Big Sky by Kitty Thomas

Big Sky by Kitty Thomas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Writing: ★★★★
Story: ★★★★
Characters: ★★★★

Overall rating: 4.0

****Holy (Hu)COW, Cowboy!****

   

Veronica "Ronnie" has a good life... on the outside. She's an advertising executive with a 6 figure salary, living in a beautiful penthouse. But her love of spending soon causes a downward spiral into debt, falling from a penthouse with a view to a small dingy apartment with the view of a brick wall, to living on the streets, and no job.

   

"Give me one week, Ronnie. One week without resistance, doing anything I ask without question or begging or name calling and yelling. One week without fighting me. You might be surprised by how kind I can be, but my favor must be earned."

Luke, a rich ranch owner, watches her though this downward spiral, and feels it's his job to "save" her. By "save her" I mean he kidnaps her and takes her home to his ranch, and enslaves her. It's how she has to pay for this "kindness" that makes this story.

 "You will be her. Or else. You'll make me forget you aren't her. I'm not going back to before I found you. You will love me and obey me and submit to me, and you'll do it with that look of adoration Trish used to give me or I'll never stop making you regret wearing her face."

Luke is obsessed with his past love, Trish, and poor Ronnie is Trish's doppelganger. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, it puts Ronnie right in line to be Luke's next obsession. Arriving at the Ranch Ronnie finds that she is to cook, clean, take care of the outside animals... and give Luke anything he wants. Oh and let's not forget the ranch hands, Robert, Jake, and Will... and Will's wife, Frieda, who Luke decides that Ronnie will pleasure whenever he decides also.

     

Ronnie fights the first few days, until she's branded, strapped to a St. Andrew's Cross, and nearly drowned by Luke, followed by Ronnie's near acceptance of it all. I felt at this point things moved REALLY too fast! She went from being taken against her will to craving him bangin' her like a screen door in a hurricane within a few days.

         

However, things did finally move on, and the whole Hucow/lactation fetish plot line turned out to be pretty hot! I *totally* didn't expect it! And *throwing up my freak flag* I totally enjoyed it!

I really enjoy Kitty Thomas's books and her descriptions of all the wonderfully twisted events throughout this book really did seem to tell a story that I could picture in my head. This story really grew on me. It wasn't a book that I probably would have chosen to read on my own, but was picked for me in a challenge. And I'm really glad it was!

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Review: Wrath by L.P. Lovell and Stevie J. Cole

Wrath by L.P. Lovell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Writing: ★★★★★
Story: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★


Overall rating: 5.0

*****5 "Evolve to Survive" Stars*****

Where do I start with this book? There have only ever been two books that brought tears to my eyes. This one did more than that, it made me cry, a really ugly cry, and I felt like my heart was shattering.

I was so wrapped up in these characters, the authors pulled me in and made me part of their lives. So much so, that when I got to 87% I actually had to put my Kindle down and try to breathe. It was late and I thought, "No. I can't do this." So even though I could have finished this last night, I had to stop and get my emotions in check. At the same time, I wanted to savor the story, stretch it out just a little longer.

When I started reading this series, I was expecting dark.. but Wrong only gave me little peeks into the dark here and there. But, Wrath? It threw the door open and drug me down in to darkness hell.

"I will never come back from this. Even if he doesn't kill me, I gave up my life for love. I just hope it was enough."

Joe is the personification of evil. While he was mainly quiet in the first book, he comes out full on twisted, sadistic, depraved and deprived. In complete monster mode, in this book. He is the stuff real nightmares are made of. His pleasure comes from completely breaking a person's mind, body and spirit before ending their lives. He wants his victim to beg him for death. And he *will* make them beg.

When Joe took Tor, she was his ultimate victim, the one he needed to completely destroy Jude. But he didn't really count on the love that Jude and Tor had.

Tor and Jude are finally reunited but Joe is still out there, and no matter how much Jude swears to keep her safe, can he really?

"It's like all the little pieces of my fucked up existence click into place. Evolve to survive, this is what I need to survive. Blood. Revenge. Wrath."

Revenge is Tor's driving force at this point. It's a what she needs to move on. It's all she thinks about, and she needs Jude to get on board with it, quickly, because now, more than ever the stakes just went up ten fold.

"She is the only thing in my life that has ever felt right. It's fucked up, and it's wrong, but I love her. She's fucking everything."

In the first book, Jude was softer. That changes exponentially in this book. He becomes a man with a mission, and that mission is to kill Joe before Joe kills them first. Jude doesn't love, it's not who he is. But he loves Tor, there is no doubt in his mind about that, and he doesn't even know how it happened. But it's that love that causes him to put everything on the line to find Joe.

