May 2013 Recommendations

This last month, I have read only three books I would recommend. I guess either I'm not reading enough BDSM or I'm just not impressed.

M/m

Fettered by Lyn Gala is much touted by many readers. For me it was very good. I loved it. My Review


Anthology

Best Women's Erotica 2013 by Violet Blue is a great selection of many different authors. There were many authors I enjoyed reading in this one. My Review

Femdom

Willing Sacrifice by Joey W. Hill was a hard one. There were some parts I really enjoyed about it. The writing is smooth and good. I guess what I didn't enjoy was the way the female lead behaved. This situation is realistic as far as relationship dynamics. My Review

Review: Silver/Steel

Silver/Steel by Belinda McBride

My rating: 4 of 5 stars





Ms. McBride returns to the Arcada world with another stunningly tortured tale.

Forced to become a bogeyman to all Fae, Dylan Ryve suffers through the centuries. He is close to freedom, only one more soul to collect for his master. The complication he encounters is something he never dreamed to have again – emotions.

Travis is one of the wolves from the Arcada pack. He is one of the sons of the Alpha yet he's treated as one of the lowest in the pack. He's the type of bad boy who cuts off his nose to spite his face. He crosses path with Dylan by wiggling his delicious ass and cock teasing an entire bar. Dylan is the steadying hand to help Travis with his impulse control.

It doesn't appear as though any of Ms McBride's characters enjoy an easy life. Nor is it easy for them to find their true mate and keep them. The conflicts Ms. McBride creates in her story are gut clenching. The foreboding keeps the reader's anxiety high as they flip from one page to the next. What really makes her books is the amazing characters she creates. Her characters are complex individuals who have past hurts to overcome. She pairs her lovers up so well because they always balance each other. They have to fight for the right to love each other, which is what makes them treasure their bond. It's a beautiful sentiment and clearly shows her romantic heart.

The plot is always riveting and takes little twist and turns. It keeps the reader guessing and completely engaged. Speaking of engaging, the sex in her books are always divine. She blends in a taste of D/s which is my favorite kink. She does it so well without having to label it BDSM. It's just how the characters enjoy their sexual expression.

The chemistry between the characters is hot and arousing. It could be because the male characters are all strong and dominant. They may not always be confident in their abilities, but when a situation arises, they meet it head on with a willingness to sacrifice it all. This is what pulls me back to Ms. McBride over and over again. Her characters are willing to sacrifice for the good of the whole. Even though the character my face a fate worse than death, they are honorable people who believe in self-sacrifice. They walk the talk. If only we could have more of these types of people in real life.

This erotic paranormal romance is recommended for m/m lovers who love good faery tale endings.



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Review: The Queen's Consorts

The Queen's Consorts by Kele Moon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Two men and one woman is the standard relationship in this world. Menage as a v triad or a complete triangle is what everyone one hopes to achieve. Sari is all alone with no hope of finding two male mates to complete her. Through a series of events, she's led to the Sacred City where the Rayians rule.

Ms. Moon breaks out another delightful tale with steamy erotic scenes and conflict. The world building in this is fabulous. The mix of elemental powers with soulmates and an elite race is fascinating. This is a world turned upside down with a missing Queen. This queen is why the world is under rainy and fog for over thirty years. How does one survive without sunlight? It's unbearable and I'm surprised there aren't more suicides.

The characters in this story are endearing. Sari is a woman who's lived a hard life. She's orphaned and then sold to sexual slavery. Doing the best she can, she survives and travels all over this world. She could have been designed to be a victim, instead she is a survivor.

The two queen's consorts, Calder and Taryen are held prisoner in the Sacred city. Without a queen, the women of this race are turning into avaricious corrupt forces perverting the way of life. Calder and Taryen are caught in this vicious web. They are forced to endure humiliation and sexual abuse constantly. The way they are treated is horrific.

The conflicts Ms. Moon creates in this is chilling. The amount of collateral damage is a first from Ms. Moon. It's a blood bath and yet it is so necessary. Sometimes the vermin needs to be cleared out.

