Book Review: Hers, Unleashed

Title: Hers, Unleashed [Hers 3]

Author: Anna Adler

Genre: Science Fiction, Romance

Rating: 4 Stars

Description/Synopsis:

Silenian security guard Kaitlyn Bennett has won the proverbial lottery. A male hybrid matching all her fantasies has chosen her from thousands of other women. For three months, he will be her personal sex toy—a dream come true made possible by the planet’s new legislation.

Roth is in desperate need of a hideout, and becoming a sex pet on Silenia is the perfect way to disappear. All he has to do is entertain his beautiful human Mistress until his enemies give up the search—and be paid for the pleasure. What could go wrong?

As it turns out, a lot. The Traditionalists on Silenia have had enough of the new order, and Kaitlyn and Roth end up fighting side-by-side against the rising crime. Roth discovers he enjoys his new role, almost as much as he enjoys being the object of Kaitlyn’s desires…

But as Roth’s time on Silenia comes to an end he has to decide which he wants more: his money or the woman of his dreams. And when disaster strikes, is the bond between Kaitlyn and Roth strong enough to save Silenia, or will his secret be the end of them all…?

WARNING – SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT – REVIEW BELOW

I always feel conflicted after reading Anna Adler’s work, and Hers, Unleashed was no exception. The whole infrastructure of treating sentient beings as pets doesn’t sit well with me even though they are being treated well. The similarities to slavery and the potential for abuse leaves me feeling skeeved out.

I do understand, however, that for some, this sort of thing is tied into a submissive/dominant fetishism and power dynamic fantasies, and I can respect that. Because this is erotic fiction and not real life, I am willing to look past it and try to enjoy the story for what it is.

I like that the overwhelmingly unethical practices of the world were changed for this installment of the series. It was nice to see change being enacted.

Despite the afore-mentioned misgivings, the book was well-written. It flowed well and I didn’t run into any major typos or grammatical errors. The characters were interesting, and the sexual-tension between Roth and Kaitlyn was searing. Overall, I enjoyed the book… but I will caution that it isn’t going to appeal to every reader. It’s hard to get past the pet system, but if you can, it’s a fun read.

Book Review: Claimed

Title: Claimed [Brides of the Kindred 1]

Author: Evangeline Anderson

Genre: Science Fiction, Romance, Erotica

Rating: 4 Stars

Olivia Waterhouse has just graduated from nursing school and has her whole life ahead of her—until she gets drafted. Problem is, she isn’t being forced into the Army, she’s been chosen as a Kindred bride.

The Kindred are huge alien warriors—a race of genetic traders whose population is ninety-five percent male. After saving Earth from the threat of invasion they demand a reward—the right to find brides among the population. The chances of being chosen are about the same as those of winning the lottery—guess it’s just Liv’s lucky day.

Baird is a Beast Kindred who recently escaped imprisonment and torture at the hands of the malevolent Scourge. Through the torment and pain only one thing kept him sane—the thought of finding and claiming his bride—Olivia. His need to possess her is a burning intensity that threatens to consume them both.

Angry at having her future and her family taken away from her, Liv vows to fight back the only way she can—by resisting. She has one month on the Kindred Mothership with Baird—their claiming period. If she can keep from having bonding sex with him during that time, she can go home and get on with her life on Earth.

But Baird isn’t going to make it easy for her. Every week he is allowed to touch Liv more and more intimately and according to the contract she signed, she has to let him. She’s determined to resist him but his touch sets her on fire. And just as she thinks she knows what she wants, a twist of fate and an attack by the faceless Scourge AllFather changes everything…

WARNING – SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT – REVIEW BELOW

Okay, I admit it, I enjoyed Claimed by Evangeline Anderson a lot more than I expected to. Firmly in the science fiction romance genre, the book leans quite heavily towards erotica – and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it certainly isn’t something I generally look for in my reading.

As far as the technical aspects of the writing – the book could use some editing. I caught some missing punctuation, awkward phrasing, and a dozen or so typos. There were instances where a lot of ‘telling’ was going on in the narrative, or the author was interjecting her voice into the descriptions, but none of this was book-breaking, just… noticeable.

