Tag: Opinion

Yes, I’ll Have Cherry Pop

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Brings a tear to your eye or a hammer to your heart but kind of the author to go first with all of her poetry as short as it was, but if you’re expecting here comes the sun, well Moses saw a burning bush. Yes, I’ll Have Cherry Pop

Maybe I should say I’ll have a “coke” before my southern roots finally disappear; I was born up north near Boston, and while I’m not a huge tea drinker and I’m further from England now, the books are still pretty good indeed. One such book is “Cherry” by Courtenay S. Gray, and this book of poetry is more than a cherry pop I would say this is a cherry bomb and no not like that.

Four out of five stars, with poems that range from sweet to tart, from a somewhat unknown writer, I found her by accident, to be honest, sort of like Moses seeing the burning bush, and I wonder how the rest of the world isn’t hearing her yet. Maybe she’s like the first cherry blossom blooming, and soon we’ll all be getting rained on by her words as I believe this is only her second book but speaking as a fellow writer we all start somewhere. I don’t know where, to begin with, her words though if I just had one word to define the theme of her work somehow, then that word would have to be… one guess *ahem* LOVE.

I can see that she loves her work but where there is love there is also hate, and I couldn’t begin to tell you the demographic for her work, you’ll leave it with your conflictions of love and hate. She’s also a person that seems to be crying out for love, the thing is, does she want it for herself or does it come as a desire for someone else, trading her broken heart for something new, because she may break your heart? Maybe it’s more of an affair; there’s even a poem called “The Two-Month Love Affair” but no worries you can finish the book in one sitting and isn’t the point of a one-night stand, okay maybe an hour to make sure all parties are honestly satisfied completely?

Yes, this book will fill you up, but I’m not sure if it’s with wisdom, the nostalgic feeling of a broken heart or a taste of Nightlock… The Hunger Games, anyone, okay a touch of poison. It will probably be a bit of all three and a whole lot more; with Cherry, you’ll feel like a kid again to a senior in no time flat.

I can’t begin to tell you which was my favorite poem of Courtenay’s though I found myself highlighting a few passages here and there that go from lovely to downright depressing and speaks about “Things That Make You Go Hmmm.” Now I’m still trying to find out who would be the right fit for this book, other than a guy who happens to be searching Goodreads or Twitter at just the right time of day.

The first line of “False Gods” which I found to be inspirational for some reason in a do you step or do you leap XBOX type of way, and who am I to say what the author was thinking, other than risk. Her work “The Last Farce” had me looking at her bio, she’s probably the youngest author I’ve read as she’s twenty years old and once you wrap your head around that a lot of her work makes a smidge more sense. “Blue Moon” and “Many Strings Attached” are tied for highlights and had me parodying Peter Griffin when he spoke of Lionel Richie’s “Hello”; you wonder who’s more in the wrong, the girl doing the chasing or the guys that she is chasing.

Speaking as someone who knows a few broken hearts I can relate, anyone with a broken heart will, and maybe that’s who should read this but don’t look for solace or consolation here, I think this is for the author alone. It doesn’t have that I’ve known such hurt and now here I am standing tall empowerment that most women are into nowadays, this is an acknowledgment of pain trying to escape in these words. Now, this probably will sound quite sexist but maybe this was written for her lovers to see and understand, she’s apparently angry in The Two Month Love Affair, but still in love, no question there.

If I were to tell you every poem that spoke to me, that carries such pain or longing, hell a few even turn me on, meaning I might be like one of the guys she talks about which is a bad thing but I still bought it didn’t I? Without a doubt, I’ll be buying her next one, and I still need to buy her first one, call me curious, was she already hurt then or will those be more sunshine and rainbows, highly doubtful.

Four out of five stars easy only two things keep it from greatness and should brevity count as one, that’s just me being a writer I guess, I could crank out a hundred poems and a book by tomorrow which is probably why this is so unheard of now. There is also let’s say the promise that the author makes to the reader, again I’m a guy, getting turned on doesn’t count but what about ladies who pick this up?

I keep going over in my head the purpose for this book if the author was trying to console herself or inform those who hurt her, why take it so far with this book; honestly I think that the world should see this and there are plenty of unknowns just waiting for their discovery. In 500 Days of Summer, I heard “to get over a girl turn her into literature,” and I guess it works with getting over a guy but the purpose of this is not to get over but to never be forgotten. Maybe it was only a test run, and if that’s the case, I might want my money back; yes, I enjoyed the book, but it was over so incredibly fast.

As for the promise that the author says this collection seeks to unearth your deepest desires; I see a tiny bit of the erotica I read but if that’s the case, what is it you’re looking for, young love but most women might be too mature for this. I can see a mom buying this for their daughter and every dad eyeing any potential suitors suspiciously but hoping this keeps their kids locked in their rooms. As the song goes how “it’s only love.” Will this author find it professionally or dare I say personally? In both cases, I do have high hopes for her, but he better be a million times smarter than whoever she’s writing about in this.

It’s worth the price but know what you’re getting into or look her up on Twitter, honestly, I hope I’m helping her because “Cherry” is so good, and now that song she’s my “Cherry Pie” is playing in my head, don’t I wish. She’s still a bit of a “new” author, and we all know another word for that don’t we, so I think maybe Yes, I’ll Have Cherry Pop.

Preparation H, Hello Hostage Hotel

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From Prisoner to Hostage, and in both I would say the word you’re looking for is obsession or Stockholm, either way, Hostage will hold you and refuse to let go for a while, and by then you won’t want freedom. “Preparation H, Hello Hostage Hotel”

Preparation H, Hello Hostage Hotel

“You don’t really know somebody if you don’t know their name, right”
Skye Warren, Hostage

I can’t tell you exactly when I began reading Skye Warren… Annika Martin too but I’ve got plenty I’ve seen from Skye Warren’s solo novels, and she has become a name synonymous with kickass reads. Hostage is yet another in a long list of winners, and I should probably start looking up Annika Martin’s novels as well because when you put these two women together.

