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Love-Bots #3
Built 4 It
When a riot erupts in Built4’s stein-building lab, the alpha stein Kee drags a submissive young lab assistant into his cage. Kee’s been studying the human. Ben’s sad eyes and slender form call to Kee—urging him to equal parts lust and possessiveness.
Prisoner to the alpha, Ben surrenders to the stein’s fierce determination and gentle seductions. He’s long hated his job, feeling like a monster for following his boss’s orders, especially once he’s seen intelligence flickering in the alpha’s green eyes.
If Kee’s to escape, he needs Ben’s help to learn about the world outside the laboratory—a world full of people, sex and experiences Kee’s only beginning to discover. And guilt-ridden over the things he’s done, Ben can only forgive himself if the alpha forgives his sins first.
Prisoner to the alpha, Ben surrenders to the stein’s fierce determination and gentle seductions. He’s long hated his job, feeling like a monster for following his boss’s orders, especially once he’s seen intelligence flickering in the alpha’s green eyes.
If Kee’s to escape, he needs Ben’s help to learn about the world outside the laboratory—a world full of people, sex and experiences Kee’s only beginning to discover. And guilt-ridden over the things he’s done, Ben can only forgive himself if the alpha forgives his sins first.
Kindle Edition
First published January 4, 2012
2 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Daisy Harris
43 books346 followersRetired party girl and science fiction enthusiast, Daisy Harris spends most of her time writing sexy romance and plotting the fall of Western civilization. Her books can be found on Amazon, Nook, and wherever else fine erotic romance is sold.
Ms. Harris lives in Seattle, where she tortures her husband by making it rain. She enjoys watching bridges cause traffic, watching football games cause traffic, and blithely wearing wool socks with sandals.
She has never taken a single picture in which her bra strap is not showing.
Want to find out about new releases, general news, and my latest inappropriate boy band crush? Sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/b96xX
Ms. Harris lives in Seattle, where she tortures her husband by making it rain. She enjoys watching bridges cause traffic, watching football games cause traffic, and blithely wearing wool socks with sandals.
She has never taken a single picture in which her bra strap is not showing.
Want to find out about new releases, general news, and my latest inappropriate boy band crush? Sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/b96xX
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
May 1, 2013
I was surprised at how much I liked this little novella.
I think this is book 3 of a series but you don't need any prior knowledge to jump right into it. Basically, Ben works for a lab that reanimates humans to make steins (aka zombies) for testing and other morally ambiguous acts. Kee is the leader of the steins and he is learning words and gathering knowledge from watching Ben and TV daily. When the steins are released with the help of Zombie Underground, Kee and Ben are allowed to explore their growing attraction to one another.
My preconceived notion of this book was that it would be silly and trashy. However, the chemistry between Ben and Kee was hot and I really dug the world building. The author did a LOT in only 75 pages. Daisy Harris writes with humor and skill and I was pretty impressed with the result. I liked that they were in lust and not love (so sick of insta-love) and I love that they were both kind of inexperienced. This book was a fresh take on zombies and it made me want to read more in the series.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
I think this is book 3 of a series but you don't need any prior knowledge to jump right into it. Basically, Ben works for a lab that reanimates humans to make steins (aka zombies) for testing and other morally ambiguous acts. Kee is the leader of the steins and he is learning words and gathering knowledge from watching Ben and TV daily. When the steins are released with the help of Zombie Underground, Kee and Ben are allowed to explore their growing attraction to one another.
My preconceived notion of this book was that it would be silly and trashy. However, the chemistry between Ben and Kee was hot and I really dug the world building. The author did a LOT in only 75 pages. Daisy Harris writes with humor and skill and I was pretty impressed with the result. I liked that they were in lust and not love (so sick of insta-love) and I love that they were both kind of inexperienced. This book was a fresh take on zombies and it made me want to read more in the series.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
February 6, 2021
I picked up this book in my never-ending quest to find good android/robot m/m stories. I am not quite sure WHY this series is called "Love-Bots", as the concept seems to have nothing to do with robots, but I read the m/m installment (no. 3 in the series) anyway out of curiosity.
So, the concept of this universe is this:
Dead bodies are being revived and rewired with microchips. Apparently they are not aware of their former lives, but act as new beings now. They can be used as slaves or sex toys or - as is the case in this book - as lab rats for scientific experiments.
All sanctioned by the government.
Sounds familiar?
That's why these undead creatures (who are - by the way - quite hot and not at all repulsive like zombies) are called 'steins', I guess.
This is the story of Kee, a giant muscle stein who was created (revived) in a lab that caters to the pharma industry and delivers bodies to test on. He lives in a cage with a dozen other steins who refer to him as their alpha.
These guys' wiring isn't elaborate at all, as they are just used for experiments, so they cannot talk and cannot grasp complex concepts. However, they are able to communicate with each other, but hide their abilities from the lab's lead scientist Dr Frith and his cute twink lab assistant Ben.
When the government stops financing the lab, all steins are scheduled to be destroyed (aka murdered), but Kee leads a revolt and kidnaps sexually repressed Ben.
So.... this story was a bit weird and not for the obvious reasons.
Right in the middle of it, Ben needs to take a shower and shave?! And then he shaves Kee too and sensually showers him? Just so it makes sense later on that they would have sex while at the beginning of the book, Ben complained about Kee smelling like a gym sock?
Odd.
Also, while steins are not recognized as being human and can apparently be easily disposed of, planning on killing them by putting them in a gas chamber like the nazis did?!
That's so shocking.
And while Ben did not kill anybody, thank God, the whole procedure being his responsibility makes it seem like poor Kee started an affair with a concentration camp guard...
Extremely disturbing.
But I did find the concept of this universe very interesting. It definitely has a lot of potential.
3 stars!
So, the concept of this universe is this:
Dead bodies are being revived and rewired with microchips. Apparently they are not aware of their former lives, but act as new beings now. They can be used as slaves or sex toys or - as is the case in this book - as lab rats for scientific experiments.
All sanctioned by the government.
Sounds familiar?
That's why these undead creatures (who are - by the way - quite hot and not at all repulsive like zombies) are called 'steins', I guess.
This is the story of Kee, a giant muscle stein who was created (revived) in a lab that caters to the pharma industry and delivers bodies to test on. He lives in a cage with a dozen other steins who refer to him as their alpha.
These guys' wiring isn't elaborate at all, as they are just used for experiments, so they cannot talk and cannot grasp complex concepts. However, they are able to communicate with each other, but hide their abilities from the lab's lead scientist Dr Frith and his cute twink lab assistant Ben.
When the government stops financing the lab, all steins are scheduled to be destroyed (aka murdered), but Kee leads a revolt and kidnaps sexually repressed Ben.
So.... this story was a bit weird and not for the obvious reasons.
Right in the middle of it, Ben needs to take a shower and shave?! And then he shaves Kee too and sensually showers him? Just so it makes sense later on that they would have sex while at the beginning of the book, Ben complained about Kee smelling like a gym sock?
Odd.
Also, while steins are not recognized as being human and can apparently be easily disposed of, planning on killing them by putting them in a gas chamber like the nazis did?!
That's so shocking.
And while Ben did not kill anybody, thank God, the whole procedure being his responsibility makes it seem like poor Kee started an affair with a concentration camp guard...
Extremely disturbing.
But I did find the concept of this universe very interesting. It definitely has a lot of potential.
3 stars!
May 20, 2013
ZOMBIES!
Any fans of the television True Blood? You know how Andy Bellefleur says 'ZOMBIES' with that ever-so-thick accent?
He's ruined the word 'zombies' for the rest of my life. Anytime I read the word zombie, I picture his voice in my head and it's over.
That being said, his version of zombie has nothing on Daisy Harris' zombies. I'd definitely would love to take her version out...for a spin. There's no flesh falling off, brain eating binges or any of the other popular associations people might make when reading the word zombie. She sexualized and humanized zombies to one yummy level!
Built 4 It, book # 3 of her Love Bots series was a hit for me. It's MM with a solid plot, memorable sci-fi-ish contemporary world building (think urban fantasy in present day) and erotically...stimulating. :D
Ben Spiegiel is a young lab assistant in the Built 4 It company where steins (reanimated corpses - might sound skeevy but it really isn't) are kept in labs for experiments. Ben's company is going down fast and he's left to do all the dirty work. But out of all of the steins, there's one who keeps catching his eye, the alpha of the group. And when I say alpha,
picture a strapping, muscular, possessive, giant of a man. His name is Kee and all he wants is get his hands on Ben and take care of him.
The tension between the two is so hot it's tangible. And when they finally come together? *fans self* Very enjoybale For less than 100 pages, this story packs some punch. The ending felt a little rushed but overall it was a satisfying read. There's a little suspense, a little creeper-jeepers, erotic moments and a HEA!
I will familiarize myself with more of this series and more work from this author because I really like her style.
An ARC was provided for an honest review.
Any fans of the television True Blood? You know how Andy Bellefleur says 'ZOMBIES' with that ever-so-thick accent?
He's ruined the word 'zombies' for the rest of my life. Anytime I read the word zombie, I picture his voice in my head and it's over.That being said, his version of zombie has nothing on Daisy Harris' zombies. I'd definitely would love to take her version out...for a spin. There's no flesh falling off, brain eating binges or any of the other popular associations people might make when reading the word zombie. She sexualized and humanized zombies to one yummy level!
