Comments and reviews

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This page is for comments and reviews of Becoming sage as we get them in. Feel free to send comments to kasialexander@gmail.com, post them to my Facebook page or comment here!

Review of Saving sunni from BDSM Book Reviews

Saving Sunni is the second book in the keyhole series and I highly, highly recommend reading Becoming Sage before reading Saving Sunni!  You will not be disappointed with either story as you get an inside look at the beginnings of a triad/poly relationship.

Sir Rune has decided it’s time for sunni to find a job.  Even though sunni doesn’t feel like she has any real skills, she gets a job at a local store that fits her perfectly.  As sunni grows up, her responsibilities around the house and at work begin to grow as well.

The problems arise when sunni’s ex-husband begins to make his presence known. More problems arise when video is leaked to the media of an edgy scene between Sir Rune and sunni.  Now, sunni feels the need to help everyone while everyone else is trying to save sunni and as you can guess, things get rather heated.

The keyhole series is very passionate with a lot of great BDSM elements.  Sir Rune, sunni, and sage share a rather complicated relationship that requires more communication than most.  This series has its erotic moments, but puts a lot of focus on the characters and the psychology behind them.  Saving Sunni is also refreshing in that it touches a lot on the feelings and issues that arise from having a life outside of the household.  While the family has their rituals, it is nice to read a realistic story that shows that some days all you want to do is curl up and watch a movie – it’s not all about sex.

Story Rating: 5 out of 5 paddles

Sting Factor (kink): 5 out of 5

Review of Saving sunni from Guilty Indulgence

This is the second book in the Keyhole Series. After reading both Becoming sage and Saving sunni, I would describe them as guides to the lifestyle. They could easily serve as a primer on the leather lifestyle written in narrative format. This is not to say that they aren’t compelling. In fact, both are raw, gritty and real – there’s no perfect solution easily found – as the characters work at building a relationship, albeit a nontraditional one. I love books that take this realism approach because readers come to feel as if it could possibly be real, and can even place themselves into the role of the characters.Saving sunni begins where Becoming sage ended. It is told entirely from sunni’s perspective. Sunni introduced the floundering sage to the lifestyle in the previous book. Now sunni and sage live with Master Rune – they are his slaves.  Sunni provides readers with a realistic look into the life of a polyamorous (“multiple loves”) relationship, giving those details that capture their family dynamic.Trouble abounds for sunni just when she is discovering her true worth. She gets a job at a fetish shop, expands her circle of friends and finds success only to have her abusive ex-husband show up having found Jesus and wanting her back in his life. His persistence is equally annoying and worrisome. Like dominoes, a series of events unfold that affects their entire local leather community. How the characters deal with these events is what gives the storyline it’s substance.Now, my one complaint would be Sir Rune himself. Just like in Becoming sage, I never feel an emotional connection with him. It worries me that sunni is writing the book and yet from her perspective, readers do not get an overwhelming sense that he is in love with her. He is never cruel but it’s the connection that seems lacking – maybe that’s his persona but seems to me other Dom portrayals are still able to provide readers with a real sense of caring missing from the cold characterization of Sir Rune.I would strongly recommend Saving sunni (and Becoming sage) to anyone curious about alternative lifestyles – polyamory, BDSM, Puppy Play or M/s. And to those who like the realistic romance and have an open-mind, you’d like this book. Read it – then let me know what you think. I love to talk about the books I read!

RATING: 4 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

http://dream-reader-dreamer2229.blogspot.com/

This is a BSDM book, but on the milder end of these types of books I have read. The specifics of the contract of obligations and the differences between the dominant/submissive relationship and an abusive or domestic violence relationship is explored in detail. It was very informative and enlightening. It has actually given me a much greater understanding of the lifestyle. While it is not a lifestyle that I would be comfortable with pursuing personally, I have more respect for those who choose this lifestyle and the safeguards put into place to ensure that there is safety for all parties.

I give this book 4 out of 5 clouds and a chilli pepper rating of 7.