Speaking of which it looks like Abby is going to get some company; a swing and a missed opportunity by this dynamic duo but I’ll give it five stars anyway, but I think Abby and Brooke might have been something to see. Also, are you telling me you haven’t read “Prisoner” (Criminals & Captives #1), if you have welcome aboard, and if you haven’t… you don’t necessarily have to, but I highly recommend it just because it’s as impressive as Hostage. In any case, you’ll probably see what’s coming regardless, but I’m already wondering will there be a book three; I read this with my erotica reading group, but I would have bought it regardless.

So long story short, Hostage begins near the start of Prisoner and then carries on from where that book ended, and no I don’t want to say conclusion there are several paths left I feel. While Prisoner was a story of the youngest of the crew, Grayson, and his love Abby, Hostage is about the oldest of the squad Stone Keaton and his passion Brooke Carson; stop me if you heard this one, rough criminal, and the golden virgin princess. I mean that family going broke, in high school for most of the story, with a famous name and of course Stone is just flushed with cash, criminal and all.

Common themes but I can say that about the entire genre as well, and these two writers know how to work it into something brand new, once, twice, I want to see more of the crew. I was a bit surprised at the ending myself which is strange, but you can always tell where these stories are going and still you stick along for the ride; you can’t help it.

“It’s like catching fucking sunlight in a jar. I don’t want to let her go.”
Skye Warren, Annika Martin, Hostage

Maybe that’s one of the things I like best, as I once heard in a commercial “between love and madness lies Obsession” and that’s what it was like for both Stone and Brooke; enough that Brooke’s age is a teasing point until she turned eighteen. There was the idea of how much grief Stone gave Grayson when he found love and now that Stone has; well that escalated quickly between him and his crew, the men he calls brothers, but let’s focus on the lovers.

Sadly, there’s nothing new to either of them but names and the circumstances of the situation, Stone Keaton, another victim of the rich who fought his way free and is now looking for revenge not just on one but an entire lot of tormentors. You also have to give him the noble goal of wanting to rescue kids and eventually Brooke, though he took his time with her, nothing but slow seductive time since this is a bit of two books in one and her age. Let me just say for the record it always ends up like this, take away the money and the noble pursuit, and being a guy that has read so many stories from this genre, pull any of this in the real world fellas and no happy endings for you.

Brooke Carson, of course, is in her gilded cage, whether it be from a mother’s expectations, imagine Rose in Titanic just younger and prettier or the criminal that just so happens to have millions of dollars that gets her knocky in the knees and elsewhere. Honestly, you can’t say that her life changed much and that might seem a bit short-sighted but one cage to another, from being a tool of her parents to belonging to Stone, and the world is still the world with just a few less horrible people. The only thing Brooke had to do was choose, and that was a bit of newness since most of the stories I’ve read from Skye Warren the heroine merely is taken but again age, instead of sex he almost murders her the first time.

There was less death, seeing how Prisoners ended; maybe it’s a sign of the times. I won’t give that away, though if you want a taste; Samurai Champloo (Artistic Anarchy) “Tsutchie – Sincerely.” At least that’s how I felt if they made this book into a movie I think. As for the other characters, wealthy parents, mother worried about her reputation, standard rich people, and of course Stone’s crew, bad boys galore and how many times can I say this, money.

“There should be some smooth and nice things left in this world.”
Annika Martin, Hostage

I’m not trying to make it sound dull seeing as how I’m giving it five stars, and that’s almost all nearly storytelling, and you can leave it at that because, spoiler alert. Did the book have flaws, other than things I wish happened; this is novel writing at its best, and there was plenty to like besides the things continually resting in my depraved imagination?

For example, this is the first book I might have seen honestly use the term “fake news,” and that’s just the tip of the iceberg as it plays to today’s lexicon. Anybody who reads this might think the author has something against the rich unless they are undoubtedly hard-working or playing a bit of Robin Hood. I’m not saying that Stone and his crew didn’t deserve every last dime they had after everything that they all endured together. There’s even a bit of Brooke’s weight involved, not being allowed to eat then Stone letting her scarf down a burger and cutting her overly tight fancy dress, or the fact that she didn’t want the discovery of her naked form after.

Brooke’s first time, that scene held a bit of everything, the difference between making love and anyway, though the phone sex was a bit dirtier and raunchier, and the authors made her a uniformed schoolgirl to boot, my weakness. Again I wish something could have taken place between Abby and Brooke; you have close quarters, mostly men and two beautiful women, there are days I tell you that these stories are better than porn visual porn. The ending, I was picturing something else, to be honest not that this ending wasn’t great itself, but sometimes you’re expecting fire and brimstone, but a slow trudge to Hell also works I guess.

Nate’s life is one thing, but it would be amazing to keep following Brooke and Stone and don’t I sound like Detective Emilio Rivera now, talk about an obsession with this story and these two authors. So I hope you are ready if you pick up this title because you’ll be on your backside for a while, hours on end, Preparation H, Hello Hostage Hotel.

When Was ROMEO A Stuntman

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Have you heard the latest; now I’m not one for gossip but I think this is a great book, and better than any tabloid and did you see what Ruby Rowe was wearing, four stars I think I saw but riddle me this? When Was ROMEO A Stuntman

An awesome story and let me repeat that, an awesome novel, it echoes through the ages continuously and everyone puts their spin, a twist and what better a setting that California. You know how they say, never judge a book by its cover, well come on, it’s not Ruby Rowe’s fault, but when you utter Romeo, you immediately think Juliet or in this case Ava Lane/Leoni and throwing “The Bodyguard” into the mix with ease.

Romeo is a story you know backward and forward, leaving nearly no suspense not to say it’s boring but right off the bat I give four stars just because you know what’s coming. Maybe that’s not fair of me, perhaps I’ve been jaded from well, take your pick, Shakespeare, mafia romances, the drama of Hollywood but reading this I will say I am a lot more devoted than with any tabloid. If it wasn’t Ava, it was the ex-military, rich mafia guy, dominant in Griffin Scott/Golino, talk about looking the part of your average BDSM romance though this was more than average with the story.

