Review: Dominating Vanessa by Audrey Black

A few days ago I ran across a delightful little tale entitled Dominating Vanessa by Audrey Black, an exquisite, light BDSM tale that was truly pleasant to read.  Well written with excellent descriptions, action, and plot, the story revolves around Vanessa, a somewhat newly wed who admittedly finds sex to be a bit dull.  Her husband, finally getting clued in, sets up a surprise scenario for her: forced sex and the thrill of his hands upon her (even after her almost immediate recognition) leaves her wet and ready.  He ties her down and proceeds to see just how much she really likes having control taken away.

Available for free from Smashwords and Barnes & Noble, this is a great appetizer for later fun!

Review: Unconventional Desires: A Diary of Discovery

As an author myself specializing in BDSM erotica, I frequently ask myself questions about my audience.  Who is going to read my book, and why?  What are they looking for when they turn the pages?  Is it a man or a woman delving into the uncharted depths of my narration?  Are they looking for truth? Or just a thrill?

These are questions every author, especially those of us in the erotica genre must ask ourselves.  And that brings me to "Unconventional Desires: A Diary of Discovery by Victoria Louise Sadler. The story is made up from the diary of a young woman in her early twenties who harbors secret fantasies of BDSM.  Her exploration of the "scene" is documented in her journal, and she eventually forms a permanent relationship with a dom who takes her to unprecedented levels of sexual delight.

While that synopsis sounds intriguing, the reason I wonder about the reader "Unconventional Desires" was meant for is because the narrator's diary reads like a shopping list and wanders aimlessly back and forth.  The narrator adds unimportant detail to each journal entry, and this plethora of minutiae, instead of creating depth to the character, becomes a literary speed bump that slows the plot and action to a crawl.  The first fifty or so pages is like this, peppered with only a few actual nuggets of erotica as well as plot development, the result being that I think many readers would be frustrated and lost before getting to the juicy parts.

Eventually the journal entries of "Unconventional Desires" do turn into something erotic, and can certainly spark the imagination, but the narration is told in an emotionally flat, rather dry manner, with no tension build and little in the way of any plot.  The narrator is relating to us what was done to her, and while there are some comments that reflect on her mental state, most of the description is not what I'd call robust.

Satisfied, I desperately needed to remove the vibrator and even though he allowed me to do so, I remained on all fours as he continued to whip me. The pleasure from the whipping had been entirely replaced by the pain and the pain had become unbearable.

I knew that this was for his enjoyment not mine, but despite this I struggled to remain still and desperately wanted to pull away from him. I struggled to find my voice until the next stroke landed harshly, though when I finally found my voice my respectful pleas were ignored. He made it abundantly clear that he was in charge and it would be his choice to stop, not mine.

Another issue that concerns me is the portrayal of BDSM.  I'm more of a sensualist than a true BDSM aficionado (it's tough to be true to the lifestyle when you've got four kids ranging in ages from 2 to 19) but those I know who DO live the lifestyle would take umbrage at the fact that the submissive in the story had no choice to stop.  And the above passage is just one example of this kind of behavior in the book.  Granted, the narrator makes an effort to explain away her attitude, but it's a half-hearted explanation, and if "Unconventional Desires" is more of an attempt to provide guidance to women interested in the BDSM world, then Ms. Sadler has missed one of the more important aspects of the BDSM D/s relationship.  The true power rests in the hands of the submissive.  She or he can always say no.  That's the point. 

Admittedly some of the scenes described in "Unconventional Desires" were a turn on, but nothing out of the ordinary happens to the narrator that demonstrates some unusual spark of creativity, and due to the journalistic nature of the narration, any tension buildup in one scene is hopelessly lost before the next happens.  In fact, I'm more disappointed in the fact that the author didn't try to write an actual fictitious BDSM tale.  Ms. Sadler clearly writes well and her prose is a pleasure to read.

In summary, I give "Unconventional Desires" a five out of ten rating.  At the astronomical price of $7.50, which is a ridiculously high price for an e-book, I can't honestly recommend it for those seeking erotica to stimulate the senses.  This is not a book you take to bed with a vibrator or warming oil.  As a book for those seeking information about the lifestyle it might serve better, though I still hesitate to endorse it, due to the unusual, yet still somewhat consensual relationship the narrator has with her master, Sebastian.  In essence, it makes the exact same mistake about BDSM that Fifty Shades of Gray did.  BDSM is not about doing what the "Master" wants.  It's about both partners getting what they want.

