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Lights, Camera...Monsters (2000)

by Lila Dubois(Favorite Author)

3.34 of 5 Votes: 1

languge

English

genre

Romance

series

Monsters in Hollywood

review 1: I have chosen to give the whole series review to each book so that buyers can get a full vision of what to expect – overall enjoyable but with some issues.Lights, Camera…(Book 1): Calypso Productions is a Hollywood company run by five beautiful and talented women; Lena, Jane, Akta, Margo and Cali.One day a group of three exceptional looking men, Luke, Henry and Michael walk into their office with a proposal for a movie.But here is the twist, they are monsters, hiding from persecution and are slowing dying out. They need to get their message out that they want to be friendly and integrate into human society without hiding. They are already among us as their Seer has provided them all the spells, in the form of gorgeous tattoos that allow them to change from their monste... morer bodies to human form. However, the girls laugh them off and send them on their way, not without Luke begging for a date with Lena, who obliges because he is after all gorgeous and she is starting to feel like a born again virgin.The monsters that LD describes are both horrifying and beautiful, and apparently get all their sexual experience from succubae!! This is an erotica book after all and it soon turns to some rip roaring sex from Luke and Lena. But apparently magical spells don’t hold well after eight hours of sex and a night’s sleep as Luke inadvertently lets his monster out for Lena to wake up next too, he unfortunately looks like a demon with his huge wings, horns and cloven feet!This leads to some humourous moments and then the plot really begins. There are other humour moments when you realise that all their “knowledge” about humans comes from watching TV shows and movies, although this is a little odd when they can actually interact with humans, so that falls flat after a while.Just as the girls are getting on board and seriously thinking that this movie could be a go ahead a monster that is not fully with the plan tries to kill Lena and the plot really takes a twist and starts to sizzle as much as all the intense sex that is going on.Some very sad moments in this first book that really seal it as a story and not just erotica.My Fair Monster (Book 2):Whilst the first book clearly sets the scene and then continues to concentrate on the love that has now blossomed between Lena and Luke, it is now obvious that this is now Jane and Michael’s turn.More body numbing sex occurs but Michael’s monster is not what you would expect!A new monster has joined the group, Runako, he is not convinced that humans and monsters should integrate. With his sad back story and clearly still painful memories I began to agree with his points of view on human annihilation instead.The often grin inducing humour is still here, along with the eyeball popping sex but this book felt more like a love story and there was no clear moving forward of the story.However LD sets up book 3 very neatly at the end.I was aware of quite a few editing errors in this book which were a little distracting.Gone with the Monster (Book 3):This is clearly Runako and Margo’s chapter and she is one tough lady that needs a tougher hombre to crack her. So he kidnaps her and takes Margo to a cave!This allows for some really funny moments, as by default these two characters are much more humourous. Runako’s monster just happens to be the biggest demon looking thing you can imagine.Whilst Margo is filled with self-body issues, Runako is clueless about human female emotions generally and this makes for great banter not to mention the almost painful but highly erotic sex scenes.Again we are shown the horrors of humans vs monsters in the past and why Runako is so afraid of integration. When he fully shares his pain with Margo she confesses that she may know who did they terrible things to his sister.With this knowledge a new element of revenge and killing enters the story line and gives it an interesting twist.New monsters and plot elements are introduced in this book at it continues to not shy away from going to some deep dark places in some XXX sex scenes.Again, some editing issues, but not so distracting this time.Have Monster will travel (Book 4):Now that the story line is not just about bringing the monsters out into the open, the secret Black Wolf agency trying to capture and experiment on monsters is a focus.Henry goes off to China to seek out and plead for help from the secret, yet powerful warrior clan.Tokaki is their most prized warrior and agrees to come and help them, but as the fight coordinator on the movie!!There is a lot more movie speak in this book which was becoming tedious. The two new characters Tokaki and Jo, the artist, are so obviously going to be the next couple that get together but their characters and plot lines are so cliché to make it feel like some 70s porn film. Whilst I understood that Tokaki was the Chinese version of the westernized idea