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Tantalized
This book is currently out of print.
The covetous man pines in plenty...
Nineteen and suicidal, Jessica Abrahams is in no state to be left on her own, let alone attend an upper-tier university. Her snobby parents disagree, and send her packing in spite of her - and her psychiatrist's - protests. Now Jessica's off her meds again, and liable to do anything...even start an affair with her handsome Comparative Literature professor.
Half-French, half-English, and all easy charm, Alexander Delacroix is used to coasting in life. At first he's amused when one of his students unknowingly makes a pass at him, especially after she's just disparaged his curriculum in the same breath. But soon he finds himself intrigued by her as well. Just who is this sullen, beautiful girl, who sits the front row of his lecture hall and wears long sleeves even in summer?
Jess knows she's fucked up, but she just can't help herself. What she doesn't know is that Professor Delacroix is just as fucked up as she is. The Sword of Damocles hangs over both their heads, but to two such doomed and damaged people their destruction may be irresistible - and inevitable.
Warning: Contains triggers, anal/anal play, BDSM, hard play, needle play, references to drug and alcohol abuse, cutting and suicidal behavior, and content not appropriate for those under 18.
The covetous man pines in plenty...
Nineteen and suicidal, Jessica Abrahams is in no state to be left on her own, let alone attend an upper-tier university. Her snobby parents disagree, and send her packing in spite of her - and her psychiatrist's - protests. Now Jessica's off her meds again, and liable to do anything...even start an affair with her handsome Comparative Literature professor.
Half-French, half-English, and all easy charm, Alexander Delacroix is used to coasting in life. At first he's amused when one of his students unknowingly makes a pass at him, especially after she's just disparaged his curriculum in the same breath. But soon he finds himself intrigued by her as well. Just who is this sullen, beautiful girl, who sits the front row of his lecture hall and wears long sleeves even in summer?
Jess knows she's fucked up, but she just can't help herself. What she doesn't know is that Professor Delacroix is just as fucked up as she is. The Sword of Damocles hangs over both their heads, but to two such doomed and damaged people their destruction may be irresistible - and inevitable.
Warning: Contains triggers, anal/anal play, BDSM, hard play, needle play, references to drug and alcohol abuse, cutting and suicidal behavior, and content not appropriate for those under 18.
250 pages, ebook
First published January 21, 2014
8 people are currently reading
826 people want to read
About the author
Nenia Campbell
60 books20.8k followersNenia Campbell is a dark romance author who lives in San Francisco, California. When she's not writing, or reading, she can be found roaming the city or curled up with her void cat. She collects romance novels older than she is and loves a villain with flair.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
February 7, 2017
I thought I was going to read a smut with the usual dressings. Oh boy, was I wrong! The heroine here is the most unlikable one I've read of so far. She is an abrasive, hateful, disturbed little cunt with serious mental issues. I'm not just talking about missing a couple of screws. She is missing the whole work!
*this is the personification of the heroine!*
And she is not the usual shy, wounded heroine with a past trauma. She just is... Misery is her super power and she gets this twisted pleasure from sharing it with the people around her. I took a star from the book because, while I loved hating the heroine and reading her fucked up point of view, it went on too long. Almost half of the book, nothing happens and we just get to know the heroine. But even though, I absolutely hate the threatening to commit suicide people in any form, due to my personal experience with one, I kept reading this book. The heroine was like a train wreck happening and I couldn't help myself, no averting my eyes. But to those who has issues with suicide, here is your trigger warning.
We finally meet the hero, who is this hot-young-rich professor. I've said "finally! familiar ground" to myself. Over used, but one of my favourite romance tropes. Anyways, they get to the kinky naked tango part. What they do was not over the top disturbing kink, at least to me. I've read way worse but here, you feel like there is something ... missing? wrong? different?... Can't put your finger on it... Then the author pulls the carpet under from you and voila... That ending! I was stupefied for a while and then started laughing like a maniac! I still can't believe it! I think my fucked up joy of the happenings came from not expecting something like that at all. So, that's all I'm saying about the plot. I hope I don't change your expectations and ruin this book for you.
P.S.
*this is the personification of the heroine!*
And she is not the usual shy, wounded heroine with a past trauma. She just is... Misery is her super power and she gets this twisted pleasure from sharing it with the people around her. I took a star from the book because, while I loved hating the heroine and reading her fucked up point of view, it went on too long. Almost half of the book, nothing happens and we just get to know the heroine. But even though, I absolutely hate the threatening to commit suicide people in any form, due to my personal experience with one, I kept reading this book. The heroine was like a train wreck happening and I couldn't help myself, no averting my eyes. But to those who has issues with suicide, here is your trigger warning.
We finally meet the hero, who is this hot-young-rich professor. I've said "finally! familiar ground" to myself. Over used, but one of my favourite romance tropes. Anyways, they get to the kinky naked tango part. What they do was not over the top disturbing kink, at least to me. I've read way worse but here, you feel like there is something ... missing? wrong? different?... Can't put your finger on it... Then the author pulls the carpet under from you and voila... That ending! I was stupefied for a while and then started laughing like a maniac! I still can't believe it! I think my fucked up joy of the happenings came from not expecting something like that at all. So, that's all I'm saying about the plot. I hope I don't change your expectations and ruin this book for you.
P.S.
Want to read
January 6, 2014I made the cover! It's pretty dark. Nenia wrote the book. It's pretty dark too. See how it goes? Yes. Much dark. Very whoo.
January 23, 2014
I am thoroughly depressed right now.. holy shit that was just crazy. I'm still shaking my head. That was totally fucked up. Yes, it hooked me and I finished it in just a few hour wondering how much crazier things could get for poor Jessica.
Jessica is seriously depressed. She's a cutter, she's miserable, she's a bitch, she hates everything about life, including her parents. She'll give blow jobs for drugs, she'll have sex just to feel something. She's just fucked up. She's had a stint in mental facility, and really, she should have never been let out. She's just too unstable and has absolutely no self worth. She even fails at ending her on life...
Her genius parents decide they are washing their hands of her and forcing her to go off to college. Big what the fuck red flag here.. girl needs to be getting some serious help, but her parents think its just all "in her head" and she can just decide one day to be happy. That's not going to happen....
As depressed as Jessica was, I liked her so much..she was snarky and sarcastic and didn't care what anyone thought of her.... but this was a symptom of her mental illness. For a while I thought, maybe she will get better and this disease doesn't own her all the way. But it did. It owned her deep. She has this tough girl act on the outside.. but inside she was just so messed up. This made her the perfect prey for Alexander. I think he recognized immediately what she was her first day in his class. At one point I thought..maybe he's messed up but they will fix each other... How wrong I was..
There's all kinds of addiction.. addiction to drugs, addiction to pain, addiction to a person.. and that's what Alexander became for her.. and addiction. He was so fucked up and I think he enjoyed fucking her up more. He thrived on her self hate....
Bite me. Scratch me. Cut me. Break me open, until I crack and all the ugly things fly out of my body to drench us both in sated lust.
This is not a happy story, this is not a romantic story.. this is a story of a young woman's depression and the man who took complete advantage of her. Playing a game that may have completely destroyed her..