You can purchase "Unconventional Desires: A Diary of Discovery" from Amazon.com

A complimentary copy of the book was provided to Michael Alexander in exchange for an honesty review.

Review: Twisted by Lola Smirnova

As a book reviewer specializing in the BDSM erotica genre, it’s rare for me to be asked to read and review a book that is outside my area of expertise.  Such is the case for “Twisted” by Lola Smirnova, a fascinating and depressing look into the eastern European sex trade, with a healthy dose of “why drugs are bad for you.”

For years I’ve been an advocate of legalized prostitution, working from the premise that by legalizing the trade, the United States would take the power and money behind prostitution out of the hands of organized crime and put it toward the women actually engaged in the trade.  Legalization would allow government to generate revenue from the business, would stabilize the trade for licensing, medical examinations, and verification that the women involved weren’t being intimidated or controlled via drugs or violence.  It would create environments where the women are respected and cared for, rather than abused.  I’ve always thought that legalized prostitution would decrease the amount of human trafficking and child abuse as crime syndicates were forced to other avenues to generate their revenue.  And as terrifying as it sounds, “Twisted” serves as a primer to demonstrate that mafia lords and their crime syndicates will scheme to get their money in any way possible.

Smirnova’s story, which is no doubt based upon true life experiences, follows a young Ukrainian girl named Julia, whose family is struck with poverty after the fall of the Soviet Union.  Her two older sisters leave home and become sex workers, glossing over the more distasteful aspects of their occupation, planting the seeds of both curiosity and greed in young Julia.  She eventually finds the lure of easy money too beguiling and begins her journey into the darker aspects of drug abuse, drunken stupors, and the horrid and loveless life of a sex-for-sale prostitute.  She is subjected to all manner of abuses, from “debts” incurred to an “agent” supposedly responsible for finding her a club to work at, to the cramped and barely livable spaces the girls are given, to the non-stop drinking and drug use ideology that keep the girls compliant. 

This is not a book of erotica in any sense of the word. In fact, the few “sex” scenes described are mostly so disgusting and horrid that few would find them appealing, an attitude echoed by Julia through the tale.  And yet her story becomes compelling, like a Dickensian tale where only more pain and suffering is brought down upon the main character’s head, a sort of morality play where the reader shouts at the unfortunate soul and says “good Lord! How can you be that stupid?”  Reading the tale of Julia creates an imperative need to find out how it ends.  Is there a happy ending?  Thank God there is.

The writing itself is well done, surprising for someone for whom English is probably a second language.  Written in first person mode, in present tense, the author does a good job in establishing characters, setting, and the connection between the reader and the story.  More journal than formative plot, “Twisted” encapsulates the reader and literally drags them along through the drug and booze soaked life of a girl for whom circumstances and bad choices have created something that can only be described as a nightmare.

If nothing else, “Twisted” serves as a warning to other young woman who might be tempted by the flush of “easy” money presented by soliciting themselves.  Throughout the story Julia is constantly forced into actions she neither desires, nor wants; is frequently subjected to almost lethal (if not stupid) levels of intoxicants, and allows others to use her in practically every manner.  If there were a “how not to do this” manual, this would be it.

I suppose the saddest aspect of Julia’s life is that sex itself is relegated into something mundane or even disgusting.  As an erotica author myself, I was almost offended at the demeaning way the act of sex is treated in “Twisted,” yet I know that the reality is exactly as Ms. Smirnova has described.  It is a conceit amongst men that prostitutes “enjoy it,” that they are nothing more than walking sex dolls, constantly horny, always willing to “put out,” and that the money is only to abate the unattractive traits or desires of their clients.  Julia’s experience exposes that conceit and reminds us that the act of sex, even between two strangers, is not just a physical exertion with a hedonistic ending, but an emotional one as well.  For Julia, each client damaged her psyche just a little more and she turned to drugs and booze to cope.  Hopefully "Twisted" will cause every male who frequents "houses of ill repute" to treat these women with a modicum of respect.

In summary, "Twisted" is an amazing book that is well written and provocative, but despite it's appetizing cover and the teaser, can not be considered erotica in any sense of the word. I give "Twisted" a strong 8 out of 10, even though I generally rank for the eroticism of a story.  This book is still a worthwhile read.

Twisted is available in e-book format from Amazon.com, as well as Barnes & Nobel and can be purchased in hardback as well from the publisher.

You can also visit the author's website and blog.

