It should not be so hard to write both poetry and fiction. Both arts, after all, make use of the same materials, words and punctuation. Poems...
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Livvy wakes in her small apartment in Los Angeles, to a kachina beside her, which is impossible. Livvy is of the new ways in shaman healing, a techno-shaman as it's called. Being of the "new" ways, if a kachina were to appear to anyone, they would be drawn to where they are comfortable and to the old ways. She's young, but a talented one with a one-of-a-kind spirit helper, one that only appears once a generation. Moving away from the kachina, Livvy's cell phone rings. It's SK calling for her help a woman no other has been able to help. The healing Livvy does includes going to the underworld through the middleworld to find a lost soul and return it to the world, but this cases isn't the easiest and things in the underworld are off. Livvy stumbles across other troubles and has to visit the underworld and middleworld, but notices with each visit things are not right, actually getting worse. Until she meets up with a terrifying creatures that could kill a shaman, then all are afraid to return. Are all that Livvy has occurring to her related? Could she help make a difference with things she learns and sees?
I found I really really enjoyed this book! I was surprised. Yes, it sounded like something I would enjoy, but at the same time I was nervous going in. And I was so pleasantly happy with what I found.
I started off with lots of questions on the world and characters. Truth be told, I wasn't 100% sure what a kachina was. I thought I knew as my grandma has them all over her house, and after Goggling I found I was right. But I wasn't sure how all this played together in this world. As I read it all became clear, and quickly.
I loved the use of Native American beliefs and gods to crate the middleworld, underworld, and spirit guides. Even the use of the kachina.
There was always something interesting happening, keeping Livvy going. We got to see the way of the shaman as we also see what was not right to. The picture was drawn with not normal, but telling us was normal was at the same time. Nicely drawn to give us two views at once. This kept me curious to what I would learn next and what Livvy would be drawn into next as she unknowingly got drawn into help with shamans getting trapped and dying.
I didn't suspect any of the characters until close to the end. There were things I thought might be against what I thought they should 'believe' in. And in that, I got surprised as the author hide the guilty party. Oh, I loved that the character wasn't stupid and left suspicion around them self. In books I notice the "bad guy" leaves clues that they are the guilty one, now if they really wanted to get away with what they did they wouldn't. This is done wonderfully to surprise me in the end. Well done!
Jessica is tormented and taunted and now it's escalating to more and physical, since her eighteenth birthday. Now she wants to prove herself, challenging a fight against Pack rules, with Mitch - Alpha-born wolf, but not the strongest. Problem, she's the Alpha leaders daughter, and along with being female, she's human. After the bloody battle, Jessica is attacked on the Compound, almost killed by a stronger Alpha-born wolf. Will her father finally agree to her years of pleas to leave Compound? Or will he hid her away from all supernaturals with him, there on the Compound?
Wow. This was only a novella!?! I can't wait to see what Amanda has in store for us in a full length novel. This novella was well written and well rounded! No sway to world building or character building, it is all here. And Full On Fighting start! This Novella sets the stage for Jessica's life; past and to come.
Jessica is a strong mouthed and brave woman. I would say she definitely has Alpha wolf personality. Shame she's not a wolf. And I have to say she has some serious strength to take beatings like this, and dish out what she did.
I really liked this start! Sets the world Jessica tries to survive in and other characters around her. We get a great amount of the wolf culture and rules here. We are told there are other supernaturals in this world, ones that Jessica's dad worries about coming after her. This makes me curious as to what is out there, and what Amanda has in store for us, yet to come. I REALLY look forward to the future installments!