The sexual tension between Calder, Taryen and Sari is smoking hot. Even before they go all the way, their foreplay is arousing and enough to make a woman's panty wet. As if that is enough, the sexual interlude between the two male consorts is blazing. The carnal pleasures in this tale is so good. There is a bit of torture from a sadistic bitch who is off her rocker. She abuses the flogger and it isn't enticing at all. My thirst for vengeance wishes she would have experienced the business end of many different implements.

It would be interesting to see if Ms. Moon would return to this world. There are so many things needing fixed. What would a mature Sari look like? How will Calder and Taryen grow with her? More importantly, will there be more smexy threesome sex? This fantasy book is recommended for kinky romance lovers who enjoy menages.

* Provided by the publisher for review



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Review: Once a Brat

Once a Brat by Kim Dare

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Bratty submissives are not my favourite characters. Nor are they people I enjoy being around in real life. It is more the fact that I can't stand bratty people. There is a sudden increase in stories with bratty subs. Some of the authors push it because they claim those in the lifestyle are too uppity with their "one true way" of how a submissive should behave. Not sure what to expect and yet a fan of Ms. Dare, this story is not as I anticipated.

To be clear, Ms. Dare is not one of those authors being pushy about bratty subs and claiming they are more interesting and true to life than those "doormat" subs. Since I don't believe people are one or the other, it's refreshing to see Ms. Dare avoiding these kinds of boring stereotypes. She creates a fresh look at an atypical relationship just budding.

Bret Daniels is a boy who knows next to nothing about BDSM. What he does know is he likes men and he's fallen for dominant Marcus. Marcus is a sought after Dom who isn't appreciative of a pushy submissive. Bret isn't really bratty. He's actual ignorant of BDSM dynamics. Yet he's willing to learn and he's respectful of Marcus. This is a sweet story of a new to BDSM guy finding the right Dom for delicious submission. This m/m romance is recommended to kinky readers who enjoy reading new to BDSM tropes.


*provided by NetGalley



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Review: Fettered

Fettered by Lyn Gala

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



First impressions are important, especially in a BDSM scenario. Dylan, aka Dilly, first learned of BDSM by seeing his sadistic brother's tools on a news broadcast. His brother is being tried for raping and torturing women. Dilly isn't looking to torture women or wield the whip. Instead, he lusts after men flogging and spanking his ass until he squirts. A young eighteen year old, he's both innocent and completely naïve.

This book is much lauded among many BDSM m/m readers. In the BDSM book club in Goodreads, members are fawning over this book. They wax about hawt BDSM scenes and engaging characters. Can this book live up to the hype? Why yes it can.

Ms. Gala writes moving characters. Dilly may at first come across as a too stupid to live character. Dilly is bumbling boy and an all-around pussy who can't stand up for himself. This perception of Dilly is not that far off. Initially he is very frustrating and makes a reader want to grab him by the shoulders and shake him hard. Maybe slap him around a little bit so he will toughen up. However, it's more complicated than it initially appears. Dilly isn't stupid. What he is, is a survivor. My heart bleeds for Dilly. He's emotionally abused by his evil older brother, Gary. He's pushed around by his headstrong sister, Carmine. The only role Dilly knows and clings to is one who is passive and stays invisible. This one explanation of how Dilly sees himself breaks my heart.

Dylan searched for the right way to say what he was feeling without coming off totally in need of therapy.

“I’m good at fitting in the cracks, you know? I’m good at working around other people, and I don’t need to be seen.” (p. 200-201)

Dilly's relationship with Vin is summed up neatly with another poignant insight.

"I like that you do your own thing and don’t change for anyone. I like that you’re so unbending that maybe there’s room for me to fit myself in the cracks of your life because I like your cracks a lot more than the cracks I have been living in.” (p. 201)

Vin is a troubled Dom. He's young yet experienced in life a bit more than most. He is not socially awkward; instead he's someone who does his own thing. The best way to describe Vin is as an alpha sheepdog. There are three kinds of people in the world. There are sheep, sheepdog and wolves. Most people are sheep, like Dilly. Then there are dangerous predators like Dilly's brother who is a wolf. The sheep are protected by sheepdogs, like Vin. I'm a sheepdog so I completely ken Vin's mentality. His need to protect to the point of paranoid is understandable. As a sidenote, his desire to GPS and audio bug Dilly may seem overly possessive and borderline obsessive. However, as a submissive like me who loves to submit, this hit my kinks pretty hard and made me wet.

