How, in an instant, his future can be decided for him.
3.5 stars. I've started this review three times already and hit the backspace button
How, in an instant, his future can be decided for him.
3.5 stars. I've started this review three times already and hit the backspace button every time. I could write an entire review about the love/hate that I have with WWII fiction. The market is so saturated with stories that it's easy to dismiss most of them because they can't all be the one that you need to read. Yet at the same time, every single story deserves to be told.
If you have read other WWII fiction or have seen enough WWII movies, this book could probably be a skip for you. If you haven't read much or any WWII fiction, then this book might be a great introduction into the hardships and heartbreak that befell so many families of the time.
It was the soft thud of the infant's body meeting the earth that broke Herta, causing the numbness to give way to a hate that burned so deeply within, she wondered if her organs might catch fire.
There were, however, some differences in this story which kept me interested. Even though it was a little confusing to follow so many points of view, it was extremely crazy to realize that this book followed an entire family as they were split apart and scattered all over the world. I give the author credit for trying to piece together a story from so many various accounts of family members (as always with books like these, please read the author notes. I always feel the most connection to the story after seeing the inspiration). I had to shelve We Were the Lucky Ones as both fiction and non fiction because this book was real life pieced together and interpreted through a lens in order to make a cohesive story.
This family was put through the ringer. It was almost hard to believe that so many connected people were able to survive such a great amount of close calls. When you get to the end and see what happened to everyone, it almost becomes surreal to see how everything turned out the way that it did. There was a fair share of tribulation, so you should expect those moments of tragedy and peril, but given the title, hope is implied. And in the end, hope is restored.
I guess that counts for something. We don't get too much of that in WWII fiction....more
She seemed to have fried her brain somewhere along the course of her life. [image]
I might have watched a few several episodes of The Girls Next DooShe seemed to have fried her brain somewhere along the course of her life. [image]
I might have watched a few several episodes of The Girls Next Door when it was on the air. But I never followed through until the end, and it looks like I wasn't missing much.
By now, most of us know that even reality shows are scripted. Show creators are well aware that every audience has a preference of what they want to see, and the shows try to deliver this.
What I didn't realize was how much Hugh Hefner (Hef) tried to squelch any showing of the behind-the-scenes drama which was unfolding in the lives of the three stars of the show. He wanted to create drama to feed his own fantasies, but couldn't have the world seeing anything other than his life as absolute perfection.
Being able to hold her stories over my head was just another tool Hef used to manipulate me. Watching me get upset and squirm was just another way he satisfied his perversions.
I can't say that I was surprised to find out just how sleazy Hef was. I can't even say that I'm surprised by how much people idolize a man who is little more than his own creation and ego. The guy is icky - truly. Since Cosby got nailed to the wall for the pill thing, people should really take a second look at Hef.
However, Down the Rabbit Hole left a sour taste in its portrayal of Holly being nothing more than the victim in all of this. Yes, it's probably true that desperate times did call for desperate measures, but since she was only willing to spill the tea on everyone else and not herself, I found that her attempt at looking humble came across as nothing but fake and self-serving to the extreme.
This book was an attempt at damage control. And I don't think it hit the intended mark.
I had to take it from a 19-year-old bimbo who I had been nothing but welcoming to?
So everyone else at the mansion was sleazy except for Holly?
The only real mention of Holly having sex with Hef was the very first time. She was 'out of it' and had a heavy body on top of her.
*blink*
What?
Oh no, girl. You played the game. You don't get to act like you weren't selling yourself for the money.
Own it. And give a middle finger to the haters who can't handle it. If you make a choice, live in that choice. Don't try to sell me an entire book that tells me you were nothing but a victim.
Bridget and I were so square we wouldn't even have known how to get drugs.
Interesting, considering how drug use was mentioned repeatedly in the book. There were (former) girlfriends and playmates who were using, and Hef was supposedly drugging his dates to get them to open their thighs. I felt like there were plenty of contradictions in this story. The biggest contradiction came from Holly's portrayal of herself being nothing but nice and a perpetual doormat.
I was beyond mortified and prayed that the floor would just swallow me up. I was certain everyone on set was assuming that all three of us were equally ditsy.
Was Hef a sleazebucket? I'm pretty sure he was. Were your roommates b*tches? Also, I'm pretty sure that there were no lies told here. Did you tell the whole story? I'm thinking no....more
You are one twisted woman, Sherrilyn Kenyon. How could you make me love this impossibly disturbing book? How???
*Trigger warning : extreme rape, abuse You are one twisted woman, Sherrilyn Kenyon. How could you make me love this impossibly disturbing book? How???
*Trigger warning : extreme rape, abuse and gore* from what I can remember. I'm reviewing this book months after I read it.
4.5 stars I hesitated for a minute over the thought of adding Styxx to my favorites shelf since favorites tend to equal recommendations, yet I've struggled so much with this series that I find it hard to recommend. There are so many weak books in Dark Hunter lineup that it honestly surprises me when an incredible book comes along from out of nowhere and blows my mind like this one did. However, Styxx is now a favorite book, and so to the shelf it goes.
But let's get to the star of this story. ***Very slight character spoilers ahead. No major plot spoilers.*** I will mention Styxx's abuse with the assumption that most people will know that his abuse was going to happen in his book. He is after all the twin of a man who was severely abused, and this story is the other side of the coin
Once Upon a Time I hated Styxx. True story.
I had something to say about him on my review for his brother Acheron's book. I was positive that Styxx would not find redemption. I pretty much deemed it impossible.
Yes, I will take that plate of crow now. Maybe Simi will let me borrow her BBQ sauce.
I don't have much in the way of pretty words to describe a book that rips your heart out. Before Styxx came along in the series, my favorite book was Ash's. Before Styxx came along, my favorite character was Ash. Dare I say that Styxx might have edged Ash out?
Wait, no. Ash is still my favorite character. But Styxx won the book race.
In some ways, I was less emotional when reading Styxx's story. So much of his story was a different spin on what happened to Ash, so I was slightly desensitized to the extreme abuse having gone through it before (only slightly though. There were definitely some scenes that hit me right in the feels).
In some ways, I was more emotional. Kenyon took a character that I'd hated and made me love him - from out of nowhere. Then, all of a sudden, I was invested. And I wasn't ready. [image]
Through all of this, I didn't lose any respect for Ash like some other fans did. Ash went through hell, and on top of all of that he'd sacrificed for others for thousands of years without asking for anything in return. People have treated him like a servant for as long as he's been alive, even his precious Dark Hunters. He deserved to have each and every last little shit fit that he wanted to throw, and had every right to be bitter and mistrusting of anyone and everyone, especially Styxx. Period.
