Review: Warlocks and Witches and Sex, Oh My!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 9, 2012
The world of fantasy is a plethora of countless stories intertwining among themselves---warlocks; witches; fairies; trolls; elves; hobbits, etc. Like the classic Dungeons and Dragons game, each of these characters has unique qualities inherent within their species---some have the ability to conjure up spirits a la Macbeth and his dealings with the Weird Sisters; others are able to shape-shift like the Windigo in Native American folklore. In many respects this is not unlike what individual humans possess: some of us are musically inclined; others are natural athletes; some are born to prance and emote on the stage.So what do these aforementioned characteristics have to do with the magical world?Two words: Finite and infinite.Both humans (Muggles in Harry Potter-ese) and otherworldly creatures such as witches and warlocks possess emotion---they cry, laugh, love, hurt, and delight in the pleasures of the flesh. In this regard there is no real discernible difference between the two groups. Both parties demonstrate human frailty and exemplify the spectrum of human limitation; no one is perfect in their daily trials and travails. Humans thus reveal their tendency to constantly and consistently screw up on life's stage. It doesn't get any more real than that.However, worldly existence for humans only extends into seven or eight decades on average, and then physical death occurs. Unless someone has lingered long enough to record a definitive resurrection for the world to see, that's it. There's no encore. We become worm food.In the otherworldly realm of witches and warlocks, life is eternal. In Sandra Ross's continuing epic series "Soul Mates Cry: Witching Call Part 3," the star-crossed lovers/protagonists, Marcus and Lola/Iliana, have been able to confront and overcome the numerous obstacles thrust before them by nefarious forces who occupy and influence the Council.However, recurring dreams that Marcus keeps having are becoming more and more troubling, as shown in Chapter 2 when he explains to Lola that his most recent dream was "not something that I really can describe. It was more of a darkness, a feeling, more than anything else. There was something or someone. I can't describe it as anything more than a presence. But it felt bad." (2) As he confides his concerns and fears to Lola, he instinctively seems to realize that their love is truly long-lasting and can survive nearly any challenge.  Williams has created two characters who demonstrate that rarest of emotional and intimate connections---the epitome of soulmates."Soulmates" is a term that has become a part of the modern-day lexicon in the world of relationships---and one of the most over-used. Rhetorically speaking, how valuable can a relationship be when two individuals glibly pronounce each other to be "soulmates" and then proceed, in some cases, to travel a path of mutual jealousy and stunted emotional growth that culminates in break-up a short time later? (Of course, this is an extreme example, and in no way exemplifies the vast majority of couples who are happy and well-adjusted for the most part, aside from the occasional relationship hiccup.)But in the case of "Soul Mates," Marcus and Lola/Iliana epitomize Ross's definition.Ross has taken the time to incorporate a liberal melange of sauciness, sexuality, and emotional intimacy throughout the book that makes for a very lively page-turner, albeit somewhat unevenly. For those readers who revel in Ross's imaginative erotic scenes, "Soul Mates" is a veritable treasure trove of naughtiness and lascivious enterprise. Ross plays to what her readers enjoy: an escapist novel that brims with the requisite romp.If any aspect of Ross's work could be improved, perhaps Marcus's dream sequences could be tweaked a bit to incorporate the erotic on a more consistent basis. I tend to enjoy my eroticism on nearly every page in this regard."Soul Mates Cry" is a nice continuation of Marcus's and Lola/Iliana's relationship, and Ross has been able to incorporate a more evolved picture of both protagonists. Ross has made both of them more complex in their movements and words, and reaffirms to the reader the importance of working together to face the inevitable pitfalls that develop within and without the relationship.It's really not a bad book.