Review- Enslaving Heaven by Michelle Houston

Enslaving Heaven
by Michelle Houston
2007, 2008
Fantasy/ Sci-Fi/ F/F
Short Novella
Ebook

Buy it Phaze- $2.50

Lyssa is disgusted by the whole sale of slaves, but finds herself drawn to one of the ladies on the selling block. After impulsively purchasing her, Lyssa now has to decide what to do with Alya û she can't just keep her. But the former prostitute, now slave, has other plans for her new mistress, including convincing her to let her stay.

As if Lyssa doesn't have enough to deal with, her pilot and best friend Nita is having problems adjusting to the newest member of their crew, and how it makes her feel. Nita had once found what Lyssa has, but lost it thanks to her. When an accident gives Nita a second chance with the woman she loves, she risks Lyssa's wrath to be with her.

OK, I have to admit that I had to stop reading this story because it wasn’t my cup of tea. But I did go back to it and it did actually get a bit better for me even though I don’t like the sexual subject matter and it’s not the f/f, but the whole world of sadism, which is portrayed strongly in this book.

Lyssa is on an outstation fulfilling a contract. While she and the pilot of her ship, Nita, are waiting, she sees a former prostitute, Alya, being auctioned off and buys her. It’s actually illegal to own slaves in this world and prostitution is illegal as well. Lyssa buys her intending to set her free, but can’t help herself and keeps her. Technically she’s not a slave because Lyssa tore up the bill of sale and makes Alya work on the ship as part of the crew, but Alya and Lyssa both know it’s to service Lyssa sexually.

Nita, who is also Lyssa's best friend, becomes jealous of this situation because she had a one night fling with Lyssa, which didn’t work out. But when Nita did find a women she wanted to be with Lyssa denied that to her, so Nita is pissed off about Lyssa doing what she wants even though it's illegal.

What kind of turned me off straight away about Enslaving Heaven is that Lyssa is so contradictory in her attitude. She is a sadist, a domme. She picks up that Alya is a real submissive and that turns her on. But at the same time, it’s illegal to own slaves for sexual purposes and she goes on and on about doing the right thing and setting Alya free, taking her to a place where she can start her own life. She even acts incredulous and upset when she sees marks on Alya’s body telling her that she’s been abused.

But in the end, she cannot resist Alya and seduces her. In fact, she treats Alya in the same way, very cruelly constantly letting Alya know that she can do whatever she wants to her and will, and Alya can’t do anything about it.

This includes: tying her up, putting electrodes on her nipples and shocking them, hooking her up to a whipping machine that whips her crotch and nipples at regular intervals and so on. Then she tells Alya she is free but she is basically a slave on the ship, doing what ever she is told. And Alya loves being abused and gets off on it because she’s a submissive. I guess I just don’t get those kinds of dynamics, because I didn’t feel for one moment any kind of respect or lovingness between these two even if it is in the world of BDSM.

When they all go on another contract, Nita gets hurt and Lyssa gets her to the closest Dr., who just happens to be the Dr. who saved Lyssa’s life after a serious accident. This Dr. saved Lyssa by basically making her semi bionic, which pissed Lyssa off. But there’s also a nasty history between them having to do with Nita and now that Nita needs help, Lyssa is forced to deal with the Dr. again.

I will say here that until this point, I couldn’t see one redeeming quality about Lyssa. She’s a prick-- nasty, and cruel and I could feel nothing appealing about her. After she takes Nita to the Dr. though, things come up; truths she’s needs to face about Nita and something in her softens, a little bit. While I never really did warm up to her, at least I could appreciate that she is capable of doing something that doesn’t directly please her.

I felt nothing for Alya either. She’s a total submissive who gets off on pain. Real pain. To give credit to her though, she’s only submissive when with Lyssa in sex. On the ship, she holds herself high.

The only characters I felt anything for were Nita and the Dr. Nita is a sympathetic character and someone with heart. She’s a sub as well, but didn’t feel like the wet blanket, with no personality like Alya did. Nita is strong and feisty. And the Dr. really stands up to Lyssa, which I liked. She’s a strong domme, but not cruel like Lyssa.

The sex in this book was all f/f, however, because of Lyssa’s accident, her crotch area is bionic and she always wears a strap-on with a dildo that hooks into her internal electrodes. This almost made the book have the feel of Lyssa being a man. Outside of that, it’s all pretty hardcore S&M. If that’s your cuppa, you’ll love this book. This definitely isn’t any kind of sweet love story.

Even though BDSM is not my bag, I’ve read lots of very well written books with this kind of sex and theme. What usually gets me in those types of stories is that even though I don’t really understand the dynamics in the BDSM world, why people would really get off on pain, in most books the characters have a deep love and respect for each other in that, which makes me get that this type of sex is fulfilling to the characters. In this book I felt none of that. Zip. Lyssa is really cruel with nary a thought to Alya. She really treats her like an animal, or possession and it turned me off.

In the end there really wasn’t anything about this story that didn’t make me feel a bit sick after reading it. Even the f/f sex didn’t turn me on, if I base it solely on this book being erotica, which would mean that the focus is on the sex and not necessarily on any kind of emotion between the characters. If you’re really into hard core S&M though, you might get off on this book.

Sex rating: Wet Panties. Very graphic f/f, strap-on, hard core BDSM

Grade: F

Review- Blood Creek Haunting by Derek Musgrave

Blood Creek Haunting
by Derek Musgrave
2006, March 2007
Contemporary/ Paranormal/ Bi-sexual/f/f
Novella
Ebook

Buy it Phaze - $3.50

Blood Creek Haunting is the story of a woman who's being haunted by the ghost of an Indian brave. Emily discovers that not only is her house being built on the sacred ground of the Blood Creek Massacre, but also one of her ancestors was responsible for the massacre. Can Emily find a way to repay the debt? Will she survive the haunting?

Emily has moved back to the land that’s been in her family for generations and which was the place of an Indian massacre. While tilling the earth for a garden, she comes across a skeleton with a skull having a huge gash in it. Freaking, she tries to get rid of it, but it keeps showing up in different places.

She’s also starts having very vivid dreams/ visions of an Indian brave and her dead fiancé, whom she still grieves over. While having these visions, she always blacks out and often wakes up in a different place and naked, or being cared for by Tessa, her best friend, not knowing what happened.

