#Review of #STRINGS by @kendallgrey1 #erotica #rocknovel

Many of you may have heard about the controversy surrounding the author of this book and yes I did write a few posts on the subject as well. I didn’t bash her then, nor will I bash her or her book now.  I purchased this book out of sheer curiosity when the hoopla all started and I’m so glad I did.  Below you will find my honest review of Kendall Grey’s self-proclaimed trashy novel.  ~The Vixen

Sex, Booze, Rock and Roll and More Sex. What More Can You Ask For?

5 Hearts ♥♥♥♥♥

Cheers to the author for putting right in the warning to readers EXACTLY what to expect from her “virgin” voyage into writing erotica/erotic romance. I’ve included the warning below. I laughed my ass off reading it and can see why readers downloaded this book based on the warning alone. 

times 10! LOL the heroine Letty is a smart assed, foul mouthed rocker broad who doesn’t sugar coat anything. She tells it like it is with a vulgarity that made me want to kneel and chant “we’re not worthy.” Finally, a character as foul mouthed as I am. Yum!

I stood up and cheered for Letty over and over again. She got knocked down but kept pursuing her musical dream (“The Rock”) and broke her “no strings” rule in the process.  I laughed, nearly cried, and cheered over and over again. I want the next book and I want it now!

Here’s the author’s warning on Amazon…

WARNING: STRINGS is not suitable for slut shamers, uptight stone throwers, Holier-Than-Thou prudes, humorless virgins, persons with chronic neck or back pain, pearl-clutching bitties, those who disparage crude humor or vulgarity in their many forms, closed-minded people with sticks up their asses, or anyone under the age of 18. The vile, base language and shocking, unholy sexual acts contained herein are not condoned by anyone with a lick of sense and should certainly not be reproduced without proper training and protection. The potty-mouthed and perpetually horny "heroine" (the term is used loosely) of this book does not resemble a normal, well-adjusted, or remotely believable person in any way, shape, or form. The author acknowledges that the characters in this book are shallow and two-dimensional; the plot is both ridiculous and insipid. She makes no apologies for any of it.


* Readers are strongly advised to wear latex gloves whilst reading to minimize contamination risks.

I have to disagree with the author on a few points. The heroine is entirely believable to this reader. Not only do I know people who talk like her, I happen to have a potty mouth that can at times rival hers.  The plot is exactly what you’d expect from a story about musicians trying to make it big. There’s sex, drinking, sex, touring, sex while on tour with band mates and with groupies. What’s not believable about that? Sure it’s a work of fiction, but how many real life rockers are prim and proper?  Letty Dillinger to me is a compilation what I imagine my faves were like when they were first starting out: Lita Ford and Joan Jett are the first two that come to mind.

Ms. Grey takes you right into Letty’s world and shakes the hell out of you. Under that rough and tough exterior lies a musician with a heart of gold who’d do anything for her band mates, even give up the one guy who could possibly be her perfect match sexually and musically.  The one she dubs as “Shades” turns out to be much more than she first thought and at times a bit more than her heart can handle. The dynamic between the two is what kept me reading even when I had to get back to my “evil day job.” Every single moment I got, I picked the story up and raced to the finish. 

The supporting cast continually surprised me, especially the drummer in Letty’s band. Quiet as a mouse Jinx can tear up the skins like nobody’s business and it’s on tour with Shades and the other’s in his band where she starts to come into her own. I hope Kendall let’s this one have her own book!

Now the sex in here is definitely over the top, smoking hot, down and dirty and at times messy as hell. I loved every single second of it. That’s why I gave this book the five heart it deserves.  This “trashy” novel is well written and the characters tug at your heart as well as a few other body parts. ;)  It’s EXACTLY what I want in an erotic novel about “The Rock.”

Brava, Kendall Grey. You’ve definitely found your niche in OUR genre. Keep up the fabulous work and hurry up with the next books in this series already!  Head on over to Amazon and get your own copy today. You'll be glad you did. 

~The Vixen

BLURB

Free-spirited musician Letty Dillinger adheres to a strict, "no strings attached" policy when it comes to men. After a wild night of unabashed sex in a fancy hotel room, she never expects to see the adventurous stud she dubs "Shades" again. When her all-girl rock trio books a tour at the last minute as the opening act for their archenemies, Letty's shocked to discover she knows the competition's new lead singer. Intimately. Shades is no longer a one-night stand. Now he's the guy she has to one-up on stage every night for the sake of her career.

