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onlyadream223's review
4.0
To categorize a story as "the best" comes with some high expectations from me. Volume 5 of the Best Wieners Women's Erotica doesn't disappoint. There is a little for everyone and the stories are short.
A few of the stories listed makes me want to see If there are full stories out there. It peaked my interest enough to want some more backstory and completion to some of these stories.
Because the stories are so short, it is easy to page through and move on to the next one.
I would like to thank NETGALLEY and the editors of this anthology for this advanced reading copy of this work in exchange for an unbiased review.
A few of the stories listed makes me want to see If there are full stories out there. It peaked my interest enough to want some more backstory and completion to some of these stories.
Because the stories are so short, it is easy to page through and move on to the next one.
I would like to thank NETGALLEY and the editors of this anthology for this advanced reading copy of this work in exchange for an unbiased review.
jugglingpup's review
4.0
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
I have to say I was a bit surprised when Cleis asked me to review modern erotica. I like historical erotica. I like learning about sexuality. I like knowing where terms came from and how long people have been doing what they have been doing. Modern erotica often bores me. I am asexual and the idea of being sexually attracted to someone is so foreign to me. I just don’t get it. So often times modern erotica is just eh.
This collection is some of the best erotica I have read. It is no historical erotica though. There were no long philosophical rants in the middle of random sex scenes. To some, the lack of rants might make everything better. The collection was well written and diverse in content. I would have been beyond bored if it was just vanilla or just kink. Instead Bussel did a great job of curating a collection that was drastically different story to story. It kept me engaged in a way that modern erotica hasn’t been able to do before (well, not since I was 14 years old and just discovering Cleis press and butch/butch erotica in a womyn’s only bookstore in a super queer town when I was just coming to terms with being trans).
Some of my standards for good erotica include: safety, consent, and is it physical possible?
Safety was addressed multiple times. Not every story had a section about condom use, but enough did that I was satisfied. The scenes with strangers almost always had a condom, that was enough. Using a condom at all is so rare in erotica or romance novels that I have to give credit when any are used. I can ignore that many of the condoms came out of wallets (please, do not store your condoms in a wallet. It is not good for the condoms). The way condoms were portrayed is almost good enough for me to ignore inconsistent condom usage within the same story. Some couples would use condoms for vaginal penetration only. Oral sex carries all the same STI risks! Dental dams were never used. The day I find an erotica with a dental dam used is the day I can celebrate. I would also like to add there was a scene that was downright dangerous in so many ways, but it was also one of my favorite scenes. Something about a circus makes things more intriguing. Did I mention I was a party clown?
Overall, all of the stories had consent, but one. There were multiple stories where consent was played with in a way that was wonderful. There was clear longing and the consent was added as a form of play. Consent being a form of play is wonderful to me. The added arousal from permission given is one of my favorite things in erotica. You can say that consent is a kink of mine. The one story that didn’t have consent is more complicated. The woman gave verbal consent, but to a man that had abused her to the point that she attempted to kill him. I can’t find the premise sexy. If the backstory hadn’t been literal abuse, the story would have been incredibly strong and unique in the way the actual erotic part of it went down. That story took a full star off of my review. All of my other issues are really minor and because I love to over analyze sex. Getting back with an abusive ex is a big no from me though. Just red flags and hard limit.
Physically possible is vague. Having sex with a mermaid is not physically possible, but I AM HERE FOR IT. I am talking about was lube used for anal sex? Was there actual stretching done? Were bodies positioned in a way that allowed that activity to happen? So most of the stories where physically possible! That is something I am really impressed with. There was one scene where I either missed a page or someone was fisted really quickly and with no stretching. There was another scene where he was behind her and she was leaned over a work table, but somehow his balls hit her ass? That one I am still trying to understand just based on some sex ed 101 stuff. Did I mention I teach sex ed?
Overall, this was a fantastic read. I would recommend just skipping the opening section of one story to avoid the abuse plot line. Otherwise the stories are wonderfully diverse and engaging. There is everything from swinging to gang bangs to queer scenes. There is a little something for most people (I can’t wait to read trans male erotica from Cleis).
I got an ARC of this book.
