[REVIEW] Cruel to be Kind: Novel by Kichiku Neko

Cruel to be Kind: Novel by Kichiku Neko
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Recommended by: I just love anything everything from Guilt|Pleasure. They produces amazing books.
Recommended for: those who enjoy mind-games couple with high sexual tension with dangerous conspiracy.
Read from June 14 to 18, 2013 — I own a copy, read count: 1



4.6 dazzling stars for the steamy sexual tension and well played mind games. Of course that's shared by its nosebleed worthy illustrations.

What a tangled web it was. The plot is sure thick in this one - the twists and turns would leave you spinning. So, rest assured that this story would keep you on your toes and anxiously guessing away.

The MC, Kaguya is such an enigma and he is definitely not just a pretty face. Sakiyama has certainly misjudged his own capability of owning such an exotic pet. Let's just say, he is a victim of his own vanity and lust.

“He was never harmless,” Sakiyama said. “And that is why I like playing with him.”

“I am not certain if you’re cruel or foolish to do that.”

Sakiyama laughed. “Don’t spoil my fun, Shohei. I’ve not had a pet since I was a boy

“This pet destroyed a multi-billion dollar corporation. Hardly a chewed slipper.”

“Makes him even more exciting to own, no?”

Just deserts can never be better than served cold.

If you are looking for romance, this isn't really for you. Also, most of the sex scenes are raw and rough but fiery hot and sensual even-though pain is ever-present. If you are a romantic and only into fluffy sweet gentle lovemaking, please do not pick this up and ruin the rating. LOL :P

What I love most is the sexual tension vibrating from both the main characters, it was almost tangible. It makes me shudder at times and I like that feeling.

I would highly recommend this to those who likes mind-games or some good mindfucking with high sexual tension wrapped in dangerous conspiracy. I have a feeling that those who love Mind Fuck by Manna Francis would enjoy this one just as much.

I am so adding this to my 'dark-fics' and 'mind-games/mindfuck' shelves.


FRIENDLY ADVICE :
Just wanna drop a piece of friendly advice to would-be-readers of this novel.

Please try to read this story undisturbed in one sitting. It's relatively short and easy for you to manage that.

I am saying this because, I have spread my reading into several days with a long interval in between due to real life bitching on me and all that. When I continued the reading, I got confused by some of the events in the book and that had affected my overall reading experience.

It is wise that you just let the steam builds and maintain it till it reaches its peak for best effect.


WHERE TO PURCHASE :
I got an ebook of it from Kobobooks.com at a 30% discount during their promo at the time of purchase: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Cruel-...



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[REVIEW] The Prisoner by Kol Anderson

The Prisoner (Broken, #1) by Kol Anderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Recommended by: ARC

Recommended for: those who fancy noncon dark story.

Read from June 11 to 12, 2013 — I own a copy, read count: 1

3.7 stars for now due to some niggling aspect I can't shake off or really pin-point. Maybe blame it on reading this one right after a super dark read, The Darkest Prison which was unquestionably disturbing. So much so that it makes reading this one much milder. I am not saying that this isn't good enough. It was just my mindset at that point of time. Come to think of it, I did jump from one bleak prison scene to another one just as bleak. Lol. :P

Aaron Taylor is a highly sought after escort although he has just started six months ago. He has just turned twenty-one and was ecstatic to have found mutual love with a client, Sebastian Summers. Unfortunately, Sebastian came with excess baggage in the form of a long-term-partner of 7 years of which Sebastian is having a tough time leaving him behind for Aaron.

Vincent Greene's sudden appearance into Aaron's life literally turn his world upside-down. The abrupt twist of event, lead Aaron into an unknown hell on earth he did not once thought was possible. Not in a million years would he thought of himself as an 'abductor's dream' his sadistic kidnapper had claimed him to be. Yet, deep down inside he cannot help but to despair as he knew he really had no one.

Little did he know that he did have someone who cares enough and determined enough to find out the truth behind his disappearance.

I've finished it today and here's a glimpse of what it brought to the table...

- Kidnapping - very forceful. Not the hit you behind the head kind.

- Drugging / Forced Drug Addiction

- Dominance & Submission

- Sex Slave Training - brutal rapes and beatings apart from drugging

- Rapes / Gang-bang - brutal

- Whipping / Belting - no subspace but scream your head off kind

- Captivity / Confinement - very restricted freedom

- Human Trafficking

- Crime Org / Mafia

- Crime Investigation - I am expecting more of this in the next book. In this book, it was only glossed over.

- Infidelity / Unfaithfulness

- Long term same-sex couple - falling out / crisis

- Betrayal

- Delusional character - he is kind of sadistic and not so right up there. And he gets excited hearing his sex partner screams in pain.

