Reviews of the Valentine's Day Free Love Extravaganza authors and books
Karli Rush
Crescent Bound Book 1 of the series
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Review by: Susanna a/k/a Cat Mahoney on Nov. 23, 2012 : 
Once again this author was able to take a topic and write in a poetic haunting chilling style that tingled the reader's mind as the scenes play out. The flow of competitive conflicts, sensual desires and the details kept this reader entertain. I laughed, gasped and felt the chilling sensation when I reached the conclusion. Mattie may have met her challenge with Graham, in Prelude to Death, and he is a dangerous attraction, but there is a luring charm to him and she is adventurous teenager, with an impulsive personality. But this ordinary male is not one of the regulars, he is a threat, and she is walking on the edge of no return mingling with him. The story was a treat and to know that this teaser is to be extended into a full plot in the near future compels this reader to anticipate reading more when the full book or books are published, it has a familiarity tone to it, a relax style of reading and the characters are memorable. The plot was scary yet realistic, descriptive with modern details with humans, witches and supernatural creatures and their dark secrets when they came together as friends and/or for a lustful tryst. The question who will be the victor and who will be the loser? As a reader you will have to read this brief insightful suspenseful chilling novella to find out. As I write this, I want to read it again as the tingles of what could happen to Mattie as she challenges Graham, haunts this reader and the goose bumps are still running up and down and chilling my spine to it's core. Kudos to the author for creating stories that could awakened the reader's taxed and dead mind to stimulated the dominant brain cells to fire again and to desire more of this delicious entertainment like this teaser and will be on the hunt for her coming publications.
Karli Rush
Crescent Bound Book 1 of the series
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
It is the first words in the introduction was the spark that compelled me to continue to read it. The beginning of chapter one the author have me, I was hooked with the plot and its possibilities.
It opens with the main character as a little girl, Alyssa dreaming as her father tells her a supernatural tale of their long ago family history about two young people destined to be together but the male character Donovan has to be recognized and accepted by the council to be able to request for the maiden's hand in marriage.
He sets off on a journey to seek the most precious treasure he can find and bring back to the village to prove his worth. Along the way he trips over another supernatural creature trapped in the roots of a tree.
In repayment of being rescued, the stranger gave Donovan what he was looking for and he brings it back to the council. The question after the quest is finished do the young couple lives happily ever after or not? And how does a missing 8th witch coven have to do with a young teenager life, 800 years later?
The plot goes on with the main character as a high school student and living the daily grind and events- of an extraordinary human, for she is a witch and needs to stay cloak in the human realm to not alert the humans to her abilities. Her only release is her two best friends to practice witchcraft with, try not to get into mischief and stay under the radar
As the story continues she describes the life she lives, drag racing, her fear to not become involved with a human as a mate. She is trying to obey the laws of the coven for they only believe in life matches of witches for life.
The way the author writes the plot it is easy to get involved as if you are part of the book.
It is written with easy conversational humanistic comments that kept this reader attentive to the details of the story.
The witches are divided in to the elements group and depending upon their element, they are given certain powers, the main character's is fire, when she is under stress and cannot contain her emotions she sparks and can burn someone if not careful, like when she is thinking about her first break up with her ex, David or the cute guy Marc who is hitting on her, not accepting no when he asks her for a date;
Events arise in the plot and she has to gain control repeating to self "He is not a witch" and gradually wants to let him down gently yet cannot stop thinking about him, gorgeous Marc.
She speaks to her dad when he arrives home from his trip, about her conflicting emotions. Only To discover a dark secret and is given the responsibility of getting closer to the dreamy guy, who will not leave her alone. She decides to have a relationship with him, and as the story gets more exciting she starts to unravel the clues about the mysterious cute guy and her destiny.
Meanwhile she continues on with her secret life as a teen witch, enjoying drag racing with her dad, partying with her friends and guarding her heart from her first love that broke it. He, David wants her back and pulls out all his charms to win her back she is flatter but confused by his attention.
The plot continues with hints of intimacy; written as very delightful descriptive scenes full of romantic attention which would make any female swoon over his masculine approach to win her back.
Yet Marc is also competing for her attention; she is in the midst of a trio, her ex - David and the new guy Marc, it becomes quite intense at times. This story is a mystery, supernatural and a battle of light and good which are all factors to make it stimulating to the reader at the same time and turning pages to see what will happen next, so many events and conflicts.