Gin, a stone Elemental finishes a job at the asylum and returns to the Pork Pit, like after every job, to meet with Fletcher - her handler and father figure - who hands her a folder with information on her next job. A job that she doesn't want to take as she wants to go on vacation, but after seeing the obscene pay for it, she will go on vacation afterward. She is to assassinate the CFO of an important company as he's been found at playing with the books. Gin thinks the touchy part...he's an Air Elemental, but he may not be the Air Elemental she needs to be worried about. Taking this assignment quickly turns Gin into the assignment and fall guy, and brings grieving and great danger to the family she's acquired. Now the man she was to kill, she needs to save in order to save her own neck, along with the man meeting with him - the one and only cop that is on the straight and narrow, and hot looking, Donovan Caine. Will an honest cop be able to work with an assassin? Let alone the assassin who killed his partner?
This is not the dark gritty assassin read I usually read. It had a light feel to it, and a fast read. And I enjoyed it for that. It was a quick read for me to sit down, pick up, and flip the pages. A relaxing read for me. Hard to believe relaxing with an assassin. lol.
I seemed to be flying through the pages, looking to see what would happen with Gin, what would she find out, what next fight would she get into. And wanting to see the elemental magics held by her and others. Then I was worried about Finn, Fletcher's son, wondering if he would stay safe. And we can't forget about the handsome "good" cop, Donovan Caine. I wondered if he would come around to seeing the world really isn't all black and white, and Gin falls in the gray area. And what would become of them.
I really like the elemental magic here. Being a Stone Elemental Gin can feel all the emotions ~ good and bad from stone; roads, walls, and so on. But she has a touch of Ice Elemental too. There are different elementals and degrees to their powers, as we see through the book. This city Gin calls home, isn't such a happy place, and by the end of the book we start to understand that feeling more.
The first chapter starts with Gin on a job, and hints at what all this world has to hold for us. And starts us out with action, Gin at her best work - killing with a screw and a pen. We then slow down for a few pages to meet Fletcher, see more of the world, and get hints to Gin's past. The hints make us curious to know more.
In the end, I got most of my answers. I say most as the ending leaves me stunned with what Gin finds Fletcher had a file on. A file that references Gin's past, which he pieced together and still loved Gin wholly. I have the second book here, and look forward to following through with Gin to learn more about her, her past family, and keeping an eye out for Donovan. And there is a tie to that Fire Elemental, Queen Mobstress I'm wondering on too.
I got the feel of much more to come, that ties with who we have learned about here in this book.
We meet one of the dark horse fey, on the cover, first. A Kelpie, and on a deadly killing spree in the human world. Liz, Lockland, Laurel, and others in the fey world still alive, are at the place where Lockland was held captive in the first book with a cold frosty winter coating the land, non-stop, since the Unseelie took over. Liz has become leader of the fey, the last everyone knows of with a touch of Sidhe, and some are not to happy with it. The Dark Fey are attacking any fey and refugees in the southern woods, gaining ground and power. Marcus is with the glowing fey egg in the secreted room with no entrance or exit and is shocked when the egg becomes much more than he thought.
The fey and those touched by fey on mundane side of the closed gates are in just as much disarray as the fey world. Jess and Mary have fey and dancers camping on their lawn and staying with them. Human dancers are now committing suicide, with quitting cold turkey from the fey offerings. Bev, one of the few embassy employees still working, is babysitting the grown gripping fey stuck in the human realm. But a case is given to her by her boss, one the police can't handle; a string of murders with hoof prints leading away. It now becomes a question as to if the gates can be opened, by one of the three who originally opened it, for the fey stuck here. On the fey side, they are seeing a new deadly ruler take over the land and need help to fight him, but what Liz has to tell the Elves of their long history will change their thinking, way of life, and world forever.
Sounds like a lot going on, huh? But really it's not that confusing. Honest! I'm one to easily get lost, and in NO WAY did I here. Frances does a wonderful job of keeping the POVs separated for us, and all are going on in a same time frame, so no time jumping. Actually, really liked having the different POV in this series. Especially this book, with the gates closed. I got to see both sides of the gates, how each come to the pieces of the puzzle they hold.
