Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 16
June 7, 2025
Review: GOOSEBUMPS: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DUMMY 3 by R.L. Stine
Never read the magic words that’llbring the new dummy to life. Suddenly, the dummy was showing up in the oddestplaces and causing havoc for two kids. The dummies were alive! And at the helmof this army was Slappy! How will the kids be able to get rid of 13 dummies? Agood read!
Rating:4 stars
Review: THE NIGHTMARE ROOM: LIAR, LIAR by R.L. Stine
Liar, liar, Ross. The boy justcouldn’t tell the truth no matter what. Of course, when you lie so much, no onetends to believe you. And so, no one believed Ross when he said he spotted histwin—a twin that doesn’t want him around. Ross was so confused about this andnobody would believe him either. And it seemed everyone was rememberingdifferent stuff about Ross like him loving brussels sprouts. Eck!
Turns out Ross was stuck in aparallel world—a world he didn’t belong. If he didn’t leave it soon, he woulddisappear forever. For once, Ross was gonna have to learn to tell the truth.
A good read!
Rating:4 stars
Review: FRIENDS FOREVER by Shannon Hale
Even though you were one of theolder kids in school, eighth grade was still tough for Shannon. Beauty andpopularity were two things that would be nearly impossible to get. Shannon justfelt ugly and uncool. Indeed, eighth grade was tough.
This graphic novel cutelyillustrates the trials and trauma of junior high. I enjoyed the comical scenesin it. Good illustrations!
Not only did Shannon want to bebeautiful and popular, but she also had big dreams of being a published author.What was more confusing was the topic of boys. How can you like them whenthey’re such total jerks? Yep, this story was totally relatable. I especiallyliked the daydreaming and emotional scenes. Truly artistic!
In the end, we are who we are andthat should be enough. A good read!
Rating:4 stars
Review: SNOW CAN BE DEADLY by Cindy Bell
A murder mystery weekend for thesenior sleuths. The resort they’re staying in gets snowed in by a storm whenEddy stumbles upon a body. Problem was that the body was not there whensecurity came. Was this part of the murder mystery play? Did Eddy have a fewtoo many drinks beforehand? Or was there a real murder here?
If who the gang suspected was thevictim, then there were several people that would’ve wanted the guy dead. Withsuch an interesting mystery, you can’t help but keep reading. I just love howthe senior sleuths work together to solve a case. A great mystery!
Rating:5 stars
Review: RACING AND ROBBERIES by Cindy Bell
The girls just bought a new usedcar. After dropping it off at the mechanic, Mary, the next day, finds the ownerdead under a truck. What could’ve happened? Was it a robbery gone wrong? It wasanother chance for Mary and Suzie to seek justice for someone. Could this havesomething to do with a disgruntled race car driver?
A good mystery!
Rating:4 stars
June 6, 2025
Spotlight: STEPPING ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL by Kat Caldwell
Genre: Historical Romance
Summary: They thought marriage would be easy, but marriage is never convenient.
“The will says the house is ‘for you, your wife and children, Philip.’ But you have no wife. Therefore, the house is mine.”
It’s 1836, England. At only 33, Philip Daucer planned to explore the world, then settle down.. But with his brother threatening his inheritance, Phillip is backed into a corner. Determined to save what he inherited—and beat his brother at his own game—Phillip sets out to find a wife.
In faraway Spain, Carmen Suárez is reeling from a failed relationship. Enter Phillip, a man who makes her heart soar. Tall, handsome and very English, he offers marriage and adventure—life in another country. Sadly, Philip is proposing they marry for convenience—he will offer her the security of marriage, if she helps him keep his house, Carmen accepts his terms.
But as they rush to solve their immediate problems, Phillip and Carmen open themselves to clashes over culture and religion. Putting love secondary to his inheritance, Phillip asks too much of Carmen. Disappointed, she considers returning to Spain.
When threatened with stronger adversaries than expected, Philip and Carmen must change course before one house and one secret add up to potential disaster. When their marriage becomes anything but convenient, can they let love win?
Follow Phillip and Carmen’s journey as Kat Caldwell marries historical romance, cultural clashes, in this friends-to-lovers page turner that will have you up all night.
Author Bio: This Wisconsinite cherishes her early childhood outside, but asthma soon forced her indoors where she discovered a world through books. She started to as a very young kid, primarily 'fan fiction' of the books she had just read, though she didn't know the name for it.
Kat continued to write through middle and high school, but soon found herself pressured by the people around her to pursue a 'real job/real degree'. Instead she traveled a bit while trying to finish a linguistics degree...which she has never really put to use other than learning to speak languages.