Tessa believes Emily is being haunted by this Indian brave and gets her to find out her family history as there was some innuendo in her family that her great-great grandfather might have been involved with the massacre.

As she slowly finds out her family history, the visions become more intense taking her out of her body, which could lead to her crossing over and dying if she can’t figure out how to help the spirits that are haunting her.

While all of this is going on, Emily realizes that she has feelings for and is attracted to Tessa, who is into women, but has never crossed that line with Emily. As Tessa helps Emily deal with all of this, supporting her as a friend, she and Emily slowly open up to each other in a very soft, loving and realistic way.

Blood Creek Haunting was a surprisingly good find for me. I bought it because of the possible f/f even though the blurb doesn’t really say how much of this story is about a f/f relationship or if it’s just a sex scene. How nice that it turned out that a big part of this story is about a really sweet love story between Emily and Tessa.

Emily and Tessa have been friends for a long time. Tessa has had a thing for Emily but never put it out there. Emily still thinks about her late fiancé and is trying to build a house on her land. Until this point, she’s only thought of Tessa as a friend. When all of these dreams start happening and Tessa steps in to take care of Emily, Emily starts to fantasize about being with Tessa. Tessa on the other hand, is a bit freaked about this new development even though she wants Emily and she backs off. So it’s a nice slow, emotionally intimate dance between these two with all the hesitations and fears that come up when opening up to a new person. I thought that was done nicely.

This book was written by a man and I had my reservations that a man could write female/female love in a convincing manner without it going into a male fantasy, but Derek Musgrave did a great job on this. The only thing that did come up for me is that when Emily wants to seduce Tessa for the first time, she dresses in a black lace teddy, black garter belt with fishnet stockings and stiletto heels. This felt out of character for Emily who runs a book store and works hard on her land in jeans. That type of lingerie is something a woman would wear to seduce a man, not a woman. But that’s my personal judgment. Take that for what it's worth, it's just something that really stuck out for me as off.

If you like a good ghost/haunting story with a theme of eternal love, then Blood Creek Haunting is also a very satisfying story on that level as well. It does get a bit into trippyville at times though getting a bit convoluted at times. In the mix with the brave who is haunting her, is Emily’s great-great grandmother’s ghost and the ghost/spirit of her dead fiancé who also has something to do with all of this. However, I actually enjoyed that part and thought it an interesting take on the ghost concept.

There were a few things that bothered me, but I don’t know enough to really complain. One is that Tessa takes Emily to a Native American shaman who is a direct descendant of part of that tribe that was massacred, and he’s living in a teepee. I’ve traveled extensively through Native American lands and have not seen any teepees outside of tourist spots. Maybe current shamans use or live in them, I don't know, but that part felt off.

I’ve also read quite a few books about Native American healing rituals and the one that was done in this book seemed totally made up and and a bit hokey. Normally, not an issue on both points, but this is a contemporary and so I do expect a bit more realism on that level.

Even with those things, I found this book to be a very enjoyable read. What was done very nicely was how seamlessly the relationship between Emily and Tessa was integrated with the ghost story and the HEA for all involved.

All in all Blood Creek Haunting is a pleasing feel good story and I highly recommend it as a one of the more satisfying f/f stories out there.

Sex rating: Wet Panties. f/f, m/f

Grade: B

Review- Truth or Dare by Jenna Byrnes

Truth or Dare
by Jenna Byrnes
2008
Contemporary/Lesbian
Novel
E-Book

Buy it Fictionwise or Total-e-Bound

When Naomi Rivers and Courtney Cross meet and fall in love in Cattle Valley, the ultimate game of truth or dare helps seal their fate.

Naomi Rivers loves living in the quiet community of Cattle Valley. She has the book store she's always wanted, and good friends to fill her time. She doesn't have one special person to share her life, but everything changes when a sexy blonde author walks into her store.

Courtney Cross is a renowned novelist whose latest book features characters with alternative lifestyles. She's on a book signing tour, which winds to a close at Booklovers in Cattle Valley. Worn out from her hectic schedule, Courtney decides to vacation in the rustic town for a few weeks. The beautiful countryside and laid back atmosphere provide exactly the calm get-away she desires, and quite possibly the backdrop for her next novel. The cute red-head at the bookstore doesn't hurt, either.

They fall in love, but while Naomi thrives in Cattle Valley, Courtney has her own life in Chicago. In the end, it's the ultimate game of Truth or Dare that helps them decide.

Note: This novel is a stand alone title which includes characters created by Carol Lynne in the Cattle Valley Series. Visit the Cattle Valley website for more information on this bestselling series!

What a juicy, hot, fun story Truth or Dare is. It rolls right along at a satisfying pace with neither characters having huge angsty problems that keep them apart; they're just two women who are very comfortable in their own separate lives, even if sex is lacking, who meet, are attracted, and get it on in a deliciously amorous way.

The blurb accurately describes the main plot so I’ll go from there.

What I loved about this story was the easy breezy way in which Naomi, a book store owner, gets with a big city best selling author, Courtney, who’s come to do a book signing. They are very friendly and open with each other right from the start and find out very quickly that they are both lesbians. An immediate attraction is obvious to both and they go with it, without reservation. How nice!

After they spend the night having raw, hot, salacious monkey sex they don’t want to leave each other. Yeah I don’t blame them; I didn’t want them to stop either. Courtney decides very quickly that a mini vacation is in order so that she can spend more time with Naomi. As the two weeks go by, and they find out that they fit so well together both sexually and in personality, they come to a crossroads on what to do.

Courtney lives in Chicago and has her family and job connections there and doesn’t really want to leave. And Naomi has built a life in the country and likes her small town way of life.

What was nice here is that they resolve that issue fairly quickly and there isn’t a long drawn out thwart to their love that could have totally frustrated me. And I liked that they never once question their feelings. It’s like bam, they know very quickly that they really want and love each other and don’t want to part. It’s just so satisfying to read two people be so turned on by each other who actually want to be together and work towards that without a whole lot of drama.

