{RE-REVIEW + EDIT} Diary of a Submissive: A Modern True Tale of Sexual Awakening, by Sophie Morgan

Here's my first review of this book:

Subtext: A Modern Day Tale of Female Submission, by Kate Marley

Yes, you understood that correctly - there are two books, with different titles, carrying different pseudonyms, with almost THE EXACT SAME TEXT inside (see my note at the end of the post).
 
Since I wrote the previous reviews, I have re-read this book several times.  (One of the perks of having a terrible memory like mine is re-reading books and not remembering the details - it's like a new book every time!)  I have also read the expanded book, and found it to be a huge improvement.

Description from Amazon.com:

The “real” Fifty Shades of Grey…A true life erotic story of female submission to rival The Story of O.

In Diary of a Submissive, Sophie Morgan candidly explains what exactly an independent, 21st century woman gets out of relinquishing her power and personal freedom in a submissive relationship with a dominant man for their mutual sexual pleasure.

In the wake of Fifty Shades of Grey, here is a memoir that offers the real story of what is means to be a submissive and follows Sophie’s story as she progresses from her early erotic experiences through to experimenting with her newfound awakened sexuality.  From the endorphin rush of her first spanking right through to being collared, she explains in frank and explicit fashion her sexual explorations.  But it isn’t until she meets James, a real life ‘Christian Grey,’ that her boundaries and sexual fetishism are really pushed. As her relationship with James travels into darker and darker places, the question becomes: Where will it end? Can Sophie reconcile her sexuality with the rest of her life, and is it possible for the perfect man to be perfectly cruel?

Daring, controversial, and sensual, Diary of a Submissive is filled with a captivating warmth and astounding honesty such that no one— man or woman—will be able to put Sophie's story down. Once you read the book you will understand why Sophie Morgan is a pseudonym.

So here's my updated review:

- How kinky?

Quite.  Morgan knows kink; this isn't a 50 Shades of Grey-inspired romp with silk scarves and hand-spanking.  This is a bedroom-submissive experimenting with everything from corsets to ownership, toys to orgies.  She digs humiliation and obedience, and that is the main plotline throughout - the obedience.  She's good at it!

- How sexy?

Not as much as you'd think.  As mentioned in my previous review, she is so straightforward and matter-of-fact that it kind of breaks the sensuality of the scenes.  There are a lot of details she leaves out, and she tells you there's more to the story than is printed, so it does leave you wanting more.  Reading it is more like having a conversation with a raunchy friend - it'll get you hot and bothered, yes, but you'll always wish it was just one step closer to actual erotica.  Well, I did anyway. - EDIT - The Morgan version has a lot more detail.  Heaps more!  It's much better now - in fact, it's bloody fantastic.

- How informative (for non-fiction) or inspiring (for fiction)?

This book, in a way, is both fiction and non-fiction.  What I mean is, it is non-fiction, but isn't a dry reference book, so I can't really call it "informative".  It reads like fiction, and my man is convinced it has been fictionalised and sensationalised - not knowing the author I really couldn't say.  But, between informative and inspiring, I'd have to go with inspiring.  It has some great ideas, some great fantasies, and in a way, it could almost be used as a fun intro into bedroom D/s for beginners - people who think that 50 Shades of Grey is kinky might have their eyes opened by the much deeper, more real scenes and language depicted here.  Plus it's so easy to read!

- How engaging?

Very.  I love reading this book, every time.  Hate putting it down.  I think just the fact that I've just finished reading it for the fifth time tells you just how engaging it can be :)

- How well executed?

Very.  As I mentioned in the earlier review, the author is a journalist, so she really knows how to string a sentence together.  The writing is easy to follow, easy to get into, and her vocabulary and grammar are impressive.  None of this "Oh, holy shit!" writing of certain other "kink" books I could name (is it obvious how much I hate E. L. James?  I know, I hide it well.)

