Review: The Mistress by Tiffany Reisz

I've been staring at this screen for almost an hour now, trying to find adequate words to convey what I feel about this book, this whole series.

I'm pretty sure nothing I say on this page will be enough.

The Mistress is the final book in The Original Sinners Series - The Red Years. 

Let me first let you know that I hate goodbyes.  And while this really isn't a goodbye because there is another quartet of books to come from Ms. Reisz, this is the end of this particular chapter.


I'm not even sure you can describe the feelings I had while reading this book.  It was a little bit of this:

and this

and this

But that's about all you're going to get re: the storyline.  Since I was lucky enough to get an ARC from Netgalley, I am not even going to go near what might be construed as a spoiler.  Nope.  Spoilers are bad.   

But I will say this.  I am just as in love with the characters as I was in the first 3 books...maybe even a little more if that is even possible.  As I said in my review of the first three books, these books are so much more than what their BDSM and erotica tags immediately imply.  These books are smart.  They are emotional.  They are mind blowing and enlightening and so well-written.  These books are not the stereotypical bodice-ripper that you want to read on your Kindle/Nook/E-reader so nobody knows what you're really reading.    

I love that this story is about love and acceptance.  Love and acceptance in all forms.  All the classic (see that, Ms. Reisz **winks**) elements are there, but the story is told in a way that consumes you until you just...I don't even know...you just FEEL it.  You feel it so hard that your tummy hurts and you have tears, but yet you find yourself smiling at the same time.  Feelings so intense that you might say they inspired the name of my blog.         

Now...about the ending.  Loved it.  It made sense, it wasn't contrived and simply put, it left me with a sense of completion that makes knowing this is the end a little bit easier to accept. 

That being said...BRING ON THE PRIEST!

The Original Sinners - Tiffany Reisz

While I'm in the middle of reading a book for my book club and waiting for Jack to finish reading a book so he can help me with a blog post, I decided to revisit some favorites:

 

I don't know what to say about these books. I don't think anything I can put down will be the right thing or enough...without getting too personal. Every time I finish one, I'm flung head first into emotional overload but in the best way possible.

I never ever thought reading a book, much less a series tagged with the term erotica or BDSM could make me feel these things. Yes, those elements are there and necessary - these books wouldn't be what they are without them. But those things are not ALL that this series is about - there is so much more.

It is no small secret that I despise the Fifty Shades of Gray trilogy.  ABHOR it.  Loathe it.  To this day, I don't know how or why it got published, but that's not my call and another discussion for another day.  While the BDSM way is not for me, I have encountered others that have experienced the lifestyle and after reading this books, I can say that I GET it. I can see it.  With her words, Ms. Reitz allows the reader to appreciate the beauty in something that society (thanks to books like FSoG) likes to stigmatize and trivialize. 

Reading each book, I connected with every single character. Nora - where has she been all my life? And Zach and Wesley, sweet sweet Wesley. And even Soren.  And Kingsley and Michael and
Griffin, especially when he wears a kilt.    **Shrugs**  Can't help it.

I never write long reviews -- I'm an emotional reader and it is hard for me to "critique" because I feel awkward putting my thoughts out there when usually they are based on nothing but my emotions -- but my feels for this series...they deserve words, inadequate as they may be.

I feel every word of this story.  Not exaggerating.

The intensity can be overwhelming, but it is also delicious. I found myself wincing at parts and reading though my fingers, but with every page turn I wanted to immerse myself in the depth and the feelings. Soak in it like a warm bath with candles and lots of wine until I get sleepy. I can't speak French worth a damn, but every italicized word or phrase was like a whispered kiss (-- well, except for 5 words that will haunt me until The Mistress comes out this summer). When you read it, you'll know what I mean. Half my updates on Goodreads were in a language I shouldn't understand, but when I was reading, I felt fluent. Because these books are more than just words.

The Siren was sassy
The Angel was enlightening
The Prince...was emotion.

I will say that these books won't be for everyone, but if you feel like stepping outside your comfort zone, they are worth the chance.  What Tiffany Reisz does with her characters is nothing short of magic. I can't think of another series of books that has grabbed me so consistently and yet each book does so in a completely different way. 

The Mistress has an expected publication date of July 30, 2013 and I'm hoping my good luck continues and I get to read it in advance.  **Prays to the Netgalley gods and unabashedly begs**

You can learn more about the author and the series here.