Built 4 It, book # 3 of her Love Bots series was a hit for me. It's MM with a solid plot, memorable sci-fi-ish contemporary world building (think urban fantasy in present day) and erotically...stimulating. :D
Ben Spiegiel is a young lab assistant in the Built 4 It company where steins (reanimated corpses - might sound skeevy but it really isn't) are kept in labs for experiments. Ben's company is going down fast and he's left to do all the dirty work. But out of all of the steins, there's one who keeps catching his eye, the alpha of the group. And when I say alpha,
picture a strapping, muscular, possessive, giant of a man. His name is Kee and all he wants is get his hands on Ben and take care of him.
The tension between the two is so hot it's tangible. And when they finally come together? *fans self* Very enjoybale For less than 100 pages, this story packs some punch. The ending felt a little rushed but overall it was a satisfying read. There's a little suspense, a little creeper-jeepers, erotic moments and a HEA!
I will familiarize myself with more of this series and more work from this author because I really like her style.
An ARC was provided for an honest review.
April 15, 2013
I received this book as an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. From all the talk of alphas and submissive in the plot I thought it might be another book where some pretty young thing is taken, used, and abused by a jerk. This was not the case however, and I enjoyed that. I liked how Kee uses his position as alpha look out for the other Stein's. It's nice to see that he was more of a caretaker than a cruel master. Ben might have been described as a submissive, but that didn't make him a push over either. I liked seeing him do the right thing no matter how scared he was. The sexual chemistry is good, and I like how much Kee was motivated by Ben's pleasure. He doesn't push Ben when Ben is afraid, and in his own way he respects Ben. It was an interesting take of Zombies, and I liked the idea of the chips. It would be interesting to see how Ben and Kee's relationship changes now that Kee has the chip. He wasn't stupid before he had it, but I would like to see more of him with higher functions at his disposal. Something tells me he's going to be fun.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. From all the talk of alphas and submissive in the plot I thought it might be another book where some pretty young thing is taken, used, and abused by a jerk. This was not the case however, and I enjoyed that. I liked how Kee uses his position as alpha look out for the other Stein's. It's nice to see that he was more of a caretaker than a cruel master. Ben might have been described as a submissive, but that didn't make him a push over either. I liked seeing him do the right thing no matter how scared he was. The sexual chemistry is good, and I like how much Kee was motivated by Ben's pleasure. He doesn't push Ben when Ben is afraid, and in his own way he respects Ben. It was an interesting take of Zombies, and I liked the idea of the chips. It would be interesting to see how Ben and Kee's relationship changes now that Kee has the chip. He wasn't stupid before he had it, but I would like to see more of him with higher functions at his disposal. Something tells me he's going to be fun.
April 12, 2013
Ben works for a company that is conducting experiments on 'stein'.
Stein are ( if I got this right) something akin to zombies and can be programmed for different uses, Ben isn't happy with what he is doing but he needs a job and he isn't really the type to go against orders.
Kee is the leader of the small group of steins at the facility Ben works at, they are both fascinated by the other.
When it comes time to terminate all the left-over stein, Ben calls the ZU( zombie underground) for help..from there it's Kee discovering the world outside the jail cell he has always lived in and Ben discovering love of a not human, sort of dead guy.
It was cute and touching, I enjoyed reading this one and I can say it was different from most zombie stories I've read, I would love more information on how or why they have been created.
Stein are ( if I got this right) something akin to zombies and can be programmed for different uses, Ben isn't happy with what he is doing but he needs a job and he isn't really the type to go against orders.
Kee is the leader of the small group of steins at the facility Ben works at, they are both fascinated by the other.
When it comes time to terminate all the left-over stein, Ben calls the ZU( zombie underground) for help..from there it's Kee discovering the world outside the jail cell he has always lived in and Ben discovering love of a not human, sort of dead guy.
It was cute and touching, I enjoyed reading this one and I can say it was different from most zombie stories I've read, I would love more information on how or why they have been created.
April 17, 2013
The romance was nice but I wanted it to be longer. Because of the disturbing premise, it took me nearly half the of the story before I got comfortable and allowed myself to focus on the romance. Once I did, it was almost over.
+ the world building
The premise was a hurdle because it was about dead people being reanimated back to life as lab rats for experiments. Whether or not the steins, which the book called the zombies, became lab rats, they were quickly disposed of after a few months, treated fully like equipment. The story was not outright violent or anything like that, but it showed a side of human cruelty that I couldn’t fully stomach. I wasn’t surprised to learn later on from Shani’s POV, a minor character, that steins were also used for sex slavery.
While the world was easy to imagine, parts of it remained a mystery to me. For example, where did the bad guys get these dead people to make steins? What place did steins have in society? Were they openly oppressed or were they a secret of a hidden world? I didn’t read the prequels so I didn’t know. The book worked sufficiently as a standalone, but it was apparent to me the book was best read as a part of the series.
+ the characters
I didn’t have any delay connecting to the characters. The story was dominated by the couple’s POVs, and even though it was in 3rd person POV I felt no distance between the characters and myself. In other words, the character felt palpable, and their thoughts were like an open book to me.
Thus, I immediately felt sad for the couple because of what they were facing. Thankfully, it wasn’t all sad. I liked how Ben overcame the stereotype of a meek geek and summoned his courage to do what was right. I liked how Kee was a nice alpha who respected boundaries and put Ben’s happiness as a priority; I loved his attempts to reach out to Ben and be with Ben.
The characters were refreshing; they weren’t cardboard characters as I expected. I wouldn’t have minded if they were, but I’m glad they were not and that there was a perceptible standard the book was aiming for.
+ the romance
I also wouldn’t have minded if the romance had turned out to be nothing more than a fuckfest; smut fan in your presence. However, nothing like that happened. The romance turned out to be developmental and sweet. That said, I appreciated that there was still some smut. Incorrigible smut fan is incorrigible. Holla!
In Conclusion
I rate Built 4 It 2-stars for it was okay. By all rights, it would have been a star higher but the story left me wanting at the end. I wasn’t satisfied how the story came off more as an appetizer than as an entree. Not that the ending wasn’t a HEA — it was, but I felt like Ben and Kee have more adventures to be told, that this book was just the beginning. I wished Ben and Kee’s story continued on in a series of their own instead as a part of a typical romance series where each book focused on a different couple.
+ the world building
The premise was a hurdle because it was about dead people being reanimated back to life as lab rats for experiments. Whether or not the steins, which the book called the zombies, became lab rats, they were quickly disposed of after a few months, treated fully like equipment. The story was not outright violent or anything like that, but it showed a side of human cruelty that I couldn’t fully stomach. I wasn’t surprised to learn later on from Shani’s POV, a minor character, that steins were also used for sex slavery.
While the world was easy to imagine, parts of it remained a mystery to me. For example, where did the bad guys get these dead people to make steins? What place did steins have in society? Were they openly oppressed or were they a secret of a hidden world? I didn’t read the prequels so I didn’t know. The book worked sufficiently as a standalone, but it was apparent to me the book was best read as a part of the series.
+ the characters
I didn’t have any delay connecting to the characters. The story was dominated by the couple’s POVs, and even though it was in 3rd person POV I felt no distance between the characters and myself. In other words, the character felt palpable, and their thoughts were like an open book to me.
Thus, I immediately felt sad for the couple because of what they were facing. Thankfully, it wasn’t all sad. I liked how Ben overcame the stereotype of a meek geek and summoned his courage to do what was right. I liked how Kee was a nice alpha who respected boundaries and put Ben’s happiness as a priority; I loved his attempts to reach out to Ben and be with Ben.
The characters were refreshing; they weren’t cardboard characters as I expected. I wouldn’t have minded if they were, but I’m glad they were not and that there was a perceptible standard the book was aiming for.
+ the romance
I also wouldn’t have minded if the romance had turned out to be nothing more than a fuckfest; smut fan in your presence. However, nothing like that happened. The romance turned out to be developmental and sweet. That said, I appreciated that there was still some smut. Incorrigible smut fan is incorrigible. Holla!
In Conclusion
I rate Built 4 It 2-stars for it was okay. By all rights, it would have been a star higher but the story left me wanting at the end. I wasn’t satisfied how the story came off more as an appetizer than as an entree. Not that the ending wasn’t a HEA — it was, but I felt like Ben and Kee have more adventures to be told, that this book was just the beginning. I wished Ben and Kee’s story continued on in a series of their own instead as a part of a typical romance series where each book focused on a different couple.
January 11, 2012
Fun & Sexy Read!
This story was so cute and HOT, I love these Love-Bots and their Underground Zombie Organization that rescues steins from their makers and helps them achieve a level of self-reliance. What you will find in this hot read is an electrifying attraction between a human male Ben and a Alpha Stein named Kee. Ben and Kee are so hot for each other but the m/m love scene is semi new to them. Sure they both know tid bits about what they want but both find a first time for a new A N A L adventure when it comes right down to it.
Ben is the lab tech and he really doesn’t agree with what his boss does to the steins and feels guilt for what he has to do for his job, even after he is told the program for the steins is over, he still holds the guilt inside because his orders where to kill them all, well at least it was until the rescue from the Underground Zombie Oraganzation – however, this affected Ben’s personality throughout the whole story.
