Customer Reviews

Bound In Skin

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I only bought this book because the author Alicia Blade, aka Marrisa Meyer, had a story published in it.
The other stories were interesting and fit the title of harlequin. My only complaint about this is one of the short stories (and its been a while since read this so I can't remember the name) skips pages. The book is labeled correctly, and goes from (for example) 96 to 97, but it appears the publisher made a mistake and left out a chunk of one of the tales, so the reader is left confused and wondering exactly how the heroine "found the secret passage caught her master...."

The rest of the stories were interesting, and written well enough.

This book surpassed my expectations! I originally bought this book because I've been a fan of Alicia Blade for years, but was surprised to enjoy it as a whole. Each author outdoes themselves with captivating stories that draw you in and have you looking forward to the next. I would recomend this to anyone who wants a good read.

Bound in Skin is a collection of seven short gothic romance stories that mostly stick to formulaic plots. There are, however, two stand-out stories in this collection--the title piece 'Bound in Skin' by Janine Ashbless and Carole Lanham's 'Cleopatra's Needle'.

According to the blurb, the collection is "inspired by the classic Gothic Romances of the 1960s". This is true, but unfortunately the authors have done very little to add a new twist to that. They have simply copied tried and tested formulas. There's nothing wrong with this as such--there is a market for it, and it's definitely great for some escapism--but had all seven stories had the little sparks of originality, and rich language that 'Bound in Skin' and 'Cleopatra's Needle' offer, this would have been a more satisfying read. The rest of the stories feel like little more than padding around these two and I found them to be extremely similar. All are told from the woman's point of view, and the heroines varied very little . The men they lust after felt like the same guy over and over again. Some of the descriptions also got repetitive (surely there must have been something other for the characters to eat than 'hearty soup'?). The authors appear to be trying to stick to a type, but would have done well to implement wider variety in their vocabulary.

Despite this, the settings in the stories are overall very well written, sumptuous and intoxicating. If these tales fall down in plot, they certainly make up for it in style. Definitely a redeeming feature, although the most memorable parts were the beautiful houses. I got the feeling that there were really only two voices in the collection and if that isn't the case, then the authors need to put some work into individuality. The sex scenes were rather modest for the most part-enough of a hint to raise a smile to my lips but perhaps not steamy enough to raise my pulse (or raise anything else if any lads try the book). Not enough for a good fantasy, unless you've got a superb imagination, but playful and amusing nonetheless.

'Cleopatra's Needle' is the most distinctive of the collection. It tells the story of Ryder and Delia, childhood best friends in Wales who are separated when Ryder's father decides to start a new life in Ohio. Delia waits patiently for Ryder to make his fortune and send for her, but when he finally invites her to visit, she arrives to find he has had a brutal ordeal with three witches. This is a genuinely creepy and original story, as well as being the most sexually charged of the collection.

The cover art is appealing and plenty of readers will no doubt find this a highly enjoyable and fun read, light hearted but written well enough to hold some interest. You know what's going to happen and at least you won't be heartbroken at the end. If you're looking for half an hour of silly indulgence to take your mind off the trouble's of the modern world then you'd do okay picking any one of the stories, but don't come to it expecting to find anything new or surprising.

[Reviewed by Jess Nash]

Say 'Gothic Romance', and guys start searching for the automotive section of the bookstore. Don't be fooled by the word 'romance' -- this is excellent genre literature that just happens to have some romance.

Back in high school, I used to read everything I could get my hands on, including books my mother read. Heck, I even watched the old soap called Dark Shadows, because it did have some cool stuff, like vampires and dead people. The selected stories collected for Bound in Skin reminds me of those days. Each story holds a delicate balance between the gothic/dark and the romance angle.

Every story explores edgier subjects than the 1970s era. The opening story (which shares the name of the book) is one of the best, and certainly the editors put their best foot forward. I was impressed with Ms. Ashbless' descriptive work, which pulled me into the story before I knew what hit me. I didn't know where she was taking me, but she made the journey pass quickly before I found myself watching Miss Otley knocking on the manor door. Likewise for "Cleopatra's Needle", where the different scenes were presented using a clever compilation of wording and visual text changes. Each author knows their craft; this is one anthology where you'll get your money's worth. There's no duds between these covers.

If Gothic Romance isn't your thing, but you consider yourself an author, I'd still recommend picking up this book to see how romance can be incorporated into a storyline without resorting to 'purple prose'. I write science fiction, fantasy and horror, and I felt I learned how to improve my longer stories by building up interpersonal relationships, even if the characters don't act on their desires.

And remember... this is a real Guy recommending a book with romance in it. You'll be glad you picked this one up.

This anthology contains seven long (probably longer than can be comfortably finished in one sitting) stories by emerging and established authors. There is some erotic content (I would rate it PG-13) but in no story does it overshadow the main romantic plot.

There is a wide variation in style and settings (northern Canada, Wales, eastern Europe), though all of the stories seem to be set in the 19th or early 20th Century.

The highlights of the anthology for me were Alicia Blade's "The Phantom of Linkshire Manor", a ghost story with an M.R. James sensibility, and Carole Lanham's "Cleopatra's Needle", a genuinely touching story of love, for better or worse, with the flavor of a folktale.

Each of the stories contains a twist. If you're the kind of person who likes to shake your Christmas presents before you open them, you'll want to read the back cover blurb before reading the book. Personally, I find it gives a bit too much away.

Book is a great read. It is most definitely Gothic in character with a feeling of the 1970s Gothic Romances. The characters were well developed. I especially enjoyed Bound By Skin by Janine Ashbless. The characters related well to eachother in the story. The heroine was strong and matched the hero quite well. I also enjoyed The Phantom of Linkshire Manor by Alicia Blade. It is is a Gothic mystery without the paranormal. The 2 main characters nteract well with each other and with the others in the story. Each story stands well alone. I read the book over 2 nights. Each story can be read in about an hour - approximately 50 -60 pages each. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery with a paranormal twist. There is some sex in the stories. It is not real graphic but a little more graphic than the standard 1970s books. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone under sixteen though.