#intheriver/#intheshower: A Special Feature

This is a special, yes very special, feature for all of our Jeri Smith-Ready, SHADE and WVMP fans out there. As you might already be aware, we are currently co-hosting a WVMP Read Along, and some of the hosts, including myself (Britney), have stumbled upon a FANGtastic (hehe, corny I know) scene in the 3rd book, BRING ON THE NIGHT. We refer to this scene as #intheshower. Now, if you've read the 2nd book in the SHADE series, SHIFT, then you know there is a little scene we like to refer to as #intheriver. Jeri, being the fantastic person that she is, put forth a little challenge. I don't think she actually expected anyone to rise to this challenge, but I couldn't pass it up. So, below you will find my 500 word essay comparing and contrasting the SHIFT, #intheriver scene, and the BRING ON THE NIGHT, #intheshower scene. But first, some disclaimers:

• If you have not read either of these series, I strongly suggest you do. If you haven't, I have done my best to exclude spoilers; however, some things may be given away. I will not be naming names. If you've read, you know who the players are, if not, the names do not matter and might ruin some surprises for you. So, if you don't like knowing little details before you read, DO NOT KEEP READING PAST THIS POINT.
  


• WVMP is an Adult book. There is strong sexual content, and if you do not like this then I do not suggest you DO NOT KEEP READING PAST THIS POINT. There is not actual sexual content in my post below, however, I so refer to sexual acts contained in the scene.
  


• The scenes referred to in this "essay" are contained in Chapter 28 of SHIFT and on pages 155-158 of BRING ON THE NIGHT.
  


• If neither of the above bother you, please feel free to keep reading. If you haven't read one or both of the books, who knows, maybe my little essay will inspire you to do so.
  


• A final note: I probably can't keep this under 500 words. :)

Without further delay, I bring you:

#intheshower or #intheriver: IT'S ALL IN THE WATER

Water, it can be used for so many things, and we cannot live without it. Maybe that is why I feel that the SHIFT river scene and the BRING ON THE NIGHT shower scene are so interconnected. Both scenes obviously take place in the water and are prompted by the need or want to bathe. To clean, one might say. I think this is ironic since both scenes are actually a little dirty, sexually speaking. While both scenes take place in the water, the water temperature correlates to the experience level. In the river, the water is cold and the characters are somewhat awkward, or at least not completely comfortable since this is their first time being naked together. The shower scene is, well, its HOT. In all manners of speaking. The water is hot, the action is hot, the reader will be hot. The characters in the shower scene are completely comfortable with each other, and it shows. In this case, hot water is equivalent to experience, cold water appears to be equivalent to inexperience.

While the temperature of the water in each scene correlates to experience, that level of experience is also exemplified in the events, language, and actions. Keep in mind that SHIFT is a YA novel, therefore the content is toned down and directly relates to the characters' experience. In the river scene we are told what happens vaguely, but in a way that alludes to the actions taking place. Things progress slowly and develop into PG-13 touching, without actually being shown what is happening. If you have a good imagination, like me, you can fill in the blanks on your own. In the BOTN shower scene on the other hand, there is MUCH showing. This in an adult novel and therefore the characters, their actions, and the descriptions of those actions can be much more developed. And oh boy are they. No need for a good imagination for this scene, well, except to adapt those excellent descriptions to mental videos. Definitely an NC-17 rating, which is a GREAT thing if you ask me. But one thing these scenes share is that Jeri does a great job making them realistic without being gross and overly dirty. It's sexy but classy, and there is real love bringing the characters together in these sexually charged scenes.

In both instances, there is an impending separation coming and some duress preceding/coinciding with the characters' actions. I will not be expanding on this since it would contain spoilers. Just to be safe. So go pick up the books ASAP to get the full shebang! There will also be another "essay" comparing/contrasting the #intheshower scenes of BOTN and SHINE, the final book in the SHADE trilogy, out next May! (give me a little time to recover from this, ahem, exciting, ahem, comparison)

And as a final farewell, some of my fav quotes for the above scenes:

SHIFT

Character 1: "... where can I touch you?" Character 2: "Anywhere." Character 1: "And where can I kiss you?" Character 2: "Everywhere."

BOTN

Character 1: "That was not the last time."

~Britney