In the author's words;
"We walk to my car after school; Kelly's car is next to his, so that gives her an excuse to be standing by his car. I was taught that we don't go looking for trouble, the whole do no harm oath. I will say this, witches don't like confrontations, but we will protect ourselves and the ones we love."
I open my car door and say "I will see you tonight. Just follow those directions and meet me by the office about 7:30."
"I will definitely be there." He says as he walks to his car.
I start my car up and think what am I doing? Bringing a human to "hang out" with witches? Have I completely lost my mind, I know dad has good intentions. I just hope this is not a mistake and the night doesn't turn out to be a complete disaster."
The author has the creative insight of including witches spells and traditions though out the story, using all the items, the candles, the magic and the chants.
It is white magic witches powers, the light of goodness, to not harm another but to protect their loved ones in case of danger.
This phase caught this reader's attention:
"Element of water, I call on thee, bring forth your energy. By the powers of three purify the mind, body and spirit within me, element of water, bringer of life; wash away the negative energies and strife. Seal the purity of only love and light in this blessing.
Goddess, hear me, so mote it be."
The plot continues with a macho fight between the ex-David and Marc; this reader was rallying for one of them; the question will be will the loser have to have his memories wipe with a erase memory spell or will he blend into the hidden world of witches and her the royal covens?.
You will have to read this YA and adult story about this young witch and her destiny and what mysteries lies ahead for her and her friends. As a reader I have not found a refreshing book about witches, and their secretive lives written so intensely. This enchanting story is entertaining, it is a light and dark story, full, with action and twists as two forces battled each other and the witches struggle through the darkness and explore their destinies and what is meant to be. "So mote it be."
recommend for 18+ for graphic content.
****
Seducing a Mermaid by Karli Rush
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
Wow is what this reader can say about this short novella, no more like a teaser. It is breath taking written portrait with human language, description of poetic justice. It is about a painter and his object of delight, a mermaid, they become so immensely enmeshed emotionally, physically and spiritually with each, he can no longer tell the difference between reality and fantasy.
Questioning if she a figment of his imagination, yet there is evidence he is not going insane, the kitchen floor is wet with her dripping watery substance and the unforgotten vague sense of her feminine existence surrounds him and pours into his pores and is taunting him every living moment they are apart.
He is so caught in the siren's beauty and song, he becomes obsessed with her and feels completely lost when she disappears without a word. He is attracted to her, first as a subject for his desire to paint alluring pieces for his uprising art gallery opening and then as an urgency that he feels lost and abandoned and has to be with her to breath, or suffocate in the despondency of losing her forever.
He tries to separate from his eternal goddess of a woman from his delusion by leaving the cursed house by the sea for a brunch with his sister. He hears and senses the desperate longing for her and no other woman will take place of his fantasy. He decides to not stay with sister but to go back to the house by the sea. Everyone is afraid for him and declares for him not to go cross the waters in the stormy weather.
The thunder and lightning of the darkening skies only compelled him more than ever to return back to the Island by the sea and be with his reality or fantasy dream.
The skies are blackening quickly, the thunder is loud and the transport vessel with the old wise coot is not dependable, it is thrown around in the water like a toy boat. The character Sam desires her touch then to live without her it burns his soul to the depths of indescribable longing and he yearns to touch her once more.
The twist at the end was so enriching and the story ended too quickly.
This is a literary masterpiece with an artistic touch of delightful humanistic insight and written as a supernatural story. It had my Irish roots singing as it reached into the depth of this reader's soul in the midst of a thunderstorm and a drinking a glass of wine. This reader was taken away for too brief of a time for a wonderful escape of a gifted writer's mind and will be looking for other works by this insightful and tender but amazing writer.
Questioning if she a figment of his imagination, yet there is evidence he is not going insane, the kitchen floor is wet with her dripping watery substance and the unforgotten vague sense of her feminine existence surrounds him and pours into his pores and is taunting him every living moment they are apart.
He is so caught in the siren's beauty and song, he becomes obsessed with her and feels completely lost when she disappears without a word. He is attracted to her, first as a subject for his desire to paint alluring pieces for his uprising art gallery opening and then as an urgency that he feels lost and abandoned and has to be with her to breath, or suffocate in the despondency of losing her forever.