The characters were fun if a little cringe-worthy at times and the romance was hot if a bit awkward to read. The alien aspect of the story and their part of the world-building was fun for the eroticism, but not grounded in any sort of reality. I had to suspend my disbelief a bit. Okay, a lot. I know, I know, aliens aren’t real (well, not the muscle-bound hot ones anyway. ) but even in fiction, I like there to be some sense of the story being grounded in believability, and this just wasn’t.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a bit silly and a whole lot of sexy, and there were moments where I genuinely laughed out loud. If you are looking for a fun, sexy read, give it a try – just don’t say I didn’t warn you about the heavy alien eroticism

Book Review: Tormentor Mine

Title: Tormentor Mine [Tormentor Mine 1]

Author: Anna Zaires

Genre: Dark Romance, Erotica

Rating: 5 Stars

Description/Synopsis:

He came to me in the night, a cruel, darkly handsome stranger from the most dangerous corners of Russia. He tormented me and destroyed me, ripping apart my world in his quest for vengeance.

Now he’s back, but he’s no longer after my secrets.

The man who stars in my nightmares wants me.

WARNING – SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT – REVIEW BELOW

I really didn’t know what I was getting into when I picked up Tormentor Mine by Anna Zaires. I saw the typical half-naked male on the cover, the exaggerated font of the title, and expected to get a pleasant but mediocre romance novel.

I didn’t.

As a dark romance, the book was a well-balanced, cleverly crafted struggle between a dedicated soft-hearted wife, and her aggressor – a paid assassin with a personal vendetta list that she, unfortunately, finds herself attached to. The author managed to walk the razor-sharp edge between a dangerously sexy romance and a dark thriller – and I love every minute of it!

If you enjoy dark romances, those that straddle the line of taboo, those that have a little bite to them – I highly recommend you give this book a try. I hope to continue with this series in the future.

Book Review: Hers, Unbroken

Title: Hers, Unbroken [Hers 2]

Author: Anna Adler

Genre: Science Fiction, Erotica

Rating: 4 Stars

Description/Synopsis:

Ever since Chase heard about Silenia, he wanted to go there. A planet where human-alien hybrids such as him are kept as sex pets is the realization of his darkest fantasies. The only downside? He’ll be killed if he tries to escape, but Chase won’t let inconvenient little details get in his way. He lets himself get caught. Now, all he has to do is pass the pet training program and wait for a sexy female to buy him.

Holly is the head trainer in Silenia’s best pet training center. She hates her job. She secretly wants to set free all the enslaved aliens on Silenia, but she’s powerless to realize her dream. Meeting Chase turns her life upside down. All of a sudden she has an ally: a man who matches her deepest fantasies. But then Chase’s misbehavior marks him for death and the clock is ticking. Can the two of them change an entire world in 48 hours?

WARNING – SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT – REVIEW BELOW

Hers, Unbroken by Anna Adler was a fun sci-fi twist on the usual BDSM genre. Though I must warn you, it isn’t going to be for everyone. Some people will be triggered by this book – it has a heavy slavery aspect to the plotline. That being said, the author did a good job of making it very clear that everyone involved was well aware that slavery is not okay, and also, that the characters are very much involved in a consensual relationship.

The book itself was well-written, well-explained, sexy, and fast-paced… and if BDSM is of interest to you, you’ll probably find this book fun and entertaining. If this kind of read seems up your alley, I recommend you give it a try.

Book Review: The Haunted

Title: The Haunted [Sleeping With Monsters 1]

Author: Cassie Alexander

Genre: Paranormal, Erotica, BDSM, Romance, Horror

Rating: 5 Stars

Description/Synopsis:

Daphne Vance’s life is perfect — she’s a beautiful, devoted wife, and her husband has just bought her a vast countryside estate to start their family in.

But when her husband leaves on a business trip, it doesn’t feel like she’s alone in the mansion — she can feel eyes watching her, and hot hands trailing up her thighs. The domineering spirit of the mansion’s former owner is still present — and when she discovers her husband cheating on her, she doesn’t want to resist the Master anymore….

WARNING – SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT – REVIEW BELOW

I quibbled with myself for a little while before I came up with an appropriate rating for The Haunted by Cassie Alexander. Some people aren’t going to like it. It is a niche of dark fantasy erotica that isn’t going to appeal to everyone. It is dark, sexy, terrifying, and at times very graphic. If those things don’t appeal to you, you’re probably going to want to pass this one up.