For me, Ben’s character was actually annoying to me in the way he treated Kee. But, I think I felt resentful towards Ben because I fell in love with Kee immediately, not with just the description of his hunky body but with his personality. Kee’s personality totally suckered me in, he is an alpha but a tender and caring alpha. Even though he is a new stein he is larger body built and smarter than the others. Kee learns fast and even though he doesn’t know a lot he still found no fault towards Ben and it really irked me when Ben hurt his feelings or gave him a mixture of unsure feelings.
Needless to say though, by the end of the book I had warmed up to Ben and even loved him in the ending as I found myself smiling at how cute a couple Ben and Kee were for each other.
With the Underground Zombie Operation the rescue team was just Shani alone with the help from Q-ter, the bases computer nerd. I loved that the UZO took Ben in and set him up to help rescue more steins. This was an all-around great read. I cannot wait to read the next book that comes out, excellent series.
This story was so cute and HOT, I love these Love-Bots and their Underground Zombie Organization that rescues steins from their makers and helps them achieve a level of self-reliance. What you will find in this hot read is an electrifying attraction between a human male Ben and a Alpha Stein named Kee. Ben and Kee are so hot for each other but the m/m love scene is semi new to them. Sure they both know tid bits about what they want but both find a first time for a new A N A L adventure when it comes right down to it.
Ben is the lab tech and he really doesn’t agree with what his boss does to the steins and feels guilt for what he has to do for his job, even after he is told the program for the steins is over, he still holds the guilt inside because his orders where to kill them all, well at least it was until the rescue from the Underground Zombie Oraganzation – however, this affected Ben’s personality throughout the whole story.
For me, Ben’s character was actually annoying to me in the way he treated Kee. But, I think I felt resentful towards Ben because I fell in love with Kee immediately, not with just the description of his hunky body but with his personality. Kee’s personality totally suckered me in, he is an alpha but a tender and caring alpha. Even though he is a new stein he is larger body built and smarter than the others. Kee learns fast and even though he doesn’t know a lot he still found no fault towards Ben and it really irked me when Ben hurt his feelings or gave him a mixture of unsure feelings.
Needless to say though, by the end of the book I had warmed up to Ben and even loved him in the ending as I found myself smiling at how cute a couple Ben and Kee were for each other.
With the Underground Zombie Operation the rescue team was just Shani alone with the help from Q-ter, the bases computer nerd. I loved that the UZO took Ben in and set him up to help rescue more steins. This was an all-around great read. I cannot wait to read the next book that comes out, excellent series.
January 12, 2012
Ben is a shy human that doesn’t make waves. He takes orders from his boss like a good little subordinate. He knows what Built4 Labs is doing is wrong. That is why he is willing to assist Zombie Underground in freeing the steins. The only problem is the large male stein known as Kee has developed a little crush on Ben.
I loved, loved, loved Bed and Kee. I loved how they continually switched the role of alpha. I think that was my favorite part of the story. Kee, physically he is obviously the alpha. Yet when he begins to experience new feelings and emotions that he cannot verbally express and when he experiences the wonders of outside the lab he looks to Ben for a strong confidant. These two males were so perfectly matched. I enjoyed reading them bumbling along while they figured out how they would work out their feeling for one another.
The romance between Kee and Ben was so incredibly sweet. I had so many awe how sweet moments. I would never have imagined that a shave and shower scene between two men could have been so erotic. I’m still a bit wowed by that scene. Harris has some serious talent. She put so much heart passion into that scene.
All three books in this series work as stand alones. So if you think you want to try hot steins, erotic sex and a sweet romance you can jump right in with the third book and not be lost.
I loved, loved, loved Bed and Kee. I loved how they continually switched the role of alpha. I think that was my favorite part of the story. Kee, physically he is obviously the alpha. Yet when he begins to experience new feelings and emotions that he cannot verbally express and when he experiences the wonders of outside the lab he looks to Ben for a strong confidant. These two males were so perfectly matched. I enjoyed reading them bumbling along while they figured out how they would work out their feeling for one another.
The romance between Kee and Ben was so incredibly sweet. I had so many awe how sweet moments. I would never have imagined that a shave and shower scene between two men could have been so erotic. I’m still a bit wowed by that scene. Harris has some serious talent. She put so much heart passion into that scene.
All three books in this series work as stand alones. So if you think you want to try hot steins, erotic sex and a sweet romance you can jump right in with the third book and not be lost.
March 29, 2013
Actually surprisingly enjoyable.
I mean, I skipped the rest of the books, but the premise here is interesting.
Some of the way it played out is rather froofy, but it's pulp. What can you do?
...can't think of anything else to say...
*shrug.
I liked it.
Ah. That was it.
The blurb is really melodramatic. I was pleasantly surprised by the way the ideas were laid out and how the plot played out. It wasn't as purply and pointless as I thought, based on the blurb.
It's a lot more subtly written than the blurb.
I mean, I skipped the rest of the books, but the premise here is interesting.
Some of the way it played out is rather froofy, but it's pulp. What can you do?
...can't think of anything else to say...
*shrug.
I liked it.
Ah. That was it.
The blurb is really melodramatic. I was pleasantly surprised by the way the ideas were laid out and how the plot played out. It wasn't as purply and pointless as I thought, based on the blurb.
It's a lot more subtly written than the blurb.
December 15, 2014
This was actually pretty good, and an interesting idea. The premise reminded me of Laurann Dohner's Breed series, except instead of genetically modified animal-human hybrids... they're reanimated corpses! Very cool, but I did feel like I needed more explanation on this.
Maybe it's because I skipped books 1 and 2 in this series, but 1) you can tell someone's a stein by looking at them, but they don't explain what exactly are the physical differences from human. Obviously very subtle if a cloudy day can mask them 2) Do the stein's recall anything of their life? Can anyone who dies be turned into a stein or did they sign up for it like donating your body to science? I find it odd that neither Ben nor Kee was interested in his (previous) life, to me my first thoughts are "Who was he? What did he do? How did he die?" 3) Obviously they don't decompose, do they age? , so Ben will get old but Kee won't?
But those questions aside, I thought the set up was very good. Everything up until Dr. Finch left I thought was perfect Although it would have been cool if they had had some interactions over the course of the few months, instead of Ben just all of a sudden finding out Kee can talk. Admittedly, after that, I would have liked things to run their course a little differently. But they ended up in the same place either way, so I enjoyed the ride.
I am interested in going back and reading Lust After Death and Studenstein, both to get more background on the stein's (hopefully) and just because it's a fun series.
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Maybe it's because I skipped books 1 and 2 in this series, but 1) you can tell someone's a stein by looking at them, but they don't explain what exactly are the physical differences from human. Obviously very subtle if a cloudy day can mask them 2) Do the stein's recall anything of their life? Can anyone who dies be turned into a stein or did they sign up for it like donating your body to science? I find it odd that neither Ben nor Kee was interested in his (previous) life, to me my first thoughts are "Who was he? What did he do? How did he die?" 3) Obviously they don't decompose, do they age? , so Ben will get old but Kee won't?
But those questions aside, I thought the set up was very good. Everything up until Dr. Finch left I thought was perfect Although it would have been cool if they had had some interactions over the course of the few months, instead of Ben just all of a sudden finding out Kee can talk. Admittedly, after that, I would have liked things to run their course a little differently. But they ended up in the same place either way, so I enjoyed the ride.
I am interested in going back and reading Lust After Death and Studenstein, both to get more background on the stein's (hopefully) and just because it's a fun series.
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
April 15, 2013
3.5 stars
I liked this story, yes I did, but aspects of reanimating humans for testing etc horrified me.
Zee is a stein, a reanimated dead human, his well built and intelligent enough to learn to understand and talk, and likes giving pleasure, his the alpha of pack.
Ben works in the lab and is strangely attracted to zee, even though there locked in cages and treated like animals, when things go wrong and Ben is assigned killing the steins he cant do it, and zee forces them to spend time together.
They develop a relationship, yes it's strange as he is a zombie as such but the story works and is enjoyable.
*i received this book via the publisher from netgalley*
I liked this story, yes I did, but aspects of reanimating humans for testing etc horrified me.
Zee is a stein, a reanimated dead human, his well built and intelligent enough to learn to understand and talk, and likes giving pleasure, his the alpha of pack.
Ben works in the lab and is strangely attracted to zee, even though there locked in cages and treated like animals, when things go wrong and Ben is assigned killing the steins he cant do it, and zee forces them to spend time together.
They develop a relationship, yes it's strange as he is a zombie as such but the story works and is enjoyable.
*i received this book via the publisher from netgalley*
May 30, 2012
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can also be found there.
Dropping in the middle of a series is never fun, but enjoying the book anyway is saying something. With a hot Alpha male and a geeky scientist discovering the world together it really wasn't difficult to sit back and relax.
Kee is a stein, a zombie of a sort brought to life for the purpose of scientific experiment, but unlike the other steins there with him, he can think more clearly and as his friends disappear one by one, he sets on learning the language of the humans and saving them all from a terrible end.
Ben is an assistant to the scientist in charge of the steins and is in charge of all the dirty jobs, but the big alpha still holds a special place in his heart despite all of Ben's efforts to ignore the curious male.
From the start this story is sexually charged despite both characters being inexperienced and somewhat lost. Their attraction is almost palpable and that is something Daisy Harris really knows how to work with.