But wow, I might have felt more sorry for Styxx. I didn't think that was ever possible. I wanted to cuddle him so much. I might have even had a moment or two when his sexiness surpassed Ash's for me. Again, HOW???
Well played, Kenyon. You managed to pull out the stops. This book messed with me well and good. If you could write like this every time, you would be on my favorites shelf a whole hell of a lot.
If I had to mention a negative, I think the shock factor became played out after a while. After the first couple of dozen intense scenes, I started to become detached again because it got repetitive.
Okay, wait, there's a second negative. (view spoiler)[This scene : "Really, Styxx, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Estes has always had a preference for men, and it's never bothered me."
Styxx sat in stunned silence as hatred flowed thick through his veins. (he thought) You knew how he was and you turned me loose with him?
Styxx was molested by his uncle. His father acknowledged that his uncle was gay, yet let Styxx's uncle take him in to live with him.
Being gay is not equal to, nor does it make you a molester. I doubt that Kenyon meant to imply this, but that's how the scene read, and it bothers me that those two things would be tied together. There are plenty of straight people who molest family members. Being gay is not the catalyst to that kind of sickness. (hide spoiler)]...more
Finally. I finally found a book in the series that earned my full respect. If I hadn't had some (early) issues with the heroine Tory, I would have cerFinally. I finally found a book in the series that earned my full respect. If I hadn't had some (early) issues with the heroine Tory, I would have certainly given Acheron a 4.5 or higher rating.
90% of this review will be ranting over only about 10% of the content, which seems quite unfair, when I adored most everything about Acheron. But as many of you know, it's sometimes easier to talk about the bad than the good because the bad sticks out as little details that pick at you, whereas the good blankets you as a nice feeling, which is harder to describe.
Let's move the conclusion from the end to the beginning : Acheron was my favorite book of the series so far. We're finally getting some much-needed world details that SHOULD have been included (not character details, just world details) from the beginning. I strongly believe that only part of this world was fleshed out at the start, which is why some details seem to be dropped in haphazardly, and not like they were planned as late reveals or a full-circle thing. While there were some full-circle details included, I didn't get enough of a sense that everything had been mapped out cohesively. But let me not get off on that tangent again. It's a fact : This world was not constructed as seamlessly as it could have been. The damage has been done. I can only hope that there will be some definition going forward from here on out.
Part 1 :The history
I am glad for every page, long as it was. The true impact of Acheron's struggle would not have been as strong as it was if this section had been condensed. This poor guy could not catch a break.
You almost have to wonder how Acheron managed to evolve into a decent person. Some people are just cut from a different cloth, I guess.
As for Styxx - (view spoiler)[Will I ever be able to understand why Styxx GLEEFULLY gutted his brother without remorse? I like redemption stories, but generally, the redemption is from something that the reader can forgive, i.e. the person being redeemed killed someone a lifetime ago who we didn't really know, and it was usually because they were seeking justice or vengeance or some other reason that we as readers are able to understand. Will a sob story of Styxx's past (which very well could be filled with abuse or rejection) really fix that? I mean, Acheron went through hell over and over and still didn't go full ham on anyone, when honestly, no one would have even blinked an eye if he'd chosen to do to Styxx what had been done to him.
But COME ON...can people really be redeemed after being THIS torturous and heinous? Could you imagine his situation ever happening in real life? And I'm not buying the "this is fantasy" excuse. If I couldn't buy into Stryker's redemption (yes, I've read ahead before coming back to review) when he had far less to be redeemed for (although, killing your own son is detestable), how am I ever going to subscribe to Styxx's story? (hide spoiler)]
I guess I'll have to revisit this spoiler after reading Styxx's book and see if my opinion has changed at all.
Part 2 : The present.
I remember reading about Tory in the prequel-of-sorts story involving her cousin Megeara. I liked Tory in her youth. She stood out as being someone who would benefit from a follow-up.
Did Tory fit for Acheron? Yes and no? I'm not going to lie...I was kind of disappointed by how basic Tory had become as an adult. She was much more amusing as a teenager. Her teenage self was spunky and determined. Some of that attitude did cross over to her older version, but the formerly cute personality didn't translate nearly as cute in the present day. The opening scenes with Tory came across as a frumpy version of Bella Swan in a business suit (complete with klutzy moments), and it rubbed me the wrong way. The visual of her in a blazer and full length skirt had me imagining a bad 80's boxy jacket adorned with shoulder pads, combined with a boxy, shapeless floor length skirt. Don't ask me why. I'm aware that cute blazers do exist. But given what I already knew about Tory, I doubt she had much fashion sense. As usual, when a book description makes me imagine a character as less-than-appealing, I try to re-imagine the visual in my head. So what if Tory was described as basic and outdated? I'll make her basically better.
[image]
Okay, so half of me wanted Acheron with a kick-ass or larger-than-life type to keep him on his toes, and half of me wanted Acheron with a sweet damsel-in-distress type that he would rescue and fall in love with (getting to rescue someone in the way that he couldn't be rescued). I figured he'd be with a sexy, strong BAMF or a delicate beauty - something on the extreme end of either spectrum. I totally did not expect average in every way.
And you might ask, what is wrong with average? Aren't most of us average? Doesn't this make the character more relatable?
Sorry. I wanted EPIC for the man who waited 11k years to find the one woman who stood out for him MORE than all the others.
Tory (present day) was a rehash of several other females in this series who just wanted to love and care for their man and take away their hurt. Which IS a good thing. Acheron needed that more than anything. So that particular character quality DID need to be present in whoever he ended up with, but Tory never shone bright as anything beyond having a basic gift for compassion. So, technically, Acheron could have ended up with most any female character in the series prior to now, if that was the only requirement.
And Tory did a complete personality turn-around which gave me whiplash. She went from mousy and bitchy to caring and fearless? Well, which is she? And why did Acheron have such an attraction for her when she was still in mousy and bitchy mode? Shouldn't he have not been attracted until her 'true' personality of caring and fearless came forth and enticed him to see that she was the 'one' that he needed? I mean, if this chick on her worst day attracted Acheron, why didn't he find attraction with someone who was halfway decent to him over the years, like a random waitress or something?
Oh wait. It was all because of (view spoiler)['outside' influences like his mom. Okay. Got it. O.o I love me some Apollymi, but I'd rather the man find his own destiny. (hide spoiler)]
But, whatever. Acheron got what he needed - some much deserved rest and comfort. Not that he gets to bask in his happiness for long when the world always needs saving...but at the very least, he now has a port in the storm. And for that, I'm happy.