Of course there are some side plots going on like a neighbor who is very pregnant and married to an abusing oaf. And I will say that outside of all the gay men in this small town, who are all so nice, the het men in this story are all nasty assholes. A little bit of negative stereotyping here in a story about lesbians. But OK, I was in this story for the girl-on-girl lurving and relationship. And that was done very well.

The one thing that I really had to suspend disbelief for is that this little town was set up by gays and lesbians as a haven for them to live without discrimination in Wyoming. Wyoming? I guess because I know that area around Sheridan it’s hard to believe, even in my imagination, that a town of gays and lesbians would be tolerated without a bunch of trouble. Maybe around Cody or Jackson Hole it would be fine. That part was just too hard for me to believe or take seriously, so I kept picturing it in different area to get around that.

I know that this is a place created by author Carol Lynne in her Cattle Valley series. I haven’t read any of those books and apparently there are characters from her books in this book as well. So I can’t really put that part on Jenna Byrnes totally.

Other than that, this was a very nicely written, steamy hawt lesbian love story that satisfied on all levels.

Sex rating: Orgasmic- delicious f/f. anal sex, plugs, dildos, strap-on, and vibrator.

Grade: B+

Review-The Straight Girl's Guide to Sleeping with Chicks

The Straight Girl's Guide to Sleeping with Chicks

by Jen Sincero



"You can't swing a dead cat at a bridal shower without hitting a straight chick who's slept with another woman, who's thought about it, or who's ready to make the move as soon as someone breaks out the booze."

Such are the incisive pearls of wisdom to be heard from straight chick and girl-on-girl dabbler Jen Sincero, author of The Straight Girl's Guide to Sleeping with Chicks. A deliciously sexy how-to guide, it gives curious straight women the complete inside scoop on girl-on-girl action--from pickup lines and virgin jitters to threesomes, techniques, and toys. Drawing on personal experience and hundreds of interviews with straight girls who've slept with lesbians, staight girls who've slept with straight girls, lesbians who've slept with straight girls and straight girls who've done both or neither, Sincero covers the A to Z of the experience including:

• Obtaining a visitor's pass to the girls-only club
• The super-huge importance of sticking your hand down your pants
• The straight girl's starter kit--from nail clippers to cocktails to get her in the mood
• "Gettin' Some 101"--positions, techniques, and instructional photos
• "And Boy Makes Three!"--how to have a threesome that's fun for all
• Suggestions for further viewing and reading and much, much more

Packed with expertly toned advice that is at once laugh-out-loud hilarious and fundamentally practical, The Straight Girl's Guide to Sleeping with Chicks is ideal for any woman looking to spice things up with a boyfriend, break the ice with a best friend, or simply add a few just-in-case items to her sexual menu.

Okay, can I just say this book was totally blammo? Jen Sincero is like one of those bizarre and catastrophic laboratory accidents a'la The Fly--only, far from being catastrophic or grotesque, what emerges from the teleportation pod is a delightful surprise, a mutant literary hybridization of Dr. Ruth and Bill Maher. Equal parts sex ed guide, comic genius, and sociopolitical manifesto, The Straight Girl's Guide was one fun read.

Ms. Sincero's voice is unabashedly honest, by turns blunt, witty, bawdy, sarcastic, self-effacing and pragmatic. Her words are effortless to read, and seem as if they must have been effortless to write. She comes off as the kind of outgoing and engaging person whose conversation could keep you stuck to your barstool all night long, not noticing the time until last call. And once you'd pounded that last drink, hell, you might even jump her bones, too.

Her advice is practical and refreshingly shameless--boy howdy! does she get into the nitty gritty of the entire subject, sparing no detail or vulgarity, stripping away any trace of embarrassment or pervy oiliness with the aplomb of a public health nurse. From the importance of becoming an expert masturbator--how can you expect to please a woman if you don't know your own bits eight ways from Sunday?--to broaching the subject with the object of your affection, to practical info on techniques and safety precautions, to making your first foray into the scary land of the Pussy-eaters, Ms. Sincero shares her own experiences and those of hundreds of other women. She does so in a way that is so light-hearted and warm and funny that you find yourself almost quoting passages to the nice elderly lady sitting next to you on the airplane, but then you realize what the heck you were about to do and end up pretending you needed something from your carry-on. Ahem.

From the Straight Girl's Starter Kit:

"Nail Clippers-

"Think about it. The pussy is a very sensitive lady. Going at her with long fingernails is about as sexy as going at her with a rake. Showing up untrimmed will not only broadcast your inexperience but may also genuinely terrify potential dates. There are people who will inisist that this is b.s., and I know there are women who can type with full-on swords growing out of their fingertips. But it's a skill that goes against all the physical laws of nature. I don't trust it. In fact, if anyone came at me with claws like that, I think I'd make her take a typing test before I let her anywhere near my unmentionables."

The illustrations are damn awesome, too--hand-drawn by someone with more knowledge of the details of female anatomy than artistic skill. Instructional photos involve modified-to-be-anatomically-correct Barbie-style dolls demonstrating activities the manufacturer clearly never intended. The effect is at once ludicrous and oddly arousing...

And let me be clear--this book is not about converting to lesbianism (although it would be a useful instruction manual in that respect, I suppose). It's about women giving themselves permission to own their sexuality, to take chances, to try new things and be open to new experiences--even if once you've tried it, you decide it's not your bag and you head on back to Boyville. And the whole shebang is handled in such a mirthful, easy, non-judgmental, belly-laugh kind of way that it makes a daunting idea seem less daunting, more doable and infinitely worthwhile.

So heck, even if you're not on a mission to score with the ladies, I can't help but recommend Jen Sincero's Straight Girl's Guide to anyone out there who owns a vagina. It's a warm, witty, sexy, educational, empowering book, and it gets an A from me.

Review- First-Timers: True Stories of Lesbian Awakening

First-Timers: True Stories of Lesbian Awakening
Edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel
June 2006Lesbian erotica
Anthology

Buy it Amazon, B&N, Borders

Oh, that delicious, unforgettable first time. These lusty, passionate, exciting stories recount all kinds of sexy, sweaty firsts between women: first-time strap-ons, spankings, and role-playing, first loves and first affairs. This collection gathers the best true stories inspired by the most memorable firsts. They are 100 percent real and 110 percent hot!

