So last weekend an online fiction store was offering 50% discounts on their ebooks.

I have been experimenting with trying some of the less centralized sources for ebooks, and I thought the steep discount would be a good way to try . . . → Read More: Con-crit – or giving some needed feedback to someone who might not want to hear it.]]> I am looking for a little advice – But first  – a story.

So last weekend an online fiction store was offering 50% discounts on their ebooks.

I have been experimenting with trying some of the less centralized sources for ebooks, and I thought the steep discount would be a good way to try out some stuff that I have no way of evaluating before I purchase. Some of the stories I purchased were “Erotic Lit”. I was reading through one, and by the time I was 18 pages in I was horrified. Not at the writing quality (although I have read fan-fiction written by teenagers that was better written), but at what the main romantic character(s) think and do.

I am going to take the rest of this below a cut, it will be a quick synopsis of the first bit I read, I am putting it below the cut for those of you who want to skip, or those who might find the content triggering (non-consensual sexual content).

It is midwinter in the middle of nowhere, and GuyA is coming in from getting his mail, when he notices a unmoving body on the side of the road.

He goes to the person, turns them over, finds a unconscious woman, who is 1/2 frozen and not wearing proper outdoor gear. He notices she is beautiful. He gets a hard-on.

He is drawn to her, he is in love with her already. He takes her inside the house, and the rest of the household comes over to see what the commotion is. The rest of the household is a bunch of other men who are apparently all shacked up together just waiting for “The One” woman who will come and make their lives complete.  They all come and see this unconscious woman, take one look at her and just KNOW that she is the one.

GuyA takes her into the bathroom, strips her naked all the while ogling her and puts her in a warm bath. He notices a number of bruises and a bad dye job that makes him think that she was maybe abused, and on the run. When she comes to, she finds her self naked in a tub with a total stranger standing over her. After a small amount of conversation he offers her a towel, but instead of giving it to her, he wraps it around her and then with no discussion, picks her up and takes her into the main room -  which contains the 3 other men. She is overcome by her exhaustion and ordeal and faints.

GuyA takes her to a bedroom and puts her in bed -still unconscious.

Then he strips off, gets in bed with her, sticks his hand in her crotch and fingers her to an orgasm.

She wakes up as she climaxes . . . her primary thought:

Wow that is the best orgasm I’ve ever had.

(and trust me I have taken a LOT of the ick out of this by summarizing it)

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I splutter and symbolically throw the book across the room.  So a series of unfortunate events that culminate with one assault and one rape. In less than 18 pages, and none of these characters are supposed to be the bad guys – these are the romantic leads.

I posted a review to the site, but I was only allowed 250 words and no spoilers – or it might have been “Beware of Rape” over and over again.

The story does have some warnings on it, violence, group sex and few others. But no mention of non-consensual or rape.

I really want to write to the author and mention that at the very least the warnings for the story should be more accurate – but I am not really sure how to do it without sounding like a cross between the church lady and a crazed harpy. I would like whatever I send the author to not be easy to blow off – and am looking for suggestions.

I have been reading the author’s (public and private) blog for quite a while, and even her descriptions of her role playing worlds have been fascinating, so I had . . . → Read More: Rosemary and Rue – reviewish]]> I think it is amusingly appropriate that I finished reading Rosemary and Rue early this morning – as today is its official release day.

I have been reading the author’s (public and private) blog for quite a while, and even her descriptions of her role playing worlds have been fascinating, so I had some fairly high expectations for her book. I have been looking forward to reading this book since I heard it was getting published and was not disappointed. It is an Urban Fantasy (one of my favorite genres), and also a mystery, full of well drawn characters that have complex motivations and interactions. I was drawn into the book quickly although I didn’t take a liking to the main character until about a third of the way into the book. I was pleased that I didn’t get ahead of the mystery, and that there were a number of surprises as the plot came to its conclusion. I am going to stop here, because I am not much of a reviewer. If you look at Seanan McGuire’s Blog, you will find a number of links to more eloquent reviews.

Suffice to say, I really enjoyed the book, I think a number of you will too. I also predict that if you were enticed by the concept of Laurel K Hamilton’s Mary Gentry books, but left because the porn overtook the story – you will be very happy with what you find in Rosemary and Rue.

Ring any bells?