Virtual Mirrors: First Journal

by Crystal Raven

Gemma Sullivan seemed to have it all: She had wealth, status, intelligence, and stunning natural beauty. The one thing missing was what she desired the most—a male counterpart equal to her in every way. Unfortunately for Gem, the world she was born into had a shortage of the alpha male she was dreaming of. Gemma lived in a time of restricted freedom and self-determination, which sadly for her also included an almost total lack of privacy and sexual liberty. The type of man she was looking for was completely out of fashion and possibly extinct.
For a woman with a seemingly unquenchable libido, the laws and moral attitudes that repressed the natural interaction between men and women made her miserable. If she couldn’t find the man she wanted the old fashioned way, then perhaps the technology of the day would provide a suitable alternative. So began Gem’s quest for personal gratification.
On the invitation of her platonic best friend, Gemma went underground to an exclusive sex club. Avoiding the eyes of the law, this was a place where virtual reality sex, and even artificial humans, were designed to provide almost any pleasure imaginable. Even still, Gemma's’ basic needs were not met. She hatched a new plan: if the man she really wanted didn’t exist then she would just have to make one.

128 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 4, 2019

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing, great romance, and HOT!

[Pegboard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Virtual Mirrors first journal by Crystal Raven takes you forward in time when everything you needed was delivered and diseases were eradicated. Gemma Sullivan's search for an alpha male she can connect with becomes quite the quest. She has an old soul which craves the freedoms we take for granted. Her choices would be frowned upon if the authorities knew all the things she can get away with because of her wealth and high-security clearance. This novella is just the foundation of what she is looking for; the adventure is about to begin.

[Crystal Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first installment of the story you’ve been waiting for!

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read, the world has changed enough that it feels a bit alien, people need to pay much more for water, like to take a bath you need to spend like a month in groceries, the main character she talks about her shower, that reuses the 4 minutes shower water, to use it again. But since she is so rich, she could indulge in a bath if she wished it, People are always under vigilance, she lives by the beach but it seems that people are not allowed to go to the dunes, thing that she does, dress code is much more serious, not that she enters in too much details about that, but over the clothes the uses she mentions that she uses kind of a cape covering her, not because she couldn’t manage things but because it would be a bother…

Gemma is a spoiled person, it feels like if she haven't got the need to work one day on her life, it seems she is also very intelligent because she tinkers with technology changing it to her needs, and that kind of becomes the next step into the story what gives us a continuation to the second volume. She need to feel a connection to a male, that it seems he only exist in her dreams because all males are not the alpha males she dreamt, even the way she is makes her more like a lesbian than a woman searching for love.

The story is told in a way that keeps us going and interested in knowing more, what will happen next, and the sexual scenes are not over the top, we have much more world building than actual sex and that is great, kind of reminds me of Emmanuelle books, I recommend this book for all fans of classic erotic stories.

Thank you voracious readers for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.

[Dana rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

The book was an easy read. The storyline was unexpected but so good. Perfect balance of futuristic and erotica themes. Ending could've been stronger in case i don't want to keep reading the series.

I received this book for free to review, and all opinions are my own.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘I was illuminated like a leading lady on stage’ – Erotica plus!

Author Crystal Raven’s ‘biographical anonymity’ most assuredly adds to the pungent tones of this fine novel. She has composed five entries in this VIRTUAL JOURNAL series and after reading this First Journal, quite likely the reader will continue this saga!

Even in the genre of Chick Lit few authors speak with the honesty of the central character Gemma Sullivan, as the opening lines of this brief novella attest. ‘I love sex. I love thinking about it, I love doing it, and I love the feeling I get afterwards. The story I am about to share with you makes no attempt to evade or deny my sexual nature. I thought a simple up-front warning should be included at the start of this tale. If you are not open to human intimacy, or this topic is forbidden, illegal, or taboo in your time and place, then I would suggest you stop right now. You have been officially warned! Power down your digital device, holo-vid, or whatever medium this is being converted into for ocular absorption. If a time machine sends this script back to the past and you are reading from an actual ink-printed, wood pulp paper book then close it and walk away…but know how much I envy you. My name is Gemma Sullivan – born female, and am happy to identify as such…’

Presented with a refreshing dollop of ‘science fiction’ (which in Crystal’s talented hands seems completely credible – a palpable!), Gemma Sullivan comes to life. Her storyline is well condensed – ‘Gemma Sullivan seemed to have it all: She had wealth, status, intelligence, and stunning natural beauty. The one thing missing was what she desired the most—a male counterpart equal to her in every way. Unfortunately for Gem, the world she was born into had a shortage of the alpha male she was dreaming of. Gemma lived in a time of restricted freedom and self-determination, which sadly for her also included an almost total lack of privacy and sexual liberty. The type of man she was looking for was completely out of fashion and possibly extinct. For a woman with a seemingly unquenchable libido, the laws and moral attitudes that repressed the natural interaction between men and women made her miserable. If she couldn’t find the man she wanted the old fashioned way, then perhaps the technology of the day would provide a suitable alternative. So began Gem’s quest for personal gratification. On the invitation of her platonic best friend, Gemma went underground to an exclusive sex club. Avoiding the eyes of the law, this was a place where virtual reality sex, and even artificial humans, were designed to provide almost any pleasure imaginable. Even still, Gemma's’ basic needs were not met. She hatched a new plan: if the man she really wanted didn’t exist then she would just have to make one.’

Fantasy and fun blend with erotica for a very pleasurable read. Volume One is indeed tempting – and beautifully written! Recommended.

[Amirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book because of the concept of creating your own lover. I thought how interesting that concept would be. Of course, once you start manipulating the ins and outs of a person through technology we will definitely leave some important traits out.

Enter our Gemma,.What can I say about Gem? She is a woman who knows what she wants, and has the resources too achieve it all. In a world full of Artificial Intelligence can Gemma be satiated? Gemma, is a prime example of why technology will never replace Human Beings.

Gemma is a wonderful character, she serves glamour, honesty, and self determination. This is a book we all need, no matter the gender. We can all learn from Gem as she might be the new Shero in town. Thank you Voracious Readers Only and author for my free copy of this wonderful story.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella features a dystopian future in which all forms of what we might think of as sexual attraction have been outlawed. What makes it creepy is that the government has succeeded in converting the vast majority (99%?) of the population into preferring their virtual reality fantasies to anything that might be described as genuine physical intimacy. The novel is rather delicate in describing sexual scenes, putting its energy into world building a place in which the heroine may never be able to find the sexual satisfaction she craves. It’s a fun little story.

[Lisa Reyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hard to follow at first but I still liked the book.