Review: 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James

                                      Book: 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James
                                      Pages: 514
                                      Genre: Fiction, Erotica
                                      Source: Bought
                                      *Contains strong sexual content, mature language

Short Synopsis: When literature student Anastasia Steele interviews entrepreneur Christian Grey, she has no idea what's in store, and is way in for more than she bargained for.

My Thoughts: Intended for mature audiences only, but very addicting! I couldn't put this book down! 

Anastasia Steele is roped into an interview, due to her roommate, Kate's unexpected illness. Ana travels to Seattle, to interview Christian Grey, one of the most wealthiest men in the world, for the University's newspaper.
As Ana meets Mr. Grey, a handsome, intimidating man, she is deeply unprepared for the interview, and is flustered by him. After the interview, Ana is relieved that she no longer has to be in his presence. But fate, or Mr. Grey's infatuation and with Ana, continues to thrust the two characters together.
Ana can't seem to stop thinking about Christian Grey, and Christian seems to be rather protective and obsessed with Ana.
Christian proposes an interesting proposition to Ana. The only way Christian can be in a relationship is if they agree on a BDSM. Ana is floored when she does the research, and has insecurities about how far she is willing to go. But she cannot deny her attraction to Christian and tries to compromise. But as she learns more about Christian and the world he comes from, Ana must decide if her feelings for Christian are far more than what she is able to take. 

What can I say about this novel that probably already hasn't been said before? I loved the love story between Ana and Christian. It's been a long while since a book has made me grin from beginning to end. Being the first novel I've read about BDSM, I was so surprised with all the emotions that I felt, while connecting with the characters. 

Ana is an extremely shy and innocent character, that felt really relatable. I enjoyed reading the playful banter the two had, and the fact that the two had such great chemistry together, is putting it rather mildly. Ana and Christian have an up and down roller coaster of a relationship, as the two at times, push their limits, finding new discoveries, and exploring new bounds.

Christian Grey is a very deeply disturbed individual who grew up with hard background, living a life where BDSM has ruled the majority of his sexual encounters. The two couldn't seem like a more opposite pairing, but turn out to be one hot couple. 

After reading this first novel, one question keeps gnawing at me, however. Why is it that only Christian was involved in this kind of lifestyle? As a reader, we get to meet his protective parents, and his brother and sister that care for him, so why is he the only one affected with this lifestyle? It also seemed rather strange that no one else in his family knew of this situation, when this type of life style seems to affect him so severely. 

I was a bit disappointed on the fact that there wasn't as much of a relationship build up between the two, as the reader still does not know much of the background of either character. Overall, a very fast paced, entertaining read, that has the reader left wanting more. Needless to say, I am intrigued by how the relationship between the two will go, and I enjoyed James' writing style immensely. On a side note, the character Kate, though rather annoying at times, was one of my favorite characters, as she doesn't take crap from Christian, is loyal to Ana. And on another side note, it would be interesting to see who would portray Christian Grey in a movie. 

This novel contains intense sexual content that might not be suitable for the light hearted. 

Would I recommend this book: Yes! (For adults only)

Rating: I give this book a 4.5/5.