I received this book as part of the Early Reviewers. Having read 50 Shades of Gray and other erotica books, I was interested to see how the author approached an overview of such a wide topic. She approached it in a very organized manner, making sure to stress that consent and communication were the most important parts of any BDSM or fetish play.

Overall, great book to give an overview of the fetish world. ( )

As a more advanced practitioner of kink, I read this with a different eye. It's an EXCELLENT source for beginners. I was very impressed with Tristan's explanations, with the referrals to other books, and websites, and with the good overall presentation of information. She covers more than just the things one should place in a toy bag, (although that is covered). There is a huge focus on consent and communication, which are the cornerstones of any relationship, not just a kinky one. I will definitely be recommending this to people just entering the BDSM lifestyle as a strong reference book. It's easy to read and not intimidating at all. ( )

This is a good book to give people who are interested in BDSM a realistic introduction. It is full of basic information and tips to play safely and explore some kinky sex. ( )

This is a good introduction to the many varieties of kink that exist, and is a mandatory read for anyone who thinks they want to explore relationships that have been highlighted in many huge fiction releases lately.

This is very basic overview of some of the more popular aspects of BDSM, including what the initials stand for, how important consent and communication is to playing like this, and an introduction to some of the more popular play.

It is not a how-to guide, so much as it might be the prologue to such a book if such a book could exist. It highlights the need to learn from experienced players, the need to know your own and your partner's limitations, and the need to be open to exploring all of the "maybes" on your list to determine where on the scale of comfort they are. ( )

Very basic, very friendly. I appreciate the effort to dismantle some of the 50 Shades model of BDSM, and I think this would probably be a very good introduction for a beginner. The coverage of safety and consent built a very good foundation for communication between couples. Like the other reviewers, I don't believe that this would do much good for anyone with anything more than a basic understanding, but I would recommend it to anyone who wanted to get a better grasp of BDSM than popular culture gives.