"Holy fucking shit, when did Tor become so fucking violent? The fucked up part is that it's making my damn dick hard."

This book also broke up the dark with some really funny banter between Jude and Tor. It's made them real, it made me love them. It made me scared for them.

"Tor may be broken, but she's evolved, she's dark and deadly, and sexy as fuck."

As this book progressed, I kept looking at how much was left. I didn't want it to end, and I really kept thinking.. "oh, this isn't going to end well."

The story wraps up all the lose ends. The flow was perfect. It didn't feel rushed. This book is going down as my newest favorite "Dark read".

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Marney. I loved him. He was the perfect secondary character that held everything together. His story line weaved in and out of Jude and Tor's story. A piece of dark thread in a beautifully fucked up, tragic, tapestry entitled.. Wrath.

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Review: All I Need

All I Need by Emily Goodwin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


After reading Stay last fall, I couldn't wait for Jackson's story to come out. After some delays, and worry that the author wouldn't publish after all, I'm happy to say, it's finally here!

OMG! What a great book. Reading Jackson's story in this companion book, was, most times, heartbreaking. Realism and plausibility are Ms. Goodwin's strong suit. Most of the time, I felt like I was right there in the house with Jackson. I could feel his pain.



The writing pulled me in, made me a part of the story, it was descriptive in all the right ways. Never overly so, but enough that you could actually picture Jackson doing something as simple as brushing his hair back with his arm. Jackson's pain is real, he has no hope for anything anymore, death would be welcome...



Until Adeline.

Knowing what Jackson was doing and thinking during all those times Adeline was alone in the basement, or being otherwise abused. Knowing that he was thinking about her, falling in love with her, finally having hope. It was so insightful and at times gutwrenching.

After reading Stay, and knowing how the story would end, reading it from Jackson's point of view, was like reading it all for the first time again.

This book made me hurt so much for Jackson, and I'm still feeling the "book hangover" effects of this one. The author, and her research, made this feel more like a true story. And, sadly, I'm sure it is similar to the plight of many in sexual slavery.

Please, before you read this companion book, (even though it *can* be read as a stand alone), and if you enjoy a seriously dark, non-con, taboo story, take the time to read Stay first. You won't be sorry. You'll get Adeline's side of things, and a much more detailed ending.

Reviewers Note: Amazon has stopped selling Stay, but, at the time of this writing, it is available here, on Smashwords

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Review: Determined to Obey

Determined to Obey by C.J. Roberts

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Determined to Obey is the last in the Dark Duet series from Kid's POV.. it was just barely Meh.. kinda fell flat for me. 2.5 stars.. i wish we could give 1/2 stars. But i rounded it up to 3.

The Dark Duet Series is one of my favorites. One that has never really left my mind, and one I can recall easily, more so than just about any other Dark Erotica I've read, but I think the series would have been much better if Ms. Roberts had left Kid as a background character instead of trying to spin him off.. and making Caleb and Kitten secondary characters really wasn't a smooth move. They were too important to the Dark Duet series, even though it gave us a glimpse of what was going on in the background of the Dark Duet series, it really didn't add anything to it.

While the cover is beautiful, as are all the covers in this series, Ms. Roberts has a real talent for picking them, Kid looks like a 15 year old boy. He's suppose to be a (somewhat reluctant) member of a motorcycle club. The picture on the cover and the character in the story were hard to reconcile as the same person in my mind. He just looks too much like a young boy to me and that makes it hard for me to connect to that character. I know it's suppose to make us feel... protective(?) of Kid, but for me, I just kept imagining these things happening to a boy.

Felipe and Celia.. who are suppose to be Owner and slave come off as quite the opposite. They come of, in my opinion, as equals to each other or with Celia topping Felipe from the bottom. Who really runs *that* show?

So yes, for me, it would have been much better if Kid's story were just left to my imagination.




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Her Master's Teacher

Her Master's Teacher by Lily White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*****5 Heart stoppingly sadistic stars!*****

"She used her natural talents to adorn the success, wealth and status he'd attained. She was not just a slave to his desires, but and acquisition that was adored. Once the courtesan learned that fact, she was set free in her sexuality."

I need to catch my breath after this one!



*takes several deep breaths*

Okay. I'm fine.



Ummm... wait. Maybe not.



This book is just one giant mindfuck!

Just when I thought I had every thing figured out, nope, not even close. This book has more twists and turns than a... twisty turny thing!