- Bondage / Restraints

This is definitely, not PWP. And I want to know what's going to happen next after finishing it. It's a dark-read and quite realistically written.

See, even the book cover and poster promises a dark story behind it:

Excerpt: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...

Grab it here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Prisoner-BR...

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[REVIEW] Tarantula by Thierry Jonquet

Tarantula by Thierry Jonquet

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Recommended for: those who could appreciate a good disturbing mind fuqking - crime and psychological thriller genre.

Read on June 23, 2013 — I own a copy, read count: 1

Please try to refrain from looking at my shelf tags for this book. Unless of course you don't mind spoiling this book before you could get to it. You have been adequately warned.

Rating: 4.5 stars

What a twisted book with a twisted ending to match. I was left aghast and reeling with mixed emotion after finishing it.

Be ready for a dark and twisted story driven by hate and fear. It all started with a crime of lust and selfish indulgence which lead to the destruction of an innocent young girl. But was that enough reason to seek justice in the most vile manner? And how far should it go before it's too much that it destroys you too?

The story was set in France and centers around Richard Lafargue a prominent plastic surgeon and his disturbing relationship with a beautiful mysterious young woman named Eve, whom Lafargue had under lock and key literally. She would only be released from her gilded cage whenever Lafargue felt like parading her around his high society social circle.

Although Lafargue seems to dote on her at times, buying her gifts and taking her out to lavish dinning, he would also subject her to perform unspeakable sexual acts with multiple partners just to debase her and enjoy her sufferings. On the surface it looks like Eve was nothing more than a pet or a toy to Lafargue but the reasons behind it was far more devious than it appears to be.

Lafargue is quite a manipulative and malicious character. Highly intelligent and dangerously cunning. The mental tortures he subjected Eve to was both ingenious and effective in molding her body and soul to his will. It was chilling to see him in action sometimes. He kept me wondering what was truly on his mind? Has he gone mad as Eve perceived him to be or is his hatred really that all consuming? How far could one go driven by hatred? When will it be enough to quench his thirst for justification?

I could understand Eve's confused state of mind whenever it comes to Lafargue as he was never truly constant especially in the beginning of their relationship. He would hurt her at one time and dotes on her the next. When Eve tries to lean on his tenderness, she would be promptly slapped away only to be comforted again when she slips into depression.

In my humble opinion, the writing was beautiful and refine albeit chilling and disturbing at the same time. I shudder often thinking of all those irreversible physical and psychological scarring on the victim. To be so forcefully changed forever. How could one forgave another for causing such grievous harm on them for whatever justification at all?

I am in total agreement with Mizuki Genshou's review that this is a tale of suffering of the body and soul, domination and submission, hurt and comfort, love and hate. An intriguing twisted relationship between predator and prey, prisoner and jailer.

I especially like this remark by Mizuki on her review, "I found it to be very bold and imaginative, even kind of sexy in a twisted way." I ditto that wholeheartedly although I am too not sure I would or should be tagging this book under my BDSM shelf.

I have already mentioned right at the beginning of this review that the ending has taken me by surprise and left me amazed in a shocked way as it wasn't what I have expected to happen at all. A thousand questions flooded my mind at once. How I wish I could discuss it with someone, anyone, just to get it off my chest. What motivates her decision towards the end? Why? I have a few speculations myself. Ahh... how I love it when a book does that to me, making me think and delve deeper into the story even after it ends. I would love to encounter other books of similar nature. This one was such a rare gem.

Both the book and the movie adaptation was unique in itself and are equally good. Each has its own set of storyline with the movie preserving only part of the premise of this story. What I love in the movie was not found in the book and vice versa. If you still have to know which I prefer best, I'll go with the book because it is inevitably more detailed in nature.

This story isn't going to leave my mind anytime soon as it has etched itself deep into my psyche. It was such a page turner for me that I have finished it in a day! As a slow reader, this is a record for me.

This book should thrill most DMCers.

To those who must know if this book contains a HEA/HFN, click here -

Spoiler:

I would say, it's a rather warped HFN with possibility of a twisted romance as I do not feel the effect of Stockholm Syndrome here. Unless, it's an act of redemption that spur that unexpected choice at the end.

(Only click if you MUST really know before you could even consider reading this book. So please don't blame me if you spoil it for yourself. Hehe)

Extra Info:

Translated from French by Donald Nicholson-Smith

Original Title: Mygale (Tarantula, was adopted for English translation)

Approximate Word Count: 35,000 words

Title of the film adaptation: The Skin I Live In (2011) / "La piel que habito" (French title) (Directed by Pedro Almodóvar)

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