hold up to my other three star books, so it remains two stars. ...more
Saskia Walker's The Harlot nearly never made it to my finished book shelf. One of the first scenes featured a man having sex with a prostitute in a jaSaskia Walker's The Harlot nearly never made it to my finished book shelf. One of the first scenes featured a man having sex with a prostitute in a jail cell. I'm not sure when this novel takes place (1800's perhaps? There is mention at one point of muskets.) At any rate, it surely takes place in a time before penicillin. Therefore, so much talk of unprotected sex with a prostitute and endless references to her "wet cunny" did nothing for me but send visions of syphilis and crabs and whatnot. So icky. Plus, the idea of prostitution being a sexy profession sought out by women who love sex irritates me as well. But that is a rant for another day.
To get back on point, I stayed with this story, and am glad I did. Although we initially see characters motivated primarily by their libido, as the story continues actual character development takes place. And an actual relationship. And a sort of interesting plot. Hooray!
It seems silly to write a well thought out review, because once I start to break it all down, there is a lot more to critique than praise. However, it's erotica. Historical-fictiony erotica at that. (ie: lots of excuses to use silly phrases such as, "Yes sire" and "If it so pleases Master" and whatnot) But as far as this genre goes, it is one of the better written books.
Finally a book all about the smut that doesn't aspire to be more. Not that there is anything wrong with high aspirations, but how often is a novel welFinally a book all about the smut that doesn't aspire to be more. Not that there is anything wrong with high aspirations, but how often is a novel well written and filled with lots of lovin? Sadly, not too often. Author Megan Hart wrote a decent short story with well developed characters... perhaps this worked so well partly because these characters are mostly strangers to each other, so not very much background information or extra plot details were needed. Regardless, this is better quality than a lot of erotica I have read and I look forward to reading more from this author. ...more
A stripper clown and depressing marital issues. Sounds too wacky for a short story, but surprisingly Alex Exley makes it all work. Read for free onlinA stripper clown and depressing marital issues. Sounds too wacky for a short story, but surprisingly Alex Exley makes it all work. Read for free online here....more
Fifty Shades of Grey left me feeling conflicted, to say the least. After reading this, I sort of get the appeal of the Harlequin-esque bodice rippers.Fifty Shades of Grey left me feeling conflicted, to say the least. After reading this, I sort of get the appeal of the Harlequin-esque bodice rippers. A strong, sexy man telling you what to do and how you’re gonna take it… but he really does love you and respects you in the morning. That shit wouldn’t fly in contemporary lit (or would it? Apparently it does!) But in vague historical times, the guy isn’t being an ass, he is just a product of the past. And here, in Fifty Shades of Grey, Christian Grey isn’t an ass... he is just into BDSM (sorta) and is intense with issues (thank you Edward.) Strength and assertiveness is sexy. Dominance coupled with acceptance can be hot. Politically correct? Hells no! This is why it needs to be in a fantasy setting. So, I get it. But… but…a sexy time isn’t entirely what this novel is about, which is why it is so difficult to review.
This novel is wish fulfillment to the extreme. Christian Grey is young, attractive (everybody says so, it must be true!) and super-duper rich. He becomes infatuated with socially awkward, bookworm, virgin, introverted Ana. Christian showers Ana with gifts (a new Audi, Macbook and Blackberry to say the least) and presents her with an agreement which, should she sign, would make Ana his submissive sex slave every weekend for a three month period. Ana must avert her eyes, address Christian as “sir” or “Mr.Grey” and follow commands lest she be punished (in a manner which is acceptable to her) eat healthily, sleep seven hours per night and work out with a personal trainer provided by Christian. She also must wear the clothes he purchases for her and occasionally attend social functions as his date. The catch? Christian claims to be into BDSM (claims) so Ana must submit to his kinky desires which always end in a mind blowing orgasm for her. (At this point, let me just say that I must be an whore opportunist, because even as a thirty-something married woman, I would sign that contract in a hot minute. Hell, when I was Ana’s age there would be no thinking involved, it would be a done deal.) But dear, sweet, Ana wants more. She lurves Christian (even after only a matter of days) and like totally wants a relationship with him. She isn’t into BDSM (even though she is always turned on, and even though Christian doesn’t do all the stuff he implies he is into)
So there you have it… a novel with a virgin/whore theme going on. Because lucky Ana orgasms every time she has sex (including her first time.) Often she does this on command, from vaginal penetration only, and frequently with little to no foreplay. Does this sound like dude porn to you? It does to me. Not that there is anything wrong with it, and not to imply that the sexy scenes weren’t sexy. But I am flabbergasted that this book was written by a woman. In 2011. Are we really to believe that Ana is always hot and ready for Christian? That every time is an awesome time? That she is never tired, sore, or simply not in the mood?