I liked Ben's sympathy and his ultimate decision to save the steins, but also his gentle side where he let Kee take charge despite being virtually ignorant when it came to the real world. I thought Kee's innocence was really well described and his wonder made me smile more than once. But even with all the praise, the story needed more development and more insight into the characters. I haven't read the rest of the series, but the little info I got in this book was lacking certain closure and the last jump to three months forward denied me the pleasure of seeing the MCs grow as a couple.
I was excited to read this book, and while not perfect it was good enough to make me glad I've read it. Hats down for a great idea and making zombies look just as sexy as usually only shifter alphas are.
Dropping in the middle of a series is never fun, but enjoying the book anyway is saying something. With a hot Alpha male and a geeky scientist discovering the world together it really wasn't difficult to sit back and relax.
Kee is a stein, a zombie of a sort brought to life for the purpose of scientific experiment, but unlike the other steins there with him, he can think more clearly and as his friends disappear one by one, he sets on learning the language of the humans and saving them all from a terrible end.
Ben is an assistant to the scientist in charge of the steins and is in charge of all the dirty jobs, but the big alpha still holds a special place in his heart despite all of Ben's efforts to ignore the curious male.
From the start this story is sexually charged despite both characters being inexperienced and somewhat lost. Their attraction is almost palpable and that is something Daisy Harris really knows how to work with.
I liked Ben's sympathy and his ultimate decision to save the steins, but also his gentle side where he let Kee take charge despite being virtually ignorant when it came to the real world. I thought Kee's innocence was really well described and his wonder made me smile more than once. But even with all the praise, the story needed more development and more insight into the characters. I haven't read the rest of the series, but the little info I got in this book was lacking certain closure and the last jump to three months forward denied me the pleasure of seeing the MCs grow as a couple.
I was excited to read this book, and while not perfect it was good enough to make me glad I've read it. Hats down for a great idea and making zombies look just as sexy as usually only shifter alphas are.
April 18, 2013
This was definitely a different read. The pair consists of a human and a reanimated corpse. I was a bit confused about Kee who is the reanimated corpse. He was human at one point, I gather, but the way that the "creature" was portrayed was that they are full sized humans who are basically newborn. They can get smarter the longer they are "alive" but not all live that long as they are used for controlled samples in medical studies. I guess they have no clue as to who they once were or have anything to do with their former personality. Now I haven't read the previous books in this series so I'm not sure if this was explained in a more in depth way previously - I'm just going by what I read in this story.
Anyway...the lab assistant, Ben, feels bad for these creatures and calls the Zombie Underground to come and take them away. This after he ignored their contact a few month earlier. Now that he's been ordered to kill them all he's having a hard time with it all. He gets them free but Kee isn't ready to leave the only home he's ever known and keeps Ben there with him. Kee has some dirty thoughts about what he can do to and with Ben but Ben's almost a complete innocent and is scared. The story is about the two men dealing with their differences as well as finding some common ground - first in sex and then more after.
It was a cute story I for some reason just couldn't get too far past the "reanimated" part of it all. I know that vampires are undead but for some reason reanimated sounds so much worse to me. lol They did have a sweet HEA which Harris is always good with so that was nice.
Anyway...the lab assistant, Ben, feels bad for these creatures and calls the Zombie Underground to come and take them away. This after he ignored their contact a few month earlier. Now that he's been ordered to kill them all he's having a hard time with it all. He gets them free but Kee isn't ready to leave the only home he's ever known and keeps Ben there with him. Kee has some dirty thoughts about what he can do to and with Ben but Ben's almost a complete innocent and is scared. The story is about the two men dealing with their differences as well as finding some common ground - first in sex and then more after.
It was a cute story I for some reason just couldn't get too far past the "reanimated" part of it all. I know that vampires are undead but for some reason reanimated sounds so much worse to me. lol They did have a sweet HEA which Harris is always good with so that was nice.
January 11, 2012
I don't normally review my clients' books but this series holds a special place in my heart and I've been honored to be part of its creation and continued growth. Daisy Harris has an amazing ability for humor and banter that her stories are always fun to read. When she first talked to me about writing a series about zombies I thought it would be a horror fest and it has turned out to be one of the most inventive urban fantasy series I've ever had the pleasure to read.
The Love Bots in the series are not just humanized, they're literally brought to life in this amazing world she's created and their love lives do NOT disappoint. This isn't a zombie romance. It's an adventure/sci-fi/urban fantasy/romance you don't want to miss.
Built 4 It is one of my favorites in the series for many reasons, the first being the fact that it's the first M/M in the series. The second reason being the animalistic and raw sexual energy portrayed in its most primal yet romantic of ways. Everything Daisy Harris writes defies what most people would consider natural order but she does it in such a great way, you can't stop reading!
The Love Bots in the series are not just humanized, they're literally brought to life in this amazing world she's created and their love lives do NOT disappoint. This isn't a zombie romance. It's an adventure/sci-fi/urban fantasy/romance you don't want to miss.
Built 4 It is one of my favorites in the series for many reasons, the first being the fact that it's the first M/M in the series. The second reason being the animalistic and raw sexual energy portrayed in its most primal yet romantic of ways. Everything Daisy Harris writes defies what most people would consider natural order but she does it in such a great way, you can't stop reading!
June 17, 2013
Ben Spiegel has struggled with his job as a lab assistant at Built4, a company that reanimates corpses (known as 'steins') to be used in medical research. As the steins begin to demonstrate more human-like qualities, his guilt over his work grows. At the same time, the alpha stein, Kee, has captured his attention and it seems Ben may have captured Kee's as well. As Ben's ethics are pushed to their limits, he finds that he may not exactly have to follow all the rules - and Kee just might have a chance to regain some of his humanity.
I particularly enjoyed this book. It's M/M erotica (there are a few explicit scenes), but the author has done a great job of balancing the graphic sex with the development of the characters and relationships. It is the third book in the series, but don't let that be off-putting. I've not read the previous two (YET! I plan to, now...) but the world is presented in a way that knowledge of previous events isn't needed to jump in and know what's going on. A great choice for those interested in M/M with a bit of a paranormal and almost dystopian twist, first times, and unlikely lovers.
(eGalley provided by Ellora's Cave via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
I particularly enjoyed this book. It's M/M erotica (there are a few explicit scenes), but the author has done a great job of balancing the graphic sex with the development of the characters and relationships. It is the third book in the series, but don't let that be off-putting. I've not read the previous two (YET! I plan to, now...) but the world is presented in a way that knowledge of previous events isn't needed to jump in and know what's going on. A great choice for those interested in M/M with a bit of a paranormal and almost dystopian twist, first times, and unlikely lovers.
(eGalley provided by Ellora's Cave via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
October 24, 2012
Adorable gentle-giant story, with a hero wise beyond his limited intellectual capacity. "Steins" are reanimated dead with surgically implanted programming which makes them suitable for slavery in various forms. Caged in a shabby laboratory, Kee is the leader of a group destined for elimination. Ben is the timid human lab assistant who helps them illegally escape.
The creature and the man are similarly inexperienced in the ways of love, but both know what they want. Things do not run smoothly. Kee is struggling to understand his new world and Ben is mired in guilt for his role in the slaves' sufferings. Their mutual trust and friendship never falters as they make their way to a grin-inducing HEA.
The creature and the man are similarly inexperienced in the ways of love, but both know what they want. Things do not run smoothly. Kee is struggling to understand his new world and Ben is mired in guilt for his role in the slaves' sufferings. Their mutual trust and friendship never falters as they make their way to a grin-inducing HEA.
August 7, 2017
Reanimated humans with emotions
Ok, this was a very strange basis for a story, with the Steins behind reanimated humans but it works and works well. You feel for the Steins and their plight. There is even some romance with a HEA. Very well written.
Ok, this was a very strange basis for a story, with the Steins behind reanimated humans but it works and works well. You feel for the Steins and their plight. There is even some romance with a HEA. Very well written.
April 19, 2013
The Blurb
Book three in the Love-Bots series.
When a riot erupts in Built4’s stein-building lab, the alpha stein Kee drags a submissive young lab assistant into his cage. Kee’s been studying the human. Ben’s sad eyes and slender form call to Kee—urging him to equal parts lust and possessiveness.
Prisoner to the alpha, Ben surrenders to the stein’s fierce determination and gentle seductions. He’s long hated his job, feeling like a monster for following his boss’s orders, especially once he’s seen intelligence flickering in the alpha’s green eyes.
If Kee’s to escape, he needs Ben’s help to learn about the world outside the laboratory—a world full of people, sex and experiences Kee’s only beginning to discover. And guilt-ridden over the things he’s done, Ben can only forgive himself if the alpha forgives his sins first.
I have to thank Netgalley for the privilege of getting to borrow this book and in exchange I write an honest review or at least a feedback.
For those who have read my blogs before, they all know I can be brutally honest. So, here goes.... please, don't strangle me.
Lost In Oblivion
I was quite surprised about how this book was written for it was written well, given its only 75 pages long. But honestly, I got totally lost, not having read the first two books. It did not help that there was no back-story written into this book number 3, if there had been one I would not have had to go back and forth looking over the previous books, trying to at least get a background. It also did not help that most of the book was, well, "zombie porn" as one reviewer wrote.
Don't get me wrong: if not for the lack of a back-story, I would have given this a 4 STAR. It is this feeling of being lost, trying to search for a background to get my imagination running smooth, and having to try to grasp helplessly at the taken-for-granted attitude the book was written in that I could not stand.
