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wasauthor's review against another edition
4.0
I received an advance reader copy of My Lord for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Erotica and horror can make for entertaining bedfellows, but they can be difficult to balance. Thankfully, My Lord balances the two genres, ensuring both aspects complement each other. With a strong sense of character that examines its protagonist’s trauma, it tells a story about her growth, and becomes something stronger than a simple combination of erotica and horror.
As it tells the story of slave Meya, a sexual assault survivor drawn into the world of BDSM by her vampiric master, Lord Deminas, trigger warnings are naturally a necessity. It includes all sorts of violence, ranging from battery to cannibalism, and explicit descriptions of sex, including polyamory, wax play, knife play, and master-servant dynamics. Rape also plays a part throughout the novel, but is presented without the same level of detail.
Consent plays a key role in My Lord, with characters seeking and offering consent for the various acts partaken in. As Meya is a rape survivor, it establishes the difference between providing consent and having something taken from you; written with the utmost sensitivity. Given the master-servant relationship between her and Lord Deminas, highlighting the concept of consent is tricky, but something that is, for the most part, handled well. Early encounters where Deminas forces Meya to strip don't sit entirely well with me, although the author articulates her reasons for this in the afterword.
I find Deminas to be largely unpleasant, using control to his advantage, enjoying the superiority he holds in their power dynamic. While this plays to their master-servant relationship, I didn’t see any reason for Meya to be drawn to him outside of it. As the book shows more of his devotion to Meya, I found their interplay to be entertaining. Throughout the book, Meya maintains open sexual relationship with both Deminas and fellow slave Nina, and the relationship between the women is beautiful; a true highlight of the book.
Meya is a wonderful protagonist. She is put through the wringer, leaving her broken both physically and emotionally. As strong as she is, her trauma has left her with a sole purpose of survival, resulting in someone who tries to mind her place for fear of upsetting those in power. The author often steps out of the prose to provide a window into Meya’s thoughts, which show a juxtaposition between her thoughts and words. As Meya grows in confidence, her journey is an absolute joy.
The dialogue is written well, capturing the thirteenth century without becoming bogged down in old-style speech patterns. The prose is clear and inviting, making for a pleasant, easy reading experience. In some ways, this inviting tone belies My Lord’s darkness, with a style that wouldn’t be out of place in a YA book. This dissonance with gothic horror works in the book’s favour, helping the reader see the world through Meya’s eyes. This makes the horror elements that much more shocking, particularly given how grounded as they are.
My Lord is a reasonably quick reading experience, thanks largely to its easy reading style. The page count includes some great additional material, including a wonderful afterword discussing kink and consent, a bonus scene, and a fun text game reminiscent of those old MS-DOS and Commodore 64 games (or even Choose Your Own Adventure books).
My Lord is the Transcended series, but there’s no need to be wary about it being part of a series; it stands alone perfectly. There’s certainly more story to come, but this ends on a satisfying note.
While the lack of consent in forcing Meya to strip naked doesn’t sit entirely right with me, and I’m not a huge fan of Lord Deminas, My Lord remains a thoroughly engaging read that finds the perfect balance between horror and erotica, and tells a great story about its protagonist moving past her trauma.
My full review will be available on my website from 19 May, 2023. To read it, and a host of other reviews, click here.
Erotica and horror can make for entertaining bedfellows, but they can be difficult to balance. Thankfully, My Lord balances the two genres, ensuring both aspects complement each other. With a strong sense of character that examines its protagonist’s trauma, it tells a story about her growth, and becomes something stronger than a simple combination of erotica and horror.
As it tells the story of slave Meya, a sexual assault survivor drawn into the world of BDSM by her vampiric master, Lord Deminas, trigger warnings are naturally a necessity. It includes all sorts of violence, ranging from battery to cannibalism, and explicit descriptions of sex, including polyamory, wax play, knife play, and master-servant dynamics. Rape also plays a part throughout the novel, but is presented without the same level of detail.
Consent plays a key role in My Lord, with characters seeking and offering consent for the various acts partaken in. As Meya is a rape survivor, it establishes the difference between providing consent and having something taken from you; written with the utmost sensitivity. Given the master-servant relationship between her and Lord Deminas, highlighting the concept of consent is tricky, but something that is, for the most part, handled well. Early encounters where Deminas forces Meya to strip don't sit entirely well with me, although the author articulates her reasons for this in the afterword.