The story was incredibly steamy, a bit taboo at times, and not always easy to understand. The main character, Daphne, makes a lot of questionable decisions as to her safety and her own happiness. She gives in to a very dark temptation, and it takes her on a lustful journey with an unseen force – and she isn’t always sure what its motives are. Sometimes the ghost that haunts her seems tender and kind. Sometimes it is jealous and possessive. Sometimes it is downright murderous.

All of that aside, and personal tastes aside, the book is well written. The characters show a sense of depth, the author is good at writing in tension, and the book doesn’t hand-hold the reader. The ending is dark and terrifying, but also appropriate to the story – and one of the reasons this book didn’t stray too far into the ridiculous side of erotica. I think the author did a really good job on the story.

As I said, this book isn’t going to be for everyone – but if you’re looking for a dark take on a paranormal erotic story, this is a good one. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Book Review: American Queen

Title: American Queen [New Camelot Trilogy 1]

Author: Sierra Simone

Genre: Romance, Erotica, BDSM, Ménage, Contemporary

Rating: 5 Stars

Description/Synopsis:

It starts with a stolen kiss under an English sky, and it ends with a walk down the aisle. It starts with the President sending his best friend to woo me on his behalf, and it ends with my heart split in two. It starts with buried secrets and dangerous desires…and ends with the three of us bound together with a hateful love sharper than any barbed wire.

My name is Greer Galloway, and I serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States.

This is the story of an American Queen.

WARNING – SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT – REVIEW BELOW

I need to learn to read book descriptions—I rarely do. It’s just one of those things as a book reviewer and avid reader, that I just don’t bother. So obviously, I didn’t know what I was getting into when I picked up American Queen by Sierra Simone. All that being said, I still enjoyed this book.

BDSM isn’t my thing. I’m not a huge fan of Ménage’s, and I rather read Romance than Erotica, so when I say that I enjoyed the book, take that as high praise. This book was exceedingly well written. The narrative voice was clear and easy to read. I liked the characters, the world building was rich without being overbearing, and even if the complicated relationship between Maxen, Embry, and Greer wasn’t my cup of tea—I could still appreciate it. I was drawn into the story by the subtly crafted narrative, and I wholeheartedly believed in their love for one another. I rarely run into books so well written that I forget that their subject matter isn’t something I enjoy.

Whether you’re looking for an erotica, something with BDSM, Ménage’s, or you simply want a well-crafted book, I’d recommend you pick this one up. It’s not going to be for everyone—but it’s still a good book. You might be surprised.

Book Review: Hers, Untamed

Title: Hers, Untamed

Author: Anna Adler

Genre: Science Fiction, Romance

Rating: 3 Stars

Description/Synopsis:

Alyssa Cressfield always wanted a pet—a big, sexy man who would look impressive on a leash. Now, she is finally ready to realize her dream. She visits a pet training center, intending to buy a trained pet. Instead she finds Jax, a fierce human-alien hybrid freshly caught from space, still untamed and unbroken. Alyssa has never encountered an untamed pet before. She can’t resist temptation; she must have him.

On Silenia, it is customary for humans to keep other intelligent species as pets and sex toys. Alyssa is kind at heart, but she is a product of her society and therefore sees nothing wrong with keeping a man in a cage against his will. Jax, on the other hand, is a space pirate who now finds himself wearing a collar and being treated like property. He has no intention of turning tame and obedient, and a battle of wills ensues. Jax and Alyssa quickly discover their undeniable chemistry, but is it enough to reconcile them? What happens when the pet breaks out of his cage?

Note to reader: This is a standalone novel featuring a romance between a human and a human-alien hybrid. While not dark, the story is set in a dystopian society and contains some raunchy sex scenes between the main characters. Recommended for mature readers.

WARNING – SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT – REVIEW BELOW

I’m giving this story a rather tentative 3 stars. Here’s the thing: a lot of readers aren’t going to like this book. It’s firmly in the Erotic Fiction category—not romance as purported. There’s quite a bit of king, some taboo leanings, and there’s a lot of explicit sex. It’s going to be too much for some readers to handle, particularly if they go into the book expecting a romance. If those things don’t interest you, you’re going to want to move on.