Questions, and more???
Ok, so really I am lost. I have not read the first two books and this has left me with these questions:
1. How did the steins start? I need a little bit of history here.
2. What do the steins look like? I read and read and there were implications all throughout the book that the following characters were obviously stein - I don't get it.
3. There was something mentioned about one character, a stein, who called everyone kids because he was about or more than a hundred years old. How does this affect Ben and Kee's relationship? I don't get it.
4. Why was the City of Seattle so important because of the constant rains and cloudy skies? This brought back memories of Edward explaining to Bella why they, as vampires, settled where they settled, because of the same reasons. Is it the same reason(s)?
I could go on and on about my "duh-ness," but really, all these questions could have been written into the book quite easily. It wouldn't have take more than one or two paragraphs - at most. Why not snip some of the porn off and insert the back-story?
Sighing Deeply....
The author left me bewildered, for lack of a better term. Forgive me if I am lacking as well, I never got to read the first two books. Forgive me for assuming that this is like all the other stand-alone books where a reader does not have to read the previous books in the series to get the back-story straight.
I have nothing against the alpha-subby-zombie thingy, nor do I have any issues with the writing style of Ms. Harris. I just wish..... well..... you know what I mean.
Book three in the Love-Bots series.
When a riot erupts in Built4’s stein-building lab, the alpha stein Kee drags a submissive young lab assistant into his cage. Kee’s been studying the human. Ben’s sad eyes and slender form call to Kee—urging him to equal parts lust and possessiveness.
Prisoner to the alpha, Ben surrenders to the stein’s fierce determination and gentle seductions. He’s long hated his job, feeling like a monster for following his boss’s orders, especially once he’s seen intelligence flickering in the alpha’s green eyes.
If Kee’s to escape, he needs Ben’s help to learn about the world outside the laboratory—a world full of people, sex and experiences Kee’s only beginning to discover. And guilt-ridden over the things he’s done, Ben can only forgive himself if the alpha forgives his sins first.
I have to thank Netgalley for the privilege of getting to borrow this book and in exchange I write an honest review or at least a feedback.
For those who have read my blogs before, they all know I can be brutally honest. So, here goes.... please, don't strangle me.
Lost In Oblivion
I was quite surprised about how this book was written for it was written well, given its only 75 pages long. But honestly, I got totally lost, not having read the first two books. It did not help that there was no back-story written into this book number 3, if there had been one I would not have had to go back and forth looking over the previous books, trying to at least get a background. It also did not help that most of the book was, well, "zombie porn" as one reviewer wrote.
Don't get me wrong: if not for the lack of a back-story, I would have given this a 4 STAR. It is this feeling of being lost, trying to search for a background to get my imagination running smooth, and having to try to grasp helplessly at the taken-for-granted attitude the book was written in that I could not stand.
Questions, and more???
Ok, so really I am lost. I have not read the first two books and this has left me with these questions:
1. How did the steins start? I need a little bit of history here.
2. What do the steins look like? I read and read and there were implications all throughout the book that the following characters were obviously stein - I don't get it.
3. There was something mentioned about one character, a stein, who called everyone kids because he was about or more than a hundred years old. How does this affect Ben and Kee's relationship? I don't get it.
4. Why was the City of Seattle so important because of the constant rains and cloudy skies? This brought back memories of Edward explaining to Bella why they, as vampires, settled where they settled, because of the same reasons. Is it the same reason(s)?
I could go on and on about my "duh-ness," but really, all these questions could have been written into the book quite easily. It wouldn't have take more than one or two paragraphs - at most. Why not snip some of the porn off and insert the back-story?
Sighing Deeply....
The author left me bewildered, for lack of a better term. Forgive me if I am lacking as well, I never got to read the first two books. Forgive me for assuming that this is like all the other stand-alone books where a reader does not have to read the previous books in the series to get the back-story straight.
I have nothing against the alpha-subby-zombie thingy, nor do I have any issues with the writing style of Ms. Harris. I just wish..... well..... you know what I mean.
January 10, 2012
Kee knows a lot more than the scientists think. He can communicate with the other steins and even had an affair with his past cell mate. He feels emotions much stronger than they believe and Kee is slowly learning to behave as a human regardless of what they want. He is lonely since his cell mate was taken and he begins to watch the much smaller lab assistant Ben with interest. Ben looks at him differently than the others and while Kee doesn’t quite understand it, his body reacts to this human in ways it didn’t even react to his past lover.
Being a lab assistant has never bothered Ben, until he is asked to start picking steins to be put down. Something about that just seems wrong, even if they aren’t human. One in particular keeps catching his eye, Kee, the leader. He is more imposing than the others and the way he watches Ben unnerves him completely. He knows much then he voices and Bens blood heats at just the sight of his long, lean muscles.
When Ben is asked to terminate the rest of the remaining steins when the program gets shut down he has to make a quick decision. Do as he’s told? Or risk everything for the male in the cage that watches him so fiercely?
Hmmmmm roughly 50 pages of smut filled, hunky goodness! I got to read this one back in its starter days. Yes, I checked with Daisy to make sure nothing was changed drastically. She assures me the version I beta read for her is pretty much the same as the published version. I have been a fan of her Love Bots series since the beginning. Her ability to take the zombie genre filled with grotesque images like The Walking Dead or Dawn Of The Dead and turn it into sexiness that makes me have the urge to scratch that proverbial itch is nothing short of amazing. I never thought I would love paranormal zombie romance, but I do, I really do. In fact there is nothing Daisy has published that I don’t love!
Built 4 It is a novella in her Love Bots series that focuses on the ever evolving love between Kee, a zombie, and Ben, the labs scientist assistant. When Kee was first brought to “life” he couldn’t speak, really couldn’t think on his own at all. Unbeknownst to Ben and the main scientist, he had been listening and learning. When the program gets shut down by the government Ben decides to get in touch with the Zombie Underground in order to save the steins from being put down. He is oddly attracted to the silent leader, Kee and doesn’t wish to do the dirty work of their destruction anymore.
Their relationship was just…sweet. Ben knows he is gay but is a virgin. Kee had some experience with another stein but is for all intents and purposes is a virgin himself. Kee is learning to behave as a human and so sometimes he comes off equally childlike and gentle. I liked his gentleness though and thought that was a nice addition since his body type is so opposing. By opposing I mean, Hulk-like :) . Muscles upon muscles. Did horny females build him or something? Because DAYUM. In comparison Ben is much smaller. Together though, sparks fly and fireworks explode.
I loved the epilogue at the end giving the reader a bit of closure with this fast novella. Well thought out and executed, Built 4 It is a great quick read when you need a little something to spice up your night!
I give Built 4 It by Daisy Harris 4 stars!
Being a lab assistant has never bothered Ben, until he is asked to start picking steins to be put down. Something about that just seems wrong, even if they aren’t human. One in particular keeps catching his eye, Kee, the leader. He is more imposing than the others and the way he watches Ben unnerves him completely. He knows much then he voices and Bens blood heats at just the sight of his long, lean muscles.
When Ben is asked to terminate the rest of the remaining steins when the program gets shut down he has to make a quick decision. Do as he’s told? Or risk everything for the male in the cage that watches him so fiercely?
Hmmmmm roughly 50 pages of smut filled, hunky goodness! I got to read this one back in its starter days. Yes, I checked with Daisy to make sure nothing was changed drastically. She assures me the version I beta read for her is pretty much the same as the published version. I have been a fan of her Love Bots series since the beginning. Her ability to take the zombie genre filled with grotesque images like The Walking Dead or Dawn Of The Dead and turn it into sexiness that makes me have the urge to scratch that proverbial itch is nothing short of amazing. I never thought I would love paranormal zombie romance, but I do, I really do. In fact there is nothing Daisy has published that I don’t love!
Built 4 It is a novella in her Love Bots series that focuses on the ever evolving love between Kee, a zombie, and Ben, the labs scientist assistant. When Kee was first brought to “life” he couldn’t speak, really couldn’t think on his own at all. Unbeknownst to Ben and the main scientist, he had been listening and learning. When the program gets shut down by the government Ben decides to get in touch with the Zombie Underground in order to save the steins from being put down. He is oddly attracted to the silent leader, Kee and doesn’t wish to do the dirty work of their destruction anymore.
Their relationship was just…sweet. Ben knows he is gay but is a virgin. Kee had some experience with another stein but is for all intents and purposes is a virgin himself. Kee is learning to behave as a human and so sometimes he comes off equally childlike and gentle. I liked his gentleness though and thought that was a nice addition since his body type is so opposing. By opposing I mean, Hulk-like :) . Muscles upon muscles. Did horny females build him or something? Because DAYUM. In comparison Ben is much smaller. Together though, sparks fly and fireworks explode.
I loved the epilogue at the end giving the reader a bit of closure with this fast novella. Well thought out and executed, Built 4 It is a great quick read when you need a little something to spice up your night!
I give Built 4 It by Daisy Harris 4 stars!
February 6, 2012
Built4’s lab is where Steins are created for testing purposes. Though they are unable to talk, the Steins in this lab have started to become a family and the Alpha, Kee, has begun to realise that once one of his charges disappears they never come back. Determined to protect his pack, he proceeds to study human culture and behaviours so he can effectively communicate if he needs to. When a riot starts up one night, he drags the younger lab assistant Ben into his cage. He has watched the young human for a while, both fascinated and attracted by his submissive nature and obvious lust. Sure that the only way to succeed on the outside is with Ben’s help, Kee appeals to his submissive side to try to get him on side. But can they forgive the sins of the past to have any sort of future together?