He tries to separate from his eternal goddess of a woman from his delusion by leaving the cursed house by the sea for a brunch with his sister. He hears and senses the desperate longing for her and no other woman will take place of his fantasy. He decides to not stay with sister but to go back to the house by the sea. Everyone is afraid for him and declares for him not to go cross the waters in the stormy weather.
The thunder and lightning of the darkening skies only compelled him more than ever to return back to the Island by the sea and be with his reality or fantasy dream.
The skies are blackening quickly, the thunder is loud and the transport vessel with the old wise coot is not dependable, it is thrown around in the water like a toy boat. The character Sam desires her touch then to live without her it burns his soul to the depths of indescribable longing and he yearns to touch her once more.
The twist at the end was so enriching and the story ended too quickly.
This is a literary masterpiece with an artistic touch of delightful humanistic insight and written as a supernatural story. It had my Irish roots singing as it reached into the depth of this reader's soul in the midst of a thunderstorm and a drinking a glass of wine. This reader was taken away for too brief of a time for a wonderful escape of a gifted writer's mind and will be looking for other works by this insightful and tender but amazing writer.
Prelude to Death by Author Karli Rush
Once again this author was able to take a topic and write in a poetic haunting chilling style that tingled the reader's mind as the scenes play out. The flow of competitive conflicts, sensual desires and the details kept this reader entertain. I laughed, gasped and felt the chilling sensation when I reached the conclusion. Mattie may have met her challenge with Graham, in Prelude to Death, and he is a dangerous attraction, but there is a luring charm to him and she is adventurous teenager, with an impulsive personality. But this ordinary male is not one of the regulars, he is a threat, and she is walking on the edge of no return mingling with him. The story was a treat and to know that this teaser is to be extended into a full plot in the near future compels this reader to anticipate reading more when the full book or books are published, it has a familiarity tone to it, a relax style of reading and the characters are memorable. The plot was scary yet realistic, descriptive with modern details with humans, witches and supernatural creatures and their dark secrets when they came together as friends and/or for a lustful tryst. The question who will be the victor and who will be the loser? As a reader you will have to read this brief insightful suspenseful chilling novella to find out. As I write this, I want to read it again as the tingles of what could happen to Mattie as she challenges Graham, haunts this reader and the goose bumps are still running up and down and chilling my spine to it's core. Kudos to the author for creating stories that could awakened the reader's taxed and dead mind to stimulated the dominant brain cells to fire again and to desire more of this delicious entertainment like this teaser and will be on the hunt for her coming publications.
*******
MIchelle Matkins
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
Author's Words:
"With a jolt, Vienna Rossi sat straight up in bed. She ran her fingers into her thick tangled mass of hair. The room was dark and she could hear a chorus of crickets chirping outside her bedroom window. Taking a deep breath, she held it for a moment then exhaled, trying to calm the rapid beating of her heart. This was the third night in a row this week that she awoke because of a nightmare. And not a series of nightly scares, but the same disturbing dream that had been haunting her for the last few weeks. It was becoming more frequent and it wasn't getting any easier to deal with."
"Vienna searched her purse for something to take for motion sickness. If she didn't take it now, she knew she'd pay for it later. Popping a little yellow pill into her mouth, and slipping on her trusty pressure point wrist bracelet for travelling, she settled in for the flight."
Vienna is a young college student who is having strange nightmares and hears a voice talking to her. She decides to follow her instincts and go to Palm Springs, California where her dad has a vacation home and solve the nagging vision that was haunting her. Seeking clues to a bloody murdered girl in the past leads her into supernatural events. She discovers secrets about her self and meets some very interesting characters along the way, a handsome man who is there one moment and gone the next. He appears out of thin air and poof he is gone again.
While she is in California she finds out her uptight dad is engaged to a woman named Bunny, Bunny a little older then Vienna, and she is not happy about her new future step-mother, and who will tell the ex -wife the bad news.
Meanwhile the nightmares are leading Vienna to dark places and isolated back alleys and possibly meeting the murderer of the haunting vision of the girl that keeps invading her dreams.
