REVIEW: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

Title: Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades #1)
Author: E.L. James
Publisher: The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House
Date Publisher: 5/26/11


Synopsis:
When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time. 

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms. 

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny. 

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds? 

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.
My Rating:
 


My Review:

So you are incredibly too busy with exams and your own life but your best friend and roommate asks you a favor when she is horribly sick, what do you do? Well, help her of course. That is how Ana gets drawn into the world of Christian Grey. Ana is the most innocent of the innocent and is immediately enamored of Christian. He is in a whole other league from her so she writes him off as soon as the interview she has to do with him is over. An interview that is quite awkward and embarrassing.

Christian Grey came from nothing and is now a self-made millionaire. He believes in order and schedules and must be in control of everything. In order to be with Christian Ana has to agree to his terms, yes terms... all of Christians involvements are essentially contracts.

Ana succumbs to her desires and not only chooses to lose her virginity to Christian, but she also agrees to some of his terms. She is thrust into the BDSM lifestyle, but soon finds out that its not just his need to be in control that is putting distance between her and Christian. She has fallen in love with a man who is so emotionally closed off and scarred

This is an absolutely amazing story about BDSM but goes even deeper than that as you uncover Christian's past demons and his battle with learning to give up control and start to love. Amazing, Amazing, I can not say enough good things about this! Heartbreaking, Heartwarming, Deep, Emotional, Sexy, I cried and got butterflies. Just loved it!

GUEST POST: Jesse C. Scott

Non-Pornographic BDSM Fiction, by Jess C Scott / jessINK Thanks so much for hosting me today, Cami! PLAY is is a collection of non-pornographic BDSM short stories I completed in 2011. Themes include a rape fantasy, bondage and knife play, and erotic asphyxiation. As a person who’s long been fascinated with aspects of the BDSM lifestyle (bondage, in particular), I never really found the pornographic portrayal of the BDSM scene to be titillating or fulfilling. To be honest, I’ve never really found pornography to be satisfactory, because sex at its best is never just about the physical. It’s something mental and spiritual that transcends the ordinary, and BDSM (when done right) greatly “enhances” any kind of sexual activity. It was a bit tricky at first, writing “non-pornographic” BDSM fiction, since more care had to go into the writing (too much explicitness would deem it as “pornographic”). It did require a certain amount of effort to depict scenes that focused on subtlety (and sub-conscious forces), though I thought this fit in with the BDSM lifestyle well. There’s a lot of power play going on when BDSM is concerned --I chose to explore this in a liberal and open-minded manner. Of the five stories / novellas in the BDSM-themed  PLAYanthology, my favorite is the third story in the middle (Rockstar, where Hideki brings on the knife and bondage play to help Daniel come face-to-face with his dEniAl).While I make no guarantees for future work of a similar  theme, the S/M elements in PLAY were more mild  than extreme. With this initial collection, it was important  to me to concentrate on the relationship aspects of the story,  where a deep and unconditional, more serious type of love  was developed (as opposed to the romantic fluff common in  mainstream pop culture -- not that there’s anything wrong with  that per se, but it just wasn’t what I was aiming to achieve  with this set of stories). One of the reasons I like to write is because of  the combination of purpose and passion it offers me. I  enjoy inspiring others to favor social/spiritual values over  shallow/materialistic values. This includes “freeing” others from the  limiting constraints of pornography, which happens when  one understands that the erotic life is not determined by explicitness or lewdness (this was a big motivating factor, to present PLAY in a non-pornographic way). ===== Author Bio: Jess is a professional non-conformist with a fresh,  youthful world view. She is an author of relationship-based  erotic fiction (and other unique projects, including a series  that features “cyberpunk elves”). She’s cool, supportive,  and writes with both intellect and a lot of emotion. She has most recently co-authored Teen Guide to  Sex and Relationships with Matt Posner (Spring 2012).  For more info, please visit http://jessink.com/teenguide.htm Jess can also be found on jessINK, Facebook, and Twitter.