I found this book quite by accident looking for another book in erotica on Amazon and was very attracted by the title. While it does have a few first time girl/girl experience stories as I hoped, it’s so much more than that. First-Timers is about a wide range of first time experiences within the lesbian sexual world and I found many of them to be very hot and juicy and some of them even poignant.

This is my second foray into reading lesbian erotica and like the first, Lipstick On Her Collar, I really enjoyed this one. Since reading LOHC and other erotica, I’ve become quite familiar with a few of the authors of stories in this book, some of whom are well known in the genre, and it was a good chance to taste more of their work.

First-Timers is a nice eclectic mix of stories with a variety of different writing styles and POV, which kept things interesting. The stories all having a basis in real experiences made some of them all the more titillating because of that.

While I really enjoyed and prefered those stories about first time with a girl experiences, other stories were very appealing as well. There were several stories of long distance phone or online affairs with some meeting for the first time IRL, which included all the fears and self doubt that comes with that. Something I know about. Then there were a few stories about first time trying strap-ons, fisting, spanking, light BDSM, threesomes, sex party/convention hook-ups and sex with a carrot. There’s just about something for everyone.

Particularly eye opening for me were the stories of sex parties and conventions, fisting, and spanking, which I read more with curious interest than turn-on, but which I found somewhat stimulating none the less.

And some had some very real elements in them like childhood sexual abuse, which really brought home how real some stories were and how these written experiences had a strong affect on some of the characters/ writers' lives.

While many stories really hit something very personal in me, what struck me the most about reading this book and lesbian erotica in general, is that in so many stories the characters feel kissing and cuddling to be a far more intimate experience than the actual sex itself. It’s a sentiment that I don’t pick up in het erotica, or even het romance but which I really respond to as a woman and enjoy in reading lesbian romance or erotica.

There are 31 stories in First-Timers, but these are just a few of the stories that really stood out for me:

Laren Lebran- As an author she really stood out for me. I just loved both of her stories, but more so, her prose. Absolutely beautiful. I Googled her and this is the only book she has stories in that I could find. But apparently, according to the short bio at the end of the book, she’s a well-known romance/ erotica author under an alias. Laren, if you ever read this, I would love to read your other stories. May I know your other work? I want to read more!

First Sight- a very beautiful story of a first girl with girl experience. So soft and sweet. And written with such an aesthetically and wistfully nostalgic feeling. College roommates find themselves attracted to each other.

Snow Dancing- A neighbor comes over to help shovel snow and offers herself as well. Very erotic and sweet.

What’s a Little Fisting Between Friends by Audacia Ray- Two best friends who’ve been sharing their sexual history, desires, needs, exploits for years but have never been into each other romantically, get together and do things they’ve always wanted to try.

I liked this because I think it must be nice to have sex with a friend to try things without having all the love drama and fears of rejection in the mix.

My Modern History by Devon Black—This a really sexually provocative first time experience story. A young college girl is enthralled with a much older professor who gives the student her wish and seduces her.

I loved how this is written. There was much innocence in it as the younger girl has her first experience. And I’m kind of turned on by the older experienced person giving a less experienced person a sweet time.

Radclyffe— had two really yummy stories in this book.

Runway Blues--A very hot story of a chance meeting/ one night stand. Two women stranded by bad weather end up sharing a ride and hotel room and have an intimate moment. One cuddles the other while the other masturbates. Totally hot!

Meeting FTF-- Two women who have met online meet for the first time in person. Oh this was a very delicious story. Very sexually hot as well as having all the vulnerabilities one feels in meeting someone one has strong feelings for for the first time.

Questioning Youth by Gina de Vries—This story stood out for me because it was so raw and real. That’s all I can say. It really touched me but not on a wow that was so hot, but on a wow that was just so personal and real.

Learning at Her Knee by Sacchi Green—This story really stayed with me because of the exploratory nature of it. A woman who’s been hanging out at sex parties more as a voyeur than participant wants to learn how to really spank someone with all the little nuances involved in that.

I really liked how almost matter of fact it’s written so someone like me, who doesn’t get the whole turn-on of spanking could really get inside the head and feelings of both the spankee and spanker. I could understand from this story how much trust is involved and how it could be a real turn-on.

Don’t Call Me Ma’am by Gun Brooke--- A boss seduces an employee who’s had the hots for her. Damn, but this was a really juicy, need a cold shower after, story.

Picture This by Kristina Wright—A young 19 year old has a unplanned experience with a woman who services machines at her film processing job.

I really liked this because it was very yummy first time girl/ girl experience.

As with Lipstick On Her Collar, there are short bios of each author, which I think is a nice touch.

Sex rating: Orgasmic. Lesbian f/f, spanking, minor anal, fisting, light BDSM, strap-on, toys, and a carrot.

Grade: A-

Review link- Bound by Steel by Kirsten Saell

Hey all, I posted my review of Kirsten's book Bound by Steel on my Madame Butterfly blog.

Of course I totally loved it. Kirsten wrote an incredibly hot, passionate and loving girl-on-girl with a boy story and I'm not just saying that because she's a friend. I really loved it, even if I did think there was way too much sex.

I think it's her best book yet.

Review- Fine Flickering Hungers by Alessia Brio

Fine Flickering Hungers
By Alessia Brio
Feb. 2007
Erotica/ Straight/GBLT
Category
Anthology
E-book
194 pgs. pdf-$6.00

Buy it Phaze, Amazon, Fictionwise

A finalist in the first annual Fruity Awards, and 2007 EPPIE Finalist for Best Erotica, "fine flickering hungers" is a collection of eight erotic short stories with accompanying poetry. Sexual scenarios vary from hetero- to mono- to homosexual to group, with the only common thread being that they seldom (if ever) take place in a bed.

Fine Flickering Hungers is a nice eclectic mix of short stories that contains many juicy and highly erotic fantasies. There’s a bit of something for everyone in here. However, what I mainly loved was the fair amount of girl-on-girl content, especially of the “first time experience” nature. Outside of that, I enjoyed each story for what it was.

This book also includes very short poems between each story, which I thought was an interesting touch and liked most of them. And I say that as someone who is not really into poetry.

The only negative I felt about this book was that some of the stories ended a bit too abruptly for me. And one in particular got me all worked up with no where to go. None of the characters are fulfilled in that story, but I’ll talk about that later.