Claire

"Life was a cruel thing and no matter what you plan, it doesn't always turn out the way you expected in he end. I'd been careful in life. Almost too careful and it felt like I'd wasted so much time working towards something that would eventually have no meaning. I should have been out with friends. I should have been falling in love. I should have been doing the things I would never have the opportunity to do since I'd been thrown into this room, left to wither away like a dying flower."

Claire is a psychology professor. I liked her, felt a connection to her, and I sympathized with her. Truly. I felt her fear and hopelessness. I didn't like the cocky little snot that sat in her classroom day after day. But... then as time and story moved on, I started looking for him, wanting him to look at her, pay attention to her. Then in the worst way possible.. he did. He takes her from her life.

Holland

"My name is Holland Strong and at 21 years old, I'm the youngest man training to be a Master within a scoiety of wealthy and influential men. My training began early and I'm considered a potential savant within the society."

It was a particular lecture that Claire gives in her class, in which Holland is a student, that gets his attention. A lecture on Stockholm Syndrome.

Claire particularly gets Holland's attention when she gives her theory of Stockholm Syndrome.

"If a person is able to understand the mechanics of how Stockholm works, a person can take steps to prevent it from occurring within them if they find themselves in an abusive or captive situation."

This definitely gets Holland's attention!



Ahhh... and we have Aiden



Aiden hasn't lost any of his bite from the first book. And I love that about him. He is definitely a character I love to hate! Aiden is Holland's Mentor. The man responsible for teaching Holland how to become, and be, a Master in the exclusive society.

Aiden was true to form in this book to be sure. And I was happy that he was (also) a main character in this book. A driving force.

While i loved Her Master's Teacher, i still think Her Master's Courtesan, was my favorite of the two. This one was just awesome in a different way. I think i enjoyed the first one more because there was more Aiden in it.. yes, i admit it.. i'm a little Stockholmy for Aiden. Don't judge me! :D

The "pear of anguish" that Aiden used on Claire.. The description made me shudder and i could actually picture it being used. I love that about Lily White's writing in this series!

Rebecca makes an appearance in this book too, but she's basically just in and out of the room, under the desk, eating out of her dog bowl. She does play an important part in the story, but we just don't see as much of her as we do Aiden. But we do still see the love she has for her Master... and the care that her Master gives to her in the only way that Aiden is capable of.

This book was a complete and total mindfuck. From page one right until the last page. Every time I thought I had something figured it out it took a hard left and proved me wrong, and things I didn't see coming caused me to re-read a part just to be sure I'd just read what I thought I'd read! The way Ms. White took everything you thought you'd read, cut it up in tiny little pieces and tossed it in the wind, that's the kind of things i love and what took this book to a complete and solid 5 star read for me!



I'm really hoping we'll see more of the Master's Series in the future.. and I hope that Aiden is still the teacher of the Masters!

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Review: Irrevocable

Irrevocable by Skye Callahan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I loved this book! So well written and believable how it all happened.

I've heard of Skye Callahan, but had not had the opportunity to read any of her books. So when a friend who knows the types of books i enjoy, recommended this book, I couldn't pass it up! I've found a new favorite author to round out my list.

This book had some really dark and twisted turns that kept me actively interested in the characters. And even though, at times, I really wanted to smack Silver for her lack of appreciation of Kirk, I had to remind myself that if I were in that situation, I probably wouldn't have been very gracious either, even for the little things.

This book had a major OMG twist in it, and I just LOVE that in my books! And I sooo can't wait to discuss them with my friends! *That* is the mark of a great book!

A couple of my favorite lines from this book that actually gave me a laugh.

Silver talking about Kirk:

***Lucky me. I'd been claimed by the voice of reason within their fucked up world.

***And, as if things weren't fucked up enough, I was living with a criminal who made his bed.

(When she was in trouble, yet again)
***I watched him lube up the plug as i slowly ran my hands under the hot water. I couldn't tell if it was the vibrating on or not, and I shuddered at the thought of trying to cook with that thing having a fiesta in my ass.

The book, for the most part, is very serious, but some of the running monologue Silver has with herself has made me laugh out loud.

I put this on one of my shelves under Stockholm Syndrome, but that's kind of iffy for me. At first I really thought that was the case, but I'm not really sure it was. I'd be interested to read what others think about that.

4 Twisted Stars!





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*****5 "WTF??" Crazy Stars*****

Held by Kimberly A. Bettes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was some of the craziest stuff I've ever read! WOW!

