What I Read Wednesdays: Fifty Shades Trilogy

I first have to apologize for being almost completely absent for the past 6 days or so. I didn't write a single blog post, and barely posted to FB or Twitter. I blame in all on E.L. James' Fifty Shades Trilogy: Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed. Once I started reading the first one, it was on! I stayed up until 4:00am most nights (mornings?) just to finish a book...and then start the next one. I neglected pretty much everything else to read these books, and it was so worth it!

If you haven't heard about these books because you live under a rock  from one of your girlfriends, or from Good Morning America, allow me let you in on the secret - it's being dubbed "mommy-porn" and it's awesome! What I love most is that the story isn't just about sex, although it is really hot. It's about relationships of all sorts, and the flaws that make us human. It's about overcoming your past (and your present), to have the future that you deserve.

So here is a brief synopsis:
A fairly plain 21 year old virgin, Anastasia Steele, is forced to interview an extremely gorgeous, and tremendously wealthy, young entrepreneur, Christian Grey, for the school newspaper because her roommate catches the flu and can't go. That one chance meeting turns out to the be the biggest game changer of her life. She soon realizes that he is scarred, and deeply flawed by his haunting past, but she can't resist him. He wants to possess her, and make her his submissive...until he falls for her.  He realizes that she will never be what he wants her to be, but she is everything that he needs her to be. He tries as hard as he can to pull her into his lifestyle, and she does her best to acquiesce. The heat and passion that ensues as they battle over where to draw the line is intense. They fight, they make up, they hurt one another, and they heal each other.

Although I have no doubt that these books will become equally as popular, they were not written for the young adult audience that The Twilight series and the Hunger Games Trilogy were, and I like it that way. While I am perfectly happy to read a story about teenage romance (because I was there, once) I can truly appreciate (and welcome) a well written, appropriately placed sex scene. These books are loaded with hot, steamy sexcapades, but the story isn't diminished by it -  it's enhanced by it. It's part of what makes this trilogy so captivating. If you're insulted by the f-word, however, I don't think these books are for you!

There is a lot of discussion about whether or not these books are fan fiction. Originally, before it was rewritten, this story was inspired by and based on the characters of Twilight. While you can definitely see some similarities between some of the characters, especially Bella and Edward vs. Ana and Christian, for me that is where the similarities end. There is no supernatural element to these books, unless you consider Christian Grey's supernatural good looks and heavenly body, and these are adult relationships with adult problems.  Personally, I don't care what inspired this story, I'm just glad it was written. Call it fan fiction, erotic fiction, erotica, or any other name of your choosing, it's a great trilogy to read, and then reread!

So have you read these books yet? What did you think?  Who would you like to see cast in the movie?