That being said, I did have some gripes of my own. Although the level of kink and explicit sex in this book aren’t what I’m personally interested in, they don’t bother me. I read a lot of books, most of those falling squarely in the romance and erotica genres. What does bother me is the very clear association in this book with slavery and abuse. If this story took place in the real world, it wouldn’t be sexy—it’d be horrifying. There are many individuals in the book that are kidnapped, held against their will, mentally broken, and then forced to perform as pets for the wealthy. No matter how it’s justified in the book, it’s wrong. It’s hard for me to appreciate a book that relies on sex and romance to blind the reader to the fact that the main male lead has had his basic rights violated in this manner.

That being said, the book was well written. The romance was steamy, I adored the male lead as a character, and it had a happy ending. All of these are good things—but that doesn’t completely overshadow how intrinsically wrong the main premise of the story is. Even though I liked the book as a whole, I am very uncomfortable with the slavery aspect of its plotline. Because it’s fiction and everything worked out in the end, I’m willing to try to look past the less-than-savory aspects of the plot, but that doesn’t mean they don’t bother me. A lot of readers are not going to enjoy this book because of it.

Another thing I didn’t enjoy was the portrayal of the main female lead. Despite her purported intelligence and expertise, she came across as naïve, wanton, and rather airheaded. She was clever only when it served to thwart the main male lead, but refused to use her intellect to question her own society and their treatment of outside life forms. She questioned nothing that went against her own brainwashed utopian beliefs—and I find it hard to believe that someone so intelligent wouldn’t ask questions.

Overall, it was a fun read. There were definitely parts of the story I enjoyed and some I didn’t, but throughout, I was thoroughly entertained. This book isn’t for everyone. If you’re a sensitive reader, I’d recommend looking for something a bit more traditional, but if you enjoy a taste of the taboo, this is a safe way to be entertained for a few hours.

Book Review: Caged

Title: Caged [Caged 1]

Author: D.H. Sidebottom

Genre: Suspense, Thriller, Erotica, Ménage, Dark

Rating: 2 Stars

Description/Synopsis:

Judd Asher was taken from his front garden when he was just four years old. After an extensive search he was never found.

Twenty-one years after a random call out, Judd is found chained and beaten in the basement of an old rundown farmhouse where he has lived the life of an animal for the last twenty-one years.

Kloe Grant is assigned as Judd’s personal therapist. It’s her job to rehabilitate him, to guide him back to normal life. But as Judd’s only emotion is rage, Kloe finds it both heart-breaking and challenging mending a soul that’s not only broken but caged inside him by the demons of his past.
However, when Kloe’s relationship with her patient raises some eyebrows, Kloe can’t fight against the powers that want to see her fail, and with an arm behind her back, she walks away, leaving behind a man who has come to live life again for her.

Four years later Judd, now known as Anderson Cain, the darkest and most formidable cage fighter in a world where violence and crime are the only way to keep breathing, Judd finds there’s not a lot in life that can abate the rage that still twists and prowls beneath his skin.

Not until a chance encounter brings him to her door. To the woman with the bluest eyes and the most stunning smile, the woman who took his hand in the darkness and led him through the door into the sun.

But Kloe Grant left him when he needed her the most. She took the only shred of hope and trust he had left and annihilated it. She starved his belief, and she fed his fury.

She owes him. And he’s going to make sure that this time, she pays. In blood. In lust. In pain. And with her soul.

WARNING – SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT – REVIEW BELOW

I should have done way more research on my reading choice before I picked up Caged by D.H. Sidebottom. It looked like a bit of a dark romance when I picked it up and based on the description, I had hopes of an interesting if somewhat dark read. This went far beyond that.

Technically speaking, the book was well edited. There weren’t a lot of noticeable typos, grammar issues, or sentence structure problems. The writing was easy to read and follow, and I sunk into the story easily. Does that mean the book was written well? No—but we’ll get into that.

The book was dark—some would say depraved. So if you need a trigger warning, this is it: There is a lot of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse in the book. There is torture, murder, stalking, kidnapping, dog mutilation, and rape. There are M/M/F, M/M, and M/F explicit sex scenes which for the most part includes anal, both consensual and nonconsensual to the point of actual bloody harm. This is not going to be a book a lot of people will enjoy.

