Book Reviews
Lifestyle
~> The Marketplace by Laura Antoniou
This is the first in the series. The series to me is a mixture of fantasy and reality. Why do I say that? Because although there is not a Marketplace...many of the feelings and D/s in the novels happen in real life. And that is why I enjoy them so much.
The story centers around Sharon, Brian, Claudia and Robert who are accepted for training into the Marketplace. It shows their struggles - being selfish, prideful.They struggle with and against...their desires, mindset, surrender and so much more. I would read the story and try to figure out which one I was like...but none called to me completely until almost the end. But each went through struggles that I have in my M/s journey.
Chris Parker is a key character throughout the series and is someone who I totally lust after. He is both Dominant and submissive. He is a majordomo in the first book. He is under the two slave trainers. Chris is dominant but also has his own need to submit. And he has a strong desire to please. Chris Parker is a fantastic character....compelling me to stay up all night reading.
This is just the first book in a great series. The series is one that I will continue to read and reread.
~> The Slave by Laura Antoniou
The Slave is the second book in the Marketplace series. The Slave is the story of Robin. She is responsive submissive who desires to prove herself worthy of the Marketplace. Chris Parker expertly trains Robin in submission and service. She opens up to Chris divulging her deepest desires and secrets.
This book was my favorite in the series even though I loved all of them. But keep in mind I have not read The Renunion.
~> The Trainer by Laura Antoniou
The Trainer is the third book in the Marketplace series. Michael LaGuardia is the main character who is learning to be a trainer and spotter for the Marketplace. Michael is arrogant about his abilities as a dominant. But he learns that there might be more to being a Dominant from Chris Parker.
Michael to me for most of the book seems like a wanna-be dominant. He seems to only be in it for sex. But as time goes on you see he wants more and desires the service and dedication that comes with owning and training a submissive.
Michael's story also includes history of the West Coast training facility and other training house within the Marketplace. But mostly the story lies within a house ran by the most sought after American trainer, Anderson.
~> To Love, To Obey and To Serve by Vi Johnson
As people can tell from this website's very name, reality is important to us. And this book is reality. It is in the pure raw form. This book is a diary of Vi Johnson's life as a slave. It is from before the days of SSC or RACK and it most certainly will shock some when reading it. It is not for those seeking romantic masturbational fodder as it is far from it. It is an important book on consensual slavery.
I do need to say though that because it is in diary format, the writing style is hard to follow at times. And we don't get all the blanks filled in at times. And times I would have liked to have some more follow up on areas. So it can be confusing at times, but again it is the reality of a slave. And for me it was an important read for going into a Owner/property type dynamic.
More to come!
Domestic
~> Home Comforts: The Arts and Science of Keeping House by Cheryl Mendelson
It is a book I have used countless of times. It has everything in it: How to do all basic sewing stitches. How to iron a dress shirt and how to fold sheets. How to make up a bed with hospital corners. How to choose proper sizes for sheets, tablecloths, and other household linens. How to set the table for informal and formal meals. Expert recommendations for safe food storage. The most exhaustive and reliable information on fabrics, textile fibers, and their laundering, and drying. A thorough explanation of care labels and why and how you should often (carefully) disregard them. Housekeeping guidelines for people with pets or with allergies. What to do about dust mites. How to clean and care for wood, china and crystal, jewelry, ceramic tile, metals, and more. Guides to stain and spot removal. It is a great book for a domestic slave.
More to come!
Spiritual
Coming Soon!
Fictional Favorites
~> The Valkyries by Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho's book are always a favorite of mine. This book was the first book I read by him. DM suggested Paulo Coelho to me starting with The Valkyries. At the time in my life I think she chose the perfect book for me. This book also became my favorite book. It is a magical, mystical, and enlightening journey that I shared while reading the book.
It is a true story or better words...based on the a true story. He only changed a few elements in the story. It is journey of hope, faith and love. The first line on the back of the book says, "Why is it that we destroy the things we love the most?" Coelho confronts his past when he embarks on a trip with his wife Cristina to the Mojave Desert. On his journey he encounters the Valkyries...warrior women on bikes.
I can't adequately describe this wonderful book and the lessons on hope, faith and love.
~> Danse Macabre (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter) by Laurell K. Hamilton
I have been a long time fan of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. I have reread the books Guilty Pleasures through Obsidian Butterfly. But this book as with the last one I doubt I will reread. This one didn't even have a plot and the plot in the last was thin. Each time I hang on to the series hoping and waiting to see if the wonderful fun entertaining characters in the beginning books show back up. If the tough compassionate Anita will be present. But it isn't there. I used to read her books in one evening...not able to put them down. And now this book took me 3 months to get through as it just didn't grab me because I couldn't figure out when the plot would kick in. Even the last chapter I kept hoping that something would come tying it all together to make sense but it didn't happen.
Now to add to this review the whole book....is badly written porn type sex. It isn't even erotic or good porn sex. I would like to count how many pages actually don't deal with sex (the act or just the characters discussing sex) because I would be surprised it it was more then 10 pages out of 483. One chapter might be a page an half and all just having sex. Now I love sex. But the plot of the book, the premise of the book and what made them entertaining was Anita Blake VAMPIRE HUNTER. I loved the chemistry of her and Jean Claude at the beginning but now Jean Claude hardly says anything interesting.
The title of this book came from a dance troop that is coming to town. The dance troop doesn't even show up until the last 80 pages and again very weak and more sex of course.
So...if you haven't read it and are a fan of this series do know you might be bored by it. I did hear her next book is going to have Edward back in it and some other characters from the past. So that might be interesting...crossing fingers!
If you enjoy stories about Vampires and werewolves please pick up the the early books and you enjoy the stories.
~> Tipping the Velvet: A Novel by Sarah Waters
"Have you ever tasted a Whitstable oyster?" Really just that first chapter from the start is written so well that it really did transport me from Colorado to 19th Century England where Nancy Astley is an oyster girl.
This story is of love, coming of age, maybe a little gender-bending set in Victorian-era England. It is story of political, social and sexual states of that time. When young Nancy Astley, first sees the entertainer Kitty Butler dressed as a boy, Nancy's life is changed forever. And really I don't want to give any more of the story away - Nancy does go off with Kitty and then the story is taken to a new level of adventure, love, heart-break and with each turned page left me wanting more.
This book has been labeled as "lesbian erotica," but I found the story to be much than that although after seeing the commercials for it as a mini series on BBC I was drawn to it because I could tell it was going to be about to 2 women. Waters does a remarkable job of leaving her audience titillated by the erotica but she also is quite impressive on recreating London. I have never been there but it feel like I was immersed in the behavior, the speech, the sights and sounds of that historical period London.
I saw the movie before reading the book. And I really enjoyed it so when I found out it was based on a book I put the book on my wish list right away. I got it quite a while ago but just never got around to reading it until recently and LOVED It!
I got done reading Danse Macabre (the last book I reviewed) and then picked up this one so I knew picking up any book would be better. But I think because Tipping the Velvet is written so well I just appreciated it more after reading such a horribly written book. I read the first chapter being 20 some pages instead of 2 to 3 and was completely engrossed in it. It was written so I felt I was there.
So highlights of this book:
- This book is erotic but not graphic.
- The characters, time period and situations are developed and believable (and even better then the movie did)
- The time period made it even more interesting to me because I really enjoy books set in that area but this book to me did a better job of describing the setting then others I have read in the past
- I liked that the movie followed the book fairly well.
- That I knew what happened with Nan's parents and family.
More to come!
Reviews by danae
