Yes, Furry Cuffs Are Toys Too!

I've been a bad reviewer. 
It was a shock to realize that I dropped the ball.
It was more of an embarrassment to realize that it wasn't even on my radar ... and it should have been.

And this post is why I have that 18+ age restriction on my blog because sooner or later it was going to apply.


Furred Handcuffs!
Feathers!
Ropes (asanawa,kinbaku, shibari)

**waggles brows** Got your attention, didn't I.

Reviews aren't relegated to only sharing an opinion.  Information is shared as well to inform a reader of possible topics that might trip over their red line in the sand. (read - gross them out or upset them)

Some review sites don't have a list of tags that highlight features within a book that some readers might find objectionable. It's left up to the reviewer to include it in the body of their review.

Some publishers will list warnings with the blurbs on their sites and that's great.  But for those readers who don't actually visit the publisher but instead base their purchase on their favorite and/or a respected review website, the responsibility of the reviewer is hefty.

It's not just toys that need to be mentioned, what about rape?  How sensitive will a reader be if it's inferred or actual?  Retelling or active?  How close can a reader get to shifter love and not throw up?  Where do they draw the line?  Reviewers might mention it if it affected them and made them squeamish but what about those reviewers who weren't bothered by it and consider it no big deal?  Will they think of  writing about it?  To make mention of  something that didn't  faze them?  Human nature being what it is, possibly not.

So, this post is geared toward raising your awareness of what kind of information would benefit a reader.

Whipped Cream Reviews has a list for its reviewers to choose from, but it's by no means all inclusive. The reviewers for that site have the additional task of adding more descriptive tags because bedroom play has gotten so inventive and creative.  The more the doors open up, and readers get a eyeful of alternate lifestyles as well as other kinds of genre that push the steamy envelope, the more aware reviewers have to be about mentioning the toys that go along for the ride that may trigger a reader.  

Not all toys are benign.