Sharing close quarters on a bus with her sexy nemesis and his bad-boy buddies puts Letty's Golden Rule to the test. On this tour, guitar strings aren't the only things being played. And when heartstrings are pulled too hard, they're bound to snap sooner or later.

Redeption in Blood: Novel of the Penitant by Tara S. Wood

Blood, Dark Magic, Hot Sex and Sultry Vamps...What More Can You Ask For?

5 Hearts ♥♥♥♥♥

The author brought in new elements to the tale of the vampire world. In Ms. Wood's telling female vamps are revered and even though difficult, vampires can give birth to children. 

This is not your run of the mill erotic romance. You get caught up in the hero and heroine's race to catch a murderer, one so vile that even the vamps are afraid of him. Vesper and Decker find their suspect isn't the only thing they have in common. The fire that erupts between them nearly consumes them both and leaves you to wonder if they will take the chance on each other or bolt.

Normally this icon is reserved for the more sensual/sweet romances, but this book deserves it too.  While the sex is white hot, it's also sweet and sensual as two people start to find much needed healing when they are wrapped in each other's arms.

The secondary characters introduced in this book are begging...PLEADING...to have their stories told too. I can't wait to find out more about the half breed Cain, Vesper's brother Marcus, her friend and powerful witch Lorelei and Decker's partner C.C. The sparks flew all the way around. Who will end up with who or will we be introduced to some new characters to add more spice to the current mix?


As you can see above I absolutely loved this book! Right from the opening scene, I was pulled into Vesper's world and I couldn't leave until I got to the end of the book. Okay, I had to put my Kindle away a few times to attend to the 'evil day job," but when I was free, I devoured this story.  Let me share the blurb so you can understand why.


Murder is serious business among vampires. If you kill, so do they. They are the Penitent – a military order among vampire society charged with one task only. Execute the condemned.

Vesper Hyde is a model Penitent. Solitary. Skilled. Deadly. Only once has she ever lost a target, even though it almost cost her life. Now the one that got away is back with a vengeance, and this time he's determined to finish the job. She needs to overcome the whispers of doubt and let her instinct and training take over to redeem her failure. But on this second time around, she doesn't expect a sidekick. A very sexy, stubborn, human sidekick.

Homicide Detective Decker Price has seen it all, including the murder of his wife at the hands of a twisted serial killer. When another murder pitches him headfirst into a world of vampires, witches, and sorcery, he is given a chance to mend shattered parts of his soul. But Vesper's world is as dark and alluring as the Penitent herself and he will come face to face with echoes of his past in order to help her keep a vicious enemy at bay.

If they are to succeed, they will need to push aside both their failings and work together to ensure the balance of their worlds remains unchanged. Redemption comes at a cost – is their love worth the price?

Not only are you drawn into the world of these two hotties, you are mesmerized by the twisted and sick mind of the killer they both seek to bring to justice. Describing this freak of nature as vicious is an understatement. Reading those scenes detailing past and present crimes will both fascinate and revolt you at the same time. The best analogy I can think of here is the character of Hannibal Lecter. That's right, this serial killer could go toe to toe with Dr. Lecter and give him a run for his money!

So if you're looking for a new take on the world of vampires, witches, and sorcery with characters to die for and sex scenes that will leave you in a heaving puddle on the floor, Redemption In Blood: A Novel of the Penitant is for you. Go on over to Amazon and get yours today...right now!

The Sunset Warrior by Leanore Elliott Brings the Heat

Will leave you breathless and begging for more! 

(originally posted on Amazon January 1, 2012)

5 Hearts ♥♥♥♥♥

For the scene in the lightning pool alone, Ms. Elliott gets the Naughty Devil!

The Vixen needs MORE from Leanore!

And a toast for that little room in the cave...you will need some sexual healing after this scene. Whew! Cheers!


I absolutely loved this book! Leanore Elliott grabbed my attention right from the first page and left me wanting more with each and every scene. Even though she didn't know it at the time, Maddie needed to be in Nowhere to find herself. She was all business, all of the time and basically forgot how to enjoy the simpler things in life, like the love of a hot Native American in the form of Devon. 

Sparks fly between them right from the start. The heat generated when they come together is as breathtaking as the scenery. You don't want to miss one second of their journey together and I definitely can't wait to read more from this author! 

(Available from Amazon, BN and other retail outlets.)

