I don't, as a reader, follow review blogs/sites much. I notice some of their reviews is all. Practically always I have been disappointed (except for "Speak Its Name"), or even downright enraged (Jessewave). Wave reviews mostly books that I don't want to read, so usually a nod from her means I avoid that book. By now I almost exclusively choose via friends' recs.

I like historicals, and those I picked off their site were delightful and not irritating for inaccuracy. Some, like the "Lessons"-series by Charlie Cochrane were acceptable reads, but nothing to write home about.

I don't follow ANY blog....but I keep seeing them being promo'd on GR which is almost as bad as authors promo'ing themselves....new blogs, blogs coming out...WTF is it just to get ARCs? I miss my fandom community ;_;

I'm really tired of seeing BDSM in absolutely everything. I find BDSM pretty boring, it's not hot for me and sex scenes that aren't hot are wasted space, basically. I don't mind that some is getting published, but lately it seems like every romance novel I investigate to see if I want to read it has BDSM and it's sooo fucking boring for me. It's everywhere.

Reply to post #92 (show post):
Yeah, I may have been exaggerating just a tad, lol, I was pretty frustrated last night. I won't necessarily refuse to read a book if it has some bdsm in it, if I can skip or skim the scenes and the rest of the book is interesting (and, I want to emphasize, it's not out of discomfort, it's out of boredom with that type of sex. I can read a scene with a guy getting fisted without flinching, I just don't find it hot).

There's also a lot of resistance among authors to label books that contain BDSM which pisses off people who aren't expecting it. There are various reasons given for that but I see it as a marketing ploy. They don't want to put off any potential buyers

That bothers me. If they're writing BDSM, they should label it. Not everyone likes it, and when I encounter it unexpectedly I'm usually put off. Someone else who has a stronger reaction might be upset, and either way we'll feel cheated. That's a good way to lose future readers. Yeah, they might lose a few sales by labeling their book, but maybe they'll gain a few sales too from people who like that sort thing.

I like Hard Fall too, I just skipped the sex scenes after the first reading. If there's something else in a book to draw me I'll still read it, BDSM or no. BDSM might not be hot to me, but if there's other stuff that I like in the book I'll still read it. That's the trouble I think, it feels like a lot of authors use it as a crutch for interesting character development or inventive sex scenes.

And yeah, getting tired of seeing BDSM used as therapy, since that seems to imply that kinky people are all messed up, which I know isn't true (or at least, no more so than the rest of us). Therapy is therapy, and BDSM is BDSM and they are very different.