No Read November

So apparently, November is now famous for being "No Shave November."  I think there's a legit reason behind it, but most guys I know just like to take advantage of not having to shave for a month.  Far be it for the women to get that same luxury.  But that's a whole other blog topic.  This one's about my (again) shameful lack of reading this month.  Shall we get to it?  It'll take about 2 minutes, promise.

The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by A.N. Roquelaure, aka Anne Rice (253 pages).  Anne Rice wrote these books back in the 1980's.  And boy- are they risqué!!  Beauty had been asleep for 100 years, you know, just like the fairytale says.  But the Prince doesn't awaken her with a kiss.  He awakens her with a sexual experience.  Sure, she's passed out.  But it does the trick.  Unfortunately, the Prince is from a line of royals who take neighboring princes and princesses as Tributes/sex slaves.  And Beauty is to become the Prince's first personal sex slave.  The Tributes are punished constantly, not to be cruel but rather for them to learn to surrender.  I'm still not sure why the Tributes are actually willingly sent to this kingdom.  Beauty soon falls in love with her Prince and also with another Tribute, Prince Alexi.  He tells her his story of slavery.  Beauty slowly begins to yield to her Prince, becoming a Court favorite.  She later learns that the ultimate form of punishment is to be sent to the Village, where the Tributes are auctioned off for the summer.  Beauty sees the willful Prince Tristan in a wagon, headed towards the Village and his punishment.  And something in her breaks.  She finds herself in the wagon, next to him, on their way to the Village.  Having crazy rabbit sex in the wagon!  This book is all sorts of crazy!  Like gave 50 Shades a run for its money crazy.  Paddling. crazy acts of humiliation, nakedness, violations.  The things done to these Tributes is riveting.  And insane.

Beauty's Punishment by A.N. Roquelaure (233 pages).  The second in the Sleeping Beauty trilogy.  Equally as risqué!  Beauty and Tristan have each been auctioned off in the Village.  Beauty is sold to an Innkeeper and quickly becomes a favorite of the Captain of the Guards.  Tristan is sold to the Queen's Chronicler.  Unlike his Master in the Palace, the Chronicler finally breaks Tristan, who becomes devoted to his new Master.  Everything seems to be going well for Beauty and Tristan (or as well as it could, considering they are sex slaves).  Then they, and four other slaves, are kidnapped by a neighboring Sultan and taken off to his kingdom for two years (according to the deal the Queen brokers with the Sultan).  The Sultan, unlike the Queen, doesn't even view the slaves as human (or so they are told).  But he does enjoy sexual games as much as the Queen.  At least this time, Beauty and Tristan are together!

Bunheads by Sophie Flack (294 pages).  The author herself was a dancer with the New York City Ballet.  You get the feeling that she's telling her own story.  Hannah Ward is a nineteen year old ballet dancer (which is certainly not the same thing as a ballerina, who is a principal in a company).  She's been in New York for 5 years, studying dance and being a member of the corps of the Manhattan Ballet.  One night, she meets Jacob, a struggling student musician.  Almost simultaneously, the ballerina with a lead role in a ballet is injured and Hannah, her understudy, takes on the role.  The rest of the season, Hannah is faced with a choice - to continue down this path she is on, a path that may or may not ever lead to becoming a ballerina, OR to try a new path, one that leads her out into the world.  It sort of reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Center Stage.  A talented dancer who realizes there is more to life that dance.  At least, for her.

Beauty's Release by A.N. Roquelaure (238 pages).  The third and final book in the Sleeping Beauty trilogy.  I had to take a little break.  Honestly, it had become monotonous.  Still risqué, but all three books are almost identical in the crazy sex stuff that happens.  In this one, Beauty, Tristan, Laurent (a rebellious runaway slave), Rosalynd, Elena and Dmitri find themselves under the Sultan's command, unsure of what to expect.  Turns out, it's more of the same.  Lots of degradation.  Lots of crazy sex.  The book focuses on Beauty and Laurent more than the other slaves.  Both of them quickly come to love the Sultan's world.  Until they, and Tristan, are rescued by the Queen's soldiers (much to their dismay).  Beauty is set free and returned to her parents, where she turns down every Prince who comes to woo her.  Laurent and Tristan are sent to become ponies for hire in the Village for their insolence in wanting to remain with the Sultan.  After nearly a year, Tristan is sold to his beloved former Master, the Chronicler.  Laurent's father dies and he returns to his country as King.  And then travels to Beauty's country, to claim her as his Queen, his Slave and his one True Love.  So they could live happily (and apparently sexily) ever after.

So that's it for this month.  4 books and 1018 pages read.  At least I did better than last month.....