I read about 50% of MacRieve, but you’ll see why I’m counting the experience as a whole book, maybe two. I think the judges will allow it. I read it to see what could be so bad on the “Kresley Cole Is Atrocious” scale that my friend said it was best left unread. The heroine, Chloe, thinks she is a human, but learns she is actually transforming into an immortal succubus whose sustenance comes from ejaculate. You read those words correctly and in the right order. Chloe is a succubus who feeds on ejaculate. Consumption is non-orifice specific. If the ejaculate comes from an unwilling male, she will sicken and die as it changes into “venom”. She got very sick about two-thirds of the way through the book. It didn’t take me that long.
The werewolf hero, Uilliam, has childhood sexual abuse trauma associated with an exploitative succubus (which is apparently not a redundant statement), so he hates the entire species. Chloe is his fated mate, he is drawn to and disgusted by her simultaneously. He really freaks out whenever she takes his precious bodily fluids. She shows remarkable forbearance and forgiveness. There is a dissertation’s worth of repellent, sexist themes in this book: the ejaculate issue; the transition of a woman into a monster with sexual awakening; a woman sucking the life out of a man, a literal succubus; a man being sexually drawn to, but also reviling the object of his affections because a relationship will imprison him and take his power; forgiveness of male mistreatment because he can’t help it; the saintly, redemptive female; lessons in love that not all succubi (women) are the same, you just need to meet the right one; and so on. Revolting and misogynistic elements masquerading as a love story. How very repugnant, Ms. Cole.
The (Shameful) Tally and reviews for other books in the Immortals After Dark series: The Warlord Wants Forever; A Hunger Like No Other; No Rest for the Wicked; Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night; Dark Needs at Night’s Edge; Dark Desires After Dusk; Kiss of a Demon King; Deep Kiss of Winter; Pleasure of a Dark Prince; Demon from the Dark; Dreams of a Dark Warrior; Lothaire; MacRieve; Shadow’s Claim.
Tagged: book reviews, Dacians, Immortals After Dark, kresley cole, paranormal romance, romance review, Thunder Sex
Mrs. Julien Presents 
Thank you! I thought I was the only one who thought the plot of this book was mysognystic and ludicrous. I enjoy paranormal fiction, and the book got such high reviews on Amazon, I started to wonder if it was just me. The THUNDER SEXtm is hysterical. My husband and I read it outloud for laughs, and it sounds even more obsurd when you hear it. Since the series is so popular, someone must enjoy this kind of escapism. I just hope no teen/tweens get ahold of them. I would hate to think they would take McRieve as a model for good relationships!
You made my day.
I have to admit that Cadeon and Holly’s book is a guilty pleasure of mine. In my defense, I did have to look up her name to be sure of it. Kindle is such an enabler.
I think we don’t give teens enough credit when we worry they will think this stuff is aspirational. At least, I hope that’s the case.
Perhaps you are right. And I find the romance novel a guilty pleasure myself. I kept coming back to the Cole’s novels because I liked the character of Nix (pop-culture jargon and sorority sleepover notwithstanding).
I guess I just worry because she has churned out couple of YA novels out, and even though there hasn’t been any THUNDER SEX in them (at least to my knowledge, I could only get through one), they’re still pretty awful. Think virgins giving it up our of duty, and violent, alcoholic boyfriends that are just so sexy. Domestic abuse is just so HOT, girls! Yuck.
I have struggled mightily with reading romance and what it means about my intellectual vulgarity, but I can’t seem to stop. I just really like them.