This is the third in the series of Daisy Harris’s Love-Bot series and, although it wasn’t my favourite of the trilogy, it is a entertaining instalment. Kee is a natural Alpha, a natural Dominant and a very kinky boy. He doesn’t know about the mechanics of sex, knows only what he likes based upon his personal trials, but he isn’t shy about expressing what he wants. I loved that he hadn’t had any of that crappy sex-shame that is bred into people, that he saw nothing wrong with the fact that he liked to get laid. I never at one point questioned his ability to say no to the sexual relationship with Ben, never saw him as less than the instigator of the entire sexual relationship (I was worried about this…I thought it may border on weird). Ben was a big old Virgin. I love virgin stories and Ben was ripe for the corruption that Kee brings….there is a very very hot shower scene *fans*. I knew he was redeemable when he started to question his career choices, I just didn’t know if he was forgivable to the bots that had already witnessed some of his less than stella moments. I liked that they both brought something to the relationship, that they both had a part to play; it made me a very happy bunny.
This is a M/M romance. This means that there are men getting it on so if you’re uncomfortable with that then this probably isn’t the book for you. Myself? I don’t care about gender, just about emotion and this certainly had enough lust and angst to keep me a happy bunny. The sex scenes certainly had a positive effect on my libido and I thoroughly enjoyed the building of their relationship. The side plot of the break out of the lab was engaging and it was nice to see some of the faces from the previous books again. I think the only complaint was the length which I felt could have been longer; it felt like there wasn’t much character building for Ben because the length didn’t really allow it. I’d definitely read more from this series and I wanted to take Kee under my wing and protect him from anymore hurts….though he probably wouldn’t allow me to being the big Alpha he is!
An erotic M/M romance that kept me turning the pages with a warm and fuzzy feeling inside my chest. I love this Zombie series which is surprisingly minus gore (although the innards scene made me a little queasy! :D)
This is the third in the series of Daisy Harris’s Love-Bot series and, although it wasn’t my favourite of the trilogy, it is a entertaining instalment. Kee is a natural Alpha, a natural Dominant and a very kinky boy. He doesn’t know about the mechanics of sex, knows only what he likes based upon his personal trials, but he isn’t shy about expressing what he wants. I loved that he hadn’t had any of that crappy sex-shame that is bred into people, that he saw nothing wrong with the fact that he liked to get laid. I never at one point questioned his ability to say no to the sexual relationship with Ben, never saw him as less than the instigator of the entire sexual relationship (I was worried about this…I thought it may border on weird). Ben was a big old Virgin. I love virgin stories and Ben was ripe for the corruption that Kee brings….there is a very very hot shower scene *fans*. I knew he was redeemable when he started to question his career choices, I just didn’t know if he was forgivable to the bots that had already witnessed some of his less than stella moments. I liked that they both brought something to the relationship, that they both had a part to play; it made me a very happy bunny.
This is a M/M romance. This means that there are men getting it on so if you’re uncomfortable with that then this probably isn’t the book for you. Myself? I don’t care about gender, just about emotion and this certainly had enough lust and angst to keep me a happy bunny. The sex scenes certainly had a positive effect on my libido and I thoroughly enjoyed the building of their relationship. The side plot of the break out of the lab was engaging and it was nice to see some of the faces from the previous books again. I think the only complaint was the length which I felt could have been longer; it felt like there wasn’t much character building for Ben because the length didn’t really allow it. I’d definitely read more from this series and I wanted to take Kee under my wing and protect him from anymore hurts….though he probably wouldn’t allow me to being the big Alpha he is!
An erotic M/M romance that kept me turning the pages with a warm and fuzzy feeling inside my chest. I love this Zombie series which is surprisingly minus gore (although the innards scene made me a little queasy! :D)
April 17, 2013
This book may only be 75 pages long but Daisy Harris packs a lot into book three of her Love-Bots series. I’ve never read her work before and am now looking forward to reading more about her steins
There’s science fiction, m/m erotic romance, a dominant male stein (re-animated corpse) adjusting to life in a strange new world and a shy, virgin lab assistant who comes into his own while seeking safety for himself and the stein he’s falling in love with.
I would have liked to know who created steins, and how. Perhaps those questions were answered in the first two books but some more backstory would have been nice.
However there was just enough information for the reader to get the picture, allowing you to focus on the relationship between lab assistant Ben Speigel and leader of the steins in the lab, Zee.
The BUILT 4 lab is located somewhere in Seattle, where a group of male steins are prepped for shipment to other labs where they are to be used in medical experiments. Lab assistant Ben Speigel cares about the steins and struggles to carry out his duties, which includes choosing which steins to ship out.
The steins’ leader, Zee, is a naturally dominant male whose intelligence is the more advanced than any of the other re-animated corpses. The younger the stein, the less awareness. Also, depending on the experiment they’re destined for, each stein has a different level of comprehension.
One day, an observant Ben realises Zee likes watching the TV in the lab. He decides to leave it on each night, providing the stein with a golden educational opportunity. Zee may not be able to read and write but he is very intelligent, quickly learning English in secret by copying what he sees and hears on a TV in the lab.
Ms Harris deals with the page limit by fast-forwarding three months at key points in the book. Case in point, three month after Ben first starting leaving the TV on, we find Ben trying to contact a stein rescue group because he knows Zee and the others are headed for extermination.
The steins are eventually rescued by the Zombie Underground but in a surprise move, Zee decides to isolate himself and Ben in the lab. This is where the men really begin forming a bond. Zee learns about shaving in a very touching yet erotic shower scene with Ben. The lab assistant in turn confesses he has never had sex and is not ready for what Zee wants, at least not yet.
They eventually leave the lab and must avoid capture by authorities out in the real world. Zombie Underground’s spunky rescue agent and fellow stein, Shani Brown, sets the Ben and Zee up in a safe house. Another round of adjustments follow, including the two becoming intimate. They have a physical and emotional compatibility which both cherish.
Another three month fast-forward gives us a look into Ben and Zee’s relationship and how they are handling life on the outside.
I look forward to reading more about them, seeing Shani with her boyfriend and learning more about the Zombie Underground in future Love-Bots books.
There’s science fiction, m/m erotic romance, a dominant male stein (re-animated corpse) adjusting to life in a strange new world and a shy, virgin lab assistant who comes into his own while seeking safety for himself and the stein he’s falling in love with.
I would have liked to know who created steins, and how. Perhaps those questions were answered in the first two books but some more backstory would have been nice.
However there was just enough information for the reader to get the picture, allowing you to focus on the relationship between lab assistant Ben Speigel and leader of the steins in the lab, Zee.
The BUILT 4 lab is located somewhere in Seattle, where a group of male steins are prepped for shipment to other labs where they are to be used in medical experiments. Lab assistant Ben Speigel cares about the steins and struggles to carry out his duties, which includes choosing which steins to ship out.
The steins’ leader, Zee, is a naturally dominant male whose intelligence is the more advanced than any of the other re-animated corpses. The younger the stein, the less awareness. Also, depending on the experiment they’re destined for, each stein has a different level of comprehension.
One day, an observant Ben realises Zee likes watching the TV in the lab. He decides to leave it on each night, providing the stein with a golden educational opportunity. Zee may not be able to read and write but he is very intelligent, quickly learning English in secret by copying what he sees and hears on a TV in the lab.
Ms Harris deals with the page limit by fast-forwarding three months at key points in the book. Case in point, three month after Ben first starting leaving the TV on, we find Ben trying to contact a stein rescue group because he knows Zee and the others are headed for extermination.
The steins are eventually rescued by the Zombie Underground but in a surprise move, Zee decides to isolate himself and Ben in the lab. This is where the men really begin forming a bond. Zee learns about shaving in a very touching yet erotic shower scene with Ben. The lab assistant in turn confesses he has never had sex and is not ready for what Zee wants, at least not yet.
They eventually leave the lab and must avoid capture by authorities out in the real world. Zombie Underground’s spunky rescue agent and fellow stein, Shani Brown, sets the Ben and Zee up in a safe house. Another round of adjustments follow, including the two becoming intimate. They have a physical and emotional compatibility which both cherish.
Another three month fast-forward gives us a look into Ben and Zee’s relationship and how they are handling life on the outside.
I look forward to reading more about them, seeing Shani with her boyfriend and learning more about the Zombie Underground in future Love-Bots books.
May 3, 2013
Made 4 It was an interesting story. I hadn’t read any other story in The Love-Bot series, but this still made a lot of sense to me. I get that there might be nuances of the supporting characters from earlier stories that I missed but the general gist of the world the author created made sense.
Ala Frankenstein … but not nearly as primitive, scientists have created a whole style of lab rat that are actually legal and called steins. The ethics of such a thing, and the lack of humanity required to bring people back to life and then experiment on them, was a disturbing theme. I found the character of the head doctor, Frith, to be particularly callous and cruel.
What was interesting to me was the way that humans reverted so much to animalistic tendencies as steins. They would create pack structures, used touch and physical cues to communicate when speech was beyond them. The leader, Kee, was the biggest and strongest … and curiously, also the smartest of them all. Emotions rule the steins’ actions … and Kee has a serious amount of emotion for the reluctant lab assistant Ben, who hates his job.
