Book Review – Ball and Chain (cut and run #8) by Abigail Roux

Ty is back from a secretive mission with Sidewinder, and seems deeply disturbed. Zane and he are back together, and are now facing separation at work. Consorting with fellow employees is verboten in the FBI, and the choices for them are limited. The stress of returning to the mundane world after an intense mission and facing separation at work, Ty and Zane are limited in their work choices but committed to remaining together. A vacation on an isolated island in the Hebrides sounds relaxing; Deuce is marry his yoga girl and wants Ty as his best man. He also needs Ty, and Zane, and their military buddies as security, for reasons he doesn’t explain until the arrival of the wedding party on the island. Kelly and Nick are available to travel with Ty and Zane, and are happy to be vacationing together. They haven’t been forthcoming to the group about their budding romance, understandably so. They were just exploring each other when Nick was hauled away for that oh so secretive Sidewinder mission, so they are so still learning to be together in private. Of course, any vacation with this group is going to go terribly awry, and this one goes FUBAR pretty quickly. I like that this story was so unexpected, and that the group has some very clear missions ahead of them, well away from their previous employers. Ty and Zane just weren’t themselves in this book though, there was some quirkiness or essential sexiness missing. Maybe a good pivotal book, not my favorite story in the cut and run world. Still, a good read

Book Review – The Slave (the Marketplace #2) by Laura Antoniou

Robin is an art appraiser, an intelligent lovely woman who has felt the desire and need to be submissive and to serve all of her life. She’s playing in the BDSM and leather world, had two very different Master/slave relationships, and has left them realizing that she needed more. She is found “spotted” by Ken Mandarin, a flamboyant Mistress. Robin has never heard of the Marketplace, but immediately recognized Ken’s introduction to the Marketplace as her gate to the world she’s been dreaming of. Alex and Grendel, the trainers we met in the first marketplace book, are not available to train Robin, yet Chris has a short amount of time available. Chris is a mysterious trainer/major domo, and he agrees to take Robin and prepare her for an upcoming auction. In a very short period of time, Robin is taught all of the basics, and is beautifully and happily ready for auction. Chris is incredible in this book, he seems to know just what Robin needs every moment and follows through, and is as supportive emotionally as he is tough in every other way. I believe Chris sees the perfect heart in Robin that he has himself. Robin is sold at auction to her dream prince. Her dream prince and his lover then whisk her away to California, where she begins to live an incredible life. I loved this book, the sex was of course hot as hell, and it was well written and paced. I, like Robin, completely fell for Chris 🙂

Book Review – The Marketplace (the Marketplace #1) by Laura Antoniou

 

Brian, Sharon, Claudia and Robert are in an exclusive slave training academy, part of a secret society of Owners, Spotters, Trainers and Slaves. They’ve each felt the need to serve; to be useful and used, in whatever capacity. Claudia and Robert have been brought in by the owners they’ve given themselves over to. Brian and Sharon consider themselves submissive, who want refining and training, hoping for long term placement and contracts. The Academy is run by Alex and Grendel, along with their trainer, Chris. Chris is the major domo who runs the day to day training, he keeps them in line and handles daily punishment, while Alex and Grendel work on more minute psychological refinement. This is a well written story, where a beautifully different group of people strive to become what they feel they can be. No one is pulled off the street, dominated into submission, then sold into an abyss of slavery. There are no poseurs in this group; clients (people who’ve chosen to become slaves) have felt an absence of value in their lives and have hoped and waited for the chance to be trained. Owners are vetted and profiled, they’re generally wealthy enough to maintain and properly care for another person and know how to satisfy the hunger for service in the clients. The trainers provide care and training, and also negotiate contracts for their clients. I love the stories here, where each client shares their life during the training, and the reader is taken into a world where submission and service are honorable. Chris is wonderful, his compassion and perseverance and hope for each client carries them through the difficult times, and his rare flashes of humor and humility are lovely also. There wasn’t anything negative about this book! The little snippets regarding the Marketplace were a little much at times though, I imagined Rod Serling narrating :). quite a good read! Sharon was my least favorite character, such a snotty rotten little bitch! She’s one of those girls who never grows up, and believes that making a pretty pouty face can get her anything and anyone she wants. It’s nice know that these people will grow old and ugly, and never get any smarter