This is also a novel with a scary, sexy dude… but who really isn’t so scary. Because when it comes down to it, Christian showed Ana his ‘playroom’ with various BDSM toys and implements. Yet he goes incredibly easy on her in that regard. In fact (and this is where a lot of my disdain for Ana comes into play) when Ana professes to be uncomfortable with Christian’s sexual proclivities he backs off and lets her dictate to him what he should and shouldn’t do with her. Lots of people think they can fix or change their partner… but we all know that doesn’t equal a great romance, does it? Christian is comfortable with his BDSM lifestyle, but when Ana says she doesn’t like being spanked; he backs off with a lot of the kinky stuff. Despite all of the sexy times, when it comes to dominance, Christian spends much more effort talking about his fetishes than he does actually indulging in them.
A final note on the kink in this novel, Christian states that he was adopted when he was five, and his first years were horrible (it is implied that as a young child he was physically abused.) I will probably not finish this series, and therefore will not know where the author is going with this line of storytelling. However, I truly, truly hope that being abused at an early age, and suffering a difficult time during his formative years is not eventually presented as the reason Christian is into the kinky control stuff. The idea that a person has to be damaged to be into sexual practices other than the vanilla Christian scoffs at is a little offensive to me. Again with the duplicity… the reader and Ana can lurve Christian and his hotness and his kinks even though the kinks themselves come from a bad place? The implication is that Christian is into weirdo stuff because of horrid events and Ana (being a good girl) isn’t into the hardcore stuff (even though she always enjoys it) she is simply into Christian. So in this way, Ana gets to enjoy bizarre sex without the 'shame' or stigma of actually being into it. Whatever. Will Ana’s love eventually heal or ‘cure’ him? Ugh.
In addition to the virgin/whore fascination and scary/sexy dude themes, Fifty Shades of Grey is about a very, very insecure and immature girl. Ana (Bella, Nora…) doesn’t have female friends (save her roommate) and has never been kissed, or even interested in men up until she meets Christian. (She is about to graduate college as an undergrad, so presumably she is around 22? I don’t recall if her age is ever stated.) Within days Ana develops strong feelings for Christian. After mere weeks she loves him. She is insanely jealous of his ex-girlfriends to the point of calling his first lover ‘bitch’ and ‘evil one’ amongst other things. (view spoiler)[ In fairness, Christian’s first was an older woman (a friend of his mother) who got him into being a submissive when he was a teenager. So, I understand Ana being disturbed by this. However, Christian doesn’t feel as if he was abused or taken advantage of in any way. He insists to Ana, over and over again, that this woman not only helped him out when he was at a bad point in his life, but that he and that woman are both friends and business partners today. Still, Ana’s inner monologue is incredibly vicious when her thoughts turn to this woman and she privately remains convinced that ‘Mrs. Robinson’ has done and continues to do great harm to Christian. (hide spoiler)] Ana spends a great deal of time asking about and discussing Christian’s previous sexual encounters. We never see an actual friendship or relationship develop over mutual goals, desires or even similar personalities. Rather, Fifty Shades of Grey presents us with a couple who is attracted to each other. All the while Ana’s inner goddess (who, incidentally I would like to punch in the face) frequently cheers, flips and jumps for joy when Christian says he wants more with her.
Hmm… here is the thing, I remember being like that. We all do, and we all were. Everyone has experienced those horribly intense and awkward first relationships which were based on not much more than mutual attraction. So I get it that Ana gets butterflies when Christian tells her she is different or that she intrigues him. What I don’t get is that this relationship is apparently meant to be a true lurve. Because while I get the attraction and the hotness and I even really, really liked the flirtatious emails they sent back and forth… there is nothing solid between them on which to build a relationship. They have no common interests or hobbies. They don’t discuss mundane, day to day issues or current events or Christian’s work or Ana’s job search. They discuss themselves, and each other and their sex life. Okay, yeah that is great and it is fun. But will it last? I think we all know it won’t. Except here, as in Twilight, the improbable relationship will defeat all odds and the couple will stay together because…well, frankly I don’t know why.
