Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

Title: Fifty Shades of Grey
Author: E.L. James
Release Date: May 26th, 2011
Publisher: The Writer's Coffee Shop
Pages: 360
Format: iBook
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Age Group: Very, very adult!

When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

First and foremost I need to say that I gave into peer pressure. Everyone kept talking about this book and they were reading it, and just like it's predecessor, some said it was shit, while others were saying it was great. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and I bought it on my iPad.

It was, as I was expecting it to be, complete shit.

The main character was completely what I expected her to be, and in fact she behaved so much like Bella Swan, I don't know how the publishing house has the nerve to say that it is worlds apart from Twilight. The only thing these two books have that are worlds apart is that Bella and Edward had this sexual tension that Stephenie Meyer - whether from her Mormon upbringing or whatever - never went fully with. Here, it's sex, sex, sex. It's like the main characters took some sex pill and the only thing they can do is have sex whenever they are around each other.

There were things in this book that I just wanted to stop and say, "No, I don't think so. How could you possibly know that?" It's obvious from the writing style that the author did not take time at all to edit this, because if she had she would know just how flat and lifeless her character's are.

Out of all the character's Ana annoyed me the most. She sits complaining about how mysteries Christian is and how he sends her mix messages - well guess what sweet heart, you do too! I was so damn annoyed whenever she was going on about wanting more and wanting to try. And honestly, does this girl know what a submissive is? She was entering a BDSM relationship; there is no compromising in that type of relationship. There is the Master (Christian) and the Sub (her), but apparently that didn't float her boat so well.

And if she was just going to get angry with him because he was doing what she asked than why do it at all?

She says one thing but does something completely different. I just wanted to smack this child.

And Christian was not a complete angel himself. There was absolutely zero background on him, there was no hint on what the hell he did with his life whenever not bossing Ana around, there was nothing but moodiness. Oh and he plays the piano, remind you of anyone?

I don't know how I got through this book in two days, especially with finals coming up, but it was like I got through this insufferable book.

I kept thinking it might get better, but at the end I just wanted to hit someone. What the hell is E.L. James trying to get at? I just don't understand.

And despite it's fault, let's be honest, I'll probably get the other two books. Why not? I made it through the worst and summer is coming up, it's not like I have a million books to read already. Still, it tends to pull a person in and it can be a quick read.

What I want to know is how surprised Christian was when Ana confessed that she was in love with him. What the hell was he expecting? They were sleeping just about everywhere, he followed her just about everywhere; what did he think? That they would continue just having a sexual lifestyle for ten years without any emotional ties? That's not how it works. For someone who acts like he knows everything, he knows just about nothing.

This is the first one star I have ever given out, and I don't know how the other books will fare out, but we'll see. We'll see.