Ms. Gala creates fabulous characters in this story. Everyone character is unique and she painfully peels back the layers on them to expose their truths. How she can create such rich leads and secondary characters while adding in a great plot and hawt BDSM scenes is beyond me. She doesn't skimp on her secondary characters. We learn about stuffy Guard, scary Miss Dolphina, crazy Carmine, Dilly's oblivious parents and evil Gary. Each one of these characters are necessary to complete this Greek Tragedy tale.

The BDSM in this story is supernova hot arousing. It's not so much the scenes, but the fact that Vin is a Dom with a capital D. His specialty is D/s. He can and does enjoy doling out SM with the best of them, but he is amazing with his D/s. His dirty talking can cause spontaneous orgasms. Here is an example of his ability to make a submissive melt and weak the knees.

“So, you need build up? Should I tell you what I plan for you?” Vin asked with a teasing note in his voice. “Maybe I should tell you how I want to go get a chastity device. I could plug that beautiful ass of yours, lock that prick in plastic, and use leather and locks to put it all safely under my control. I can imag[in]e you squirming with need, your cock filling up and pressing against that plastic as you mewl and twist in my hands. Is that the sort of conversation you’re expecting?”
…
“I’m going to tie you down and run my fingers over your body. I’m going to pull at your nipples until they harden under my hands and then taste the salt-sweat as I kiss my way over your vulnerable chest. I’m going to explore every curve until I find that one spot that when I suck on it, you thrash and fight those cuffs until every muscle stands out. And then I’m going to keep sucking that spot. I’m going to mark you and listen to you beg as you squirm and strain.”
…
“I’m going to flip you over onto your stomach and chain your legs to the corners of the bed so that you’re open to me, spread wide open. Then I’ll run my fingernails over that beautiful ass, watch as the white lines pink up and get extra sensitive before I bring my hand down and smack you, and then I’ll taste that heated skin, nip it until you mewl and beg me to pound into you.” (p. 217)

Be still my rapidly beating heart! Where's a towel? I think I leaked all over my chair reading this little snippet. This isn't the only time Vin turns up his Dom-ness. Each time is hotter than the last and shows just how good Vin is at placing a submissive in subspace. Ms. Gala nails down the dream Dom with impeccable precision and it's so good to read. Too bad her Doms are into other males. This m/m novel is highly recommended to kinky readers who love angst and a Greek Tragedy turned upside.

* Provided by BDSM Book Reviews



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Review: Something New Under the Sun

Something New Under the Sun by L.A. Witt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Rebel forces in a cyberpunk world fighting the good fight is a trope I adore. Ms. Witt's conclusion to her debut "A Chip in His Shoulder" with edgy publishing company Riptide is HAWT. Liam and Daniel return in this fast paced tale of betrayal, redemption and love lost.

Something New under the Sun breaks open the conspiracy against vampires. Daniel's father is a psychopath. Any person who uses children as collateral against their parents is an evil person in my book. Ms. Witt can create some chillingly evil characters. It's interesting since her lead characters are flawed and sometimes comes across as the villain. Yet once their motives are revealed, a reader can't help but fall in love with the anti-hero. Still, Ms. Witt ruthlessly creates the antagonist with despicable personalities. This seems to be a trademark in the books I've read of hers.

This plot is thrilling as well as maddening. The turns of events are something anticipated with dread. There are twists and turns the readers hope won't come to fruition. When it does, it's just as messy of a train wreck as expected. Sometimes, it is worse. In this world, there is very little kindness. It's fraught with oppression, corruption and murder. Yet amidst all this controlled destruction, there is still hope, love and sacrifice. This is demonstrated though Liam and Daniel's star-crossed love. They willingly sacrifice for a just cause. The cost is high and sometimes a bit too steep for their ideals.