Throughout the story, Kee grows, Ben learns new things … and they both get something they wanted. In the end, their differences don’t seem to matter that much, even if society would condemn Kee and Ben for them. Their journey, sometimes together and sometimes apart, was good and I liked the romance but I found the philosophical questions brought on by this story almost more interesting than the story itself.
It begs the reader to question if the potential for Kee's recovery of his 'self', based on the electrical impulses of the device in his head that brought him back, would be limited to him for some reason. If given better implants could all steins regain full intelligence? What does that mean legally? Should people be brought back from the dead and limited to a certain level of intelligence deliberately? Can they be people again with all the same rights as the conventionally living if given a chance and should they be given that chance?
Could this be possible in OUR future?
Ala Frankenstein … but not nearly as primitive, scientists have created a whole style of lab rat that are actually legal and called steins. The ethics of such a thing, and the lack of humanity required to bring people back to life and then experiment on them, was a disturbing theme. I found the character of the head doctor, Frith, to be particularly callous and cruel.
What was interesting to me was the way that humans reverted so much to animalistic tendencies as steins. They would create pack structures, used touch and physical cues to communicate when speech was beyond them. The leader, Kee, was the biggest and strongest … and curiously, also the smartest of them all. Emotions rule the steins’ actions … and Kee has a serious amount of emotion for the reluctant lab assistant Ben, who hates his job.
Throughout the story, Kee grows, Ben learns new things … and they both get something they wanted. In the end, their differences don’t seem to matter that much, even if society would condemn Kee and Ben for them. Their journey, sometimes together and sometimes apart, was good and I liked the romance but I found the philosophical questions brought on by this story almost more interesting than the story itself.
It begs the reader to question if the potential for Kee's recovery of his 'self', based on the electrical impulses of the device in his head that brought him back, would be limited to him for some reason. If given better implants could all steins regain full intelligence? What does that mean legally? Should people be brought back from the dead and limited to a certain level of intelligence deliberately? Can they be people again with all the same rights as the conventionally living if given a chance and should they be given that chance?
Could this be possible in OUR future?
May 10, 2013
This is the third book in a series of novellas about a unique type of zombie, the Stein. They don't eat brains or stumble around like horror show monsters. They are re-animated humans who are 'built' for a purpose. The world building is unique in these lighter paranormal novellas that focus on the passion, but still offer a sturdy plot to keep things moving.
In this installment, the story is about Kee, a strong alpha stein, who is the oldest and strongest experiment left in the lab. He does his best to comfort and protect his fellow steins even while he studies the humans that are studying him. One of the humans catches his eye both for his compassion and regret for how the stein are treated like lab rats, but also because he knows the human is interested in him as well.
Ben regrets coming to work for the organization even though he needs the money to pay for his late mother's medical bills. He sees that the stein are not just sentient, but they are undeserving of the treatment they get and that all are eventually put down. The alpha stein has been there longer than most and Ben sees strong intelligence in those green eyes. He watches the stein nurture the others and he is not very surprised to learn that the stein has learned to talk.
When the order comes to close down the lab, Ben makes his move. He contacts a secret group to come rescue the stein before they are put down. This leads to a jailbreak that has him alone and at the mercy of the alpha stein. Kee takes Ben for his own and Ben isn't sure what his intentions are, but part of him doesn't mind being in the hands of Kee.
This hot and steamy plot that focuses on Kee and Ben as they escape the lab was an enjoyable reading experience. It was fun watching them work through misunderstandings and find acceptance when they should be bitter enemies.
Those who like to try m/m paranormal romances that take a step off the usual path when it comes to the paranormal part should give this book/series a try (FYI- series offers both m/f and m/m).
Thanks to Net Galley for providing the book for review purposes.
In this installment, the story is about Kee, a strong alpha stein, who is the oldest and strongest experiment left in the lab. He does his best to comfort and protect his fellow steins even while he studies the humans that are studying him. One of the humans catches his eye both for his compassion and regret for how the stein are treated like lab rats, but also because he knows the human is interested in him as well.
Ben regrets coming to work for the organization even though he needs the money to pay for his late mother's medical bills. He sees that the stein are not just sentient, but they are undeserving of the treatment they get and that all are eventually put down. The alpha stein has been there longer than most and Ben sees strong intelligence in those green eyes. He watches the stein nurture the others and he is not very surprised to learn that the stein has learned to talk.
When the order comes to close down the lab, Ben makes his move. He contacts a secret group to come rescue the stein before they are put down. This leads to a jailbreak that has him alone and at the mercy of the alpha stein. Kee takes Ben for his own and Ben isn't sure what his intentions are, but part of him doesn't mind being in the hands of Kee.
This hot and steamy plot that focuses on Kee and Ben as they escape the lab was an enjoyable reading experience. It was fun watching them work through misunderstandings and find acceptance when they should be bitter enemies.
Those who like to try m/m paranormal romances that take a step off the usual path when it comes to the paranormal part should give this book/series a try (FYI- series offers both m/f and m/m).
Thanks to Net Galley for providing the book for review purposes.
May 3, 2013
This is the third book in a series; I have not read books one or two but I had no problem jumping into this book. Although I generally don’t like reading a series out of order, I do appreciate it when I can read a book in a series and not feel lost without the information in previous books. I was quickly able to catch on to what was happening in the Built4 lab and with Zombie Underground.
Ben is working for Built4 doing experiments on reanimated bodies, or steins, thought by most to be completely dispensable; Ben doesn’t agree. Ben sees the emotions and intelligence of the test subjects and regrets what is happening to them. When the government orders the shut down of the lab and the destruction of the steins Ben calls the Zombie Underground for help. Zombie Underground is a group of steins who have learned to function normally, and secretively, in everyday society. In the process of trying to free the steins Ben is taken hostage by the alpha stein, Kee. While initially frightened and somewhat repulsed, Ben starts to feel more attracted to Kee and their relationship begins developing.
This is a very unique book concept, which I very much enjoyed. This is not a typical scary, flesh-eating, zombie story. I would like to read the earlier books in this series for more insight into the stein program and Zombie Underground. I would also like to read future books in hopes of seeing more of the characters and more relationship development. Kee and Ben and their relationship were interesting to read about. I appreciated the fact that Ben had some hesitations about a relationship with a reanimated body and that the author explored those. Other emotions that were written well were Kee’s fears of leaving the lab and Ben’s guilt. I also enjoyed the members of Zombie Underground that we only got a brief glimpse of; I would like to read more about them.
Ben is working for Built4 doing experiments on reanimated bodies, or steins, thought by most to be completely dispensable; Ben doesn’t agree. Ben sees the emotions and intelligence of the test subjects and regrets what is happening to them. When the government orders the shut down of the lab and the destruction of the steins Ben calls the Zombie Underground for help. Zombie Underground is a group of steins who have learned to function normally, and secretively, in everyday society. In the process of trying to free the steins Ben is taken hostage by the alpha stein, Kee. While initially frightened and somewhat repulsed, Ben starts to feel more attracted to Kee and their relationship begins developing.
This is a very unique book concept, which I very much enjoyed. This is not a typical scary, flesh-eating, zombie story. I would like to read the earlier books in this series for more insight into the stein program and Zombie Underground. I would also like to read future books in hopes of seeing more of the characters and more relationship development. Kee and Ben and their relationship were interesting to read about. I appreciated the fact that Ben had some hesitations about a relationship with a reanimated body and that the author explored those. Other emotions that were written well were Kee’s fears of leaving the lab and Ben’s guilt. I also enjoyed the members of Zombie Underground that we only got a brief glimpse of; I would like to read more about them.
May 17, 2013
Originally reviewed for The Book Vixen
In a Nutshell: Not quite sure what to say about this strange novella as one of the leads seemed like a Cro-Magnon man, literally, not because he was a jerk.
The Set Up: Kee is a stein, a man fully grown in a lab but without real brain activity though possessing an ability to learn quickly. He’s been lusting after the human lab technician, Ben and once finally freed, he captures Ben. Ben gives in to the gentle giant and helps Kee adapt to life outside the laboratory.
Why I Read this Book: I recently enjoyed a forthcoming release from this author, From the Ashes, about a Latino firefighter who falls for a man he helped after his house burnt down and thought I’d give one of her backlist a try.
Mixed Results: You ever read a book and after you have no idea what just happened? Yeah, that here for me. This writer has a great imagination to create a world where steins are humans but without the intellectual abilities humans possess. The science-y (shaddap, I know it’s not a word!) part of this novella was certainly imaginative.
The romance however was just plain odd. Ben isn’t happy shipping out the steins for medical research or to their death but his attraction to Kee is a big leap. Kee starts as nearly a mindless body but learns through TV rudimentary human thought and speech. For me this made for a very strange romance with a tad of ick when the men became sexual. Even their discussion about their sex includes childish hand gestures from both Ben and Kee and the whole romance ended up forced, strange and slightly icky for me.
IMO: I have a new oddest book I ever read!
*review copy from publisher*
In a Nutshell: Not quite sure what to say about this strange novella as one of the leads seemed like a Cro-Magnon man, literally, not because he was a jerk.
The Set Up: Kee is a stein, a man fully grown in a lab but without real brain activity though possessing an ability to learn quickly. He’s been lusting after the human lab technician, Ben and once finally freed, he captures Ben. Ben gives in to the gentle giant and helps Kee adapt to life outside the laboratory.