Flesh Fantasy by Maya DeLeina Rocked The Vixen's World!

Who knew finding your fated mate could be so...EXPLOSIVE?

(originally posted on Amazon August 8, 2012)

5 Hearts ♥♥♥♥♥

This book get's the drink icon for the spider web scene alone. You'll have to read it to see why!

The immediate connection between the hero and heroine is palpable. There is no pussy-footing around here. These two belong together and you know it right from the start. The sex scenes leave you panting and you feel every touch, every kiss. No holds barred!

I need more of these vamps!



I'm always drawn to stories about hot vampires, but truth be told most are variations of the same themes. There's nothing wrong with that, but Flesh Fantasy is a whole other creature all together. Right from the start you fall in love with both Rhys and Rain. They're two forces of nature in their own right, but when they come together...well, let's just say your kindles will melt from the fire generated between them. 

Their attraction is all consuming and you feel it in your own soul as the story unfolds. The author weaves a fast paced, heart pumping tale that leaves you breathless and begging for more. I can't wait to learn more about the Ambrose Heights vampires! 

Well done! 

 (Available from Bookstrand, Amazon, BN and other major outlets including iTunes!)

Welcome to Reviews by The Vixen

What? The Vixen is reviewing books?

That's right my sassy ones. I've decided to jump right into the crazy world of a book reviewer. I know what you're thinking. Do we really need another smart-ass posting their opinion about someone else's writing? Can't you just stick to blogging, promoting yourself, your alter egos, and other authors? 

Yes we do and no I can't.

How's that for being a smart ass? LOL

All kidding aside, I thought it would be a great idea for me to start putting the reviews I've written in one place. I'll still copy them to Goodreads, Amazon, Smashwords, or wherever I purchased the book, but this blog will be one stop "shopping" for authors and readers alike. The posts can be linked to, referred to, copied and reposted as long as I'm given credit for the review, it can be used as you see fit. Well, unless you start chopping it up and completely altering what the original review said. Now, if you just use snippets, that's fine. But if the content of the review is turned on it's ear...Houston, we'll have a problem. A BIG one. 

What kind of books will be reviewed?

As you know, I write poetry, erotic romance and erotica. I read everything I can get my hands on across all genres, from YA and mainstream fiction to the smoking hot erotica. This site will have an adult warning because I will post reviews of books that are meant for those over 18 years of age. That doesn't mean I won't post a review of a YA book. Those may be few and far between for a bit since I do have many adult content novels waiting to be read. 

What will be the rating system?

I'm going to use hearts for the symbols. I tried to find something like flames or hot peppers, but I can't figure out how to make the image repeatable in blogger. I can get one image, but when I try to put another next to it, blogger won't let me. LOL  So we are going with the hearts since I can make that symbol without a problem.

♥ Yes there are some books out there that need a 1 heart rating because they are that awful, but you won't see those posted here. I'll just choose to say nothing at all. 

♥♥ This would be the books that I finished but would not read again unless some serious revisions were done to it. I also wouldn't recommend it to anyone else. This would have to be one that has no clear cut direction or plot, characters I just can't follow or care about or those books out there that are so full of editing nightmares I want to bang my head against the wall.  Have I received a two star rating before? Yep. Do I know why? Yes. The person who rated my book preferred M/M erotic romances and this particular book of mine was M/F. The person NEVER READ THE BOOK!!! They just gave it a 2 because it didn't appeal to them. You won't get that from The Vixen!

♥♥♥ Now for this site, a three heart is a good book! It's one that entertained and I rooted for the characters. There's a plot and the story moves along. To get a three and not higher, there have to be some things I just couldn't ignore. Usually these things would be repetitive phrases, head hopping, switching from 1st person to 3rd person and then back again in the same scene. 

♥♥♥♥ These are great books that I would pick up again and definitely recommend to a friend. There are probably a few things that didn't sit well with me, but overall a fun read. I would recommend the book for others to give a try. Four hearts from The Vixen means overall you did your job well, author!

♥♥♥♥♥ Five hearts from The Vixen means you rocked my fantasy world! I was transported to the world you created easily and grew attached to your characters. I cheered them on, wanted to shake them when they did something stupid, and overall I could see myself in your story. You made your characters REAL to me. I would highly recommend a 5 heart book and read it over and over again just to see if there were any details I missed from the times before.  Five hearts means TELL ME MORE!!!

So that's the site in a nutshell. I'll post my first set of reviews soon.