Retrato do autor
2 Works 9 Membros 3 Críticas

About the Author

Includes the name: Madame B (pseud.),

Obras por Madame B

Madame B - Bekñnelser (2010) 1 exemplar

Etiquetado

Conhecimento Comum

There is no Common Knowledge data for this author yet. You can help.

Membros

Críticas

Pros: Each story has a nice buildup to its encounter.

Cons: Not every story will appeal equally to the reader.

Review book courtesy of Penguin Group

"Seduction" is the third installment in Madame B's notebooks, along with Ecstasy and rel="nofollow" target="_top">Desire. Another collection of short stories, it focuses on the process of seduction leading up to a sexual encounter. As in the other two books, the stories cover a range of situations and encounters.

Reading these three books has given me a lot of insight into just how much of a range there really is in the world of erotic literature; my experience is admittedly small but I am really amazed at the breadth of human sexuality that a reader can find. And while not everything I've read has been my cup of tea, it's fascinating to experience something so personal from someone else's perspective. That was one of the reasons that I enjoyed "Seduction" so much; I got to read about not only the sexual encounters but to feel the tug and pull between two people that leads to intimacy.

I really loved that the encounters in the book weren't just between strangers; some were between people who have known each other for years, or happen between lovers. There is so much variation in the book, from the situations described to differing styles of sexuality. I rather doubt that every reader will love every story, but even the less-prevalent sexual practices are handled in a very respectful manner.

As I've been reading these collections, I have noticed that word choices are distinctly British at times, and it tends to distract me from what I'm reading. That's not meant to be a negative point in any means, but if as a reader you're not used to some of the British terms, it may take you a while to get used to seeing them. It feels like a good fit for some stories, such as the one set in Paris, but when I interpret a setting as American in my head, it can be jarring to see terms that most Americans don't use.

The stories in this volume, as in the others, are all from a woman's perspective. The women in these stories are all articulate, making it easy to enter into their sensual experiences, but at times I found myself wondering what their partners were thinking and experiencing. (Admittedly, though, I was reading more than one story at a time, and so that may have had something to do with it.)

Although not everything in each of her collections may appeal to everyone, Madame B has done an amazing job of portraying many different styles of sexuality in a respectful way. Her stories in "Seduction" also give the reader a nice sensual buildup to the encounters between the characters. This is definitely a book that I can see individuals or couples enjoying, and maybe encouraging a little discussion or experimentation. I definitely enjoyed this volume, because watching the buildup makes the eventual culmination more satisfying. A large part of erotica to me is about the dance, and Madame B does an excellent job in leading us through it.… (mais)
 
Assinalado
ReneBlock | 2 outras críticas | Nov 23, 2010 |
Pros: The stories do an excellent job of showcasing people's reactions to each other in steamy situations.

Cons: The voices of the protagonists feel at times as if they blend together.

Review book courtesy of Penguin Group

Madame B has once again opened up her store of sensual stories collected from women to bring us the second volume in her Notebooks trilogy: Ecstasy. And indeed, the women in this book find ecstasy, whether in the embrace of a construction worker or a roommate, or even a stranger met at a party. There are lots of hidden opportunities for erotic encounters, and these are the secret stories of women unafraid to reach for ecstasy in whatever form they might find it...

I wasn't sure after reading the first volume of Madame B's Notebooks, "Desire", whether or not I'd enjoy the rest of the series. I've got to admit, though, that I'm glad that I kept going. "Ecstasy" allows the reader to experience not only the sexuality of the protagonists (again all women) but also the responses of their partners. If you are the type of reader that enjoys watching characters react to each other in erotic situations, then you'll likely find at least one story to enjoy out of this collection.

Just as with the last book, it's best to keep an open mind, because this book encompasses a variety of encounters, from sex at a massage parlor to sex on the hood of a car, to mixing urine and sex. That last story was something that I'd never before encountered in erotic literature, and I wasn't sure whether or not I'd like it, but I kept reading. I'm actually glad that I did; the author's skill is such that while I didn't find the idea of that kind of play appealing, from the characters and their actions and reactions I can understand better now why it would appeal to some people. There is a good deal of sensitivity towards unusual sexualities present, which made it much easier to enter into stories of unfamiliar erotic situations.

There was one thing that did detract a bit from my enjoyment of the book. The individual perspectives of the female protagonists began to blend together for me, and after a bit it wasn't always easy to distinguish between one or the other. A good deal of that probably comes from the format of the book; short stories don't always leave a lot of room for character development, but I couldn't help wishing for one or two completely unique details to get to know each girl just a bit better.

Despite some of the characters feeling a little flat, this was a fun book full of sexy vignettes. Readers, by themselves or sharing with someone special, are treated to some steamy depictions of people embracing their sexuality. Even though some of the sexualities brought up in the book might not appeal to everybody, the author has written with sensitivity as opposed to sensationalism, making it somewhat less frightening to try out a story that deals with something new. "Madame B: Ecstasy" is a fun, sexy romp through pages and bedsheets, well worth picking up if you're looking for bite-sized pieces of erotic literature.
… (mais)
½
 
Assinalado
ReneBlock | 2 outras críticas | Aug 18, 2010 |
Pros: Variety of erotic situations.

Cons: All of the stories are form a woman's point of view; the voices of the different stories don't always feel very distinct.

Review book courtesy of Penguin Group

Madame B is a woman that other women feel that they can confide some of their deepest secrets to. In "The Notebooks of Madame B: Desire", she presents some of the steamier stories that she's collected about women and their adventures and fantasies. Just as women's desires differ, this book contains a variety of erotic short stories about women whose hidden desires come true.

I found this collection of short stories to be a relatively quick read; the stories are fairly bite-sized, perfect for indulging one at a time by oneself or with a partner. That being said, because the stories cover situations ranging from voyeurism to dominance and sado-masochism readers will probably enjoy some stories more than others. There are also different perspectives on different fantasies, so not everyone may enjoy the perspectives presented here.

The other thing that I had a little bit of trouble with about this book was the feeling that the voice of each woman's story wasn't very distinct from the other stories. It felt as if the situations were meant to be the means of distinguishing which story I was in, as opposed to each woman's viewpoint. I even noticed one instance where two stories contained part of the same sentence, nearly word for word.

I guess what it really comes down to for me is that while reading this book, a lot of my time was spent thinking about how my perspective in some of these situations would be different than that of the women who are enacting these fantasies. It's not that I didn't think that the stories were written well, but rather that I didn't find them particularly erotic. Other than the voice similarities, these are well written. They still do a good job of taking the reader through the buildup of desire between the beginning and the consummation.

I should also note is that this book is built around the idea that desire, rather than the sex, is what the story is about. There is still erotic sex, but for those readers who are looking for intense, drawn-out sexual scenes this probably won't be the ideal book; I felt that a few of them were perfunctory. I couldn't help but wish that the desire had been incorporated more into the sex, to draw it out and make it more intense.

I am sure that there are plenty of people who would enjoy these short stories of desire, but they didn't really do a whole lot for me. The writing style and womens' perspectives combine to form something that for me felt almost detached, because I didn't really feel as if I had a way to connect with them. I don't think that they are poorly written, but at the same time I didn't find them erotic. There are two more volumes in the collection, and I am looking forward to seeing whether the stories become more enjoyable as the themes of the collections change.
… (mais)
½
 
Assinalado
ReneBlock | 2 outras críticas | Jul 31, 2010 |

Estatísticas

Obras
2
Membros
9
Popularidade
#968,587
Avaliação
4.0
Críticas
3
ISBN
4
Línguas
1