Apple by Gill McKnight

I wasn’t sure what I’d be getting myself into by entering this story here. I kind of expected to dislike it.  That I was setting myself up for two ‘bad’ reads in a row.  So why’d I enter it?  Well, one – there’s a ton of people out there that like/love this author’s work (even if I hadn’t before now), and two, I like giving authors a lot of chances before just cutting them off. And this was a short story – free at that (there are 14 free short stories on the Dirt Road Books website).

I had a vague idea that this would be a fairy tale retelling and or that there would at least be a Snow White character and a huntsmen character (and that the huntsmen would be ’different’ than normal).  Otherwise, I didn’t know what the story would be about.

So, I plunged in.  To find Snow White, Snowie, talking to someone named ‘Red Cap’ (yeah, stupid me, took me forever to realize who that was, and for too long moment thought maybe Red Cap was a bird, since there were some Black Caps that turned up that were, in fact, birds (ETA: the animals, including the birds, had the ability to talk in this story, which I failed to mention when I initially released this review) – I won’t mention who the character is modeled on, there’s a tendency to play with names in this story, so I’ll leave it as something for the reader to find out (though they might know immediately just from ‘Red Cap’, but, meh). 

Where was I? Right.  Story opens with Snowie holding an apple while talking with Red Cap.  Red Cap is quite paranoid and believes Snowie shouldn’t eat the apple.  A bite is taken, Snowie falls to the floor, and the action is commenced – Red Cap must find help!  And the story unfolds from there.

There is one and only one POV in the story – Red Cap.  The story was quite interesting, and unexpectedly erotic.  Fun story.

So, my reading of this author has gone from: 1st story: DNF; 2nd story: barely 3 stars; 3rd story: 4.75 stars – I assume if I continue on this trajectory, I’ll read something that will get placed on my six star shelf despite that being closed to solo reads (only rereads can get there).

My first story from a publisher I didn’t really realize existed (I didn’t know they existed, but I’ve seen one of their two (or is it three?) novels that they’ve released – I’ve just not read it). 

Rating: 4.80
(yes, I overrated based on the fluffiness, and the erotic nature of the story *shrugs*)

March 25 2018

Walking on Knives by Maya Chhabra

*I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Less Than Three Press in exchange for an honest review.*

I actually read this a short time ago, I think on the 9th of June. But had been putting off marking the read since the story itself won't be out until the end of July. A review will appear here closer to June 26th (month before publication).

This story here, like another recently read short story released through Less than Three Press, is a Fairy Tale Retelling. The Little Mermaid was originally written and released April 7 1837 by Hans Christian Andersen. Based on what I recall of the story, I'd have assumed that it was by the Brothers Grimm, considering it's bloody nature, though maybe all fairy tales are deeply and graphically bloody and violent. I know less of Andersen's stories, though. Though I have read a few non-Grimm Fairy Tales, and while the Beauty and the Beast story is deeply misogynistic (the good pretty girl is destined, and happy for it!, to be bound to a whiny violent ugly brat (really, read the original story some time, that original story beast could give some of the modern day 'alphaholes' a run for their money in being a bastard asshole)) but, other than threatening it, wasn't deeply graphically bloody.

Right, sorry, got distracted there. The original tale and the retelling is remarkably similar - though there is an addition of a sister for the Sea Witch in this story here. She takes on some of the role that had originally been given to others in the original story (with the addition of lesbianism).

Looking at the original story, this story, and the Disney film - this story here is much closer to the original story (both the original and this one promise death to the mermaid if she fails in her quest; the film promised servitude to the sea witch).

An interesting and super quick story. Satisfying.

Rating: 3.75

June 12 2017

The Goose Girl by Robin Gallica

The Goose Girl by Robin Gallica

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


*I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Less Than Three Press in exchange for an honest review.*

I was not aware of the Goose Girl story fairy tale before reading this story here. Well, I’ve a vague idea I’ve heard the title before, and that it was a fairy tale, but I’ve not read it so I can’t say how this story here is similar or different.

*looks it up* Okay, so, ‘The Goose Girl’ was put out by the Brothers Grimm in 1815. *reads* And, as might be expected, the Brothers Grimm story is vastly more horrifying than you might expect for a fairy tale, as the original tales actually are. I was reading along and the story was similar – the fairy tale and the retelling, then the horse’s head gets nailed to a door and the little girl talks to it when she passes by. That’s the Grimm tale. No severed horse’s heads appear in Gallica’s version. Right, enough of that.

As both the Brothers Grimm story, and this story here has it – a young woman is sent off by her royal parent(s) (Grimm story – pop’s is dead; Gallica story – both king and queen are still alive) to be married. The young princess has no ability to get out of it, no choice. She is forced to conform, to do her duty. So she sent off to marry this mostly unknown boy (they had apparently been near each other at least once as very young children). One maid travels with her. As in the Grimm story, the maid refuses to continue serving the young princess, steals her identity and wanders off to the castle to marry the prince (actually, not sure if it is a prince in the Grimm version) while the real Princess is forced to be a servant.