I don’t mean to sound so critical as I already said four out of five stars, the story itself hooks you, there’s no way you want to put it down but when you see Romeo and Juliet you read, or you watch, and you know what’s going to happen. While reading Romeo there was never a doubt in my mind about the happy ending, seriously sometimes you just think, why don’t they go ahead and pick china patterns. If you do want a mystery, you could try and pick out the other characters and match them to William Shakespeare’s classic.

I suppose I was too caught up to bother, talk about descriptive the author wants you to fall head over heels in love with Ava and there is a big reason for that. Griffin for as hardened as he is served no as more a puppet throughout the story unless he was busy saving Ava’s behind and that’s so he could spank it later maybe.

The shocker perhaps is Ava’s age, which I’m pretty sure is forty years old and goes on comparing her to a younger actress or her baby sister and how a man like Griffin at thirty could never want her. Personally, I tend to go for younger women, but the way the author describes Ava can make any man go weak in the knees, though that’s more Ava’s department being honest.

I think the BDSM elements are the only thing that made me like Griffin at all; how in one aspect of his life he was at the beck and call of his clients/principals and in the other a sought after dominant. There was also “Dungeon Six” which I wished we could learn even more about and while Matt wasn’t a compelling character he was somewhat left out. Also, the idea of Romeo when it came to Griffin’s identity, but I’ll save that for you to discover, which is easy enough.

It was strange how Ava was a reverse of Griffin, she was always quite in control but became submissive putty for Griffin so naturally. She remains true to the genre of would be mafia princess wanting to run away with the handsome bodyguard, nothing original there but the sex scenes between her and Griffin were hot. Another character disappearing was her ex Oliver however he was merely a footnote in the story entirely, nothing more.

Now Mickey and Sydney, where do you start, no secrets there and as soon as Ava covered a bit of history between herself and Mickey well; Sydney, on the other hand, was the stereotypical young actress. There’s also the mafia fathers and the family histories blah blah, new mutiny and such emphasis on friendship amongst women and the Hollywood spotlight.

Nothing surprised me, but you can read the same story so many times and find something new each time but as well written and as fascinating as it was, I was not blown away by it. Four out of five and beware as there will be spoilers headed next if you can call them that with this author’s interpretation of the Shakespeare powerhouse story indeed.

Mickey DeLuca, shall we call him Paris as he was courting Ava, a friend of her father’s, the alpha male though even more of a jerk and I’m with Griffin on the fact I would have been annoyed with Ava too. I still have yet to understand what it is with women and the mafia motif or how they stumble upon one good guy making everyone else the bad guy; I suppose love triangles are for YA novels or dirtier erotica, as my reading group warned this was somewhat tame. Characters left out and an issue here or there left unresolved gives this book a more genuine feeling, but it is not without some closure.

Other than some of the descriptive language, Dungeon Six, and the sex, the story just shows how addictive the tabloids can be, but I won’t be picking up a gossip magazine anytime soon. With Ava just living her life I liked how she began to stick up for herself against Drake and her agent without a death threat hanging Sword of Damocles style over her head, not from either of them at least. Any book that leaves you yearning for more, of course, has my vote, though it ended when it did, it was heading into Fifty Shades territory, that’s just my two cents though.

If you’ve never read Romeo and Juliet and are new to erotica, this is a great place to start minus, the stalker if you’re not into the darker themes maybe. I could see myself being a fan of Ava’s and of course Ruby Rowe, but I have to ask, just When Was ROMEO A Stuntman?

Definition Of Flawed, Madness, Love

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What would be the British equivalent of the Jerry Springer show, do they have Starbucks in England, shouldn’t I be asking questions about the book, it would be like having Thanksgiving dinner with my family. “Definition Of Flawed, Madness, Love”

“You’ve gotta give me more than ten minutes, sweetheart.”
― Lia Peele, Definition of Flawed

How about a week and two hundred and thirteen pages, so am I ready to talk about it now… four out of five stars seem to dictate that I sort of want to don’t they. I think this would be more suited for The Richard Bey show or maybe Jerry Springer, hell you could throw in a few more talk show host like Maury or maybe Steve Harvey because I’m going to make plenty of mistakes with this just saying.

This book wasn’t a mistake though it certainly lived up to its name, a drunk father, college girl, a son around her age, I swear it took me right back to those chants of Jerry, Jerry, from the talk shows. Speaking of the talk, not to sound like you know who and Norway but it’s always nice to read an author from across the pond, meaning England, to be honest, this is probably the third book I’ve reviewed from a Brit that I know some. It’s sort of cool to look up words you see one way, and they regard another, but better you be prepared for it right now because it could get confusing.

Plot-wise you could see what was coming rather quickly, but then there’s the portion of the book where chairs start getting thrown and fists start swinging, glad there was a bit of that in there. That’s how real the characters feel, and you can’t help but wonder what you would do in that situation, for me this touched on a personal level, but I don’t want to spoil it yet… Don’t judge a book by its cover either, while it’s a bit racy inside and out this is more family drama, sort of like Thanksgiving all year, they could have stood to drink that much more.

Seeing as this was just the prequel to a series, I can only imagine it’s going to crank up the sex factor and that we may get even more secrets from the whole family and I will admit that it’s somewhat tempting. You’ll have fun trying to guess who indeed is the most flawed and it was surprising that a woman isn’t always right, well at least one of them.

“hot ‘n spicy loving, hmm.”
Lia Peele, Definition of Flawed

Paul Jackson is probably not the typical bad boy women think about, criminal, billionaire, ex-soldier, a prisoner with a good heart. He’s a regular working man with a penchant for alcohol. Though older than Scarlett I’ve read through all the types. Of course, you know right off the bat that he won’t win, then again who knows, the start of the series but yeah no, he has plenty of fun.