Finding herself fired in the crisis of 2008, Kat set about reviving her dream to be a writer. After trying her hand at blogging and writing for online magazines, and having three little rambunctious girls, she wrote several books that she is now able to publish through her own company, Ladwell Publishing. It is an exciting time in the publishing industry and Kat is happy to be part of it.
Purchase links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F6QGS6M2
Social Media links:
Website: https://katcaldwell.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkatcaldwell
Twitter: https://x.com/PencilsLipstick
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_katcaldwell/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWiYsPgAdzlCSCRdNfrAnZw
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katcaldwell.author
June 5, 2025
Blog Tour: FINDING YOU by Sharon C. Cooper
One unforgettable night changes everything.
Finding You
Priestly Family Series Book 2
by Sharon C. Cooper
Genre: Contemporary Romance
One unforgettablenight changes everything.
Zion Priestly has oneregret—not getting the full name of the woman he’d spent the most incrediblenight of his life with. It’s been almost a year, and not a day goes by withouthim thinking about her. But when a twist of fate brings them face-to-face, Zionis shocked. Especially when she hits him with unexpected news.
Raven Shepherdthought a positive pregnancy test weeks after returning from Vegas was thebiggest surprise of her life. Wrong. Running into Zion, the mystery manwho she had a one-night stand with wins that award. Who knew leaving Houston toget away from her unhinged ex-boyfriend would send her into the arms of the manshe hasn’t stopped dreaming about? Their sexual chemistry is even more intensethan before, but Zion is younger than her—something Raven didn’t realize. Asfor him, he can’t seem to wrap his mind around the fact that he’s afather.
Just as they manage to push aside all the obstacles keeping them frombeing together, Raven’s ex shows up with a shocking revelation. Can Zion andRaven have the future they desire? Or will a master manipulator’s lies andschemes keep them from truly being a family?
*All books in this series can be read as standalones.
Amazon * Apple * B&N* Kobo* Smashwords * More Links * Bookbub* Goodreads
Believing In You
Priestly Family Series Book 1
Aftera case of mistaken identity, riddled with betrayal, Harrison Grant isstruggling to open himself up to other people again. He lost a part of himselfwhile in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and it seems impossible to moveforward.
EnterNyla Priestly. She’s a woman with a bubbly smile for everyone she meets and whoalways has a kind word to say. The jaded version of Harrison wants to doubt herpersonality is real. No one can be that happy all the time. Right?
Nylahas never been into the broody type. Yet something about Harrison makes herbody crave him. Sure, he’s gorgeous and happens to be one of the sexiestsaxophone players she’s ever met. But achieving her dream of owning Moody DaysJazz Club is top priority. She doesn’t have time to deal with a man. No matterhow good he makes her feel.
AsHarrison falls for Nyla and helps her fulfill her dreams, can her unceasinglove be enough for him to trust again?
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords * More Links * Bookbub * Goodreads
USA Today bestselling author Sharon C. Cooper loves anything involvingromance with a happily-ever-after, whether in books, movies, or real life. Shewrites contemporary romance, romantic suspense, as well as romantic comedy. Sheenjoys rainy days, carpet picnics, and family game night. Her stories have wonnumerous awards, including The Rochelle Alers Best Series award for herAtlanta’s Finest Series (2022) and The Beverly Jenkins Author of the Year award(2021). When she isn’t writing, Sharon loves hanging out with her amazinghusband, doing volunteer work, or reading a good book (a romance of course). Toread more about Sharon and her novels, or to sign up to be notified of herlatest releases, visit www.sharoncooper.net
Website * Facebook * Pinterest * Instagram * Bluesky * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway!
June 4, 2025
Blog Tour: The Variant Conspiracy trilogy by Christine Hart
THE VARIANT CONSPIRACY TRILOGY
Christine Hart
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GENRE: SciFi romance
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BLURBS:
Series
Whatif the men destroying our world were doing it on purpose? The VariantConspiracy trilogy follows 19-year-old Irina Proffer as she connects the dotsbetween her cryptic employer's work and an international plot to transformEarth. All while she navigates love and grief, both for the first time.
AsIrina comes of age within a subculture of human mutation, she and her friendshunt a group of corporate eco-saboteurs. They discover a singular ancient evilthat wants nothing more than to wipe out all life and remake our planet. AsIrina pieces together visions of the future, she must figure out a way tochange an outcome that seems inevitable
Book 1: In Irina's Cards
IrinaProffer leaves mundane small-town life behind when she experiences visionsinspired by a strange deck of tarot cards. To get answers, she travels from hernorthern British Columbia home to the province’s coastal capital. She quicklydiscovers a world of fringe genetic science and supernatural mystery.
