ARC Review: The Angel by Tiffany Reisz

 

The Angel

(The Original Sinners #2)

by Tiffany Reisz

The Original Sinners is simply riveting. By far, the most fascinating series I’ve read this year.

There was a small chance that it could all be a fluke. I’ve never read a book that so wholly owned me. Earlier this year, I read THE SIREN and became utterly enthralled and shocked by the dark erotica. For some reason, I went into this book thinking that there was no way Reisz could pull this on me twice. There’s simply no way.

But she did. Oh, she did. And she blew me away.

Hear this: Tiffany Reisz is a master storyteller. Reisz may have started out with an erotic women’s fiction story but ended up creating fascinating characters you will never forget!

In THE ANGEL, we find our favorite erotic writer, Nora Sutherlin doing something out of character: she is hiding. When Soren is under consideration of becoming Bishop of the Diocese, Nora must hightail it before anyone can suspect her relationship with him. Michael, the young submissive we read about in THE SIREN tags along with her as they hide at Griffin’s residence. This is where things get good! In the time Nora stays at Griffin’s, she is to train Michael to be a submissive.

There is a reporter named Suzanne who is onto Soren and she makes it her next goal to uncover the secrets he so expertly hides. However, what she thinks if Soren’s dirty little secret is in fact not what Soren is afraid of uncovering. Though Suzanne was my least favorite of the characters, she ended up with the best sex scene! I won’t say more on that because you will have to read to find out!

Easily the best thing about this book apart from its stellar writing is Michael and Griffin. Going into this book, I had no idea what was going to happen. I didn’t read the blurb so I was in for a total shock when I learned about Michael and Griffin. They quickly became the reason why I loved this book so much. THE ANGEL turned out to be different than THE SIREN. The first book in the series didn’t have a romance, but in this book, Reisz delivers a fantastic one. Readers will be bow down to Reisz once they’ve read this book.

As I read THE SIREN, I was intrigued, but very afraid of Soren’s character. His passion is pain and nothing is ever quite simple with him. THE ANGEL delves deeper into his character and I was astounded by what Reisz revealed about him. It made me see him in an entirely different light and made me understand why he acts the way he does. Reisz simply pens the most compelling characters. Reisz also pushes readers to their limits with the sex in this book. Though it’s definitely not the first time I’ve read a blood play scene, it’s the most memorable.

There are simply no words that can capture how I feel about this book. So let me leave you with this...

THE ANGEL is addictively dark, erotic and shocking. Give yourself a treat and read outside of the box.

*ARC provided by Netgalley

Purchase Links: Amazon

Interview and Giveaway with Tiffany Reisz

TIFFANY REISZ

Ladies, we have a special treat today for you. We are so excited we got to ask Tiffany Reisz some questions and we are very excited to share those with you. She's one of UTC's favorite 2012 authors so please help us welcome her.

THE SIREN has created a lot of buzz lately because of its unconventional ending and dealings with S&M. What would you say to readers who are unsure if this book is right for them?

Simply this…THE SIREN is not a romance novel. It’s a work of erotic women’s fiction. Dr. Logan Levkoff (who you may recall is the smoking hot PhD who sparred with Dr Drew on The Today Show) called THE SIREN “a terrific emotional thriller.” And she’s not the only reader who has called it a thriller. If you need something formulaic with a guaranteed and simplistic happy-ever-after, then this is not the book for you. If you only like romance novels, this book is not for you. There are millions of those books out there. I wrote the book for the readers who wanted something darker, something different, something that would haunt them long after they read the final words.

What can readers expect from THE ANGEL, the next book in the Original Sinners series due out in September?

In romance novel series, the books usually revolve around a place with a big cast of characters. For example, Roni Loren’s fantastic Loving on the Edge series centers on The Ranch, a BDSM club. Every one of her books involves a new hero and new heroine who visit The Ranch. That’s not how it works in The Original Sinners world. Nora Sutherlin is the main character of all the books. THE ANGEL picks up 13 months after the end of THE SIREN as Nora is trying to settle in to her new life which is much like her old life. But a ghost from her past refuses to stop haunting her heart. Chaos ensues when her lover Søren is suddenly up for a big promotion, a promotion that could spell disaster for their relationship and their community. So while Søren’s dealing with that, he sends her and a troubled teenaged boy of their acquaintance up North to hide out with Nora’s favorite fuck buddy Griffin Fiske.