I really need to read some happy fluff now...as I sit here writing the review, I am still shaking my head at how fucked up that professor ended up being. I just wanted to reach in my Kindle and shake Jessica to run as fast away from that man as possible. But she didn't.....
Wow, what a ride that one was. I have no idea how Nenia managed to portray such a thoroughly fucked up girl.. I could just feel how emotionally damaged Jessica was... but wow, did she ever create a character I'll remember for a long time..
This could have been a 5 star book easily because of the crazy wtf feelings it pulled out of me.. but I do feel like there were some unanswered questions in the end, and maybe that's the way Nenia wanted to leave it... more craziness. I for one would love for her to give us a follow up novella to clear up a few things about the professor..maybe even let us see how Jessica is doing. But I think just a novella on the professor would give us plenty enough story. Now that it's the next day and I've had time to digest this book.. I'm even more curious about him now. I want to know more about just how crazy fucked up he really is. Or is he?
Jessica is seriously depressed. She's a cutter, she's miserable, she's a bitch, she hates everything about life, including her parents. She'll give blow jobs for drugs, she'll have sex just to feel something. She's just fucked up. She's had a stint in mental facility, and really, she should have never been let out. She's just too unstable and has absolutely no self worth. She even fails at ending her on life...
Her genius parents decide they are washing their hands of her and forcing her to go off to college. Big what the fuck red flag here.. girl needs to be getting some serious help, but her parents think its just all "in her head" and she can just decide one day to be happy. That's not going to happen....
As depressed as Jessica was, I liked her so much..she was snarky and sarcastic and didn't care what anyone thought of her.... but this was a symptom of her mental illness. For a while I thought, maybe she will get better and this disease doesn't own her all the way. But it did. It owned her deep. She has this tough girl act on the outside.. but inside she was just so messed up. This made her the perfect prey for Alexander. I think he recognized immediately what she was her first day in his class. At one point I thought..maybe he's messed up but they will fix each other... How wrong I was..
There's all kinds of addiction.. addiction to drugs, addiction to pain, addiction to a person.. and that's what Alexander became for her.. and addiction. He was so fucked up and I think he enjoyed fucking her up more. He thrived on her self hate....
Bite me. Scratch me. Cut me. Break me open, until I crack and all the ugly things fly out of my body to drench us both in sated lust.
This is not a happy story, this is not a romantic story.. this is a story of a young woman's depression and the man who took complete advantage of her. Playing a game that may have completely destroyed her..
I really need to read some happy fluff now...as I sit here writing the review, I am still shaking my head at how fucked up that professor ended up being. I just wanted to reach in my Kindle and shake Jessica to run as fast away from that man as possible. But she didn't.....
Wow, what a ride that one was. I have no idea how Nenia managed to portray such a thoroughly fucked up girl.. I could just feel how emotionally damaged Jessica was... but wow, did she ever create a character I'll remember for a long time..
This could have been a 5 star book easily because of the crazy wtf feelings it pulled out of me.. but I do feel like there were some unanswered questions in the end, and maybe that's the way Nenia wanted to leave it... more craziness. I for one would love for her to give us a follow up novella to clear up a few things about the professor..maybe even let us see how Jessica is doing. But I think just a novella on the professor would give us plenty enough story. Now that it's the next day and I've had time to digest this book.. I'm even more curious about him now. I want to know more about just how crazy fucked up he really is. Or is he?
August 20, 2014
**4 "EXPOSING" STARS**
Every review needs a catchy visual and I think the heroine would approve of this one, so here you go :-)
"Bite me. Scratch me. Break me open, until I crack
and all the ugly thing fly out of me to drench
us both in sated lust."
This is a story of 19 year old Jessica's struggle to look in the mirror and see a smiling face appear back at her. Jessica's character is troubled, lonely, and not 100% mentally stable but you know what, I LOVED being in HER twisted mind. I found the character to be intelligent, resourceful and a hell of a lot more mature than most "normal" heroines. I did not roll my eye ONCE. Jessica made me laugh, shout "exactly" thanks to her loss of filter and lack of fear in regards to speaking her mind. Nenia Campbell made me want to befriend this character... What? Us weirdo's need to stick together :-)
Now, when it comes to Professor Delacroix
"The sooner we're disillusioned,
the less likely we are to get fucked over.
Simple as that."
My feels are complicated(totally off topic. I don't know why I'm even adding this to my review, but I am. My mind often changed Delacroix to Dulcolax and I found myself chuckling at my own absurdity) ** reeling myself back in** .. Alexander's alluring , sophisticated and well, just plan appealing as hell . I liked that he was older, had hair on his chest and wrist(that also made me laugh) and wasn't sugar coated in any way ,shape or form. I grasp why Jessica was enchanted A) he was the first person she felt understood and actually sees the real her. & B) Besides his dirty mouth he had a few other gems (one being 9inches)under his.. umm.. "sleeve" :-) LOVE him, HATE him, probably a little bit of both, it's all par for his course.
This is actually my first teacher-student relationship and it may very well be my last. Something tells me that Miss. Campbell has ruined me by writing such a compelling read that I'm doubtful any other will match the authenticity of her story. . I'm in a review funk & planned on writing a review once I got my head out of the clouds, but I'll probably forget so its best I at least post something rather than nothing.. or maybe not as this review is sloppy :-( My apologizes to all whom read this review as it does not do the book justice....... PLEASE go read it for yourself and post the most amazing review EVER on both of our behalves.......MUAH!
Every review needs a catchy visual and I think the heroine would approve of this one, so here you go :-)
"Bite me. Scratch me. Break me open, until I crack
and all the ugly thing fly out of me to drench
us both in sated lust."
This is a story of 19 year old Jessica's struggle to look in the mirror and see a smiling face appear back at her. Jessica's character is troubled, lonely, and not 100% mentally stable but you know what, I LOVED being in HER twisted mind. I found the character to be intelligent, resourceful and a hell of a lot more mature than most "normal" heroines. I did not roll my eye ONCE. Jessica made me laugh, shout "exactly" thanks to her loss of filter and lack of fear in regards to speaking her mind. Nenia Campbell made me want to befriend this character... What? Us weirdo's need to stick together :-)
Now, when it comes to Professor Delacroix
"The sooner we're disillusioned,
the less likely we are to get fucked over.
Simple as that."
My feels are complicated(totally off topic. I don't know why I'm even adding this to my review, but I am. My mind often changed Delacroix to Dulcolax and I found myself chuckling at my own absurdity) ** reeling myself back in** .. Alexander's alluring , sophisticated and well, just plan appealing as hell . I liked that he was older, had hair on his chest and wrist(that also made me laugh) and wasn't sugar coated in any way ,shape or form. I grasp why Jessica was enchanted A) he was the first person she felt understood and actually sees the real her. & B) Besides his dirty mouth he had a few other gems (one being 9inches)under his.. umm.. "sleeve" :-) LOVE him, HATE him, probably a little bit of both, it's all par for his course.
This is actually my first teacher-student relationship and it may very well be my last. Something tells me that Miss. Campbell has ruined me by writing such a compelling read that I'm doubtful any other will match the authenticity of her story. . I'm in a review funk & planned on writing a review once I got my head out of the clouds, but I'll probably forget so its best I at least post something rather than nothing.. or maybe not as this review is sloppy :-( My apologizes to all whom read this review as it does not do the book justice....... PLEASE go read it for yourself and post the most amazing review EVER on both of our behalves.......MUAH!