I have to say I was a bit surprised when Cleis asked me to review modern erotica. I like historical erotica. I like learning about sexuality. I like knowing where terms came from and how long people have been doing what they have been doing. Modern erotica often bores me. I am asexual and the idea of being sexually attracted to someone is so foreign to me. I just don’t get it. So often times modern erotica is just eh.
This collection is some of the best erotica I have read. It is no historical erotica though. There were no long philosophical rants in the middle of random sex scenes. To some, the lack of rants might make everything better. The collection was well written and diverse in content. I would have been beyond bored if it was just vanilla or just kink. Instead Bussel did a great job of curating a collection that was drastically different story to story. It kept me engaged in a way that modern erotica hasn’t been able to do before (well, not since I was 14 years old and just discovering Cleis press and butch/butch erotica in a womyn’s only bookstore in a super queer town when I was just coming to terms with being trans).
Some of my standards for good erotica include: safety, consent, and is it physical possible?
Safety was addressed multiple times. Not every story had a section about condom use, but enough did that I was satisfied. The scenes with strangers almost always had a condom, that was enough. Using a condom at all is so rare in erotica or romance novels that I have to give credit when any are used. I can ignore that many of the condoms came out of wallets (please, do not store your condoms in a wallet. It is not good for the condoms). The way condoms were portrayed is almost good enough for me to ignore inconsistent condom usage within the same story. Some couples would use condoms for vaginal penetration only. Oral sex carries all the same STI risks! Dental dams were never used. The day I find an erotica with a dental dam used is the day I can celebrate. I would also like to add there was a scene that was downright dangerous in so many ways, but it was also one of my favorite scenes. Something about a circus makes things more intriguing. Did I mention I was a party clown?
Overall, all of the stories had consent, but one. There were multiple stories where consent was played with in a way that was wonderful. There was clear longing and the consent was added as a form of play. Consent being a form of play is wonderful to me. The added arousal from permission given is one of my favorite things in erotica. You can say that consent is a kink of mine. The one story that didn’t have consent is more complicated. The woman gave verbal consent, but to a man that had abused her to the point that she attempted to kill him. I can’t find the premise sexy. If the backstory hadn’t been literal abuse, the story would have been incredibly strong and unique in the way the actual erotic part of it went down. That story took a full star off of my review. All of my other issues are really minor and because I love to over analyze sex. Getting back with an abusive ex is a big no from me though. Just red flags and hard limit.
Physically possible is vague. Having sex with a mermaid is not physically possible, but I AM HERE FOR IT. I am talking about was lube used for anal sex? Was there actual stretching done? Were bodies positioned in a way that allowed that activity to happen? So most of the stories where physically possible! That is something I am really impressed with. There was one scene where I either missed a page or someone was fisted really quickly and with no stretching. There was another scene where he was behind her and she was leaned over a work table, but somehow his balls hit her ass? That one I am still trying to understand just based on some sex ed 101 stuff. Did I mention I teach sex ed?
Overall, this was a fantastic read. I would recommend just skipping the opening section of one story to avoid the abuse plot line. Otherwise the stories are wonderfully diverse and engaging. There is everything from swinging to gang bangs to queer scenes. There is a little something for most people (I can’t wait to read trans male erotica from Cleis).
bibliotequeish's review
3.0
As this is a book of short stories, some were definitely better than others. But since they are all so short, if you're not a fan of one story, soon you will be on to the next.
Definitely an interesting concept.
Definitely an interesting concept.
cmdc325's review
3.0
This was a review for Net Galley. There was some weird typos, like the words were oddly hyphenated.
This was an interesting collection of short stories. Some were definitely better than others. Some were just a bit too strange for my liking, which is saying a lot since I tend to read a lot in this genre. It was a quick read though. An if you are looking for a smutty collection of stories, maybe try this one out.
This was an interesting collection of short stories. Some were definitely better than others. Some were just a bit too strange for my liking, which is saying a lot since I tend to read a lot in this genre. It was a quick read though. An if you are looking for a smutty collection of stories, maybe try this one out.
rotellareads's review
4.0
A wonderful collection of empowering erotica from the woman’s POV. Each story was so different from the next, spanning various tropes, relationship types, industries and time periods. This collection had a little of everything! I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of f/f stories, which we so rarely see in the romance genre! Many of the authors in this collection were new to me and I can honestly say I enjoyed every single contribution in some way. I would absolutely read another volume from this collection. The stories were short and sweet and packed the heat!!!!
purplelorikeet's review
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Cleis Press for sharing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With so many different writers, this anthology is a bit difficult to judge. I will say the editor has created a fairly well-rounded collection of stories and there is likely something for most to enjoy in this group. I will make note of a few stories,
The first one, Terms, is a bit of a reversal of roles that we see in a lot of these stories. There's obviously something of a backstory to the action here but I like the way it's the female protagonist taking charge instead of the males.
