Out of the Woods by Syd McGinley

 

I read Out of the Woods because most of the time I adore the writing of Syd McGinley. Parts of the story worked for me, but parts did not. At all.

I like the world and would enjoy learning more about it. I liked the characters. I liked most of the setup and plot(s). But the story moved too slow for me, and I didn't quite appreciate where the story ended. Not a huge cliff hanger, but a big enough one that it bugged me.

Here's the blurb:

Wild boy Tarin is determined not to be captured by the men who live in the decaying Before Times buildings on the other side of Tarin’s woodland home, but he’s just as determined to protect the younger boys in the woods.

No one remembers being a child or knows where all the women have gone or how society crumbled, but for as long as they can remember, boys have lived in the woods and are hunted by the men each Fall. Some boys believe in a mysterious Lady who protects them, while others think the men are magic. Tarin knows better – he’s met a man, and escaped by stabbing him.

Hunted through the woods as he tries to protect the weaker Cory, Tarin is trapped and claimed by the very man he knifed. All Tarin wants is to stay in the woods and not have to get ‘civilized,’ but he’s carried off into a different world of rules and discipline. Will he be able to survive now that he is Out of the Woods?

I am intrigued enough that I will probably read the next book. Maybe.

I find myself having a hard time grading this one on BDSM elements because it isn't BDSM. The "boys" are 18 and 19 year old wild boys who have lived in the woods and survived as best they can since about 10 or 11, and who don't remember anything before that age. The "boys" are captured by the men and then civilized and trained and expected to please their men in all ways. There are boys claimed by the officers and then there are boys are who community property who can't refuse anyone.  I'll talk abut each element, but I'm having a hard time putting a number on them.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: Discipline, for the most part, is scary and not tittilating. Bondage is more of being caught and not being able to escape, not so much being bound.
• Dominance and Submission: Some of the boys do seem to be naturally submissive, but Tarin is not.
• Sadism and Masochism: No.

As for the writing elements plot pacing prose dialogue character development world-building

• Book Rating: Out of the Woods : 7 of 10
• Heat Level:  2 of 5

 

A few short reviews

 

I have not been home for a while, and I packed my Kindle and Netbook but didn't want to have to deal with my laptop. This means I've read a lot, but haven't had the patience to type a full review on this cramped keyboard. I love my netbook, it fits in my purse and weighs practically nothing. Unfortunately, the downside of that is the keyboard is just small enough I can't touch type. So here are the books I've read with a brief review for now - with a full review to come at a later date:

Inferno: Training Session by Anna Leigh Keaton

What is a couple do when they discover they are both submissive? Find a Dom couple to work with them, of course. This was an enjoyable short story with a satisfying ending. 

Garnet: A Season in Hell by Syd McGinley

Not what I expect from Syd McGinley, but it was still an engaging story with interesting characters. This is not traditional BDSM, but there is exploration of the mental aspects of a Master/slave relationship where a very rich man has purchased the services of another for six months.There were pacing issues, but nothing terrible.

Threshing the Grain by Teresa Noelle Roberts

This is one of those erotica books you read for the plot and the worldbuilding, with the sex and kink filling in as icing on the cake. Great characters, nice worldbuilding, beautifully crafted plot... I thoroughly enjoyed Threshing the Grain. As a side note, I wouldn't mind reading more stories about the satyrs in this universe. Excellent worldbuilding.

I will give these books a full review at a later date, but I wanted to make a list so I'll remember. My habit is to finish a book and review it as soon as I read the last page. If I need to sleep on it then I write it up, sleep on it, and then make changes the next day. My organizational system doesn't allow for remembering to review a book a week later. Hopefully this will help me with that.

I am currently reading Two Masters for Samantha by Michele Zurlo. This is the third book in a series, and I'm a bit lost with some of the secondary characters that were probably main characters in previous books, but I'm fine with the main characters of this book. The author seems to have a decent grasp of BDSM, though so far the plot has been pretty predictable. I'll wait until I finish the book to say anything else.

Huckleberry, Pink: Dolorosa, and Sky Blue Pink by Syd McGinley

 
These three books are part of the Dr. Fell series, and I'm reviewing them all together because they are specifically about Charlie (aka Twink) and Ben.

Huckleberry is the story of how these two met and formed a relationship.

Pink: Dolorosa picks up six months after the events of Attitude Adjustments, and shows us Charlie on is own, living in an apartment.

Sky Blue Pink: Flying Pigs picks up two years after the events of Pink: Dolorosa.

If you've read the Dr. Fell series and are already familiar with Ben and Charlie, then I highly recommend these three stories, read in the correct order.

The BDSM is nicely done, the relationship issues are handled well, the various plots work well together, the pacing is perfect, prose and dialogue flow smoothly, and character development is stellar.

• Book Rating: 9 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 8 of 10
• Heat Level: 5 of 5

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A Short Leash by Syd McGinley

 
I thought I'd read all of the Dr. Fell series as they've come out, but looking through the Torquere sight, I realized I've missed A Short Leash.