Why I Read this Book: I recently enjoyed a forthcoming release from this author, From the Ashes, about a Latino firefighter who falls for a man he helped after his house burnt down and thought I’d give one of her backlist a try.
Mixed Results: You ever read a book and after you have no idea what just happened? Yeah, that here for me. This writer has a great imagination to create a world where steins are humans but without the intellectual abilities humans possess. The science-y (shaddap, I know it’s not a word!) part of this novella was certainly imaginative.
The romance however was just plain odd. Ben isn’t happy shipping out the steins for medical research or to their death but his attraction to Kee is a big leap. Kee starts as nearly a mindless body but learns through TV rudimentary human thought and speech. For me this made for a very strange romance with a tad of ick when the men became sexual. Even their discussion about their sex includes childish hand gestures from both Ben and Kee and the whole romance ended up forced, strange and slightly icky for me.
IMO: I have a new oddest book I ever read!
*review copy from publisher*
April 14, 2013
Woah! Zombie porn!
I honestly wasn't expecting that, haha. I glanced over at the blurb and saw "Alpha" and submissive, and I saw something about a lab, and I was like, awesome, gimme! Haha, my bad.
It is the third in a series about Steins, corpses reanimated and programmed to be the living's perfect slaves. Which is a very interesting science fiction concept, actually! In fact, I was more interested in the story behind the Zombie Underground and its badass former sex zombie member, Shani, and their work in freeing zombie slaves, than in the romance between lab assistant Ben and lab rat stein Kee. Lab rat steins are more "traditional" zombies, because they don't have to do any thinking (so aren't programmed to be able to), so they stumble around their cages going "grrr argh" basically, until they get shipped off for experiments. They can still learn a little though, and Kee progresses to the intellect of a first grader. Uh... so yeah, not really feeling the romance between Kee and Ben, personally.
The steins in the other books in the series sound more like programmable robots with sentience who just happen to have bodies made out of flesh instead of metal (the series is called "Love-Bots" after all). So this installment was the traditional zombie book. With sex. The other installments sound so much more clever and humorous and... world-buildingy (like love-bots who need touch or orgasms to survive, downloadable sex upgrades, bots with malfunctioning programming), but they're het and that just ain't mah thing.
ARC provided by Ellora's Cave via Netgalley, thank you!
I honestly wasn't expecting that, haha. I glanced over at the blurb and saw "Alpha" and submissive, and I saw something about a lab, and I was like, awesome, gimme! Haha, my bad.
It is the third in a series about Steins, corpses reanimated and programmed to be the living's perfect slaves. Which is a very interesting science fiction concept, actually! In fact, I was more interested in the story behind the Zombie Underground and its badass former sex zombie member, Shani, and their work in freeing zombie slaves, than in the romance between lab assistant Ben and lab rat stein Kee. Lab rat steins are more "traditional" zombies, because they don't have to do any thinking (so aren't programmed to be able to), so they stumble around their cages going "grrr argh" basically, until they get shipped off for experiments. They can still learn a little though, and Kee progresses to the intellect of a first grader. Uh... so yeah, not really feeling the romance between Kee and Ben, personally.
The steins in the other books in the series sound more like programmable robots with sentience who just happen to have bodies made out of flesh instead of metal (the series is called "Love-Bots" after all). So this installment was the traditional zombie book. With sex. The other installments sound so much more clever and humorous and... world-buildingy (like love-bots who need touch or orgasms to survive, downloadable sex upgrades, bots with malfunctioning programming), but they're het and that just ain't mah thing.
ARC provided by Ellora's Cave via Netgalley, thank you!
June 5, 2013
Built 4 It takes us into a world where the dead are reanimated into "Steins" and used for medical testing and other less than pleasant things. Ben works as a lab tech for Built 4 It corp. and hates his job, he does however find the alpha male they have in the lab to be very attractive.
Kee is the leader of the Steins being held by Built 4 It, he is the alpha and his intelligence and understanding is growing day by day. He wants to get his people out and finds his attraction the the human Ben confusing because Ben should be the enemy but Kee finds he wants to protect and take care of Ben.
This is not the first erotic romance I have read that had zombies in it, it was however the first I have read where the zombies where participants in the sexual activity. I could mostly get past that because they aren't all gross and rotting zombies. The story is a little bit tender with Ben being very inexperienced and Kee still developing. This story had a lot of possibility and could have explored several avenues in the plot line further however the sex scenes dominate the book. I love a hot erotic romance I just would love to have seen the story better developed.
Overall a good read, short to mid-length as far as novels go and open to this turning into a full series of books.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Kee is the leader of the Steins being held by Built 4 It, he is the alpha and his intelligence and understanding is growing day by day. He wants to get his people out and finds his attraction the the human Ben confusing because Ben should be the enemy but Kee finds he wants to protect and take care of Ben.
This is not the first erotic romance I have read that had zombies in it, it was however the first I have read where the zombies where participants in the sexual activity. I could mostly get past that because they aren't all gross and rotting zombies. The story is a little bit tender with Ben being very inexperienced and Kee still developing. This story had a lot of possibility and could have explored several avenues in the plot line further however the sex scenes dominate the book. I love a hot erotic romance I just would love to have seen the story better developed.
Overall a good read, short to mid-length as far as novels go and open to this turning into a full series of books.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
April 16, 2013
Well, this is a new take on zombies or steins as they are called in this series (a take on Frankenstein) but it's basically a reanimated corpse so call it what you will. I had seen the first two books from this series on different book sites but was never interested in them enough to want to purchase them, so when I got the chance to review this one from Netgalley, I jumped at the chance. And I'm glad I did. The world is interesting and the characters were enough to make me change my mind and give the others in this series a try. Although the first to are m/f pairings this one was m/m.
I loved how Kee started out as the alpha male in the relationship and took total control of Ben and the other steins that were kept at the laboratory. But as soon as they left the lab the position of alpha was switched with Ben and Kee became the one needing protection and guidance. I was definitely rooting for their HEA.
Will definitely be going back to the previous books and looking forward to more in this series. I would love to see how these two men settled into their relationship and would like to see some of Kee's fellow cagemates get a chance at happiness too.
I loved how Kee started out as the alpha male in the relationship and took total control of Ben and the other steins that were kept at the laboratory. But as soon as they left the lab the position of alpha was switched with Ben and Kee became the one needing protection and guidance. I was definitely rooting for their HEA.
Will definitely be going back to the previous books and looking forward to more in this series. I would love to see how these two men settled into their relationship and would like to see some of Kee's fellow cagemates get a chance at happiness too.
April 20, 2013
This might be part of a series, but it is the only one I read and I had no trouble understanding what was going on once I got into it. It's an interesting look into zombies - or steins as their called - and how they are used for different tasks, such as medical testing. They're not exactly mindless, and they don't eat brains from what is shown in this short, but they do require different food than humans.
Kee and Ben are interesting characters. I liked that their relationship was portrayed as lust at first and not love. That would have ruined it for me. And I'm also glad they didn't just fall into bed with each other. Ben even goes so far as to say "I do not want this" at one point, and rather than force him, Kee backs off.
It is a short story, so it felt rushed. I think given more room the story could have been fleshed out more. I would have enjoyed seeing their first reactions to each other when Kee is first brought to the facility, his treatment of Lo and reaction when he's taken, and so on. I also wonder if the last character that Ben works with at his new facility will make an appearance in a future story if there is one, given his reactions towards Ben.
Kee and Ben are interesting characters. I liked that their relationship was portrayed as lust at first and not love. That would have ruined it for me. And I'm also glad they didn't just fall into bed with each other. Ben even goes so far as to say "I do not want this" at one point, and rather than force him, Kee backs off.
It is a short story, so it felt rushed. I think given more room the story could have been fleshed out more. I would have enjoyed seeing their first reactions to each other when Kee is first brought to the facility, his treatment of Lo and reaction when he's taken, and so on. I also wonder if the last character that Ben works with at his new facility will make an appearance in a future story if there is one, given his reactions towards Ben.
May 22, 2012
When a riot erupts in Built4's stein-building lab, the alpha stein Kee drags a submissive young lab assistant into his cage. Kee's been studying the human. Ben's sad eyes and slender form call to Kee-urging him to equal parts lust and possessiveness.
Prisoner to the alpha, Ben surrenders to the stein's fierce determination and gentle seductions. He's long hated his job, feeling like a monster for following his boss's orders, especially once he's seen intelligence flickering in the alpha's green eyes.
If Kee's to escape, he needs Ben's help to learn about the world outside the laboratory-a world full of people, sex and experiences Kee's only beginning to discover. And guilt-ridden over the things he's done, Ben can only forgive himself if the alpha forgives his sins first.
Typical gay romance, set in an AU contemporary setting. Predictable, forgettable. It is what it is.
Prisoner to the alpha, Ben surrenders to the stein's fierce determination and gentle seductions. He's long hated his job, feeling like a monster for following his boss's orders, especially once he's seen intelligence flickering in the alpha's green eyes.
If Kee's to escape, he needs Ben's help to learn about the world outside the laboratory-a world full of people, sex and experiences Kee's only beginning to discover. And guilt-ridden over the things he's done, Ben can only forgive himself if the alpha forgives his sins first.
Typical gay romance, set in an AU contemporary setting. Predictable, forgettable. It is what it is.
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