Sunday, November 27, 2022

Book Review: The Heart of the Dominatrix by Inanna Justice (femdom, memoir)

Title
The Heart of the Dominatrix: Portraits and Interviews of Exceptional Mistresses
Author: Inanna Justice
Publication Date: August 18, 2022
Genres: Memoir
Protagonist Gender: Female
Sexuality: Bisexual

Female Domination can be a dream for some, a fantasy for others, and (yes) a lifestyle for the lucky few. Even then, it can sometimes be easy to lose sight of the Female behind the Domme, to forget that they have lives outside the dungeon, needs and desires outside the power exchange dynamic. 

With The Heart of the Dominatrix, Inanna Justice collects those real-life stories from 21 women across the world, proving us with an intimate glimpse into who they are in and out of the scene, how they came to it, and why they embrace it. It's a gorgeous book in which the women share their stories in their own words, illustrating them with their own images.

I won't comment on every Domme because these are their stories, their experiences, and their passions, and the fact that we don't share the same fetishes, practices, or limits should not take away from their words. I would, however, like to highlight those that really spoke to me:

  • MISTRESS CAROL offers perhaps the best explanation I've ever read about the power of hypnosis and how profound the power exchange can be when there's a trance involved - not as a mind control fantasy, but as a psychological experience.
  • LADY VI provides what may have been my favorite entry in the book, not just talking about the erotic power of perverting religious institutions, but sharing an entire Satanic rite of passage she conducted for a Muslim transgender client that gave me chills.
  • KAREN CHESSMAN is a legitimate French Countess who describes herself as a "fetish pansexual transgender, non-pro-Domme" (that made me fall in love with her right there) who, among other things, shares her experiences in the world of pony training.
  • MISTRESS ELIS EURYALE contributes one of the most diverse stories in the book, talking about the power of the femme fatale, the potential for gynarchy in gender dynamics, and how a love of literature shaped her medical amputation fetishes.
  • DOMINA GODDESS JAGUAR takes an interesting approach with her story, talking about how her background as a dancer gives her an appreciation for fluidity and form, for choreographing pleasure, before addressing the power exchange, pre/post-session rituals, and aftercare.
  • LUNATIKA makes a wonderful connection with how pleasure guides her in administering pain, but it's how she describes the dynamic of her personal slaves that really spoke to me, with total ownership (body and soul) intertwined with respect and intimacy.
  • MADAME MARGHERITE contributes one of the longest and most in-depth chapters of the book, talking a lot about the empowerment of animal play (from dogs to frogs), but what fascinated me most was how being gender-neutral creates so many interesting contrasts in her experience, including the fact that while she enjoys prostate play and loves toys, the strap-on illusion of having a penis feels silly and makes her uncomfortable.
While there are obviously some common themes that connect the Dommes, it was interesting (and sometimes surprising) to discover how divided they are on subjects such as gynarchy/matriarchy, the expression of sexuality, gender preferences in their submissives, and even if/how aftercare should be administered. Some are more passionate than others about those subjects, some more deeply invested in those aspects of the lifestyle, but they're all to be admired and respected.

Inanna Justice has put together a wonderful book that's as sumptuous as it is significant. She's given each of the Dommes the chance to speak, to bare their hearts and souls in a way that few of us get to appreciate from afar, and it's a safe bet that more than one admirer will come away from this a devoted submissive. There's no doubt that these are all Exceptional Mistresses and even more exceptional women - and, as a submissive, I am grateful for having had the experience of getting to know each of them through their words and photos. 

Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀ 

My sincere thanks to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, November 25, 2022

Fetish & Fantasy Freebie Friday - Putting the TG in TGIF!

Well, if it's Friday, then it must be time to bend our way into the weekend with Fetish & Fantasy Freebie Friday!

Every Friday I search through the free titles on Amazon, looking for those that might be of interest to similarly bent readers, fans, and lovers. Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon's free reading applications.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.




While you're on Amazon, if you'd like to support my weekly efforts, could I kindly ask that you give my Holiday Tales BUNDLE a read/review!


Enjoy!  