So, Fifty Shades of Grey… entertaining? Yeah. Highbrow lit? Ahahahaha! Um, no. Feminist friendly? Heck no. This is a great book for anyone looking for an entertaining, smutty romance. For those of you looking for a main character worthy of looking up to (or even liking) or people looking for a romance/erotica which makes sense, you should skip this one. ...more
Susie Bright is an amazing woman, and I’ve always been a huge fan of her and the erotica collections she puts together. Therefore, I was planning on aSusie Bright is an amazing woman, and I’ve always been a huge fan of her and the erotica collections she puts together. Therefore, I was planning on absolutely loving Bitten, a collection which claims to be filled with “dark erotic stories.” But, that description is where I feel most let down from this book. Whereas some of the contributions can be classified as dark fiction, most seem to be fantasy oriented at best. The worst gave me the idea that a writer of erotica attempted to throw in a few paranormal elements (or perhaps it’s the other way around and a paranormal author threw in a few instances of smut?) Either way, a few of the stories just didn’t flow properly.
Also, I was quite surprised by the common theme of a submissive woman. Not to imply that this was heavy on BDSM, but the women portrayed all fall victim to not being in charge of their own fates. “Pandora’s Other Box” by Greg Boyd and “Get Thee Behind Me Satan” by Ernie Conrick do put women in power, but it is no surprise that these stories are written by men. Both feature a woman in control from a man’s fantasy point of view. Given the current trend towards paranormal romance and urban fantasy ~ and the amount of naughtiness and strong women found in these genres, I was expecting a little more variety from this collection.
That is not to say this is completely disappointing. Some of my favorites weren’t smut-erotica so much as they were short stories which included an element of sexuality. The ones I enjoyed also happened to be the most ambiguous. Rather than tell a story, include a fantasy element, and some dirty deeds; they simply set a tone and told a limited tale.
“The Resurrection Rose” by Anne Tourney would have made an excellent full length novel.
“Smoke and Ashes” by Shanna Germain was almost too short and too vague. However, it hinted at vampirism and I love me some vamps ;)
“The Devil’s Invisible Scissors” by Sera Gamble was almost like a mini PNR. Or, rather, a mini good PNR and actually featured a strong woman. Granted, the protagonist was raped by a man, taken advantage of by the devil and eventually saved by a man(?) but she did take charge of her own destiny.
Collections are hard to rate, and erotica collections even harder. Regarding this one, some of the odder stories weren’t so much hawt as they were funny. A few of them were just plain weird. But there were some gems. If you’re not offended by overt smut and enjoy fantasy and the paranormal, this is worth picking up. (Really, this is 2.5 stars. Since GR doesn't allow for the half point, I'll be generous and rate up.)
Mobry’s Dick is about, well… Mobry’s dick. It tells the story of fictional nineteenth century illusionist Alain Mobry who was so motivated by his dickMobry’s Dick is about, well… Mobry’s dick. It tells the story of fictional nineteenth century illusionist Alain Mobry who was so motivated by his dick that he invented a clockwork dick which appears to have the magical ability to make all of your dirty wishes come true. We also follow the story of present day (and currently in the closet) Cameron, who finds the clockwork dick at a flea market, and his soon to be love interest Paul, who happens to be an Alain Mobry expert and is seeking the magical clockwork dick. Of course there is schmexing aplenty.
This story actually started out sort of cool. K.Z.Snow’s writing is fast paced, funny, and easy to read. And the plot was interesting, while it lasted. But it soon gave way to, ah… passions. Repressed passions, misplaced passions, expressed passions… by the time I was midway through I found myself skimming through the dirty parts to get to the plot. And the dirtier the escapades became, the more the plot suffered for it. When everything was said and done (and done again, then again… and a little bit more) the bad guy ended up not being so bad, scary or smart, and there was a weird connection between Alain Mobry, magic and reincarnation that wasn’t explored nearly as much as… use your imagination here ;)
I’m immensely grateful to K.Z.Snow and the Goodreads firstreads program for giving me the chance to read Mobry’s Dick. My expectations for erotica aren’t very high. Regarding bodice rippers (what is the m/m equivalent of a bodice ripper? Crotch grabber? Lol) my expectations are even lower. Therefore I didn’t go into this book with expecting stellar writing, but I did look forward to a little more storyline. Every bit of this book is phallic centered in one way or another and when the sexy times started, the ah… not so sexy times ended. If you are looking for dirtiness, lots and lots of dirtiness, this is the book for you.
