Mr. Postman by A. Campbell

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: Mr. Postman
Author: A. Campbell

Author Site

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Publisher: Breathless Press

Genre: Erotica

Length: 16
Reviewed by: Strega

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 4

Presentation: 4

Editing: 4

Story: 4

Writing Ability: 5

Overall Card Rating: 

                                                    

About The Book: Selena is waiting for a very special, top-secret package. When the postman arrives with her delivery and seems to know what the box contains, Selena decides to have a little fun. After all, what’s better than a postman who can deliver more than just your mail?

The Review: When Selena's package arrives it's been a little crushed and she inspects it for damage. After all, there's "vibrators, dildos and butt plugs, oh my!" just waiting to entertain her for the weekend. The postman is described as being hot, hunky, the usual type in these books, which does not describe my postman in any way.

Both of these people are horny and ready to dive right into a sexual encounter with Selena in total control. The story is short, hot and to the point. If you like flowery descriptions and those sweet words to describe human anatomy, this isn't the story for you.

A. Campbell obviously wrote this story for purely titillation purposes but does so with enough humor that the story flows right along. There's a cute little punch line in the end that actually made me laugh. The cover is enticing and suits the story, only because I suppose putting "vibrators, dildos and butt plugs" would probably offend someone, oh my!

Pagan Elements: N/A

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Loving Lydia by Berengaria Brown

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: Loving Lydia
Author: Berengaria Brown

Author Site

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Publisher: Breathless Press

Genre: Erotic 

Other: F/F

Length: 18 pgs.
Reviewed by: Russ Allen

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 2

Presentation: 3

Editing: 3

Story: 4

Writing Ability: 3

Overall Card Rating: 

                                     

About The Book:  Lydia, a 40-year-old executive, and Tammy, a younger nurse, meet at a gym and develop a lesbian sexual relationship.  Both have secondary issues: Lydia wants to help women break through the glass ceiling; Tammy wants Lydia to become more spontaneous and less organized. Neither in the end is addressed.

The Review: This is a well-written story that avoids some of the pitfalls of erotic literature. The presentation of Lydia and Tammy’s sexual encounter in the former’s apartment avoids the acrobatic nature in some stories, and thus does not evolve into boring pornography. The same-sex activity comes across as sensitive and caring, possibly supporting the suggestion that the two will now become lovers.

The secondary plot of the story, Lydia’s feeling that she has achieved what she can in advancing up the corporate ladder, and her desire now to mentor young women to move even higher, while well presented, is in the end undeveloped. There is a hint that Tammy might become one of those women but that never happens. Instead, straightforward Tammy’s goal is to move rigid Lydia away from the attitude and approach to life that has in fact brought her such success. Failing to recognize this potential conflict, neither will be ready when it emerges as a real issue.

One of the issues with this type of story is whether it comes across as being real – whether the reader has to suspend his or her skepticism in order to enter into it.  Granted, stories serve many purposes: to entertain or challenge, to inform or expand one’s experience, to arouse or excite.  But for the most part, stories need to convey a sense of the real. 

This story does so up to a point. The sexual activity is believable, the separate professional motivations and personal attitudes are understandable, and even the motivation of each in eventually seeking a relationship with the other rings true. What is lacking in this story is a sense of what happens next. 

Lydia has already had a bad lesbian experience; Tammy, despite her directness, comes across with a level of immaturity and responsibility. Their relationship might well devolve into an impediment to Lydia’s goals, and a challenge to Tammy’s relaxed approach to things.  Do these lie outside the story, or are they important to it?  The author chooses not to go there, and that leaves the telling incomplete.

Pagan Elements: N/A  

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Blood Hero by Madeleine Drake

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: Blood Hero
Author: Madeleine Drake 

Author Site

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Publisher: eXcessica publishing

Genre: Historical/Erotic/Romance/M-F

Length: 35 pgs.

