Review: The Ishtar Ignition by Timothy Black

 

Genre: Erotica/Science Fiction

Description:

A novella continuing the adventures of aviatrix Charlotte Frost (personal motto: ‘fuck it or kill it’) who is being pursued (for reasons not in this book) by the Matriarchy at the urging of the Godmother AI. Her space ship has somehow landed in a massive hangar, which is where the action takes place. It is full of potentially lethal tech, which has been largely powered down. The tech is vaguely familiar to Captain Frost. Frost straps on her tool belt, and she and her trusty sex Doll (the gender shifting Arslan-Tash) get to work on an exit strategy.

Author:

Black’s Amazon bio reads thus: “Born a modern-day nomad in the Deep South, Timothy Black wandered through most of the southern United States in an attempt to find his life, love, and home. After studying Geology, Astronomy, and the Occult, he found himself with a degree in Philosophy and a habit of writing odd things. A serial killer of coffee and whiskey sours, he has since found his den in the Pacific Northwest with two raucous bird ladies that peck him when he gets too far out of line. That's a whole lot of beaking.” There is another Timothy Black on Amazon, who is a retired teacher. He is not this Black.

Appraisal:

This is a lot of fun. Captain Frost’s space ship is called the Harlot’s Promise and is powered by orgasms produced by the practice of tantric sex. The plot is small but perfectly formed: the girl on girl action is clever. Black has corralled a number of ancient middle eastern deities, myths, tantric energy, and alternative religious and political  pathways to create a complex military matriarchal state in opposition to the majority patriarchy to power this SF adventure. All these little dogies, hitched together, gallop along very nicely indeed.

The only problem is that this is book 2 and it doesn’t really stand alone. So now you know that, do start with the first one, The Clockwork Courtesan.

The third book in the series (The Engines of Eros) was published in August 2024. So with the whole trilogy now available, the frustrating deficiencies I experienced should melt away. I did feel the lack of the grounding that first book would have provided. But I had a very nice time all the same, thank you very much. Call me. 🤙 😉

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Format/Typo Issues:

There are a few clunks, but the book has excellent pace and you will ride right through them.

Rating: ****

Reviewed by: Judi Moore

Approximate word count: 30-35,000 words

Review: 50 Herbs and Spices of Love by Terry Demcloshoff

Genre: Humor/Erotica/Short Story

Description:

“When Heather finds out her boyfriend is cheating again, she does the only sensible thing she can think of. She orders fried chicken!”

Author:

From Terry Demcloshoff’s Amazon Author page, “A fighter pilot by day, food porn author by night, Terry Demcloshoff is a man of action, mystery and fine dining in, or around fine places. Born on a cruise ship between Florida and the Caribbean, he grew up on the sea never seeing land until his tenth birthday. He's been many places and seen many things, now he wishes to share these experiences with the world through the art of storytelling.”

Appraisal:

Heather is tired of her cheating boyfriend, Peter. It’s humiliating, especially when all of her co-workers start giving her advice about how they would deal with him. She insists she loves him and doesn’t want to lose him. She’s just tired of his infidelity. At the end of the work day Lucy, a new co-worker, comes to her cubicle and offers her a solution. Lucy’s idea beats the heck out of going to a bar and picking up a one-night stand, and none of her other co-workers would be the wiser.

This story is short on words but not on anticipation, emotion, and angst. The ending is embarrassing and hysterical.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

  

FYI:

Bedroom scenes could be offensive to some. Don’t forget to ask Roger to deliver your chicken.

Format/Typo Issues:

Nothing significant.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 4-5,000 words

The Kicker / J Gale Dayton

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Erotica/Short story

Approximate word count: 11-12,000 words

Availability

Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Erotica author J. Gale Dayton currently has at least four other works available for your ereader.

Description:

“The Kicker is a riveting story of Sandy, a young girl who loves football and succeeds in becoming a star kicker in professional football. Sandy is the girl next door, the girl you want your son to bring home. Now Sandy struggles to protect that wholesome image.

During puberty Sandy discovers orgasm while exercising and then she can’t get enough. Sandy has an addiction to sex, but has to protect her reputation in order to fulfill her dream of playing professional football. Sandy has a hard time saying no so she romps through the pages learning new ways to enjoy sex. Sandy has some exciting times with some of her lusty teammates who have as much to lose as she does if found out, and she loves teaching her friendly group of college geeks all about sex and taking their virginity.”

