JR Ward

Hail to THE KING–A Review

Hi there! Perhaps you have noticed the Black Dagger Brotherhood series? That erotic vampire-lovefest written by author/juggernaut JR Ward?

I got THE KING last weekend–which partially explains my recent insomnia.

The King (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #12)This is the twelfth book in the series, and it’s main story centers around Wrath, naturally. He is, after all, the king.

About the book:

After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle–with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything–and everyone–at risk.

Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response–or the distance it creates between them.

The question is, will true love win out… or tortured legacy take over?

My Review:
At this point in the series there are many plot lines that are in various degrees of conflict/convergence. The book centers on the ousting of Wrath as King by the glymera, the aristocracy of vampirekind. See they have another person in mind–Ichan, a distant cousin of Wrath’s and through him the warrior Xcor plans to rule. The legal mumbo-jumbo of long forgotten vamp lore states that kings must be of pure blood–and any progeny of Wrath and his Queen, Beth, would be 1/4 human.

Wrath is more than willing to not be King. He’s tired of the constant pressure. And now he’s terrified that Beth is planning to bring on her own needing, or time of fertility. Wrath abhors the idea of risking Beth’s life in pregnancy. It sparks such a rift that Beth actually walks out.

Now, Wrath has to figure out how to deal, and he’s gotta get it handled quickly because there’s a lotta hormones in the air. That’s right. Beth needs, and Wrath caves. It’s all good, though. And Wrath tears out his hair in worry–about his wife and unborn, as well as the throne. At least, he doesn’t have to worry about the kingship for long, he’s deposed by the usurper. For roughly a day. Won’t tell you how he got his crown back but it was NEARLY bloodless. Funny how someone taking away what one didn’t want makes a person want it all the more.

80’s hair-band Cinderella had a song about it….

Fear not! The HEA is freaking stupendous. So much love for Wrath, even if he was kinda King Prick for a few chapters.

Side plots: Assail is punch-drunk in love with the cat burglar Marisol. So much so that he destroys a good bit of his drug pipeline to recover her from the deadly possession of Benloise. Their connection is fierce, and needy. It is rough watching their unfinished business. Will be seeing more of them, for sure–not only because Assail’s using Lessers to sell his drugs on the street.

Via flashback, we get a lot of Wrath’s father’s story in this one. I really enjoyed learning more about that short-lived reign–and gaining a possible reason for Wrath’s blindness–an in utero injury. Fascinating how the intrigues of that court played out in Wrath’s own timeline.

Let’s not forget the Chosen Layla and Xcor have a serious attraction. Will she commit treason to be with him? Or, are her overtures the key to peace between the Black Dagger Brotherhood and the rival Band of Bastards? Let’s say this: I’m looking forward to Xcor getting his. Next book, maybe.

And finally, Trez still hasn’t submitted to the s’Hibhe to take his place as stud to the Queen’s daughter. He’s over the nameless sex–focused, unfortunately, on the Chosen Selena. Selena returns his interest, but at what price? His impurity will not keep him from being extracted, and iAm can only keep the executioner at bay so long. In typical Trez fashion, he sweet-talks and sexes his way out of the most dire parts of his predicament. For now.

Still a lot of plot to build the next episode on. And, we had virtually NO Lesser involvement in this book. Would not expect that trend to bear out much longer.

It’s a satisfying read for BDB fans. Some excellent romance mixed in with the political intrigue and harrowing captures. Plot moves on the trademark Ward pace: fast. If only her next books came out as quickly… 🙂

Interested? You can find THE KING at Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or any bookshop or library in creation probably. I saw it on the shelves at Target…so, access is easy.

You’ll need to have read the other eleven books in the series for this to make sense, obviously. If you haven’t read any JR Ward, allow me to pique your interest in the first book in the series: Dark Lover. This is the tale of how Beth and Wrath first met, and mated. “Hot” does not begin to describe it!

Thanks for popping in. Don’t forget to get in on the TWO giveaways my blog is running this week. LOVE, LEX and CAPTURED.

Couldn’t end this post without an homage to a movie from my childhood–a Bruce Campbell cult classic guaranteed to make boys titter and gals roll their eyes…ARMY OF DARKNESS.

Hail to the king, baby!

As always, keep reading my friends!

 

The Rise of M/M Romance

Welcome to one of my rambles…this time I’m going to babble (at some length) about the trend toward M/M (male/male) sexual pairing in women’s erotica.

The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty (Sleeping Beauty Trilogy, Book #1)As strange as it sounds, the history of M/M romance isn’t terrifyingly sordid. As one might imagine, it’s been a niche market. The first I encountered of M/M was in Anne Rice’s Beauty trilogy. In the first novel, The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, the M/M interactions were all of power—unsurprisingly. It is, after all, a BDSM fantasy. But, in Beauty’s Punishment and Beauty’s Release there were several M/M relationships that transcended the Dom/sub. Tristan and the Queen’s historian, Nicolas, maintained a public power relationship with a clandestine partnership—wherein each man alternated in the dominant role. Beefy Laurent also experienced tender love with his sub, his master, and the fellow ‘ponies’ when he was a stabled slave.