- Overall reaction

One of my bugbears about this book is the author's apparent self-loathing about her own proclivities.  Frequently, and I mean at least once every chapter and in several cases many times, she mentions the "fury" she feels when ordered around, the "anger" that rises up whenever she hears certain words or phrases.  She is so stubborn, argumentative and reluctant to give in that I start to wonder if maybe she has deep-seated issues about why she submits.  She can come across as someone who hates that she is a sub and feels frequently embarrassed about her reactions to scenes.  It can seem at times like she finds it difficult to just accept it, go with the flow and just be.  It doesn't mean she's not a sub - quite the opposite, as she never fails to do what is asked of her and she is actually impressively obedient.  I'm just pointing out that it slows my reading down as I get a bit frustrated with her sometimes.  It's the *only* reason I did not previously give this book 5 cocks.  However - EDIT - the Morgan version has extended the narrative, quite significantly, and while Morgan still speaks a lot about her fury and embarrassment, she also explains that she is very aware of the fact that she is a walking paradox, and does make significant efforts to overcome that and just give in.  She never makes the reader feel bad or awkward for enjoying what she's writing about, and for revelling in their own submission, and so overall I felt less uncomfortable for her.  I felt she really puts across how hot she finds it all, and how she's never coerced or forced into anything, and how her embarrassment actually deepens and heightens the scenes for her.  

However, there is a serious (in my opinion) issue with the Morgan version of this title.  Namely, the realisation that this is not in the strictest sense a non-fiction memoir.  This is, quite possibly, a work of fiction.  What makes me say this?  Well, my memory of the Marley book was that one of the pivotal scenes with a former lover took place at a kink club, while the female protagonist was roped up in a shibari situation, her breasts on display and yet her dignity intact.  It was impressive, and left quite an impression on me.  When I read Morgan's book, I looked for the same scene, and it was gone.  "Oh,"  I thought, "She must have felt it wasn't in keeping with the tone of the restructured narrative."  I went back to the Marley book to reread the scene, and possibly figure out why it may have been cut.  Imagine my surprise - and dismay - to discover the exact same dialogue that, in the Marley version, had taken place at the club, had taken place in the Morgan version, on the woman's front doorstep!  Well, Author, did this happen on your doorstep or in a club?  It dawned on me.  It's entirely probable this scene never happened at all.  It's possible none of it did.  Is it a work of imagination, of fiction?  I feel somewhat betrayed, as a reader - Morgan does claim that this is a non-fiction work.  Call me a pedant, but in my book I believe a work of non-fiction should contain no fiction. An author should own up and be honest when any aspect of a memoir has been fictionalised, or they have taken imaginative liberties with parts of it (she does admit to the fact that "... the timeline and a few people/experiences have been amalgamated together both to ensure that they're not identifiable and to make the narrative structure of the book flow better," but is it the same?  I'm not sure).  Am I being melodramatic?  Possibly.  But I take this stuff seriously.  Without honesty we cannot have trust.  Sophie Morgan, if you're out there, I would love to discuss this with you!  Please get in touch! :)

It is important to stress that the story is the same, with names changed, and the dialogue remains consistent.  But Morgan's version just reconstructs the narrative in a way that, in my own personal opinion, makes a mockery of the non-fiction/memoir genre, and I believe that is an important factor to consider.

While I had previously awarded the Marley version 4.5 cocks, I was prepared to upgrade my rating and award five cocks to the Morgan version.  However, with the change in focus from memoir to fiction, taking that into account in my judgment, I will stick with ...

4.5 cocks!

Please also check out the sequel:

No Ordinary Love Story: Sequel to The Diary of a Submissive, by Sophie Morgan

AN UNUSUAL POST-SCRIPT ...

So, about the two versions.  This is, needless to say, a very unusual situation.  I am told that things like this usually happen when a book is published by a major publishing house, and then the text is plagiarised by a smaller house, changing the names and title as a nod to preventing litigation.  This doesn't seem to be the case here, though my own personal research into it continues.  The Morgan book purports to have been published by Gotham Books, an imprint of Penguin, truly a publishing giant.  It even carries Library of Congress cataloguing-in-publication data, including an ISBN.  The Marley book is published by Xcite Books, a smaller and no doubt niche company, but contains all the correct legal information regarding copyright on the fly leaf.  The strange thing is that the smaller house seems to have published first:  the Marley book was first published in 2010, while the Morgan book claims 2012.  It's all a bit confounding, really. 

Besides the issue of "to whom should we be giving our money", the text of the books is close to identical.  The characters' names are different, and the narrative is broadly expanded (and drastically changed in places) in the Morgan book. Plus, the Marley book has been removed from Amazon, leading me to recommend you purchase the Morgan book, and not to worry that you have missed out. It is, all things considered, the better version.

Belle de Jour: Diary of an Unlikely Call Girl, by Anonymous

Note: Yes, this is the same book as The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl, by Belle de Jour.  No, I have no idea why they changed it.