Book Review – Camilles Capture, by Evanne Lorraine

The story starts on a tropical world, where the royal family of water demons is sequestered. The young prince demon, Aegis, is the only survivor of a vicious attack from a group of war mages. Camille is a breeder, in this futuristic world where Earth seems to be reserved for female only enclaves, and there are other planets in an intergalactic war. Aegis and Jaxon are fighters who’ve been ship partners. The three are matched, and the rest is pure smut. This was an okay story, with too many inconsistencies to make the characters enjoyable. Camille, a virgin, somehow turns into a horn dog, and knows just how to get her men off. So so, and not worth a re-read, or looking for more by the author

Book Review – Guardian of Werewolf Keep, by Nhys Glover

A fairly good story idea, although the book was poorly written and edited. The author seemed to think that the reactions of a sheltered young miss were not intriguing enough, so set up the story as though a modern forward thinking woman was there instead. Historic inconsistencies are irritating, and make this book just less all around then it could have been.

Book Review – Only the Innocent, by Rachel Abbott

An interesting mystery, and a quick read. This is the first story I’ve read by this author, and will be looking for more. The mystery is well set up, and the ending was a surprise. Psychological abuse can be so quiet, insidious and hard to pin down. It was very interesting that Laura had been filming and researching different types of domestic abuse but was unprepared to identify and fight it in her own life. Not the best written book, but well enough paced that the reader isn’t tempted to skip ahead just to get it over with.

Book Review – The Undead Pool, Hollows #12, by Kim Harrison

Perfect story, perfectly written, although there are some side stories I’d like to see. Ayers, and his possible relation to Kisten, and I’l like to learn a little more about witch/demon/elf sex. Why did Trent keep saying “ow”? The story itself was complete and could have been a stand alone; Kim didn’t bore us to death with back tracking and back story. Rachel starts the story worrying about her finances, her possible relationships with Trent and Al, and pretty much remained true to herself. She hasn’t changed personality through these stories; she hasn’t turned into a super vamp, super witch who can control armies of undead with a thought. Which is refreshing, because her reactions and core self have been the best story lines, and her impulse towards protecting everyone in the world but herself is endearing. A great read, and a step in a different direction for Rachel M. Morgan

Book Review – The Flesh Cartel #14 Independence Day, by Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau

I have loved/hated this series from the beginning! I love the writing, the characters, the story is so intense and well done. I hate slavery, and hate knowing it is still so much a part of this world still. The casual cruelty of the slavery network is horrifying, and the their ability to kidnap and enslave the people that no will will look for or miss it so possible. In the portion of the serial book, Mathias frees himself, although we know how fragile and short lived that freedom can be. A big squee for seeing Zane and Ty, and the nod to the x-files and SPN. A great read, but still made me sad

Book Review – The Bloodletter’s Daughter, by Linda Lafferty

The story begins with the lives of two young people; Giuglio the over indulged bastard son of the Hapsburg King Richard, and Marketa, the bloodletter’s daughter.
In the summer of 1606 their lives intertwine, as the bastard son known as Don Julius is sent to a castle in Bohemia, by the town of Cesky Krumlov, where Marketa assists her mother in the bathhouse they own. This story is beautifully written, rich in historic detail and wonderfully drawn characters. Every event is tied together, and some parts had me tense with suspense. I especially appreciate the lack of revisionist history; this was a time steeped in misconception and myth, and it’s all there. A very good read

Book Review – Cold in July, by Joe Lansdale

Richard Dane is an average man; with his own small business, a loving wife and a young son he loves but doesn’t understand. He shoots a robber during a home break in, and begins a descent into that dark underworld we all know is there but hope to never see. He begins to examine his past; his fathers’ abandonment, the loss of a child, then begins to understand the path he’s on. This book is well written, the characters so deftly drawn they followed me out of the book. I was on the edge of my seat for the tense parts, and was constantly surprised by the next event. Nothing was as it seemed, and there were so many, plausible, plot twists I had trouble putting the book away. Plausible, because as an event was developing, I’d think “oh yeah, I should have realized that was coming!” Jim Bob is wonderful, and I really loved Russell and Ann. This was a great read, I am looking forward to the movie