A little blurb about each story:

Wetter Has Never Been Better: This was one of the best stories in this book. It’s about a young advertising woman who goes to Costa Rica to get some inspiration for an ad campaign for the Costa Rican tourist office, which wants people to come during the rainy season. While there, she ends up in all kinds of sexual situations as when it rains, everyone becomes horny. I just loved the whole concept of it and that a natural element, especially rain, causes everyone to get hot and bothered. m/f, m/f/f, f/f.

Topping Love: This story included some of the characters from Wetter Has Never Been Better, but went off in a different direction. This is about a sex expert/therapist who has become asexual and has really intellectualized sex. He allows his wife to get her needs taken care of with others and she goes with both men and women. When his brother, wife, and her best friend get together for an evening, it’s all talk, talk. The therapist decides to make pizzas having everyone put toppings on according to meanings he has put to those toppings. It boils down to an analogy of pizza toppings with what we desire in a mate/ relationship.

This story was a bit confusing to me and it was very philosophical with lots of discussing and proselytizing about the nature of love and sex. There was no actual sex in this story though. Meh, it wasn’t my cuppa, but others might like this one.

It’s All About Customer Service: Oh, I liked this one. A woman calls a furnace repair man to fix her furnace and you can guess what happens. This one is a nice little hot erotic fantasy. Doing it with the repair guy? Yumm… m/f

Jake: This is about a woman who has to leave her lover to go on a business trip, but worries about him because he seemed ill when she left. She rushes home, all tense, worried and excited to finally have sex with him again, only to find him lying in the same position. OK, seriously, this was hilarious. Very different and creative, although there was no real sex in this story, just implied sex. f/?

Listen to Me: This is a first person story of a woman seducing another in a single night. It had the feeling of two strangers who’ve agreed to try it and there was a slight bit of BDSM feeling to it. I loved this story and thought it really steamy right up until it ended abruptly. Both characters are getting worked up; the D is leading by bringing the s to the brink many times and stopping, and then, THE END. No orgasmic finish, nothing. Just a third party male is suddenly at the door. So, this one was incredibly frustrating for me. Alessia, please, at least let the characters get off if they’ve gotten all steamed up. Other than that, this was one really hot story. f/f

Timeless: OK, this story went right over my head. It’s about a couple, in a hotel room, who aren’t supposed to be together, or they’re together illicitly? I don’t know really. Somehow they are from another time and there’s a sword involved. Seriously, this one was too poetic for my plain old brain and I just didn’t get it. Once again though, others out there might find it very intriguing. No graphic sex in this one either. m/f

The Second Person: A story written in, you guessed it, the second person. This one was really hot. A guy on a business trip jerks off all over the place in his hotel room thinking about a woman who is also at the meetings. She kind of likes him though, especially after he defends her against the office a-hole. Just by chance, ahem, they’re both going to the airport after the last meeting. So they go together stopping at her house along the way, where she shows just how much she likes him. This was very juicy and erotic and the second person writing didn’t bother me at all. m/f.

Ghouls Just Want to Have Fun: A short, cute story of a woman who hates Halloween, but gets seduced by a ghost on Halloween night. Mostly she’s ordered to masturbate by it. A very nice, very hot story. f/ghost

Hallowing Eve: Two girl friends spend a weekend in a cabin and get it on with each other for the first time. This is a very spicy, first time girl-girl experience and it was nicely and realistically written. f/f

Under Cover Angel: A female detective hired by a woman to catch her husband in the act, finds out the woman is the real cheat and she meets with the husband. This is an interesting fantasy, however, it was written a bit oddly. I was a bit distracted by how quickly the husband is into the detective, but that’s fantasy for ya. Still, it was an interesting story. m/f

It’s Just Sex: This was one very salacious and slightly humours story. A priest is tired of hearing boring confessions day in and day out and hires a company specializing in fulfilling sexual fantasies to have someone come in and confess something really hot and juicy. And he gets his money’s worth. I love the whole irreverence in this story and there’s an unexpected twist at the end. The poem- Surrogate Sin, just before this story is hilarious. Very creative and entertaining. M, f, mutual masturbation.

Memento: is a very short story that is a continuation or epilogue of It’s Just Sex. The good Father is brought a memento of his fantasy in the form of a high heel with a message written on it. Meh, it’s not really a story actually. So I can’t comment on it as such. If you have a shoe fetish though, this little ditty might get you going. m/shoe.

Boiling Point: Oh this one was hot, hot, hot. Two girl friends, both married, have been sexually fantasizing about each other for a long time but have never talked about it. It comes to a head when they disagree on the outcome of a movie. The friend who mainly does the following and not leading in the relationship, decides to take matters into her own hands and finally pushes the envelope, forcing the other friend to acknowledge her feelings. The other friend is very reluctant though and fights her desires even though they have a really hot time together and the story is left at that. Nice, graphic and highly erotic girl-on-girl sex in this story. f/f

Say it With a Strap-On: This is a continuation of Boiling Point. The girls haven’t really been speaking to each other since that one night and the one who initiated the whole thing is just wracked with pain over not being able to be with the other one. When the reluctant one calls her up for an evening together, things come further to a head in their relationship. Once again, very nicely written and there’s a satisfying HFN outcome. The angst and feelings that would come up in such a situation were very nicely and realistically written and again, there was some very steamy sex. These last two stories were my favorites. f/f- strap-on use.

While Alessia Brio’s style of writing seemed to fluctuate between very gritty and poetic, which kind of distracted me at times, I really enjoyed how she portrayed many of her characters and most of the stories/ fantasies were very creative, different and engaging.

Sex Grade: Orgasmic. toys, strap-on, f/f, m/f, m/f/f, hint of m/m, masturbation.

Grade: between B+and A-

Bound By Steel - Excerpt and contest.

In honor of the release of my third Samhain book, Bound by Steel, I'm holding a little contest. Up for grabs is a copy of my loverly book there===>

As some of you might be aware, today also marks the occasion of the Canadian federal election. Since there's really nothing less evocative of politics than dirty books, and since I am a sucker for the lol-speak, I'm asking for your best (that is, most bizarrely spelled, syntax-impaired, grammar-challenged) lolcat-style Canadian political campaign slogans. Extra points for every lame Canuck stereotype (beer, hockey, "eh", etc) you manage to include.

