Come Again

May 11, 2015
Prolific editor Bussel (Best Bondage Erotica 2015) collects 24 appealing shorts featuring sexual devices in mostly lighthearted, contemporary stories that show daring couples exploring together. Diversity and humor enhance some of the best entries: a transgender dildo salesman demonstrates his wares to the woman he discovers walking his lost dog in "Lost and Pounded" by Zee Giovanni; an older woman reminisces about a past lover while pleasuring herself with fresh produce in "Vegetable Love" by Susan St. Aubin. And though some of the creative devicesâlike the strange invention of Malin James's "The Prototype," the sex doll of Giselle Renarde's "Must Love Dolls," and the bee-infused ceramic and crystal dildo of Kamala St. Deed's "Byrd and the Bees"âalmost become characters in their own right, pieces like E. Bellamy's "The Superman Dildo" reassure readers that inanimate objects won't supplant people. The only story that really falls flat is Livia Ellis's "My Life as a Vibrator," which takes the first-person perspective of a sex toy. Those who were drawn to Fifty Shades of Grey for its paraphernalia will find this an approachable next step, straightforward enough for new erotica readers and perfect for the reader with her own toys in hand.

Starred review from April 1, 2015

Cleis here offers yet another inventive anthology, this time focused on the concept of sex toys. This collection runs the gamut within the first seven pages, with Jillian Boyd's humorous, sweet "Dare You To," wherein a soon-to-be-wed couple blow off marriage-planning stress with a series of escalatingly naughty dares. Some plots go according to plan, such as Zee Giovanni's "Lost and Pounded" tale of a missing dog bringing two strangers together, while others have a touch of conflict; E. Bellamy's "The Superman Dildo" tells of a jealous lover who struggles with his new girlfriend's favored toy. A majority of the selections seem to involve heterosexual trysts, such as Malin James's "The Prototype," in which a young couple test out a new invention between the sheets, and J. Crichton's "Icy Bed," which is anything but cold, as a couple use a webcam and a few other handy tools to make the miles apart seem shorter. Things wrap up with Livia Ellis's long-awaited anecdote "My Life as a Vibrator," a playful exploration of pleasure from an unconventional perspective. VERDICT Though a broader depiction of diverse pairings and partners would have been appreciated, these quickies make excellent work of embodying the sexy, silly attitude that often accompanies creative toy use in the bedroom. Readers will have fun perusing for solo and partner play inspiration.

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