This is going to be a comprehensive review for my thoughts on the 13 books and novellas that I've read in the series up to this point, so this review This is going to be a comprehensive review for my thoughts on the 13 books and novellas that I've read in the series up to this point, so this review could be on the long side. Since I spent the past couple of weeks plowing through several of these books, I wanted to get some of my thoughts down on the series as a whole (so far) instead of writing out long reviews for each book, especially since many of my thoughts overlap from book-to-book. I might get up some mini-reviews/notes on the other books soon, but I won't take the same amount of time on those to only repeat the same thoughts over and over, and will instead dump the lot of it here.
Side note : I did read Night Pleasures (technically, the first official Dark Hunter book) years ago, and was so unimpressed that I didn't come back to this series until now.
Okay, so...I don't like this overlapping series garbage. I tried to follow the (entire) Dark Hunterverse list, but I still feel like I'm missing something. Dark-Hunters, Dream-Hunters, Were-Hunters, other gods, etc. The only people I feel invested in are the Dark Hunters. Their world makes the most sense to me. The characters are the ones that should read as the driving force of the series, with Ash at the helm, but I keep getting pulled into these side stories that take me out of the Dark Hunter core world.
Let's start with the book that this review sits on : Fantasy Lover. Julian is not a Dark Hunter. He just happens to know them. Julian's story doesn't even really tie in to the DH world as well as it could have. These early books in the series read sillier and fluffier than the some of the other books. I will probably chalk it up to the author still needing to find her footing with the world she created. You could tell that she was drawing on old school romance writing to start, when phrases like He could have raped her at any time crop up, as if someone NOT raping a person is a basis for what makes them good. It also doesn't help that some of the expressions and exclamations from the characters are painfully cheesy in these first few books (calling men Buster and describing them as bodacious), and that the music references feel extremely dated. The series flow was still too rocky for longer than it needed to be though.
It took me a good 6 or so books before I really wanted to keep going. I almost quit out a few times but Ash and Simi kept me hanging on. The complexities of the character Ash made me curious to see where his story would go.
As I continued on into the series (or multiverse), I kept thinking that the books books were never any better than 2 to 3 stars. It probably wasn't until I got to Tabby's book (6) that I found myself really starting to care about the characters and world as a whole (although I did really like some parts of the previous couple of books). I finally started to look forward to a future character's book...
...and then Wren's book pissed me off. I realized right there and then that the Were-Hunter side of the world was not crafted as well as the Dark Hunter side.
From my notes on Dragonswan (the prequel novella) : Their (the Were-Hunter) story doesn't read all that cohesive with the Dark Hunter world. Dark Hunters have limitations on their powers and can't just do whatever they want, whenever they want, but weres get to bend and shape time and the world around them, even though they are not nearly as evolved as Dark Hunters are. Disappearing clothes? Really??? Teleporting with no real need (i.e. for their own wants and not because they could use it for fighting like the DH would) Time jumping all over the place with no huge Butterfly Effect? Yeah...I don't like it.
That sums up how I felt about Wren's book (I wanted to love Wren's book so much and I just couldn't). Time travel solves everything and nothing at the same time. Weres can go into the past but can't rearrange too much or the Fates will get pissy at them. Well what a stupid ability. It's useless and overpowered all at the same time.
I found myself continually getting frustrated with Kenyon's world. Minor tweaks and changes happen to the rules all of the time. Inconsistencies pop up from out of nowhere, making me wonder if the author even remembers her own rules at times. Immortality is thrown around like it's no big deal. I want to give this author credit for creating a world which has obviously been "borrowed" from by many other authors (many of the newer popular PNR series have characters and elements which mirror DH concepts). The woman had her creativity game in place when she came up with the Dark Hunterverse. I had no idea until now just how much her writing has influenced series like BDB and IAD (and others). It makes me sort of sad that I like both of those series so much better. Both J.R. Ward and Kresley Cole have a better handle on how to tie their characters and story lines together into one intertwining arc. In addition, Cole is one of the few authors I've found who has been able to incorporate multiple races and lore into one continuous story without messing up the flow.
I have the feeling that the series will improve the further that I go. This was how the Midnight Breed series worked for me. MB had a very rocky start, and it took several books for the world to come together. But when it finally did, I ended up really liking the series. It just took me a longer than I wanted to get to that point.
So I will keep going. I'm invested in Ash, Simi, and Nick. I want to know more about future Marissa. I want to see how the guy on the beach with Nick (ffs, I can't remember his name) is going to fit into the story.
So the first few dates were awkward. It doesn't mean that this slow burn won't turn into love. I feel like I owe it to one of the OG PNR series to see where it takes me. ...more
You'll probably see this cut/paste opinion in a few of my were-hunter reviews but I'm not liking the spin on weres in this series, and I can't see mucYou'll probably see this cut/paste opinion in a few of my were-hunter reviews but I'm not liking the spin on weres in this series, and I can't see much else when I'm reading the were books. Their story doesn't read all that cohesive with the Dark Hunter world. Dark Hunters have limitations on their powers and can't just do whatever they want, whenever they want, but weres get to bend and shape time and the world around them, even though they are not nearly as evolved as Dark Hunters are. Disappearing clothes? Really??? Teleporting with no real need (i.e. for their own wants and not because they could use it for fighting like the DH would) Time jumping all over the place with no huge Butterfly Effect? Yeah...I don't like it.
Oh, how convenient it is to be able to still visit the future when you want to, even though you've chosen to live in the past. Whatever. The rules seem to be bent and broken with every book (yes, I've read ahead before jumping back to this story). I have trouble taking this author seriously. ...more
Back story on Ash at the start of it all. I liked seeing the explanation behind Ash's motivation to stand where he stood in regard to the Dark HuntersBack story on Ash at the start of it all. I liked seeing the explanation behind Ash's motivation to stand where he stood in regard to the Dark Hunters. It makes me want to reach into the pages and hug him. ...more
Lothaire threw his hands up as if all the world had gone mad. "Now Mirceo's mate is a full-blooded demon? With horns! Lizvetta, there'
She did that.
Lothaire threw his hands up as if all the world had gone mad. "Now Mirceo's mate is a full-blooded demon? With horns! Lizvetta, there's only so much I can STAND!"
"Wait," Cas said, "you don't care that I'm male?"
Lothaire blinked those creepy eyes. "Why the fuck would I care if you're male?"
Dare I say that Kresley Cole might have written some of her hottest scenes in this book? I'm not sure why she left some of the plot behind in favor of going erotica, but I'm not complaining.
I'm not saying that there wasn't a story at all, but the story definitely took a backseat to the sexual chemistry more than it has in other books.
And I'm still not complaining.
