Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 194
February 28, 2022
Blog Tour: FRIENDS TO THE END by Cherie Colyer
Friends to the End
by Cherie Colyer
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GENRE: Middle Grade Action Adventure
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BLURB:
Twelve-year-old Zach is convinced he'll never be happy without his best friend Jeremy by his side. But both of their lives changed with a bang five months ago, and as far as Zach's concerned, it's his fault Jeremy will never see his twelfth birthday.
When Zach moves with his family to a Chicago suburb, he quickly becomes friends with a group of thrill-seeking kids trying to find a disappearing haunted house. But Zach's not worried. He doesn't believe in ghosts, so he follows them into a wild, dangerous encounter that becomes a battle to decide what's real and what's not.
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Excerpt One:
My bewildered gaze slithered from Dom to Josh, finally coming to a stop on Morgan as I tried to decide if they were crazy.
“If the house is invisible, how do you expect to find it?” I asked.
Morgan sat on the stoop next to me. “It’s not always invisible. My brothers saw it once. They said it’s a big house with a long porch. It vanished before they could set foot on the first step, and I’m glad, too.”
“Why? What would have happened if they were on the steps?” I asked. Not because I believed an old ghost story had any truth to it, but I was curious to know what she’d say.
Morgan had to pick her jaw up from the walkway before she could answer, and when she did her voice came out in a high-pitched squeak. “If they had been on the porch or worse—” she swallowed loudly “—inside, they would have disappeared with it.”
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Review: Zach moves into a new house and becomes the new kids in school. He was the Loner Loser Boy. Ever since Jeremy, he wasn’t very good at making new friends. But, somehow, he is approached by a group of kids, who tell him all about the ghost house. Ghost house?
Story had an easy, engaging, and relatively witty narrative. At times, it is slow with its juvenile banter, which was fitting but also slightly overdone. Mostly Zach is battling the guilt over his friend. Meanwhile, he’s hanging out with these kids and talking about finding this house. Although they do eventually find this house and some ghosts show up in the end, the focus was more on the drama of these kids. The premise sounded interesting, but I expected more scary mystery. Still, it’s a fairly nice read overall.
Rating: 3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
C.L. Colyer found her love for writing in first grade when her class was sent to the library and asked to find a book for their first book report. While she doesn’t still have this book report, she’s very proud to say she got an A on it. Her favorite thing about the book was that it had no words. That’s right, not one! That gave her the freedom to interpret the pictures in any way she wanted and write her own story.
This sparked her love for writing essays. It wasn’t until she was an adult that she sat down and penned her first novel. This story has a special place in her heart because it’s the story that helped her discover her passion for writing. She has since written several books, many of which may never see the light of day, but all of which helped her learn to combine her passion for writing with her fascination with all things mythical. You’ll find examples of this in her novels.
She lives in Illinois with her family.
Keep in Touch:
Website: https://cheriecolyer.com/children/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cherie-Colyer-author-250631921629169
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CherieColyer
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cherie_colyer/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21748654.C_L_Colyer
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/C-L-Colyer/e/B09C6JPT3X/
Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cherie-colyer
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GIVEAWAY:
Cherie Colyer will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Blog Tour: JAXON AND THE NAUGHTY SECRET MONSTER by Madeline M. Pratchler
Jaxon and the Naughty Secret Monster
by Madeline M. Pratchler
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GENRE: Children's
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BLURB:
Jaxon's enthusiasm for the simplest things bubbles out of him, and ideas continually pop out of his very large brain. His delight in helping plant the garden with his family creates a magical learning opportunity, and he's well on his way to being as smart as his dad. But sometimes his zest needs to be clamped down, and his blurting embarrasses others.
When Dad shares a surprise for Mom, Jaxon discovers the secret monster: a naughty guy who lives inside him, waiting to blab as soon as his mouth opens. Jaxon swallows him down and tells him to be quiet inside his head, but will that monster listen? And what about the next time when Jaxon plots a prank on the ice cream man?
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Excerpt One:
Our family gathered at the garden’s edge the next morning. Bossy and Pepper eagerly and curiously sniffed and circled around the garden.
I could feel the sun get more powerful all the time – it was much warmer than even a few weeks ago. I wondered why we only have one sun. Spring would come much quicker if we had two. But maybe it would get too hot then. And then maybe we wouldn’t have night anymore and I kind of liked cozy evenings with the lamp on and Mom reading to us. Yeah, I decided, one sun is probably enough.
The garden looked soft. Super soft and squishy. I pulled off my boots so my feet were naked and I could feel the earth’s coolness between my toes. Dad put a shovel into the rich black earth and I saw a squiggly pink worm.
“Are those potato snakes?” I asked excitedly.
“Nope! Earthworms. Earthworms are good,” Dad explained. “They eat the bad bugs, eat the peelings and stuff Mom throws in here, make tunnels in the ground so roots can breathe, lots of things. Even their poop helps.”
