Review for One Fire by Rachel Kramer Bussel

This book was just beyond amazing. My favorite kind of erotica has always been under the romance umbrella. You get the sweet and the nasty all rolled into one. Below are my favorite stories:

Sensitive to the Touch by Donna George Storey
-stocking fetish
-loved the relationship and unexpected reaction to the kink

Just Knowing by Kristina Wright
-quickie in the woods
-loved the jealous ex angle, wish this were a full length romance novel

Lily’s Last Stand by Delilah Devlin
-couple finding the spark again
-wife and husband have great chemistry

The Sweetest Thing by Giselle Renarde
-short, sweet story
-toy play, makes me wanna invest in a rabbit

The Exhibition by Malin James
-a couple on the verge of breaking up or getting back together
-hot sex scene
-love mixed signals adding to their passion but being quickly resolved

Approaching Hardcore by Jacqueline Applebee
-love the twist with the threesome being with another woman
-love the subtle comedic tone
-DIVERSITY
<3 p="">
A Place as Beautiful as This by A.M. Hartnett
-hot, hot, hot
-MY FAVORITE STORY

Con Artist by Veronica Wilde
-love the cosplay theme

Barbed Love by Tamsin Flowers
-interesting and unique story
-felt that the pool boy was unnecessary

Art of Darkness by Heidi Champa
-great setting
-makes me interested in sense depravation during play

The Dance by Rachel Kramer Bussel
-interesting plot
-comedic intro to the unsuspecting couple
-hot sex scenes, made me blush

Summer Reading Part 2

7 ate 9 by Tara Lazar
5 STAR RATING

This book is bursting at the seams with puns so parents will enjoy reading this to their kids. It'll make both child and adult laugh and have have good time trying to solve the case. The art is clean and simple, helping add mystery to the case. Private I is a good detective, I'd come to him with a crime anytime.









Cat on the Bus by Aram Kim
4 STAR RATING

This is mostly a nonverbal book, a picture book in its original form. A stray cat is cold and hungry when it gets on the bus and finds a forever home. The art is very pretty. I wouldn't recommend this for a bedtime story since there are next to no words but it's a great visual read for smaller kids who might want a cat of their own.









Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
4 STAR RATING

For a debut picture book, Cornwall seems like a natural. Jabari just finished his swimming lessons and is now ready to tackle the diving board. But once at the pool, he's hesitant to take the dive. His dad lets him know that it's okay to be scared and to take a deep breath. It's a great story for kids that need a little encouragement to face their fears. The city landscape has to get a shout out; I found it extremely interesting that the buildings were newspaper clippings or pages from a book. It looked very cool.







Brick by Brick by Charles R. Smith Jr
3 STAR RATING

The poetry writing was unexpected but I still liked it. It made the book story time friendly. I would recommend this for older children, around 6 or 7. It's a great conversation starter between children and adults on the subject.










One-Punch Man vol 8 by ONE
4 STAR RATING

It's been too long since I've read this series. Saitama is just a great character. I love the way he plays off of the other characters. The action scenes are a little clearer to understand. This volume was much shorter than I would have liked but the bonus stories were hilarious.

Summer Reading Part 1

It's all on the line people. My job's grand prize for summer reading is a PAID DAY OFF. I need this. I WANT THIS. I've been reading like a madwoman to secure my top spot. Unfortunately, it's a random picking. But the more I read, the more chances I have of winning.

A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
4 STAR RATING

Again, I watched the movie before reading the book. But to be fair, I did not know it was a book until after seeing the DVD. I'm torn between which one was better. On one hand, the film was cute and well acted and had a happy ending. The book felt a bit dragged out and the ending had me in tears. So it all depends on what mood you're in. The voice actor did a great job with Bailey. I was lulled into a trance by his unassuming voice. The time he spent with Ethan went on a little longer than I would have liked. I found his other lives to be way more interesting. It was fun to see them reunite though. This is where the movie and book offer two different endings. The film made me happy and satisfied. The book made me cry and also satisfied. Both offered a feel good experience.









I Will Not Eat You by Adam Lehrhaupt
3 STAR RATING

This dragon sucks at being a dragon. I'm glad he didn't eat the boy and they know play but the last line says that could change in a heartbeat. The sequel will have Theodore finally devouring the boy, killing the playful mood lol.










The Diary of a Teenage Girl by Phoebe Gloeckner
2 STAR RATING

This book is very triggering but I still found it interesting and not traumatizing enough to stop reading it. Minnie is not a likable or relatable character. She's the worse stereotypes of a teenager rolled into one. Despite everyone around her taking advantage of her and abusing her, I found it hard to feel sympathy. It's a dramatization of real life events but I oddly was disconnected from it. I enjoyed the movie adaptation much more.














Friend or Foe? by John Sobol
5 STAR RATING


The title questions remains unanswered in this children's book. The mouse wants to know if the cat is friend or foe. But the mouse never finds out as the cat and mouse switch their homes by accident. The art is great and helps add to the tone of the story. I don't see this as a very good bedtime story though. It'll push your kid into an early quarter-life crisis.











Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor
5 STAR RATING

I had heard about this podcast but never listened to it. This book makes me wanna binge listen to the entire thing. This was deliciously strange and disturbing and hilarious. I loved the voice actor, which I think is the same one from the podcast. He really had me engaged in the story and thoroughly creeped out. My favorite chapters where the radio broadcasts from Cecil's show. The story itself was amazing but I felt it lost some steam towards the end. Diane and Jackie were strong protagonists that had me rooting for them to solve the mystery.