Not that I am opposed to dirtiness ~ usually that is the best part of a book, right? But this is all dirtiness. Compared to other smutty books I've read, this could easily be 3 stars. But compared to other books in general ~ sorry, 2 stars it is. The actual story here simply wasn't fully developed enough. ...more
Just....weird!!! The stories aren't well written, and each main character is just as bland and generic as the next. And the "erotica" aspect...
The EnJust....weird!!! The stories aren't well written, and each main character is just as bland and generic as the next. And the "erotica" aspect...
The Enchanted Forrest involves a woman alone in a sexy forest. With sexy tree roots. And flowers with long stamens. Disenchantment have you ever fantasized about getting it on with a hot guy then biting his head off? No? Best to skip this one... Dying for It adds nothing to the vampire genre. Boring. Expecting alien probes and tentacle sex. Flowers for Angela psychotherapy and submission. Jimmy sexy, invisible ghost The Incentive Program time travel, voyeurism...possibly sex with multiple partners or group sex. Not quite sure because after being disappointed and skimming throughout the rest of this novel, I stopped reading this one pretty early in. This is the last story in the collection and appears to be as poorly written as the rest.
A more talented author may make oddball stories hawt and fascinating in a quirky, unique way. Nancy Madore is not that author. Not much to say without bashing her, which really isn't my intent. My advice is to skip this one entirely. ...more
This book is neither the best, nor the worst that the erotica genre has to offer. While I appreciate that the story line is all about the schmexing anThis book is neither the best, nor the worst that the erotica genre has to offer. While I appreciate that the story line is all about the schmexing and even enjoyed trying to figure out the little mystery, the characterization is poor. The heroine was incredibly unlikable. And as is the case with most erotica, this presented multiple situations with involving a submissive woman.
It's a shame that "real" literature doesn't involve dirtiness, and that erotica writers don't put more focus on writing quality. Overall this one was alright. I enjoyed it but don't see myself wanting to reread it in the future. ...more
Emily is a human (or is she??) psychic psychologist, affectionately known as the Monster Doctor. Colin is a sexy shifter cop. (But what kind of shifteEmily is a human (or is she??) psychic psychologist, affectionately known as the Monster Doctor. Colin is a sexy shifter cop. (But what kind of shifter is he? Were's are the most dangerous. And volatile. And they mate for life. And must be avoided at all cost because they are so dangerous. Has it been mentioned that they are dangerous? Boy, oh boy I hope the cop is anything but a were!)
Let's see, Emily hasn't been in a relationship for a while, dresses sensibly, and is sex-ay. Sound familiar? Secret-shifter cop Colin can't control his over-hyped hormones from the moment he meets Emily and proceeds to tell her over and over how much he wants her. Although Emily frequently tells him no, on the inside she laments, "How could she hunger so much for someone that she feared?"
Who remembers the episode "Life on the Fast Lane" from season one of The Simpsons? In it, Marge almost has a romance with Jacques, her smarmy bowling instructor. At one point Jacques says to Marge, "Your mouth says no, but your heart, and your loins, say YES!"
[image error]Why am I always reminded of this scene when reading so many bad romances???
But, this review is about Hotter After Midnight, not The Simpsons. So, Emily continues to resist Colin's charms, which pretty much consist of him frequently giving her smoldering stares and eloquently stating, "You want me." Poor Emily is powerless to resist such manly candor. "He'd told her that he was coming over to talk about the Other, not for a date. But she'd still wasted all that time on the meal. Wasted time showering and dressing. She'd even left her hair down, not that Colin had seemed to notice."
Oh man, don't you just hate it when you go through all the trouble of getting showered and dressed and your company doesn't even appreciate it??
Colin, however could most definitely notice, as is evidenced by this observation, "...he could smell the sweet scent of her woman's cream in the air." Ew! Just, ew.
Before long, "His cock sprang forward, lunging for her eager hands. He hadn't bothered with underwear. Never did." Oh yeah, going commando. Like a boss.
Despite all of the cheese, Hotter After Midnight started out fairly promising. It featured a murder mystery and an interesting paranormal world. However, the more the writing focused on Emily and Colin hooking up, the less the writing focused on continuing to make the plot believable or interesting. As for Emily and Colin themselves, I found neither one likable or fresh. We have read Emily's character so many times in so many urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels. Colin is that rogue cop who does it his own way and just doesn't give a damn about the rules. Yawn.