To assist those fortunate souls unfamiliar with the panoply of Canadian political pomposity, the candidates and their individual weirdnesses are as follows:

Liberal leader Stephane Dion, talks with the exact same mannerisms and inflection as my great aunt Lorette

NDP leader Jack Layton, has the front teeth of a bunny-rabbit. Also, a mustache. I just don't trust a straight guy with a mustache...

Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, evil overlord extraordinaire

Green Party leader Elizabeth May, crazy cat lady

Conservative leader and incumbent PM Stephen Harper, the quintessential Blue Meanie

Now I know, Ms. May just screams potential for lolcat goodness, but please, do not neglect the rest of this motley crew. Gimme some insanity. Do your worst.

And once you're done, to cleanse your palate, read this blammo, girl-on-girl excerpt:

Scowling at the blank leather surface, Kaela hammered her bandaged fists into it, harder and faster. A patch of sweat plastered her shirt to the center of her back, and tendrils of her hair had escaped her braid to stick to her face. Her breasts jiggled enticingly with every blow, her nipples poking against the thin linen of her borrowed shirt.

Lianon dragged her gaze from them, and refocused her attention on the motion of Kaela’s arms. "From the shoulder," she instructed. "Put your whole body into it."

Another few punches, and Kaela sagged against the sparring form, panting. "Enough, Lianon," she gasped with a weary smile. "I’m tired."

"Are you?" Lianon asked. Her belly coiled at the sight of the other woman’s arms wrapped around the form, her breasts pressed against it, imagining them pressed like that against Gil’s chest. "How tired?"

Hearing the change in her voice, Kaela aimed a surprised glance at her, laughing giddily. "Lianon? Lianon, it’s the middle of the afternoon!"

Lianon grinned, remembering a lazy morning spent abed exploring Kaela’s deliciously curvy body, before chores had forced them to rise. "I know what time it is. Come here."

Kaela’s cheeks filled with color, but her eyes were suddenly all heat. She straightened, her smile evaporating as she stepped into Lianon’s waiting arms.

Their lips met, parted. Tongues dueled and danced as an already familiar need leapt between them. Lianon plundered deep into the moist heat of Kaela’s mouth, tilting her head to deepen the kiss. She wrapped her arms tight around the other woman, reveling in the feel of Kaela’s heavy breasts pressing against her own smaller ones.

Stumbling a little, she walked Kaela backward toward the wall and pushed her up against it. Her hands slid down to cup Kaela’s ass, so gorgeously outlined in Gil’s trousers. Dipping low, her fingers brushed against the seam that covered Kaela’s sex. She was rewarded by a sigh of sweet breath into her mouth.

Tearing her lips away from Kaela’s, Lianon kissed a path across her cheek to her ear, then began a slow, torturous descent down the side of her neck. "God, you’re so fucking beautiful," she whispered, echoing words Gil had said to her so often the last six months. This body, these curves, this woman in her arms felt like coming home. Like bread and wine and a kindling hearth after a long day of toil. Reaching down with one hand, she freed two buttons at the waist of Kaela’s trousers and slipped her hand inside.

Swollen flesh slicked with lust greeted her questing fingers. Sucking the skin at Kaela’s shoulder, Lianon found the rigid nub of her clit and flicked her fingertip across it.

"Ah, Lianon…" Kaela gasped, her bandaged hands buried clumsily in Lianon’s hair, guiding her head down to her breasts. Through the linen of Kaela’s shirt, Lianon took a pebbled nipple into her mouth, suckling delicately before moving to its twin. Her fingers slid further into Kaela’s slit, circling her opening. Slowly, carefully, she pushed one finger inside. Paused as the other woman’s inner muscles accustomed themselves to the invasion. Slid a little deeper.

"Lianon?" A thread of worry had woven into the arousal in Kaela’s voice.

Lianon lifted her head, caught Kaela’s gaze and held it. Saw the uncertainty there. She kept her finger where it was, and drew slow circles around Kaela’s clit with her thumb. "Do you trust me?" she whispered.

Forget the candidates, I vote for Lianon!


Purchase Bound by Steel here, or read another steamy excerpt here.

ETA: contest deadline is Friday, Oct 17, winner announced Saturday.

Review- The Interview by Kira Chase

The Interview
by Kira Chase
Jan 15, 2008
Lesbian contemporary romance
Novella-90 pages
E-book
$3.99

Buy it eXstasy books

Best selling author Shayla Bolton is used to having any woman she wants, but is also very protective of those she cares for. When she spots reporter Rae Wilcox at an awards ceremony, she offers Rae an exclusive interview in order to get to know her better. Rae confesses that her job is on the line and this interview could seal her career as a reporter. Shayla takes her under her wing and helps her with her insecurities, but what Shayla doesn't expect is to fall in love.

Rae accidentally learns of a secret from Shayla's past, but Shayla doesn't believe it was an accident. Shayla is torn between protecting the secret and her love for Rae whom she believes may expose the secret in the interview.

This is the second book of Kira Chase’s that I’ve read and although I didn’t like story Destiny too much, I really enjoyed her voice, so I wanted to read some more of her work. The Interview is a very sweet and satisfying love story that didn’t disappoint me on any level. In fact, it left me feeling warm and fuzzy all over and wishing to read more of Rae and Shayla’s story.

What I loved about this story is that Kira Chase managed to really convey all of those feelings of excitement and joy that that happens when falling in love as well as all the insecurities that come up until really getting to know each other. It was very real and well written. The romance between these two women develops very quickly as Rae moves in with Shayla on the first day of meeting. However, in this story, it felt good and right for these two to do that. You really get the feeling that these two are meant for each other.

Rae is a rather insecure young woman who has fantasized about Shayla for quite a while. She can’t believe that this gorgeous, famous woman is attracted to her and wants her, but she has such strong feelings for her that she goes for it even though she fears Shayla might be using her until the interview she is doing is over.

Shayla is a very warm, mature woman of 40, who has been carrying a painful burden for years, fiercely keeping it a secret from the world. I totally fell in love with her as a character.