Still with me? Good. So here’s the issue with this book: if you like horror and dark thrillers, you may get some sort of perverse pleasure out of reading this book. It’s a bit like watching a train wreck because you’re curious to see the dead bodies. It is an interesting book if you in any way enjoy the dark thriller tone. It is not, however, a well-written book. The characters are unrealistic and shoddily slapped together. Kloe was supposed to be a personal therapist for heavily damaged people, and at first she was set up to be just that, but not too long into the book she clearly steps over the line with her patient, Anderson, and it seemed totally at odds with how her character was set up until that point in time. Anderson functioned too well, too quickly for a man that spent 20 years abused, raped, and chained in a basement. Halfway through the book, the story changes into an entirely different one as four years have passed, and Kloe suddenly becomes the kidnap victim of Anderson, and Anderson is now a fairly well-adjusted cage fighter. It’s like the author wrote two books with the same characters, mildly tied together and decided to just make it one. It was weird and clunky, and I didn’t like it. The book was a mess.

Overall, it wasn’t a book I can easily recommend. If you enjoy very dark thrillers or horror, you may enjoy this book, but it certainly isn’t going to be for everyone, or even most people. Read the trigger warning beforehand.

Book Review: His Hostage

Title: His Hostage

Author: Anna Adler

Genre: Romance, Erotica, Contemporary

Rating: 4 Stars (3.5)

Description/Synopsis:

Evelyn thought she was the luckiest girl in the world when she married Jack Moorland, the handsome heir to a software fortune, after knowing him only for a few months. The fairytale soured when Jack turned out to be selfish, controlling, and unable to perform in bed. Kind and weak-willed Evelyn finds herself trapped in a loveless and sexless marriage. She wants out of her gilded cage, but lacks the confidence to stand up to Jack, who has no intention of letting her go. Being kidnapped by the mysterious burglar Hal becomes a liberating experience. Is it Stockholm syndrome, or is this professional thief exactly the man Evelyn needs in her life?

WARNING – SPOILERS MAY ENSUE BEYOND THIS POINT – REVIEW BELOW

I’m going to give this book the benefit of the doubt and give it 4 stars – even though realistically, it was more of a 3.5 for me.

Technically speaking, the book was well written. There were no obvious typos, grammatical errors, or punctuation problems, and the narrative and dialogue flowed smoothly throughout. Zero Problems.

But, here’s the thing: There were moments in this book that stuck out to me as red flags. As steamy and even sweet as the romance between Evie and Hal was at times, there were definite moments when Hall threatened Evie with bodily harm and even rape…. and he was serious. I had genuine concerns at times that Evie wasn’t safe, and in real life, she would have been in serious danger – despite the couple’s attraction to each other.

On the other side of the coin, however, I know this is fiction. It is erotic romance, and for the most part, I think this book caters to readers who may share the fantasy of being kidnapped and seduced by a handsome, dangerous stranger. I get it. I do. Everyone has a dark fantasy or two in the deep recesses of their brain. That’s okay… but it didn’t keep me from wanting to cringe.

As far as the sex went, this book was steamy. There were a few tip of the hats to voyeurism, anal, oral, rough sex, and kidnap/restraint fantasies, and if that’s your thing… you’re going to enjoy this book. If, however, you are put off by anything mentioned above, you may find this book a little too hot to handle. Overall, I liked it. There were some questionable moments that made me cringe, but for the most part, it didn’t stop me from enjoying the story as a whole, even if it wasn’t entirely to my liking.

Free Fiction Friday #69

Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Free Fiction Friday #69! For those of you who are new to this blog, or who may have missed out on the previous Free Fiction Fridays, every Friday I post an article containing 10 fiction e-books that are 100% FREE on Amazon at the time of posting, and an additional 5 that are roughly of the same genre and on sale for less than #5. I try my best to make sure they are all 4+ stars, have over 40+ reviews, and are 100 pages minimum—so that you can have a hand-picked list of the best-of-the-best to choose from and enjoy over the long weekend (while I do more important things, like laundry). I try to switch up the genres every week, and this week our theme is: Steamy Reads ! (cause #69 guys. It had to be done. Enjoy!

P.S. It is incredibly difficult to pick erotica books out at Amazon, as there is no specific category for it. I tried my best to pick some hot reads out of what popped up in the romance category – but I’m afraid this list is going to be hit-or-miss for heat, but they should still be some pretty decent reads. Good luck!

THE FREE

THE BARGAINS