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The Psyvamp and the Professor (eBook)
| The Psyvamp and the Professor | |
|---|---|
 The Psyvamp and the Professor eBook Cover, written by Melisse Aires | |
| Author(s) | Melisse Aires |
| Series | Encanto Bay, Where Magic Happens |
| Publisher | Pronoun |
| Publication date | May 20, 2017 |
| Media type | eBook |
| Length | 94 Pages |
| ASIN | B0714J482T |
For other uses of the word Succubus, see Succubus (disambiguation).
The Psyvamp and the Professor is an eBook written by Melisse Aires. It is the first work in the Encanto Bay, Where Magic Happens series by this author. In this work the character Trudy can be described as a kind of Succubus.
Overview
- Title: The Psyvamp and the Professor
- Author: Melisse Aires
- Published By: Pronoun
- Length: 94 Pages
- Format: eBook
- ASIN: B0714J482T
- Publishing Date: May 20, 2017
Other Works in this Series on SuccuWiki
Plot Summary
Trudy lives a lonely existence, hunting Life Force to survive. She arrives at the Encanto Bay Cafe, a place where an Other like herself can relax, perhaps even make a friend. Heath, the owner works, his match-making power and introduces her to Gabriel, an ex-priest—and even worse, one who knows of her demonic father!
Trudy wants a future with Gabriel, but how can that ever be? She inherited a demonic nature from her father, and nothing can change that.
Book Review
The following review was originally published by Tera on her Blog, A Succubi's Tale on June 20, 2017
Trudy’s life has been nothing but hell for so many years. Moving from place to place, never settling down, always needing to feed the hunger within herself. A chance decision to visit a cafe leads her to encounter Gabriel, a man of knowledge who knows something about her. In spite of herself, Trudy agrees to meet with him and share her story. Along the way, the pair find that caring means more and perhaps, with hope, Trudy’s life can be more than she’d ever known.
There are many things about this work that appealed to me, but most of all was a single line which summed up Gabriel’s beliefs and how that related to Trudy. It’s heartfelt, it matters in the book’s framework and it’s very telling about both of the main characters. The plot is well written, the characters have life, a presence, but most of all there’s a real emotional context that comes out in the story which held me throughout. If there’s one thing that felt missing for me, it would be that Gabriel’s past is a bit murky compared to that of Trudy and I would really have liked to have seen more of his past in the same way that Trudy’s was laid bare as well.
Trudy isn’t exactly a succubus, though she can be thought of being part of the extended family of succubi. What’s really a delight about Trudy is that her sense of right and wrong is very clear and remains with her throughout the story. It matters to her that she doesn’t kill. Her past matters, her memories matter. She, to be clear, matters. It’s that last part which she has issues with and when Gabriel appears, he gives Trudy something to think about. It’s possible to find someone you want to be with, not because you have to be with them.
The development of their relationship isn’t rushed or feels silly or wrong. Both characters need to find their footing, a way to relate to the other as well. But most of all it’s the creation of trust between them that kept me in the story and turning the pages. Trudy wants to be with Gabriel and vice-versa. It’s an effort to manage that, without question, but in doing so that brings about moments in the story that just sing with the passion needed.
There are some moments of erotica in the work, the heat being in that between Trudy and Gabriel of course, as it should be. The erotica doesn’t take over the characters, it doesn’t make them be other than who they both are. It’s a simmering passion that works really well and I enjoyed that dearly.
When the climax of the story appears, it’s a bit rushed overall. A mystery that popped up out of nowhere is resolved, an answer is given for Trudy, her past comes full circle and all of that is needed for her and Gabriel. The problem is that the story rushes so quickly through this needed exposition, revelation and discovery that it just doesn’t seem to pay off as well as it needed to. That’s not to say it didn’t work, but rather that the work could have used ten more pages to allow for the events to unfold and tell what happened rather than the handwaving that did.
The ending of the work, which was wonderfully funny in one moment and so dearly heart wrenching in the next, similarly felt too rushed for me. Things didn’t need to be completed explained or told, but there wasn’t a moment to rest and think for the reader, or for that matter for Trudy or Gabriel either.
A lovely read with passion, heart and soul which I dearly loved. I just wish the author hadn’t rushed the climax or the ending as they did. Given all of the time spent in setting up the rest of the book, the ending wasn’t quite as good as I’d hoped and that was a shame.
Four and a half pitchforks out of five.
I dearly loved the work, which held a number of aspects about succubi that appeal to me. The characters are delightful, the story is simply captivating. If there’s one thing that troubled me, it is the ending was far too rushed and it shouldn’t have been. That’s not to say I didn’t smile or enjoy the ending, but rather that the events happened so fast that there wasn’t time to enjoy Trudy and Gabriel’s reactions.
I’d love to see where things go from here, there’s some dangling plot threads left undone and that’s appealing. Someday perhaps it will happen but if not this still is a lovely work about light, love and more.