Description from Amazon.com:  

Belle couldn't find a job after University. Her impressive degree was not paying her rent or buying her food. But after a fantastic threesome with a very rich couple who gave her a ton of money, Belle realized that she could earn more than anyone she knew--by becoming a call girl. The rest is history. Belle became a 20-something London working girl--and had the audacity to write about it--anonymously. The shockingly candid and explicit diary she put on the Internet became a London sensation. She shares her entire journey inside the world of high-priced escorts, including fascinating and explicit insights about her job and her clients, her various boyfriends, and a taboo lifestyle that has to be read to be believed. The witty observations, shocking revelations, and hilarious scenarios deliver like the very best fiction and make for a titillating reading experience unlike any other.


Amazon lists this title as being available in hardback, paperback and Kindle format.  I read it on my Kindle (although I also own the original in paperback ... somewhere). 

- How kinky?
Sometimes, incidentally.  She writes very frankly about sex, very matter-of-fact about specific acts.  Many are vanilla, but there are kinks in here, such as watersports, consensual violence, and however you define trying to see how many fingers you can fit up your own ass while getting fucked. 

- How sexy?
Very.  Belle writes very engagingly, occasionally poetically.  The storyline is easy to follow and most of the characters, despite being unnamed, are three-dimensional in most of the ways that matter.  Little tidbits of people's lives, their foibles and personalities are titillating, and leave you wanting more. 

- How informative/inspiring?
For me, very.  Many of the passages have inspired fantasies in the past, and particular acts/scenes have been known to be highlighted by me for future reference.  

- How engaging?
I think so.  It is a work of non-fiction, but like so many biographies and diaries, reads as fascinatingly and fluidly as a well-written novel.  This is about the fourth or fifth time I have read it, so that tells you something.  

- How well executed?
Oh yes.  As indicated in the title, it is entirely in diary format, although with interesting asides, lists and notes sprinkled throughout to break the format up.  Belle is an excellent writer, and during those exciting years when her real identity was still a mystery, it was speculated she was actually a professional author, and/or one who read literature and liberal arts at uni.  (This has since been proven spectacularly false.) 

- Overall reaction
I love it.  It is easy to read, easy to understand, easy to get through.  A lovely little piece of brain candy, as I call it, for the mentally unchallenged.  The author's intellect and erudition shine through the text, reading as a sympathetic and intelligent friend, confidante, and sexual idol.  I love it, always have.

Five cocks!!

Buy this book if:

• You'd like some light, but explicit, journal-style reading - perhaps for a plane journey, a lazy Sunday, or just some guilt-free brain candy.
• You enjoy the writing of an eloquent, educated, very sex-positive writer, who doesn't shy away from uncomfortable and sometimes bizarre topics.
• You appreciate and are interested in the lifestyle of a real-life prostitute in 1990's London, and not the glamourous, fluffed-up version you see in Hollywood films, and equally not the down-and-out, heroin-addicted version so often portrayed by the very same people.
• If you liked Subtext: A Modern Day Tale of Female Submission, by Kate Marley, you will love this!

 

Female Submission: The Journals of Madelaine, by Claudia Varrin

Description from Amazon.com:

Female Submission: The Journals of Madelaine is the true story of Claudia Varrin's time spent in London as a sexual female submissive to a well-known British master. Unlike Erotic Surrender, the first book of this two-book set, which was written to empower the female submissive and make her feel pride in her sexual preferences, this book relates her actual day-to-day experiences while living with the master. Using the journals that Madelaine wrote in every day so as not to forget her experiences and emotions she felt as a sexual submissive, Female Submission provides a through the glass darkly look at real-time female submission, written for women by a woman.

The journals from which this book is written are very detailed and vivid, and many of Madelaine's experiences were extremely wild, edgy, and on the most advanced level of play. Private fantasy enactments, exciting public scenes in nightclubs, and frolics both fun and fearful at exclusive dungeon parties spice up the every day activities Madelaine was assigned to do as the master's slave. As Madelaine explored her submissive nature more deeply, she was able to access the most hidden desires in her own mind and enter into the downward spiral necessary to bare her soul and debase herself for her master without degrading herself or losing her self-esteem.   As the book progresses, the scenes get wilder and emotions become deeper, making Madelaine into a submissive who would do anything for her cruel, handsome master and strive to make his base, and sometimes savage, desires her own.

Amazon lists this title as being available in hardcover and Kindle format.  I read it on my Kindle. 

