Monday, April 29, 2013

What the Feck (WTF): Sex Scenes


What the Feck?! (WTF?!) 
Is a new feature here at The Book Nympho.
Every Monday we will post a book related topic 
that had us thinking WTF?! while reading a book 
or talking to others in the book community.



Sex Scenes
When it goes from hot to just plain gross.
by The Book Nympho


I love smut! But I prefer my smut with some romance and my romance with some smut. But how much smut is too much? My first response would be that there is no such thing as too much smut.


"You’re damp. You’re so wet. I want to taste your honey. I want to drink your juices." - Hostage to Pleasure

Honesty, who talks this way? I would LOL at a dude if he talked that way to me. It would so take me out of the mood. Less talk, more action.

How many times have I read lines similar to this: She was so wet that her juices ran down her leg. I have NEVER had that happen to me. Is it even possible? It's just screams Eew when I read lines like that. 



Lora Leigh is not an author to use pretty words in her sex scenes. While listening to Narravo's Promise I heard pussy like 10 times within one sex scene. Her juices coating her pussy, he licked her pussy and so on. I finally had to do a word search in my ebook copy to see how many times pussy was actually used.

Pussy # 74
Juices # 15





"She would be on her stomach, braced on her hands and knees. That lovely hair would casced down her elegant back, he would grab hold of it and tugging. Her neck would arch, her lips would part on a gasp of pleasure, pain. In and out he would pound, her shealth hot and wet, tight. Yes she would be tighter than a  fist. He's testicles would slap at her legs."  ~ The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter

Wait, what?! Testicles slapping is not a hot picture. That took me right out of the moment.  Sure they could slap her in the hot spot of her clit but her legs? Just how low do those testicles hang?


There are many more examples but these two are fresh in my mind since I've listened to these books recently.



After reading the following I had to share.....

red hot books

Which brings me to my next big issue. I am very comfortable with adult language, but the way these sex scenes are worded does nothing for me. Like, "Her pussy juice dripped on the sheet and she squirmed, unable to lie still." Or "Moisture dampened her lower lips, dampening the path to her anus." This is not sexy. Dirty to be sure, but that's not the same thing. The author used the word "pussy" 35 times in 123 pages. And I'm not even going to get into how she rubbed herself off on the saddle he made her, except to say..Who would want to ride on it after she slimed all over it?” - from Red Hot Books review of Consent to Love by Abby Wood


Then I asked Laura to share her thoughts on the subject....


Little Read Riding Hood

Sometimes gross sex can be great. It allows you to imagine experiences outside your comfort zone and lets you have those disturbing fantasies in a safe environment. It doesn't mean you would ever try those things in real life should the opportunity present itself. But everyone has their line, where it crosses from ok gross, to just outrageous - almost put this book down (or actually put this book down) gross. For me that line is overly descriptive rape. It can be mentioned, and even alluded to in some detail such as in A Blood Seduction by Pamela Palmer where the MC witnesses a girl being horrifically raped, but the whole scene is not overlly descriptive. Just enough so you know what happens and can move on. Or in Stacia Kane's Downside Series, where it is mentioned Chess had been raped in her past. It happened, but isn't happening now. She has a few close calls, but is able to escape (fortunately). 



What's your tolerance? 
Share your gross out moments.




15 comments:

  1. To be honest, I am still mostly a skipper on sex scenes unless I am reading an erotic romance. It isn't that I don't love a good romance scene but most times it sounds a little to forced and it takes me out of the moment. I tend to read right up to the point they use technical terms (which seems to be all the rage right now *gah*) and then do the 10 page flip (more like 15 these days). I guess I truly am an 80s romance reader--I prefer the flowery terms as opposed to the more blunt terms used now.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have to agree with you Felicia. I like well-written sex scenes that move the story along and so many of them aren't. I skip the ones that seem to be there to meet the "sex" quota in non-erotic books.

    I also draw the line at rape as an erotic tool, especially when the heroine then embraces her rapist as her "true love." I hate to think of the message being sent to young men and women.