No matter whether they loved him or hated him, all my THE SIREN readers asked me the same thing—“Will we get to learn more about Søren?” Answer, yes. Big time. Book two and three both delve deep into his past. Book three even takes you there. Plus you’ll learn a lot more about who Mistress Nora is and why she might just be more dangerous than all the other sinners combined.

Søren is such an interesting character. What would you say is his greatest strength? What is his greatest weakness?

Søren is my favorite character. He’s so easy to write. It’s like he stands over my shoulder and dictates. Dictator would have been a good career choice for him. I, of course, never tell him no. Who could?

I hope he’s not watching while I’m writing this. But I’m pretty certain he’d tell you the same thing I’m about to. His greatest strength IS greatest weakness and that is his complicated, unfathomable, unconditional, and unquenchable love for Nora.

How many books do you plan to write in the Original Sinners series?

In this plot arc there are four books—The Siren, The Angel, The Prince, and the tentatively titled fourth book, The Mistress. The Mistress will be the final book in the timeline. After that, I’ll write the four prequels that deal with young Nora and her relationship with Søren and Kingsley building his underground Empire of Kink. The first prequel I plan to write is attentively titled THE PRIEST. Something tells me that one is going to sell really well AND get me excommunicated. You take the good with the bad, right?

Which scene in THE SIREN was the most difficult to write? Which one was the easiest?

Most difficult scene to write was Nora’s flashback scene to her last anniversary with Søren. As soon as I wrote Nora’s words, “Don’t. Don’t say I ran from you. I didn’t run. I could never run from you…” the tears started pouring. I have no idea why that scene got to me so badly but it was written with shaking hands as actual, full-body sobs wracked my body. When I typed the words, “I’ll fly” I nearly collapsed. I think I turned into a Nora while writing that scene and all her love and longing took over me and hit the page.

Easiest to write was the BDSM scene between Nora and her favorite client Sheridan. Originally the scene was a fade-to-black due to word count issues. But my editor asked me to do an on-screen scene. I said YES and wrote the whole thing in about fifteen minutes. The words, like Sheridan in that scene, came and came and came.

Fun side note: One of the nicest compliments I received on THE SIREN was from a woman writer who is currently dating another woman. She said it made her so happy to read a book where a woman has a sexual encounter with another woman and doesn’t feel any angst about it. That’s my Nora—not an angst-ridden bone her body.

If given the chance to switch places with one of your characters in your books, who would you pick and why?   

I always say Nora isn’t my alter-ego. She’s my alter-id. The id is the party animal of the personality. If I looked like Nora and could get away with the shit she pulls, I’d be doing it every damn day of my life. Since I don’t and I can’t, I’m just happy she lets me come along for the ride.

You've mentioned that you live the BDSM lifestyle. How has this helped you with your writing? Does it spark ideas?

It does, definitely. And it helps with the authenticity. If people complain my books are not realistic, I can tell them that #1-“it’s a work of fiction and I’m dramatizing events” and #2-“I’ve done this shit so shut the fuck up.”

More politely…yes, I’ve done hardcore kink in the past with men I’ve been in relationships with. I’ve also visited a NYC Dominatrix twice for kink sessions. I have mined my past thoroughly to get sexy kink ideas. My old Dom once tied a rope around my neck and looped the other end to my ankle. I had to keep my leg bent behind me and high up in the air (Google image search the yoga pose called “King Dancer” and you’ll see what I mean). If my leg went down, the rope tightened on my neck. While holding this pose I had to submit to some serious…stuff. It. Was. AWESOME. Not shockingly, you’ll see this pose take place in one of the books in the series. Stay tuned…

Also my boyfriend and I are a very happy D/s couple. He’s the D, I’m the s. I love him. I trust his judgment completely. It’s easy (most of the time) to let go and let him be the leader in our relationship and submit to his decisions. It’s a lifestyle I introduced him to and that he took to like a duck to water.

Also, this morning he repeatedly swatted me on the bottom with a rolled up magazine REALLY REALLY HARD while I was trying to fold laundry. And I hadn’t even peed on the floor. Doms can be such sadists. I love them.

Quick-fire questions!
Ebooks or paperback? Paperback!
Favorite book: All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren!
Favorite place to read: In bed!
Last book read: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake!
coffee or tea? Tea!
leather or lace? Lace!
cane or flogger? Flogger!
Top or bottom? Bottom! 