This book was provided free to the reviewer in return for an honest review

Felicity Brandon's Hide & Seek

Let me start out this review by saying that I'm very disappointed in Felicity.

Her latest story is called Hide & Seek, is only sixteen pages in length and can be literally read in about twenty minutes.  It's priced at 99 cents, which is a relief since Felicity's publisher seems to normally think they can foist short to medium length stories off on the unsuspecting public as novels, with similar prices. (Note to Wildheart Books: 50k words makes a novel.) Even then Hide & Seek, due to its length, is only barely worth the coin.

That said, Hide & Seek itself showcases author Felicity Brandon's quality descriptive writing. She is articulate, understands timing and tension, and uses actions to reveal deeper motives within her characters. Hide & Seek, for all intents and purposes, is a short story designed to titillate the senses.  For what it is, I have to say that it has been written well.  It's arousing, intriguing, and delightfully playful, perfect for a little out loud reading while having your favorite subbie strapped down to something while a feather and your purple wand alternatively dance across their skin.  It's short enough that you can read it one session, and just fun enough that it can certainly prime the pump for whatever you and the previously mentioned subbie might get up to. 

But there are some negatives.  Hide & Seek is nothing but porn without plot.  It's a journal entry, written in first person (I did this) and then again in present tense (I write this), a narrative and tense mode I find absurdly simplistic unless combined with complicated plots or in-depth characters (and I don't mean the capacity to take a twelve inch long dildo when I mean depth.) The characters in Hide & Seek have no name and little to no description.  Everything is about the action and emotion of the main character, the submissive girl who likes to start off her sexual games by hiding from her lover like a recalcitrant child.  Even here I was disappointed.  Of all the fun games we played as children, an adult version sounds like something I'd like to try.  Unfortunately Hide & Seek quickly becomes a spanking game and has little to do with hiding or seeking.

I would have preferred meeting our main character out and about in a mall, fearfully looking over her shoulder, wondering if or when he will find her.  She darts into a clothing store, looking around, only to jump in shock as his hand closes down upon her arm.  She is found, and the punishment is a new toy for her to endure, a plug, nipple clamps, or a vibrator perhaps, and he takes a single article of clothing, leaving her something terribly slutty in exchange.  Then back out into the mall with a five minute head start. Now THAT'S a game of Hide & Seek.  End it with the spanking and sex and I'm hooked.

 I definitely think it's time for Felicity to get serious about her writing.  She's obviously a talented wordsmith who can craft a simple tale, but now I want to read something erotically charged with her unique turn of phrase and capacity at description, with a viable plot that isn't merely a description of a fun evening at home.  I need adventure, excitement... and purpose would be nice too.  For 99 cents I guess Hide & Seek is worth it, but be prepared for the quick dip in the pool this is.  Felicity is ready (and needs) to play more serious games than Hide & Seek.  Seven out of ten on this one.

You can get your copy of Felicity Brandon's Hide & Seek at Amazon.com.

Review: Hailey's Capture by Bryan Weston

Any time a man sits down and attempts to write lesbian sex, BDSM style or not, I have to give him credit for at least stepping outside the comfort zone.  Over the years I've come to the conclusion that I just don't really understand women - at least not from a perspective where I want to be writing something describing the emotional output of the fair sex.  So when I sat down and read through Bryan Weston's "Hailey's Capture" available from the BDSM Library, I was already just a bit biased in favor of the story.

As expected for a male written BDSM lesbian story, the focus was centered more on the action than the emotion.  After reading female written lesbian stories the best analogy I can give is that these stories are like oral sex.  A man can perform cunnilingus on a woman and she'll enjoy the experience because it is intense and rough and direct.  Or a woman can perform cunnilingus on a woman and she'll enjoy the experience because it is intense, delicate, and all encompassing.  Point being both experiences are enjoyable, but very different, and for entirely opposite reasons.

In a nut shell Hailey's Capture is about a BDSM dominatrix who enjoys luring teenage girls to her home, then sexually tormenting them.  Weston's story doesn't really have a plot beyond what the dominatrix does to her fresh victim, but it doesn't need to.  I myself write plenty of stories that I condemn with the phrase "porn without plot."  That's not the point of these kinds of tales.  Besides, the reality is that Weston has an inventive mind and while the circumstances of his story are common and found elsewhere, the devil is in the details and his are exquisite.

