Please Note: The following review is suitable for adults only.
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You know, sometimes I like a quick and dirty piece of fiction, a story that is not afraid to get right to the good stuff. While they may not be the most memorable of tales, they do have their place. More and more, though I find myself being drawn to longer stories, whether they be serialized or complete novels. That brings us to Turned, the first chapter of Between The Sheikh And A Hard Place (which, I am delighted to say, is available in a single collection at a very reasonable price).
What I loved about Arnica Butler's story is the amount of detail she invests in establishing the characters and setting up the situation. In fact, this first volume is almost all set-up, and that makes the sexual payoff in the final pages all the more exciting and intense. Peter and Adnan are college buddies heading back to Adnan's home in Barayai for the holidays. Right from the start we get the very clear impression that Adnan is far more complex than the self-depreciating, genial, modest young foreigner that he seems. The scene in the airport does a superb job of building up the friendship from Peter's perspective, and then tearing it down and rebuilding it from Adnan's. The luxury first class cabin is just enough to really make us question Adnan's modesty, but our first sight of his walled complex - a mansion the size of a small city - is where the story reall begins to change.
At first, Peter is exactly what he appears to be, a trusted friend and an honored guest. He's a bit unsettled by Adnan's transformation into a dominant, aristocratic young ruler, but their friendship is still there. It isn't until Peter begins talking to Adnan's women, asking questions, and ultimately discovering the gender-bending secret of the harem that the story makes the shift we have been waiting for. As for that twist, Butler does a lovely job with that as well. Peter's transformation is utterly terrifying, a magic spell that's described with the feeling of melting flesh and crawling worms. Similarly, the way she explores Peter's new feelings, and the way she leads us through his first sexual experience as a woman, is just superb. As for the final revelation of this chapter, and the horrifying truth of what it will take to break the spell, I will leave that for you to discover.
If you want to give the series a try, by all means pick up a copy of Turned - but please trust me when I say it's worth the extra dollar to grab the complete Between The Sheikh And A Hard Place collection.
What I loved about Arnica Butler's story is the amount of detail she invests in establishing the characters and setting up the situation. In fact, this first volume is almost all set-up, and that makes the sexual payoff in the final pages all the more exciting and intense. Peter and Adnan are college buddies heading back to Adnan's home in Barayai for the holidays. Right from the start we get the very clear impression that Adnan is far more complex than the self-depreciating, genial, modest young foreigner that he seems. The scene in the airport does a superb job of building up the friendship from Peter's perspective, and then tearing it down and rebuilding it from Adnan's. The luxury first class cabin is just enough to really make us question Adnan's modesty, but our first sight of his walled complex - a mansion the size of a small city - is where the story reall begins to change.
At first, Peter is exactly what he appears to be, a trusted friend and an honored guest. He's a bit unsettled by Adnan's transformation into a dominant, aristocratic young ruler, but their friendship is still there. It isn't until Peter begins talking to Adnan's women, asking questions, and ultimately discovering the gender-bending secret of the harem that the story makes the shift we have been waiting for. As for that twist, Butler does a lovely job with that as well. Peter's transformation is utterly terrifying, a magic spell that's described with the feeling of melting flesh and crawling worms. Similarly, the way she explores Peter's new feelings, and the way she leads us through his first sexual experience as a woman, is just superb. As for the final revelation of this chapter, and the horrifying truth of what it will take to break the spell, I will leave that for you to discover.
If you want to give the series a try, by all means pick up a copy of Turned - but please trust me when I say it's worth the extra dollar to grab the complete Between The Sheikh And A Hard Place collection.
