Beauty's Release

**Links: Book 1 * Book 2**

I'm sort of glad that I'm finally done with this series. It just made me feel sort of uncomfortable. When so much of the book is basically just forcible rape, it's hard to be ok with what's going on.

Granted, this last book was a little easier. There was less beatings and whippings, but there was still that raping going on. Beauty and five other "slaves" were kidnapped and taken to an Arab country to become slaves to a Sultan. But they're treated, not necessarily better, but gentler in their new location. Hence, less beatings. So I was able to deal with this story a little better.

I still don't know that I'll ever read this series again. Unlike Fifty Shades (which excited me), I just couldn't handle the discomfort that this story made me feel.

Beauty's Punishment

**Link: Book 1**

Ok. The second book in this series is definitely better than the first book was. There's more of a story that happens, and the sexual parts are a little more fulfilling, both for the reader and the sex slave in the book.

But don't get me wrong. I still wouldn't recommend this to anyone who isn't in to that complete depravity and the complete sexual submission that is very prominent in this book.

There's more love that occurs in this book. Not necessarily full blown romantic love, but a definite tenderness. Beauty and other slaves are sent to "the village" which appears to be a much better environment for her at least. There is still the harshness of the abuse (whipping, paddling, etc), but that tenderness is apparent and kept me from feeling completely sorry for the characters that are slaves.

If you think you can handle this series, go for it. But I won't say that I whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone. It comes to personal preference.

The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty

I think I decided to read this series partly because of the whole Fifty Shades of Grey fascination. It's on the cover of the newest edition of this series that was published in 1983. "If you liked 50 Shades of Grey, you'll love the Sleeping Beauty trilogy".

But here's what they don't tell you. If you liked the domination/submission part of Fifty Shades, you'll love these. What I truly enjoyed about Fifty Shades is so not in this book.

The first of the trilogy, The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty is just that. It's the tale of what happens after Sleeping Beauty is awoken from her long slumber in her castle. But it's entirely about sexual submission and beatings. There are words like "love" and "passion" scattered through the emotions of this book, but what it really is in simple terms is control and abuse. More than was ever in Fifty Shades.

It was a good enough book considering it's erotica. But there's not much story to it. Beauty is a sex slave, plain and simple, and the entire 250+ pages are about the Prince gaining control and dominating her through the use of cruel means.

I wouldn't really recommend this to, well, anyone I know. It's just not that kind of book.