Did I say already that Shadow's Seduction was hot? Yes? Okay. Just checking.
The dedicated m/m readers might want to know if this book can be read as a stand-alone. I would say yes, with a hesitation. Of all of the IAD books, this one probably has the least connection to the IAD world as a connected whole, making it the easiest to follow along with if you haven't read any others. However, I don't feel like this book will be as fully appreciated without seeing some of Cas' torment in the first Dacians book Shadow's Claim. The events that happen in the previous book help the reader to understand why Cas took the life path that he did. So take that as you will. You can read and appreciate this book without having read any others, but you might miss a few nuances that can lend the reader sympathy for Cas.
Ms. Cole deviated a bit from her usual series formula for Shadow's Seduction. There was more of an open-ending for the main characters than usual (yes, there is still a HEA). As well, the 'adventures' for the characters weren't really of note because those were mostly a setup for another character. So there's that.
Not gonna lie...I was a bit thrown off by seeing a 7 foot demon being called sweetheart. But I guess this could mean that I might need to get over some of my own outdated male stereotypes.
One of my favorite things about Cole as a writer is her ability to keep her stories and characters fresh. It might have been a small disappointment, but this was one of the least original offerings from her to date, even with her taking a turn into m/m for the first time. Maybe she was nervous trying out this angle, so she stuck to other things that were familiar. Cas read to me as a slightly improved version of Cadeon (looks, race and personality). Cade's story was not a favorite of mine, so I was glad to see that Cas was at least an improvement. As well, the phrasing of Mirceo's was very similar to Lothaire's with stilted phrases similar to Glorious male! being thrown about quite often in his thoughts. But I was able to overlook some of the similarities because I'm guessing that Cole was trying to focus on writing a relationship that was new to her. And she put forth a good first effort. I hope to see more of these relationships in the future.
Mirceo could have used some time to mature (he should've gone on his own walkabout in the other dimension like Cas did in order to grow up a bit), but I'm probably nitpicking here. He was a good guy overall.
I never thought I'd be rating a KC book based solely on the steamy scenes. Guess there's a first time for everything.
I would share some of those scenes with you, but how could I spoil all of that deliciousness when the reader should experience it for themselves, right?...more
What in the fresh hell is this flaming pile of poo???
(psssst...obligatory ***Spoilers Ahead!!!*** tag. Turn back now if you don't want to be spoiled!)What in the fresh hell is this flaming pile of poo???
(psssst...obligatory ***Spoilers Ahead!!!*** tag. Turn back now if you don't want to be spoiled!)
I am having trouble even trying to process what just happened here. HOW could Ward have screwed up this story so badly? I didn't think it was possible to drop the ball and have it roll so far under the damn couch. By writing this review I'm over here sticking my arm underneath the furniture, cringing at the dust bunnies that I'm touching while retrieving Ward's ball. In case you can't figure out the symbolism, the dust bunnies are the random WTF? moments in this story that I'm going to have to talk about.
I came out of review-writing sabbatical FOR THIS CRAP?
How is it even possible for me to have to 1 star a book in one of my most-beloved series of all time? I mean, sure, the BDB has had cringe-worthy and frustrating moments before, but not on this scale.
EVERY SINGLE plot direction went awry in this book. Every. Single. One.
Let's dig in, shall we?
1. Qhuinn finally done lost it. You know, I never fully jumped on the 'Q's an a-hole' train before now. I kind of felt like people went in too hard on him in the past. He had a whole lot of hell to deal with in his life, and no one to teach him how to get past it. Blay, on the other hand, had the nurturing and loving that was necessary to shape him into a decent human being vampire. But all of that went out the window when HE PULLED A MOTHEREFFING GUN on the mother of his child and SHOT UP A ROOM that his children were in.
And Layla was the one who needed to exit? If I were Wrath, both of their asses would have been tossed out on the street (and I sympathized with Layla in this situation).
I didn't even care about the Blay drama (which was completely unnecessary when there was Layla drama going on...too many open plots going, imo. Q and B should have worked out their lingering baggage in a previous or future book.). Yeah, so Q went off and said something he didn't mean to Blay. Big deal. Who hasn't done that? Are we just going to ignore that the meathead shot a damn gun in the house??? Layla should have been spitting angry. Yes, like a lizard or a dragon or whatever real or imagined creature spits.
And the fact that NO ONE is trying to put Q in therapy is a head scratcher. He has REAL issues that need to be dealt with.
*Edit* Also need to add that Qhuinn denying his own daughter affection and care because she looked like her mom is all kinds of wrong and f*cked up.
2. Wrath shuts down Xcor's execution. To be fair, I think that Wrath was the only one who would have been able to shut it down. But how was Wrath able to 'get over it' so quickly? Yes, Wrath can smell the truth, but if I was him, I would have wanted to know more, or I would have at least made Xcor jump through a few more hoops before giving him full access to conjugal visits with Layla in a BDB-owned property. Was this lazy writing on the author's part to move the story along so she had time to fit eleventybillion other plot finishers into one book? Did it occur to her that she could have wrapped up X and L's story while still leaving loose ends with Xcor and the others? More on this later when we get to Tohr's role in this debacle.
3. Layla and Xcor finally get it on in the most boring climax (no pun intended) ever. Layla finally quits dancing around her feelings in front of the brothers and you'd think that she'd have to fight hard to get epic alone time (maybe sex in a forbidden place while on the run). But nope. Wrath gives the go-ahead nod, and the injured walk to the bedroom for some loving and underdeveloped sex. Yawn. THIS was what we've been waiting for?
And why did Layla wait so long to spill the beans about Tohr? Why not say something when Xcor was ABOUT TO BE KILLED??? Maybe that would have given V or Tohr at least a moment's pause? WTF woman?
Also, I found it weird that X and L didn't end up discussing the kids until further in the book. Oh, btw, I had the twins honey.
4. Trez and Selena redux. Too Soon. Too Soon. This shouldn't have come up for at least another 5 books down the road. I would've rather had a peek at Marhkus instead. Trez should be living and trying to cope for a while, while we see him spending time drawing close to iAm and his sister in law (I would've liked to have seen a Catra cameo) and working on that family unit.
*Edit* I realize that Selena is tied to Lassiter stepping into his new role, so I get what happened to a point. I just wish that Lassiter had been able to find something else to dig in to, instead of this right now.
...and again with the 'little to no questions' angle. Okay, so he might not be wanting to look a pain-reducing gift-horse in the mouth, but why aren't we seeing at least a slight bit of the brain swirl that must be happening to him? He vaguely understands that Therese is 'different' from Selena (although not so different, when we as the reader know that she is a reincarnation), but 'new girl' really only looks like his Chosen. Her personality seems drastically different. And I guess this is good for moving on? *shrug* But he takes to Therese like a duck to water.