A Short Leash is a fairly short story with a good bit of actual story thrown in. This is the period where Dr. Fell was still working through his feelings, lonely but not ready to bring someone else into his life just yet. Somehow, he ends up "pet sitting" three of his friend's submissives. One of them when his friend has to leave town in an emergency when his mother falls ill, another one that was planned because his friend had been too lenient on his sub and the sub needed some more training, and the final one as kind of a last minute plan. So Dr. Fell had planned for one submissive and ended up with three.

If you haven't read the series then I'd recommend you start with Volume 1. But, if you're like me and you missed this one, it's a nice little short.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline: 2 of 3
• Dominance and Submission: 3 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: 2 of 3 
• Extra Point: Yes

As for the writing elements: the plot revolves around the needs of the submissives, pacing is fine, prose and dialogue are always comfortable with Syd McGinley writing, and character development is consistent with other stories in this series.

• Book Rating: A Short Leash: 8 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 8 of 10
• Heat Level: 3 of 5

Little Fishes By Syd McGinley (A Healing Heart Sip)

 

I've enjoyed the Dr. Fell series, and these two characters are sort of an off shoot of that series. Tommy and Dr. Tanaka aren't quite the typical BDSM couple. In some ways they are, but Dr. Tanaka seems to follow the Zen philosophy in everything he does - and that includes how he Tops.

Little Fishes is about meeting your lover's family, and about the surprises you sometimes encounter, things you learn about your partner that they haven't shared with you.

Little Fishes is not focused on sex, but on the relationship.

Here is the blurb:

Dr. Katashi Tanaka may be in hot water when he takes his boy, Tommy, to meet his family. His little sister, Mariko, is irrepressible and sure to gossip with Tommy, and his mother may be the only person alive who can oblige Dr. Tanaka to do anything. Tommy learns some secrets about his stern owner that may ruin not just their spa getaway but their whole relationship.

I don't believe the "entire relationship" is ever in danger, the blurb is trying to add more drama than there actually is. There is plenty of drama, no need to add more in the blurb.

BDSM elements:

• Bondage and Discipline:  There is one scene, no bondage, a touch of discipline, and some talk of later discipline.  1 of 3.
• Dominance and Submission: Yes, we see that Tommy is completed devoted to Tanaka. 3 of 3
• Sadism and Masochism: No, not in this particular story. 0 of 3
• Extra Point: No

I want to be clear that this couple has done some extreme things in previous stories, but this particular story happens to be more about the relationship than the sex or the scenes.

As for the writing elements, the plot was wonderful for such a short story, prose and dialogue were fine, and character development was very well done not only for Tommy and Dr. Tanaka, but for the rest of the Tanaka family as well.

• Story Rating:Little Fishes: 9 of 10
• BDSM Intensity Level: 4 of 10
• Heat Level: 1 of 5

You can buy Little Fishes from the Torquere site, and since this is part of their Healing Hearts series, all proceeds go to Doctors without Borders.   

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Memorable BDSM Books

 
Just starting out with a new BDSM book review blog, I've been debating about how to play catch-up. I'm reviewing books as I read them, but what about the books I've read in the past? The ones I want everyone to know about, and the ones I want to rave about. The books and stories and series I want to share, to make sure others find them, too.

I don't think I can do a good review of them without re-reading so they are fresh in my head. So what to do? How about I just make a list of the books I've read in the past that stick out in my mind?

First there are the classics, like:

• Story of O by Pauline Reage
• The Beauty Series (The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty's Punishment, and Beauty's Release) by Anne Rice writing as A.N. Roquelaure
• The two Molly Weatherfield books (Carrie's Story and Safe Word)
• Mr. Benson by John Preston

Then there are some nice Urban Fantasy type books, like

• Chaos Magic series by Jay Lygon (Chaos Magic, Love Runes, and Personal Demons)
• Soul Mates series by Jourdan Lane, even though this one is more Urban Fantasy than BDSM, it's still got a lot of elements of BDSM. 
• I also always seem to remember Calendar Boys - October: Trick Of Silver and On The Ragged Edge Of The World, a little duology by Jamie Craig that nicely integrates Urban Fantasy with D/s. I'm not sure why it sticks in my mind, as I don't remember it having anything memorable as far as BDSM went, perhaps it was the depth of characters.
• One that's kind of hard to find now is Obedience Training by Mya -- an incredible BDSM story and it just happens to also be a wonderful Urban Fantasy story, with a few new critters creatively thrown into the mix. I wish she would write a follow up story, I loved the characters and want more of them.