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Book Review: Coming Out on the Field by Sam Kestrel (erotic romance, lesbian)

Title
Coming Out on the Field
Author: Sam Kestrel
Publication Date: December 6, 2022
Genres: Erotic Romance
Protagonist Gender: Female
Sexuality: Lesbian

Coming Out on the Field by Sam Kestrel is a steamy lesbian erotic romance novella about finding yourself, coming out, and navigating the awkwardness of first love. Dee is a likable young woman with entirely unlikable parents, someone you want to protect as much as you want to nudge her into intimacy.

I loved the way Sam played with stereotypes and expectations, offering a series of wink-and-nod moments that help build the backstory and create a sense of anticipation. It's cute how Dee is so oblivious to it all - until, suddenly, she isn't - and wonderful to watch her awakening.

This is a story of friendship, sexual exploration, and the tease of romantic intimacy, with just enough family tension to help give Dee's a deeper journey meaning. The erotic moments are breathtaking, deliciously detailed, and build beautifully from one scene to the next. While part of me chafed against a few unresolved plot threads, I also appreciated the fact that life is never so tidy, and we're really only exploring a snapshot of Dee's life. 

Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ 

My sincere thanks to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Book Review: Practice Makes Perfect by Ryder O. Cox (erotica, bisexual, crossdressing)

Title
Practice Makes Perfect
Author: Ryder O. Cox
Publication Date: November 30, 2022
Genres: Erotica
Protagonist Gender: Male
Sexuality: Bisexual

Ryder O. Cox tempted my appetite with the tease of "a gender & sexuality-questioning story," but it was that gorgeous cover, with the short skirt and thick thighs, that ultimately won me over - and I am so very glad it did! Practice Makes Perfect was an absolutely adorable read that left me craving more of Mateo and Morgan.

Mateo and Morgan are best friends, both of them unlucky in love, but it's Mateo who feels the sting of rejection most. He's so desperate to understand what he's doing wrong, he comes up with the idea of a little role-play practice with Morgan. The more he thinks about it, though, the more he starts noticing things like the smaller boy's thick thighs, and soon he's running out to buy his best friend a sweater, skirt, and panties.

What made this such a sweet read was the innocence of the two boys. They're both so naive, so tentative in their movements, that you can't help but cheer on their mutual awakening. Soon enough, sweet gives way to sensual, with sensual giving way to smutty, before the story reaches a delicious climax that had my heart racing. I need more of these boys, I need to see them hit that home run, so please preorder, read, review, and let Ryder know we need more!

Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀ 

My sincere thanks to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, November 18, 2022

Fetish & Fantasy Freebie Friday - Putting the TG in TGIF!

Well, if it's Friday, then it must be time to bend our way into the weekend with Fetish & Fantasy Freebie Friday!

Every Friday I search through the free titles on Amazon, looking for those that might be of interest to similarly bent readers, fans, and lovers. Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon's free reading applications.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.




While you're on Amazon, if you'd like to support my weekly efforts, my latest (a trans-positive story of erotic horror) just launched and could use a BOOst!


Enjoy!  

Monday, November 14, 2022

GUEST POST: My sign you shall bear... by May B Bound (bdsm, erotica, thriller)

Earlier this year I had the great pleasure of working with May B Bound on Hunter's List - 12 books and over 300,000 words of BDSM erotica with a slow-build thriller element. With the 4th book (Hunter's List: Subdued) now available for pre-order, May kindly agreed to share some of her thoughts on submission and the lifestyle.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

My sign you shall bear... 

But which one?

To mark one's property or to document one's partnership is a desire that is probably as old as mankind. Not surprisingly, we wear wedding rings, friendship rings or bands, necklaces with parts of hearts that belong together. Because that is exactly what we want to show to the outside world: We belong together. Or, as is more common in BDSM: The other belongs to me - I belong to someone.

But how do you show that?

There are, of course, the temporary marks that everyone knows: welts from caning or a whip, a discolored butt or thigh from a very extensive spanking, marks from clothespins, burn marks, needle marks, or scores in the skin from knife play. Some of these marks remain, especially burn marks or lacerations, which heal but leave scars.

Or even more short-lived: semen or urine or vaginal secretions on the skin, face, hair. Nice for the moment, but gone again after the next shower/hair wash.

If one looks around the scene, one finds, above all, the ring of O as a symbol. It is a heavy metal ring, on which a smaller ring is movably set in a ball. Often this is generally seen as a sign of belonging to the community of BDSM practitioners. Sometimes it is presented engraved as a gift in a ceremony, but I also know of some who have bought the ring for themselves.

