Pink Awkening by Lyka Bloom

When we last encountered the ladies of the Pink Institute, it was for a final chapter and a bittersweet goodbye. After 6 fantastic tales, Lyka Bloom chose to end one of the most stunning and imaginative pieces of transgender erotica around. Pink Erasure was a story that ended with the tables being turned, roles reversed, and the Pink Institute returned to its original purpose.

As such, you can imagine my delight when I was sent a copy of a new chapter in the saga, Pink Awakening. If you haven't read the series, then you should probably stop here, because it's impossible to talk about this new chapter without spoilers.

Still with us? Fantastic . . . let's get feminine. :)

As Pink Awakening opens, Aurora and Nikki are enjoying the rebirth of the Pink Institute, taking immense pleasure in the willing feminization and bimbofication of their guests. It should be a time of celebration, but they have become victims of their own publicity. Protesters and vandals are becoming increasingly common, and city council has decided to appropriate the land and force the Institute out of business. Desperate to hold onto everything they've built, Nikki begs Aurora to consider desperate measures, but Aurora is reluctant to adopt those same techniques that led to her rebellion against Lady B.

When it becomes clear they have no legal recourse, Aurora sees no choice but to 'help' the youngest council member realize his hidden feminine desires. When his conditioning shows such promise, she decides that the sole council woman could benefit from a little conditioning as well, transforming her into a stern dominatrix. From there, things quickly spiral out of control, as the allure of power and the addiction of control threaten to undermine all of the changes Aurora brought to the institute.

This new chapter may not be as dark as the last one, but it's certainly the most thoughtful of the series. Bloom looks at the real world implications of such an Institute, tackling the prejudices and hypocrisy of society. She also looks at the dynamics of the power exchange, specifically where the lines between coercion and force are blurred. It is, of course, as sexy and erotic as the rest of the series, with some gloriously erotic encounters between Aurora and her shemale servants, and some wonderful scenes of transformation.

As for what Aurora's final words mean for the future, I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Reviewed by Sally