- How kinky?
Extremely.  This is actually the kinkiest book I have read so far (and that's saying something). It is also one of the few books where I have read the synopsis (above), and then found the book to actually live up to its claims.  Usually the type of boast, "many of (the) experiences were extremely wild, edgy, and on the most advanced level of play" make me want to roll my eyes, because often a book that makes these kinds of claims goes about as far as watersports or, occasionally, needle play.  But let me assure you, dear reader ... this is Kinky. As. Fuck.  Hurrah!

- How sexy?
Very.  I found myself constantly turned on.The scenes are described in a way that makes them really relatable, and are constructed and strung together in ways that don't break your concentration too much as the author segues from scene to scene - important, I have found, to one's ongoing "enjoyment" of the narrative.  Too much hopping from one scene to the next just brings a reader up and down too many times to focus on stimulation.

- How informative/inspiring?
Again, it is non-fiction, but in a narrative manner, so "inspiring" rather than "informative".  And inspiring it is!  There was a lot of material in here that isn't often spoken of, in case less understanding folks misinterpret the true meaning.  Anal kicking, pussy punching, anal stretching and punching, and that scene with the rope, are just some of activities that spring to mind - eye-opening passages describing these and other activities really re-awakened my lust for new experiences!

- How engaging?
Well ... not as much as I'd hoped.  The very continuity of action that makes this such a rich mine of sexy imagination fodder, also makes it difficult to read too much in one sitting.  It's like a tub of very deep, dark, creamy, fudgy chocolate ice-cream ... you savour every bite, but eating it all in one go would ruin the decadent experience.  It's the law of diminishing returns, really.  I personally enjoyed it in smaller morsels, and all the more for it.

- How well executed?
Very well written.  Like many submissive memoirs I've read, I still do doubt it's authenticity.  Not it's authorship, which appears to be genuine, but the alleged day-to-day truth in description.  It is of course possible to have had these experiences, of course, but so rarely do we find so much heady ecstasy with one partner that it makes me wary of anyone who claims that such experiences happened to them in the space of just a few weeks, let alone months or years.  In addition, she makes reference to several apparently "well-known" events and personalities, none of whom I can find reference to in the bottomless annals of the interweb (to my disappointment). Nevertheless, well written, well constructed as a whole, and completely believable - true or otherwise.

- Overall reaction 
EDIT - I do warn that there is heavy and constant drug use. If that bothers you, do not read it.
I loved it.  It was a really enjoyable read from start to finish.  The characters aren't always likeable, just as in real life, and the situations aren't always comfortable, which reflects reality also.  There's no editing of the narrative just to fit into a fantastical magical kink-realm here, which certainly adds weight to the true-story idea.  There's too much "doing" and not enough "thinking" for my personal tastes - the same kind of writing style that turns me off Tolkien, too.  But that is entirely, 100% subjective, and many many readers will adore this book.  Set to become a re-read and re-re-read classic on my bookshelf.  I had a hard time not giving this five cocks ... so five it is!

The Pleasure's All Mine: Memoir of a Professional Submissive, by Joan Kelly

Description from Amazon.com:

When Joan Kelly took a weekend job as a professional submissive in a private dungeon, it seemed she'd finally found a perfect outlet for her pent-up desires. Suddenly, Joan was being paid to do things she'd only fantasized about. Having spent several years scouring the Internet unsuccessfully for a man who would dominate her in the bedroom without getting on her nerves outside of it, Joan had nearly lost hope of satisfying her sexually submissive urges. Now, using her professional name, "Marnie," she was being paid to do only what she felt like with kinky men who didn't even expect to have any real sex in their sessions. To Joan, it almost felt like being paid to practice the art of self-centeredness - except for the part where she had to kneel and address strangers as "Master." The Pleasure's All Mine offers the reader a rare, intimate, often amusing, sometimes disturbing look into the life of a professional submissive - one whose drive for self-acceptance and respect is as relentless as her sexual need for the services she provides. Readers will experience many humorous, bizarre, frightening, and utterly entertaining events through the perceptive and insightful eyes of this writer.

Amazon lists this title as being available in paperback and Kindle format. I read it on my Kindle.

- How kinky?
Not really.  If you're looking for extreme examples of kink, this ain't the place to find it. She covers the pretty usual stuff - spanking, foot worship, ice water - but nothing more shocking than that.

- How sexy?
Relatively. There are some very well-decribed, well-detailed scenes in here, but again, that's not where the book's real charms lie.

