Review: The Siren by Tiffany Reisz

 

The Siren

 The Original Sinners #1

by Tiffany Reisz

So far, I have read 123 books this year, but THE SIREN has to be my favorite.

But before I tell you why I loved it, I need to say a few things first. I feel like I have to warn people about this book because having preconceived notions about it will definitely make or break it.

This isn’t a romance novel. There is no happy ending. Don’t expect one. There is no wooing. There is sex, yes , but maybe not the kind you are used to reading about.

THE SIREN deals with S&M. To some, beating a person until they sob, scream, bleed or faint is the greatest pleasure. There are some who crave the crack of a cane on their back while others love administering the pain. This type of relationship is what Nora, the heroine of this story and Soran, her lover live by. To them, pain is pleasure.

The sex in this book is extreme. It will offend some and maybe disgust others, but Reisz does not pull any punches. She hits you hard and makes you stare at the damage after. I found the variety of sexual relations in this book to be interesting because while it may not be arousing to me, it still held my attention. I didn’t like it, but I also didn’t find myself hating it either. I found the hardcore sex to be...tolerable, for lack of a better word. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing in any way. I know that certain kinks are out there, and while they not be my kinks, I can’t say that it’s wrong either. I accepted it and I hope that when you read this, you can understand that too.

Now that I’ve warned you off this book, here’s the reasons WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK:

The sex – yep, that’s right. As uncomfortable as some of the scenes are, they are worth the read. Reisz will push you farther than you ever thought possible and I think it’s a good reading experience. Though it’s dark and brooding and kinky as hell, it’s very well done. Reisz has mastered the art of writing sex scenes that will captivate you despite how differently you may actually feel about it out of context.

The characters – I have never met a cast of characters that have captivated me as much as Nora, Zach, Wesley and Soren have. I have to say something about each of them.

Hands down the number one reason I loved this book is because of Nora. She was immediately someone I had to know more about. As an erotica writer, she is smart and quick with words. I loved the teasing way she handled things. It eased some of the tension and brought humor to the darkest times of this book. As a Dominatrix, she oozes sex appeal and dominance but I think this was only a smaller facet of her personality because from the very beginning, you could see how very sure of herself she was, even as the world around her fell apart. Simply put, Nora rocked!

To me, Zach was the least developed character and that only shows how wonderfully written the other characters were. I felt that his problems with Grace weren’t as original, but still held a lot of depth.

Wesley to me felt like the right choice for Nora. Their friendship resonated with me much more than her love for Soren. I loved his protectiveness and his quiet presence in Nora’s life. He was her light.

Soren was the most interesting character. A secret about who is he is revealed in this book that shocked me to my core. I felt like Reisz kicked me in the mouth. I was shocked that she could land that big a bomb on me, but at the same time, you have to smile and commend her for hitting her mark spot on. It was so good. So well executed.

The writing – Writing as smooth and elegant as this, it’s clear that Reisz really knows her way around a thesaurus. I have to give props on an author who has a big vocabulary. The pacing was spot on. I could not have asked for a better paced book than this.

Paired with unforgettable characters and a little bit of a taboo subject and you’ve got my favorite book of 2012 so far!  Though it was at times sexy, it was never meant to seduce. It's a book that as you read, makes you blink...and blink...and blink. It is dazzling and devastating in equal measures. THE SIREN utterly captivated me and now I'm begging for more!

 

 

 Purchase Links: Amazon