Outlaws is a futuristic story which I don't really get into all that much for erotica but it was one of my favorites of the book. It's got a dystopian feel and there's rebellion happening in private.
My favorite of the book is Nymph and Satyr. It's just got a really good feel of abandon to it and we get to know the characters just enough to appreciate the action.
Frosting was one that started off with a strong erotic feel but didn't sustain it as it went a bit too far for me.
Summer of 1669 was one that was kind of sweet, taking place long ago.
Overall this was a nice collection of stories and there should be a few tales that will appeal to most.
With so many different writers, this anthology is a bit difficult to judge. I will say the editor has created a fairly well-rounded collection of stories and there is likely something for most to enjoy in this group. I will make note of a few stories,
The first one, Terms, is a bit of a reversal of roles that we see in a lot of these stories. There's obviously something of a backstory to the action here but I like the way it's the female protagonist taking charge instead of the males.
Outlaws is a futuristic story which I don't really get into all that much for erotica but it was one of my favorites of the book. It's got a dystopian feel and there's rebellion happening in private.
My favorite of the book is Nymph and Satyr. It's just got a really good feel of abandon to it and we get to know the characters just enough to appreciate the action.
Frosting was one that started off with a strong erotic feel but didn't sustain it as it went a bit too far for me.
Summer of 1669 was one that was kind of sweet, taking place long ago.
Overall this was a nice collection of stories and there should be a few tales that will appeal to most.
loveinpanels's review
4.0
As you probably know, we don't review much erotica. But ever since I was handed one of her anthologies in my days at Heroes & Heartbreakers, I've followed Rachel Kramer-Bussel's work with Cleis Press. Kramer-Bussel's curation of these anthologies, particularly the Best Women's Erotica of the Year series, is what really makes them sing. The collections are diverse in both authorship and content and while most readers won't love every story, there's something for everyone in them--as with most anthologies. They're also loosely organized around a theme, this time it's "Outrageous."
These books aren't cheap, but wow have I stumbled across a lot of poorly written stuff on Amazon. I've picked up a few on sale, too. And if you're reading this in December 2019, we're running a giveaway! Head down to the end of the post for the link.
So this time the author lineup is:
Sierra Simone
Alexa J. Day
Sabrina Sol
Angel Leigh McCoy
Justine Elyot
Balli Kaur Jaswal
Kathleen Delaney-Adams
Lee Minxton
Loretta Black
Something New
The Summer of 1669
Broken Thing Fixed
One Interpretation
A. Zimmerman
Quinn LeStrange
Angora Shade
A.Z. Louise
Caridad Piñeiro
CD Reiss
Joanna Angel
Lauren Emily
I was going to go into a few of the standout stories, tell you what was fun about them... but that's so subjective that I'm not sure it'd be of much value. There are mixed pairings, with some group scenes and solo activities. Erotica doesn't follow romance beats and you shouldn't expect an HEA. Some of the stories are about established relationships, some about something new, some are about a fleeting encounter. They're not all explicitly consensual, though most are. For example, in a story about a group scene in a cupcake shop, the boss and a client are getting it on right in full view of all the employees, who eventually get into their own scene, but there's no discussion of consent. Because this is erotica and the rules are different. But in another story, a man and his nonbinary partner who are in a long-term relationship engage in sex featuring humiliation kink, and it's been negotiated in the past.
Anyway, the anthology is great and you can skip around to different stories to find what works for you.
The book releases on December 10th and I have a print copy courtesy of the editor to give away! You should know that I also got a digital review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
These books aren't cheap, but wow have I stumbled across a lot of poorly written stuff on Amazon. I've picked up a few on sale, too. And if you're reading this in December 2019, we're running a giveaway! Head down to the end of the post for the link.