This really wasn’t bad, for what it is. But considering the plethora of awesome books that are still waiting to be read, this is a series which I will not be continuing. ...more
Oleander House is all about the smut. I admire the author for attempting to create a mystery and an interesting paranormal setting. However, as is theOleander House is all about the smut. I admire the author for attempting to create a mystery and an interesting paranormal setting. However, as is the case with too many smutty books, more attention was paid to the angst and the lurvin' than was to the character development or side plots. Unfortunately, protagonist Sam was so poorly written that he came off as a bit of a psychopath. That is, we know all about his dirty urges and wants and needs, but little else. This book wasn't bad, however it needs work. We know what each character is doing or saying in the moment, but we know nil about each person's personality, lives or interests. Well, we know about the smutty interests but that is it.
I hate giving one or two star ratings to erotica because I already have quite low expectations from the start. Nonetheless, I can't bring myself to give this more than two stars. I almost want to go three for originality, but uniqueness doesn't really count for jack shit if the characters don't stand out. ...more
I actually picked this up & put it down multiple times before commiting to it. From the beginning, it is very easy to tell who the passionate coupI actually picked this up & put it down multiple times before commiting to it. From the beginning, it is very easy to tell who the passionate couple will be and what their main conflict is. And while the premise is interesting... this isn't especially well written or even the most compelling urban fantasy I have ever read. What Pleasure Unbound does have going for it though is the fact that it is good, mindless smut with a not terribly bad story behind it.
Granted, I do have a lot of issues with the book. A few pseudo... not quite rape, but not quite consentual sex scenes, a female protagonist who is a troubled youth/former runaway... I don't seem to know how to find the right words, but sometimes I got the feeling that Ione doesn't have a very positive view towards women. In fact, I frequently wondered if "Larissa Ione" is just a pen name for a dude, because a lot of this book seems to be rooted in men's fantasies. For example, Eidolon, a Seminus Demon (hahahaha!!!) is able to make a woman orgasm simply by spraying her with his sperm. From page 116:
"She didn't need manual stimulation right now. His semen was too powerful, a stimulant in its own right. 'That's it,' he whispered, 'Let it happen.'"
And I am expected to believe a woman made this crap up? ;) Regardless, over the top cheese like this is what I liked about it. I laughed out loud at many, er... not purposely funny scenes. Unfortunately, I have come across very few well written romance or erotica books. And while this is neither erotica, romance or well written ~ I did enjoy it.
Technically, I didn't finish this one ~ just skimmed through it. Once I got midway through, I just couldn't bear to read any more, but wanted to see hTechnically, I didn't finish this one ~ just skimmed through it. Once I got midway through, I just couldn't bear to read any more, but wanted to see how it turned out. I get that the Baratz-Logsted is trying to make this sound as if it were written at the end of the 19th century. And I can appreciate the flowery language & drawn out passages. But the story never actually picks up ~ the reader sees very little action as it is happening. Action is all very vaguely preluded to, then mused over for multiple paragraphs before Baratz-Logsted actually reveals what that action is. Dialogue is also mostly told from the protagonists point of view. The reader is privy to very few conversations as they take place.
Not to imply that a novel has to be heavy on dialouge and action in order to be successful... but I swear at least 90% of this novel was inner monologue. Which doesn't exactly make this a "novel of twisting, erotic suspense" that the cover promised.
Also, my biggest pet peeve with romance novels is when the big, sexy love interest is such a big, sexy love interest because he is a good listener. Granted, it is certainly a good quality for a man to have... but not to the exclusion of his own personality. If a new guy you have met begs to hear you talk, and asks to hear all of your deepest thoughts and secrets.... yeah, it's nice. But so many authors seem to include that trait, but fail to add anything more interesting about guy. No reason for the woman to stay around, other than to open her piehole. (In more ways than one! *snark*) Anyhow... that is my beef with romance novels and this one is certainly guilty of it. It is easy to understand Emma's attraction to her prisoner in the beginning. But he never did much to justify the deeper feelings she began to develop for him.
Finally, the "erotic" aspsect of this novel was also a serious let down. Baratz-Logsted's pages devoted to masturbation were unfortuanely a lot longer than her descriptions of sex with another person. Uh, yeah....
This one was a disapointment and I regret even picking it up.
Oh man, don't you just hate it when you go through all the trouble of getting showered and dressed and your company doesn't even appreciate it?? 
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