Scarlett Trent drifts between that young, have fun college girl and homemaker mentality, knows what she’s doing in the bedroom and honestly tries in the kitchen, she stocks the fridge. I couldn’t see myself falling in love with her, but there is somebody for everyone and her and Paul… seriously whoever wants to tell their parents their right about relationships.

Then we have Dev, and cue Taylor Swift, I knew you were trouble when you walked in, but that could also mean Paul as well, like father, like son I guess but you knew at least the Scarlett and Dev portion of the story in seconds. Having read a preview of the next book, well maybe it’s a bit too soon to start making those sort of predictions.

As for other characters, you got the college friends, the boys looking at Scarlett like a MILF, and the typical mommy and daddy dynamic, which was a bit too reasonable to be believable but maybe that’s just me. The only other most damaging character is Stacey, and again I’m not trying to give anything away, but I think the term ratchet should apply to her. Sort of an avalanche of exposition, a moment of remembering who the real enemy is, and that’s sad when it comes to her but a quick break from the sexual tension. For all the rapid sex scenes between Paul and Scarlett it does cool down rather quickly, but the story is intriguing.

“I took one look at him and went in the opposite direction.”
Definition of Flawed

Hopefully, as the song goes, you’ll follow me, as I was telling the author my Kindle tends to lose everything or maybe it’s a trick from Amazon to get me to buy more books, but I became invested enough to see how this turned out. It is a solid four out of five, and any significant gripes; the ending is a bit lacking, and the story like most trailers nowadays gives up, too much, too soon, and an overflow of revelations doesn’t exactly make up for anything, like Dev you’re like what the hell happened.

You might want to turn around now because I’ll try not to spoil a lot but there were plenty of things to like such as you guessed it, the sex scenes, short but dirty and Scarlett is a woman coming into her own, and then a kiss… The revelations scene while being a bit much will bring out your inner drunk, thanksgiving relative nature, or talk show persona, I can’t stress that enough. I’ve also stated that you’ll be looking up things like does England have Starbucks, just thinking of Scarlett’s coffeehouse profession, and of course a bit of language.

The ending, the timeframe goes from a coffeehouse girl to now, and I suppose the author wasn’t interested in a few weeks of crying, but there had to be a better way to transition. When Paul talks to Scarlett about Dev, it’s like okay and then but wait there is so much more, and it’s just rammed in, tying up Dev in a cute bow and lead to something big? In an unoriginal fashion and strangely enough I believe in love at first sight maybe you have to be a woman to understand what goes through the mind of any girl seeing a man and suddenly it’s just okay dibs.

Other than this I haven’t read any of Lia Peele’s work but this one I will be on the lookout for more of her books, not waiting in line, first day on Amazon, but more like, okay I got this oh look another Lia Peele novel. Now if you’ll excuse me since I don’t drink coffee and I’m not a big drinker I’ll drown in more words to be sure, Definition Of Flawed, Madness, Love.

DIRECTOR, Producer, Lover, Oh My

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A reader is to a voyeur as a writer is to an exhibitionist, with some books we’re alone in the dark but with “The Director” talk about lights, camera, action; looking through this author’s eyes is just extraordinary. DIRECTOR, Producer, Lover, Oh My

So filled by terror, there wasn’t room for shame or modesty while baring every part of myself to strangers. ― The Director, Lily White (2017)

The lack of the author’s fear is what impressed me the most with this title, no shame, no modesty, plenty of terror and nothing to apologize for, though I’m still not giving it five stars, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t wonderfully wicked. A work like this is supposed to make you feel it, to see it, to make it believable and this. Honestly, I wish I could see it on my bookshelf; I hope I could see it on the big screen just saying, I’ve probably seen it in porn here or there I’m sure.

I saw once that we read to know that we’re not alone and I look at my writing, my life, and see the flack I take for it, but again Lily White doesn’t give a rat’s behind she shines the camera directly in your face and dares you not to look away. Maybe that should scare some people but I’ve never published anything like this and she did it, how I would like to know what was going through her head at the time of this but maybe I should focus more on Emma Hart. Now I won’t say the story is somewhat original but this fictional work does give a peek into an all too real world, mentally, physically and the line between right and wrong; yeah wrong and yet I read on indeed.

It’s the usual state of affairs, good girl, bad boy, and if you’re a fan of the dark erotica genre you can pretty much guess what happens next, but it is still well worth the read. No BDSM because such a practice involves rules while the sexual escapades in this are anything goes, and as Jigsaw would say, there will be blood and not just that of the victims. I was also quite fascinated with the artist, and I don’t just mean the author but “The Director,” and it calls into question what would we do to express art in such a form as this.

That’s what got me the most about Ethan Cole, keeping in mind the crime and the evil it was revealing humanity, how easy it is to toss it away and then pick it right back up but maybe we shouldn’t be able to. Speaking of which I didn’t want to put this down, but that’s like being one of the people behind the camera, however, could I continue to look.

Well first let’s start with the hero and villain, no those are the wrong words, the victim and the artist, “beauty and the beast,” I could go on, for now, let’s just say Emma and Ethan/The Director. For such dark subject matter, I found myself transfixed with the beauty of it all from the scenes Ethan shot, to the evolution of both characters and there is a moment that will break your heart entirely devastating.

Emma starts out as the typical woman, what is that wrong to say, walks out on a date with a man only to end up with several worse ones, and the devil himself Ethan. It’s with him that she is forced to evolve or maybe forced is too much counting the fact that she eventually understands where he is coming from, let’s hear it for Stockholm Syndrome of course. From victim to a warrior, to lover Emma pretty much goes through the usual story progression but the ending I have seen in a few stories.

Ethan, now usually I find myself falling in love with the victim but Ethan; I feel like I know him well, any artist and it doesn’t matter which kind whose heard no you don’t do that because it’s risqué, people won’t understand, are you crazy will relate to him. Yes, he’s a monster, but if Emma can fall in love, I can look at the guy as living the dream and after all Emma would become his masterpiece to be sure. What about the lies, I’ve seen those from the most innocent of things like “The Giver” when it comes to our life’s work our creations and the fact that we live such boring lives, seriously Ethan makes good points.