The best scene in the entire story is where Hailey is bound upright into the Dominatrix's fucking machine, then stuffed with an anal electrode, along with electric clamps on her nipples and a suction cup on her clit.  And as poor little Hailey endures the non-stop pounding of the six inch long synthetic cock, the dominatrix leaves.  Perfect.

The end of the story is a setup for a part two or a sequel.  It doesn't matter which actually because part one is a self-contained tale all by itself.  This is the mark of an author who understands the concept of episodic writing, an understanding that is quite rare on the BDSM Library.  Even better, the story is relatively well written, in first person, and I didn't see any major errors to distract the readers.  That's always nice.

I'm hoping Mr. Weston writes a part two or a sequel to this fun, little tale.  Why?  Because I want to see how long Hailey spends on that machine!  I give this tale 9 out of 10.

Read "Hailey's Capture" by Bryan Weston.

Sometimes love hurts

 If you thought Shades of Gray wasn't quite enough for you, you wanted more, more romance, more tension, more dark sex, then check out Michael Alexander's latest novel, "Challenge of Love", now available via Hot Ink Press from Amazon.com!

Stephanie's marriage is in shambles and past events have left her emotionally and physically stressed. Unsure of her husband's love, Stephanie enrolls them both, without his knowledge, in a BDSM reality television game show, hoping that the shock, sex, and intensity of the competition will bring Mark back to her. But the risks she undertakes are high, perhaps too high. Check out the free sample!

Get Michael Alexander's latest novel!  Now available from Amazon.com!

Review: You Do the Crime, You Pay the Time - A.P. Damine

Noosed Beauty - HangNaked

Story Codes: M/f snuff reluctant Extreme Synopsis: A slave has greatly offended her Master. As punishment, he sent an executioner to fuck her in the ass and hang her. She decides to make the best of a bad situation. 

I just finished the incredibly short story "You Do the Crime, You Pay the Time" by A.P. Damien over at the BDSM Library.  Normally I wouldn't write a review for a story like this, but since the library's rating system is still down, I find myself even more motivated to leave feedback for authors.

The first thing I want to note about the story is that it is not in a standard format.  It's more of a dialog and thought recording between the girl and her executioner.  The author, A.P. Damien actually does a decent job in separating the thoughts and dialog between the two characters, using a combination of symbols, italics, and font color.  That said, it almost feels more like a script lacking set descriptions.  Very strange.

But despite the fact that there are no narrative descriptions, the author does a good job in using his characters to set the stage.  And it's not obvious either.  There's no "Oh look!  A noose that's made of soft rope attached to a boom arm that swings, underneath a small platform."  The descriptions are sufficient to provide a basic outline and the action of the story takes the reader along without need for anything more specific.  I like authors who can allow a reader's imagination to handle so much without making it a strain.

The characters themselves are simple, yet intriguing.  No one is named, except for absent Master Damien (the author himself?) who has ordered the events of the evening.  But while neither character has a name, their attitudes define them quite well, and since the author grants us private access into their thought processes, it opens up a relationship that feels deeper than the mere dialog would have provided.  

The plot is simple.  Slave girl has messed up and is sent, unknowingly, to her execution.  Master Damien has requested death by hanging, as well as having his "former" slave girl screwed in the rear.  The executioner is a gentle man, which is a sweet irony, and he pleasures her to orgasm before finally allowing the noose to cut of her air.

The story is ridiculously short, but it is sweet, and despite the funky format, has a lot going for it.  I'm going to give it a very strong 7 out of 10, and admit this almost made an 8.  

To read "You do the Crime, You do the Time" by A.P. Damien, click here.

The Bitter End - Rue Volley

The Bitter End: Rue Volley

Bethany was born into a world of privilege and has never had to want for anything in her life. Her parents gave her everything but the one thing she desired the most...love. When Bethany’s mother dies, her Father becomes even more distant with the immediate replacement of Bethany’s mother by “Miko”, a woman who has no compassion nor interest in Bethany whatsoever.

On her own and living in a penthouse, a lavish gift from her father, Bethany ignores all responsibility as she lives on a weekly allowance her Father is sure to place into her bank account. With too much time on her hands, Bethany is free to pursue other interests such as a young man she never cared for in school named Ryan Blackwood. Ryan is a male escort for hire and has made his living on pleasuring the higher echelons of New York society women, but when he meets Bethany his game is shifted from one of hunter to one of prey and he will soon find out that she is not the easy target he once imagined.

Get it now at Amazon.com!  and check out Rue's Facebook page! 