I couldn't wait to finish this trilogy. I had to see what happens with the characters and in the worlds. I needed to know for sure what was suspected in The Fly in Paradise. I was happy with this ending, and I got all my answers here! The author even ties up the series here for us, as well as a fey story can be tied up. ;)
This series is wonderful for Seelie/Unseelie fey lovers. There is a wonderful twist to the thinking and I enjoyed it the whole way through the series. And we have characters growing to be so much more then where they started. Well done through out a three book series.
This book is another that keeps moving forward, and very little down time explaining. There is always something coming and all works together to bring us to the conclusion. We get an ending with bullets and arrows, but we also get something more and soothing too. Oh and the little faeries! I have to mention them as they play a very important role in this book. Those pesky little things. hee hee.
Very much enjoyed, and I look forward to reading more of Frances Pauli's books.
Whiskey Sour:
This one I enjoyed and reviewed with Bad-Ass Faeries: Just Plain Bad, the anthology, so I'm using the same review as I still enjoyed meeting Juliette so.
Juliette smells him, the one regret, coming but ignores her instincts. The one voice she'll never forget orders a Whiskey Sour and repeatedly asks to talk to her in private. Finally Juliette agrees to talk to Toby, to get rid of him. Toby needs her help to retrieve something.
Okay, so I'll admit, this story is the reason for me picking up this anthology, along with a few other new authors I wanted to sample. But I found I loved Jules! Her character grew into her powers in this short story. She's a smart woman, and knows how to take charge. Jules is fae, with a little extra something else now mixed in, no thanks to the history with Toby. I enjoyed the quick action and hope to meet Jules again in the future.
A Vampire Walked Into a Bar:
Pat is nervous sitting at a night club, Alchemy Red, known to be visited by them. He is waiting for his contact, one that will help him save the people in his city from those things causing the rash of murders lately, where people are drained of blood, or he thinks. Pat thinks back on his younger days, and looks at a pretty woman sitting at table near him, she turns him down with a look and walks away. A second, beautiful woman shows up, and comes to his table. He tells his story to her, and hearing her story, promising to have someone help. All the talk with this beauty, to feel a fool in the end... But was he really?
Zara's in the house. This story is five years before Bloodlines starts, so we see Zara pondering the idea of a profession she might venture into. This is her first paid hit, and she thinks she could do this in the future. We see Zara with different emotions here. She starts as caring and kind. Then we see her kick some serious butt, and be the hard core person we know her to be. And her creative mind at work again.
We got Mishka!! I like Mishka. I know, I shouldn't. She can be a not so nice girl, but that's what I like about her.
This story does tie so nicely to Bloodlines and Hunter, but never gives away what's to come. Me as a reader of the two already, easily sees the ties. This would be a great start to see what is to come for new readers. Wonderful way to learn tidbits of the world and meet the characters.
Zombie Faeries:
Zara is on one of her searches in Quebec, not her turf, when she receives an anonymous text to meet someone in a cemetery. Zara meets the leader of the territory, a faery-werewolf, Juliette! Zara and Juliette kick it up with magic and fists, only to realize they need to now work together to get out of the cemetery full of other Undead, special undead.
We get to see Juliette a second time in this short read! Yes! I have to say I love her. She is one tough chick, bossy and Alpha to the T. She kicks butt! We get to see her use her fae powers here, along with fighting with fists. Zara is back with full Snark, and Juliette holds her own with her. These two together is just a receipe for fists and quick lines.
I will say this short story left me wanting more! Zara is one cold hearted woman, er yes I know she is a vampire. But I wanted to know more about the zombie fae, where did they come from and why? And Juliette too!
Quick read full of kick butt action and magic.
** Also available in this short read is the descriptions and first chapters for: Bloodlines, Hunter, and Lineage. This really is a great way to sample Skyla's writing, and for a low price of $2.99.
