readmeup's review
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
teo_rodas's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
samwisery's review
4.0
A diverse and interesting collection. It lost that last star because a couple of stories were a little weaker than the rest, and it could have done with one more proofread. On the whole, though, it was a pleasure to read. Here's to hoping there'll be a Nerve Endings 2!
legs_mcgee's review
3.0
For an erotic collection... the emotional/tonal whiplash between some stories was pretty intense. Obviously, different strokes for different folks as the saying goes, but a good portion of these stories weren't erotic at all. At times, it felt like this was less a tonally coherent collection than an opportunity to showcase trans writers - which I love! but wish it were more accurately advertised as such. I will say that when the stories were hot they were smokin' hot, but every time I would love a story, I would be dropped into the next story to which I felt either ambivalent or entirely turned off from.
rivqa's review
4.0
As is often the case with anthologies, some stories engaged me more than others, but on the whole I enjoyed this book, while recognising that I am not necessarily its target audience. I'd expected the combination of speculative and contemporary fiction to be jarring, but it flowed smoothly between genres. An excellent and important collection of erotica, with more than a few incredibly moving stories that I suspect will remain with me.
Some stories mention violence in various degrees of detail. Many stories feature BDSM. For those requiring detailed trigger warnings, [a:Xan West|3326864|Xan West|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442510864p2/3326864.jpg] has been providing those here.
Some stories mention violence in various degrees of detail. Many stories feature BDSM. For those requiring detailed trigger warnings, [a:Xan West|3326864|Xan West|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1442510864p2/3326864.jpg] has been providing those here.
kp_writ's review
4.0
I knew this would be good when it only took the introduction to make me cry. Some stories are better than others, of course, but I thoroughly enjoyed each and every piece and each reading felt like self discovery. Such a diverse spectrum of writing; the queers really are a creative bunch. A must-read for anyone wanting to better understand trans sex, especially for trans folx trying to understand sex themselves.
whatthelog's review
4.0
I am so incredibly excited to talk about Nerve Endings: The New Trans Erotic with you today! You may have seen the Kickstarter – as of right now, the book is being printed, and soon many of the backers will be receiving their copies. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC, so here we go! (Please note that I am cis, so everything I say should be taken with a grain of salt. Once a trans blogger posts their review, I will link it here.)
This anthology blew me away (no pun intended). There was such a delightful mixture of stories. There are stories about committed relationships, anonymous hookups, and innocent kisses. In many, there is no sex at all, but rather are more about the protagonist’s thoughts and feelings towards intimacy. However, this is primarily an erotic anthology – and many of these stories are hot. My personal favourites were Feelin Myself, Little, and A Clean Shirt. I will mention here that many of the more explicit stories involve BDSM, so if that’s really not your thing, consider yourself warned!
Also, this was so obviously written for trans readers, which was amazing. There are often mentions of realities like transmisogny and body dysphoria, but without making them the main focus. The authors never take the time out of their stories to explain what stage the protagonist is in their transition, unless it is relevant to the story, and I never got the impression that the trans characters were being exoticized or fetishized.
Later stories did tend to be science-fiction, which in some cases worked. In others, like The Sorcerer’s Summons and To Rebalance the Body, I felt like they should have been longer, because there wasn’t much time to world-build. The one story that I did not enjoy was Hookup Culture, because there were a couple of nasty comments about mental health and bisexuality that made me a bit uncomfortable. However, in every anthology, there will always be stories that I like more than others.
You can pre-order Nerve Endings at: http://instarbooks.com/books/nerve-endings.html. I wholeheartedly recommend this anthology if you’re looking for an inclusive and (very) sexy read.
This anthology blew me away (no pun intended). There was such a delightful mixture of stories. There are stories about committed relationships, anonymous hookups, and innocent kisses. In many, there is no sex at all, but rather are more about the protagonist’s thoughts and feelings towards intimacy. However, this is primarily an erotic anthology – and many of these stories are hot. My personal favourites were Feelin Myself, Little, and A Clean Shirt. I will mention here that many of the more explicit stories involve BDSM, so if that’s really not your thing, consider yourself warned!
Also, this was so obviously written for trans readers, which was amazing. There are often mentions of realities like transmisogny and body dysphoria, but without making them the main focus. The authors never take the time out of their stories to explain what stage the protagonist is in their transition, unless it is relevant to the story, and I never got the impression that the trans characters were being exoticized or fetishized.
Later stories did tend to be science-fiction, which in some cases worked. In others, like The Sorcerer’s Summons and To Rebalance the Body, I felt like they should have been longer, because there wasn’t much time to world-build. The one story that I did not enjoy was Hookup Culture, because there were a couple of nasty comments about mental health and bisexuality that made me a bit uncomfortable. However, in every anthology, there will always be stories that I like more than others.
You can pre-order Nerve Endings at: http://instarbooks.com/books/nerve-endings.html. I wholeheartedly recommend this anthology if you’re looking for an inclusive and (very) sexy read.
calissa's review
3.0
This book is jam-packed with stories and a lot more of them were speculative than I'd been expecting. Singularity by Katherine Cross was a particular stand out.
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