She's familiar. She's different. She's familiar. She's different. My mind would be working overtime. Trez just gets a migraine. Cool, I guess...
5. Tohr Part 1. Tohr also done lost his mind. What was that garbage with Layla? The BDB have never been the most forward-thinking feminists, but they've always at least been somewhat respectful to the women. Most of their borderline sexism comes from off-color (generally meant to be lighthearted) comments and 'guy talk'...not from going toe-to-toe with the ladies. This scene had me feeling all kinds of uncomfortable. It didn't ring authentic to Tohr, even if he was due to snap. I would have preferred a long, drag-out, knock-down scene with Wrath (or Xcor) to this mess.
6. Tohr Part 2. AT BEST, Tohr and X could have had a tentative handshake (even that would have been pushing it...a head nod would have worked for me) and an understanding that they would come back to their feelings later. AT BEST. This 'happy little bow' garbage was rushed and wrong for this book.
7. Tohr Part 3. I'm not telling him to get over Wellsie, but...he's being unfair to Autumn. She STILL reads as a begrudging number 2 by an extra-long-overextended mile. In retrospect, his story would have worked better had he returned to the Brotherhood as a single man and gone at least a few more years (Lord knows we'll still be reading this series then...we still haven't seen Phury's predicted baby or Murhder's return) before finding Autumn. Maybe then, he wouldn't have been dealing with such fresh wounds that weren't even close to being ready to heal. FFS, poor Autumn has the patience of a saint. She doesn't deserve being Tohr's sex toy who he happens to also care about, but not deeply love as much as he should.
8. V and Jane - again. Sigh. I don't even know what to say here. This is not the first or even second go-round with these two. We're spoon-fed lies about how this couple functions differently than other couples, but are still (supposedly) very much functioning. But they're not, as witnessed in this book (which contradicts the last awkward no-baby-let's-fistbump conversation). And I don't care. V wants to cheat. I don't care. V feels distant from Jane. I don't care. I really hope that all of this is at least leading up to a scene where we finally see something worthwhile from these two. An epic reunion (and finally putting this mess to bed) is in order.
9. Throe gets creepy and the lore goes wonky. So we have extra magic now? Did I miss Throe's tie to the Omega, or was new world magic just plopped into the story that didn't exist before? I thought Lash was coming back? I'm so confused.
*Edit * I found out after reading a Ward fan gathering Q & A that Throe's book/shadow situation is tied to Davina (from the Fallen Angels series, another Ward offering) trying to break free, and that Lash will be back, and that there will be some changes coming for The Omega, so I guess there is a reason for all of this nonsense, even if it was introduced in a weird way that I don't like.
And I don't understand why Throe had a respectable, almost redeemable moment in the Fallen Angels series if he was just gonna end up this far gone. I wish that dark savior moment of his had never happened because it still messes with my head. I keep thinking that Throe's villain turn might be temporary, but nah...I guess we're going full V. And that's fine. The series needs villains. I just wish that we hadn't seen brief snippets of Throe as a potential ally for good in the past.
10. The ending - a.k.a. The Brady Bunch ain't got nothing on these brothers. There was NO reason the BoB needed to move into the mansion. None. With all of the property that the BDB owns? They couldn't have been given their own barracks/dorm/apartment complex/office building/old ranch, hospital, amusement park, whatever? Yes, they're all gonna fight together now *wonder twins brother powers activate!* Yippee! (?) But in the same damn house? So we're just trusting them with the kids now after one fight? Again, we as the readers know that the BoB aren't all bad, but the Brothers aren't privy to the info that we get.
Come. On. Now.
I thought I recoiled when Rhage called Ruhn son. Boy, was I only getting warmed up for the main event. Ward went full summer camp with this BS. Xcor and Qhuinn bonding? Q letting X hold the babies? We couldn't have had this happen S-L-O-W-L-Y over the course of a few books? In THIS book, we might have seen Q being okay with X and Layla being together, but not ready for the kids to get up close and personal just yet. And that would've been more organic. X could have been patient and been happy just to have his girl for now. He could have bonded with the kids in the future.
As well... Not everyone has to be related. Not everyone has to work together. Not everyone has to live together.
Sometimes people can just be respectful acquaintences, or buddies on the 'let's grab a beer on Friday' level. They don't all have to love and hug and share Christmas together.
What's next? Are the rest of the Shadows and some Sympaths going to join the fray? And by 'join', I mean hang out in the world's largest billiards room? Perhaps the dining hall could be expanded to a cafeteria.
Fritz must have one hell of a staff to clean up after these people who can't seem to do it for themselves...ever.
I feel like I might have more to say after I'm able to process more, but this is what I've got for now....more
What I wish someone had told me before starting Dirty Bad Strangers : [image]
*LOTS of Spoilers Ahead. You have been warned. Oh, and adult content aheadWhat I wish someone had told me before starting Dirty Bad Strangers : [image]
*LOTS of Spoilers Ahead. You have been warned. Oh, and adult content ahead too.*
I know that there's a niche for everything. I also know that your fetish might not be my fetish. And I've even had a 'not for me, but I get why others might like it' attitude in the past for some books which contained content that was tailored to people who weren't...well, me.
But I'm a little baffled by the appeal here. Let's find out where the story goes off the rails, shall we?
Sex with a stranger - hot Sex with a guy who wants to make you feel used and dirty - hot Sex with a guy who wants to stretch out every single orifice until it's loose, wide and gaping - uh...hold on a second... Sex with a guy who wants to degrade you because your body is now wrecked - crossing into unappealing territory Sex with a guy who goes ass-to-mouth on you then wants you to kiss him - ...
Not my fetish, for sure.
It's possible that I might have been able to get past the 'not my fetish' angle if there'd been something else in the story to keep me hooked.
Okay, maybe not. Who are we kidding? But it doesn't help when the book was cram-packed with cringe-worthy moments, and that wasn't even the worst of it. But we'll get back to the fat-shaming later. First, we start here :
She's moaning for more, begging for my thick, meaty cock in her asshole. (she's) A dumpy little thing. "Stretch, Lucy...stretch that slurping fucking cunt..." Her asshole winked at me as I spread her cheeks. She wasn't prepared, no time to clean for me, no time to prepare her tight little shithole for my dick. I pulled out of her ass, positioning myself at her face and aiming my cock right at her mouth. "Suck me off." (afterward) She tasted so fucking filthy. Perfectly unclean. He had a belly, it sagged into the crook of my spine as his breath tickled my ear. He stank of lager, and cigarettes. I fought a strange urge to kiss him. Jason's filthy accomplice grunted and groaned, slamming his flabby belly against my ass. I hoped I didn't stink as I sat myself down. "Feel how fucking bloated your cunt is?" I wanted everything stretched to bursting with dirty, sweaty, man meat. I daren't have touched my pussy, too scared to find it a gaping hole of nothing.