- How inspiring?
Possibly. As I said, she does go into some scenes in detail, and there are some ideas to be found - ie how she, as a sub, figures out how to top on command, and how to like it and be good at it. But that's not the focus of the story, and much of the detail is fairly useless for purely inspirational purposes.

- How engaging?
This. This is where the real beauty of Kelly's writing lies.  I found this memoir so engaging, I considered calling in sick just to stay in bed and keep reading! (I didn't, though. That would have been "very naughty, Alex".)  I genuinely needed to know: what happened next? What happened with this character?  With that relationship?  It was great.  Right up until the end.  The last page.  When you get there, you'll know what I mean. 

- How well executed?

Brilliant. The quality of the writing is top-notch. I didn't even catch a single spelling or grammatical error - all too common, these days. The characters are finely drawn, and the gorgeously descriptive writing is in perfect harmony with the well-balanced dialogue and well-described environments. There were some disappointments, such as: there seem to be some episodes missing (whatever happened to K? It is alluded to but never explained), and some scenes seemed slightly unneccessary (I'm looking at you, Scene With Todd Bridges). Overall, however, I had to remember it is a memoir, and whatever people choose to reveal or not reveal isn't my business. As a reader however - slightly off-putting.

- Negatives?

THE LAST PAGE.  I actually thought the end of the book hadn't been delivered to my Kindle properly. But no, that's just how the book ends.  Worst. Ending. Ever! I hate you, whoever's idea it was.  Hate you.

- Overall reaction
 Great book, really enjoyable and very funny.  Highly recommended to people who enjoy memoirs of the kinky kind.  Just don't scream in frustration when you reach the last page, like I did, and scare your pets :)

4 cocks!

No Ordinary Love Story: Sequel to The Diary of a Submissive, by Sophie Morgan

Description from Amazon.com:  

Sophie Morgan bares all in her controversial sequel to Diary of a Submissive, No Ordinary Love Story.

Sophie Morgan is a submissive. An ordinary, successful young woman who in private surrenders her body and mind to a dominant man. Some of these relationships have been loving, others casual, one just cruel. But what happens when she meets the dominant man of her dreams? When they move in together? When life, love and play collide?

In Adam, Sophie has found a man to respect and cherish her, as well as a lover who'll take her to the very limits of pain and pleasure. But how do you decide who's cooking dinner when later one of you will be whipping the other? Can you be curled up together watching TV one night and the next indulging in a serious punishment session?

In this follow-up to the number-one bestseller, The Diary of a Submissive, Sophie tells us what she did next, how she struggled to combine an ordinary relationship with her sexual needs. It's a controversial, honest and erotic story of trying to find her kinkily romantic happy-ever-after. No Ordinary Love Story is Sophie Morgan's real-life Fifty Shades of Grey.

Sophie Morgan is the author number-one best-selling The Diary of a Submissive, and is a journalist in her thirties.
 
Amazon lists this title as being available in paperback and Kindle format.  I read it on my Kindle. 

Here's my review of the first book:

Subtext: A Modern Day Tale of Female Submission, by Kate Marley

- How kinky?
Actually, surprisingly less so than I expected. The original book and the sequel have the same amount of kink as each other, really, but I suppose I was expecting Morgan to cover kinkier territory in this continuation of the story.  Possibly a case of overexpectation.  There is a lot of kink in there, don't get me wrong, but it was pretty much the same stuff as in the first book.  Plus a cage.

- How sexy? 
Very.  Like its predecessor, this book falls squarely into the "erotica" category, as opposed to "porn" ... but that is to be expected.  Real life just isn't porn.  Morgan's writing evokes a sexier reality, where everyone is living their everyday lives, going about their business, including the protagonists, but all the boring stuff is just edited out.  She shows us only the sexiest encounters, only the juiciest bits.  It's what all our lives would look like if there were remote controls for life.  It's sexy as hell.

- How inspiring?
Quite.  The original book and the sequel together tell the story of Morgan's journey of discovery.  Like any good journey tale, the challenges and obstacles get harder and greater as the story progresses.  Likewise, Morgan's experiences get more and more "hardcore" (for want of a better word).  It was here, in the sequel, that I came across stuff I hadn't come across in reality-erotica before - such as cages, pet play and even detailed aftercare descriptions.  Knowing about a practice and reading a full scenario are two different things.  Exploring cageplay, for instance, for the first time right along with Morgan is a pleasant rather than nervewracking experience, and could help novices along their own path of discovery.  In that sense, yes, inspiration abounds.