February 5, 2014
"This little game of yours can get us in trouble."
Tantalized: verb torment or tease (someone) with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable.
After tantalizing readers (see what I did there??) with updates for weeks Nenia Campbell released a book I was dying to read. First let me say that books like this should be read with a bottle of vodka in hand.
Jessica + Professor Delacroix= two peas in a fucked-up pod
"You are a very bad girl, Miss Abrahams."
Nineteen year old Jessica Abraham's life is one destructive whirlwind of mental illness. There is so much anger, hurt and pain inside her, that she is unable to bear so she engages in reckless, impulsive behaviors. She doesn't think about the consequences of her actions, but instead enjoys the thrills and rush of her risky, careless deeds. Her parents can't understand why she engages in such harmful behaviors, and they send her away to college in an attempt to hide her away like dirt under a carpet. I really disliked Jessica's parents they treated her like an intrusion to their perfect life, and they were ashamed of her. Its obvious the poor girl needs help, but they turned a blind eye to her problems, and tried to "help" her by sending her away to college despite her protests.This book highlights a serious mental illness, and the BDSM lifestyle. Some parts are downright disturbing, but there was lots of comic relief in Jessica thoughts. Her bold, sarcastic, bitchy, unafraid personality lightened this read.
"I wanted to fuck you right where you sat in the middle of my lecture hall. My students could watch for all I cared as long as it meant that you were mine."
Now onto Professor Delacroix who I really liked in the beginning. He was hot, cocky, smart, handsome and kinky. But as the story progressed my spider senses started tingling and it became one of those instances where I started wishing I was wrong. I won't say more about Professor D, the real pleasure (no pun intended) comes from discovering what he's all about.
"Everything in this world is about sex except sex. Sex is about power."
My only complaint is that the ending all happened so quickly. When shit hits the fan the consequences are inevitable but equally heartbreaking. I knew this was not a happy, sunshine filled romance with butterflies and bees but I was still saddened at the end. The author's warning should definitely be noted, as some persons may find certain elements of this story not suitable to their tastes.
"I own you now," he tells me. "Completely. Inside and out."
Rating: 4 Tantalizing Stars
April 24, 2018
4.5 to 5 dark twisted stars
Review coming up!
4.5 to 5 dark twisted stars
I hardly rate dark books 5 stars but I readily gave this book 5 stars when I finished it because it enjoyed it so much.
Why did I give it 5 stars?
Nenia Campell is such highly talented writer and I just love how her writing just flows. My god sometimes it just seems like poetry. She has very interesting metaphors in the book. One of them was to compare the passing of time to melting butter in the shimmering heat. I just enjoyed reading her use of language in this book.
Again her language! The author made Jessica’s inner pain so visceral through the use of her language. Sometimes my toes curled in when she spoke about her pain. I felt Jessica’s pain throughout. I liked the narrator’s sarcastic, wry and sometimes wise observations.
Mind you, Jessica seems very intelligent.
Jessica comes across as tough girl who doesn’t give a shit about the world or herself but sometimes you see the scared little girl inside wanting some small form of acceptance and love. She is not your lovable heroine or your bad girl with a heart of gold. Oh she is bad news alright all over.
Nenia did her job right by using such an unlikable character to explore dark sides to human psyche unflinchingly and by not sugar coating anything. So it is one of those characters romance readers are NOT going to find to like. Cast your judgments aside of what a character should be and see Jessica for she is and walk in her world with her. I did that and it was a rewarding experience for me.
I think it is relatively easier to take a likeable character and give her a few obstacles and give a happy ending. Nenia chose a harder path and took a completely bitchy unlikable character to explore . So Kudos to you.
Here is the storyline in a nutshell :
So basically the story is about the main character, Jessica, who seems to be severely depressed with no redeeming qualities about her, is forced to attend university by her parents. Before that she spent time in a mental institute.
She cuts herself and boy she is such a bitch and unapologetic. She then starts an affair with her professor (bdsm relationship). And so the story continues from there.
We never know why she is depressed. That is ok for me. Sometimes people are severely depressed due to an imbalanced brain chemistry or something.
This book reminded me of a French movie I watched a few days ago. It is called Young and Beautiful. The main character does not seem to like having a relationship and loves to be a prostitute, being paid for sex without strings. Throughout the movie, we do not know why she behaves the way she does and it is never explained. Still the movie is excellent. To me it meant that sometimes we do things without ever thinking why we do what we do. Sometimes even we don’t know why we do the things we do even with thinking.
This book seems like the movie Young and beautiful in some ways. Sometimes reasons are just not given as to why she is like that and we write it off as being a bitch.
She is destructive and self-destructive.
The sex scenes are hot. This book was done intelligently. The angst was just right in the context of the book.
So read on to find out about the affair and what happened in the end.. I dare you to!
For me, I am twisted and I like reading about dark characters and what makes them tick and I am wishing I just knew how to insert some interesting pictures I have into this review.
Nenia, I hope that you will explore the fascinating character of Jessica in future.
Review coming up!
4.5 to 5 dark twisted stars
I hardly rate dark books 5 stars but I readily gave this book 5 stars when I finished it because it enjoyed it so much.
Why did I give it 5 stars?
Nenia Campell is such highly talented writer and I just love how her writing just flows. My god sometimes it just seems like poetry. She has very interesting metaphors in the book. One of them was to compare the passing of time to melting butter in the shimmering heat. I just enjoyed reading her use of language in this book.
Again her language! The author made Jessica’s inner pain so visceral through the use of her language. Sometimes my toes curled in when she spoke about her pain. I felt Jessica’s pain throughout. I liked the narrator’s sarcastic, wry and sometimes wise observations.
Mind you, Jessica seems very intelligent.
Jessica comes across as tough girl who doesn’t give a shit about the world or herself but sometimes you see the scared little girl inside wanting some small form of acceptance and love. She is not your lovable heroine or your bad girl with a heart of gold. Oh she is bad news alright all over.
Nenia did her job right by using such an unlikable character to explore dark sides to human psyche unflinchingly and by not sugar coating anything. So it is one of those characters romance readers are NOT going to find to like. Cast your judgments aside of what a character should be and see Jessica for she is and walk in her world with her. I did that and it was a rewarding experience for me.
I think it is relatively easier to take a likeable character and give her a few obstacles and give a happy ending. Nenia chose a harder path and took a completely bitchy unlikable character to explore . So Kudos to you.
Here is the storyline in a nutshell :
So basically the story is about the main character, Jessica, who seems to be severely depressed with no redeeming qualities about her, is forced to attend university by her parents. Before that she spent time in a mental institute.
She cuts herself and boy she is such a bitch and unapologetic. She then starts an affair with her professor (bdsm relationship). And so the story continues from there.
We never know why she is depressed. That is ok for me. Sometimes people are severely depressed due to an imbalanced brain chemistry or something.
This book reminded me of a French movie I watched a few days ago. It is called Young and Beautiful. The main character does not seem to like having a relationship and loves to be a prostitute, being paid for sex without strings. Throughout the movie, we do not know why she behaves the way she does and it is never explained. Still the movie is excellent. To me it meant that sometimes we do things without ever thinking why we do what we do. Sometimes even we don’t know why we do the things we do even with thinking.