There are also the other-planet type series, like:

• The Velvet Glove series by Sean Micheal
• Morgan Hawke's Interstellar Service & Discipline series (Victorious Star and Fallen Star) - both of which are incredibly hot. Humanoid life forms from another planet who have two penises.... need I say more?
• What Worse Place Can I Beg In Your Love? by Syd McGinley

A few that are very realistic, like:

• The Deviations series (1. Deviations: Submission, 2. Deviations: Domination, 3. Deviations: Discipline, and 4. Deviations: Bondage) by Chris Owen and Jodi Payne. A fifth book is in the works, entitled Safe Words, but no word of a release date yet.
• We mustn't forget the Nature of Desire series by Joey W. Hill (Natural Law, Ice Queen, Mirror of My Soul, and what could be the most touching BDSM romance story I've ever read: Rough Canvas)
• The Hammer series also probably fits here, but the entire series as a whole isn't as well put together as some of the others. 

The books in the above category are all a part of a series, I'm sure there are plenty of single titled realistic BDSM books that should be listed, but the series books are the ones that tend to stick out in my head.


Sometimes I'm up for a good capture/kidnap type book. Both of these books are by Claire Thompson. They are not for everyone - they are both rough, and should be kept in the realm of fantasy. There is no safe, sane, or consensual in these books.

• Frog: A Tale of Sexual Torture and Degradation 
• The Toy 

Others are harder to explain but they've stuck with me, like:

• Butterfly Unpinned by Laura Bacchi and Bonnie Dee 
• Dark Angel Sounding by Habu - this one is pretty short, IIRC, perhaps I will read this one again so I can properly review it.
• Possibly even the Dr. Fell series by Syd McGinley. Perhaps it should go into the realistic section, but for some reason I have a hard time putting it there. 

I would probably not have given every book listed here a 10 of 10, but I'm listing them because the stories have stuck with me over time. Of the books and series listed, my favorite is probably the Deviations series, followed by all of the classics I listed in the first section, then the Joey W. Hill books I listed (you'll note I didn't list the whole Nature of Desire series), then Morgan Hawke's Interstellar Service & Discipline series, Syd McGinley's What Worse Place Can I Beg In Your Love?, and Obedience Training by Mya. Next would come Butterfly Unpinned by Laura Bacchi and Bonnie Dee, and Dark Angel Sounding by Habu.  Dark Angel Sounding is very dark, but the tone of the book, the way it's told... it's stuck with me over time and I've read it a few times.

There is actually another very dark book that has stuck with me (and is another that is hard to find): Keep You by Cindy Rosenthal. It's a story of two boys (young men, but mentally they are boys in many ways, though men in others) who got lost somehow, boys on the outside of society who sell their bodies to survive, who join together and survive as best they can. It's another of those stories that I didn't enjoy all that much while reading it, but I couldn't put it down, and it's stuck with me, even years after I read it. And it's the best explanation I've read of that itch you get when you just need a good flogging, and then how it feels to finally get the itch scratched flogged.

I've realized that I have a whole lot of M/m books listed. I actually prefer M/f scenarios, but as it turns out, a lot of the M/m stuff delves deeper into the BDSM psyche. Is it because you can skip the gender issues of Man as Dom and woman as sub when it's M/m? Or is it just that men can be rougher with each other? Whatever the reason, oftentimes the M/f stuff is more BDSM Lite, while the M/m stuff jumps right in without apologizing. That is not always the case, I can quote lots of books where it isn't... but most of the time it seems the M/m BDSM doesn't feel the need to tread as delicately as so much of the M/f stuff. And, as it turns out, BDSM isn't about gender, it's about people exchanging power... and about sex and love and trust. It goes beyond gender.

I think that my first M/m book was Rough Canvas by Joey W. Hill. It is still, in my mind, one of the best BDSM love stories, ever. Not just the best M/m BDSM love story, but the best BDSM love story no matter the gender make up. It's a seriously good book.

The Deviations series delves quite deeply into a BDSM relationship without the romance. That's not to say there aren't feelings there, it's just not terribly romantic. I love the way the relationships progress, even though for a while some of it makes me uncomfortable. Not the BDSM, I don't think any of the BDSM made me uncomfortable... it was the feelings involved, the emotions. I also love that the submissive is clear on the difference between a Dom and a bully and the difference in Dominance and abuse. And it shows that Doms sometimes make mistakes, and it's the submissive's responsibility to safeword when that happens. It has some rough points, but it is very realistic and beautifully written. I can't wait for the fifth book, and will probably re-read the first four books before jumping into the fifth.

Some of the books I've mentioned here I have reviewed on my Book Series Review blog. I've linked below to the books I've reviewed over there:

• On The Ragged Edge Of The World by Jamie Craig
• Soul Mates series by Jourdan Lane
• Chaos Magic series by Jay Lygon
• Butterfly Unpinned by Laura Bacchi and Bonnie Dee
• Deviations Series by Chris Owen and Jodi Payne
• Nature of Desire Series by Joey W. Hill

This is not, by any means, a comprehensive list of the BDSM books and series that I've enjoyed. It's just a list of what immediately came to mind.


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