You can get any eformat you need for your ereader at Mundania Press. Or if you must by from Amazon, it is there too. Also found at Powell Books in eformat
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Shaman, Healer, Heretic by M. Terry Green
MelHay, May 5, 2012
Livvy wakes in her small apartment in Los Angeles, to a kachina beside her, which is impossible. Livvy is of the new ways in shaman healing, a techno-shaman as it's called. Being of the "new" ways, if a kachina were to appear to anyone, they would be drawn to where they are comfortable and to the old ways. She's young, but a talented one with a one-of-a-kind spirit helper, one that only appears once a generation. Moving away from the kachina, Livvy's cell phone rings. It's SK calling for her help a woman no other has been able to help. The healing Livvy does includes going to the underworld through the middleworld to find a lost soul and return it to the world, but this cases isn't the easiest and things in the underworld are off. Livvy stumbles across other troubles and has to visit the underworld and middleworld, but notices with each visit things are not right, actually getting worse. Until she meets up with a terrifying creatures that could kill a shaman, then all are afraid to return. Are all that Livvy has occurring to her related? Could she help make a difference with things she learns and sees?I found I really really enjoyed this book! I was surprised. Yes, it sounded like something I would enjoy, but at the same time I was nervous going in. And I was so pleasantly happy with what I found.
I started off with lots of questions on the world and characters. Truth be told, I wasn't 100% sure what a kachina was. I thought I knew as my grandma has them all over her house, and after Goggling I found I was right. But I wasn't sure how all this played together in this world. As I read it all became clear, and quickly.
I loved the use of Native American beliefs and gods to crate the middleworld, underworld, and spirit guides. Even the use of the kachina.
There was always something interesting happening, keeping Livvy going. We got to see the way of the shaman as we also see what was not right to. The picture was drawn with not normal, but telling us was normal was at the same time. Nicely drawn to give us two views at once. This kept me curious to what I would learn next and what Livvy would be drawn into next as she unknowingly got drawn into help with shamans getting trapped and dying.
I didn't suspect any of the characters until close to the end. There were things I thought might be against what I thought they should 'believe' in. And in that, I got surprised as the author hide the guilty party. Oh, I loved that the character wasn't stupid and left suspicion around them self. In books I notice the "bad guy" leaves clues that they are the guilty one, now if they really wanted to get away with what they did they wouldn't. This is done wonderfully to surprise me in the end. Well done!
Blooded: A Jessica McClain Novella by Amanda Carlson
MelHay, May 5, 2012
Jessica is tormented and taunted and now it's escalating to more and physical, since her eighteenth birthday. Now she wants to prove herself, challenging a fight against Pack rules, with Mitch - Alpha-born wolf, but not the strongest. Problem, she's the Alpha leaders daughter, and along with being female, she's human. After the bloody battle, Jessica is attacked on the Compound, almost killed by a stronger Alpha-born wolf. Will her father finally agree to her years of pleas to leave Compound? Or will he hid her away from all supernaturals with him, there on the Compound?Wow. This was only a novella!?! I can't wait to see what Amanda has in store for us in a full length novel. This novella was well written and well rounded! No sway to world building or character building, it is all here. And Full On Fighting start! This Novella sets the stage for Jessica's life; past and to come.
Jessica is a strong mouthed and brave woman. I would say she definitely has Alpha wolf personality. Shame she's not a wolf. And I have to say she has some serious strength to take beatings like this, and dish out what she did.
I really liked this start! Sets the world Jessica tries to survive in and other characters around her. We get a great amount of the wolf culture and rules here. We are told there are other supernaturals in this world, ones that Jessica's dad worries about coming after her. This makes me curious as to what is out there, and what Amanda has in store for us, yet to come. I REALLY look forward to the future installments!
