Book Review: Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year, Volume 5
Front and back covers of Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year, Volume 5. Photo courtesy of Cleis Press.
If it wasn’t already obvious, we love good erotica. Like, we really love reading stories from this genre. So, when Sinclair Sexsmith of the blog Sugarbutch Chronicles (you may recognize their name from our article “Here Are the Best Sex Blogs on the Internet”) reached out to us to read and review Cleis Press’ upcoming collection that they are editor of, Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year, Volume 5, we couldn’t say “no.”
The anthology “explores and expands on the very definition of eroticism with a diverse mix of queer, non-binary, trans, and polyamorous #ownvoices that will have you quivering with delight and wondering what more you can explore — no matter how you identify.” This couldn’t be truer!
The collection at a glance
Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year, Volume 5 features seventeen unique accounts of various erotic situations. Some are sexually immersive and detailed right from the get-go. In contrast, others take things incredibly slow, dragging out the build-up both between the characters and for the reader who is on the edge of their seat in anticipation. While they are all different, each story has one thing in common: it belongs in this anthology and has been expertly selected to bring us, the readers, the utmost pleasure.
It elicited something deep inside…
While the apparent observation of Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year, Volume 5 is that it offers an overall feel of sexual exploration, it goes beyond just that. As Sexsmith describes in the collection’s introduction, “The characters in this book explore all kinds of erotic encounters, finding refuge, finding connection, and finding themselves.”
Each new story, each new character introduced to, provides you with a new outlook on sexual exploration, personal desires, and the many facets of human sexuality and attraction.
Editor Sinclair Sexsmith’s erotica
Titled “Whatever I Want, Whatever I Say,” Sexsmith’s BDSM-themed tale delves into a new dominant adopting a sub in an owner-slave dynamic. The words are charged, passionate; it’s “a little fear, a lot of arousal.” There is a gradual build of pleasure, told from the main character’s perspective, and it elicits tantalizing arousal in whoever reads the words. We, too, feel the desire to take things slowly and open up our submissive, to push her thighs open and make her pleasure our own.
If you’re looking to find a story you can masturbate to with ease, this is for you.
Our favourite stories
“On a Hot and Humid Night” by Mx. Nillin Lore: This erotica is one for the books (no pun intended), and we love how it’s one of the first stories shared in the collection. From the beginning, Lore describes the scene unfolding in exquisite detail, creating a stunning image in the mind’s eye of everything unfolding. From the gentle arching of a back to the ‘full, perky breasts lift[ing] in a way that makes it look like they’ve grown even more somehow,” you’ll feel emotions stir deep within you while reading about the characters’ exhibitionist debauchery.
“Blood” by Anita Cassidy: From the first sentence of this piece, you are immersed in the sensual world Cassidy has created. As the story slowly builds, the reader becomes wholly captivated by two women’s sexual endeavours exploring one another’s bodies while both are menstruating. It’s through this detailed exploration that all of your senses are engaged; the feel of “trace[d] dry fingertips on skin,” the coppery scent of blood lingering in our nostrils, and the flavours of ejaculate mixed with blood coating our parted lips.
“Strand of Pearls” by Mary P. Burns: This sensual office romance draws out the inevitable sexual encounter throughout the story, while our two main characters experience a sexually-charged game of cat and mouse. One character is a CEO married to a man, and the other is her new assistant, ready to learn the ropes and follow her boss’ every command. It’s this knowledge, this anticipation, that causes the reader’s heart to beat faster, for their palms to moisten, for the muscles in their pelvis to clench tightly.
Whether you regularly read lesbian erotica, are a member of the queer community or are an LGBTQ2S+ ally, or you just like a story that is both tender and compelling, emotional and evocative, this is for you. We hope that our review and top highlights from the collection will give you greater insight into what you can expect, and that it has convinced you that this should be your next erotica read.
Ready to order your copy of Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year, Volume 5? You can find it at Indigo Books, Amazon Canada, and Amazon US.
Are you excited to read Cleis Press’ Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year, Volume 5? What is your favourite subgenre of erotica to read? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