This book seems like the movie Young and beautiful in some ways. Sometimes reasons are just not given as to why she is like that and we write it off as being a bitch.
She is destructive and self-destructive.
The sex scenes are hot. This book was done intelligently. The angst was just right in the context of the book.
So read on to find out about the affair and what happened in the end.. I dare you to!
For me, I am twisted and I like reading about dark characters and what makes them tick and I am wishing I just knew how to insert some interesting pictures I have into this review.
Nenia, I hope that you will explore the fascinating character of Jessica in future.
January 23, 2014
Still processing everything review coming in just a bit....
January 31, 2014
....He's her drug when she's not in the best of places to take it. A dark, thought proviking, unique and addictive read, which I enjoyed immensely. I just wished it hadn't have ended so fast, I would love to know what becomes of Jessica, and everything.
August 28, 2017
Tantalized by Nenia Campbell
4 stars
*Before I start this review, it is important to state that I’m friends with the author, Nenia Campbell, but this has no sway over my feelings or thoughts of this novel.
Whimsical Writing Scale: 4
Character Scale: 4
Villain Scale: 4.5
Plotastic Scale: 4.25
Cover Thoughts: It’s a typical erotica cover, but it is darker in context than some and it fits the tone of the story.
4 stars
*Before I start this review, it is important to state that I’m friends with the author, Nenia Campbell, but this has no sway over my feelings or thoughts of this novel.
Tantalized follows Jessica Abrahams, a nineteen-year-old who is suicidal and dropped off by her parents at a prestigious university— despite her psychiatrist’s protests. Jessica is reckless when she isn’t on her meds and she is capable of doing anything for fun. She decides to seduce her Comparative Literature professor, Alexander Delacroix. Jess knows she is “fucked up”, but what she doesn’t know is that Professor Delacroix is, too. An intense battle of sexual domination and submission ensues and it may just break Jessica. I read this book three years ago, but I still think about it every now and then. Mainly because this booked is Fucked Up, with a capital F and a capital U. Incredibly Fucked Up. Naturally, it’s my type of book. If you didn’t know, I love dark literature. Some of my favorites from the genre are: Comfort Food,All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, Nine Minutes, and Nenia Campbell’s Horrorscape trilogy. Darker themed novels that make me twitch with distaste, feel icky while flipping the pages, and leave me with a feeling needing to take a shower are some of my favorite novels. Novels that make me feel uncomfortable and gauge emotional, psychological pondering, and physical reactions are usually novels that become favorites. (It’s why I love Stephen King so much.) If dark novels aren’t your thing, then steer FAR, FAR away from this book because it gets intense really fast and it is an uncomfortable read.
I read this book in a day. I brought my Kindle to school and read it in classes because I had to know what was going to happen next and what would be the next outlandish and horrible choices Jessica was going to make. I’ve always read Nenia’s books very quickly, but I flew through this one at rapid speed. Nenia has a great way of pulling the reader in and keeping the reader hooked. As much as I usually really enjoy her writing, the sex scenes in this novel were choppy and a little hard to read. However, considering the graphic level of content and sexual situations that is to be expected in a dark erotica novel.
Whimsical Writing Scale: 4
These characters are absolutely horrible. You won’t root for Jessica, but you also don’t want to see her suffer. However, a lot of her suffering is brought on by her own masochist love of pain and she enjoys hurting herself, both physically and mentally. Alexander Delacroix is one of the most uncomfortable romantic leads I’ve ever come across and I love that I felt captivated and uneasy of all the same time. Nenia continues to write strong, detestable characters that are compelling.
Character Scale: 4
Villain Scale: 4.5
This novel is depressing and originally, I was conflicted on the ending, but I just reread the ending and I actually think it’s very fitting. If I were to compare this book to another I would compare it to Beasts by Joyce Carol Oates. Both are novels about student-professor affairs that turn exceedingly darker and more obsessive as the story progresses. I enjoyed both of them immensely and I think that since reading Beasts, it has made me like the ending of Tantalized a lot more. I definitely suggest reading the trigger warnings before picking up this novel because, like I said, it’s dark erotica and it also follows a psychologically unstable protagonist.
Plotastic Scale: 4.25
Cover Thoughts: It’s a typical erotica cover, but it is darker in context than some and it fits the tone of the story.
January 24, 2014
4.5 Tantalising Stars
Jessica is strong willed but suffering from psychological problems.
Her parents are at their wits end. They see her wasting her life away. And after a spell in a psychiatric hospital they decide enough is enough and they enrol her into a college to finish her education.
This is not what she wants to do...she tells them I'm not ready.
She has issues, she cuts even though its now under control, the urges are still there.
With her parents refusing to listen she has no choice but to go ahead.
Jessica has no interest in college or making friends, obnoxious and rude she would rather party and drink and have casual sex.
Then she meets Professor Alexander Delacroix...intrigued by him she uses her sexuality to attract his attention. Something she may live to regret...
"This little game of yours can get us in trouble."
My thoughts
This is a very thought provoking story
I found myself drawn into Jessica's mixed up life. The sexual chemistry is oozing, erotic.
The professor is her drug and that takes them both into depravity and because of Jessica's state of mind she makes decisions that are not in her best interest.
I enjoyed this story immensely, as I found with Nenia Campbell's
other books her writing is very unique.
Please read the warnings before reading this...
Jessica is strong willed but suffering from psychological problems.
Her parents are at their wits end. They see her wasting her life away. And after a spell in a psychiatric hospital they decide enough is enough and they enrol her into a college to finish her education.
This is not what she wants to do...she tells them I'm not ready.
She has issues, she cuts even though its now under control, the urges are still there.
With her parents refusing to listen she has no choice but to go ahead.
Jessica has no interest in college or making friends, obnoxious and rude she would rather party and drink and have casual sex.
Then she meets Professor Alexander Delacroix...intrigued by him she uses her sexuality to attract his attention. Something she may live to regret...
"This little game of yours can get us in trouble."
My thoughts
This is a very thought provoking story
I found myself drawn into Jessica's mixed up life. The sexual chemistry is oozing, erotic.
The professor is her drug and that takes them both into depravity and because of Jessica's state of mind she makes decisions that are not in her best interest.
I enjoyed this story immensely, as I found with Nenia Campbell's
other books her writing is very unique.
Please read the warnings before reading this...
April 8, 2014
Ooooh, there were so many sides to Tantalized, and yet it was such a short novel. I'll try and sum it up as best as I can, but as always I'm not sure whether this will be rubbish or not so brace yourselves, please.
The main character, Jessica, is basically the encapsulated version of everyone's dark side. She has it all and yet it isn't enough, and whatever else is missing she could probably get but won't because it's the chase - that chase for completion, for wholesomeness - is what keeps her alive. Alive in a barely sort of way, but that's the danger of it and so it's why she likes it. I don't know, as someone who suffered from serious depression, I reacted to most of the dark stuff Jessica thought with "OMG totally" and "Girl, yass" instead of going "Woah, isn't this girl fucked in the head", but you know what, that probably helped me to enjoy the book even more than I would if I didn't identify with her tedium and her wantonness.
