Jade A. Waters

I'm not generally into the whole zombie phenomenon, but I wanted to give Zombie Erotoclypse a whirl—and having finished it, I'm so glad I did! Tamsin Flowers's writing has a sweetness to it that draws you right in, and in each piece I found myself attached to the protagonist whom I rooted on with a smile on my face (even if it was a zombie!).

The novella includes five shorter stories, each one exploring different aspects of zombie-ism and telling a rowdy good tale. I loved each of them for different reasons, but I definitely had a couple favorites. The first tale was a great intro piece, depicting a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies in which the two characters are just trying to survive...and find some love. The sense of urgency in this one was almost palpable, and after I finished it I couldn't wait to read more. The second story was by far the best; I couldn't believe I was reading what grew into a zombie love story—but there it was, beautifully written and compassionate. The characters couldn't have been more charming, with John finding his way in the zombie world, initially hunting sex until he finds adept and open-minded Eve. In addition to the captivating characterization on this one, the exposition was tremendous. I was immediately hooked on the narrator's voice and wanting to know more (full length, please?). The other three pieces were also good, but Tamsin Flowers is at her best when the stories have a strong romantic focus.

As for Ms. Flowers's sex scenes—hello. She writes a perfect combination of sexy, sultry, and warmth. I felt like I was in the middle of a loving cocoon, which is exactly how I'd describe her writing style. There's a natural sweetness to her erotic romances; they're light and loving, without all the angst that sometimes drags such pieces down. Here, the conflict is zombie-ism, but Ms. Flowers shows that love—and the steamy sex shared between two lovers—is really the only cure we'll need.

3.5 stars. The steamy romance between Gideon and Eva continues...and I'm still enjoying the heat between them. Eva's friendship with Cary is also further revealed in this sequel, which is great to see. Now on to book three!

The sex scenes in this little lovely are delicious! While this series is often referred to as "the next 50 Shades," Sylvia Day is in a whole different league. The characters are perfectly flawed, and I'm enjoying the wicked hot chemistry between Gideon and Eva. I swore I'd only read the first book, but I bought the second and third editions today, so...there you have it!

This one is pure Alison Tyler—a bit of sass mixed with a ton of sexy, and a good smattering of bondage and kink throughout. Tyler's voice is always a tad haunting but terribly intriguing, and I could imagine being in the room with Rebecca in this rock star tale (okay, I could imagine being Rebecca, and it was a fabulous experience). Tyler's use of rhythm and sound are exquisite, and I loved the way she carried it though to make the tale palpable and rich. There was also a nice twist at the end. Suffice it to say, I want to be a drum. Or a groupie. Either will do.

Note: I read this over breakfast one morning and forgot to chew, it was that hot.

The return to Janelle Garrity's love triangle continues with the same raunchy, sassy characterization Bright carried throughout book one—though even more so this time. This sequel read perfectly fine without the sex of the first book, and the Janelle/Leo/Briggs dynamic continued to entertain me until the end.

I also deeply enjoyed Ms. Bright's accolades, as well as her hilarious introduction to the book. Why writers need to continue to remind people that fiction books are fiction is beyond me, but this was a highly entertaining and blatant way to do it. :)

I enjoyed this little number (3.5 stars), as well as its sequel (3 stars). I particularly liked the spunky voice of the main character, Janelle Garrity; she spoke with warmth and raunch much like a normal woman—yes, we do that—and I appreciated that she was conveyed as a complex character who could also enjoy some time by the pool (she's a veritable Sookie Stackhouse, but with more sex and less vampires). Bright writes with a charming silliness that makes this a lighthearted and fun read, while still providing many wild sex scenes.

It is important to go into Story of O aware of the intense level of surrender and submission that the main character will experience; for some this is extremely hard to digest, and thus will make it a difficult read. The story was both haunting and intriguing to me—following a character so lost in her love, and so willing to give anything to show it. What moved me most was the character's voice throughout, and I found myself reading in a sort of erotic cloud that was hard to break from because it was so entrancing, even when I did squirm and flinch at what she experiences. The ending (missing chapter?) is unfortunately too abrupt, but the passion and surrender exhibited by O is a voice you'll never forget.

This collection is amazing.

I'd end my review right there because I think it says it all, but instead I'm going to explain because Shanna Germain deserves the highest level of praise. Her work is always astounding, forever touching, and incredibly deep. I have yet to read a piece that I do not finish with a tremendous gasp or sigh and an utterance of, "Goddammit, Shanna, you're brilliant." Even removing the sex from her tales you'll find eloquent prose and beautiful scenes; every time I read her stories I find myself wrapped in a warm cocoon of sensation. Sometimes it's lust, other times it's love, but always, I'm lost in the way this woman weaves her words in a magnificent web unlike anything I've seen before. "Seed," "The Lure of Dangerous Women," and "Trill" were my favorites, leaving me, as usual, entranced.

Shayla Black writes some spicy sex scenes, people! I enjoyed her portrayal of Kimber, Deke, and Luc—you'll have to be somewhat open-minded to accept the threesome dynamic in this one, be warned—and found them believable most of the time. Kimber was appropriately stubborn, Deke was perfectly flawed, and Luc was just plain charming. It's definitely a fantasy, but a hot one at that.

I tend to prefer erotic anthologies in the same way I like a box of chocolates—there's a delightful sample of everything throughout, each one sweet and delicious (and sometimes a little nutty, but that's part of the fun). In much the same way, this anthology had a perfect blend of great authors, which, suffice it to say, made me a bigger fangirl for some of them than I already was. Heidi Champa's "Another Trick Up My Sleeve" is a fun riot of a piece, while Justine Elyot's "He Tends to Me" is sultry, sweet, and kinky. "Our Own Private Champagne Room" is pure Rachel Kramer Bussel—sexy with a silly flair, and with a premise familiar to most women that makes it extra entertaining. Kristina Wright's "The Curve of Her Belly" is the sexiest pregnancy short I've ever read, with just the right amount of romance bursting from the tale. Angela Caperton's "Guest Services" is brilliant—the voice is fantastic, the plot divine, and there's even a little character growth that makes you smile by the end (nevermind a smokin' sex scene, and I mean smokin'). And of course "To Be in Clover" by Shanna Germain has its own unique flavor, capturing a connection between two people that you can almost taste as you read. These are some of my favorites, but there are many other tasty morsels in this collection—a box of chocolates worth every bite.

This was the first full-length erotica book I ever read, and how could I pass it up? Men of the law and threesomes! Carew's portrayal of Janine, Sloan, and Derek was fun and sexy, and the poker scenes have forever stuck with me. I'm not usually one for a lot of POV shifting, but it grew on me since the dynamic between the three was so hot. Little Miss Janine certainly had her hands full by the end...

This collection is by far one of my most favorite erotica anthologies to date. I read it many years ago, but it contains works by some of the hottest wordsmiths out there—Isabelle Gray, Shanna Germain, and Alison Tyler, to name a few. Intended for your winter reading, this book will definitely make you want to snuggle close to someone beneath the sheets. Love this one!