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 4

Presentation: 5

Editing: 4

Story: 5

Writing Ability: 5

Reviewed by: Strega

About The Book: When Rihat discovers that his village is being terrorized by an akhazu demon, he seeks help at Marduk's temple. He meets Iltani, a demigoddess who's been cursed by Ishtar to live as an ardat-lili, enslaved by lust, a night-maiden who feeds on sexual energy. Iltani offers Rihat the power to slay the akhazu, if he'll agree to serve her every need without question. But will the price of that power be more than Rihat can bear to pay?

The Review: Rhiat is a warrior praying for a miracle…you've heard that saying, "be careful what you wish for?" Apparently Rhiat never had. This is a very short, fast-paced read that left me breathless. I was hooked from the first page, drawn in by the fabulous writing and the original plot. This story is so well written it's almost as if you can feel what the characters feel, especially in the sex scenes. The battle scene was so realistic I discovered my heart was actually pounding as I read and when Rhiat was injured, I felt the pain he felt. In the final chapter I found I had been holding my breath as I read on to discover if Rhiat survived.

The only problem I saw was in the editing, and even those were minor and doesn't distract from the reader's pleasure.

Ms. Drake is a flawless writer and even though I have never read any of her work before, I will be looking for more. And Ms. Drake, please continue Rhiat's story, I want more of him…um, his story I mean.

Pagan Elements: The premise has some references to gods and goddesses, but in general, is not pagan.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Blackened by Christina Jade Loren

THE PAGAN & THE PEN BOOK REVIEWS

Title: Blackened
Author: Christina Jade Loren

Author Site

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Publisher: Breathless Press

Genre: Gay/Erotic/Paranormal

Length: 22 pgs.

RATINGS FOR:

Cover: 4-I like the mood the cover creates with the dark, moon-filled sky. The cover model is not only cute but obviously a vampire, so the reader knows right away that it’s a vamp story.

Presentation: 4-Easy to read and understand. A page and a ½ blank at the beginning so you have to scroll to find the start of the story, which isn’t marked in any way.

Editing: 4-Easily read. A few grammatical errors only.

Story: 3-While I liked both romantic characters, the conflict was flimsy and easily resolved with a simple conversation at the end, which left me feeling let down. The resolution reminded me of an after-school special, preaching on the dangers of addiction and failure to communicate with your significant other. When the after-school special resolution ends, the characters jump right into a rough sex scene, and I felt disoriented by the mood/tone change.

Writing Ability: 3-The author does a good job expressing the characters’ thoughts and emotions when they are alone. However, when the characters are together, the action and dialogue reads choppy and emotionless in places. Weak plot and minimal setting.

Reviewed by: Karmyn Klein

About The Book: Damien loves every aspect of his life as a vampire, except feeding time. That’s when his conscience decides to turn on, and he must face his dark cravings—alone. He had it all under control until Nathan disappeared one night. Damien’s control is slipping on the beast inside, and he needs Nathan now more than ever. If only he didn’t suspect his lover of betrayal.

Two battles must be fought. One of the heart, and one of the soul. Will Damien’s fear become a reality, and the urge to kill blacken his heart before Nathan can bring him home?

The Review: Blackened, third in a series, begins with a jolt of adrenalin as Damien, a newly made vampire, fights the urge to kill his human meal. Feeling the absence of his lover, Nathan, he struggles to do what’s right when everything feels wrong.

While Damien is likable, Nathan is a dark, conflicted character, emotionally and physically distant throughout much of the story. However, through Damien the reader can see and feel a past filled with love for Nathan and hope for the same in the future.

A fast and easy read with strong characters who live in an interesting world but lacking a strong plot with an exciting/fulfilling ending. Both of Damien’s problems—trouble controlling his urge to kill while drinking blood and the doubts about his relationship with Nathan—are easily resolved by simply having a short, quick conversation with his lover.

The erotic sex scene that follows the resolution between Damien and Nathan wasn’t the emotionally fulfilling make-up sex I was expecting but, instead, felt more like a rough-and-tumble quickie the couple might have any other day. Despite this, the strong likable characters make Blackened worth reading, and I look forward to more of Loren’s stories.

Pagan Elements: N/A

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.