I already mentioned two differences (severed horse head, dead/not dead pops), another is that the goose boy in the Grimm story is named Conrad, and in the Gallica story is named Konrad. And here ends my comparison because I’ve not read any more of the Grimm version.

Right, so, Ava (the princess, and the main point of view character) rides off on her favorite horse Falada (same name in the Grimm tale) with the maid Otilla. Before they left, the Queen – the mother – gives Ava a charm so that she would not be harmed on her journey by anything found along the way (which is important, of course, the wording). Along the way Ava is forced to change places with Otilla, and once they arrive at the castle where Ava was to be married, fake Princess Ava is warmly greeted while fake servant is said, by fake Ava, to be super bad as a servant and clumsy and stuff. So fake servant is lead away to work in the castle. Otilla – as Ava – says that the servant’s name is Margrit.

One thing leads to another and Margrit works as a goose girl who, for reasons, pretends to be mute (and they are important reasons). She watches the geese, watches Otilla as Ava (who makes a point of always being nearby at the end of the day looking super happy), and lives this life for a week or so until the wedding day appears. But let’s not give everything away, eh?

I rather liked this story. Quite interesting and entertaining.

Ava sighed. She’d heard that many little girls dreamed of being princesses, but that was only because they had no idea what being a princess entailed. They thought of it as having all the money in the world and the freedom to do with it as one wished. They weren’t thinking of the impeccable manners, the endless tutors, the state visits, the social schedule so full that going for a ride was a treasured treat. Or the arranged marriages. For that matter, every single one of Ava’s friends had been chosen for her by her mother . . .

Rating: 3.73

June 8 2017



View all my reviews

The Beast That Never Was by Caren J. Werlinger

The Beast That Never Was
by Caren J. Werlinger
Pages: 211
Date: June 1 2016
Publisher: Corgyn Publishing, LLC
Series: None

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 22 2016
I received a copy of this book from the author via Netgalley for an honest review.

This is my third story by this author, though only second book.

I was somewhat reluctant to read this book for one specific reason. I had read the original fairy tale a while back. And did not particularly like it. A lesbian version of that tale did not really seem like something I would want to read. What with a man, the father, being willing to have his daughter killed in his place (or at least thinking so); and the beast being a whiny bratty critter – one who starves himself because the woman he vaguely likes is late. Of course he’s also the one who threatened to kill people because of their theft of a rose. Written in another era, Beast would be seen as an overly dramatic overly emotional bully. Beauty being overly selfless, intelligent, hard working young woman. The lesson of the story seemed to be that people ugly on the inside (and outside) deserve good things, like women, if they are bratty enough and that the women should just accept it (well, the story is from 1740, women were just property back then (well, not really, but kinda)). A lesbian version of that? Hmm . . . not tremendously interested. But I’ve loved fantasy based books by this author before, so I was willing to give the book a go. (And just an FYI before I move away from the original tale – this is not the lesbian version of that original tale; maybe the lesbian version of the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, but not the lesbian version of the original story).

To start off with: I’ve a vague recollection that the mother was missing in the original story, but the father was there. Here, in this story, the father is dead, and the mother is the one still around.

When the book opened, I didn’t actually realize that Lise was not the beast. I kind of expected her to be since there’s the tag-line of ‘What if Beauty was the Beast?’ But, I suppose, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I mean, Lise is a woman who dressed like a man, and did man like work back in an era when women might do that, but beauty’s certainly didn’t.

Up to a certain point, Lise and her family lived in a relatively well to do situation – what with her father being a King’s Huntsman (I believe the original story has the father being a businessman/merchant, though it has been a while since I read that story). Then Lise’s father died and the family was kicked out of their house. Though they did get a death boom, or . . um, some amount of money due to the father dying in service to the king. The mother uses the money to buy a small farm, and the proceeds from selling their old stuff to buy some cows for milking. For the mother had a specific skill set that she brought to her marriage – the ability to make cheese. So that is how she, the mother, and her four daughters survive now – by being cheese merchants. They are no longer well-to-do, but they survive well enough. Though the mother is often angry and bitter, and at least one or two of the daughters are still living as if all of this is just temporary – until the day a good marriage occurs and their status changes again.

Speaking of marriages – Lise’s mother wants and or assumes that the new Huntsman’s son will be married to Lise shortly. Lise loves Rhein as a brother, but not as a future husband. They circle each other. With Lise trying to dodge him, while Rhein keeps trying to kiss her. Meanwhile Lise spends a good amount of time starring with adoration towards a rather pretty young baker woman, Sabine. Though Sabine has a boyfriend, so that’s not going to work.