While the tabloids have portrayed her as a player, she’s not really like that. But she hasn’t allowed her heart to open to anyone for years, either. When she sees Rae at an awards ceremony, she’s immediately attracted and gets Rae into her life. Right from the beginning she treats Rae in a loving, caring, but not motherly, manner and doesn’t waver from expressing her love for her until there is a misunderstanding.

Oh yeah, the misunderstanding. The foil in many a romance. Here it worked for me because it resolves itself quickly without dragging out the pain for the characters or me, the reader, and even adds just enough tension to keep the story from heading into saccharin sweet territory.

There’s really nothing bad I can say about this story. The Interview is a straight up tender and loving romance with a definite HEA and was well worth reading. I'll definitely be checking out some more of Ms. Chase's work.

Sex rating: Wet panties. f/f. Hot, loving and fairly graphic vanilla sex. Dildo use.

Grade: B+

Review- A Whole New World by Anna Fallon

A Whole New World

by Anna Fallon
Jan 2007
Erotic Fantasy
E-book
Novella- 44 pages.
$3.00

Buy it Phaze, Fictionwise

Elisia Moore is opposed to her controlling husband dabbling in the darkarts. Although ready to take her life back into her own hands, Elisia cannot believe the adventure she is about to be thrown into.
Taken to the realm of the warrior where her every sexual fantasy can be catered for, Elisia ponders over her happiness and if there is indeed any life left for her in the earth realm.

Faced with the choice of sexual bliss with warrior Ramala and Mistress Deelilah will Elisia return home or stay to enjoy this whole new world.

More often than not, the offering of f/f content in e-book stories is totally lacking for me, in content and or writing, and I have to abandon a story. What doesn’t happen very often is starting a book and thinking, “Oh no, here we go again, a lame, poorly written story with nothing but sex” but then unexpectedly finding a sweet little gem. A Whole New World is just one of those diamonds in the rough, which totally surprised me, turned me on, and restored my faith that a nice story with f/f can be written.

Elisia, the heroine, is saved from her husband who turned himself into a monster, by Ramala, a warrior from the Inner Realm where souls go after earth and whose job is to save the Earth Realm from evil. Not only does he save her, he takes care of her afterwards by giving her the most intense sexual experience of her life. And because she survives it, she is considered to be "The One," his life mate and the person who will reign with him as leaders in the Inner Realm.

She wakes up from this sexual experience in the Inner Realm and meets Deelilah, a domme who is Ramala’s master and sexual teacher. Deelilah is also under the thumb of Marin, a nasty ass dude who roughly abuses her sexually, promising to let her go back to the Earth Realm to see her babies if she does his nasty bidding.

Marin needs Elisia's husband's potion book from the Earth Realm in order to control both the Inner and Earth Realms. So Deelilah has to convince Elisia to choose coming back to the Inner Realm with the book. The question is, can Ramala and Deelilah convince Elisia to choose the Inner Realm with their sexual prowess and love for her?

A Whole New World is a very short and sweet story even though the ending was very abrupt, leaving things open ended. Still, Anna Fallon managed to create and explain, without info dumping, an interesting fantasy world, as well as writing some interesting and complex characters.

Elisia, was a domme who tried to be a sub with her husband but was fed up with being his slave. She’s a very independent and open woman who really feels for Ramala and is very attracted to Deelilah, but also wants to find herself after a bad marriage.

Ramala is a very interesting combo. He’s definitely an alpha warrior, but he’s been trained by Mistress Deelilah to sexually please a woman and likes being her sub and obeying her. I mean really, who cannot fall in love with a strong dude whose priority is serving and pleasuring his woman sexually and with love. On top of that, he's philosophical. My inner new age hippy chick lit up like a Christmas tree as he ponders that there must be some cosmic meaning to his meeting "The One." He’s totally in love with Elisia and is ready to be her mate. He’s the perfect man.

Then there is Deelilah. Oooh… she’s a domme always dressed in leather, and is very caring and conscientious. She sacrifices never seeing her babies again by playing the evil Marin by allowing him to abuse her so she can destroy him in the end. She’s another interesting combo. While she’s a strong domme who orders Ramala around, when she seduces Elisia, who is totally open and attracted to Deelilah, she’s very gentle but firm with her, understanding that she’s a newbie who has never been with a woman before.

My only issue with this story, other than the abrupt ending, is that some of the euphemisms for genitals and the descriptive language for bodily fluids were a bit off-putting and odd sometimes. Words like tunnel for vagina, globes for ass cheeks, knob for cock and dripping pussy and so on, are just a wee bit too much for me and took me from the story sometimes.

Other than that, I loved the characters, fantasy world and general story telling, which left me with a nice warm feeling. I wish there were more stories like it out there. Even more so, I wished this was a longer story and that it was more developed as it had a lot of potential to be a good novel.

Sex rating: Orgasmic. m/f, BDSM tone, one very sweet, hot, juicy f/f first time deflowering scene.

Grade: B

Review: Servicing Lady Tremayne by Emma Wildes

Servicing Lady Tremayne
by Emma Wildes
2006
Erotic Historical
Novella- 30 pages
E-Book

Buy it Phaze
$3.00

Trying to maintain a pristine reputation isn't easy, especially when Lady Daphne Tremayne has a lustful secret longing for her doctor. Seducing a respectable physician is not something a lady would normally do but then again, desperate times make for inventive measures.

Being summoned to the home of his alluring patient, Thomas Blake cannot quite believe what it is exactly she wishes him to cure. Since he has always been deeply attracted to the beauteous Daphne, he has no objections to ministering to her desires but the lady in question only wants his sexual services nothing more. Or so she says but just maybe he can change her mind.

Forbidden passion and an ugly obsession make two lovers tear the down the barriers of social status and find that physical love just might not be enough after all.

This is a very short story really and I’m going to say not really worth the money or the time to read it. I really liked Emma Wildes’ The Arrangement and was hoping this story would be something of the same quality, but it was rather disappointing.

On story telling only, it was OK, but not great. It starts out nicely with the widow Lady Tremayne feigning malaise to get the good looking Dr. Thomas Blake to her bedside in order to proposition him into discreetly servicing her sexually. A commitment free arrangement as she has no intentions of marrying again. Of course, since he’s been secretly lusting after her and the lady is the most beautiful woman desired by all, he has no problem agreeing. This part of the story was fine, written very nicely and it did hook me in.