REVIEW: I Only Have Eyes For You by Bella Andre

Title: I Only Have Eyes For You (Sullivan's Book #4)
Author: Bella Andre
Date Published: 1/1/12


Synopsis:
Get ready for another Sullivan to fall in love in Bella Andre's bestselling contemporary romance series! 


Sophie Sullivan, a librarian in San Francisco, was five years old when she fell head over heels in love with Jake McCann. Twenty years later, she's convinced the notorious bad boy still sees her as the "nice" Sullivan twin. That is, when he bothers to look at her at all. But when they both get caught up in the magic of the first Sullivan wedding, she knows it's long past time to do whatever it takes to make him see her for who she truly is...the woman who will love him forever. 


Jake has always been a magnet for women, especially since his Irish pubs made him extremely wealthy. But the only woman he really wants is the one he can never have. Not only is Sophie his best friend's off-limits younger sister...he can't risk letting her get close enough to discover his deeply hidden secret. 


Only, when Sophie appears on his doorstep as Jake's every fantasy come to life-smart, beautiful, and shockingly sexy-he doesn't have a prayer of taking his eyes, or his hands, off her. And he can't stop craving more of her sweet smiles and sinful kisses. Because even though Jake knows loving Sophie isn't the right thing to do...how can he possibly resist? 

My Rating:  4.5 Steams!



My Review:
I have enjoyed all of the Sullivan books. I love this family!


Sophie is the "Nice" twin who has grown tired of her label and is ready to hook the man she has been in love with her entire life.

Jake loves his freedom and wants nothing to do with commitment, yet "nice" Sophie Sullivan stirs feelings inside of him he never knew he was capable of.

Your typical Bad Boy, Good Girl story. I loved Jake's journey in succumbing to Love. This story was equal parts sweet and sexy.

I can not wait for the rest in the series. Especially the "Naughty" twin story! Great series, great family!

BLOG HOP - JOIN IN

Co-Hosting with my sister site: My Reading Addiction

March 31st will conclude the 1st Quarter of the year. I would like to create a Blog Hop in which everyone posts their top 5 books read for the year so far! 

You May Begin Posting Your Faves Anytime After the 31st!
This Hop will Be April 1st - April 10th

  If you are new to the hop idea but would love to participate, just comment here or email me @ MyReadingAddiction.  I will be happy to walk you through the process or explain things in greater detail. 

Blog Hop Rules:

1.Please help me by sharing a  link to this page to help me generate interest !!  The more people we get to join, the more fun for everyone involved!! :)  Anyone can sign up. 

2. You Must Have a Badge on Your Site By April 1st, or if you sign up later than the day after you sign up.  I will be checking!!  

3. Posts must include the hop button  

and one of the following:

 Include the linky list

the links to the next three bloggers

 a link back to my site. 

I will be posting my List on April 1st!

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I will be doing more Hops in the future including 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Quarter Fave Lists!

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REVIEW: The Gamble by Kristen Ashley

Title: The Gamble (Colorado Mountain #1)
Author: Kristen Ashley
Date Published: 4/18/11


Synopsis:
Nina Sheridan’s on a timeout adventure in the Colorado Mountains. She needs distance from her clueless fiancé, distance to decide whether she wants to spend the rest of her life with a man who doesn’t care enough to learn how she takes her coffee. 


Arriving in a blinding snowstorm at the A-Frame she rented, she comes face to face with the most amazing man she’s ever seen. Minutes later, when he kicks her out of his house, she goes head to head with him. 


Beyond angry because she’s flown half a world away to start her timeout adventure, not to mention her sinuses hurt, she heads back down the mountain and ends up in a ditch. Unable to extricate herself, she gives up, hopes for rescue and falls asleep in the backseat. 


The next morning she wakes up in the amazing man’s bed and she’s sick as a dog. 


Holden Maxwell spends days nursing her back to health and then he spends the next two weeks trying to convince her to take her Colorado adventure further, in other words, make it permanent and take a gamble on him. 


Nina has a tough time fighting her attraction to Max, especially when it seems all Max’s friends, her mother and stepdad and the whole town want them together and both she and Max get embroiled in the murder of Max’s ex-friend and the town of Gnaw Bone’s most detested resident – a man everyone has motive to kill, especially Max. 