Review of “Saving sunni” by Just Heard, Just Read, Just Seen

Saving sunni is the second book in The Keyhole Series from Kasi Alexander. Exploring the many facets of a polyamorous lifestyles – lived by the author herself – and including BDSM is no simple piece of pulp titillation. It is in fact a well crafted novel with a wide cast of characters, each with well rounded lives explored by a strong plot. The explicit sexual scenes that are of course central to this fetish novel are central to advancing the story rather than simply a cheap inclusion and while they may make some readers uncomfortable, they are in fact carefully and sincerely written. I’m looking forward to reading more of Alexander’s work and following the characters throughout the series. http://networkedblogs.com/yVV0w

Sweet n’ Sassi  Review of “Saving sunni”

5-Star Rating! “Excellently written with an understandable story, which I find is rare in fetish/erotic novels. This is a must read for anyone who likes this genre.” from http://sweet-n-sassi.blogspot.com/2012/06/saving-sunni-by-kasi-reggie-alexander.html#more

TBR Review of “Saving sunni”

 I would like to begin by saying I have never read a fetish book before. While this is not my life style of choice I can see where it might appeal to others. Kasi did a wonderful job of describing how the family dynamics work and how the different types of “play” may appeal to the giver or receiver. It is almost a primer or a BDSM for beginner’s kind of book with a story wrapped around it. It was interesting to consider all aspects of the family functioning on all levels (financial, education, shared chores, etc) not just sex scenes over and over. Here is a word, “polyamorous “, if you do not know what this word means then read Saving Sunni, it will explain everything. http://www.tbr-io.blogspot.com/

And now for something a little different. As a writer, I write across a variety of genres – including erotica. Admitting this has always raised a few eyebrows which in turn has always made me smile. So I was genuinely thrilled to have the opportunity to interview erotica author Kasi Alexander about her latest novel, Saving sunni, (co-written with Reggie Alexander).

Amazon Reviews:

Sexy & exciting July 4, 2012

By ChocolateLotusFlower

Saving sunni, follows sunni as her Master forces her to seek an employment that requires her to become more responsible. She is a member of a triad consisting of her Master, herself & her sister slave. sunni becomes a key employee at a kink/ goth store, where her employer provides her with the opportunity to prove herself. Difficulties arise when her ex-boyfriend tries to convince her that they are meant to be together, after he’s found God. Also a scene between sunni and her Master is aired on the news, which leads to the possibility of her Masterbeing deported. If you like your erotica to include an actual story, then you should check out Saving sunni.

Goodreads:

Traci Olsen rated it

This is the second in the Keyhole Series. I feel like these books are almost a primer on the BDSM/alternative romance lifestyle, in the form of a narrative. Saving sunni picks up a little while after the end of Becoming sage, and is told from the perspective of sunni, the woman who introduced sage to the lifestyle. The two women are in a happy, polyamorous relationship with Sir Rune, and the book is wonderful in how it details what a real life family would be: the ups, the downs, the love and th…moreThis is the second in the Keyhole Series. I feel like these books are almost a primer on the BDSM/alternative romance lifestyle, in the form of a narrative. Saving sunni picks up a little while after the end of Becoming sage, and is told from the perspective of sunni, the woman who introduced sage to the lifestyle. The two women are in a happy, polyamorous relationship with Sir Rune, and the book is wonderful in how it details what a real life family would be: the ups, the downs, the love and the strife and how they all make it work, just the way a “regular” family would.

sunni gets a job at the local fetish shop, her abusive ex-husband shows up, having “found Jesus” (debatable!), and that starts a whole series of catastrophic event that ends up affecting the entire BDSM community in Denver.

Highly recommended if you are curious about polyamory, BDSM, or any sort of alternative lifestyle choices. Happy Reading!

Jun 11, 2012

Vickie Dold added it

I would like to begin by saying I have never read a fetish book before. While this is not my life style of choice I can see where it might appeal to others. Kasi did a wonderful job of describing how the family dynamics work and how the different types of “play” may appeal to the giver or receiver. It is almost a primer or a BDSM for beginner’s kind of book with a story wrapped around it. It was interesting to consider all aspects of the family functioning on all levels (financial, education, shared chores, etc) not just sex scenes over and over. Here is a word, “polyamorous.“ If you do not know what this word means then read Saving Sunni, it will explain everything.

Amazon:

A great BDSM romance June 19, 2012 by Karl Madison

If you liked the topics involved in 50 Shades of Gray, you will love this book and the whole Keyhole series. According to the bio it is written by a real life master/slave couple and from reading the first book Becoming Sage and this one, Saving Sunni, it shows. They obviously know what they are talking about.

The book is so much more than just a kinky story though. The plots is well thought out and interesting, the characters are three dimensional, well rounded and believable and the information about alternative relationship dynamics (BDSM, polyamory and power exchange) are explored in complete and facinating detail.

If you want a believable and enjoyable love story that involves out of the norm relationships check this one out. i highly recommend it and give it 5 stars.

Westword review:

Becoming sage explores BDSM, polyamory and realistic relationship dynamics

By Jenn WohletzThu., Mar. 29 2012 at 9:46 AM

Becoming sage, by Kasi Alexander, has everything a reader could want: sex, violence, mastering, slaving. And the emotional autobiographical novel also two things that can’t be safe-worded out of — cops and family drama.