Spider's Bite: An Elemental Assassin Book by Jennifer Estep
MelHay, March 31, 2012
Gin, a stone Elemental finishes a job at the asylum and returns to the Pork Pit, like after every job, to meet with Fletcher - her handler and father figure - who hands her a folder with information on her next job. A job that she doesn't want to take as she wants to go on vacation, but after seeing the obscene pay for it, she will go on vacation afterward. She is to assassinate the CFO of an important company as he's been found at playing with the books. Gin thinks the touchy part...he's an Air Elemental, but he may not be the Air Elemental she needs to be worried about. Taking this assignment quickly turns Gin into the assignment and fall guy, and brings grieving and great danger to the family she's acquired. Now the man she was to kill, she needs to save in order to save her own neck, along with the man meeting with him - the one and only cop that is on the straight and narrow, and hot looking, Donovan Caine. Will an honest cop be able to work with an assassin? Let alone the assassin who killed his partner?This is not the dark gritty assassin read I usually read. It had a light feel to it, and a fast read. And I enjoyed it for that. It was a quick read for me to sit down, pick up, and flip the pages. A relaxing read for me. Hard to believe relaxing with an assassin. lol.
I seemed to be flying through the pages, looking to see what would happen with Gin, what would she find out, what next fight would she get into. And wanting to see the elemental magics held by her and others. Then I was worried about Finn, Fletcher's son, wondering if he would stay safe. And we can't forget about the handsome "good" cop, Donovan Caine. I wondered if he would come around to seeing the world really isn't all black and white, and Gin falls in the gray area. And what would become of them.
I really like the elemental magic here. Being a Stone Elemental Gin can feel all the emotions ~ good and bad from stone; roads, walls, and so on. But she has a touch of Ice Elemental too. There are different elementals and degrees to their powers, as we see through the book. This city Gin calls home, isn't such a happy place, and by the end of the book we start to understand that feeling more.
The first chapter starts with Gin on a job, and hints at what all this world has to hold for us. And starts us out with action, Gin at her best work - killing with a screw and a pen. We then slow down for a few pages to meet Fletcher, see more of the world, and get hints to Gin's past. The hints make us curious to know more.
In the end, I got most of my answers. I say most as the ending leaves me stunned with what Gin finds Fletcher had a file on. A file that references Gin's past, which he pieced together and still loved Gin wholly. I have the second book here, and look forward to following through with Gin to learn more about her, her past family, and keeping an eye out for Donovan. And there is a tie to that Fire Elemental, Queen Mobstress I'm wondering on too.
I got the feel of much more to come, that ties with who we have learned about here in this book.
Spiders From Memory by Frances Pauli
MelHay, March 31, 2012
We meet one of the dark horse fey, on the cover, first. A Kelpie, and on a deadly killing spree in the human world. Liz, Lockland, Laurel, and others in the fey world still alive, are at the place where Lockland was held captive in the first book with a cold frosty winter coating the land, non-stop, since the Unseelie took over. Liz has become leader of the fey, the last everyone knows of with a touch of Sidhe, and some are not to happy with it. The Dark Fey are attacking any fey and refugees in the southern woods, gaining ground and power. Marcus is with the glowing fey egg in the secreted room with no entrance or exit and is shocked when the egg becomes much more than he thought.The fey and those touched by fey on mundane side of the closed gates are in just as much disarray as the fey world. Jess and Mary have fey and dancers camping on their lawn and staying with them. Human dancers are now committing suicide, with quitting cold turkey from the fey offerings. Bev, one of the few embassy employees still working, is babysitting the grown gripping fey stuck in the human realm. But a case is given to her by her boss, one the police can't handle; a string of murders with hoof prints leading away. It now becomes a question as to if the gates can be opened, by one of the three who originally opened it, for the fey stuck here. On the fey side, they are seeing a new deadly ruler take over the land and need help to fight him, but what Liz has to tell the Elves of their long history will change their thinking, way of life, and world forever.
Sounds like a lot going on, huh? But really it's not that confusing. Honest! I'm one to easily get lost, and in NO WAY did I here. Frances does a wonderful job of keeping the POVs separated for us, and all are going on in a same time frame, so no time jumping. Actually, really liked having the different POV in this series. Especially this book, with the gates closed. I got to see both sides of the gates, how each come to the pieces of the puzzle they hold.
