“We read books to find out who we are. What other people, real or imaginary, do and think and feel... it is an essential guide to our understanding of what we ourselves are and may become.” ~ Ursula K. Le Guin*
There is something wonderfully sensual about curling up with a good book but when that good book is also a sexy book you have yourself a perfectly indulgent situation. Erotica has always been around but the advent of the e-readers definitely gave the genre a whole new lease of life.
Now you could sit on the train or the bus or at work at lunch time and read whatever your heart desired without anyone being able to see from the cover what it was. However getting erotica published has never been easy. There are some fabulous dedicated erotic publishers but they are few and far between.
The invention of digital books also changed that playing field too because suddenly you didn’t need a publisher to get started. You could do it yourself. The result is that now there is more erotica out there than ever before but how on earth do you decide which of it to read.
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That is actually quite a complicated answer but here is a short sharp selection of kinky sexy books that are well worth adding to your collection.
The Ultimate Guide to Kink: BDSM, Role Play and the Erotic Edge edited by Tristan Taormino
Let’s start with some non-fiction. There is a huge selection of ‘how to’ type guides when it comes to sex and kink but this one is definitely one of my favourites. It is way more than a manual though, it covers a huge spectrum of kinky related topics in the form of personal essays written by a variety of people from the kink scene. These are folks who are not only well versed in their particular topic area but are passionate and intelligent in their approach to it. No matter what your kink or level of experience there is something for everyone here and most of all it is jam packed with excellent writing.[clear]
The Loving Dominant By John and Libby Warren
The second non-fiction book to appear on this list was gifted to me by a wise man many years ago. If you have any interest in D/s play or relationships then this book is for you. It is written with the male dominant in mind but there is a fabulous chapter written by his partner about the female submissive. When I was just starting out this book felt like home to me. It made me realise that what I desired was in fact possible to find and that I was not some lone freak in the world.[clear]
Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel
Erotica lends itself really well to the short story format. As a result there are a vast array of anthology selections out there to choose from but if you want somewhere to start then you won’t go wrong with this intelligent and sexy collection of stories edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel. However if you devour those and are looking for more anything edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, Violet Blue or Alison Tyler is going to be quality stuff.[clear]
Silver Desire: Erotic Stories for Older Women
There is very little erotic written with the older more mature in mind but this whole anthology breaks with that convention and brings you ten beautiful stories by a selection of talented writers that focus on female desire in older women.[clear]
I am going to start this one by saying that I am more than happy to recommend all of Kristina’s works. She is a damn fine writer and her novels are sexy, intelligent, raw and edgy. This is erotica done right as far as I am concerned. I picked Undone because it is the most recent thing of hers that I have read. It has a great plot and strong characters all wrapped up in brilliant adult writing, but really, pick any of her books and dive in. You won’t be disappointed.[clear]
I have tried to come up with a list of books that maybe you might not know. The idea is to give you something new to discover but I decided to feature this one well known classic in the list just because it is a book that had a deeply profound effect on me. It is not for the faint hearted. This is a raw and edgy exploration of one woman’s relationship with BDSM and submission. Originally penned as a series of love letters by the author to her lover it is a dark and challenging read which seems to divide people into two stark camps, the lovers and the haters. I am definitely a lover.[clear]
How a Bad Girl Fell in Love - Girl on the Net
This is not fiction but a memoir presented as a series of extended essays that when you get right down to it, is a long unusual love letter to her boyfriend. It is a fabulous read that will one minute turn you on then make you laugh and then make you cry. Honest, real and 100% unashamedly her.[clear]
Cover him with Darkness - Janine Ashbless
My penultimate book is one that took me by surprise. As a general rule fantasy erotic is not my thing but this novel by Janine totally blew me away. This book has complex characters and a gripping plot that speaks highly to the author’s knowledge of angelic mythos. Oh and it is book one in a three part series. The second book has just been picked up by a new publisher so keep your eye out for that in April 2017. In the Bonds of the Earth.[clear]
The Assignment (Lessons in control) by Jade A Waters
I am going to end with a hot tip for an as yet published book. The Assignment introduces the characters Dean and Maya as they embark on their new found relationship together and is the first in the 3 part series about this couple. It is a hot and steamy erotic romance penned by a very talented writer which is due for release on the 12th December 2016.[clear]
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