Review: sensual, erotic paranormal romance with m/m elements
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 8, 2013
The Queen's Consorts.  Kele MoonARC supplied by author.I'm a real fan of Kele's works - she's one of those rare authors who can write steamy erotic scenes without them reading as tacky or making the reader feel squeamish - overuse of certain words such as titties, daddy and pussy do that to me, turn off rather than turn on. There's nothing wrong in them except that we need variety and a bit of grown up speak not the childish valentines day, stomach churning phrases....The Eden series is my favourite and show just how well an author can be explicitly graphic and yet still very erotic. This book reminds me vaguely of that in a way, a sort of paranormal version done with the two males, one female scenes, and the Polyamory, ménage and whipping/bondage scenes, though that's done for different reasons than pleasure to both parties...Kele shows us how the search for power is corrosive and corruptive, when the search for a long missing queen leads to belief that she must be dead, and a desire to become the next queen is sought by one of the sister Rayians. There's a divide between those loyal to the absent monarchy and those the  would be queen is amassing, with everyone treading a close political line. Its an unusual premise in that the female are the powerful ones, each having two bonded males and the sex is between all of them with the females allowed to take pleasure in brutality and everything sexual except penetration with the two consorts of the absent queen. They have to obey every command from the females. The corruption has come in that those within the Sacred City believe they are superior and are living a life of extreme luxury and dark pleasure while other subjects languish in poverty. Its something that we've seen happen in history and only sturdy controls prevent from happening today - though sadly in many countries this sort of lifestyle is all too common. Its interesting just how the search for power grows as it expands and morality seems to get lost as more power is acquired. Maybe its just that what one has to do blunts the senses and once one hurdle passed its easier to cross more - this book makes me ponder things like this. Its one of the elements of Kele's writing I love - the way the psychology of what the characters are doing makes me compare it to real life actions.The description covers well what happens, and its not hard to guess what's going to happen but the sex scenes are once again very tasteful, erotic and well written, and the battle scenes and world building very realistic. I'd like to see more from this world in future books - what will happen next for instance, and maybe stories from some of the other characters involved. Kele writes people you can love - or hate! - every romance needs at least one nasty and this book has a real doozy of a bitch :) That provides a great contrast, and for me gives the edge and makes the story superior to those that  just contain sweet, loving people.It is an erotic book, does contain ménage sex, whippings and graphic m/m sex so if that offends you don't buy it - take heed of the warnings rather than buy and complain after. Priced at 5.41 for 272 pages its one for my keeper files.Stars: A good solid four and a half. Its close but not up to the standard of Eden :)