The Cost of Art

I have been thinking about money.  Let's face it who has not.  Times are tight, the stress is making my pant's feel that way too.  -I am a nervous eater. -   So back to the point and the relevance to us as book readers.  I was looking through reviews and debating.  Are readers more likely to buy a book we recommend if it is less expensive?  Is there a price that is too high?


If we are talking price how do we quantify it?  I loved the book - but 99% of the time I got it for free.   What about the readers?  Is the whole story worth $5.99?  The book has 279 pages.  Is the book worth $.0214 a page?  Flirt by Laurell K Hamilton costs $.125 per page and there are some blank pages in that number as well as large print.  So how does the break down effect you?  Should we figure in the number of times we re-read the book?


This week we are going to be looking at this and hearing from some publishers as they weigh in on the issue so please leave your questions and lets talk.  We will also  be looking back over our previous reviews and seeing if price puts them in a new light.

Is it all about the Benjamins?

Claimed by Elle Amour Review

Claimed

by Elle Amour

Ellora’s Cave Publishing

Book 1 in the Mate Seekers series.

Trista is living every middle-aged woman’s fantasy—she wakes to find her body is pre-kids, pre-stretch marks and pre-gravity. Oh yeah! What’s more, the lover sharing her fantasy—blond hair, piercing turquoise eyes and a sculpted body to drool over—makes her feel like the sexy teen she was back when he first visited her dreams. Except this is no fantasy, and Rurik the Conqueror is no dream lover. He’s real, he’s not from Earth, and this time he’s come to claim her.

Rurik had known Trista of Earth was his by the Svendian way—her scent. A war and fears for her safety were all that kept him from staking his claim years ago, but no longer. He needs her like he needs his next breath. But unknown forces intrude on his plans and Rurik finds she’s in greater danger than ever. This time he’s not giving up, and he’ll die to protect the woman who completes his soul in a way he never imagined..… Synopsis by Ellora’s Cave Publishinghttp://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8214-50-claimed.aspx

Claimed Review by Marcia Corbett

My Rating:  3 ½ out of 5 Whips

 

This is not only the first book in a series by Elle Amour, it is the first book written by Lise Fuller’s under this new pen name and her first foray into “futuristic erotic romance”.  According to Lise, “The short of it is that I want people to identify the type of book. Although still rife with action, these are even more erotic.”  Okay, enough of giving you the author’s background.  On to Claimed.

What can I say?  There is PLENTY of sex, a little bondage, interplanetary travel, ‘droids, cougar sex, one horrendously sick bad guy and a set-up for the next book in the series.  I had 2 problems with the book. 

First, the sex was so fast and furious most of the time, sometimes taking little more than a paragraph, I found myself tempted to skip the sex part to see what happened next.     

Second, the middle of the book was jumping so fast from one situation to another and back that I found myself backtracking to try to keep the story straight.

Other than that, It was a good read and kept my attention.  I liked how Trista got through several situations that would have normally had her screaming for a straight jacket by believing she was in a hospital under sedation and she was merely dreaming.   She finally realizes she really IS in a space ship, really IS “bonded” to Rurik and really DID have a most unusual bonding ceremony.

You can learn more about Lise/Elle and her books at her website, http://www.lisefuller.com/  or you can check out her Elle website, http://www.elleamour.com/main.html

Training the Receptionist by Juniper Bell Review

Training the Receptionist

by Juniper Bell

Samhain Publishing – Ebook

It’s her naughty dream job—if they’re satisfied with her performance…  

Eager to escape her miserable existence in Low-Life, Long Island, street-wise Dana Arthur jumps at an entry-level position with the consulting firm Cowell & Dirk. As her training period begins, she quickly discovers she’s required to do more than take messages and order office supplies. Her job description contains some deliciously naughty duties that give receptionist a whole new meaning. 

Simon has almost given up on finding the right woman who will please his clients as well as his demanding partner and mentor, Ethan Cowell. No one measures up—until Dana. Her inner fire and fearless nature are perfect for the job. No matter what wicked punishment he devises to chastise her for her on-the-job mistakes, she accepts with a relish that leaves him wondering which one of them is really in control.