Customer Service - By Felicity Brandon

I’m not a fan of present tense narratives under most circumstances.  The awkwardness of the prose always seems to distract, and yet there are authors who use it with skill and grace.  Suzanne Collins who wrote Hunger Games did it well, using the present tense narrative form to keep the readers in the dark about how the plot ends.  In the erotic world, author Felicity Brandon does it with style, though more from a personal preference than out of the necessity of plot.  Even more incredibly, Felicity Brandon writes from a first person perspective, forcing action, dialog, and even description through the lens of a narrator, and not just an author’s pen.  And she does it well.

Her latest short story, “Customer Service” is pure gold, balancing action, dialog, and description in a sexually tense and fascinating way.  In it, Felicity Brandon introduces us to Polly, a beleaguered waitress dealing with the dreaded customer “Rachel” who wraps her arrogance and bad attitude around herself like a cloak.  Polly discovers a note with Rachel’s phone number on it and a personal message.  Intrigued, Polly calls and finds herself willingly submitting to the dominatrix, whose attitude doesn’t change, even in the privacy of her own home.  The sex is steamy, the descriptions poignant, and the tension builds.

The only critical complaint I can give – is that I wished the story kept going.  Rachel is an amazing character with vibrant colors and an unforgiving attitude that makes me like her, despite her aggressive and haughty behavior.  I almost wish she had offered Polly a job as house maid.  It would have been totally appropriate and I would have loved to read Polly’s reaction to the humiliating uniform and demanding antics of Rachel. 

“Customer Service” is a short, fast read, filled with eroticism and romance that anyone, man or woman, would enjoy.  I heartily recommend this tale and give it a full ten out of ten rating. It's currently priced at 99 cents and I think, despite being a ten minute read, might actually be worth it.

You can pick up a copy of "Customer Service" at Amazon.com.
Visit Felicity's website at  http://fbrandonfiction.wix.com/felicity-brandon-

Follow Felicity Brandon's Twitter: @FelicityBrandon
Or follow her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/felicitybrandonerotica

Review: Disciplinary Action Anthology

This memorial day weekend I perused Disciplinary Action, a brief anthology of short stories by several different authors linked with Xcite Books, a publisher of erotica.  There were five stories included in the anthology.  Overall the collection isn't bad, however it certainly wasn't worth the $2.99 cost.  Anthologies generally need to be used by publishers as a sort of means to introduce their pantheon of authors.  My primary issue with the price was that overall the collection was only 51 pages long.  I sell full length novels for $2.99 and in the cutthroat industry of e-book erotica, $2.99 for a 51 page anthology is a death sentence.  I'd have serious reservations about buying another Xcite book again unless I knew the author and loved their work.

The first story in the anthology is Disciplinary Action by Felicity Brandon and sets the tone for the rest of the anthology.  The plot, which is a timeless classic, involves a rather unbelievable young woman in similarly unbelievable circumstances, being blackmailed into sexual submissive by her employer.  Ms. Brandon's strength lies in the emotional content of the main character but the action is unfortunately predictable.  The antagonist (or depending on your viewpoint, the PROtagonist) Mr. Carlton explains that he has video tape of the main character: Megan, copulating with a fellow co-worker during the Christmas Party, on premises, and then proceeds to fondle her while she's watching.  With only the video hanging over her, Megan suddenly finds that not only is she submissive, but likes it, and allows Carlton to punish her with a spanking and screw her brains out.  The action is precisely what you would expect  and while readers will enjoy the description of Megan's emotional turmoil, they'll be racking their brains trying to explain away her actions, which make no logical sense.  Why is Megan willing to submit to this man with so little to sway her?  Were she being accused of theft, I could possibly understand it.  But a single video of her having fun with a co-worker, off the clock?  And before she can even come to an agreement with her employer, the man begins fondling her?  Can any one say sexual harassment?  

"Disciplinary Action" is followed up by Beverly Langland's "Sandra's Stockings" a short hash of a mess constructed with simple sentences and short prose that makes it choppy and difficult to read.  Admittedly, I'm not a foot fetishist and find the idea of sucking some woman's used stockings to be unattractive.  But that is the risk of an anthology.  The plot revolves around Lucy, a submissive who serves an older woman and happens to be entranced with her stockings, and tells of the day that her life changed as she began to "serve" Mistress Sandra.  The narrative bounces between present and past tense abruptly and the entire story is more of a journal than a story with an active plot.