Workingfor Innoviro Industries, Irina is drawn in by a powerful first love andcompelling, yet dangerous questions about the nature of the company’s business.Meeting other ‘variants’ brings Irina closer and closer to the dark truth abouther origins. She finds herself at the heart of two overlapping love trianglesas she scrambles to escape her employer’s grip.
Beforeshe leaves the city, Irina realizes she has merely scratched the surface of afrightening conspiracy on a global scale.
Book 2: The Compendium
Irinaand her renegade variant friends are scrambling to pick up the trail of theirformer employer, Ivan, and his globally catastrophic scheme. Afterstrategically sharing their story with the media, the group heads south fromVancouver to Seattle hoping to recruit more experienced - and lethal - variantsto their cause.
Theirattention develops a laser focus on an engineered disaster mere days ahead ofthem. Ivan is using what staff and resources remain of Innoviro Industries toset off a violent earthquake in San Francisco. While they fight to stop theearthquake, Irina pushes the love of her life Jonah as far away as she can,trying to keep his unstable genetic degradation in check.
Irina'sfriends think they've seen the worst that Innoviro could bring forth by thetime they reach a secret facility in the Mojave Desert. As they near theproperty, the group uncovers a horror none of them had ever imagined.
Book 3: Terra Nova
Theend of humanity and an unrecognizable future Earth are now days away. Aftertheir first glimpse of the Terra Nova virus, Irina and her variant friends knowtheir former employer’s plans are almost at hand. Their failed attempt topublicize Ivan and Innoviro Industries’ horrific activities has left themutterly reliant on their own wits and weapons.
Aftersurviving a catastrophic earthquake in San Francisco and destroying a secretviral testing facility, Irina’s crew has traveled by a variant portal toLondon. On the other side of the world, they begin tracking when and whereTerra Nova will be unleashed on the world. They know stopping Terra Nova isonly the beginning of unraveling Ivan’s plans to reinvent the planet, but ifthey can’t stop this virus, there will be no one left to save.
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Excerpt from Terra Nova:
I surveyed the dark London alley, its air heavy with odorsof fat and fuel. Go-go boys gyrated in the window of a dance club across theadjacent street. Club music reverberated off the buildings around me while Ipulled my boyfriend Jonah through an interspatial portal.
“Welcome to Soho,” I said.
Our former co-worker Melissa gave him a half smile. Jonahrubbed his arctic blue eyes. In the dark alley, his black hair glistened likewet ink. He stood tall beside me, gripping my shoulders protectively as thoughhe didn’t trust our surroundings. I still smelled the dust of the Mojave Desertand the soot from the trailer fire on his damp T-shirt.
“Wild. We’re really in London.” He smiled down at me. “Whatis Soho?”
“It used to be the red-light district.” Melissa unzipped andstepped out of her dusty dirt-biking pants. She discarded them in the backcorner of the alley. Her remaining clothes were a simple white waffle shirt anddenim shorts. She unraveled her disheveled hair and re-wound her bun carefully.
“That’s why Evonatura chose it. You can have an interestingcast of characters like variants and all their weird and wonderful talents inthis neighborhood without standing out too much.”
My friend Faith stepped through the portal and nearly bumpedinto Jonah. She stumbled forward. Her purple dreadlocks picked up a shaft ofelectric blue from a black light across the street.
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Topic: In your opinion, what are the 3 main components thatmake up a good story?
A great story needs an engaging plot, relatable characters,and a satisfying conclusion. And of course, that's easier said than done.
An intriguing premise, a compelling inciting incident, andstakes being raised again and again is a difficult feat. Why is yourprotagonist called to action? Why can’t they turn back when an opportunityarises? Those circumstances need to happen in a way that is both realistic andunique. If you’ve done the work of establishing why your protagonist does whatthey do, answers to those ‘why’ questions come naturally.
Creating characters the reader cares about is every bit asimportant as an unstoppable plot. Is your protagonist likeable enough forreaders to root for them? Do they have strengths and flaws that endear and humanizethem? (Because nobody wants to read about perfect people.) Characters can makesilly mistakes and let friends down. But protagonists need readers cheeringthem on to keep those pages turning.
Ending your story in a way that feels plausible, earned, anddeeply satisfying for the reader is possibly the most difficult stage ofwriting any book. As writers, we fall prey to plot armor andbecause-that's-what-happened conclusions that can fall flat for readers. Directingthe flow of action and character decisions in a way that allows for progressand growth is a carefully choreographed dance.