Over the years we have seen an upsurge in ménage scenes—usually favoring the M/F/M dynamic. This caters to female readers; those who are aroused by the idea of being the filling in a mansandwich, in any case. But, of late, this dynamic is shifting again to allow for M/M/F—or the full-out bisexuality of the males in a ménage.

I had to wonder:  Why?

Is it not enough to have a woman be pleasured by two gorgeous (because it’s romance they are always gorgeous) men?

And then I remembered what I will call The Brokeback Factor.

Brokeback mountain.jpgBoys Don't Cry movie.jpgSee, 2005’s Brokeback Mountain really opened eyes. It wasn’t the first acclaimed homosexual movie. In fact, Hilary Swank had won a Best Actress Oscar for Boys Don’t Cry in 2000. But, as beautiful as Hilary Swank and Chloe Sevigny may be, they are no Heath Ledger/Jake Gyllenhall. The romance between these men—and the obstacles they faced in their “normal” relationships—that made for excellent cinema. It touched viewers in a way that was sexual, not seedy. And received three Academy Awards in the process.

Suddenly, sex between men didn’t seem so…IDK, icky? That’s probably how many (straight, female) readers would have considered male/male before The Brokeback Factor.

What it boils down to in romance is this:  straight female readers crave beautiful, dominant male leads with a sensitive side. The rise of M/M romance is a natural extension of this fascination. If one strong sexy man is excellent, then two is divine. The close POV often employed in these novels (alternating first-person present tense) allows for an intimate peek into the psyche of both male lovers—as they struggle to find an acceptable partner, and seek the pleasure of him. It’s the ultimate in erotic fantasy, IMHO.

Who read the 50 Shades trilogy and didn’t delight in the last scenes written in Christian Grey’s POV?

No one.

Now, imagine that single-minded sexual focus from two men. From readers of ménage and M/M erotica, the response is overwhelmingly positive. Based on the, albeit informal, 2013 Smut Book Awards hosted by The Smut Book Club, two of the top five “Favorite Sex Scenes You had to Read One Handed” were M/M.  And, two of the top four (also taking the top spot here) of “Leading Couple You’d Want a Threesome With” were gay/bisexual men.

Notable entries in the M/M romance sub-genre:

Lover at Last (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #11)Mainstream erotic writers have released their own M/M work—JM Ward released LOVER AT LAST in March of 2013. This story features the coupling of Qhuinn and Blaylock, both vampires, both enormous, masculine, Alpha-type leads. It has been a building story in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series for several books now. Blaylock has loved Qhuinn forever. Qhuinn rejected that love because, though he’s bisexual, he just couldn’t ‘come out’. Now that Blay is with Qhuinn’s cousin, Saxton, however, Qhuinn is more than jealous—and this installment of the BDB is panty-incinerating fantastic.

Double Time (Sinners on Tour, #5)Olivia Cunning—my Queen of E-Rock-tica—finally has given her readers Trey’s story. Trey is the bisexual rhythm guitarist in her Sinners On Tour series, who happens to be in love with Brian “Master” Sinclair—lead guitarist and his best friend. With Brian happily married and a new father, Trey is distraught—thinking he’ll never find a soul-satisfying love. DOUBLE TIME allowed us access to his hypersexual mind—and his successful quest to assuage both aspects of his sexuality. While this is a ménage novel, Trey is constantly struggling with his homosexual desires. We get a front-row seat to his battle, and ultimately, plenty of juicy M/M only scenes.

Ethan (Alluring Indulgence, #4)Nicole Edwards, an indie author who mainly centers on the ménage dynamic, has really fleshed out some fantastic M/M in her M/M/F—Temptation, Devotion, and Travis, in particular. But ETHAN, which came out in early January 2014 is smoking hot and totally sensual. Knowing that it is M/M, it still ranked high on the list of: Most Anticipated Reads of 2014 at Smutbookclub.com.

Try (Temptation, #1)Ella Frank, another indie, has had great success with Blind Obsession and her Exquisite Series—straight erotica I highly recommend—but branched into M/M this past November with TRY. Logan Mitchell—bisexual player has his sights set on a forever kind of target:  Tate, a straight man. In this dynamic we have not only the pursuit, but the conflict—how does a previously straight man develop an attraction (and a love) for another man. Being inside Tate’s head as he mulls through the quandary is a complete turn on. TRY’s a definite fave, and the beginning of a SERIES of M/M. TAKE will be out later in 2014 and continues the Logan/Tate saga—I cannot wait.