of monsters, he turns into a huge white tiger that looks a lot like the parade dragon/lion, I got fed up reading about their Chi - I am not reading these books for intellectual stimulation! Not to mention that about 50% into the book we have only peeked at a surprised penis so far, and if Jo says his male body is “ridiculous” once more I would have screamed, and not in pleasure.The little movie one liners were funny and the best character in this chapter was Madoka the teenage sister, a beautiful purple dragon.Eventually Tokaki and Jo get together, but he is rude, obnoxious and oblivious to her feelings which of course are fixed by a marathon watching of chick flicks. I found this to be very condescending and not fitting with the rest of the books. Although they are getting a bit boring in every monsters mating for life with each girl he picks to enlighten on monster sex.If I had not already bought the last two books in the series I would have given up at this point as the central plot is missing, the editing and continuity is way off and the sex has become boring.The notion that brilliant sex can suddenly fix all female hang up and make you have instant self-belief is a little nauseating or maybe I have yet to enjoy that sort of sex!The ending paragraph was good and it pulled together some unanswered questions from early in the book but does not make you want to read the fifth installment.A Monster and a Gentleman (Book 5):You are now thrown forward into movie production. Apparently all on set people believe in monsters and none have run screaming to the loony bin but surprise, surprise one has leaked photos to the press despite huge confidentially clauses.Cali the total bitch of the group has been lusting after Seling, a fire breathing dragon, who joined the group during a rescue at the Black Wolf camp, and this is clearly their chapter for sexual fun and eventual mating.No mention thus far of the plot twist involving the Black Wolf camp, if they were such a threat then why forget them so easily?? The editing is much more of an issue in this book and LD could have done with some better beta readers/editors to pull her inconsistencies together. Why every single woman in this group has to be hung up on their lack of body perfection is now becoming annoying. Plus the once sizzling and daring sex scenes are now repetitive, same sex different couple.Not sure on the odds of each monster finding their exact mate within the five women in LA who happen to be making their movie.Eventually investigations get under way into who leaked the photos of the monsters, trying to out them.The monsters call on their Seer, Mauve the Banshee.Between the Banshee and the Black Wolf militia, that suddenly make a reappearance this is a lot more violent action in this book. Towards the end is more of a monster story, much less erotica, even if boring in this book.This series has sort of flunked in the middle not sure if its erotica, a story, both of neither. The characters have become one dimensional and often slide off the page with no thought. The final book has been read simply as I am hoping for a conclusion.The last of the Monsters (Book 6): Flashbacks from varying PoV allow for the story of Henry, the final monster and Akta - the final couple that need to pair off to make this all so convenient.Mauve the Banshee has discovered who the leak is and punishment is interesting. The Black Wolf men are used in a unique way.Once the movie is finally out, so are the monsters and they are whisked off to meet all the “special” people of the world.The relationship between Henry, the colour changing monster and Akta is childish and skin crawling to say the least.A dramatic finale allows the series to redeem itself at the end.Overall this could probably have been four books, better edited and more flesh and brains given to the characters. The first book was amazing and but the sex soon became repetitive and plot lines were pathetic, or at least not told well.For a fast bit of erotica LD is a good writer as she does not shy from some eye watering moments but as a storyteller, nope not her strong suit.The movie references in the stories and book titles was very clever and you can’t help but love the cover art!
review 2: This book actually did an okay job of exceeding my expectations. I downloaded it for free (and let's be honest - most free books that I've read just aren't that good), so I really wasn't thinking I would be reading an award winning material book. I was right in the sense that it didn't totally blow me away, but it was good. The writing was good, the characters were likeable, and the sex scenes were hot. There were a few too many thrown in with not enough actual story, but hey, it's a paranormal erotica book - that's to be expected. And the kinky sex was good, if a little bit unconventional. Overall, good quick read. Don't know if I'll click over to download #2 and #3 in the series, but I might put them on my backburner. less

Download links for: Lights, Camera...Monsters

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