About the Author:

Tiffany Reisz lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her boyfriend (a reformed book reviewer) and two cats (one good, one evil). She graduated with a B.A. in English from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky and is making both her parents and her professors proud by writing BDSM erotica under her real name. She has five piercings, one tattoo, and has been arrested twice.

When not under arrest, Tiffany enjoys Latin Dance, Latin Men, and Latin Verbs. She dropped out of a conservative southern seminary in order to pursue her dream of becoming a smut peddler. Johnny Depp’s aunt was her fourth grade teacher. Her first full-length novel THE SIREN was inspired by a desire to tie up actor Jason Isaacs (on paper). She hopes someday life will imitate art (in bed).

If she couldn’t write, she would die.

We have one copy of THE SIREN (open to US contestants only) up for grabs. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Little Red Riding Crop by Tiffany Reisz

 

Little Red Riding Crop

(The Original Sinners #0.6)

by Tiffany Reisz

LITTLE RED RIDING CROP is a free prequel short that can be downloaded from Tiffany Reisz’s website. I sucked this back like crack. There’s nothing like an early morning, a cup of coffee and some kink to wake you up in the morning.

Readers find Nora Sutherlin in handcuffs. Which wouldn’t be a surprise considering she likes being restrained, but this time it’s because she’s in a police station, arrested because she made her client scream a little too loud and caused some panic in their staff.

As the top Dominatrix in America, Nora has been working nonstop for her boss, Kingsley Edge. She needs a short break and the only way King is willing to give her a month’s vacation is if she goes to Black Forest – a rival BDSM club who is stealing both of King’s clients and staff and find out who The Dame is.

So this is where Nora steps into Black Forest and comes face to face with The Big Brad Wolfe – cue the panty-melting because Brad Wolfe is one hot stud!!!! Negotiating with The Big Brad Wolfe is just as entertaining as the sex itself. The sexual tension crackles in the air and I found that I thoroughly enjoy everything that Reisz writes in this world. Like I mentioned earlier, Reisz is my crack.

I loved the take on the fairy tale. It’s not so innocent now but definitely world the reread!

 

 

Review: Seven Day Loan by Tiffany Reisz

 

Seven Day Loan

(The Original Sinners #0.5)

by Tiffany Reisz

Eleanor is a perfectly trained submissive so when her Master decides to loan her to a friend, she does what is asked of her with little complaint. This is why she finds herself in a large house with an intriguing man.

A widower for 3 years, Daniel has been grieving over his wife’s death since then, never once escaping the confines of his home. However, the fact that he is still lost in grief does not mean that he has forgotten the pleasures of flesh or the words that make a submissive melt.

For seven days, Eleanor is his and Tiffany Reisz makes sure that those seven days are well spent. I don’t think this book is required reading to understand what happens in THE SIREN or in THE ANGEL, but it’s a nice bonus to an already addicting series. It’s as if Reisz knew I would require another hit so she gave us this short to pass the time until the next book comes out. I only wish it were longer.

I’m told that there are more freebies on Daniels on her website so I will be zooming to take a look at those before going on to the next short, LITTLE RED RIDING CROP.

*ARC provided by Netgalley

 

 

Review: Submit to Desire by Tiffany Reisz

 

Submit to Desire

by Tiffany Reisz

I’ve entered the world of Kingsley kink and now I don’t want to go back!

Tiffany Reisz gives readers a small reprieve as they impatiently await the next book in the Original Sinners series, THE ANGEL. In SUBMIT TO DESIRE, readers get a glimpse into Edge Enterprises where Kingsley Edge rules the underground world. Known as a talent scout, Kingsley has an eye that allows him to create matches between people with certain kinks.

In the opening paragraph, we meet Charlotte who embodies a fiery persona. That fire is displayed nicely by her red hair and also her talent as a firebreather. I have to say that I really loved Charlotte! She was flirty and fun, but also believable for a person who isn’t quite familiar with the world of kink. As Kingsley introduces her to this vast dark world, readers are plunged into it as well and they get a full dose of Kingsley Edge who does not hold back. There were so many great sex scenes in this book but my favorite one has to be the insertion scene. I had a huge grin on my face while read it. Once again, I am reminded of the inventive uses of everyday objects.

SUBMIT TO DESIRE thrilled me and excited me. I only wish there was more! Tiffany Reisz has me eating out of the palm of her hand. Will I ever be the same after this? I think not.

 

 

Purchase Links: Barnes and Noble

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