There’s this forest that they, Lise and their farm, and the nearby village, live next too. Over a period of time certain ‘things’ start to happen, strange and mysterious things. Like some hearing crying, or seeing wolves, or – basically whatever it is they fear the most – they see it in the forest. Eventually Lise bumps up against the ‘Beauty’ of that ‘what if beauty was the beast?’ tagline. And Lise sees . . . a gorgeous woman. Senna, the beauty and the beast, is quite confused. No one has been able to see her as anything other than that which they fear most in a very long time. So she is a little hesitant, at first, to be near Lise. Lise, though, is quite drawn to the beauty (until, that is, when Lise learns of the curse, and what people see because of the curse).

One thing leads to another and Lise finds herself being pushed, almost forced into a marriage with Rhein, while at the same time she is developing something of a relationship with Senne. All against the backdrop of normal life unfolding, the seasons changing, snow falling, cows being milked, lead up hills, lead back down hills, etc.

I liked the story. A good deal more than the original. Not sure I’ll read another tale based on Beauty and the Beast any time soon, but I’m happy enough to have read this one.

June 22 2016

Cinderella Bared: An Erotic Fairy Tale Adventure by Colleen Chen

Cinderella Bared: An Erotic Fairy Tale Adventure
by Colleen Chen
Pages: 139
Date: February 14 2015
Publisher: Hot Pink Books

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: April 18 2015

Appears to be two diverging paths at the beginning with their own paths that branch off of them. One involves staying and doing chores at home. Other involves doing a chore that takes you outside.

The outside path appears to have two paths to follow. One path lead to an old woman/witch. Interesting enough but felt detached for the events. Another path lead to an exciting ride on a horse while being fingered and then finding a gorgeous woman in a box and pleasuring her awake. Fun. heh.

Inside path almost immediately has you humping a broom. Then a knock at the door with a solider. Who you play with. Quite exciting. The pathways that branch off from staying to do the inside chore are also interesting and exciting.

Actually, the only one that wasn't "exciting" was the first one I read with the old woman.

Correction. I decided to look at some of the other branching paths. There's one where you end up pleasuring your step-sister. Leave and head to the other. I don't like how you arrive there as if the prior scene never occurred. Or, to put another way, it's the same page you would turn to if you had snuck away instead of stayed to pleasure the step-sister. mmphs.

Goldilocks and His Three Bears by A.M. Riley

Goldilocks and His Three Bears
by A.M. Riley
Pages: 95
Publish Date: July 5th 2011
Publisher: Loose Id

Review:
Rating: 2.0 out of 5.0 stars.
Read: December 8 2013


Goldilocks and His Three Bears was my first erotic m/m book. As expected, I did not find it erotically stimulating. There was some humor, and it was an interesting little dynamic. I've no real idea how to rate something like this. There was too much sex for me to rate it as I would rate a non-sexually graphic book. I can't rate the sex scenes for technical competence, pleasure to read, or anything like that. So, I'm left just marking the book "read".


Men on men action isn't really exciting for me. Why read? I was curious. I've read straight male-female erotic fiction. I've read lesbian erotic fiction. I've read bisexual erotic fiction. But I had never read male-male erotic fiction.


I would probably rate it, using GoodRead's little hints (ie, 2 = ok; 3 = like), two stars, but that doesn't really seam fair. As I would only rate it a 2 because I just found it ok. If I liked m/m fiction, I'd be able to fully rate the book.

Alice by Selena Kitt

Alice
by Selena Kitt
Pages: 57
Date: April 1 2011
Publisher: Author

Review
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Read: December 2 2013

A toss up on whether to rate it 3 or 4 stars, answered by thinking harder about it.  I tend to skip sections where men are treated submissively, as it doesn't really interest me.  The submissive male part was interesting enough to keep me reading, so I bump it up to 4 stars.

I rate short stories somewhat differently than longer works.  I expect longer works to have depth, and etc. etc.  I read shorter works for a quick fun read, and actually can penalize if I get too bogged down.  bah, confused why I mention all that.

Ok, then. As you would expect from an Alice in Wonderland tale, this Alice was wacky strange ball of weird.  Nice elements of BDSM. Kinda expected some play on "bigger" "smaller" to occur from eating/drinking, based on some other adult retellings of Alice, but it actually works better to not see the same thing repeated in a new version of the tale.

The female submissive parts were 3 or 4 stars, toss in submissive male part and I'd probably have rated this worse since I tend to skip. Don't care about that.  Kept reading, wasn't bad, was even somewhat interesting, so that settles the rating on 4 stars.

Overall a wacky weird tale, but then Alice in Wonderland and derivatives almost always are.