I find Deminas to be largely unpleasant, using control to his advantage, enjoying the superiority he holds in their power dynamic. While this plays to their master-servant relationship, I didn’t see any reason for Meya to be drawn to him outside of it. As the book shows more of his devotion to Meya, I found their interplay to be entertaining. Throughout the book, Meya maintains open sexual relationship with both Deminas and fellow slave Nina, and the relationship between the women is beautiful; a true highlight of the book.
Meya is a wonderful protagonist. She is put through the wringer, leaving her broken both physically and emotionally. As strong as she is, her trauma has left her with a sole purpose of survival, resulting in someone who tries to mind her place for fear of upsetting those in power. The author often steps out of the prose to provide a window into Meya’s thoughts, which show a juxtaposition between her thoughts and words. As Meya grows in confidence, her journey is an absolute joy.
The dialogue is written well, capturing the thirteenth century without becoming bogged down in old-style speech patterns. The prose is clear and inviting, making for a pleasant, easy reading experience. In some ways, this inviting tone belies My Lord’s darkness, with a style that wouldn’t be out of place in a YA book. This dissonance with gothic horror works in the book’s favour, helping the reader see the world through Meya’s eyes. This makes the horror elements that much more shocking, particularly given how grounded as they are.
My Lord is a reasonably quick reading experience, thanks largely to its easy reading style. The page count includes some great additional material, including a wonderful afterword discussing kink and consent, a bonus scene, and a fun text game reminiscent of those old MS-DOS and Commodore 64 games (or even Choose Your Own Adventure books).
My Lord is the Transcended series, but there’s no need to be wary about it being part of a series; it stands alone perfectly. There’s certainly more story to come, but this ends on a satisfying note.
While the lack of consent in forcing Meya to strip naked doesn’t sit entirely right with me, and I’m not a huge fan of Lord Deminas, My Lord remains a thoroughly engaging read that finds the perfect balance between horror and erotica, and tells a great story about its protagonist moving past her trauma.
My full review will be available on my website from 19 May, 2023. To read it, and a host of other reviews, click here.
eshurricane's review against another edition
5.0
After reading In Sickness and in Hell, I was sure that I would be into anything Shimaira produced. I ordered a copy of My Lord in hardcover because it is gorgeous, and meant to leisurely read it over time, letting myself live and bask in the world for a while.
Yeah, I binged it. Every deep and dark sultry page.
I was hooked from the get go—I knew that Shimaira was good at horror, and given the time period and gothic feel, expected terror at every turn. But My Lord is much more subtle, an underlying tendril of dread mixed with curiosity and intrigue that kept me up at night reading. I had to know what was up with Lord Deminas. I had to know if Meya would be betrayed by her peers in the castle. I had to know if she was going to get closer to the other ladies working alongside her—and in none of these things did Shimaira disappoint.
My Lord begins Meya's journey being captured into a life of servitude, and though it's all new and scary, it's not all bad. Lord Deminas is a hardass, but he's fair, and despite his sadism she is curious about him, and in turn, so was I! He never ceased to surprise me, and neither did any of the other characters.
Shimaira easily weaves romance and even tenderness into her horror, but in My Lord this is even more of a feat because one of the love interests is kind of also the antagonist. Lord Deminas is a complicated man, but he's interesting and sexy and Meya does what she must with the libido and curiosity and opportunities she is given. It's organic and fascinating, and mygawd the steam.
Let's just say my favourite scene between the two of them has to do with a particular hot melty substance...
Yeah, I binged it. Every deep and dark sultry page.
I was hooked from the get go—I knew that Shimaira was good at horror, and given the time period and gothic feel, expected terror at every turn. But My Lord is much more subtle, an underlying tendril of dread mixed with curiosity and intrigue that kept me up at night reading. I had to know what was up with Lord Deminas. I had to know if Meya would be betrayed by her peers in the castle. I had to know if she was going to get closer to the other ladies working alongside her—and in none of these things did Shimaira disappoint.
My Lord begins Meya's journey being captured into a life of servitude, and though it's all new and scary, it's not all bad. Lord Deminas is a hardass, but he's fair, and despite his sadism she is curious about him, and in turn, so was I! He never ceased to surprise me, and neither did any of the other characters.
Shimaira easily weaves romance and even tenderness into her horror, but in My Lord this is even more of a feat because one of the love interests is kind of also the antagonist. Lord Deminas is a complicated man, but he's interesting and sexy and Meya does what she must with the libido and curiosity and opportunities she is given. It's organic and fascinating, and mygawd the steam.