But above all, knowing that no story is for everyone is thefirst step in crafting a book that resonates with the right readers.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
ChristineHart is a writer of speculative fiction for youth and adults. She also runs anonline metalsmithing shop, Hart Fabrications.
Christine’sbacklist includes YA, NA, and MG titles. Her first collection of adult fiction,Weird Stories of Strange Women, is coming in 2026.
Whennot writing, she creates wearable art from recycled metals, vintage glass, andunusual gemstones. She shares her eclectic home with her husband and twochildren.
Learnmore about Christine and her work at hart-fabrications.com andchristine-hart.ca.
Bluesky
https://bsky.app/profile/christine-hart.bsky.social
https://www.instagram.com/hart_fabrications/
TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@hartfabrications
Amazon
https://www.amazon.ca/stores/author/B01BSDU214
GIVEAWAY
ChristineHart will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
June 3, 2025
Blog Tour: ALIGN YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE REAL YOU by Jennifer Musser
ALIGN YOUR BUSINESS WITH THE REAL YOU
Jennifer Musser
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GENRE: Nonfiction
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BLURB:
Isthe exhilaration of entrepreneurship tainted with exhaustion? Discover more foryour business and yourself.
Doyou feel like your professional and personal lives are out of sync? Maxed outtrying to juggle work and family? Are you unsure where you belong or how tocreate a roadmap to get there? Global business consultant and passionatecreative Jennifer Musser has spent decades helping high-functioningcorporations solve complex puzzles, reduce risk, and increase profit. And nowshe’s here to show you how to refresh your perspective and fuel the future youwant.
AlignYour Business with the Real You: Connect with Yourself, Create What MattersMost, and Define Your Success is a groundbreaking paradigm shift for anyoneinterested in running a company. Well aware of common concerns and strugglesfaced by every founder, Musser delves into finding your true goals with helpfrom practical exercises, empathetic stories, and easy-to-apply insights. Andas you use her ego-free blueprint, you’ll delight in a bounty of uniquetakeaways that let you stay grounded no matter the situation.
InAlign Your Business with the Real You, you’ll discover:
-Strategies for staying honest with yourself that keep you on the right track
-Tips for writing your own definition of success, so your personal andprofessional life is fulfilling
-Ways to healthily engage with your emotions and feel good about your everyday
-How to remember that you're the boss and permit yourself to funnel time andmoney toward your ultimate objectives
-Tools that you can instantly put to use, ideas for renewing your commitment,and much, much more!
AlignYour Business with the Real You is a fresh and candid guidebook forentrepreneurs. If you like relatable teachers, down-to-earth chats, andheartfelt advice, then you’ll adore Jennifer Musser’s straightforward approach.
ReadAlign Your Business with the Real You to start getting results right now!
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ExcerptThree:
You face some of your impediments head-on, with lessemotional support because in your mind, it’s easier that way. On the careerfront, you may not share your celebrations often because you believe otherswon’t care or you don’t have extra time. You get frustrated because you want toshare more of your life’s happenings with a few others. To some extent, youeven feel like you need to because you’re getting bottled up inside.
However, you’re not sure who is in your inner circle—and youdon’t have the energy to figure it out. Your internal dialogue may sound likethis:
I don’t have time to be social.
I don’t know who I can trust.
I’ll keep it to myself.
I want trustworthy advice.
I need someone else to talk to about this.
I feel like they don’t really care.
I feel like I don’t have “real” friends.
I’m so done with drama, gossip, and criticism.
While you’re trying to identify your true supporters, youmay encounter some eye-opening experiences. For example, someone whom youthought was inner-circle caliber took you by unpleasant surprise at a socialevent by asking you too-personal questions. You learned the hard way thatanother is way too competitive, dramatic, and selfish.
Someone mistakenly thought that inner circle means innerknowledge about your finances. None of these types belong in your inner circle.Move on.
After such experiences, you may think you don’t havebandwidth for this nonsense. In a way, you’re right. That’s okay. However, youdo need to make time for the ones who belong in your inner circle. As wecovered in the last chapter, feeling your emotions can help you trust yourself.Here, we are learning the importance of shifting your perspective to recognizewho is in your inner circle and cherish the ones who love and support the realyou.
So how do you recognize who is in your inner circle?
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
JENNIFERMUSSER shines a light on the financial operations of businesses where it isneeded most to raise profit, solidify processes, save time, optimize talent,reduce risk, and help business leaders achieve meaningful growth with resultsthey can see—and feel.