I was also all about the voyeurism and exhibitionism, along with ravishment concepts and it makes me feel somewhat taken aback but then the author wrote this, it’s a fetish to many, and even shows that say this is brutal still show it. Anyway, the focus stays mainly on Emma and Ethan and any other characters are merely extras, like on Ethan’s stage there is only a man and woman.

I can honestly say it’s a four out of five stars and leave it at that, compelling and wholly visceral but comes just short of that spark but honestly a favorite. Also spoilers ahead but as I so often state, in this genre, it always follows the same formula and if we’re lucky a twist here or there, though not The Director so much honestly.

When it comes to stories like this, there is usually a span of a few days, months, a year, but the fact that story looked like it could use a montage of Emma in action. It makes the book seemed rushed by the end, not surprising, not unexpected just quick, though the revelations brought out the artist in me and what would you do with no inhibitions? In a way in reminds me these true-life stories of survival, Lily White’s tale could easily be on the evening news, with her heroine Emma recounting the horror.

Though the most heartbreaking portion wasn’t Emma at all and I won’t spoil it but that twist, talk about being a killer. The idea that even in Hell the concepts of mercy, compassion, even humor are allowed to exist even amongst all the sex and death that prevail overall. What about the bad guy winning, in these stories the villain always finds a sure way to love but I’m not just talking about Ethan, and you’ll have to read to know more about that part.

You know what you’re getting into, a broken heart and the typical ending but the lights, the camera, the action, there is a reason that porn is continually evolving, and your tastes may change by certain degrees with this title. For better or worse, this is honestly so much better; Lily White is an incredible author and this work wow DIRECTOR, Producer, Lover, Oh My.

The AXEL Man Has Cometh

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I just wish I had a space bar I could hit, but this story kept my hands from doing this or anything else my hands might regret, but Axel and Aly are all about love and each other despite the past they can’t fight or kill but… The AXEL Man Has Cometh.

Tons of issues but I don’t mean that terribly for the most part… indeed that’s what makes “Axel” so relatable to people, but this hit me on a personal level. It’s not a title I would have sought out myself, more a right place, right moment sort of deal, much like the characters of Axel and Aly, surprised no one went to AA, ok that was a lame joke, but there are plenty of issues.

This novel covers all of the bases, anger, mental health, sex, religion, but in a more realistic way than a standard all you need is love campaign, though there is a sweet love story from the protagonists. It doesn’t make any particular group look bad; I mean religious people often don’t like to be portrayed negatively and given specific events that have been unfolding around sex and such as I said this book points them out for all to see. I wish that were all I saw because I can’t give this book five stars right off the bat, but I’ll explain that soon enough.

Axel is a coming of age story as well, the difference between strong children and broken men, going into more of the latter when it comes to the heroes. It’s the realism that’s the real crux of the story, and that should scare a lot of people in a way when you think about it, and you will be long after you finish reading. The ending is a bit rushed as if you can’t tell how this is going to end; don’t get me wrong it’s an original story but easy to predict mostly and the surprises appear out of left field talking about WTF.

If you don’t want to head further in just know that Bry Ann is a hell of a writer, and I would admittedly delve into her work; not right away but I’m glad I did. Also if you like to think you’re without any particular sin you probably won’t like it but Axel, Aly, alright.

The good news is I can’t automatically place it in one particular genre and while the concept is somewhat familiar other than The Twilight Zone or the nightly newscast I can’t compare it to anything. Most of the characters find themselves out while others just drift with the barest of motivations but every persona should want something, and this delivers.

Messed up boy, good girl with twisted history sounds about right, also throw in a bit of Thirteen Reasons Why (so I found a comparison), and you have the story. Axle has anger issues, gets into boxing, and mental problems notwithstanding he has every reason to be pissed at the world. Aly, the proper religious girl with her growing anger at events but she refuses to let them consume her. Also, she was lost throughout the book not that you can blame her. A couple that is just perfect together, and I could relate to Axel on a mental level and anybody else will, with the past that haunts him.

His parents are well thought out, two people who just want the best for their son, but Aly’s weren’t so much, then again does this book need even more anger, still in a right way. None of the villains were spectacular other than the; you had a sister, I want the girl, this is a perfect life, reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo, or how the enemy of my enemy friendship, Axel with Aly, Ryan with Brandon. Other characters seemed just to pop in and what I mean is maybe there should be sort of a drifting in rather than a teleportation if that makes any sense at all.

For a book with so many psychological aspects there is a character here, or there I would have liked to learn more about instead of just the appearance and the disappearance of her. No character is wasted though, and the evolution of the protagonists is well paced beginning to end.

I’ll try to keep any spoilers small, no promises but if you don’t wish to proceed, a solid four stars but barely because of one critical aspect. As for my insights well, I feel a type of way about this title as I do with any other work read but as for my own opinion?

More often than not I blame myself and not the author, I received a free copy for my honest review, but my Kindle has a habit of making things disappear so being a man of my word I purchased a copy from Amazon since I lost the file. Now that should show that I think this work is promising and enjoyable but then I ask, did the author or the editor not know how to use a spacebar? I would blame my Kindle, but with the novels, I’ve stocked. I have never seen this many words just smashed together. I would be ashamed to share it with a friend even with the satisfying storyline and for all its merits and if a hard copy shares the same faults, I *shiver*.

I could have done with some vivid and hardcore descriptions, not Bry Ann’s fault but I think I belong to a specific genre and when I get used to that “type” of writing you find yourself craving more. Namely for me the romance and lack thereof, Axel and Sarah, Aly and Axel, Sarah and Ryan, Aly and Brandon but that’s just me, and it is somewhat refreshing to see Aly stick to her morals. The ending though seen, just barreled on me so quickly, I have done worse in my writing, and for the back end of the book, everything was predictable except for the sister who was just, whoa.