She needs help but is too embarrassed to explain about the strange events occurring in her life. She is at a crossroads in her life, she enjoys being an artist and part-time teacher, not ready to dive into an unknown supernatural realm where the unexpected occurs. Her best friend Kim and even the new step-mom surprised Vienna for they believe in ghosts and other unseen phenomenon. She discovers Kim is a paranormal investigator, news to Vienna. She herself is still sceptical but not for long. She keeps getting hit in the head with warnings and signs, and a baritone voice.
Is she about to lose it or give up, and ignore all the signs? Will Jack, her spirit guide, be able to save her in time? She is closed to his presence and he is fading fast. Without her belief in him, something wicked is about to happen and he will not be able to protect her.
He tries to get her attention, with mirror writing, static in the music, and vapours in and out of her eyesight. He is scaring the daylights out of her.
Kim arrives in town with her paranormal equipment. Of course the girls go shopping first, and then chase after the possible friend of the suspect they think may have killed the young girl. Vienna dares herself to go on a date with the murderer's co-worker to find out more information about Nathan who was the alleged suspect, he disappeared from his computer job and not been heard from since.
Meanwhile Kim is contacting the computer company to have a technician come to the house and does her own investigation. The girls are in separate locations and Vienna is in trouble and Jack can't reach her.
The story is action packed, and modern writing with an edge of haunting quality to it. It is a page turner because the characters are unique in their own personalities.
This is the author's word's
"Jack," she said. "Jack, are you here with me? Give me some sort of sign."
The lamp on the nightstand flickered.
"Okay. You're here. I wish I could see you."
Jack summoned up energy from the lamp causing it to flicker again. He conjured up just enough to make himself visible, yet transparent.
"Oh, my God." Kim placed her hand to her racing heart. "I can see you."
The bedside light flashed in response.
"Where's Vienna? What can I do?"
"She's in trouble," Jack answered, his voice barely a whisper. Kim had to concentrate to understand him. "She's with Ryan. She's been drugged. I can't wake her."
Author's words:
"Where the hell was she? She couldn't see out. Should she start screaming for help and bang on the walls? Would someone besides Ryan hear her? Or would he be the only one. That would make him angry. His bright green eyes flashed in her mind. He was going to hurt her.
What was she going to do? An even worse thought occurred to her; what was he going to do?
This was a haunting chilling supernatural tale with all the elements of the unseen from ghosts to spirit guides and everything in between. I highly recommend this book by Michelle Matkins a/k/a Michelle Ann Hollstein. She is becoming one of my favourite authors, and writes in different genres too. Psst, I heard this book will be free this weekend, go see her works and decide if she is an author you like to store in your reading library.
*********
Best Laid Plans. By Elaine Raco Chase, open to the first page and found my soothing distraction.
It starts with an ambitious young woman orchestrating a cancer fund raiser as a fashion designer of the setting of New Orleans. She flashes back in time and had plans to be the best fashion designer of NY and Paris and planned to owed her own boutique in eight years, and now her dreams were achieved.
He, her best friend come to visits her to offer her attractive proposition. They thought back of the memories when they attended NYU and when she was she is team up with her orientation buddy and he is a hard headed Texan who was studying to be a lawyer. Through the tumult bonding of college, they discover a safe harbour in each other company through the college and lives woes.
They lost touch with each other as their lives become busy and yet know with insight when they need each other, and come back together. This time the friend is be her life line. The plot is set in elegant scenery of NY, Paris, New Orleans and Texas.
The author has the touch of written details, to be attractive and descriptive of the surrounding, and culture and traditions of each location, it is like you are sitting in a cafe in Paris or New Orleans, and enjoying that latte and watching the artists and others enjoying life. Witness their interactions as they are discussing personal issues among old friends. The reader becomes caught in their memories, of the talented fashion designer and the lawyer and their life experiences and their possible destiny or not.
She is at a cross-road and in a rut; he, her best friend comes to her rescue and offers to swift her away to his ranch for a month.
Yet there are twists, as he realizes she is no longer his image of a adopted sister friendship, she has mature in more ways than he thought, he discover a mystery woman on this visit, and with insight, thought this may be the woman of his dreams. He is in a query, as how to change his bond with her, at the same time, the author is hinting they will be competition, of another suitor and he as a best friend or possibly more will need to express his hidden emotions and make a choice or lose her.
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