Where it starts to go a bit off for me is when Thomas decides that impregnating her would be a good way to “get” her. Now, it’s clear that she’s got the hots for him and she’s falling in love with him. And she’s not adverse to the idea of marrying him even though she’s of a much higher station then he in society. He is, in general, an upstanding kind of guy. But what is that, really? Even he thinks he’s an ass. “I might impregnate her, he thought traitorously.”

Next, he takes her to a brothel without letting her know what kind of place she’s in to be serviced, for his convenience and turn-on mainly, by several of the prostitutes there who have told him that they all get each other off when it’s slow. This, even though he has broached the idea of some kinky stuff with the Lady and she pretty much says she’s not interested.

While it’s clear that these two have the hots for each other and they are falling in love, what’s with all the trickery on his part? It was unnecessary as it’s clear these two are meant to be together and have a HEA. It was off-putting.

The writing itself was a bit lazy to me as well with much of the dialogue feeling stilted and unnatural with more telling and less showing of what the characters are feeling. But this is a really short story, so I don’t expect too much on that front and am willing to forgive a lot if the story itself is appealing.

Since this is a blog for the purpose of promoting quality f/f, f/f/m content in books, I will say that the f/f content in this story was solely for the male POV. While the prostitutes do enjoy women, and the Lady responds physically getting off of course, she feels no emotional involvement as she states later on and it’s clear she could have skipped that experience altogether. If the Lady would have said that she had such fantasies when Thomas asked, it would have had a whole different feel to me. As it was, it felt that that scene was thrown in there just to add some kink to the story. So this isn’t a story I can recommend for readers who would buy this book for the f/f, f/f/m content.

Sex content: Damp panties. m/f, f/f/f/f- male watching.

Grade: D+

My review of The Arrangement

Review: Love Me by Kelly Jamieson

This review thing, how hard can it be?

Well, it ain't that much easier than writing a book, to tell you the truth. But I'm giving it a shot. Be gentle, it's my first time.

Love Me by Kelly Jamieson
Available now from Samhain
Short Story-$2.50

How far does she have to go to get his attention? Another girl’s arms?

Melina Wenham is worried and frustrated. Lately, her boyfriend of six months seems to have lost interest in her. Yes, she knows he’s stressed about his big project at work, but jeez, it seems like he’d rather go solo than have sex with her. Sexy lingerie, a Brazilian…nothing seems to get his attention.

Gavin’s frustrated too. He’s under enough pressure at work, without feeling more from Melina every time he gets home.

Another night, another party, and Gavin is off talking to the boys. Feeling ignored yet again, Melina confides her troubles to an acquaintance, Abby, who suggests shaking him up by flirting with another guy. Hmm. Not a bad idea, except there are no flirt-worthy guys at this party.

Then Abby suggests a different tack—flirt with her.

Could a little girl-on-girl tango be the match that reignites romance with Gavin? There’s only one way to find out…

Warning: Hot girl on girl scene!

It will likely come as no surprise to you all that I bought this book strictly for the girl-on-girl action. And because this is a Samhain book, I was fairly confident the story wouldn't devolve into some stupid, porny, f/m/f, male fantasy (which, on examination of the blurb was a definite possibility), and figured it would at the very least be good for some one-handed reading. I'm glad to say, for a debut effort--and a short story at that--it surpassed my expectations.

The fact that this is the author's first release did temper my reaction to those little nitpicks that usually bother me--the odd redundancy, repetitive words, and the occasional feeling that what the author could have achieved with a deft brushstroke was instead applied with a sledgehammer. Most of those issues are editorial ones, however, and thus not to be laid solely on the doorstep of the author.

The heroine, Melina, was alternately sympathetic and annoying. Okay, mostly annoying. She knows her boyfriend Gavin is working on a stressful project at work, one that could make or break his career, but she frequently obsesses on how neglected she's feeling. Granted, when your man comes home late every night, leaves early every morning and acts like he'd rather jack off than take what you're throwing at him, that can't help but hurt a girl's self esteem. Luckily, we're in Gavin's head enough to know he's not a total ass, just your typical guy who does his best at work, beats himself up over his few failings, and maybe isn't the best communicator in the universe.

Things come to a head at a housewarming party for Kylie and Duncan, Gavin and Melina's BCFs (best couple friends). Kylie's cousin Abby is there--a player, if ever there was one--and she suggests Melina flirt with her to pique Gavin's jealousy and get him interested again. As she and Abby put on a subtle display on the sofa, Melina doesn't expect to be so turned on by flirting with another woman. And when Gavin fails to fall for the ploy and Abby wants to take things further, Melina is so aroused she succumbs to her urge to explore this new experience.

This is where things could have gone sour for me. It could have so easily become yet another "two hot chicks seein' to mah manly needs!" kind of story, and I have to say the author came through beautifully for me. The girl on girl is exactly that. It's all about Melina and her willingness to explore her desires. And even though Gavin is there for much of it, he's believably conflicted--yeah, sure, he's got a hard-on like a steel girder, but he's also kinda freaking that maybe his girlfriend secretly wants to bat for the home team.

And if this story isn't simply a male-centric, two-chick fantasy, it isn't the tale of a lesbian in straight girl's clothing, either. Melina embarks on this adventure as a straight woman, and that's what she is when it comes to a close. And the fact that the adventure fails to magically cure all that ails her and Gavin is refreshingly unexpected. No, it's gonna take more than a three-way to fix their relationship--she needs to grow up and stop acting like a spoiled princess, and he needs to start talking about the shit that's bugging him.

All in all, this was a very nice story, one that hits on many straight women's fantasies of making love with another woman. It doesn't get political or preachy or have a sexual orientation agenda. It's unapologetically sexy, and the f/f scenes--both the flirtation and the actual sex--were wonderfully nuanced and moving. I believed that Gavin and Melina really love each other, but at the same time, I never felt that Abby was being callously used. The scenes between Melina and Gavin afterward were equally intense--I was emotionally invested in their romance by then, and the payoff was pretty damn hot.

The sex, both f/f and m/f, was mostly vanilla, but no less scorching for that. A solid B for an author I'll definitely try again.