Four stars for significant spacing errors and a bit of an unfinished backstory here and there, I’m almost sliding back to three, but the story is fantastic if you can hang in there. Too bad Santa didn’t bring me a punching bag for Christmas, with my issues and another finished book, punches just seem right, The AXEL Man Has Cometh.

Bed… It’s Not For Sleeping

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I never got bedtime stories and with how my parents were… well if I were getting ready to go to sleep this would honestly keep me up and for all the right reasons believe me. “Bed… It’s Not For Sleeping”

With “Brutal Bedtime Stories: A Supernatural Horror Story Collection” it’s for hiding underneath the covers, it’s for finding a playmate, and it’s for reading until the sun comes up because you won’t be getting any sleep. Is the book that scary or so good, I’ll give you a hint, it’s excellent, but of course, I’m all sorts of twisted indeed.

These are the types of stories I wish I knew at bedtime… who hurt you; that’s not the only past I see, these stories make me all nostalgic for The Twilight Zone because I could see any of these made into an episode without a doubt. It isn’t something that I honestly set out to find receiving a free copy, and so I wonder what Tobias Wade thinks about me, hell the question is how do I consider him and the other writers of this work. Do you have any more, that’s the question I kept thinking with every story, what else you got hmm, is it worse than this?

I mean that in the best possible way, going from story to story, saying this is my favorite, no this, maybe this and as far as my actual love and the best overall, I wish us all luck with this review. Now again, personally I wasn’t frightened, everything but that, I could say apprehensive about a story here or there, turned on, mad, twisted, even queasy at points but not scared. Brutal Bedtime Stories is a book for the person that imagines the world inside their head is Hell; it’s nice to know you aren’t alone in this universe thankfully.

Sometimes I look at my work, and it’s like, this is child’s play… can’t remember any killer dolls in these stories though, for the most part wholly original and relatable if you’re studying Psychopath 101. Hopefully, I’m not boring anyone so far and if I am, go ahead and read this title now with my blessing, it will keep your eyes open for some time.

Your bed is for wondering where the real monsters are, underneath it, hiding in the closet or inside you all along, that’s the problem too many monsters and not enough people to haunt; a problem for this book, just way too many good ideas perhaps?

We begin with David Maloney, and his first story should start with a warning that you’re about to be sucked into this universe, from the get-go I was hooked and impressed, wow. Excuse me for trying to narrow down my top picks but if I go author by author with his work it would be between “She Says the Smell of Death Turns Her On” and “The Blue-Eyed Painting.” Already you know which stories I’m into if you read my reviews often enough but his collection contained a few twisted happy endings as I recall.

Tobias Wade had some weird family stories, some I wanted to see continued into even more extended versions of themselves, while every story makes you think, you want to go deeper. His first entry “Hell is Heaven to the Demons” that would honestly be my sort of afterlife, and if it becomes a full-blown novel wow, just the idea of coming back reminds me some of the Shusaku, Isaku, Kisaku series if that makes sense.

With Ha-yong Glenn Bak we get some more family dynamics but also the businessman of the group seeing as how plenty of his stories are about making money. “Make Money or Die Trying” is his first entry but we also have “A Site Called “Cash For Confessions” and “An App Called “Time is Money” also murder seems to run in the family with his tales.

Last but not least we have Kyle Alexander, the only one to give a character his name and while “Teenagers” was the last story and the longest, I much preferred “Shooting Stars” in its simplicity, scary it resonated with me. Sci-Fi fans though will get a kick out of Teenagers, not saying it was terrible but somewhat anti-climatic though it bit surprising for the end.

Put all these stories together you have an incredible combination, and they say, no man stands alone, but any one of these given their book could win me over overall.

Five stars without a second thought, from beginning to end it was like a rollercoaster of madness and mayhem and what are beds meant for, to be tied up in, sexy or lunatics, I have to wonder did these guys meet in an asylum. I can’t promise “no spoilers” or no bad times but this book what else can I say about it just saying.

I’m no doctor, but David Maloney has some ideas about sex both good and bad, but most have the villain getting his so he knows right from wrong. Tobias was all madness and death, if you’re sick of zombies he’s the guy to call, he has a refreshing outlook on ghosts, but maybe he’s not the family man just saying. Along with David, Ha-yong Glenn Bak is the one I most related to, sex and money it has to be between those two, and no offense but Kyle was the weak link, or maybe he was the one chosen for the cooling off period, to a certain degree I think.

Sad to say but it might be all downhill after the first series with David Maloney, and I don’t mean that to sound wrong, but he was the most original with Ha-yong after “Make Money or Die Trying” you see where his stories go, maybe it’s right, sex sells. If there is anything to complain about, it could be that I didn’t exactly know how to read this book, front to back of course but the stories blended together and as soon as you start the next you already forget the other. It only took me seconds upon reading each title to recall, but as I’ve been trying to do this whole time if one story stands out well two, She Says the Smell of Death Turns Her On and Make Money or Die Trying.

If you’re squeamish or have never thought about killing the person next to you, maybe this won’t be your book of choice but if you’re human than feel free. Now if you’ll excuse me this has been my confession, and now I need to find me sort cute girl turned on by death because truthfully Bed… It’s Not For Sleeping.

Lesson 163~How To Write, Just Bleed~

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Nothing has ever come close to destroying me more than words have, and maybe these pages only serve as a reminder that the wound is there and then I rip them off and throw them in the trash. How To Write Just Bleed.

Monday, December 11. 2017

Lesson 163~How To Write, Just Bleed~

Tenth Rule Madam Justice,
No Fear, the first name on the list is mine own, the old story of the first word I ever wrote, my first victim who is me because maybe I knew what was coming, perhaps I wanted to do the world a favor. The thing is Madam Justice; I don’t die, people say that women talk too much, people also say “I don’t trust anything that bleeds for a week and doesn’t die” another shot at women, so what kind of man does that make me.