In it, Alexander, a local author, tells the story of a woman who leaves the vanilla world and jumps with both feet — encased in uncomfortable four-inch heels — into BDSM and polyamory, and find out how exotic, emotional and downright crazy it can be if you’re doing it right, and how much more intense it gets when you make mistakes.

She begins with Jill or “sage ” — intentional lowercase “s” — accompanying newfound friends Jessie and Rutger into a kink club called “The Keyhole”, where she witnesses Jessie getting a birthday spanking unlike any other she’d ever seen, and she quickly discovers that Jessie is a slave named “sunni,” Rutger is a Master named “Sir Rune,” and she is about to get an indecent proposal.

“Your slave name is now sage,” he said. “It means wisdom in English and well-behaved in French. I am going to take your natural wisdom and develop it so that you can teach other slaves to fulfill their submissive needs and desires, and I expect you to live up to both meanings.”I resisted the urge to giggle a little at his formality, but I had to admire him for the way he carried off what could have been extremely corny. He beckoned to sunni, who came to kneel beside me.

“This is your sister slave, sage,” he said to her, nodding.

She turned to me and said, “Welcome to our household.”

This is about the point where the kinky sex gets steamier than a Turkish sauna, and the interpersonal relationships get more complicated than untangling a box of Christmas lights. sunni turns into an attention-sucking bratty submissive, while sage is thrust into the role of  the overly smug “good slave,” and Sir Rune finally has to enlist the help of a public slave auction to teach the two submissives how to relate to each other without jealous stunts and passive-aggressive trickery.

Alexander does a superlative job exploring subjects like body image issues, NRE (New Relationship Energy), the effects of being in a lifestyle outside of societal norms, sexual chemistry and passion, and, of course, the good, bad and downright ugly of living a polyamorous life with bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism.

“We had been so trained to think that making love was so much more romantic and real than just ‘having sex,’ but suddenly making love seemed incredibly vanilla and prudish and boring. What we were going to do was to fuck — it was something much more primal and exciting than what normal people did when they went to bed. It was kinky. Kinky might be in, but most people never had the nerve to really push their boundaries.”

Alexander’s writing is smooth and unencumbered, without any difficult-to-understand BDSM insider terms or high language, and her characters garner genuine reader empathy — you really want to smack sunni upside her head at several points — and when sage’s mother sends the police to their apartment to do a welfare check right in the middle of them doing a BDSM scene, Alexander manages to combine the hilarity of cops having to question two maid-costumed slaves with the more serious issue of their dominant being assumed guilty of non-consensual abuse.

This book is a stellar read for anyone who has experience in alternative lifestyles, or for anyone who doesn’t, since the sex scenes are hot, the drama is chilly, and Alexander really captures the bigger picture about how delicious, gratifying, painful and downright insane personal relationships can be — especially when you add rope bondage and searing-hot candle wax.

TBR Pile review:  5 Handcuffs (Orgasmic!) “Wow was the first word that came to mind when I sat down to review this amazing story.  If you’ve ever wondered what goes in a Dom/Sub relationship or craved a glimpse into the inner workings of BDSM this is “The” book for you.  Becoming Sage, is an in depth look at one woman’s journey from a single divorcee to a slave, active in the BDSM community. Her discoveries are so much more than sexual, and the tale becomes more of an experience, than a read. This was such a well written piece I often forgot that it was fiction…” http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/1/post/2012/02/review-and-contest-becoming-sage-by-kasi-alexander.html

Review of Becoming sage from sex educator Shanna Katz:

“This series is interesting — it is published by a more traditional romance novel company, but also contains more erotica than an average romance novel, and covers BDSM and polyamory; two topics VERY rarely discussed in romance novels. Kasi is one member of a kinky, poly triad that just so happens to reside here in Colorado, and I’ve been meaning to get to this review forever, to support both a local author, as well as a member of my community.

I have to say, when I finally got around to reading the book, I just picked it up to read in bed until I fell asleep. I kind of romance-noveled myself out in High School – my two friends and I would buy them at used book stores, read them, exchange them, discuss them, etc. By the time I hit college and grad school, I was much more into pure erotic (ie; just the sexy times) than I was romance novels. My concern was reading through this whole book, and thought I was going to have to take a chapter at a time. Boy, was I wrong; I powered through the whole book in one sitting…” Read more at http://shannakatz.com/2011/11/30/book-review-becoming-sage/.