Delacroix on the other hand, the sexy teacher who was seduced by her, isn't as complex as she is, but he wasn't some washed up one-note character like, say, Christian Gray. He was a poetic douche, to be sure, and had a penchant for ripe fruit-talk, but sometimes I saw - or thought I saw - slivers of him actually caring for Jessica, although who knows whether he did or not.
In the end, I enjoyed this quite a lot, but Nenia doesn't get five stars because Anyway, I don't know. What we find out in the end had my heart sinking like it did in the reveal at the end of Why We Broke Up, and I felt like a burning-revenge sort of ending was necessary, if not only to appease my own selfish wrath.
At any rate, read this book if you're looking for a dark read, it will more than satisfy you.
The main character, Jessica, is basically the encapsulated version of everyone's dark side. She has it all and yet it isn't enough, and whatever else is missing she could probably get but won't because it's the chase - that chase for completion, for wholesomeness - is what keeps her alive. Alive in a barely sort of way, but that's the danger of it and so it's why she likes it. I don't know, as someone who suffered from serious depression, I reacted to most of the dark stuff Jessica thought with "OMG totally" and "Girl, yass" instead of going "Woah, isn't this girl fucked in the head", but you know what, that probably helped me to enjoy the book even more than I would if I didn't identify with her tedium and her wantonness.
Delacroix on the other hand, the sexy teacher who was seduced by her, isn't as complex as she is, but he wasn't some washed up one-note character like, say, Christian Gray. He was a poetic douche, to be sure, and had a penchant for ripe fruit-talk, but sometimes I saw - or thought I saw - slivers of him actually caring for Jessica, although who knows whether he did or not.
In the end, I enjoyed this quite a lot, but Nenia doesn't get five stars because Anyway, I don't know. What we find out in the end had my heart sinking like it did in the reveal at the end of Why We Broke Up, and I felt like a burning-revenge sort of ending was necessary, if not only to appease my own selfish wrath.
At any rate, read this book if you're looking for a dark read, it will more than satisfy you.
July 15, 2014
I did read this till the end, but since I skinned through half of it I can't really considered this book read. I loved the Horrorscape series and the way this author writes is very mesmerizing. The writing was the only thing that keept me going.
This story is not likable, the characters are not likable; this was like 50 shades of Gray with a little more realistic touch, since the girl really is a masochist and there are no fake love confessions in it.
I think Nenia Campbell wanted to shock with this story and she kinda lost herself in it. It's not the shocking factor that makes a story interesting, it's the way you present it and your characters. Here, the main heroine is just bad, she hates everything and everyone, starting with herself. The problem with this sort of character is that you can't connect with her in any way and in the end you don't care for her or her story. Yes, I failed to give a fuck.
While Gavin from Horrorscape was a psychopath with a background, Alexander is just a horny sadist that likes to jerk off to people's pain. He's also an incredible tease. The sex scenes in this book were not appealing in any way. Most of them ended up with her hurting, not really sure if in satisfaction. Some of them were so gross that I couldn't make myself read through them and just skipped to the next part. So I'm not really sure if she climaxes or not. Just like her, he's bad, that's it. I think both characters kinda lack in complexity.
The ending was fitting, but again, since I didn't care for the characters I couldn't start to feel impressed in any way after finishing this book. This was really not for me.
Quote from the author: "Romance novels break all the rules of what constitutes a 'good' relationship (usually). It's sad, but it's far more entertaining to read about fucked-up people having fucked-up sex than two happy people having happy sex."
I agree, but only 50%. It's boring to read about happy people doing happy stuff and being happy and perfect in every sense, but this book also passed all my boundaries. To put it short: it was way out of my comfort zone, way too explicit and not that enjoyable.
2 stars for the writing that was quite impressive. I think this author knows how to use her words. I'm just hoping for a better story and characters in her next books.
This story is not likable, the characters are not likable; this was like 50 shades of Gray with a little more realistic touch, since the girl really is a masochist and there are no fake love confessions in it.
I think Nenia Campbell wanted to shock with this story and she kinda lost herself in it. It's not the shocking factor that makes a story interesting, it's the way you present it and your characters. Here, the main heroine is just bad, she hates everything and everyone, starting with herself. The problem with this sort of character is that you can't connect with her in any way and in the end you don't care for her or her story. Yes, I failed to give a fuck.
While Gavin from Horrorscape was a psychopath with a background, Alexander is just a horny sadist that likes to jerk off to people's pain. He's also an incredible tease. The sex scenes in this book were not appealing in any way. Most of them ended up with her hurting, not really sure if in satisfaction. Some of them were so gross that I couldn't make myself read through them and just skipped to the next part. So I'm not really sure if she climaxes or not. Just like her, he's bad, that's it. I think both characters kinda lack in complexity.
The ending was fitting, but again, since I didn't care for the characters I couldn't start to feel impressed in any way after finishing this book. This was really not for me.
Quote from the author: "Romance novels break all the rules of what constitutes a 'good' relationship (usually). It's sad, but it's far more entertaining to read about fucked-up people having fucked-up sex than two happy people having happy sex."
I agree, but only 50%. It's boring to read about happy people doing happy stuff and being happy and perfect in every sense, but this book also passed all my boundaries. To put it short: it was way out of my comfort zone, way too explicit and not that enjoyable.
2 stars for the writing that was quite impressive. I think this author knows how to use her words. I'm just hoping for a better story and characters in her next books.
January 27, 2019
Jessica, the main character in this book is one seriously twisted individual! With many mental health issues, I was intrigued from page 1 by this unequivocally unique, antisocial character who trades her body for drugs!
Jessica‘s parents literally force her to attend college, dropping her off miles from home with a debit card, turning their backs on her. She has no interest in anything other than sating her needs which quickly includes seducing her literature professor. The edge play loving professor is much more than he initially seems to be....
I really enjoyed this book! In the past when I’ve read books where authors prove how intellectual they are by citing quotes from literature, I’ve wanted to skim through and felt bored at the pretentiousness yet that was not the case in this book. Campbell is obviously very intelligent, evident by Alexander’s eloquent lectures and the vocabulary she uses throughout the book yet she displays this in a way that doesn’t make the book feel cumbersome or difficult to understand. I i’ve never encountered something like this so I was really impressed! The only reason I didn’t give this book 5 stars is because I wasn’t thrilled by how things end. I will always wonder what the professor’s concluding thoughts were....
Jessica‘s parents literally force her to attend college, dropping her off miles from home with a debit card, turning their backs on her. She has no interest in anything other than sating her needs which quickly includes seducing her literature professor. The edge play loving professor is much more than he initially seems to be....
I really enjoyed this book! In the past when I’ve read books where authors prove how intellectual they are by citing quotes from literature, I’ve wanted to skim through and felt bored at the pretentiousness yet that was not the case in this book. Campbell is obviously very intelligent, evident by Alexander’s eloquent lectures and the vocabulary she uses throughout the book yet she displays this in a way that doesn’t make the book feel cumbersome or difficult to understand. I i’ve never encountered something like this so I was really impressed! The only reason I didn’t give this book 5 stars is because I wasn’t thrilled by how things end. I will always wonder what the professor’s concluding thoughts were....