The gem of the anthology is the teaser story "Who is the Keymaster and Who The Key" by Ralph Greco, Jr.  In this short tale, classic playboy Ken, who certainly has a thing for his best friend's wife Lisa, gets her to put a chastity cage on his manhood, limiting his usual antics to seething frustration.  The sexual tension in this tale is masterfully done and despite the fact that I would never, ever, place myself in Ken's position, I found myself aroused from the idea of it alone.  The prose is excellent and the narrative compelling.

We are then subjected to "Daddy’s House" by Angel Propps, a strange conglomeration that adds a healthy dose of confusion to a mix of lesbian sex and punishment.  The author does a great job describing the characters and uses adjectives almost to a fault, peppering her sentences with them almost as an afterthought.  We are introduced to a powerful dominatrix of a woman in the very first paragraph, only to stare in bewilderment as we learn that she makes her submissive house slaves call her "Daddy".  Why? No idea.  It makes no sense.  It's as if she is so dominant, so testosterone laden, she actually wants to be a man.  I always thought that being a dominant woman was about being in control, yet ALSO being a woman.  Angel Propps does nothing to explain this disparity.  Then things get weirder when either the worst repetitive typo in history rears it's ugly head or for another unexplained reason, the submissive women living with "Daddy" are called "grrls."  Yes, you might have noticed there are no vowels in the world "grrls," which made no sense to me and was instantly classified in the same category as the lesbian dominatrix being called "Daddy".  After carefully filing those two oddities in my WTF drawer, I moved on through another formulaic plot that was saved from borishness by the author's capable action scenes.  The punishment she inflicts upon the "grlls" is creative and interesting, but the sexual tension really doesn't move in any direction.

Lastly we are given "The Art Master" by J. Smith, another story with a plot concept so old and unlikely that it almost scares me.  I'm not sure if J. Smith is a woman or man, but rest assured regardless of the author's gender, there are not many men out there who are "professional dominants" and sell their services to highly attractive woman who secretly wish to be abused and ravished by their ideal man.  I'm guessing that the "art master" must formally be either an Old Spice spokesman or an Axe commercial guy.  With this questionable story base used for the foundation, we are then treated to a repeat of every other spanking sex story every written.  Rest assured, I believe that old and well-used plots can be revitalized  by a talented author, but it takes creativity to do it.  "The Art Master" brings nothing new to the table.

All in all I can't recommend purchasing this book.  To put it in baseball terminology, three strikes, one double, and one home run doesn't make the game.  Two of the authors, Felicity Brandon and Ralph Greco, Jr. are probably worth reading on their own, but that will have to be a review for another day.

In summary, I give Disciplinary Action a 6 out of 10 rating.  

Review: Kelly Gets Her Dues

Story Codes: F+/f Tit Torture BDSM bondage Rape job humiliation nc Heavy Synopsis: Kelly, a beautiful girl who can't seem to make female friends, is kinapped and put through a car wash testing facility by her jealous coworkers. 

This morning I spent five minutes reading "Kelly Gets Her Dues" by Billdo at the BDSM Library.  In the story, a curvaceous yet socially challenged girl gets abused by her co-workers on a car weathering tester.  To be honest, there are some serious plot holes in this story, despite the relative creativity of the scenes.

First of all, Kelly is described as a pretty girl with 34C breasts, perfect waist, and striking features.  Yet she seems to alienate the other female students in some way that the author never elaborates on.  Evidently despite her good looks and obvious attention from the men, she never seems to develop any specific attachments.  After getting poor grades, she decides to work instead of going to college.

At work, Kelly again mysteriously offends her female co-workers. How?  No clue.  She just does.  Is it her perfect breasts?  Is it her striking features?  Or is it merely the author's whim, needing a reason for Kelly to be strapped down on an automated testing platform and subjected to a bevy of mechanical torments?

Neither is it explained how the four (or more?) female co-workers manage to drug Kelly, strip her naked, and move her to the testing area without trouble.  Were there no other workers at the department?  Is the secretary pool just allowed to go in and start the testing procedure whenever they want?  Weird.

In the end, Kelly is bound spread-eagled to the testing platform.  Her torment starts with a scene reminiscent of Dr. Wu's Tripping With Tiffany, a fantastic story where Tiffany, on a visit to meet with her new sorority, is tied naked to the top of a car and run through the car wash.  For Kelly however, various nozzles of hot water, cold water, and soapy water are turned upon her, she ends up being "whipped" by the wet strands used to clean car bodies.  The torment from there gets both ludicrous and interesting, with some of the most deviant and unbelievable mechanical rape ever written.