This book. Oh. My. God. What in the hell did I just read? Seriously. I'm in shock. Shocked that I couldn't put it down. Shocked that I sat and read it in one day (along with book two Pushed). Shocked that I woke up at three in the morning and reached over to pick it up and read some more of the total mind-fuckery that was this book.

I have *never*.. I repeat NEVER read anything like this before. Not Comfort Food, not the Dark Duet Series.. nothing. This is worse, way worse, way darker, in a gut clenching kind of way.

Certain parts made my stomach turn. I would put my Kindle down, think about what I just read, and go back for more. I just HAD to see what was going to happen next. What totally and truly horrible thing was going to come out of this author, Kimberly A. Bettes', mind. She did not disappoint.

***"This guy is nuttier than a squirrel turd."***
Ron is described as being good looking. A good looking man that does horrible things to women, all in the name of research. Things that would have never crossed my mind in a million years. Good looking? Perhaps. But when I look at him through Nicole's eyes I see something so scary and deranged that "good looking" are the furthest thing I see in my minds eye! He is the man that nightmares are made of, and worse.

Nicole is a wife, a mom, a victim. She's innocently doing things that young wives and moms do everyday, she's shopping. Coming out of the store heading for her car, she is approached by a stranger who has a gun and forced to go with him.

What makes Nicole so different from Ron's other victims is that he's immediately taken with her. She's sarcastic and witty, and that saves her.. most of the time. Other times she takes it to far and is taken to "the basement".

The basement is a small house of horrors. Where Ron does the most unspeakable things to his victims. But he doesn't do those horrible things to Nicole. He loves her. What he does to her, is much worse.

Something came to my mind after finishing this 2 book series. Ron is an author. He uses these women, and Nicole, as "research", everything in the books he writes is true... what if the Author of Need and Push, is really "Ron"? Hmm?

This book had a little of everything, it made me laugh, (oh yeah.. laugh.. Nicole gets some pretty good zingers in there!), squirm, cringe, shut my eyes, slap my hand over my mouth, and slam the cover on my Kindle.

If you like a dark and twisted, off the charts psychological thriller then give this one a shot! But don't say I didn't warn you!

**I read this as a 2 book set Held & Pushed. But I will review Pushed separately so I don't spoil anything for this book.**



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Carnal Captive a.k.a. Carnal Days

Carnal Captive by Vonna Harper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was "iffy" for me.

The non-con genre is a dark favorite of mine and true to form the handlers, Damek and Reno, were pretty brutal. And it's not that, that turned me off at all, it was the dialog between them that drove me a little batty. I kept expecting them at any minute to end up in a little schoolgirl shoving match. It was penis waving at it's best. Their constant, "don't tell me what to do", and trying to one up each other got redundant. Hell, at one point I was wishing they try to beat the crap out of each other.



The story starts out extremely dark, which I really enjoyed. But even from the beginning the handlers were bickering with each other. I kept expecting our heroin to use that to her advantage in some way.

The time with the "handlers" was too long, almost 75% of the book. And all the "conditioning" and "training" they did that whole time, it started to feel like a yawn fest.

I felt for a while that I favored Damek of the 2 handlers, then I would surprise myself by favoring Reno. I really, after a while, felt they were both just trying to prove to the other, and themselves, that they were actually cut out for this business.

Shari Isle. I liked her. I liked that she refused to give up the last bit of herself, her mind. She stayed strong throughout. She did what she had to do to survive. I felt her fear when she was taken, the author described this quite well. And I always felt that giving half a chance that she would kill all of those in her path to freedom.

The time with her new master was too short in terms of the length of the book, and he was pretty wishy-washy. What the hell was he doing buying a slave when he couldn't even make up his mind about basic things like wanting her on the bed or on a chair. It just didn't feel real. Yes, I know he was trying to figure out in his head what the hell he was doing, but it came off very weak. And it was all so rushed. I didn't like the ending, the way it played out, at all.

While I enjoy a Stockholm Syndrome feel to my non-con at times... I was really glad this one didn't take that turn. It wouldn't have felt real, not with as strong as Shari was portrayed to be.

This book is dark and at times brutal, very non-con, and as mentioned, it's a favorite genre of mine. I would caution the casual reader who may not be used to dark reads to read at your own risk as it involves beatings, rape, degradation, and humiliation. If these are triggers for you, best leave this one alone.

2.5 - 3 Star read for me.

Carnal Days was originally published in Feb. of 2012 as Carnal Captive with a different cover. Vonna hopes readers won’t be confused by the changes Amazon is requiring based on recent developments in the epublishing world about what is considered acceptable. This book is still listed on Goodreads.com as Carnal Captive.