- How engaging?
Very.  Again, this is mainly due to the realism of the story.  The relationships depicted, not just the central one but also those of the satellite friends and family, are realistic enough to be thoroughly engaging, but never is so much pointless information given that it becomes boring to read. I found myself excited to find out what happened next, all the way through.  Of course we can see a happy ending a mile away, but that doesn't stop us wanting to be there when it happens.  And it didn't disappoint - I read the whole thing in two sittings.

- How well executed?
Mmm ... could have been better.  I mentioned there is just enough information given to render each scene and conversation wonderfully realistic.  In fact, there was a little less detail in this book than in the previous one, leaving me with a sense that I couldn't picture the characters in my head as the conversations rolled on.  We read about Adam's hair, but not what style it's in.  Charlotte's curls, but not their colour or length.  We know that Morgan and Adam are of a similar height, but what height is that?  When it comes to imagining scenes of this intensity, we really should be given logistical and aesthetic details like these - otherwise how do we know who to picture as we drift off into our own inspired reverie! These sorts of details aren't irrelevant - in fact they are taught as a fundamental part of writing fiction and biographical non-fiction.  The ability to conjure images of your characters in the minds of your readers through creative description is generally considered to be a fairly important skill.  Morgan, unfortunately, either doesn't have it, or has been the victim of ruthless editing.  Either way - I am disappoint.

- Negatives?
I sometimes feel that perhaps Kindle novels aren't as well copyedited as their paperback counterparts, or perhaps this one was rushed to publication in both formats.  Either way, there were one or two instances in which the wrong word was used for the situation - a simple mistake that many writers make, but needs to be picked up in editing.  It wasn't.  Considering Morgan is meant to be a journalist it just came off as lazy, and inconsiderate of readers who've paid money to share her story. 

- Overall reaction
Overall, I actually liked this book better than the first.  After reading Diary of a Submissive, I admit I was dying to find out what happened next.  What happened was both unexpected and fantastic, at least in the context of the storyline.  The male protagonist, much better in every way than his counterpart from the first book, just happens to be one version of my "ideal Dom" ... and I am certain that this is not a coincidence.  It is entirely possible, of course, that he has been idealised for his role in this story, as he really sounds too good to be true.  Cynicism aside, he made reading the story all the more engaging, right up until the not-so-surprising-really ending.  I don't know if I'd be impatient to read another sequel, if it were to be written - after all, stories about kink with kids in the house tend to be just slightly less erotic than otherwise.  But in case Morgan is considering a third in the series, I suppose I'd just have to read it, if only for the sake of this blog.  Ah, the things we have to do in the name of research!  :)
 

4 cocks!

Please also check out the first book:

Diary of a Submissive: A Modern True Tale of Sexual Awakening, by Sophie Morgan

 

  

Mercy's Fate - The Submission of Melody, by M M Napolitano

Description from Amazon.com:

This is a novel of explicit erotica focusing mainly on the sensual submission of a woman to the affections of a Dominant man. It is based on the true life experiences of a REAL couple as they began to explore the D/s Lifestyle. This work includes graphic depictions of extreme sexual contact, domestic discipline, and corporal punishment. All sexual scenarios contained within represent the interactions of adults, and are consensual in nature.
NOT INTENDED FOR SALE TO MINORS. FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF ADULTS ONLY!
Melody is a pretty housewife, a little on the chubby side, whose husband of twenty years has forgotten that she exists. He has had several affairs in the last few years, treating his wife more like a housekeeper than a soul mate. Melody works with a man named Marcus, and has been having some intense sexual fantasies about him ever since they met.
Marcus is a sexual Dominant who enjoys teasing and shocking his female co-workers with tales of his exploits with "submissive" women. What he doesn't know is that Melody, the shy quiet woman who works next to him, has been longing for him to make her one of those submissive women! One day Melody accidentally expresses her desire for him out loud. Marcus responds by sweeping her up in a whirlwind of sex, spanking, and submission. As the story progresses, Marcus and Melody become more romantically involved as their attraction to each other grows beyond the physical.

Amazon lists this title as being available in paperback and Kindle format.  I read it on my Kindle.

- How kinky?
Well, it's pretty kinky.  It covers the usual bases, like spanking, whipping, cumslut themes, ownership and training.  Thereare some rarer topics in there too, such as bathroom voyeurism (under the guise of training).  So it does cover the full gamut.