Mention of “Becoming sage” on Shanna Katz’s review of “50 Shades of Grey”

http://shannakatz.com/2012/07/05/book-review-fifty-shades-of-grey/

“Such a realistic view of coming into the lifestyle. I loved the emotion and love that went into this book,” from Liz Michel on Goodreads.com.

“Thanks for selling me a copy of your book. It was educational, entertaining and erotic. I could not put it down and finished it in 48 hours. As someone who is interested and lacks knowledge, I thank you for this wonderful work of literature. I enjoyed it much.” – Thebeadwhore

“Wow! An emotional and intense story that is very well done… ” Autumn, on Goodreads.com

“This book was both inspiring and enlightening. It shows the ‘normal’ side of the BDSM/Sm lifestyle, this book would be a great read for family and friends of those of us choosing to live an alternative lifestyle… this was a wonderful read.” SRsgirl on Amazon.com

“The most interesting thing about this book, for me, was that the minute I thought something, or had questions and concerns, ‘sage’ would voice those same issues. I maybe don’t ‘live the lifestyle’ the way the author does, but I have adequate access to the internet so nothing is too terribly shocking to me. That said, this seems to be a very true depiction of a previously ‘vanilla’ person being introduced to an entirely new life. So when something would happen and I would think, ‘They did whaaaaat?’ it was great to have ‘sage’ thinking the exact same thing. She struggles with being a ‘good feminist,’ and how a strong, modern woman would willingly become a slave, even within the context of role playing. I really look forward to this series continuing, and seeing how the happy threesome navigate their world.” P. Olsen on Amazon.com

Review of Becoming sage by Rho on The Romance Reviews

http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=2668
This book really blew me away. I’m not exactly sure what my expectations were, but BECOMING SAGE certainly exceeded all of them. This realistic view into one woman’s introduction and eventual immersion into the BDSM and polyamorous lifestyles was gripping and took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions.
This story is told from the standpoint of Jill. She’s a recently divorced and very unsatisfied woman in her thirties. She is looking for some changes in her life when she met up with her high school friend Jessie and her boyfriend, Rutger, and soon she is immersed in a world of Master/slave relations as well as polyamory. Rutger and Jessie soon ask Jill to be a part of their family and while she readily agrees, she faces problems with adjusting to a world vastly different from the vanilla world she lived in for so long.
So, I think that when I read the description of this book, I was really expecting something different. But I was pleasantly surprised how rich this book actually was. Set in the first person as a kind of journal account of sage’s experiences in her new world, it made the story very personal. I felt like I was experiencing everything along with her. I laughed, I cried, I screamed, I sulked. It was intense, but I loved every minute of it.
The characters were excellent as well. Jill (sage), Jessie (sunni), and Rutger (Sir Rune) were all very tangible, seeming at the same time larger than life and very flawed as well. I thought that the struggles between them all were extremely realistic and made me enjoy the story all the more. I also sensed the differences in them when they were in their regular names and then in their slave and Master names (those are the names in the parentheses). That transition was quite amazing. It was unbelievable how different they were in those different roles.
The other thing that stood out in this book for me was how informative it was. It was very educational in both BDSM and polyamory. Not all the information was romantic or romanticized, but it was a novel experience for me to get such a fount of knowledge in fiction. Because of this, I think that it would be an excellent choice for those both new to the BDSM romantic genre and those who have more experience with it. I will say that it isn’t a romance, but a BDSM novel with romantic elements.
Overall, I thought that this was a fantastic book, not only because of how well it was written, but also because of how realistic the account was. It possessed not only a fascinating story but also complex and realistic characters. This is the first book by Kasi Alexander, and I can’t wait to read more of her work. BECOMING SAGE is the first book in the Keyhole Series, and while I’m not sure where the series will be going from here, I will be waiting anxiously for the next book!

Review of Becoming sage by CarolAnn on The Romance Reviews

http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=2668

When I was given the opportunity to read Kasi Alexander’s BECOMING SAGE, her first book in The Keyhole series, I had no idea what to expect because this was my first venture into the world of BDSM and polyamory. What I discovered was an engrossing book I just couldn’t put down!

I was struck by how real the characters felt and all the time I had to keep reminding myself that these were only fictional people. Knowing that the author actually lives this alternative lifestyle, I’m sure there must be some autobiographical aspects to the book, which give it such realism. Everything is seen through Jill’s eyes and I think this helped me to really connect with her and experience everything with her on her journey to find ‘her place in the world’.