So this time the author lineup is:
Sierra Simone
Alexa J. Day
Sabrina Sol
Angel Leigh McCoy
Justine Elyot
Balli Kaur Jaswal
Kathleen Delaney-Adams
Lee Minxton
Loretta Black
Something New
The Summer of 1669
Broken Thing Fixed
One Interpretation
A. Zimmerman
Quinn LeStrange
Angora Shade
A.Z. Louise
Caridad Piñeiro
CD Reiss
Joanna Angel
Lauren Emily
I was going to go into a few of the standout stories, tell you what was fun about them... but that's so subjective that I'm not sure it'd be of much value. There are mixed pairings, with some group scenes and solo activities. Erotica doesn't follow romance beats and you shouldn't expect an HEA. Some of the stories are about established relationships, some about something new, some are about a fleeting encounter. They're not all explicitly consensual, though most are. For example, in a story about a group scene in a cupcake shop, the boss and a client are getting it on right in full view of all the employees, who eventually get into their own scene, but there's no discussion of consent. Because this is erotica and the rules are different. But in another story, a man and his nonbinary partner who are in a long-term relationship engage in sex featuring humiliation kink, and it's been negotiated in the past.
Anyway, the anthology is great and you can skip around to different stories to find what works for you.
The book releases on December 10th and I have a print copy courtesy of the editor to give away! You should know that I also got a digital review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
jillmlong's review
3.0
This anthology had something for everyone. Each story was different from the next and if you are looking for quick sexy stories then pick up this book. There were stories that I liked better then others but that is how it is in any short story collection.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC for an honest review.
crystalisreading's review
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
After how much I loved Best Women’s Erotica of the Year volume 4, perhaps my expectations were too high for volume 5. Or perhaps this volume’s theme, outrageous sex, didn’t resonate me as much as the theme for the last collection. Rachel Kramer Bussel’s collections still outrank any other erotica anthologies I’ve read, in my opinion, in terms of writing quality and diversity and creativity. (Especially the diversity. SO MUCH DIVERSITY. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate this conscious diversity of authors and characters, of race/ ethnicity/ nationality, kinks, sexuality, gender, religion, ability, body type, mental health, relationship dynamics, and age. ) This collection wasn’t my favorite of hers. But as with any anthology, there are some stories and authors I appreciated more than others.
It’s always difficult to review anthologies, so I’ve decided the best way to do them all justice is to include each story title and author with a brief summary, and sometimes with featured kinks and/or favorite quotations. This could entail SPOILERS and/or be more sexually explicit than you’re expecting (and also be incredibly long), so please proceed accordingly. [f=female, m=male)
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Terms by Sierra Simone: a f CEO blackmails 3 straight m former lovers, 1 Black, 1 Latinx, 1 white, into being her sexual slaves for a month. Something about revenge. Dubious consent. Didn’t like it at all.
Just Inappropriate by Alexa J. Day: An older white m roleplays at a bar with his younger f Black partner. they’re consenting adults, but roleplaying a professor seducing his much younger student, which was a little uncomfortable for me. It does, however, have the very popular “His sleeves rolled up over his forearms” line, a concept with entire Twitter threads devoted to it.
At the Pleasure of the President by Sabrina Sol: Widowed Latina president of the United States has clandestine sex with a staff member (identity TBR at the end). I enjoyed this, and feel I might want to reread now that we have an actual woman of color as VP. Not to fantasy about VP Harris. Just because we’re in a slightly different world now, and I wonder how that would affect my perception of the story this time.
Outlaws by Angel Leigh McCoy: This reminded me strongly of a short Kurt Vonnegut story from Welcome to the Monkeyhouse, set in a futuristic dystopia where intercourse and reproduction are illegal, and a “sex evangelist” creepily accosts a f stranger in a hot tub, pursuing her later with literature. It felt silly, almost over the top, and also had a line that was kinda fat-phobic. Not a favorite in this collection.
Nymph and Satire by Justine Elyot: A British f widow and an Italian m tourist have an anonymous hookup in the wooded area of an erotic sculpture garden, unlocking long pent-up desires.
