Audiobook review: Submission Backstory by Shawna Hunter

I listened to a terrific audiobook this week, Submission Backstory: Memoir Of A BDSM Authoress, by Shawna Hunter and narrated by Sierra Kline.

 Shaun's rating:

I think what I most loved about this book was that it actually told an interesting story. When I read erotica I absolutely want it to be sexy and steamy, but I also want a story that I can get involved in, something that pulls me in and keeps me interested in the characters and what is going to happen to them next. This book delivers very well on all of the above. 

This the story of Alyssa, a lifestyle reporter, who travels to New York in pursuit of a hot story. While working to get an interview with someone who is at the center of this story she is chasing; she meets a young man, David, who seems to be tangential to the story but who may actually be able to guide her to an even bigger story. As Alyssa begins pursuing this story she experiences things, hot exciting things, that awaken a new awareness and desire in her.

 Submission Backstory is very well written. The story flows smoothly, the descriptions draw the reader in and keeps their interest. The erotic scenes are hot and intense without being over-done. The characters are interesting and well drawn.

Sierra Kline does a beautiful job narrating this book. Her voice and pace draw the listener in and add a steaminess to the listening experience. 

I absolutely recommend Submission Backstory, I am giving it four and one half out of five paddles.

Review: Painted Doll by M. Christian

Well, I finally made my way back here and this week I'll be giving you my thoughts on Painted Doll: An Erotic Science Fiction Novel by M. Christian. 

Shaun's rating:

Painted Doll is set in the near future in a dystopian world. The West has fallen apart and Claire has escaped from the Pacific Northwest USA to the East where she makes a life for herself. She meets a girl named Flower shortly after her arrival in the East, they become friends and then lovers. At first they are refugees, struggling to survive, but they begin to build a better life for themselves; until they cross the wrong person, Taka. Their only means of survival is to hide. Flower is sent away and Claire assumes a new persona, that of Domino the Erotosist. As an Erotosist Domino leads her clients on a sexual journey, without ever actually having sex with them. The brain is the most erotic sex organ after all. Taka's minions continue to search for Claire and Flower as they struggle to hide, survive, and perhaps find a way to reunite.

As usual M. Christian draws the reader deeply into the story. The characters are complex and the reader soon comes to feel involved. The settings and descriptions are vivid and well drawn while still inviting the reader to use their own imagination as they are brought into this world.

 The eroticism of Painted Doll is... different. Most of the erotic scenes involve the characters describing, rather than actually having, sex. It's intriguing and, frankly, hot. I loved how this story explored the mind as a source of eroticism rather than just the pussy and cock.

I received a free copy of Painted Doll for review, and honestly the editing and formatting needs some work.  There were quite a few problems with my copy, a few that were serious enough to effect the flow of the story. Hopefully the version that is sold has better editing. I will say that even with the editing problems I still recommend this book.

I'm giving Painted Doll four out of five paddles.

Review: Lillian, Dominatrix by Andrea Riley

Sorry everyone, I've been busy and haven't been able to post reviews weekly here. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get back to weekly postings but I'll get reviews posted as I can.

This week I'll be sharing my thoughts on Lillian, Dominatrix by Andrea Riley.

Shaun's rating:

My feelings toward this book could not be more ambiguous.  There was nothing about it I loved, nor was there anything I hated.

This book tells the story of Lillian, a successful dominatrix, who meets Jackson. Jackson intrigues Lillian, she finds herself quite attracted to him even though he doesn't quite fit into the mold of her usual. Jackson it turns out is a Dom and there is a bit of a struggle as they try to figure out if and how they can fit together.

The plot, character development, hotness, and editing of this book are all just kind of- okay.  I was never captivated, I never really cared about the characters, and I was never particularly titillated. At the same time none of these things were particularly bad.

I can't recommend this book, however if you read the blurb and it sounds particularly interesting to you I would not discourage you from reading it. 

Can a review get any more ambiguous than this? Sorry folks, but this book just left me feeling kind of... 'Eh'.

I'm giving Lillian, Dominatrix two and one half out of five paddles.

Review: Two Spirits: A Story Of Life with The Navajo by Walter L Williams & Toby Johnson

Continuing the recent trend of doing something a bit different here, this week I'll be giving you my thoughts on a historical novel; Two Spirits: A Story of Life With the Navajo by Walter L Williams & Toby Johnson.

Shaun's rating:

Two Spirits tells the story of the removal to, internment at, and subsequent release of the Navajo (Dine) people from the Bosque Redondo reservation in New Mexico which occurred in the 1860s immediately following the U.S. civil war. This is one of the most shameful (among many shameful) examples of the Euro-Americans treatment of Indigenous Americans. As with most historical novels this one is loosely based on historical facts, with plenty of liberties taken for the sake of the story, but the essence of the actual history is there.

The truly interesting thing about this novel is the authors attempt to tell of the acceptance of gender variations and differing sexual preferences by the Native Americans (At least the Navajo and some other Native Americans). One of the main characters is homosexual and the other is transgender. Of course like most real people these are not absolutes, both gender and sexual preference generally exists along a spectrum and such is the case with both of these characters. There are other characters in the book with varying genders and sexual preferences as well. 

The story of the Navajo and the Bosque Redondo is certainly an interesting one, and one that we as a nation must never forget and hopefully will learn from. The authors do a credible job of telling this story, and of course of getting their message of gender and sexual acceptance across. I did find though that the writing was just a bit simplistic. I honestly felt that this book, perhaps minus the few erotic scenes, would be much more appropriate for a preteen/teen audience. It just never gripped me, or truly drew me into the story, and I am a huge fan of historical fiction.

