Follow Friday #54

Happy Friday everyone!

Yes, it’s that time of week again where bloggers unite to participate in the Follow Friday venture. The idea behind #FF is to promote traffic to your own blog, make new friends with other like-minded bloggers and discuss new and interesting topics each week.

Participating is simple. First you need to follow my blog because I’m totally awesome, then you can follow me on Twitter @kristyberridge (actually you don’t have to do this, it’s wishful thinking), but do follow my blog or assassins will get you …

Then you must follow our illustrious hosts Rachel of http://www.parajunkee.com/ and Alison of http://www.alisoncanread.com/ If you want more details on how to enter your own blog in the follow and hop, all directions are on their webpages

Now, once you’ve followed, check out my answer to this week’s questions and don’t forget to leave a comment so I can do the right thing and follow you back!

This week's question: What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it?

My Answer: The Fifty Shades Series

Honestly, this series really spun me out. I've never read anything quite like it and I just had to know how it would end, if the characters would remain consistent or if everything would change. 

But I lie.

I was as morbidly fascinated with this seemingly taboo subject matter as everyone else.

Book Review: Fifty Shades Freed by EL James

As most of you probably know, Fifty Shades Freed is the final installment in the Fifty Shades trilogy, and for my money, it is entertaining if you have enjoyed the series-to-date, but also entirely too expected.

What started out as an interesting, dark and psychologically twisted sexual tale, soon becomes a story about change, love and all of that mushy unrealistic crap that's penned in some of these fictional romances.

To my mind, Christian Grey is annihilated in character within these pages, turned by affection and what he believes is the weakness of his past. Anastasia Steele (now his wife), excavates to the very essence of what drives the darkness that makes Christian so infallible and interesting in earlier plots. She smooths his emotional wrinkles and even begins to embrace what she found morally reprehensible within his previously rigid character in earlier novels.

Although there was a part of me that enjoyed this happy, safe and neatly wrapped up ending, there was a part of me that longed for something more sinister, perhaps more of a play on Anastasia's unfurling confidence versus Christians domineering and heavy-handed approach to all situations.

There was no lack of sexual content. In fact, towards the end of the book I felt like throwing it at a wall, wondering what the hell my husband and I were doing wrong if simply the darkening of his mercurial expression made her insides tighten and mouth part in need. I mean, what married couple really has sex three to four times a day? I was honestly exhausted just reading about it!

Once again the plot followed expectation. There was no real mystery or unexpected twist requiring clever deduction on the reader's part. The action was limited (unless you count the incessant fornication) and the writing style was adequate but not overly expressive (unless you count Anastasia's ability to orgasm with a simple worded command - unrealistically impressive).

Overall, as I've said before the series is enjoyable if you take it at surface value - a simple, slightly twisted romantic read with a few shock factors. Fifty Shades Freed was the lightest of all novels with the predictable happy ending. Again, this is only going to be a three out of five fangs rating for me but this is based on my earlier interest in the much more complex, self-serving and charismatic sadist known as Christian Grey.

Synopsis:
When unworldly student Ana Steele first encountered the driven, damaged young entrepreneur Christian Grey, it sparked a sensual affair that changed both their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and ultimately repelled by Christian's singular sexual tastes, Ana demanded a deeper commitment; determined to keep her, Christian agreed. Now, together, they have more-love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of infinite possibilities. But Ana always knew that loving her Fifty Shades would not be easy and being together poses challenges neither of them ever anticipated. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian's opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own integrity, identity, or independence; Christian must somehow overcome his compulsion to control and lay to rest the horrors that blighted his past and haunt his present. Just when it seems that together their love can conquer any obstacle, tragedy, malice and fate combine to make Ana's worst nightmares come true.