I couldn't wait to finish this trilogy. I had to see what happens with the characters and in the worlds. I needed to know for sure what was suspected in The Fly in Paradise. I was happy with this ending, and I got all my answers here! The author even ties up the series here for us, as well as a fey story can be tied up. ;)
This series is wonderful for Seelie/Unseelie fey lovers. There is a wonderful twist to the thinking and I enjoyed it the whole way through the series. And we have characters growing to be so much more then where they started. Well done through out a three book series.
This book is another that keeps moving forward, and very little down time explaining. There is always something coming and all works together to bring us to the conclusion. We get an ending with bullets and arrows, but we also get something more and soothing too. Oh and the little faeries! I have to mention them as they play a very important role in this book. Those pesky little things. hee hee.
Very much enjoyed, and I look forward to reading more of Frances Pauli's books.
Whiskey Sour by Skyla Dawn Cameron
MelHay, March 31, 2012
Whiskey Sour:This one I enjoyed and reviewed with Bad-Ass Faeries: Just Plain Bad, the anthology, so I'm using the same review as I still enjoyed meeting Juliette so.
Juliette smells him, the one regret, coming but ignores her instincts. The one voice she'll never forget orders a Whiskey Sour and repeatedly asks to talk to her in private. Finally Juliette agrees to talk to Toby, to get rid of him. Toby needs her help to retrieve something.
Okay, so I'll admit, this story is the reason for me picking up this anthology, along with a few other new authors I wanted to sample. But I found I loved Jules! Her character grew into her powers in this short story. She's a smart woman, and knows how to take charge. Jules is fae, with a little extra something else now mixed in, no thanks to the history with Toby. I enjoyed the quick action and hope to meet Jules again in the future.
A Vampire Walked Into a Bar:
Pat is nervous sitting at a night club, Alchemy Red, known to be visited by them. He is waiting for his contact, one that will help him save the people in his city from those things causing the rash of murders lately, where people are drained of blood, or he thinks. Pat thinks back on his younger days, and looks at a pretty woman sitting at table near him, she turns him down with a look and walks away. A second, beautiful woman shows up, and comes to his table. He tells his story to her, and hearing her story, promising to have someone help. All the talk with this beauty, to feel a fool in the end... But was he really?
Zara's in the house. This story is five years before Bloodlines starts, so we see Zara pondering the idea of a profession she might venture into. This is her first paid hit, and she thinks she could do this in the future. We see Zara with different emotions here. She starts as caring and kind. Then we see her kick some serious butt, and be the hard core person we know her to be. And her creative mind at work again.
We got Mishka!! I like Mishka. I know, I shouldn't. She can be a not so nice girl, but that's what I like about her.
This story does tie so nicely to Bloodlines and Hunter, but never gives away what's to come. Me as a reader of the two already, easily sees the ties. This would be a great start to see what is to come for new readers. Wonderful way to learn tidbits of the world and meet the characters.
Zombie Faeries:
Zara is on one of her searches in Quebec, not her turf, when she receives an anonymous text to meet someone in a cemetery. Zara meets the leader of the territory, a faery-werewolf, Juliette! Zara and Juliette kick it up with magic and fists, only to realize they need to now work together to get out of the cemetery full of other Undead, special undead.
We get to see Juliette a second time in this short read! Yes! I have to say I love her. She is one tough chick, bossy and Alpha to the T. She kicks butt! We get to see her use her fae powers here, along with fighting with fists. Zara is back with full Snark, and Juliette holds her own with her. These two together is just a receipe for fists and quick lines.
I will say this short story left me wanting more! Zara is one cold hearted woman, er yes I know she is a vampire. But I wanted to know more about the zombie fae, where did they come from and why? And Juliette too!
Quick read full of kick butt action and magic.
** Also available in this short read is the descriptions and first chapters for: Bloodlines, Hunter, and Lineage. This really is a great way to sample Skyla's writing, and for a low price of $2.99.
You can get any eformat you need for your ereader at Mundania Press. Or if you must by from Amazon, it is there too. Also found at Powell Books in eformat
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