Personally, I don't like the symbol that much, partly because it's not the original from the book, but a ring that was worn in one of the film adaptations. Sure, you can appreciate the symbolism - the little ring is reminiscent of a device used to leash animals.

On the other hand, I dislike the symbol because its meaning goes way too far for me. Anyone who has read The Story of O (required reading!) knows that Pauline Réage does not see the ring simply as a sign for a submissive woman. Rather, it denotes a slave who is (or is to be) at the disposal of all members of the coven. This is not what I understand by BDSM, it is too much meta-consensus for me.

Described in the book is another form: A heavy ring with a disc, this "... carried in niello work a golden wheel with three spokes bent in a spiral, like the sun wheel of the Celts."

An emblem was sought by a BDSM group in the USA and designed by Quagmire (the story can be read here), specifically with the intention of finding a distinctive sign that would not be conspicuous and would show in a discreet way that the wearer practices BDSM, that is, is part of the community. In doing so, Quagmire drew on the description in 'History of O', but also tried to consider the meaning of the actual symbol. He wanted a symbol that is not too obvious, that is not conspicuous, that has as little preconception as possible.

From this point of view, I find the triskele (or more precisely, the modification of the triskele to the BDSM emblem) good, even if the background is questionable. After all, something new has emerged from the description, something that serves a specific purpose.

I myself now have various pieces of jewelry that simply show a triskele, they are quite inconspicuous to wear and you can, if you do not want to out yourself, refer to the origin as a Celtic symbol or to a trip to Brittany, which carries the triskele in its coat of arms.

But back to the marking.

You can take off a ring. Blue spots fade and disappear. What remains? A tattoo, of course. Yes, I know, even tattoos can be removed or covered up, but they are the most permanent thing possible. Only scars last longer.

As with all permanent marks, of course, women/men should think carefully beforehand whether this is even desired - and whether the desire goes deep enough, at least as deep as the scar or color under the skin. Consensus is as important here as with any other action in BDSM.

In addition, there is the question of how openly the symbol - whichever one - may be shown. If you need a doctor, there might be practically no place on the body that is not visible somewhere at some time. Or is it enough if the place is covered at work? But what if the boss sees the sign on Casual Friday? Is that still okay?

The same applies to a collar. Sure you can wear it only when you 'play'. Or sub wears it permanently, maybe even one that has been locked by Dom and can only be opened with special tools or keys. How visible do you want the collar to be?

I fear (and have experienced) a sub being treated by a (semi) initiated stranger as if being sub is a sign not only of submissiveness to a partner, but as if this sub can be overrun. After all, she is submissive, so the other person only needs to appear dominant enough and there is no need for any consideration. An experience that sub can gladly do without. Dom is not always standing behind, not always the self-confidence is enough to insist on one's right. No matter if woman or man, it can bring disadvantages in the job, or in dealing with strangers, if you not only out yourself as part of the community, but at the same time announce your position.

Please keep that in mind with any marking.

There are also signs that reveal their meaning only to the initiated. This can be a necklace or an anklet, a bracelet, or even a tattoo. It just depends on what is shown. There are commercial necklaces that look like twisted ropes, chokers are coming back in, reminiscent of a necklace, bracelets decorated with a discreet triskele (like mine), or you wear the movable ring on the ring of O inside.



Inconspicuous is also a pendant with a shopping cart chip that you can carry on your keychain, like this one in the picture. I had a few of these that I raffled off in my Facebook group at the beginning, and of course one hangs on my key ring.



Or you could just settle for the temporary kind of marking. I find it extremely sexy when marked with sperm. Of course, only from a certain man (mine!), not from a stranger, and only in this situation in which I helped to produce it - it's obvious, isn't it?

Well, how do you feel about it? Do you want a permanent sign? Can it be visible? Or are you content with a hidden or temporary one?

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

May B Bound

Hunter's List: Held | Hunter's List: Trained | Hunter's List: Tamed | Hunter's List: Subdued



You like dominant men who carry their women on their hands? Who give them what they need?

You like women who are happy when they can give up control? Who are so strong that they kneel down voluntarily?

Then you are right where you belong!

I like strong men AND strong women, I write about couples where submission doesn't mean oppression, who consider trust, respect and consent important. Add a happy ending, suspense and a lot of hot scenes and you have a true May B Bound book!