Let's admit it, from far away, this paddle looks hideous—it looks as if someone decided to take an all-nighter, then picked up a paddle and threw up on it. But I must say that after looking at the close-up pictures, my opinion of it did a complete 360—this paddle is one of the most gorgeous paddles that I have the pleasure of owning. The Angelic Dreams Spank-Her paddle is a wonderful piece to add to an already established collection, or even a new one, as it is different enough that it's sure to stand out amongst the regular black, wood, or metal paddles.

The paddle itself is formed in a regular rectangular shape, with a rectangular, rounded off handle. It's a very unoriginal shape, but its design makes up for this. With an exquisite design of cherubs, angels, mushrooms, flying birds, and mythical creatures, the paddle exceeds any visual expectations that anyone could have, myself included. It's just absolutely beautiful, gorgeous—I cannot describe how lovely the paddle is in words alone. The coloration of the leather is simply extraordinary, and even the light cream-colored background fits its design so wonderfully. It's very whimsical and fairy-tale-like.

But don't allow the beauty of the paddle make you think that it's not going to do its job, and do it well, because it most certainly does. It's not very big—it's actually fairly small at about 16" in total length—but it packs a soothing, hard thud. Though the outside is made entirely of two layers of leather, sewn, glued together and finished at the edges, its interior consists of a foam material and wood or metal (not sure which) framing, to keep the paddle sturdy for many spankings and beatings. The foam cannot be felt when the paddle makes contact with skin—only the firm leather, and the intense thud, can be felt.

The sensations, when hit with the Angelic Dreams Spank-Her paddle, range from soft and thuddy to hard and stingy, depending on the person wielding the little thing. Since I enjoy dealing more stingy, hard pain, that's the way that I use my paddle, making a full swing and a loud "thwap." Because it's fairly wide (not as wide as some, but wider than thin paddles), it impacts a large area, and the area is red almost immediately—this means that you can definitely bruise with this piece if smacked with hard enough and a good amount of times.

It's a very easy-to-handle paddle, because it's not too weighty and it's small. I will say, however, that it sometimes may give a harder hit than intended, so test it out softly to get the hang of it, then use it to your discretion. I would not recommend it for people simply wanting to test out impact play, mainly because of its price and because it does give such a hard hit that it would not be needed. However, people into lighter impact who know that they enjoy it would definitely appreciate this paddle, because the hits can be given soft at first, and harder later, with a good climb of intensity.

The paddle came in a little plastic baggie that's folded over and taped shut. It's not resealable, so you cannot put the paddle in there to keep it safe, but the paddle can be hung up behind a door or in a closet with its waxed shoestring strap, or put down in a drawer. I suggest keeping it out of the light on a regular basis, just to keep the design from becoming discolored or distorted. If it becomes dirty, a damp, soft towel will clean it off, but if something really bad gets on it, then I suggest using some leather cleaner on the paddle. Make sure that if it's ever cleaned that it is dried completely and not kept in a damp place for drying.

So is the Angelic Dreams Spank-Her paddle worth its price tag? I have to say that definitely, yes, it most certainly is. Not only is the paddle beautiful and unique, but it's also a very sturdy paddle that works extremely well and packs a hard punch (or hit, in this case). No, it's not as hard as a wooden or metal paddle, but for a leather paddle, it gives a good, painful smack. It's great for established BDSM enthusiasts, but good to use for learning too. I really love this paddle, and I'm glad that I decided to buy it—it's worth saving up for.