I GET IT...their fetishes are not my fetishes. Live and let live, etc. But I just can't deal with a woman thinking of herself as a prize cow. FoH. The fat shaming that was put on Gemma throughout the book from EVERYONE (even her friend, who Gemma did not get rid of right away) was ridiculous...and it carried over to her own way of thinking.
"Beautiful fucking gape on those holes, baby." Now I was exposed, a prize cow at the market, and it felt so dirty bad good as the juices trickled from me. "Fucking hell, yeah, that's one sorry, gorgeous mess." I felt strangely proud. Sore and proud.
Gemma even said in the book :
"Fat girls having sex makes people uncomfortable."
Sigh. Not everyone. But fat girls having sex while being DEGRADED for it DOES make people feel uncomfortable. What the hell was the author thinking here? There's nothing wrong with having an overweight female lead. There's also nothing wrong with exploring a degradation fetish. But why would you put those two things together during a time when fat shaming is a REAL thing? Why???
It got to be so bad that I, myself, started thinking of Gemma as she was being described, which was not flattering at all. It got to be hard to separate out who Gemma might have been because I was being spoon-fed constant descriptions of who she wasn't. Finally, I ended up taking the only few pleasant adjectives we were given to go off of and pieced together a shorter version of Christina Hendricks (who is lovely) in my head to envision as Gemma. But I had to stretch to get there because the book didn't allow me to picture her as anyone remotely attractive.
Do you want to read about a gaping, bloated, stinky, and frumpy heroine (not my words)? No? Then you might want to stay far away from this book. ...more
While I liked Dreams of a Dark Warrior just fine, this was not a favorite by any means from the series. I technically could have spun a fetish [image]
While I liked Dreams of a Dark Warrior just fine, this was not a favorite by any means from the series. I technically could have spun a fetish cafe episode just from the reincarnation aspect, since I'm in love with stories where one person says screw time and continues to find their love, no matter the obstacles. But since I didn't find this to be one of the more compelling reincarnation stories (again, I still liked the book fine...all IAD books manage to entertain me), I'm not in the mood to bother. I wanted something more intense and all-consuming for Regin, considering the history that she had with her original love.
There will be another episode of fetish cafe coming up in my review for book 12 of this series. *edit* Make that book 13. I have been scarred with book 12 and needed to discuss something else. O.o ...more
I just want to give a big middle finger to the person who designed the cover for Lothaire. It's completely YOUR fault that I was unable to picture LotI just want to give a big middle finger to the person who designed the cover for Lothaire. It's completely YOUR fault that I was unable to picture Lothaire as attractive.
Because of that cover, I couldn't get a certain Russian vampire from some other "random" franchise out of my head. Surely, someone else must see the similarity? [image] Nothing sucks harder than having the wrong image of a male lead in your head.
I really wanted to do my usual Fetish Cafe review but I'm so thrown off that I'm struggling to get my head in the game. Hopefully, I'll return to the Cafe for book 13.
Had I done a FC episode, it might have been : Hate the One You're With. Man, that Lothaire took his hate game to a new level. I probably shouldn't have been surprised by how much of a dick was. After all - it's Lothaire. Maybe he was just amusing to me in previous books because of how other people saw him. Maybe he was never really amusing at all. But yeah, I was kind of thrown into an ice bath when Lothaire stepped up to the romance novel plate and went the distance with his bad self. (view spoiler)[On the one hand, it made complete sense for him to be the anti-hero of all anti-heroes. If he'd been easily swayed, he wouldn't have been Lothaire. On the other hand, it's hard to root for a man who needs a good, swift kick or dozen to the groin. He never struck me as stupid in the past, but in the present he completely ignored all of Saroya's red flags. I wasn't even in a hurry for him to warm to Ellie, but I was frustrated when he couldn't see through Saroya. (hide spoiler)]
But as all (romance novel) anti-heroes do, they find a way. And I ended up loving Lothaire more in the end, even though the journey took us a while to get to that point.
The possession angle of the story weirded me out. This is definitely not something that I would normally enjoy reading. But if the author was trying to keep things fresh by coming up with a new way for couples to meet (not gonna lie - it would be hilarious for Nix to try online dating), then she hit the ball out of the park this time (sorry for the randomly placed baseball analogies.).
Different can be interesting. This was not the story or heroine that I would have imagined for Lothaire but Kresley Cole somehow seems to make it work. Lothaire will most likely never be fully reformed, but that's just the way I like him. Good is not always better.
Is it wrong that my favorite version of A Christmas Carol happens to be the Disney version starring Mickey Mouse?
Don't judge me. I even cried over thIs it wrong that my favorite version of A Christmas Carol happens to be the Disney version starring Mickey Mouse?
Don't judge me. I even cried over the mouse version of Tiny Tim. That was quality acting cartooning.
So the book might have been a little different. I'm pretty sure that nothing in the cartoon was described as a little weathercock-surmounted cupola (only my modern-day brain would try to turn that into something dirty sounding), but you know...it's a classic book. And the author's name is Dickens, so there you go.
I've always liked the story (regardless of which movie I saw it in), so I figured it was finally about time to crack this open. I doubt that I'd ever re-read A Christmas Carol, but I'm glad that I finally did give the book a shot.
Waitress : Here's your demon brew. We just got an entire shipment of the stuff, so you'll be good for the night.
Me : Thanks. You can keep thos[image]
Waitress : Here's your demon brew. We just got an entire shipment of the stuff, so you'll be good for the night.
Me : Thanks. You can keep those coming. I have my eye on a Vemon and I'm not quite sure if I'm to the "vein donation" stage. So demon brew will have to do.
Waitress : Which vemon? We don't get many of those around here.
Me : The loner. He's got a caveman vibe going on. He might be the one.
Waitress : You said that about the last one. And the one before that.
Me : *glaring* Your memory is failing you.
Waitress: Your feminine wiles are failing you. We're up to number 10 now, aren't we?
Me : Don't you work for tips?
***********************************************
4.5 stars. My favorite of the series so far.
Over the past couple of years, I've read a few "caveman" style books. And by caveman, I don't mean alpha-male antics...I actually mean "uncivilized man" stories. This type of theme appeals to me because generally the man is (at least partially) removed from the preconceived notions of what relationships are. So it's like starting from scratch. Unfortunately, most of the caveman books that I've read were duds, with only a couple of exceptions. Thankfully, I found a gem instead of a dud this time.