June 21, 2014
I read this book so long ago, back in Feb or what, yet in the middle of the night, I remembered out of the blue that I'd rated it three stars.
And if I could, I would've headbutted myself right then and there.
As it so happens, this is one of the darkest, complicated, ambiguous book I've read in a long while with a character who is misanthropic and one could say, a forced masochist as it sometimes comes across, not physical but mental, emotional.
If you're looking for a hard to read creepy, dreary, bleach-your-mind story done right, writing as unbiased as it is non-judgmental and character you hate so much yet feel like saving, this is your book. This isn't an erotic book, though there's much of it; it's about mental illness without being explicit about it. Read between the lines.
I cannot, for the life of me, imagine what the author might have feeling like, thinking of whilst working on this book. The writing, as can be expected from Ms Campbell, is excellent and atmospheric.
I still can't believe I gave it four stars because I KNOW, I remember all that I felt when I read it. I don't give three stars to such books as make feel like this.
And if I could, I would've headbutted myself right then and there.
As it so happens, this is one of the darkest, complicated, ambiguous book I've read in a long while with a character who is misanthropic and one could say, a forced masochist as it sometimes comes across, not physical but mental, emotional.
If you're looking for a hard to read creepy, dreary, bleach-your-mind story done right, writing as unbiased as it is non-judgmental and character you hate so much yet feel like saving, this is your book. This isn't an erotic book, though there's much of it; it's about mental illness without being explicit about it. Read between the lines.
I cannot, for the life of me, imagine what the author might have feeling like, thinking of whilst working on this book. The writing, as can be expected from Ms Campbell, is excellent and atmospheric.
I still can't believe I gave it four stars because I KNOW, I remember all that I felt when I read it. I don't give three stars to such books as make feel like this.
April 3, 2015
This book wasn't one of those "innocent submissive girl meets a hot Dom professor and falls in love". Thank goodness cause I'm sick of those! Tantalized was actually a breath of fresh air. I loved it! Nenia is a very smart author who knew her stuff well to pull this kind of a story off. Good job.
I really liked the characters and the personality Jess had. Which was a no bullshit, f the world, you're in my way, type of attitude. And that is what got her in to the mess she got in to! Love it
I also appreciate my first person stories! This one was good.
Highly reccommend this book to the fans of dark reads.
I really liked the characters and the personality Jess had. Which was a no bullshit, f the world, you're in my way, type of attitude. And that is what got her in to the mess she got in to! Love it
I also appreciate my first person stories! This one was good.
Highly reccommend this book to the fans of dark reads.
January 23, 2014
4 1/2 stars
This book will take me a day or two to recover from... review to come.
I will tell you this isn't a heart and flowers book, it's dark, the ending does not wrap up in a neat bow, it will shove it's hand down your throat and rip your insides out. It's well written and I loved every roller coaster minute of it.
Live twitter buddy read!
This book will take me a day or two to recover from... review to come.
I will tell you this isn't a heart and flowers book, it's dark, the ending does not wrap up in a neat bow, it will shove it's hand down your throat and rip your insides out. It's well written and I loved every roller coaster minute of it.
Live twitter buddy read!
January 24, 2014
Fantastically written, dark storyline, but god, I just couldn't stand the characters.
January 27, 2014
review to come
January 23, 2014
Okay, first of all, I'd just like to say that I do consider myself a friend of Nenia's and this does not in any way sway my judgement of this book. Probably.
Erotica is definitely not my cuppa. I usually skim the hot and sticky scenes, unless there seems to be some soul-searching going on mid-penetration. But seeing as I'm such a fan of Nenia's disturbing mind-fuck reads, I had to read this. I'm still pretty confused as to how I feel about it.
Nenia will always have a handful of stars from me for her writing, no matter how the book turns out. It flows, it's witty, it's intelligent and it's... full. No sentence feels unneeded.
As for the plot of this book... just wow. Shit most definitely hit the fan near the end and things just spiraled so out of control that I somehow temporarily gained the ability to speed read. I don't think I blinked for the last 40 pages.
I mean, this book was ridiculous. In a good way. I disliked the characters, but they were so well written. Bad characters that are also badly written? Forget it. But Jessica and Alexander were such convincing characters that they seemed 100% possible in the real world, which is another facet of Nenia's writing that both irks and captivates me: the feeling that I'm lifting the veil on some very dark and gruesome truths that could be going on as I read.
January 26, 2014
I found this book really frustrating, the synopsis sounded great but the book did not deliver on any level. There was absolutely no development of a relationship, it went straight from minor flirting to being in a full on dom/sub realtionship and all she had to do was flash her nipples at him in class.
There did not appear to be any discernible storyline and the portrayal of the female character having a mental illness seemed totally random and at no time was this explained or dealt with sensitively or in a in any way that would engage the reader. It left me wondering why the author needed to include this other than to explain why tshe would get involved in a teacher/student relationship, this left me feeling very uncomfortable.
The ending, if you could even call it that was a complete non-event, nothing was explained or made sense, for me it was a little bit like writing by numbers, hot teacher, check, promiscuous teenager, check, shackles on the bed, check. Job. Done.
There did not appear to be any discernible storyline and the portrayal of the female character having a mental illness seemed totally random and at no time was this explained or dealt with sensitively or in a in any way that would engage the reader. It left me wondering why the author needed to include this other than to explain why tshe would get involved in a teacher/student relationship, this left me feeling very uncomfortable.
The ending, if you could even call it that was a complete non-event, nothing was explained or made sense, for me it was a little bit like writing by numbers, hot teacher, check, promiscuous teenager, check, shackles on the bed, check. Job. Done.
April 16, 2014
Well, this was a dark and disturbing one....
I actually skimmed through some parts of it since I couldn't stomach it all.
the rating for this book is very emotional, you see, though the characters are very well portrayed and the writing is great.
The book just wasn't to my liking. Nenia has a great way of taking an over-wrought plot and give it something new and original that is entirely her own.
I was sucked in from the very first chapter, and IF I rated it rationaly it would be something like 3.75 stars.
But this time I'm not a rational rater, and with all my appreciation to the book as a whole and to the author's talent, I really can't give it more than 2 stars...:/
I actually skimmed through some parts of it since I couldn't stomach it all.
the rating for this book is very emotional, you see, though the characters are very well portrayed and the writing is great.
The book just wasn't to my liking. Nenia has a great way of taking an over-wrought plot and give it something new and original that is entirely her own.
I was sucked in from the very first chapter, and IF I rated it rationaly it would be something like 3.75 stars.
But this time I'm not a rational rater, and with all my appreciation to the book as a whole and to the author's talent, I really can't give it more than 2 stars...:/
January 25, 2014
I thought this story was beautifully written!! There were lines in there that I just loved. I loved how it referenced to Lolita!! They story it's self drove me nuts, I think it was Jessica's shitty attitude that rubbed off on me hahaha the ending wtf why why why why why?!?! Why?! I have so many questions!! It will drive me nuts just thinking of all the possible answers!!
Read
January 31, 2014I need a moment to think about what I just read.. I just know that I have to write a review about this book because neither my shelves nor a rating is going to explain how I felt about it, In fact, even my words won't probably express how much my feelings are conflicted right now..