“Earthworm poop would be pretty tiny!” I looked over that wide garden and wondered aloud, “Just how much could one earthworm poop anyway?”
Dad laughed. “Well, I hope there’s more than one! I hope it’s more like … a couple hundred? That would make all the difference.”
I was amazed to think that so many worms might share our yard and garden. What else could be living in our ground that I hadn’t even thought of yet? Maybe even dinosaur bones!
I looked up at Dad’s head and I saw tears dripping off it. He wiped it away with a sleeve, but more tears replaced them. He saw me watching and smiled.
“I’m hot!” he said. “What a great feeling, after a long winter of being cold. So, working up a sweat is most welcome!”
As he worked, more tears came and his forehead made stripes under his hat every time he pushed the shovel into the ground. I pushed up my eyebrows and felt my forehead, but I don’t think I had stripes like that. Maybe that just happens to grown-ups.
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Review: Jaxon is 5 going on 6. He’s very talkative and hyper. He’s just all over the place.
Storyline goes on describing Jaxon’s likes and dislikes with so much gusto. It goes on in this trivial trail until we get to the secret monster, which seems to reside in Jaxon. Basically, this was his blabbermouth side. What kid can keep his mouth shut?
This had a cute premise and there were some funny parts, overall, making this a fairly nice read.
Rating: 3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
As a young child, Madeline Pratchler was always telling stories, and as she grew she wrote stories and poetry, falling more and more in love with words, ideas, learning, reading and music. She is an accomplished musician on the organ and piano, and not so accomplished on the violin (yet!). A prairie girl through and through, she delights in big skies, clouds, horizons, fruit trees, and her garden. She lives in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, with her husband and their four children. Jaxon and the Naughty Secret Monster is her first book.
CONNECT WITH Madeline M. Pratchler
WEBSITE madelinepratchlerauthor.com
FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069545053024
PURCHASE LINKS Jaxon and the Naughty Secret Monster
AMAZON.COM https://www.amazon.com/Naughty-Secret-Monster-Madeline-Pratchler-ebook/dp/B096K1QM7Z/
AMAZON.CA
BOOKSHOP
INDIGO CHAPTERS
BARNES & NOBLE https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jaxon-and-the-naughty-secret-monster-madeline-m-pratchler/1139638340?
BOOK DEPOSITORY
The book will be Free during the tour.
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GIVEAWAY:
Madeline M. Pratchler will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
February 26, 2022
Review: MISSING IN LITTLE LEAF CREEK by Cindy Bell
This picks up where Surprises in Little Leaf Creek left off—a grandmother missing and a granddaughter worried. But could it be possible to have 2 missing persons at once? Only one of them was found and turned up dead.
The whole town was in an uproar, especially the grieving widow.
Two interesting mysteries in one! Can Cassie and Tessa solve them both?
A great double mystery!
Rating: 5 stars
Review: TROUBLE IN LITTLE LEAF CREEK by Cindy Bell
A hike through the woods and another dead body found along the trail. Any of the shady, reclusive characters that live in the woods could’ve done it. But who?
Again, there’s a long list of suspects, so it takes a while to solve. The ending was a little too dramatic, but still a pretty good read though.
Rating: 4 stars
Review: GREED IN LITTLE LEAF CREEK by Cindy Bell
A dead body found at the garden center kicks off the mystery in chapter 1.
This was all about greed over ownership of the nursery. But who did it—the brother that wanted to sell, the employee that was stealing, or the friend that wanted to buy the place back?
A good mystery!
Rating: 4 stars
Review: PERIL IN LITTLE LEAF CREEK by Cindy Bell
Two runaway burglars are being hunted and a dead body was found in the woods. Was it an accident? Or murder? After all, a seasoned camper would never have a stove inside a tent.
Kind of slow in some areas, but an interesting mystery nonetheless.
Rating: 4 stars
February 25, 2022
Blog Tour: THE DARK BEAST by Dave Maruszewski
The Dark Beast
by Dave Maruszewski
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GENRE: Children's/ Chapter Books/ Middle Grade
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BLURB:
Recently knighted squires Raven, Romda, and Ravai are tasked to help a nearby priest. However, this simple errand turns into much more. They cross paths with the Dark Beast. After that brief encounter, they soon realize the Beast’s plans to destroy an entire town. They journey to this town, meeting residents who tell large tales about the Beast. How much of stories are true? The three will find out. The Dark Beast is coming.
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Excerpt One:
“Wow, that was crazy,” Ravai practically shouts.
“Crazy, but true,” says the driver. “But you all look like you could fall asleep.”
“Why do you say that?” says Ravai.
“Well, for one, your friend keeps falling asleep,” he says, and the driver’s friends snicker. “And your female friend hasn’t said a word since we teamed up. Maybe you should rest. We can stop here.”
Ravai doesn’t feel that tired, but he sees the look in Romda’s eyes that it might be a good idea. He acknowledges the stranger’s words, and they stop. It is in the middle of nowhere, trees and small fields all around.