After Midnight by Balli Kaur Jaswal: (by the author of Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows!) An Indian woman takes up work as a phone sex operator and finds satisfaction in her own fantasies of being served sexually by all the men who have harassed her in the past. I didn’t find this hot, but it was definitely evocative. Several lines stuck with me: “Here, like anywhere, men are in charge.” and “They were expected to be the kind of women the men wanted to touch, but could only admire. They were supposed to look like brides, but dance like lovers.” and “She is so helpless with rage sometimes that she can feel the heat of it simmering beneath her skin.”
Frosting by Kathleen Delaney-Adams: another story I found disturbing, wherein an older f client has her way with a woman trying to earn her business, in front of that woman’s all-female staff, who are all in their late teens. Those teens watch the sexual activity and participate with each other. Considering the age and power differentials, I think this might be considered non-consensual. It seemed sexually inappropriate to the point of being abusive. Equality shouldn’t mean doing all the shitty things men have done, IMO.
Dirty Girls Always Go to Heaven by Lee Minxton: a very tame hetero husband and wife, with Catholic backgrounds, try some not very tame activities together.
If the Ocean by Loretta Black: On the plus side, the writing is very evocative. I really felt like I was there, in this very distinct historical New England coastal setting. And the sex manages to be really hot. On the negative side, this story of seduction and impregnation of a bisexual colonial woman by a merperson of indeterminate gender is borderline bestiality. Like, there was consent obtained as much as they were able to communicate with each other. But being impregnated with basically extra large tadpoles is just kinda nauseating. Also, I just found myself wondering what happened to the woman afterwards? Was she going to be executed for being a loose woman or a witch? The story just didn’t leave me happy or satisfied. Just unsettled.
Something New by Emerald: a loving hetero couple has a swinging encounter with the husband’s best friend and his wife after Thanksgiving dinner in Burlington, VT.
The Summer of 1669 by Jayne Renault: a historical setting that required far too much world building and didn’t leave much space for the erotic. I guess you could call it a lesbian colonizing romance, with (white) lesbians from colonial France being sent to Canada to arranged marriages with straight white male colonizers to bear children. There’s forbidden love and implied infidelity, and it just didn’t work for me.
Broken Thing Fixed by Anna Mia Hanson: Another story with an elaborate set up that required too much worldbuilding. Involves straight sex with a f virgin seducing a disabled m who is in love with her.
One Interpretation by A. Zimmerman: A body positive hetero scene at a BDSM club, with a f submissive and m dom. Not spectacular, but I was struck (ahaha. punny.) by the line, “As the saying went, “What I do over here is wonderfully erotic, what you do over there is outrageously perverted.”
Dancing with Myself by Quinn Lestrange: a woman narrates her love of exhibitionism and of her hot husband. The most remarkable part of the story is when the woman starts narrating about herself with the royal we, “We know even in this state what our Jackson wants from us. We do not mind.” a little too Gollum for me.
Vintage Treasure by Angora Shade: a sweet story about a hetero Black couple who buy an old home to remodel after 10 years of marriage and discover a treasure trove of unused vintage sex toys that liven up their sex life considerably. probably relatable to a lot of people who’ve been married for a long time.
Sheer Pleasure by AZ Louise: a very plus sized nonbinary “enby princex” revels in being humiliated in public by their loving male partner. “plus-sized fashion show” “beautiful fat slutty witches”. creative and surprisingly sweet story, given all the humiliation.
The First Moment I Saw You by Caridad Pineiro: a hot hetero power exchange hookup with Latinx strangers, with a surprise twist at the end.
The King’s Return by CD Reiss: an aging f porn star plans and executes a gang bang scene with 5 men. consensual and mutually satisfying, if not to my taste.
Spin by Lauren Emily: a f/f encounter with polyamorous fellow trapeze artists in a public exhibition. First and second person narration. Friends to lovers. Biracial MC. and A LOT of trapeze detail.
So, overall, a pretty hit and miss collection, with a lot of misses for me. I appreciated the creativity and diversity, but a lot of the stories involved things like dubious consent or implications of infidelity that made me uncomfortable, and several had such extensive set up for the encounter that they were more world-building and extraneous details than erotica. However, I did enjoy some of the stories, and came away with the names of several diverse erotica writers whose works I want to read further, so it wasn’t a total loss.
Thank you to #NetGalley and Cleis Press for sharing a digital #advancedcopy of #BestWomensEroticaoftheYear with me in exchange for an honest review.