Appraisal:

The description pretty much covers the premise. As a young girl, Sandy discovers she has a natural talent for kicking the football and with her dad's encouragement, tries out and makes the high school team. In high school she also discovers she likes sex. Likes it a lot. But if her dreams of continuing her career in football are to have a chance, she has to protect her reputation. The Kicker chronicles Sandy's exploits, both on and off the field. It is a short, fun read that should appeal to most erotica readers, but especially those who are into sports or girl-next-door types.

FYI:

Adult language and content.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of typos.

Rating: **** Four Stars

The Hannelack Fanny / Lori Schafer

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Erotica/Humor/Short Story

Approximate word count: 6-7,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

A self-described “writer of serious prose and humorous erotica and romance,” Lori Schafer is the author of multiple books and short stories, with several others coming soon.

For more, visit Schafer’s website.

Description:

“A young woman's life is changed forever when she discovers what everyone around her has known all along: that a renowned family characteristic has re-emerged in a most unfortunate location - her own backside. Follow her journey from embarrassment to acceptance to unbridled joy as she learns to appreciate the wonders of going through life with the Hannelack fanny.”

Appraisal:

Humor and erotica isn’t a combo I can remember ever seeing together (although I’m sure that’s me, not you). This is fun (the erotica part), funny (humor, obviously), and if you have a puritan side that refuses to be repressed, a part of you that won’t allow you to just have a good laugh, you might find The Hannelback Fanny has a serious life lesson or two as well.

FYI:

Adult situations not suitable for younger readers.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: **** Four Stars

Lucien's Mate (Soul Mates Book 1)/ Diana Persaud

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Erotica/ Paranormal

Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

“Diana Persaud is a self-published author of erotica. She has written numerous erotic novellas and is currently working on a half dozen more.

Diana has a degree in science from Stetson University. She gave up teaching to pursue her dream of being a writer of romance novels. The inspiration of her first erotic novella, Lucien’s Mate, came from her own experiences.”

If you are interested check out her website dedicated to Lucien and his pack. This site is for over 18. I did find an interesting poston her blog about feminist erotica, I thought I’d share that link also. :)

Description:

“From the moment Lucien, Alpha of the Last Hope Werewolf pack, sees Lanie, he knows she is his. Overtly sexual by nature, Lucien pursues Lanie, undeterred by the fact that she is Human and their union is forbidden.

When she encounters an Alpha Werewolf determined to have her, Lanie is flattered and confused. The unworldly, innocent Lanie is terrified of her intense desire for Lucien.

Lanie soon discovers the patriarchal nature of Werewolf society and begins to question Lucien’s motives. Is the lustful Lucien only intrigued by the idea of sex with a Human or is he interested in something more? Can this modern woman tolerate the old fashioned notions of Werewolf culture or will their cultural differences keep them apart?”

Appraisal:

This story had an interesting premise, one a little different from other shifter books I have read. I enjoyed reading both points of view in this novella. Traditionally we get this with regular romance books, not so much with fantasy stories that contain romantic elements. Lucien is not your typical Alpha male either. I liked that he was willing to change his outlook on the accepted norms of the pack when Lanie challenged him. I understood that he was only willing to do so to ingratiate himself with Lanie so she would accept him as her mate. But still, he was willing to listen and consider her feelings on the matter.

Lanie is a human, her brother was a turned werewolf and has since mated, so she was vaguely aware. She is a head-strong feminist, out-spoken, and not afraid to challenge conventions with Lucien or any other werewolves. However, she is totally naïve about pack politics. Ms. Persaud has developed her own unique werewolf existence and rules in this story which I appreciated. I enjoyed reading about her world and it wasn’t all about sex. While mating between a werewolf and a human in other stories may not be all that uncommon, it is forbidden in this world. Lanie fears Lucien’s attention to her is only a novelty and the desire to have sex with a human, so she runs. Lucien senses that Lanie is his mate and is trying to seduce her with words but when she runs, well he did give her fair warning that his wolf likes the chase. So let the games begin, except Lucien is not playing games.

