I'm about 35% into the first book on my Kindle. Eh, it's okay. But I read a bit, then put it on hold to read something else more interesting. I don't find it offensive or tasteless, just a bit boring. I've been told it "picks up", but I haven't gotten there yet.

I am almost done with book 2, I am enjoying it but there is just way way way too much time spent on sex. Honestly how many times and ways can one author describe the acts with out it getting tedious. I am now breezing through that till I get to something else happening LOL
It is pretty graphic in details so if anyone would be offended by that and the type of acts then it would not be one to choose.
I knew it had graphic content not to the extent it does but that does not bother me, it just gets boring at times.
But the actual story itself I am enjoying very much.

My sister said she heard it described as erotica, I can see that it could have that descriptive attributed to it.

It is definitely not my normal type of read, I rarely ever read any type of romance novels even, so a bit strange for me to be reading it but there was so much bruhaha about it I just had to see. LOL

"Fifty Shades of Grey,"
an article about it.
I also saw recently that some libraries have banned it and some stores have taken it off their shelves.

If you look around online you can find places that give you a bit to read like a chapter or 2 so you know what it is before you buy it.

Here on amazon on the kindle ebook page for book one is an option to read a free chapter.
Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy

for a look at the regular book not an ebook here on amazon you can click the look inside option
Fifty Shades of Grey [Paperback]

I've been hearing (from my friends who are writers) that it's very poorly written. Of course, some sour grapes could be involved, as these books are the author's first efforts (actually, one book that was split into three, I'm told) and she's raking in the dough.

One funny aside: A woman at the reunion said to me, "I hate to tell you what I've been reading!" I thought immediately of 50 Shades.... She went on to say, "I'm almost finished with the entire trilogy." That confirmed it for me. I said, "Really? What did you think of it?" Then she said, "My granddaughter recommended it to me....." Her granddaughter?? Turned out she was reading Hunger Games. LOL

LOL@Alisande. That is a good story.
Donna, I heard it picks up.

have all 3, but got half way thru the first and was wondering why i was reading this book at all...dh's secretaries assured him it got better as the series went on...then i heard a possible book im "his" point of view?

I have read all three. The last two are much better than the first one. I thought the sex got kind of boring and I would kind of skip past a lot of it. I mean how many ways and how many times can you do it.

exactly!! IF they left out over half of the sex it would all fit in one book or less. If book one was 100 pages for example 70 pages could be eliminated LOL
And it would not affect the story line.
If I had to pay for them I would not.

A friend, who is also my pastor, wants to borrow the books as I finish them. Everyone is talking about them.

Almost done with the second book. Yes, I too thought too much sex in the first one, but they do get better and you have more of a story line.
My DD (40) was shocked I was reading them!
Well, we're not dead!
LOL, Kathy G in MI

This is a situation where a Kindle would come in real handy. :-)

I mean I get embarrassed reading a book with a cheesy cover from the movie poster, can't imagine walking around with 50 Shades of Grey if people's pastors know about it. LOL

Haven't read them myself but did see an interview with the author. She said so far she hasn't let her son's read the books. Well, missy, it's going to happen eventually. :-)

Jodi-

I had to go to the blood lab to have my regular blood work done, every one of the girls in there was reading these books, some real books the others on their phone or tablet and they were all discussing it. I had not started them at that time but I had heard about them. Not sure it would be the best choice to read at work.

I've read the first book. I don't have the second book yet. I didn't mind it. I heard it described as "mommy porn" on the radiio. I think that's fitting.

My Mom bought me the trilogy, lol, and I just started reading it. Poorly written, and haven't got to the "good parts" yet, but it's fluff and that's all I read these days because I have to read so many journals for work.

I will read it in public. I really don't care what people think. I'm sure nobody really cares.

you definitely will not be the only one out there in public reading it I have seen many people carrying it around. I would not be bothered either. I have mine on my ereader of course. The covers are not revealing in the least so unless someone knows what they are they just look like any book.

My problem is when I get bored with a part when I am reading I end up falling asleep so it is taking me a long time to read because there is so much "filler" between the actual story. LOL Last night I made it through 3 pages !

I've heard it described as very poorly written and "soft porn." For those reasons I'm not at all interested.

Ditto what marita said.

I just clicked on the sample and suffered through the first 2 pages of however many they sent. Can't do any more. Hard to believe people are actually reading this. Not because of the sex, which I don't stand a chance of getting to, but the slow dull writing.

The writing is abysmally bad. Hardly surprising for someone writing fan-fiction in homage to the "Twilight" series.

Some people say the story gets better, but I have better things to do with my time than fight the urge to get out the red pen and start correcting the manuscript.

I have no objection to erotica, but there are SO MANY better authors out there!

Guess I'll skip reading it. :) thanks for the reviews !!

I'm sure my reaction would be the same as Mary_c's, and that's why I have no desire (no pun intended!) to read any of them. As a former editor, I am a critical reader. Erotica si, crappy writing no!

I put it on hold at the library, but my friend confirmed what you guys said...it's very poorly written.

I have it on my iPod because a friend said it was good, but after reading all of your reviews I doubt I will bother with it. My time is better spent reading good books that I am more interested in reading.

I'd never heard of these books, but just now went to Amazon and read a few of the reviews. The reviews themselves were entertaining (I read the ones from the people who didn't like the Fifty Shades books). The trilogy itself is not something that I'll be bothering to read.

My MIL loaned the trilogy to me and was curious what everyone thought. Ravencajun summed it up pretty well.

They are okay, but I could give you a summary in a few sentences. Meet, get angry, have sex, have sex, get angry, make up, have sex, get angry etc etc. lol Seems like there is barely a story between all the sex! I'll finish the third book since they are such a quick read.

I enjoyed the trilogy after I got through the first book. Most of my friends here have read it.

Haven't read any of the books, but I did read a review in our local paper that cracked me up. The author wrote she was "50 Shades of Unimpressed" with the books. :o)

I read early reviews and sort of dismissed the thought of reading the book. Then, DD read it....was sort of ?intrigued by the story and so it sits here on the table. You all have confirmed my first impression...not worth my time. I so enjoy reading and am so "determined" when I start a somewhat bad book to finish it (as my current read) that I would not want to entertain the idea of reading Fifty Shades.

All my friends have read the books and enjoyed them (I think) but I don't I have any interest in reading them. I like a book with substance. I hope you enjoy reading the trilogy.

I've read some of the online excerpts, but they don't interest me.

I like my sex scenes smart and well written, like Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander."

BTW, if you haven't already read it, check out this piece that Gabaldon wrote about how to write sex scenes. Love it!

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Write Sex Scenes