With my writing, I think it both hurts and helps me; most days especially like today I feel like dying, and then I expect my words actually to give me the life that I deserve. Sometimes I do use words to hurt other people, whether intentional or not another saying, about the pen to the sword, which I can believe. What about other people’s words, I thought about that bitch you know who and her words ripped into me, but I’m still here, every now and again I just have to pull the Band-Aid off.

The best art comes from suffering, of course, that’s just a personal opinion but some create such beauty and what do I make… if anything we just want to see it, the mess. Burn books, then burn people but nothing seems to quench the flames does it, so maybe that’s why I bleed more because I know I’m going to Hell. So why do I make Hell even bigger or perhaps I’m trying to drown myself, blood, sweat, tears, and yes Madam Justice cum too, it all hits the page.

Could it be as in Fight Club, that I want to destroy something beautiful and isn’t that something, there is so much beauty in the world, so it will take something hideous to be recognized by anyone. I know I am coming up with theory after theory, so I present you with another if this is my “suicide note,” relax Madam Justice something I heard from Fear The Walking Dead. Anyway, suicide is a solo act; some say a selfish one, so I hurt myself, I write not caring if anyone sees the outcome right?

Writing is why I continue down this road, the typing dead, the write one dead, one more thing, I write to remember and so that’s How To Write Just Bleed.

I Will Have No Fear

Thinking Outside The Box, “SHIVER”

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Sometimes in the box is the best place a man can be but then we are all different, and apparently, this is a different read for me but a decent one to be sure. Thinking Outside The Box, “SHIVER” it might be scary for a whole other type of reason

NOTE: Excuse me for not reading categories, that’s how focused I am with books that I didn’t notice that “Shiver” was placed in the Gay & Lesbian Erotic genre on Amazon, if I can make any excuses, one I’m a book addict so getting another one was just another hit. Two, I’m also a guy, and anyone that knows how guys watch/read porn knows we always skip ahead for satisfaction.

Not that this book scared me, uncomfortable yeah when I realized what I was reading, but then I chose to keep turning the page and other than being weirded out; what I couldn’t help it, the story is pretty good. Now I’m going to do something the authoresses should have pointed out that this a male with male romance (probably would have guessed if I bought a paperback) and already I can feel you judging me, and I don’t want to sound like some of the media or religious bigot.

Let me just state for the record, ever since I’ve gotten into the erotic genre, specifically dark erotica, I’ve grown used to the covers of these alpha males that make women go gaga so if this was to serve as a warning to me, uh no. It also wouldn’t be the first gay “lust” story I have read, I’ve read works from Kit Rocha but of course, most of those are straight, and the male/male scenes are quickly made up for in my eyes. Lastly I have no problem with the LGBTQ, but I don’t watch gay porn for a reason because I was born straight, but anyway regarding “Shiver.”

Yes, I was thinking outside the box, seeing how the other… I don’t know, give me a percentage lives, and it turns out the rich guy going after the small time boy/girl still applies, nothing different there. The two main characters Salvatore Wolfe and Jesse Clark, I can’t say I identified with either one, but they fit the bill of this shared passion though I think either the authoresses said this wasn’t a romance or a love story. What got me were the parts inside The Wolfe’s Den and when they talked about the background of this obsession with Jesse, personally though I couldn’t help but draw a parallel between this and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, to be honest.

I’ve read some pretty whacked out stuff having to do with obsession, stalking and the like which is what made the ending all the more engaging, but would I read a sequel? Anyway, I bring up The Rocky Horror Picture Show because for the day and age that was made and it made gay people look, well strange and seeing how most of the stuff I read has that reconciliation of the madness, Shiver well…

Okay so stop me if you know this routine, rich guy Wolfe, sees new graduate Jesse and is bitten by the love bug. I’m sorry it’s Salvatore that does the biting in this, romance blah, climax blah, will they won’t they, not that I was bored just busy, which explains how long it took me to read this. I could have stood to hear plenty more about Salvatore’s right-hand girl Trinity, and Brayden, who knew you could get me to root for the athlete best friend, new horizons to see.

The BDSM aspects were on point, I’ve read plenty about alpha vs. beta males, and Jesse played the beta for as long as he could until the eventual climax, falling out that always accompanies these stories. I can say the same for Wolfe minus the madness, his backstory was typical, but it does leave you with questions which kept me wanting to know how he accumulated his power though I can make a guess. What about the erotic scenes, let’s just say that these books usually are porn for women, being a guy after reading this I appreciated women in all sorts of ways yeah.

For those who needed another villain, that man would be King, see ladies, men are idiots whether guys are gay or straight and the scenes between him and Wolfe were all about establishing Wolfe’s masculinity. Trinity served as the voice of reason though her part was small, though she couldn’t stop either Wolfe nor Jesse and it might be pretty cool to see things from her perspective, hers and Brayden’s, am I trying to find a straight romance here? The convenient timing of the sister finding Jesse though; I like to think of myself as an author and have probably done the same thing in my work, but it doesn’t make it any less out of the blue or semi-lazy.

Parts that made me think were when Jesse wasn’t; I’ve heard of people dying like that and again makes me go into that whole this is a weird scenario, like my fetishes, are different. Other than the kink that almost ended the book prematurely and my initial shock and surprise, “Shiver” kept a steady pace, a decent addition to this genre if I say so.

Now if you don’t want any spoilers I give it three stars, and you can stop here because there might be some. Is there anything that this book could have done differently, again who am I to judge being so new to this type of novel and trying to be as fair, if I may.

It was a different kind of dark given Wolfe’s stalkerish tendencies, but I’ve seen worse that have ended better, not that I can say I was rooting for any ending either way… was I that caught up? I still wanted to know so much more about The Wolfe Den, the book covers the different levels of course, but I found it all fascinating and lacking any personal experience this is a great place to start. I saw Jesse and Brayden’s relationship somewhat pleasant; truth be told I don’t see many heterosexual relationships amongst men that don’t include, sports, violence, or women but two guys just hanging out together at home.