- How sexy?
Sorry to say, not very.  Reads a lot like a stream-of-consciousness, which means it's also not very eloquent or poetic.  Slightly childish in tone, or perhaps naive is the word.  It starts and stops, jumps between past and present, action and thought, which disrupts the flow and therefore one's concentration on the scene at hand.

- How inspiring?
Not a lot.  Sad to say, many of the scenes depicted here are fairly standard fare in much of the fiction I have read, and due to the style of the writing I wasn't particularly inspired to recreate or fantasise about the characters or scenes.

- How engaging?
Got to be honest - not very.  I truly don't think I would have wanted to finish it at all, if I hadn't promised to do so for this review.  I just wasn't very invested in the characters - their individual journeys, while obviously taking place in real life, were not depicted well in the writing.  Their development as human beings wasn't put across in a way that made me want to cheer them on, or know what happened next.  I was, to put it bluntly, uninterested.

- How well executed?
Ah, the kicker.  Not well written at all.  The idea of it being written in the double-handed first person was actually a stroke of brilliance, and I loved the idea, I really did.  But neither voice was particularly compelling, well-spoken, or even well-punctuated - a cardinal sin!  I got that there was an interesting story to be related here, but the writing was repetitive, sloppy, badly edited and ineloquent.  The endless overuse of ridiculous euphemisms like "kitty" for pussy, "bummy" for ass, and one of the worst, "marshmallows" for ass-cheeks was so off-putting, I felt like laughing out loud at points in the story where I shouldn't have wanted to laugh.  I could continue, but suffice to say, overall this book really could have benefitted from some professional editing services. 

- Overall reaction 
I think I've made my point.  I really did not enjoy this book at all, and I won't be buying the sequel, Mercy's Fortune.

Half a cock from me :(

Diary of a Sex Fiend: Girl With a One Track Mind, by Abby Lee

Description from Amazon.com:

A sensational bestseller in England, here is the revealing diary of a young woman honest enough to put all of her sexual thoughts and erotic emotions in print.
Who says men think about sex more than women do? Abby Lee is a smart, determined young woman who for almost three years has been writing an online journal about her sex life. Her writing is everything that writing about sex should be—frank, hysterical, provocative, and completely honest. Her website quickly attracted thousands of hits a day, with both men and women drawn to her observations about masturbation, one-night stands, and same-sex encounters. Girl with a One Track Mind is a year-long diary of Abby’s desires, fantasies, and anxieties as she tries to answer the question: why do I always think about sex? Celebrating both her sensuality and her physical needs, Abby explores a swingers’ club and a Dominatrix dungeon, and even participates in a pre-arranged three-way (which ends without any satisfaction for her). In between her new experiences are run-ins with lifelong friends; potential romances; and long, frustrating nights when all she really wants is a “great shag.” Whether she’s offering a girl’s guide to understanding date-speak or explaining to her parents why there’s a racy picture of her on their computer, Abby writes with a ribald eye and a fearless heart.

Amazon.com lists this as being available in Kindle and paperback editions.  I read it on my Kindle. 

This book is so vanilla I actually chose to sleep instead of read - shocking!  Seriously, this girl needs to get a life.  She is voracious in bed, certainly, and the explicit scenes she only touches on (never really delves into) are juicy and fun.  But she is so mired down in the social expectations of being good and chaste that she just comes off as self-loathing:  "What would they say if they knew I was such a sex fiend?  Why am I such a sex fiend?"  And other pointless, boring and inane chatter about her sex drive.  Coming from a point of view of, Why question it?  Just enjoy it!  I felt really uncomfortable with her constant self-exploratory rambling.

Not only that, but she is judgemental as all hell.  At one point, a foot fetishist approaches her on the street to admire and compliment her lowest appendages.  She proceeds to ask herself, "Why do I only ever get approached by weirdos?"  or some such claptrap.  I actually felt offended by her published opinions at times.  By all means, be judgmental in your own head, but this edition was published after she had been exposed and her name attached to it!  I was pretty damn angry at this point.