Demon From the Dark wasn't "technically" a caveman book. The main character, Malkolm, had some experience with other people (beings). However, he had pretty much raised himself in slavery, then escaped to live a life alone for centuries. And he lived in a cave. So he was his own form of caveman...and he was definitely uncivilized.
Who knew that I'd find a good caveman book when I wasn't actually looking for one?
Strangely enough, Demon read less like a typical IAD book than I'm used to. And while the humor was dialed down somewhat and the quirky character interactions weren't as noticeable, I didn't seem to mind for this particular story. Maybe it's because I was too busy loving every minute that Malkolm and Carrow spent together.
In a few of the previous books, the couples didn't always feel balanced. This wasn't the case here. Carrow was the perfect female for Malkolm. They just worked in every single way. I didn't even mind the addition of a little witch character who got in between these two. She was cute and her attitude was spunky, and I laughed at her referring to herself and her little friends as a gang of witches.
The series is not growing stale for me and I'm thrilled because of it. How can I stop now? ...more
Waitress : Hmmm...I could've sworn...never mind. You mu[image]
Waitress : Weren't you just here last night?
Me : (indignant) No. It's been a few nights!
Waitress : Hmmm...I could've sworn...never mind. You must have a doppleganger.
Me : Let's cut the niceties. I already know what I want.
Waitress : (amused) Let me guess. Worship fantasy? Ten men with fans and grapes?
Me : No. When have I ever? *pause* Oh wait. I forgot about that night last year after quitting...never mind. That's neither here nor there. I'm leaving tomorrow for the Amazon. I'd like to order a chase scene.
Waitress : We don't get many of those. Preference in male?
Me : Lykae. Scottish. He'll chase me to the death if he has to.
Waitress : Got it. Here, rub your face on this napkin.
Me : The hell? Why?
Waitress : Your scent. You know - mutts and tracking and all of that.
Me : *grumbles* This is embarrassing. I have to make nice with a napkin.
I'm sad to have to do this, but I can only give Dark Prince 2.5 stars (rounding up to 3 because I liked more than I disliked). I expected and wanted so much more from Garrett and Lucia's story, after having to wait for it from the beginning of the series.
This felt like a rehash of Bowen and Mariketa, which already wasn't my favorite of the series, but I liked the execution of the story even less the second time around.
I wanted to see Garreth chase Lucia longer than he did. There had been such a buildup in previous books of how he was looking for her (to be fair, he did look for a while over the span of previous books), that it surprised me when he found her right away and then they just stayed put. Granted, it was on a moving boat, but most of their time was spend on a damn boat doing much of nothing.
There was so much potential for cat-and-mouse here, that I felt entirely let down by how dull their story was.
But on the pro side : Garreth's persistence was my favorite part of the story. He was doing what a lykae did best - protect and follow his mate. Good doggie.
"I'll do this to you till there's something to take the place of your vows - until you see the two of us together as your religion."
Bonus : the "through the cage" scene was verrah nice.
I had a hard time figuring out which direction to take this installment.
Was it going to be
Fetish Cafe : Frozen
or perhaps
Fetish Cafe : Ice Ice Baby
But I had a hard time figuring out which direction to take this installment.
Was it going to be
Fetish Cafe : Frozen
or perhaps
Fetish Cafe : Ice Ice Baby
But if we're going to go cheesy, let's do it full force.
[image]
Meanwhile, on 90's throwback night at the cafe...
Me : *trying to make eye contact with the waitress who has passed my table more than 10 times* Hi?
Waitress : One sec. I promise, I will be right with you.
***10 minutes later***
Waitress : I am SO sorry. It's been a madhouse in here. Demons always show up in droves for flashback nights.
Me : That's weird. They always seem so serious. *pauses to watch a male demon get a lap dance from a nymph with a beer funnel hat* Ohhhkay. Now I've seen everything.
Waitress : *laughs* Oh, honey. That's nothing. Give them about 15 minutes. When you see a second girl join them wearing a furry costume, then you can say that you've seen it all.
Me : *shakes head* Maybe I need to order before it gets to that point. I'm going to take the Ice Cave fantasy tonight.
Waitress : You like cold play?
Me : The music? Not really.
Waitress : No. Like fire play, except with ice.
Me : Oh, no. I'm in this for the glove fetish.
Waitress : Got it. Yeah, that's a good one. I'll send over our best glover. His name is Danny.
Me : Wait, what? I thought his name was Murdoch.
Waitress : It was a joke. Being 90's night and all. You know...Danny Glover? *pauses and looks for recognition* Never mind. I'll let Murdoch know you're ready.
If you've ever seen the the movie Frozen, you'll find the story of Elsa Dani and Murdoch to be a little familiar.
But I got to read about Murdoch wearing gloves because it was the only way he could touch Dani. Yes, I have an actual thing for men wearing gloves. So this fetish was one I could really get behind.
For some strange reason, I ended up skipping book 8 by accident and reading book 9 first, so if you're wondering why these reviews came out of order, that's why.
The best part of the story was the resolution of Dani and Murdoch's no-touching rule. I think it was great that Dani (view spoiler)[didn't have to change who she was to be with Murdoch. The outcome was different from how things normally work out in these books.
Waitress : Welcome back to the...oh, it's you again.
Me : Yeah, it's me. What's on tap tonight?
Waitress : Demon brew and lots of it. In honor of[image]
Waitress : Welcome back to the...oh, it's you again.
Me : Yeah, it's me. What's on tap tonight?
Waitress : Demon brew and lots of it. In honor of the demon king finding his queen.
Me : You got anything else? That demon brew burns like a bitch.
Waitress : Sabine requested that we keep a supply of sweet wine on hand. Our purchaser accidentally ordered 100 cases instead of the 10 he was supposed to. I suppose I could round some up for you.
Me : I guess, if there's nothing else. Can you tell me more about the new 'bad girl' fantasy that's on the menu?
Waitress : *snaps gum* Oh yeah, that. You get to be as rude as you want and the man keeps coming back for more.
Me : Ooh. Sounds fun. Does it turn him on?
Waitress : Sure does. Only he fights back, just so you know. And he wants to win.
Sabine was a trip. She didn't give as good as she got - she gave better. And I liked it. How could I not appreciate a woman who not only made her man work for her, but she didn't even care if he did?
Apparently, the best way to fall in love is to not even give a shit about someone until it's almost too late. Or, it's just an abusive relationship. Really, it could go either way.