Let's just say my favourite scene between the two of them has to do with a particular hot melty substance...
althea's review against another edition
4.0
My Lord follows Meya, who is taken from her bedchambers and sold by slavers to work as the chambermaid for Lord Deminas. She has seen first hand his cruelty, and soon learns just how brutal he can really be to those who cross him. However, he is also strangely kind to, and protective of, her, going as far to punish those who hurt her. Even as he drinks her blood, he is always sure never to drink too much, and to quickly heal the cuts he makes. But as servants start going missing and a new guest arrives in the castle, Meya starts to fear for her life, as she also starts to fall in love.
From the synopsis alone, I was already hooked on the book, and I definitely was not disappointed! The book starts off as quite a slow burn, slowly introducing you to the gloomy surroundings of Tristanja and getting to know the various characters, but as soon as you hit the 50% mark is when things really start ramping up and the horror element of the book really kicks in! You get lulled into almost a false sense of security as you follow Meya in her daily tasks as the Lord’s chambermaid but as the stakes start getting higher and threats start becoming more and more real, the book leaves you on the edge of your seat, dying to know what’s happened next.
I would say that this book is a great mix of character-driven and plot-driven. We see a lot of growth in Meya’s character, from a scared, yet feisty young woman as she is captured by slavers, as she develops into someone a lot more confident and sure of herself. We see her selfless tendencies quite prominently throughout the book, as she offers to take on the punishment of someone that she barely knows and who wrongs her, and (without spoiling anything) it’s interesting to see how that part of her personality develops as the story continues, particularly at the end of the book. Lord Deminas is, as you’d imagine of a brutal, ruthless Lord, quite a terrifying character at times, but he never forces Maya, or any woman for that matter, into doing anything sexual that she does not wish to do – even going as far as to capture and torture the man who raped Meya at the start of the story and always asking her for consent. In many of the sex scenes, Meya is always told that if she is not comfortable with anything she is free to stop whenever she wishes, which I think was an absolutely crucial addition to the book. Another character I enjoyed was, of course, Nina – another of Lord Deminas’ slaves who becomes quick friends and confidants with Meya. She is extremely strong and kind-hearted and I, again, loved her growth throughout the story, and I’m excited to see whatever a potential sequel has in store for her.
As I mentioned, the story deals with some more difficult topics. Meya is raped at the start of the book, so please do proceed with caution, though it is all off screen and rape is continuously, explicitly opposed throughout the novel. There are also scenes of gore, torture, cannibalism and several scenes where BDSM is involved – so please do read at your discretion. However, if you do pick up this book, and I highly recommend that you do, this book is the perfect queer gothic horror that’ll keep you on your toes if you want the spooky season to last that little bit longer!
Thanks to BProudPR for an eARC copy for the Release Tour!
From the synopsis alone, I was already hooked on the book, and I definitely was not disappointed! The book starts off as quite a slow burn, slowly introducing you to the gloomy surroundings of Tristanja and getting to know the various characters, but as soon as you hit the 50% mark is when things really start ramping up and the horror element of the book really kicks in! You get lulled into almost a false sense of security as you follow Meya in her daily tasks as the Lord’s chambermaid but as the stakes start getting higher and threats start becoming more and more real, the book leaves you on the edge of your seat, dying to know what’s happened next.
I would say that this book is a great mix of character-driven and plot-driven. We see a lot of growth in Meya’s character, from a scared, yet feisty young woman as she is captured by slavers, as she develops into someone a lot more confident and sure of herself. We see her selfless tendencies quite prominently throughout the book, as she offers to take on the punishment of someone that she barely knows and who wrongs her, and (without spoiling anything) it’s interesting to see how that part of her personality develops as the story continues, particularly at the end of the book. Lord Deminas is, as you’d imagine of a brutal, ruthless Lord, quite a terrifying character at times, but he never forces Maya, or any woman for that matter, into doing anything sexual that she does not wish to do – even going as far as to capture and torture the man who raped Meya at the start of the story and always asking her for consent. In many of the sex scenes, Meya is always told that if she is not comfortable with anything she is free to stop whenever she wishes, which I think was an absolutely crucial addition to the book. Another character I enjoyed was, of course, Nina – another of Lord Deminas’ slaves who becomes quick friends and confidants with Meya. She is extremely strong and kind-hearted and I, again, loved her growth throughout the story, and I’m excited to see whatever a potential sequel has in store for her.
As I mentioned, the story deals with some more difficult topics. Meya is raped at the start of the book, so please do proceed with caution, though it is all off screen and rape is continuously, explicitly opposed throughout the novel. There are also scenes of gore, torture, cannibalism and several scenes where BDSM is involved – so please do read at your discretion. However, if you do pick up this book, and I highly recommend that you do, this book is the perfect queer gothic horror that’ll keep you on your toes if you want the spooky season to last that little bit longer!