Ms. Witt creates a fascinating world with just enough techno-geek devices and gadgets for a riveting cyberpunk piece. The strong feelings invoked through love lost counterbalance the emotionless machines. There's even a reconciliation which soothes old wounds. The heart of this story is redemption with the underdogs succeeding. It's a bittersweet conclusion which makes a reader hope for more. This m/m erotica is highly recommended to those who love angst and vengeance.


* Provided by Netgalley



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Venik Massage or BDSM session?

Recently, I learned of a Russian massage which includes wet birch branches used to beat a body.  Yes, you read this correctly.  Birch branches used to beat a person for massage.





I looked it up and found this website which gives a pretty good description.  Venik - Russian treatment.  I find it interesting they use the word "twigs" rather than "branches".  Still, I looked around where I live to see if any massage place gives this type of massage.  The answer would be NO.

Still fascinated with this massage, I kept my eye out for it.  Luckily, I vacationed in London UK where there a spa provided this service.  Excited, I made an appointment to experience it.  I think my experience was rather disappointing.

When I arrived, it was required that I shower completely as well as wash my hair.  The shampoo, conditioner and soap were all high end and lovely.  Wrapped in a robe and wearing disposable flip flops, I followed the masseuse into one of the therapy rooms.  There was a sauna as well as a shower in an adjoining room.  The massage table was the standard type I'm used to see, except it was covered with only towels.  There was no sheet.  My room is the one below.  I found a picture which is shown below.  Where the chair is in the back, the right side was a large shower and the left side was a small sauna which holds easily 4 people sitting.  If it was laying down, then just 2 people.



I was sent to the sauna for 5 minutes.  I came back out and laid belly down.  I only wore a disposable panty they provided.  The masseuse proceeded to take two bundles of birch twigs soaked in water with some kind of oil and started whacking me.  She started from the top of my back and went all the way down to the soles of my feet.  Then she returned back up to the top.  She repeated this three times before she took the leafy part of the branches and dragged it up and down my body.  Then I flipped over onto my back and she repeated this process starting at my chest down to my toes.
 
The room was a bit chilly to be naked.  It felt really good when I first came out of the sauna.  With the whacking, it caused the air flow to increase and it became rather chilly.  That was unpleasant.  Fortunately, by the time I was cold, I was sent back into the sauna.  I stayed in the sauna this time for a bit longer than 5 minutes.  When I returned to the table, she repeated the process again.  I was sent to the sauna for a third time for 5 minutes.  After this last sauna, I was sent to the shower to rinse off.  Once I rinsed off the leaves on my body and in my hair, she had me lie down on the massage table which she laid fresh sheets on.  She rubbed oil all over my body, front and back.  And that was it.

For 30 minutes and 40 GBP, this is what I received.  I'm not sure if it was a good deal or not.  The beating with the twigs was rather light.  She could have hit me harder.  The twigs and leaves didn't look fresh.  They looked dried. 
And really, I hope she didn't use these bundles on someone else.  How hygienic would that be?  I think if the whacking was carried out in the sauna, it would have been more comfortable.  My muscles would have stayed looser and I'd have been more relaxed.  As it was, with the hot/cold my muscles tightened.


Now, before the treatment, I neglected to mention they required I drink tea or water.  Since I was coughing, they had me drink ginger tea.  It was very tasty.  After the treatment, they walked me to a "after treatment" room.  I swear it looked like some kind of room set up for orgies.  The light was dim.  There were candles and waterfall fountains.  There were see through drapes.  I found a picture of it below.  If I recall correctly, there were about ten beds like the ones below.  There were headsets to listen to music.  It was actually one big room with a little divider for the water and fruits.  There were five beds to each side.



They leave me in here and recommend I drink water which they provided.  And they recommended I eat a piece of fruit.  There were clementines, bananas and plums.

After this experience, I really think this can be turned into a BDSM paid session.  I mean, they even have the aftercare room where the temperature was a bit warmer.  Throw in a few blankets, and the sub or bottom would be all set.