Liz Loves Books
I love to read and to talk about books. I review many of the books I read. I do not accept any author/publisher submissions for reviews. I do not read or review ARCs. I do not enter any giveaways or contests. I obtain the books I review by purchasing them at the same price they are offered to the general public at the time of purchase. My reviews are intended for the use of my fellow readers. They are not advertising or promotion. They are not beta reads or constructive criticism or editing or advice to the author. My only obligation to the author is to pay the price charged for the book at the time of purchase. My reviews are sometimes critical and I will not stop posting critical reviews just to spare delicate authors' feelings. I am happy to make new friends, but friend requests from authors or promoters who have few or no books (and/or friends) in common with me and write or promote categories I do not read (especially new adult) will be ignored. I used to read more self-published books. After recent meltdowns by self-published authors, I now only read self-published authors I've previously read or who have been recommended to me by fellow readers I trust. I also used to read young adult/new adult books but rarely do so now.
This is a fairly short but intense version of sci-fi-themed capture style BDSM erotica. It's well done, though I do want to emphasize that it's capture erotica and therefore there were definite consent issues for me which has affected my rating. While Bach does what I feel is the right thing near the end and sets Pani free (and returns her to Earth), Pani's voluntary return to Bach, which I consider a symptom of Stockholm Syndrome, left me with a little negative feeling at the end of the book. I also felt the discipline (in the form of rather extreme spankings) bordered on abuse. I couldn't help comparing this to [b:Owned and Owner|3093686|Owned and Owner|Anneke Jacob|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41B0Q6SC18L._SL75_.jpg|13004565]by Anneke Jacob, which is a much more in depth version of an alien-owner/human-pet story, which did NOT have the consent issues Ms. Phelps' story has and which I absolutely loved. One major difference between the two is that Owned and Owner focuses on pet play and Pets: Bach's Story focuses on age play. Age play happens to be one of my favorite kinks, and it doesn't turn up very often in erotica, so I really enjoyed that aspect of Pets. Overall I felt this novella is well written. However, I would have enjoyed it a bit more had I felt the relationship was more consensual.