As I said earlier this novella has an interesting premise but I found problems in the execution of the story. What dialogue there is in this story is good, however there is a lot of telling not showing. There were also a lot of repeated lines or facts that I found annoying. I do believe the story would benefit from additional editing to streamline and tighten up the prose.

FYI:

This erotic novella contains graphic language and graphic sex that may be unsuitable for some tastes.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no proofing issues.

Rating: *** Three stars

Midnight Caller / Haley Whitehall

Reviewed by: Sooz

Genre: Historical Romance/Erotica

Approximate word count: 25,000-30,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Haley Whitehall enjoys writing historical fiction. She earned a BA from Central Washington University, and has a love for the Civil War. You can learn more about her on her website.

Description:

Emma has become a widow at a young age, but doesn’t mourn the loss of her husband who she did not love. When she comes out of mourning, she yearns for companionship and hires Frederick, a roustabout to come to her home at night. The two have an instant attraction, but there are greater forces at work to keep them apart.

Appraisal:

Midnight Caller is a short, steamy read – a book that could certainly be finished in one day.

The pairing of Emma, a white widow, and Frederick, a black roustabout, in the 1866 Louisiana seems plausible. There is a strong undercurrent of racism, which plays a role in bringing the two lovers even closer together. They both know if they are caught, it will only lead to trouble, but their love and lust is so strong that they need each other.

There is a bit of suspense involved as Emma has to deal with an unwanted and dangerous suitor. She has her own secret, though, that pushed her into a loveless marriage before and she will try to use her secret instead to find love.

Romance and erotica fans should enjoy Midnight Caller. It provides a quick hit for a pleasurable afternoon read on forbidden love.

FYI:

Sexual content.

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues.

Rating: **** Four stars

Two Minute Orgasm / La Marchesa

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Erotica

Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: YES  Paper: NO

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

The author has written several other works in the same genre.

Description:

“Answering a bizarre newspaper ad at a research clinic, Janine Taylor’s life is turned topsy-turvy when she agrees to be a test subject for a study on extending the length of orgasms for women.

Caught in a debauched world of sexual nirvana, Janine soon becomes their star pupil. Can she go back to her old life? Given the choice, would she even want to?”

Appraisal:

Every genre has its own set of (often) unwritten expectations and conventions. For example, a storyline that would stretch the ability to suspend disbelief to the breaking point in some genres may hit the bullseye in erotica. While erotica may not need the same character and plot development as other genres, ignoring the basics of storytelling won’t work either. Two Minute Orgasm hits the sweet spot, with enough in the way of plot and character development to draw the reader in and give the sex scenes some context and credibility. With the exception of a poor job of proofing and copyediting, which left much to be desired, Two Minute Orgasm is a solid effort.

FYI:

Given the genre, it should go without saying that if you don’t like explicit sex in your books, this isn’t for you. If you’re bothered by bondage, multiple simultaneous partners, or girl on girl action, the same caveat applies.

Format/Typo Issues:

A large number of typos and copy editing misses. The most common issues are missing words (‘the’ and ‘a’) and verb tense errors.

Rating: *** Three stars

Transported: Erotic Travel Tales / Sharazade

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Erotica/Travel

Approximate word count: 30-35,00 words

Availability
Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: YES Paper: YES
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Under her real name (Sharazade is a pen name), the author is an educator and a writer who has published 15 books. She divides her time between Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the US. For more, visit her website.

Description:

Nine sizzling stories with travel being the common denominator.

Appraisal:

For those inclined to think about such things, travel is a great fuel for fantasy (and if you’re not so inclined, erotica isn’t for you anyway). As I was reading each of these, I thought the stories hit just the right balance between being unlikely enough to fuel fantasy and (unlike much erotica) not so far out of reach as to be an impossible dream. In Sharazade’s author bio, she explains her aim in slightly different words that are saying the same thing.

The stories also strike a balance between being explicit enough without going too far. Certain details are left for the reader to fill in, which can help you make the story your own. For example, in the first story a couple meet at an airport. While it appears to others that they don’t know each other, we know they do, but exactly how they know each other and what their relationship is, is left fuzzy. The stories are told from the woman’s point of view sometimes, other times from the man’s, and in at least one case the POV switches mid-story. Each of these points of view are done equally well. If you’re a reader of erotica, especially if you’re also a traveler, you should enjoy Transported. I did.

FYI:

Adult content. Obviously.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four stars