What I found really interesting was the complexity of the relationship between Sir (Rutger), sunni (Jessie) and sage (Jill) particularly as it combined both polyamory and BDSM. I accepted the idea that some people may be more suited to a polyamorous relationship rather than the traditional two-person monogamous one but having been in a happy ‘vanilla’ relationship for nearly forty years, I had a hard job accepting the power exchange aspect. However, seeing things as Jill saw them, I came to understand its appeal for certain people:
I was beginning to see what attracted Jessie to the idea of belonging to someone like him (Sir). It was kind of like being a child again and having a big, strong daddy whose lap you could crawl on to, but I didn’t feel like I was giving up any part of being an adult, either. Jessie had said that being a slave didn’t entail giving up responsibility for yourself; it just meant that you could feel completely comfortable in knowing what things you were responsible for and what you could expect in return.

I also learned how important trust, commitment and honest communication were when sunni’s jealousy threatens their whole relationship.

I admit to feeling uncomfortable when I read some of BDSM related scenes in the book but I did appreciate the honesty with which they were written and the way in which, through her characters, Kasi Alexander explains the significance of the different types of play and the nature of the pleasure derived. For instance, in the wax play scene, Sir explains to sage that what he is doing is not intended to cause sunni pain but intense sensual stimulation. It was a fascinating insight into a very different world.

If you are new to the BDSM romantic genre as I was, then this is an excellent introduction and a book I can highly recommend. I would like to thank Kasi Alexander for allowing me to take a peek through the keyhole. It was both an intensely emotional and enlightening experience and I look forward to reading further books in The Keyhole series. I would probably like to read more books within this genre but I fear BECOMING SAGE will be a hard act to follow!

Review of Becoming sage by Belinda Boring on The Romance Reviews

http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=2668

I find myself a little speechless and in awe. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I was to find this book at RomCon this past weekend and for the chance I had to meet Kasi and her partners. My journey in the romance genre has full of wonderful discoveries and even though it scared me at first, I’ve found I really enjoy some of the BDSM novels that are out there. Nothing excites me more than to learn something new and watch an old opinion be firmly booted out the door. As much as I love reading romance filled with dashing heroes sporting six pack abs and flowing hair, something has to be said for the power that comes from reading a romance straight from every day life and seeing it transform a relationship. While Becoming sage isn’t necessarily the “typical” romance, it definitely is a moving story, one that gripped me so tightly that I went willingly with Jill as she explored her new life, feeling everything right along side her.
One of the things that most impressed me with this story was that I loved the way Jill thought. Written from her point of view, I loved being able to watch how she processed everything and how she reasoned things out. I can only imagine how strange everything must have seemed, going from one lifestyle to another that was very different but I wanted to cheer over the way she embraced it. She knew the Master/slave lifestyle intrigued her but she still asked questions – insightful ones that really gave the reader the opportunity to learn along with her. It was sometimes spooky how I would think of something only to have her question it in the story. I loved how the answers were shared – so simple and straight forward to the point where I found myself agreeing with her. By the end of the story, I appreciated sage and was so grateful for being able to ride along.

This is the first book by author Kasi Alexander and if I could I would want to thank her for writing this book. Not only was it a great story, one that tugged at me constantly, but it was incredibly informative. How many times can you honestly say you’ve been privy to the inside workings of someone elses relationship? Other than my own, I know I haven’t and I loved being able to witness the dynamics of sage, sunni’s and Sir’s as they negotiated theirs. There was nothing “glamorous” and “fluffy” about it. No swoon moment – just real emotions and reactions and it was intense at times. I think a general misconception is that BDSM is nothing more than deviant sex and abuse of power. This book shows that while the sexual nature of the lifestyle is definitely an important component, there is so much more. It’s about trust, commitment and a willingness to communicate so that not only you get what you need but so does your partner. What made this story even more intriguing was including polyamory to it and watching three people navigate the relationship. It looked like a lot of work but judging by sage’s reactions, one that was very worth it.

Being that the story involved BDSM, the author did share alot of the different play that is involved. I hadn’t known how extensive it was and I loved how she explained through sage why things were done and the significance. I enjoyed learning how pain could be transferred into pleasure and read what it felt like. There was definitely a few things that raised my eye brows but again, I loved how “real” the book was. This would be a great book for those interested in the lifestyle, for those like me with a healthy curiosity because it holds a strong balance between all aspects – the psychology behind BDSM and the emotions attached to it.

After all is said and done, I’m just really grateful that I was given a chance to read Becoming sage. It’s one of those books that makes a lasting impression, one that has had me thinking ever since I read the first page and feeling completely inadequate because I still feel like I haven’t. I’m excited to know that this is the first in a series and I’m curious to see what aspect Kasi will explore next. This is an amazing debut novel by the author and I encourage all those with an open mind to read Becoming sage. It’s a story that will move you and keep you up all night reading. Happy reading!!