Book Review: Fifty Shades Darker by EL James

Fifty Shades of Grey was an eyeopener for me. I'd never read a book so sexually forward, exploratory and psychologically twisted in so many ways. I found it fascinating to read about an obsessive control freak and an uptight virgin who both find common ground, but Fifty Shades Darker explores new terrain, a twist in the path of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey I never expected.
(Read Fifty Shades Of Grey Review Here)
Fifty Shades Darker picks up right from where book one ends - Anastasia a sobbing mess, wallowing in self-pity and pining after the mercurial Mr Grey, regret somehow resurfacing in her recent decision to end the madness of their whirlwind, confusing and somewhat sinister affair.
Not surprisingly they find their way back to each other, Christian still overwhelmingly overbearing and controlling, though resolved to the prospect of change - a fairy-tale expectation for a man seriously haunted by the darkness of his past. Ana of course is dancing on the precipice of once again losing her identity to Christian's possession, blinded by her love and essentially coerced into every decision making process with mind blowing and often kinky sex.
Oh my ... if only we were all so lucky. (insert sarcasm here)
Although I did enjoy the continuation in this series, I was surprised that the author felt compelled to change the most complex and interesting character within the story. Christian Grey is fifty shades of f@#ked up, thus the basis of his appeal, and really, the only evolving story within an otherwise pretty simple and underwhelming plot. However, we see Christian start to shrug some of his domineering ways in exchange for warm and fuzzy sentiments released via Anastasia's earlier exit from the relationship. Suddenly this very complex and unpredictable man starts to morph into the expectations of romance readers everywhere - heartfelt, sentimental and sensitive.
Bring back the traits we love to hate!
The overall writing style is polished though not exactly littered with descriptive content or creative flair. The characters and ongoing drama somehow reel you back in for more, and as I've said, I did enjoy it, just not necessarily the direction the story took. I rate this book three out of five fangs, a good book, but not necessarily as great, surprising or dramatic as the first.

Synopsis:
Daunted by the singular sexual tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house. But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven, and demanding Fifty Shades. While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront her anger and envy of the women who came before her and make the most important decision of her life. Erotic, sparkling and suspenseful, Fifty Shades Darker is the irresistibly addictive second part of the Fifty Shades trilogy.

Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

Where do I even start? Fifty Shades of Grey is like nothing I have ever read before. Yes, I have heard that this is Twilight fan fiction (though I don't know how anyone can really draw parallels between the two), and that it's soft-core porn and in some instances, vulgar and badly written. The only thing I can respond to those statements with is that you didn't read the same book that I did.

Yes, I cannot deny that Fifty Shades of Grey is littered with sexual content. No, I will not deny that some of the acts performed are seriously confronting and outside most comfort zones. But what I will say, is that the writing is the all important vehicle for a platform of choices between a somewhat damaged man and a seemingly innocent woman.

Confused? Let me start at the beginning.

Fifty Shades of Grey is a very cleverly written book focusing solely on the power play between Christian Grey,a self-made multi millionaire with a troubled past, and Anastasia Steele, a doe-eyed college graduate with aspirations in the publishing industry.

As directly scribed by EL James herself, Mr Grey if fifty shades of fucked up. He is possessive, emotionally withdrawn and used to getting exactly what he wants, and what he wants in this instance, is the virginal Anastasia - a conquest not quite ready to submit to the whims of his extensive dark side and the punishment that lack of submission rallies.

At first I hated the character of Christian Grey. I believed him to be depraved and overwhelmingly suffocating. I even abhorred Anastasia's lack of strength in her own resolve, flawed that a pretty face had weakened her own moral code and persuaded her to be treated in such a manner. But then something happened as I continued to read. It occurred to me that the real story was not the need for sexual dominance or submissive behaviour as long drawn out chapters of hasty and often overwhelming confronting acts would have you believe. It wasn't even about winning small victories in word play and contractural arrangements. This book was about two people drawn together by an all consuming passion and a mutual loneliness destined to self-destruct when the wanting of something they so desperately sought in the other, remained unattainable via their own admission of unrealistic expectations.

Yes, I saw something in each of these characters I had not expected the writer to show me - strength in Anastasia and a blossoming of self-awareness that may ultimately make her even more dangerous than Christian Grey. In the dominant, Christian Grey - ultimate submission, that aching desperation for acceptance to be consumed entirely by the love of someone without an agenda.

Fifty Shades of Grey is a novel about self-worth and self-awareness. I found myself opening to it like a flower, drinking in the fifty shades of its undertones and somehow floored by the level of enjoyment I received. I will be picking up the next two novels in this series, though diabolically different from my typical read, I feel I must know how this story ends, and I must understand why I could not book the book down.

I rate this story five fangs purely based on the shock factor, constant revelations, and the surprising undertone of such simple, yet surprisingly complex characters. I was intrigued, appalled and yet ...

Let me know what you think.

Synopsis:

When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine,she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realise she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance, it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana's quiet beauty, wit , and independent spirit, Grey admits that he wants her - but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success - his multinational business, his vast wealth, his loving adopted family - Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embark on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent master? And if she does, will she love what she finds?

Kristy :)