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A Dark and Twisted Tail.. read at your own risk!

Her Master's Courtesan by Lily White

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Okay, the first thing I have to say is HEED THE WARNINGS on this book! The warning in the synopsis, where Aiden says of himself, "...I am - in no way - a good man." You need to believe that first and foremost before you even start reading this book.

But it's the warning when you open this book, "This book contains graphic descriptions of violence. This is not a light and fluffy story. This is NOT a love story. There are no unicorns, fluffy kittens, squishy feelings or hearts and flowers. This is a story filled with mindfuckery.", that speaks the truth, and then some.

Heed. It.

I've read a lot of dark books in the last several months. C.J. Roberts, Kitty Thomas, Claire Thompson, they are 3 of my favorite "go to" authors when I want to read dark and twisted. But, they *almost* seem tame compared to the tale Lily White spun in Her Master's Courtesan.

This book was horrifyingly dark and twisted. There were times I actually had to put my Kindle down and catch my breath and remind myself this was a work of fiction. The best part? It was original. Totally and completely unlike anything I've ever read in this genre before. There is nothing cookie cutter about this story. This isn't a girl gets kidnapped, broken down, Master can't live without her because they are both so in love with each other. No. This isn't a story about love or even simple kindness. It's cold and it's harsh.

And I loved every page turning, dark, sadistic, demented second of this book!

"Mindfuckery"? It's more than that... I don't think there is even a word for the level of mindfuckery this book contains!

I didn't like Aiden... or at least that is what I told myself. I wanted to hate Aiden, but I couldn't. The book, when being told from his point of view, makes the reader see and understand why Aiden it like he is.

Rebecca. My heart broke for her on many levels. But I admired her strength, her spirit, and her mind. I rooted for her to run and I rooted for her to stay, sometimes both of those in the matter of a single paragraph! Not that she really had a choice to do either one of those. Staying or going were never up to her.

There were even underlying truths in this book, little pebbles that shined through. For instance.

Aiden:
If the slave has been trained right, they would know just by the look on their Master's face what is expected of them- they won't need to be told.

It's a symbiotic relationship: The Master taking care of the physical and mental needs of the slave while the slave hands over all control to the Master.

Rebecca:

"I'd found control in my life by giving it to a man for stronger than me. I'd found freedom by no longer having to conform to the pressures of society or my peers. I was allowed to act with depravity and lust and I was cared for and treasured..."

Truths.

But of course, in this story, those pretty little pebbles of truth are few and far between.

This book had everything, and more, that I love in a dark read. It's the darkest I've ever read, and there are parts that actually made me flinch.

So heed the warnings. Prepare yourself. Then open this book and step over to the dark side. There will be no cookies.

SOLID 5 Star read for me.

***Note: This book has been banned on Amazon, but I found it on Smashwords for $3.99.
"Her Master's Courtesan" - Smashwords***




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Dark and Totally Twisted!

Obsession: Girl Abducted by Claire Thompson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**Warning Extremely Dark Non-Con**

What the hell did I just read? I loved it, I hated it, and I wanted more of it.

As of late I've been exploring more of the darker non-con books and then I happened on to this one. Yeah, I wanted dark, and I wanted non-con and I got exactly that and more. This is a very hardcore dark non-con read that starts with abduction and is non-stop torture. All very explicit and aggressive. And one of the most graphically disturbing books I've read. And the best part? It was plausible and very believable.

Mark is one twisted individual, obsessed with a BDSM porn star, Emily. He's watched her for years, has all of her movies and has stalked her enough to know her daily routines, her family, friends and where they all live, and he has a plan to finally make Emily his.

Mark kidnaps Emily and takes her home where he completely breaks her down and makes her his slave. But it's the way he does things that will totally twist you up, make you think you can't read another page but at the same time you can't look away. That is exactly what this book did to me. I could not stop reading.

This book is full of degradation, humiliation, and heavy S&M to include water sports, forniphilia, bondage, rape, branding, piercing, sodomy. All manner of whips, floggers, canes, and suspension hooks. Oh my! And let's not forget the cage in the closet.

The total mind bender in all of this is how the author actually made me feel for Mark at the end. What? Really? Not only was my mind twisted up by the end of this book, but so was my heart.

This book left me wanting more. An epilogue would have been nice. A "One Year Later" type of chapter.

Story Concept 4 Stars
Writing 5 Stars
Believability 4 Stars
Character investment 5 Stars

Average of 4 Stars for this book.


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