ARC Review: Acquired Possession by Cari Silverwood

Recommended Read!

“I highly recommend Acquired Possession, not only for its kinky goodness, but for its great storytelling.”
~ Under the Covers

I’m going to try to review Cari Silverwood’s new release, Acquired Possession, without fangirling so hard that I embarrass myself. As a lover of dark erotica, dubcon/non-con, BDSM, and fantasy, Ms. Silverwood has rocked my world on quite a few occasions. She’s always up for trying new things, but each story has that classic undertone that I recognize as her unique voice and style. Acquired Possession is a sci-fi, slave capture fantasy with dark elements and BDSM. Human becomes alien when Emery is thrust unexpectedly through a portal on earth into a world that was, for me, reminiscent of Star Wars. There’s a mix of old and new…big mechanized traveling robots that house thousands of beings and droid like robots that possess intelligence, all with an old world, dusty feel. That dichotomy made the world feel less sci-fi and more fantasy with a dark twist. Once in her new world, Emery learns that humans are no more than slaves to be sold, possessed, and toyed with. They also possess blood that is of great value. Emery also discovers that she will be Slave 12 of a House run by House Master Mako. Mako is a hard and unforgiving Master, but soon finds himself more than physically attracted to his new slave. She reminds him of a painful loss, but is even more tempting for it. Emery doesn’t want to enjoy the punishments she earns through her misbehavior, but she can’t help herself. She learns to crave Mako’s touch, making it more difficult when she tries to make her grand escape.

If you’re scared of sci-fi, don’t be! While Acquired Possession makes heavy use of “otherworld” elements, this is ultimately a story of a woman coming to terms with her desire to be owned by a strong and capable Master. That means that yes, you should enjoy BDSM. Also, you should enjoy the darker side of kink. We aren’t on earth and the rules of appropriate sexual conduct don’t apply. The story line enters some territory of non-consent and heavier elements of “play.” Expect needles, knives, electricity. And expect to see sex not always used for pleasure. It’s all very, very hot. This being Cari Silverwood, also expect to get deep in the characters’ heads to explore their inner desires and fears. Emery is a strong woman who doesn’t back down when she’s scared. She sees what Mako does to her, but in the end, even as slave, she makes him work to earn the title of Master over her. Mako loves to dole out pain, but he has a wonderfully tender side that I really loved. I am not usually into soft and tender moments in BDSM (the loving Dom is sometimes a bit cliché for me), but Ms. Silverwood managed to give Emery and Mako a connection that truly touched me and brought me to tears. There is a decent amount of action and the plot never lags. I was sad to see their story end! I know that the next installment will focus on another couple, but I’d love to see Emery and Mako’s story continue, to see them in action as Master and slave. I highly recommend Acquired Possession, not only for its kinky goodness, but for its great storytelling.