Collide by Riley HartRiley Hart’s COLLIDE marks another new M/M series. This Boys Only standalone recounts the reunion between two childhood friends, Noah, an openly gay man, and Cooper, a straight player. Cooper welcomes Noah into his home, and soon the attraction begins to simmer. Much like TRY, Collide features an alternating POV, and we can feel not only Cooper’s conflict over his new homosexual desires, but also his fear of revealing this relationship to his adoptive parents—because they despised Noah all those years ago. Their history causes some very poignant exchanges—particularly when Cooper is hospitalized and Noah is banned from his bedside—something that occurs every day in real America. Though the books suffers some editing issues, I loved the story and look forward to the next book featuring a different M/M couple set up by Noah and Cooper. Bound to be great.

For the non-believer–WHY is M/M hot?

I’m not here to convert anyone, truly. I’m just relating my own opinions, and those I’ve gotten through friends and fellow erotica readers. For me, sometimes straight romance lacks a bit of…heart. The cookie-cutter approach of single, overlooked female plus brawny, bazillionaire, broken male can feel a bit stale. Many times an author will throw in some sloppy sex to spice it up, but those begin to read flat after a while. It is the fresh and new and forbidden that draws interest. Still, it’s a true art to convince a straight woman to purchase gay romance, and takes more than a come-hither. The backstory for these characters is complex and well-considered. Often these aren’t virgin-orphans. Their families are involved—and supportive or absolutely appalled. It makes for a more rounded story.

What I find most interesting in M/M romance isn’t the hot sex—though that is a bonus—but that intimate choice to be vulnerable to another man—even with the complications it poses to all one’s other relationships.  Romance readers desire characters who will risk it all to find true love—what is more risky than potentially upsetting one’s whole family by being gay?

Additionally, I find most readers like their sex with a hefty dose of passion. For better or worse, passion is often accorded as force—while not violent, per se. Who doesn’t think having one’s panties torn off in the heat of the (consensual) moment is arousing? Or, how about being turned over one’s desk/kitchen table for a still-clothed, skirt-up quickie? Yeah, me too.

When it comes to M/M sex, the coupling can be brutal in its passion. These aren’t tentative lovers; they are fully-beefed, determined leads. Ward’s Blaylock and Qhuinn—again they are vampires—bite each other repeatedly in the act of sex. Frank’s Logan and Tate swap from oral to oro-anal to anal in a scene. It’s sweaty and sticky and the muscles bulge and strain—times two. The sheer maleness of M/M sex allows a distance for the female reader to enjoy fierce masculine passion—without fearing for the heroine—alongside swoony-gentle love-making that is overwhelmingly tender. The chasm between the rawness of their sex and the depth of their emotional vulnerability is Grand Canyon in scope. In my own thoughts, this amplifies the heat between the characters ten-fold.

Again, to each their own, but I’m a fan of M/M romance and interested to see where this trend goes.

If you’ve got any thoughts—please comment. I’d love to hear your take on this ramble, or any of the books I’ve mentioned. Oh, and if you have recommendations—lay them on me!

And, as always, keep reading my friends.

COVET–My Fave Sin? a Review

Hi there! Welcome to a new review in my pre-Halloween SPOOKTACULAR. Today’s feature is an urban fantasy–again from JR Ward, but not of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

Covet (Fallen Angels, #1)In COVET, our return to Caldwell, New York has more celestial implications.

As my buddies in Ghostbusters would say:


See, God’s kinda bored with the centuries-long battle for souls. The deal:  Seven people must choose God or Evil in a winner-take-all. If the majority end up choosing God, humanity and the universe win, we go on, no more evil…

If the other side wins? It’s the end…of everything.

The players: Jim “Zacharias” Heron has come to Caldwell on a mission to reinvent himself. He’s a military operative who’s grown weary of the assassin life. While blending in, he’s befriended by Adrian and Eddie–two Harley riding individuals who sometimes don’t throw shadows in sunlight…

Jim’s path becomes diverted by electrocution–yeah, he dies. Not good form to kill your MC in the first few chapters, but it works here. We get to meet angels and Jim gets his purpose: to save the soul of Vin diPietro–a multimillionaire developer under the control of a powerful demon.

This task is made somewhat easier when Vin sets eyes on Marie-Therese, a prostitute with a cause. She’s been through the wringer following a brutal divorce and kidnapping of her son. Now that she has Robbie back, her one goal is to pay off the costs of his recovery–being a high-priced hooker has been key to that purpose.

Vin is struck by her, but also by the need to protect her. His clairvoyance has revealed Marie-Terese is the target of a dark presence and the cost may be her life. And, she’s freakin’ hot, so Vin has two reasons to keep close tabs on her.

As Jim and Vin both work to save Vin’s soul, Vin’s girlfriend Devina proves to be a dangerous connection; one that might be the end of this game.

In the end, COVET is a fast-paced, Good-v-Evil smackdown that has a fantastic romance arc and plenty of smexy bits. It’s a giant departure from the BDB novel series, and yet, with the same location and some cross-over characters, I felt engaged from the start.

If you’re interested in COVET, you can find it in your local library, on e-Loan from a library, GOODREADS, AMAZON or Barnes & Noble.

Let me know if you’ve read this one–and if you liked it. 

And, as always:  keep reading, my friends.