March 2, 2014
I think it is well know that I love stories about Professor/pupil relationships so when I saw the foreword from Nenia Campbell I thought “well this is going to be different”.
The foreword is there for a reason. Read it and take it in - every word because this is NOT your fluffy, romantic happy ever after story.
Tantalized is delivered in three parts.
The first we are introduced to Jessica Abraham
The second we get to meet Professor DelaCroix
The third is her “happy ever after”
Jessica Abrahm’s brain does weird things especially when she is spaced out and the world around her doesn’t seem to be moving anymore………….instead it changes into a series of shifting, strobe-like images. At times she has the inability to perceive movement or motion………….. a bit like her relationship with her parents. Her parents think her “problems” are all in her head. They tell Jessica to suck it up and stop wallowing in her own selfish indulgences (something that they are adept at being - selfish that is). Her parents ignorance is a fun place to live because that’s where they seem to spend their annual vacation.
To most people Jessica Abraham comes across as a mean bitch - her face a constant rampant of disapproval. It communicates do NOT fuck with me but what people don’t know is that her severe mental disorder impacts her ability to make good choices and she makes some real bad choices. Jessica also had a real hatred and distrust of people.
Professor Alexander DeLaCroix teaches Sexual Deviancy and Fetishism in Literature. That the official name - his class is known as Comparative Literature. He taught that erotic fiction reflected the personal fantasies of the author for example the Marquis de Sade and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (where the SM comes from in BDSM). He has the reputation for being a severe bad ass - you follow his rules and everyone in his class would get on fine. When he reveals his true persona I wanted to punch his dominant arrogant lights out. Alexander deLaCroix is no Dean West - nope, nein, nada.
Jessica pursues him and they begin a very explicit BDSM relationship which puts her safety and sanity at risk - it is not consensual, safe or sane and when the shit hit’s the fan…….well……………..!
Tantalized is not a comfortable read. It is explicit, violent, dark, and has devastating and dismal consequences. Jessica allows a lot of horrible things happen to her but she is totally convinced that is what she wants. Alexander deLaCroix might have been her hero in her head but he is a sadist and convinces her that edge play is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. He leaves nothing to her imagination when it comes to his sexual pleasure.
For Jessica the final chapter is that we don’t know how the story ends for her - but at some point she WILL die. What we don’t know is whether it’s at 27 or 127. It depends on what happens next.
The foreword is there for a reason. Read it and take it in - every word because this is NOT your fluffy, romantic happy ever after story.
Tantalized is delivered in three parts.
The first we are introduced to Jessica Abraham
The second we get to meet Professor DelaCroix
The third is her “happy ever after”
Jessica Abrahm’s brain does weird things especially when she is spaced out and the world around her doesn’t seem to be moving anymore………….instead it changes into a series of shifting, strobe-like images. At times she has the inability to perceive movement or motion………….. a bit like her relationship with her parents. Her parents think her “problems” are all in her head. They tell Jessica to suck it up and stop wallowing in her own selfish indulgences (something that they are adept at being - selfish that is). Her parents ignorance is a fun place to live because that’s where they seem to spend their annual vacation.
To most people Jessica Abraham comes across as a mean bitch - her face a constant rampant of disapproval. It communicates do NOT fuck with me but what people don’t know is that her severe mental disorder impacts her ability to make good choices and she makes some real bad choices. Jessica also had a real hatred and distrust of people.
Professor Alexander DeLaCroix teaches Sexual Deviancy and Fetishism in Literature. That the official name - his class is known as Comparative Literature. He taught that erotic fiction reflected the personal fantasies of the author for example the Marquis de Sade and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (where the SM comes from in BDSM). He has the reputation for being a severe bad ass - you follow his rules and everyone in his class would get on fine. When he reveals his true persona I wanted to punch his dominant arrogant lights out. Alexander deLaCroix is no Dean West - nope, nein, nada.
Jessica pursues him and they begin a very explicit BDSM relationship which puts her safety and sanity at risk - it is not consensual, safe or sane and when the shit hit’s the fan…….well……………..!
Tantalized is not a comfortable read. It is explicit, violent, dark, and has devastating and dismal consequences. Jessica allows a lot of horrible things happen to her but she is totally convinced that is what she wants. Alexander deLaCroix might have been her hero in her head but he is a sadist and convinces her that edge play is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. He leaves nothing to her imagination when it comes to his sexual pleasure.
For Jessica the final chapter is that we don’t know how the story ends for her - but at some point she WILL die. What we don’t know is whether it’s at 27 or 127. It depends on what happens next.
Read
June 23, 2016In some ways, blow jobs are better than sex because when you have a mouthful of cock you can't make snide comments.
This is a review without a rating, because I honestly have no idea how to rate it. At times I loved it, at others I hated it. In the end, after putting it down and elaborating on how it mad me feel, I'm no closer to setting a rating on in. Let me explain.
Tantalized starts with Jessica being shipped off to college; a decision her parents made for her. Jessica is suicidal and has periods of depression, but she's also angry at the world in general. She does what she has to: sign up for classes and attends (some of) them, but she does it grudgingly. When she meets Alexander - one of her professor - he opens up a new world for Jessica. A dark and sexual world where she is able to explore herself and what she wants.
I had the same problem with Tantalize as I've had with my recent readings: it's unclear what the purpose of the story is. Is it about mental illness? BDSM(ish)? Dark erotica? I just don't know. Sometimes spanning across genres is a good thing, in this case, I'm not so sure. Personally, I felt it caused some of the tension go away.
On the other hand, Jessica is such a well written character - complex and intriguing. She's also one of the rudest people I've had the pleasure of reading about. Yeah, pleasure. Because she's well written and you felt her pain and anger as had it been your own. The only flaw is the underlying reasons for her mental illness; there is none. Not one that is brought into light anyhow, and that was a big thorn that kept nagging me throughout the story.
The way Tantalized is structured also brings questions to mind. It's clearly not a romance, but the other main character (Alexander) isn't in the book - in person at least - until nearly a third in. Is he a major character? Or is he something akin to a plot device for Jessica to use? He does play a part in the story, but he isn't nearly as complex as the heroine herself. Was I supposed to care for him or was I supposed to hate him? Was I supposed to care for him at all, in any way? I just don't know.
The writing, however, is wonderful. A delight to read (as Campbell's writing often is). Perhaps all these questions were intentionally not answered. I just don't know. Despite them, I did enjoy Tantalized. But I also disliked it. Normally that would warrant a three star rating, but I just don't know. It's a complex story that can't be pinned down to a single rating. Meaning: read it and decide for yourself.
February 11, 2014
This story is twisted what I like about the book is you get too feel the true self of how is it like to be in a self- disturbed girl who has a mental illness. The readers get to understand Jessica and it's not a easy ride . Jessica meets Alexander now you might think he will save her but he's a hero in disguise of a true sadistic , vile , villain and you only realise that in the end this book is intense with it's up and downs then in the end your left feelings tantalized. I would have liked a better ending but are there always good endings for everyone this story is like one of those stories that makes U realise love or relationships can go wrong especially if they are not what you thought they were. The readers get a bittersweet feeling in the end . So now I am felt confused I feel as if Alexander should explain himself that what he did is fucked up and he has remorse feelings for it . He was the one who phoned for help . I know Jessica never truly deeply loved Alexander but she did have genuine feelings she was looking for attachment even though her parents cared about her it never felt love in this book whereas her relationship with Alexander felt something close to love and then she's left still broken but worse.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Jes...