Jenniferknows how to lead businesses. She holds over twenty years of experience inglobal consulting, corporate finance, and entrepreneurship. Jennifer is thefounder of JLM & Associates Consulting, LLC, where she applies her bigcompany expertise to steer high-achieving business leaders with financial andoperational tools and support for growth with less stress.
Witha Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (Finance) from VillanovaUniversity, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification, and multiplecertifications in business strategy, Jennifer is committed to helping smallbusinesses succeed.
Sheloves life (and coffee) with her family and two dogs, Penny and Rockie, in NewJersey.
Website: www.JLMAConsulting.com
Blog:https://jlmaconsulting.com/enlightened-leadership-blog/
Instagram:@jlmaconsulting
LinkedIn:Linkedin.com/in/JenniferLMusser
Email:JenniferMusser@JLMAConsulting.com
BookBuy Links:
Barnesand Noble:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/align-your-business-with-the-real-you-jennifer-musser/1146760437?ean=9798991544221
Amazon:https://a.co/d/a9jsCzf
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GIVEAWAY
JenniferMusser will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Blog Tour: TAMARI ISLAND by Joy Allyson
TAMARI ISLAND
Joy Allyson
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GENRE: Historical Romance
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BLURB:
EmmiePrescott, the smart, pretty granddaughter of a United States senator, leaps atan offer to work on Tamari Island, a remote South Pacific island after adisastrous family exposé crushed her dream job aspirations. Her first day onthe island sparks fly when she meets handsome Jack Manderly, a reporter whoworks on ambiguous stories for the same paper that sabotaged her career hopes.Once serious problems emerge in her new role at the designer silk plant, Emmiechooses to ignore the man whose very presence leaves her breathless.
Jackharbors a bitter sense of betrayal against Washington politicians who pressuredhis editor to exile him to Tamari after he linked stories of Emmie’sgrandfather’s alleged activities while posted in D.C. His new assignment,tracking rumors in Southeast Asia years after the Vietnam ceasefire, isincreasingly perilous. Embroiled in a dangerous mission where love andsacrifice can’t coexist, Jack strives to erase Emmie from his mind.
Despitetheir intentions and forced proximity, Emmie and Jack’s attraction deepen asalarming incidents occur around the island. Amidst the swirling chaos, TamariIsland deals her own hand. Will Emmie leverage her fashion connections andescape to Paris or go home and grow her political roots? And will she everforget the man who makes her body and soul sing?
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ExcerptTwo:
Another wavecrashed onto the shore, touching the tips of her running shoes. A crabscampered sideways into the water. She breathed in again. Unblinking, shestared over the sapphire-blue Pacific waters. No, these gentle waves weren’tthe ones she hoped to experience in the Caribbean weeks ago.
She kicked herfoot in the sand. That dream shattered. What did it matter if you were the mathbrain of the family? Qualifications be damned if your own mother wanted to jointhe delegation for a goodwill commission. Two members from the same family on theauditing team would reek of nepotism. Saltwater spray splashed her face; shewiped the droplets from her eyes. Instead of serving on a humanitarian missionin Central America, she was here, bringing her mathematical gifts to tinyTamari Island thousands of miles away from anywhere. A minuscule dot on the mapof the Marianna Islands chain in the South Pacific.
She dug oneheel into the shoreline. A second opportunity arose on this island, and she wasdetermined to seize it. She breathed in deeply. Not what I planned, definitelychallenging, but…I like problems I can solve.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Asthe daughter of a United States military officer, Joy Allyson grew up with adeep appreciation of history and a love of travel. A formerteacher-turned-writer, she has an unquenchable thirst for historical romancesin her reading choices and loves inserting historical nuggets in all herromances. Her favorite characters–are rebel heroines and salvageablescoundrels. She believes the best romances are the ones you want to read overand over again.
WhiskeyLove, her debut novel, was selected as a 2023 Killer Nashville Best HistoricalSilver Falchion Award Finalist. Whiskey Secrets was chosen as a Top Pick forthe 2024 Silver Falchion Awards. She has just published her third novel, TamariIsland, which has a South Pacific Island setting, and is currently writinganother story to complete her Whiskey Love Trilogy.
Joyloves classic movies, chocolate, coffee, cards, and carbs. She and her husbandcall the beautiful hills of Tennessee home, and her two daughters and sixgrandchildren are nearby.
Website:https://www.joyallyson.com/
AmazonBuy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tamari-Island-Joy-Allyson-ebook/dp/B0DFQKF1FG/ref=sr_1_1
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GIVEAWAY
JoyAllyson will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