I really liked this book. So much so, that I skipped right on over reviewing book 6 (I will get back to it at some point) just to come here and talk about Sabine and Rydstrom. Was Rydstrom leading man material? Sure. I guess. I don't know if I even noticed much until the end because Sabine and her selfish ways amused me so much.
But enough about my thoughts. Here's some fun book quotes to entertain you.
Nothing says 'do me!' like pastel.
Suck off, fister.
When a group of young females had asked her what one should name her horse, she'd answered, "I like the sound of Fellatio."
Nix is calling me Bull's-eye and the Womb Raider.
============================================
Unrelated, but I think I'm going to like Lothaire. There was a scene in court where a bunch of demons had just died and Sabine came out of an illusion, so people were freaking out. Lothaire was "busily collecting coin" and not giving one single f*ck. It made me think of online gaming and looting the bodies after a raid. The greedy one gets the gold, haha.
Oh my poor Fetish Cafe. It's been closed for repairs a few times now.
I'd read Dark Desires during a busy week and thought I'd be able to come back anOh my poor Fetish Cafe. It's been closed for repairs a few times now.
I'd read Dark Desires during a busy week and thought I'd be able to come back and review it later.
But as anyone who puts off reviewing knows...it's not the easiest thing to do when a book is no longer fresh in your mind. So I won't even try or I will botch up the details. And I won't be posting this to my feed because there's not much to say.
I do remember that of the Woede brothers, Cade's story didn't end up wowing me as much as Rydstrom's did (the book immediately following this one, which does have a Fetish Cafe installment here). But, as I've found with this series, even the less-impressive books are still sexy fun.
So I'm happy enough that I was entertained. And I think the horn stroking thing as a turn-on is pretty cool. If I had Cade, I'd be stroking them horns (yes, that is bad grammar) all of the time, just to mess with him.
Oh wow. It looks like I might have been able to come up with a Fetish Cafe episode after all. ;)...more
2.5 stars.Room was tough for me to rate. As I was reading, I assumed that I'd give the book 4 stars, up until the last 25% or so happened. The story'2.5 stars.Room was tough for me to rate. As I was reading, I assumed that I'd give the book 4 stars, up until the last 25% or so happened. The story's 5-year-old narrator started slipping toward the last half, and the ending was too abrupt for my liking.
The inconsistency of Jack's voice took away from the novel concept of using such a young PoV. He went from sounding like a 3 year old to sounding like a 30 year old, but he rarely sounded 5, which turned out to be a distraction. Even with developmental delays, Jack's speech patterns were bizarre for a child who did have an adult conversing with him on a somewhat regular basis.
If I hadn't already experienced the real-life accounting of a similar story A Stolen Life (kidnapped female kept in backyard prison gives birth to captor's baby), I might have been softer in my feelings toward Room. There weren't many flaws here in the story-telling itself. The foundation was solid. Because I wanted to know what was going to happen to Jack and Ma, I kept going.
Was (view spoiler)[The Great Escape (hide spoiler)] far-fetched? Possibly. But it had me worried for a second if it would work, so I think the author did a great job of adding in a "harrowing" section to keep the readers at the edge of their seats.
Most people seem to be fans of Room, so if you haven't read this type of story before, I'd feel safe in recommending it, even if I wasn't 100% sold. I will say that I am curious enough to see how the movie turned out. ...more
Waitress : Welcome back to the Fetish Cafe. See anything you like tonight?
Me : (closing the menu) Not really. I feel like I've se
[image]
3.5 stars.
Waitress : Welcome back to the Fetish Cafe. See anything you like tonight?
Me : (closing the menu) Not really. I feel like I've seen all of this before. Alphas who kidnap, Alphas who rescue, Alphas who fight for their women...I'm bored. Are there any betas on special tonight?
Waitress : (smacking gum) Nope. Outta luck. Some Valkyrie came in and purchased our last beta fantasy. She said something about wanting to hold him facedown over a crocodile...
Me : How...quaint. (Gathers things) Well, I guess better luck next time. I guess tonight is Netflix and solo chill.
Waitress : Uh, wait. I think there's a man in the back that you might be interested in.
Me : Oh?
Waitress : You might need to talk with him for a while before he warms up to you. You see, he's not really here of his own volition.
Me : Wait, wait, wait. I don't do forced scenes. That's not my thing. And it's just wrong.
Waitress : I think he could use a friend. That's all I'm saying. And you seem to have nothing better to do...
Me : What the??? Look, Bit-
Waitress : (cuts me off, irritated) I have other customers. Have a good night. *walks away*
I gather my stuff and walk toward the back entrance, hoping to avoid the rage demon that won't stop hitting on me every time I visit the cafe. Walking down the long hall that leads to the back entrance, I pass a series of rooms. As I pass the last door on the left, I can hear screams coming from the room. "Let me out you bastards!" screams a deep, masculine voice. Chills overtake my body. Something's not right here. The door is closed, but the latch hasn't taken hold. Do I investigate, or do I leave before things get worse?
Dark Needs was a different type of read than the previous books. There was less outside story happening due to the lead characters being stuck in one location.
In a way, this both helped and hurt the story. The readers got to learn more about Conrad and Neomi. We also got to see the characters connect in a deeper fashion. Those were positives. But I have to admit that the setting took much of the "fun" element away that was present in the previous books. We had just finished a 2 book arc of characters competing in an Amazing Race type of event. There was non-stop action. And then, all of a sudden, the brakes were put on in favor of watching two people tap-dance their way around each other (okay, so Conrad wasn't dancing because he was chained to a bed, and Neomi was ballet dancing because she's a ballerina, but you know what I mean).
I love ghost stories. There's always been a pull for me with forbidden love, and ghost stories tend to embody that. Never, is it easy for a ghost to be with a human/vampire/wolf, etc. There's always rules in place - often having to do with the fact that the ghost is rarely able to be touched.
I probably could have done an entire fetish cafe episode just on that. But how could I avoid "hot guy tied to a bed?" Um, hello...right?
Even us submissives at heart would have a hard time resisting a hot man tied to a bed. Especially if hot man is suffering. I don't know about the rest of you women, but the fantasy of bringing someone back from the brink is a strong pull. Talk about the gratefulness the man would have. *blinks innocently*
Dammit. I really want to go back and re-write that scene now. I didn't write to this story's full potential. Ah well. Maybe next time.
I enjoyed Dark Needs, but would have appreciated a few cut scenes with other characters to break up some of the monotony of watching Conrad and Neomi fumble their way back to life (him from the brink of madness, her from...well, death and all that).
Nix was awesome, as usual. Love that crazy broad....more
Stacia (the 2010 club)
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