The writing itself is half-decent and frankly the story suffers mostly from the disjointed explanations.  There is a total lack of empathy with Kelly, since the author doesn't provide her perspective or a description of her senses beyond a few well placed cries.  The description is decent if understated, but there is absolutely no dialog whatsoever.  There are a few spots were questionable wording, like " Recently, her female coworkers were getting more cruel."  It's not "more cruel." It's "crueler."  And adding the word "recently" makes the tense questionable in the first place.  It's not wrong per se, but it feels awkward.

The story is also short.  Very short.  As I mentioned, I had it read in less that five minutes.  That was just long enough to get aroused, and certainly not long enough or detailed enough to do anything about it.  

In summary, this tale was frustrating from a variety of angles, but the author demonstrates a creativity that is worth exploring.  With an expanded perspective, this story would easily rate much higher than a 6 out of 10 stars.

Read "Kelly Gets Her Dues"

Review: Inheriting a Daughter by Banshee

Story Codes: M+/f F/f exhibition spanking teen voyeurism Swallowing Tit Torture BDSM historical reluctant humiliation nc Forced Heavy violent  
Synopsis: A couple "inherits" a daughter, when her father passes away, while she is staying with a family in the early 1900's. She finds her new family very strange, not to mention cruel. Things get stranger with each passing day until she finds herself a prisoner to their lust.

Recently I read Inheriting a Daughter by Banshee at the BDSM Library, which seems to still be occasionally posting new work despite the forums and review functions disabled.  The plot revolves around Eleanor, who is sent to live with her ailing father's former girlfriend (now married), only to discover that her new guardian is a sadistic woman with an infantile yet grown up son and a similarly cruel husband.  Eleanor is rather quickly subjected to escalating sexual torments.  As far as plots go, this one was again pure "fuckfest" since the sex was the plot itself, but since I myself have written plenty of those kinds of stories, there isn't much room for complaint.

The first plus I can give this story is that the characters are quite three dimensional.  After a very short period you end up despising the "adoptive family", especially the mother Meg.  All sorts of normalized standards of behavior are shattered by this woman, who still breastfeeds her 18 year old, mentally deficient son, as well as regularly masturbates the boy.  Once Eleanor arrives Meg adds spankings, and eventually manages to push Eleanor into handling the masturbatory requirements of the son.  It's disturbing and yet highly erotic.

The main problem comes from the fact that the character of Eleanor is a contradiction.  The author describes her as being eighteen years old, a fact that I find ludicrous considering her behavior and reaction to being abused.  Since the story takes place during the early 1900's  (1908 to be exact), most women  matured earlier and I found Eleanor's habitual helplessness less than realistic. Worse, her responses to being sexually abused were abject despair and the classic "wringing of the hands - oh what am I to do?" all while the abuse continues.

In fact, I got the feeling that the author would have preferred to make Eleanor a little younger, perhaps sixteen, which would have made much more sense considering how the character was actually described, and would at least give SOME explanation why the girl wasn't able to just LEAVE her situation.  On the flip side, I would have loved to see some rebellion in Eleanor - perhaps an attempt to run away which would have of course resulted in even worse sexual punishment for the pretty young lady.

The various sex scenes are a bit formulaic, proceeding from one classic sex torture to another in exactly the progression you would expect, but admittedly the author does a good job with his descriptions and adds a touch of spice to each scene, giving it a fresh feel.

In summary, I thought "Inheriting a Daughter" was a pretty good tale and except for the disparity in Eleanor's age compared to her demeanor, I thought the story well constructed.  I give this one a solid 8 out of 10 stars and definitely recommend it to readers who want pure sex and a lot of wicked abuse.

Read "Inheriting A Daughter" by Banshee here.

Review: A Great Volume of Trouble by TS Fesseln

Synopsis: Erika Adams has a book that someone else wants, and they will do anything to get it. Unless Erika's captors get distracted.
Storycodes: FM/f; bond; kidnap; trunk; transport; toys; nc; X

This afternoon I had the opportunity to read TS Fesseln's "A Great Volume of Trouble".  I can't even begin to tell you how pleased I was with the tale.  There is a craft to short story telling and it involves much more than merely putting words on a page.  You must create characters, tension, and plot.  You must craft scenes and reach a climax, as well as a resolution. TS Fesseln does all of this is in "A Great Volume of Trouble" and it is a rare thing for me to see such elegance in simplicity.