She doesn't seem to know how to communicate.  She spends half the book trying to figure out if this bloke she likes fancies her back, but never actually asks him about it.  She assumes she thinks about sex more than any other woman, but doesn't seem to have enough conversations with women to justify this odd belief (I myself don't have friendships with women, either, but at least I'm not so self-involved as to think I'm the only one of anything).   She also makes assumptions and broad generalisations about "men", as though they're a different species.  She assumes men don't like her because of the number of people she's slept with, but doesn't ask any of them if that's actually the reason, or if it's just cos, you know, she's fugly.  She assumes ... blah, blah, blah, vomit.

Overall, a bit of a waste of time.  It has inspired me to go back to an old favourite before launching my mouse on unknown "porn" writers again.

One cock.  Boo!

Dances with Werewolves, by Niki Flynn

 Description from Amazon.com:

Niki Flynn is a young woman on a journey into the dark heart of her own sexual fantasies. She is regularly restrained, spanked, caned, and whipped in the most notorious adult films of modern times—and she doesn't do it for financial gain or because she's a masochist. Niki Flynn makes extreme adult movies because of her curious and profound love of surrender and punishment. Her desires are all about authority and power in situations where she has none, where she is at the mercy of others who lack just that. And for the thrill of dread, anticipation, and the euphoria that follows when she admires the marks from the headmaster's cane or the pirate's whip, Niki Flynn is willing to endure torment. Flown to the secretive underground world of taboo filmmaking, this strange art has led her all over the world. From schoolgirl canings in England to spankings in California, from a Stasi interrogation in Germany to a forced haircut in Prague, Niki Flynn progressed to her darkest role ever—in Bratislava, where she danced with the fiercest werewolves of all.

Amazon lists this book as being available in Kindle and Paperback format.  I own it in paperback. 

 A fantastic story.  Flynn writes as well as any non-writer, and tells a story with a good amount of detail.  However, I felt that she jumped around a lot, and some elements I had trouble reconciling with her timeline.  There are a lot of characters in her life (as there are in any life) and I found this to be slightly confusing, not remembering who the different people were when they re-entered the story several chapters after leaving it.

The story itself, however, is gripping.  Flynn has had some fascinating experiences, and describes them in excruciating - literally - detail.   The scenes are easy to read and very titillating.  I actually got a few ideas from this book!  That said it's not wall-to-wall play scenes, so it's easy to read on the bus or at lunchtime.

I found this to be an immensely enjoyable read, and recommend it for those who love a filthy biography of an intelligent person with an interesting life.

Four cocks!

Subtext: A Modern Day Tale of Female Submission, by Kate Marley

{Please also see my re-review here}

Description from Amazon.com:

Kate is a submissive. In this candid account she explains exactly what that means and what exactly an independent, 21st Century woman gets out of relinquishing her power and personal freedom to a dominant man for their mutual pleasure. From the endorphin rush of her first spanking right through to being collared, Kate explains in frank and explicit fashion the road she travels as she reconciles her sexual needs with the rest of her life. She'd call it her journey if, in the current climate, that didn't make her sound like a reality TV reject. Suffice to say, if you've ever wondered how, when and why a woman would beg someone to cane her until she comes - or if that's even possible - then this is the book for you. And if you haven't, well this book will give you an insight into the deep end of a dating pool you never knew existed. 

Amazon lists this book as available in Kindle and Paperback format.  I read it on my Kindle. 

Well, first of all the writing is quite funny.  Marley is a journalist and therefore skilled with words and how they express the story.  She is very frank and straightforward, and with a story like this, it means she is quite explicit in her explanations and details.  If you're the kind of person who is used to words like cock and cunt in everyday life, you won't be offended by her manner.

Somehow, Marley reminds me of Belle du Jour.  She details extremely explicit scenes direct from her own experience, but in a way that makes you feel like she's telling you what she had for lunch.  Don't get me wrong, her life is exciting - in all meanings of the word - but she is just so matter-of-fact in telling it, I personally found it difficult to "use" a lot of the scenes as porn (if you get my drift).  She reminds me of me and my friends, in that she doesn't sound embarrassed using the words she uses (like cock, cunt, whore etc) or like they are shameful or wrong.  They are just words and they enhance the sexuality, and yes, sensuality of her experiences like "cleaner" words could never do.

If you are into an honest and frank biography of a person who has some of the most intense sexual D/s encounters and is also a modern, independent woman looking for love - like an R-rated Sex and the City, but in London - then I would absolutely urge you to read this, again and again.  It really is a great story, a lot of fun to read, and I really got to like the heroine a lot.  Read excerpts to your partner; use it for inspiration.  Read it on the bus in anticipation of future events.  Love it like I did.

Four cocks!