The last thing he expects to discover is that she’s a perfect sexual soul mate he can’t bear to share. But share he must—it’s part of his business agreement. Unless he makes Ethan the deal of a lifetime… Synopsis by Samhain Publishing        http://samhainpublishing.com/books/training-the-receptionist

 

Training the Receptionist

Review by Marcia

My Rating:  4.75 out of 5 Whips

This is Juniper Bell’s 2^nd book for Samhain Publishing and my first chance to read her.  What can I say?  Hot is not the least of it.   To quote the warning following the synopsis in the book:  “This title contains explicit sex, bondage, ménage, ingenious use of office furniture, lingerie, and the occasional sex toy.  Oh, and did I mention the package delivery guy?” 

Yes, this book has all of that, but even so, it’s a compelling read simply because it’s all about discovery.  Dana’s discovery of sensual pleasures outside of the normal guy-girl-dinner-movie-sex-in-the-car-or-on-the-couch kind of pleasures she’s known in the last 7 of her 22 years growing up on Long Island.  Simon’s discovery of limits and boundaries he’s never confronted before. And Ethan’s discovery that, although he’s the Senior Partner in the firm, he doesn’t always get everything his own way!

In this story, you keep waiting to see what will happen next because you only see it as it happens to Dana.  No switching to Simon’s point of view, no 3^rd party observer or omniscient narrator.  All you get is what Dana sees, feels, hears and thinks.  And what she sees, feels, hears and thinks is purely HOT!   Belly-warming, toe-tingling, keep you warm on a cold night in Alaska (where Juniper lives) HOT.

If you like your relationships spicy, with a possibility of danger, but with the promise of complete trust between a man and a woman, you have got to check out this book.

You can learn more about Juniper and her books at her website, http://www.juniperbell.com/ 

WARNING - This title contains themes that readers might find objectionable.  It is not for all readers.  Reading the Excerpt before purchasing is advised.

The Enchanted Flute by Nichelle Gregory Review

The Enchanted Flute

by Nichelle Gregory

Noble Romance Publishing

Length

Naughty Nibble

When a beautiful enchantress awakens from her slumber to soul-stirring music, she reveals herself to the gifted, gorgeous flutist playing nearby. Lanai is at once attracted to Arye and moved by his melodies. After a sizzling night of sex, the enchantress realizes she’s fallen in love for the first time.

Lanai offers her love to the Arye, a man that has never loved anything more than his flute.  Although, the enchantress could use magic to win his heart, she wants him to love her on his own. Heartbroken and bitter, she casts a powerful spell over the flutist instrument that causes listeners to act out whatever emotion Ayre is feeling at the moment and disappears.

Unable to control his thoughts and fearful of harming his adoring audience, Ayre now only plays his enchanted flute when he is alone.  Angry and determined, he spends his time searching for Lanai.  Years go by and Ayre begins to give up hope that he will ever find the woman that consumes his thoughts and fuels his lustful desires.  When he finally stumbles across the enchantress, Ayre is torn between fury and desire…or is it love?

Special Content Alert: Interracial

Synopsis from Noble Romance

 

The Enchanted Flute Review

by Book Fairy

3.5/5 Whips in the Backseat

 

Lanai and Ayre's souls united for one night of love that leaves them both tortured and angry for a long time to come in The Enchanted Flute.

 

The story takes place in some other time and in some other place that we get very few details about. The beauty of the lake where Lanai and Ayre first meet is briefly described, but the intense love scene that followed made up for the lack of lake description.  

 

I liked that Ayre gave up playing his flute, which was supposed to be the one thing that he loved above anyone or anything to protect the people who were directly affected by the emotion he was feeling when he played. I thought Lanai could have used a little more back bone, she gave up kinda easy on the man that was supposed to have been the first man she ever loved, but I liked that she got even by cursing his beloved flute. You go girl!

 

I felt that the story was a little rushed and lacked some detail, but since it is a very short book its understandable. The Enchanted Flute would be great for an afternoon quickie.  It had a feel good ending and a very hot sexy love scene. I give it a 3.5