Thanks to BProudPR for an eARC copy for the Release Tour!
arndtezra's review against another edition
5.0
Deliciously dark and full of characters with strength, this erotic gothic book with vampirism and cannibalism satisfied my kink craving.
booksthatburn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.
MY LORD follows Meya, a slave, drawn to her master, the Lord, but her every interaction with him pushes her to find new edges to her boundaries… and her kinks.
The characters (specifically but not only Meya and The Lord) are keenly aware of the massively skewed power dynamics in any interaction with The Lord, their master and owner. Consent around sex is emphasized, but it’s in a general framework of the impossibility of consent by a slave towards their master. I think it’s handled well overall, and the tension is used to heighten some scenes, but the characters keep making sure that there is explicit consent for sex acts. As far as anything non-sexual goes, however, the power imbalance comes back in full force in a way that fits the Lord as a character. Meya is also involved with another servant. I like their relationship and Nina is a good complement to her, as a partner and an accomplice in the castle.
There’s a recurring theme where characters are horrified at the possibility of being a “harlot” if their fortunes had gone a bit differently. It’s implied that, due to the ongoing war, anyone in such a position would have been forced into it and so it’s not a choice between sex work and other work, but rather between constant rape and employment by a lord who has hired them for other things (but could demand sex from them at any time). The setting isn’t modern and so it would feel out of place for the characters to even use terms like “sex work”, but it was a bit frustrating to read. Eventually they generally stop thinking of sex work as a negative thing, but not until that’s undeniably what they’re doing themselves.
The plot is focused on the day to day as Meya works for the Lord and grows closer to one of her fellow servants. It’s increasingly erotic as more and more of Meya’s duties revolve around the Lord, and she gets more comfortable with intimacy, then with sex. I like how it solves the “are vampires cannibals” question by having them need to ingest both human flesh and blood. Unless I missed an extremely brief mention, the word vampire doesn’t actually appear, but that’s clearly what’s being evoked.
I enjoyed this and I’m definitely interested in more stories with these characters.
MY LORD follows Meya, a slave, drawn to her master, the Lord, but her every interaction with him pushes her to find new edges to her boundaries… and her kinks.
The characters (specifically but not only Meya and The Lord) are keenly aware of the massively skewed power dynamics in any interaction with The Lord, their master and owner. Consent around sex is emphasized, but it’s in a general framework of the impossibility of consent by a slave towards their master. I think it’s handled well overall, and the tension is used to heighten some scenes, but the characters keep making sure that there is explicit consent for sex acts. As far as anything non-sexual goes, however, the power imbalance comes back in full force in a way that fits the Lord as a character. Meya is also involved with another servant. I like their relationship and Nina is a good complement to her, as a partner and an accomplice in the castle.
There’s a recurring theme where characters are horrified at the possibility of being a “harlot” if their fortunes had gone a bit differently. It’s implied that, due to the ongoing war, anyone in such a position would have been forced into it and so it’s not a choice between sex work and other work, but rather between constant rape and employment by a lord who has hired them for other things (but could demand sex from them at any time). The setting isn’t modern and so it would feel out of place for the characters to even use terms like “sex work”, but it was a bit frustrating to read. Eventually they generally stop thinking of sex work as a negative thing, but not until that’s undeniably what they’re doing themselves.
The plot is focused on the day to day as Meya works for the Lord and grows closer to one of her fellow servants. It’s increasingly erotic as more and more of Meya’s duties revolve around the Lord, and she gets more comfortable with intimacy, then with sex. I like how it solves the “are vampires cannibals” question by having them need to ingest both human flesh and blood. Unless I missed an extremely brief mention, the word vampire doesn’t actually appear, but that’s clearly what’s being evoked.
I enjoyed this and I’m definitely interested in more stories with these characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Violence, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Slavery, Kidnapping, Vomit, Gore, Torture, Cannibalism, Child death, Sexual violence, Self harm, Murder, Ableism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape
Minor: Excrement and Medical content
jyvurentropy's review against another edition
5.0
I first read this book on wattpad, while this author was still querying. I was so ecstatic to hear she found a publisher for it! Woot! That wattpad to published pipeline!
This is such a unique and dark, twisty story. Part horror part romance. What other book has cannibalism and erotic bathtimes? The strange contrast was something I couldn't get enough of.
Shimaira is a truly talented author and deserves all of her success <3
This is such a unique and dark, twisty story. Part horror part romance. What other book has cannibalism and erotic bathtimes? The strange contrast was something I couldn't get enough of.
Shimaira is a truly talented author and deserves all of her success <3
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