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Fra...
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Jes...
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Fra...
February 17, 2014
It has taken me a while to sort out all my feels and emotions and opinions with regards to this book and I must say it still does not feel much sorted out. Woohoo Nenia! another mindfuckuva book.
Tantalized is a touchy book about the dark side of humans that not everyone will like or even understand. It is fairly short with dislikable characters doing horrid things and not really thinking about the consequences until much later. But it must be understood that the characters were not meant to be liked nor were their actions supposed to be justifiable. They just were.
I hated Jessica. She could singlehandedly be the best written worst character I have ever encountered. I could understand her, I could see how her twisted and shriveled up bitchy little mind worked and I could see her petty reasons for her pettier actions. But I did not like her. Just because I understood her reasons did not mean I had to agree with them. And hats off to Nenia for handling this distinction well.
A few of the things in the story were not completely tied up together but I liked that. It made the story feel more 'real'. And I may be in the minority here (at least I think so) but I found Alexander to be a victim in all this. Not an innocent one - not by a long shot. He was one fucked up bastard. But he did get more than he got bargained for with Jessica's deviousness when he started with this whole taboo relationship.
The fact that this was a teacher-studentromance relationship story made the ick-factor in what Jessica and Alexander did much ickier and superficially shifted the blame to Profressor Delacroix. But unlike Nenia's other books with gamma anti-heroes we have an anti-heroine here who is much, much more contemptible than the not-so-poor man she destroys.
3.5 Stars rounded off.
Now where can I sign up for that contemporary bodice-ripper Nenia is writing?
Tantalized is a touchy book about the dark side of humans that not everyone will like or even understand. It is fairly short with dislikable characters doing horrid things and not really thinking about the consequences until much later. But it must be understood that the characters were not meant to be liked nor were their actions supposed to be justifiable. They just were.
I hated Jessica. She could singlehandedly be the best written worst character I have ever encountered. I could understand her, I could see how her twisted and shriveled up bitchy little mind worked and I could see her petty reasons for her pettier actions. But I did not like her. Just because I understood her reasons did not mean I had to agree with them. And hats off to Nenia for handling this distinction well.
A few of the things in the story were not completely tied up together but I liked that. It made the story feel more 'real'. And I may be in the minority here (at least I think so) but I found Alexander to be a victim in all this. Not an innocent one - not by a long shot. He was one fucked up bastard. But he did get more than he got bargained for with Jessica's deviousness when he started with this whole taboo relationship.
The fact that this was a teacher-student
3.5 Stars rounded off.
Now where can I sign up for that contemporary bodice-ripper Nenia is writing?
February 7, 2014
I haven't been a fan of teacher/student romances, but this was an entirely different beast, with a delicious downward spiral.
Beautifully written, thought provoking, and oddly enough - informative. I went on plenty of little fact-finding missions as the story progressed. So I appreciate a book that makes me think and presents me with characters that are a challenge to understand and/or like. There were also plenty of red hot scenes that were still pretty enjoyable, even with all of the emotional stuff/destruction going on.
So yeah, another brilliant one from Nenia. I'd have given it more stars, but unfortunately my disney princess brainwashed mind doesn't accept a non-HEA. It was damn gloomy at the end and a smidgen abrupt, but I expected that going in and while I accept it and approve of the realism, I'm unfortunately not well-balanced enough to be mad with delight over it.
Favorite quotes:
'"I'm living, aren't I?" I said. "Isn't that enough?" No, it wasn't. Apparently I had to live and be miserable.'
'My tired heart is hibernating in this psychological winter. It has been for years and I'm starting to think that part of me will never wake up.'
'The old pop singers, they knew how it was. That's why their songs are always so sad, and why so many of them drank and died young. They understood that bitter walks hand in hand with sweet.'
'Feeling almost glad? Don't kill yourself.'
Beautifully written, thought provoking, and oddly enough - informative. I went on plenty of little fact-finding missions as the story progressed. So I appreciate a book that makes me think and presents me with characters that are a challenge to understand and/or like. There were also plenty of red hot scenes that were still pretty enjoyable, even with all of the emotional stuff/destruction going on.
So yeah, another brilliant one from Nenia. I'd have given it more stars, but unfortunately my disney princess brainwashed mind doesn't accept a non-HEA. It was damn gloomy at the end and a smidgen abrupt, but I expected that going in and while I accept it and approve of the realism, I'm unfortunately not well-balanced enough to be mad with delight over it.
Favorite quotes:
'"I'm living, aren't I?" I said. "Isn't that enough?" No, it wasn't. Apparently I had to live and be miserable.'
'My tired heart is hibernating in this psychological winter. It has been for years and I'm starting to think that part of me will never wake up.'
'The old pop singers, they knew how it was. That's why their songs are always so sad, and why so many of them drank and died young. They understood that bitter walks hand in hand with sweet.'
'Feeling almost glad? Don't kill yourself.'
January 22, 2014
Hot damn! Book was outstanding! You know I looked at this book when Nenia put the synopsis out awhile ago and it didn't spark anything. But none of Nenia's other stories disappointed so I took a chance... Loyalty I guess. This book wasn't pretty by any sense but it was terrific. Jessica is the main character in this story and she is anything but weak. She has all sorts of psychological problems and is a cutter when she is off her meds. Her parents ship her off to college because they are sick of her sleeping all day and partying at night with various men and so and so. Jessica doesn't want to go and berates her parents for sending her. Once there she starts a down hill plunge, and is slowly sinking into a pit of hell when she see's her literary instructor. It's not just Comparative Literature but sexual deviancy with fetishism.... What a coincidence but my favorite subject. Jessica does all sorts of things to get her instructors attention, lol....all sorts. The attraction between them flares but after a time all lust must die and Jessica starts to see him for what he truly is. No spoilers but I loved the book, at a really great price.
HOT COVER ALERT! Also to the cover maker....damn you did a great job. Outstanding cover.
HOT COVER ALERT! Also to the cover maker....damn you did a great job. Outstanding cover.
July 10, 2014
Wow! That was quite a ride and I really enjoyed it. Jessica's self-destructiveness was truly riveting, like the proverbial train wreck you can't help but watch.This book was my introduction to proper BDSM/Edge play, everything else I've read feels pretty light in comparison. And OMG Delacroix was hot even though I really don't want to admit it. In real life, I would totally sign up for that class! The subject matter was captivating. My only gripe was the way Jessica handled the end of their relationship. She followed her mom's lead and allowed herself to be seen as a victim instead of a willing participant.I kinda felt like she'd wear it as a badge of honor that she was able to seduce him. But then I rememebered that she has serious mental problems that impact her decisions. And yet, when Alexander becomes aware of it he still keeps it going. Clearly, she's not the self-assured woman in control of her sexuality that she pretends to be. Thats even more apparent when she starts asking him if he loves her. That's when my perception shifted and I started to see him as more of a villain instead of a hero. Anyways, Jessica's a really complicated character and I wouldn't mind seeing more of her. I wonder if there's going to be a sequel?
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