As for the three stars, I just can’t help but feel like I let myself be readily convinced, yes I’m a Kindle reader, but when I saw this book from my erotica reading group, I figured what could it hurt and just shock and not my cup of tea. Erotic Asphyxiation I know some people that like choking or other forms of breath play, but it seems to me this was just used to give Wolfe yet another type of darkness when the hunting of Jesse in the woods was enough. With the ending, they chose I’m not sure, again most books might give you a heads up, but with this title, I don’t know whether I’m impressed maybe or whether the authoresses are trying to say something else with this, not a love story.

I will have to keep an eye out for Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine, can’t say I’m in any rush to get my hands on another book of theirs but don’t let me dissuade, ladies it’s a good read, gentlemen unless you swing that way, seek life elsewhere. Three Stars and I think I’m going to find a box because Thinking Outside The Box, “SHIVER.”

Natural Born Sick Fux II

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All the best people are going to read this book, would I like to meet any of them other than the author, uh yeah that thought sort of terrifies me but this book turns me on. Natural Born Sick Fux II, not a sequel but look out “Natural Born Killers”.

“Have I gone mad?”

“I’m afraid so. You’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.” Alice in Wonderland (2010)

I never got the fairy tales read to me in bed or if I did the bad outweighs the good and I just can’t remember, honestly I don’t even think I want to. This book though “Sick Fux” by Tillie Cole is something I will never forget, it haunts me.

Now this isn’t a squeal to anything but take “Natural Born Killers” plus “Alice In Wonderland” and seriously you have a worthy successor to either, though I wouldn’t let your kids see the latter and then move on to this. I’ve seen porn that has been cleaner honestly but the fact that I keep seeing this, picturing it, maybe I’m no different from Heathen and Ellis, oh and do I hear sirens? How about the author, the first book I have ever read from her and I can’t help but wonder what brought this on, I’d buy her a cup of tea, Earl Grey, for god sake’s Earl Grey nothing else will ever do, wow.

Five stars easy but how can I glow so much over this book as sick and as twisted as it is, I don’t mind tweeting quotes but there were so many I have to keep to myself here. It’s dark, terribly dark and when you do see the light, it’s the fires of Hell, not brimstone but gunfire, and however, do you wipe away the stains of blood? Okay to make a long story short, again refer to “Natural Born Killers” and give them a righteous cause and no “fux” to give except for each other Heathen and Ellis becoming Rabbit and Dolly, nothing more.

I don’t know if I’m more jealous of the talent or the fact I’m still looking for my Dolly, another comparison could be Bonnie and Clyde but this book, I’ve never read anything like it. Goes without saying I’ll be buying a copy for my actual shelf and I’ve already been talking it up to a good friend as well.

“The three always turned me on: blood, and death, and Dolly. And better yet . . . Killer Dolly”
― Tillie Cole, Sick Fux (2017)

Maybe the fact that this book turned me on so much should probably be a bad sign, things a girl could do to get me, my dog likes her, sing to me, or be anything like Dolly in this book, allowing me to be Rabbit.

Heathen James/White Rabbit, we both wear black, I’ve got at least five clocks, we both imagine a lot of people dead, both been dominated by men (not like that for me thank god), and both filled with darkness. I should also mention there is a bit BDSM master in him; should I call him a hero, given what he did for Dolly, sure and I actually believe everybody he kills people wise had it coming. They say that hate is taught and with Rabbit, the man became a Ph.D. but the question becomes could he have done better by Dolly.

To me personally once you get past their childhoods then the blood and the death doesn’t seem to be enough, trust me just let them grow up and you’ll be cheering this Wonderland duo. What about the sex though… well how sick are you, there are plenty of scenes from evil, to rough, to sensual?

Do I even have to say it… I have fallen in love Ellis Earnshaw/Dolly give me a girl like her and I’m good and no I don’t mean like one of her uncles. Honestly, Rabbit did the best he could because there is no way therapy could fix her, and I’m sure there are advocates that would say otherwise but those same people scream for punishments of the perpetrators and with what was done to Dolly… Even she acknowledged a part of herself being born and dying and there was no other choice, just saying.

As far as other characters, besides hating Rabbit’s parents and Dolly’s father, the only other character that concerned me was The Mad Hatter who plays everyday man you saw this now tell me that Rabbit and Dolly are so wrong.

This book has my five stars and even more of my money and should have yours too but if you don’t want any spoilers you should stop here. Maybe I should start saving the best for last but was there anything wrong with this title, that five stars can’t fix.

I can’t pick my favorite sex scene, but the mutual masturbation scene when they watched each other and spoke the epitaphs that they once heard, I’ve never met a girl that would let me talk like that. How about the deaths, so much death and I found myself hoping that Chapel or Henry/Hyde was sort of a Jigsaw figurehead which they sort of were for Rabbit. Now here’s something quite new, so I’m at work listening to Spotify and I looked up the “Sick Fux”, and “Dolly’s Mixtape” playlists… go download these now, incredible, spectacular.

Now Rabbit I think was pretty lucky to meet Chapel and Henry/Hyde despite the circumstances, two killers and protection so he could learn how to take revenge and help his Dolly, just seems convenient. I also didn’t like Dolly’s continued ignorance, not her fault but after everything how about learning to read, from a psychological standpoint she’s genius and living in Wonderland is good but reading I think might have been another tool for Rabbit to control her. Also, the simplest answer is usually correct but I guess I was expecting more near the end not that it isn’t surprising.

Surprise that I love this book, that I love Dolly, that I feel like I know Rabbit, that I’ll have to look into more playlists in the future and maybe keep my eye on Tillie Cole’s works. What else is there to say, Natural Born Killers, Alice In Wonderland, Sucker Punch, in a blender and you get a masterpiece that is Sick Fux, but you’ll never look at Alice the same again, I guarantee that.