My Rating: 4.5 Steams


My Review:
Kristen Ashley does not play around with her books. They are always quite lengthy which makes for a long day of reading, because you simply can not put her books down!

I have noticed her male leads are like other authors Alpha Males on steroids, and I LOVE that about them.
Max is no exception. He starts out all gruff and intimidating right from their first meeting.

Nina is such a refreshing character. I think she simply compliments Max's temperment in everyway.

This is a story that will have you flying through so many emotions, including happiness complete with laughter and sadness complete with tears.

Romantic and super steamy, Kristen Ashley has written another solid book. I am her newest die hard fan!

REVIEW: Chase In Shadow by Amy Lane

Title: Chase in Shadow
Author: Amy Lane
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Date Published: 2/24/2012
Source: Publisher


Publisher Synopsis:
Chase Summers: Golden boy. Beautiful girlfriend, good friends, and a promising future. 


Nobody knows the real Chase. 


Chase Summers has a razor blade to his wrist and the smell of his lover’s goodbye clinging to his skin. He has a door in his heart so frightening he’d rather die than open it, and the lies he’s used to block it shut are thinning with every forbidden touch. Chase has spent his entire life unraveling, and his decision to set his sexuality free in secret has only torn his mind apart faster. 


Chase has one chance for true love and salvation. He may have met Tommy Halloran in the world of gay-for-pay—where the number of lovers doesn’t matter as long as the come-shot’s good—but if he wants the healing that Tommy’s love has to offer, he’ll need the courage to leave the shadows for the sunlight. That may be too much to ask from a man who’s spent his entire life hiding his true self. Chase knows all too well that the only things thriving in a heart’s darkness are the bitter personal demons that love to watch us bleed. 

My Rating: 5 Steams!



My Review:
This book is written in such a unique way. I loved being inside Chase's head in a way you don't usually get to be inside a characters head. Amy Lane does an amazing job of building a connection between the reader and the characters.


Chase's struggle with his sexuality and demons from his past is so real. This was the kind of book that I get so invested in I cry. And that to me is a very good thing!


I loved Tommy so much. He was so sincere and open about his feelings for Chase and very understanding about Chase's need to keep it a secret.


The supporting characters who worked at Johnnies with Chase were all so full of life and just fun to read about.


Amazing M/M book! Definitely a must read!

REVIEW: Stone Hard Love by Rachel Firasek

Title: Stone Hard Love
Author: Rachel Firasek
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Date Published: 7/1/2011
Source: Author


Synopsis:
What would you do if your newly wedded husband called out another man’s name in the throes of passion? 


Lock him out. 


Macy’s world ended when Storm Stone moaned for his partner in their wedding bed—his best friend and very male partner. She kicked him out and now must mend her broken heart, but fate and a grumpy old man are determined to throw her back in the path of the two men destined to torment her. 


Storm Stone and Reese Jordan are at a loss. Sharing their women wasn’t anything new, but Storm’s been “handling” Macy alone, adhering to the vows of his marriage. Reese would do anything to help his partner re-claim his mate, but a kidnapping, trying confession, and a psych visit later, the three will have to overcome all misconceptions. Loving unconditionally means the difference in a forever love or forever losing their heart’s desires. 



My Rating


My Review-
Macy and Storm had a solid marriage, they were deeply in love and she walked out without a word. After a car wreck that brings Macy face to face with not only Storm, her husband, but his partner and the man who's name she often heard in her husbands dreams, things get heated.

Storm is determined to find out what went wrong. He kidnaps Macy from the scene of the accident and forces her to reveal her reasons for leaving him.

When everything comes out, Macy finds herself wondering if she can be like other women Storm and Reese shared. She is set on making sure Storm is happy in every way, and if seducing them both is the way to do that, than so be it.

Storm is a great Alpha male lead, I loved how even in the threesome he overshadowed Reese. Too often in menage's the men are equals. I like it when one steps up, and it makes sense that guy be Macy's husband.

The beginning of the story goes in a lot of detail of the opening scene and talks and then there is quite a build up to the actual three being together and then not much of a continuation of the story as much as just an end.

Overall, solid story for Rachel Firasek!