Erika Adams is a bookseller who has recently acquired the collection of a deceased collector.  Svelte, elegant, and beautiful, she sets aside a certain volume that sparks her interest on title alone. Unfortunately, she doesn't have time to read the intriguing book, instead leaving it on her bedside nightstand.  She never gets the chance to delve into its secrets however, since that afternoon a couple come to the store, looking for that particular book.  They tie her up and demand the volume when it appears she isn't cooperative.

First of all, the sexual tension of this story is particularly well done.  From Erika's initial bondage scene to the finale, everything is not only tasteful, but accordingly placed so that the reader is pulled gently up the slope toward the climax.  Tension building is everything in a short story and clearly the author understands that flooring the accelerator right from the starting line is not always the right thing to do.

The story has three main characters, all of which are well defined.  While the initial introduction into Erika Adams, particularly her description, was rather formulaic and felt more as if I were reading a biography of a model, the story quickly moves into a more personal frame, leaving the reader with vivid images and well formed parameters for Ms. Adams.  The two nefarious villains of the piece; the bald headed Marx and his obviously aliased accomplice Ms. Roberts, are less defined, but still dominating.  Marx is described as a large man, bald, and strong.  Ms. Roberts changes appearance half way through the story, adopting or discarding a disguise.  Regardless, it is easy to envision both antagonists with clarity based upon their actions.

While near to perfect, there were a few instances where I felt there could be some improvement.  There were two distinct tense issues that I felt needed to be corrected and nearing the climax, there were a few sentences that I felt were awkward.  The description of Erika Adams was related, rather than the told or shown.  However, in the grand scheme of things, this story more than earned high marks.

In summary, this beautiful little tale is exactly the kind of story that I like to enjoy.  It is quick, detailed, crammed with sensory input, and well balanced with description, action, and dialog.  The sexual tension shines through and lends itself to making a great story into something that is beautiful and elegant in it's own right.  For me, ten out of ten stars is how I rate "A Great Volume of Trouble, by TS Fesseln.

Read "A Great Volume of Trouble" here, and don't forget to visit the author's blog to see more of what TS Fesseln is up to.

Review: Magical Night by Karen A. Sullivan

Reviewed by Breanne Erickson.

Romance is never something to be trifled with.  It's like making a souffle, or a good stew.  You have to be careful with what you put into it, how you season it, and most especially how it's cooked.  With "Magical Night" by Karen A. Sullivan, you'll find yourself with a delicious appetizer that well leave you wanting more.

Magical Night is an extremely short novella that describes an evening of exotic passion between Kay Maclachan and her significant other, Jim.  From the very beginning you can tell that both Kay and Jim have been hurt in previous relationships, and Kay even gives us hints about how she has trouble saying "I love you," scared of how those words might change what seems to be a perfect relationship into something that she might one day come to regret.  That evening they head to a company party and the evening's entertainment becomes forgotten as both Jim and Kay begin focusing on each other, rather than socializing.  Kay is daring, wanting to tantalize Jim and they end up leaving early.

While both Kay and Jim have similar thoughts on how the end of the day should go, Jim has ulterior motives.  He's ready to move the relationship a bit further down the road and he knows how she will respond to a bit of light discipline, forcing her body to make her mind to make the ultimate sacrifice and say exactly what he knows she feels.

Honestly, the start of this story is its weakest point, with the establishment of characters and the overall situation between Jim and Kay being rocky and in some cases oddly phrased.  But a quarter of the way into the story, as blood begins to heat up and the sexual tension builds the story craft of author Karen Sullivan begins to shine.  Description and action meld nicely and it is properly spaced with just enough dialog to keep the plot moving.

Where things are really good however, is with the deep emotion and physical account of Kay's torment.  From her bound wrists and ankles, to the delightful fingers delving into her canal, to the light spanking he gives her, we are right there with Kay, loving how she squirms beneath him and more importantly, how much we wish we were in her place.  

But evidently Jim knows her even better because when she does finally give in, saying "I love you," he brings his belt crashing down upon her breasts and bottom, striping her even as she is frantic with arousal.  In the end he takes her, melding heart, body and soul together in a flash of heat and light and love.

Check out "Magical Night" by Karen A. Sullivan, available in e-book format on Barnes and Noble and at Amazon.com and don't forget to visit her blog!