Since I normally do discuss and review erotica here, I will mention that there were a few short erotic scenes in this book and that those scenes were pretty well done.

The book was well edited and very readable.

I'm giving Two Spirits three and one half out of five paddles. If you are interested in historical fiction and/or books that show gender/sexual preference acceptance in a positive light I think you will enjoy this novel.

Review: Femdom Alchemy by Jim Lyon

Something a bit different this time my friends: I'm going to give you my thoughts on an audio book, Femdom Alchemy by Jim Lyon.

Shaun's rating:

I really enjoy audio books. I spend a lot of time in a vehicle over the course of most days and I find audio books to be a pleasant way to pass the time as I drive.

 Femdom Alchemy was a very enjoyable book. It was two hours eighteen minutes long, a collection of short stories that are all very well written and fantastically narrated. The author manages to draw the reader into each of the stories, setting the scene well and creating characters that are quite likeable. This is something that is not easy to do in such short stories, but all the stories in this book are well done.

I found all the stories to be hot without being what I would consider edgy. While kinky, the stores are not extreme in my opinion. If you're looking for extremes this book is probably not for you but if you enjoy quality femdom writing with themes of corporal punishment, chastity, and pegging this would be a good choice. There is also a bit of lesbian femdom included which I enjoyed very much.

The narration, performed by Kathryn LaPlante was outstanding. Her smooth and sexy voice brings the stories to life and makes the listening experience an absolute joy.

I definitely recommend Femdom Alchemy and am giving it four and one half out of five paddles.

I recieved this audio book free in exchange for an honest review. 

I looked in the mirror

The past few days have been rather... frustrating for me. For the most part things are good. I've been having fun, spending time with my family, connecting with my Mistress/wife. I'm happy.

Yeah, you can hear the 'but' coming can't you? 

The thing is I have been experiencing gender dysphoria in a huge way. It's freaking driving me crazy! 

I am not a woman trapped in a male body. However, being gender fluid, there is a female part of me that shares space in this male body. Sometimes I look in the mirror and I know that is me looking back, well a part of me anyway.  

There's another part of me too; I struggle to see her, and sometimes I just can't. I can feel her; she wants so desperately to be seen, but she's invisible. She's hidden behind this six foot two inch, two hundred fifty pound, masculine looking wall. I feel her so strongly; she is me after all, and it is just so disappointing to not be able to see her. It is even more disappointing to feel that she cannot be seen, either by myself or by others. 

Sometimes I hate my body and the way I look. I wish I had been blessed with a body that could pass as feminine, masculine, or androgynous depending on what gender I feel at the time. 

I'm actually just biding my time until molecular redistribution machines hit the market. You haven't heard of molecular redistributors? Oh yeah, they're these cool machines that you step into and push a button; a few moments later you step out with the body you chose for that day, or hour, or whatever. No more of this nonsense of having to live in the body you were born with.

Anyhow, 'it is what it is' and I've been living with it all my life. I will continue to live with it, but it is frustrating and a bit disheartening at times. I'm not sharing this so anyone will feel sorry for me, please don't. I just hope that through my sharing it might help someone to gain a bit of understanding about what a transgender person deals with. 

I Looked In The Mirror

I looked in the mirror this morning, but I could only see part of me

I checked the mirror; it seemed whole but the picture it showed was quite incomplete

That man looking back, I know him; but I wonder... where is she?

She’s in there I know, I feel her, a part of my soul

Yes, that man is me, but so is she

I feel her sometimes, crying inside

She wants to come out, she wants to be seen

The man looking back is who the world sees

But she’s in there too, hidden it seems

Acknowledged by few, sometimes not even by me

She wants to be touched, she wants to be seen

She needs to be loved, especially by me

She’s tentative and scared, afraid of the pain

She’s worried she will be lost

She’s frightened of being scorned once again

Review: Bionic Lover: An Erotic Lesbian Romance by M. Christian

In this review I'm going to be discussing a book that is a little off my usual reading shelf; the book is Bionic Lover: An Erotic Lesbian Romance by M. Christian.

Shaun's rating:

This book was fantastic! It is set in a futuristic San Francisco during a time when the poor may be drafted into the military and sent off to a brutal war if their worth falls below a certain level. People will do almost anything to avoid being drafted and that includes selling their limbs and organs. Technology has reached a point where there is a market for the donation of living limbs and organs; these can fetch a price high enough that the donor can afford a bionic replacement and still have a bit of money left over, maybe enough to save them from conscription.

Pell is an artist who is teetering on the brink of poverty, and the conscription that would follow if she falls below that monetary line. Arc is a person of the street doing what she can to survive. When they meet at an art exhibit Pell is intrigued by Arc's cybernetic eye, but even more mesmerized by her strength and fire. Arc goes home with Pell and a relationship of sorts begins. Pell only sees Arc occasionally and each time she does there is a little less of her that remains truly Arc.

Prepare to become fully immersed in this story.

This was an amazing read. The author does a masterful job of not just showing you this story but of engaging all of the reader's senses through his descriptions. You don't just see this story; you smell it, you taste it, you hear it, you feel it. The author embeds the reader in this story; you don't just read this book, you experience it.

To be honest I was a bit surprised at just how much I enjoyed this book. The book is scifi with a bit of steampunkish flavor, not usually my thing... I enjoyed it immensely though.

The book is well edited, the reader can skate through the pages with scarcely an editing hiccup. Oh, and the erotic scenes are wonderfully hot and sultry.

I am giving Bionic Lover: An Erotic Lesbian Romance four and one half out of five paddles, I definitely recommend this book.

Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of this ebook for an honest review.