    As a writer, though, I know sex scenes are tough to write. Yes, some words are over-used, but alternatives are rare. And all those arms and legs! It's hard enough with hetero sex. I pity the M/M erotic writer!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm totally w/ Laura on the over-done violent scenes, never care to read those, ever. For me, I don't like when the sex scenes are repetitive- the essentially same sex scene over and over in a book- I start skipping an skimming a that point. Anyhow, this post made me LOL, thanks for the food for thought today :) Book Savvy Babe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One series that comes to mind that I didn't mention in the post is Anita Blake. That one has tons of repetitive scenes.

      Delete
  4. I can't remember exactly where I've read this before but I've come across it a couple of times and whenever a woman's vagina is referred to as being frothy or the word cream is used, I check out completely. For me both of those words mean there is something medically wrong with the woman and she needs to see a doctor pronto.

    Paranormal Haven

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL!! It sounds like she needs to use a medical cream for her problems. Nice!

      Delete
  5. My biggest turn off for sex scenes are those that are written in a clinical manner. "He touched this..." "She did this..." "Next they..." That's just poor writing, and it comes off cold and mechanical. Other than that I don't have a certain "hot button" that turns me off from a scene - but if it's sex for the sake of sex, I usually skip over. I want passion and emotion involved. If I "feel the love" then I can forgive more obnoxious language.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If I know going into a book that it's the type full of sex just get your "juices" flowing that's one thing. I love a great smut filled book from time to time.

      But if there's a romance I want the sex to be more meaningful too. But meaningful doesn't have to be clinical.

      There's a fine balance and it must be hard for authors to write with that in mind.

      Delete
  6. I have a big problem with the word honey or cream being used for female lubrication (techy enough, lol). I just want to scream when I see those words and tend to move past the scene. The second turn off is when they describe the cream or honey running down her legs..really? Is it a water fountain? Just too much and does nothing for me.

    I tolerate the word pussy, but really at times it comes off as sounding juvenile. Along with the word dick. Those two words just remind me of high school and not of a great love scene. But I tolerate them if they aren't overused.

    My overall problem...when there are like 50 sex scenes in a book and you don't know really what the plot was about. Do these people ever just talk? I tend not to finish these or even review them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah the running down her leg thing sounds like another medical problem. LOL

      Delete
  7. I have to agree, running down the leg? Um, honey go to the doc! Dirty talk is fine, but sometimes it just comes off as vulgar, especially if the same word is used over and over (your pussy is so wet, I want to lick that pussy, or my favorite to hate: Does your pussy want this cock. Really?!? If my va-jay-jay start actually talking to me, I'm heading to the shrink. One other for me is the womb clenching - so you get cramps every time he is in the room? *cringes*

    ReplyDelete
  8. the use of the word nubbins :cringe: I don't like descriptive sex scenes that sound like a bad porn movie. The descriptions of a vagina can be hilarious. My favorite is from Lord of Fire and Ice
    “In that vulnerable position, her sex would be exposed in a yawning pink crevice.”
    makes me think of the mouth of the monsters in Tremors
    I agree with Kindle Jo, it hurts when your womb clenches!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sooo, first things first, I must comment that the "running down her legs" thing is true, though expanded a bit. (Hopefully this isnt TMI) It often can get onto like the upper thigh, and a guy assumes it's running down your leg, and often the female chooses not to correct them.

    As for my pet peeves, I hate when people use the same word over and over within like all sex scenes, and then like the sex in the stories are like all the same. I'm editing a book my mother wrote. IDK if she'll try to publish it or not, but I've noticed she likes to use the words "center" for like everything. "He put his hard center into hers," "He put his fingers into her wet center." First of all, I dont like the male "rod" to be referred to as a "center" nor do I like to hear the word center over and over again.

    I also dont like when a female internally muses that she's never experienced something so amazing or she's "never experienced sex in this way before" and it's something common like doggystyle or something. I want to toss the book immediately.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.