Raven crawls to the nearest log and tries to lie on it. Romda isn’t so easily satisfied. She instead starts to pitch tent and gets out her small bedroll. Her movements are so slow it looks like she won’t be done for an hour.
Ravai continues to talk to the driver. “Turning people into beavers? That’s not possible. You are pulling my leg. How can that be true?”
“It is, I swear,” the driver says.
“How would you know?” Ravai challenges the driver.
“Because my grandfather gave him the rune and spell to do so…and now I serve the master,” the man says coldly.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Dave Maruszewski is blessed with a great family. He was originally inspired to write stories by his wife and son, when they encouraged him to put his bedtime stories on paper.
His stories are created from an accumulation of experiences from careers/backgrounds as a physicist, engineer, teacher, artist, video game designer and software developer. He strives to develop stories with sound moral values that will be enlightening as well as entertaining to youths and adults.
In between writing stories and running his own company, Digital Tumult (DigitalTumult.com), Dave enjoys video games, watching internet videos and hanging out with his family.
Book: www.ravenromdaandravai.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dave-Maruszewski-Books-100693982454237/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21946064.Dave_Maruszewski
NetGalley: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/publisher/84200
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Beast-Raven-Romda-Ravai-ebook/dp/B09JSX3ZGG/
The book is on sale for $0.99 during the tour.
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GIVEAWAY:
Dave Maruszewski will be awarding a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveawayFebruary 23, 2022
Blog Tour: LULU AND THE MISSING TOOTH FAIRY by S.E. Richey
Join Us for This Tour: February 15 to March 7, 2022 Book Details:
Book Title: Lulu and the Missing Tooth Fairy by S.E. Richey
Category: Children's Fictions (ages 3-7), 38 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Bright Meadow Press
Release date: Feb 28, 2022
Content Rating: G -Suitable for everyone. “A clever, humorous, and joyful tooth story” – Kirkus Review Book Description:
Lulu cannot wait for a visit from the Tooth Fairy and get a pony with her Tooth Fairy money. And Trixie cannot wait to finally become an official Tooth Fairy. Everything would be perfect, if only Trixie would show up!
Will Lulu get her pony? Will Trixie ever become an official Tooth Fairy? Find out in this humorous yet heartwarming tale that encourages us to never stop believing and that everything is possible with a little will power. And learn a thing or two about tooth traditions and tooth collectors of the world! Pre-Order the Book:
S.E. Richey Books
add to goodreads
Review: Lulu had a wiggly tooth and was looking forward to turning it into money when the tooth fairy visited. She knew exactly what she would buy with that money—a pony!
But disappointment sets in when Lulu realized that the tooth fairy did not come. What was wrong? Was her tooth not good enough?
In a dual-panel stage, we see Lulu trying to figure out the mystery while Trixie, the tooth fairy, races to get to Lulu.
The illustrations were cute, fun, and colorful. I especially enjoyed the interactive text on the pages. The contrast and the motion of the words certainly drew your eye and made the reading infinitely more fun.
A great and enjoyable read!
Rating: 5 stars
Meet the Author:S. E. Richey was born in New York and moved to Puerto Rico with her family when she was four years old. She grew up in the mountains of La Cordillera Central of Puerto Rico. She spoke four-year-old English and Spanish, but soon forgot English. She loved running around her grandparents’ finca, picking wild strawberries, sucking on ripe coffee beans (so sweet!), sugar cane (so sweet!), and searching for cow pies with her siblings and cousins (not so sweet.).
At age eighteen, S. E. Richey swore she would never live in another small town in the country where she had to drive through a canyon with lots of curvy roads just to get to the city. Oh, how dizzy and nauseous those curves made her!
She moved to the United States where she attended college in a small town in Idaho, married and lived in a small town in California (her second home) with lots and lots of curves just to get to the city (yes, she got dizzy and nauseated), and now she lives in a small-ish town in Idaho with her husband and four children. Their two dogs, Roscoe and Cali, and Conan, the fat cat, complete the family. She loves to sing WAY too loudly in the car. She loves Dulce de Leche ice cream (even if it hurts her tummy). And she loves to read and write silly stories that make her giggle and stories that tug at the heartstrings.
connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
Meet the Illustrator:Jhon Ortiz is a 3D character animator and a children's book illustrator born in Caracas, Venezuela and based in Valencia, Spain. A plant keeper and a coffee lover, Jhon also likes the sound of vinyl records. From an early age, Jhon felt a passion for drawing and storytelling. He has worked as an animator for the films The Nutcracker and the Four, and Moomios. And he has illustrated several books, including The One Great Gnome, LillyBelle: A Damsel NOT in Distress, and Lulu and the Missing Tooth Fairy.
connect with the illustrator: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram Tour Schedule:
Feb 15 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
Feb 16 - Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 16 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 16 - Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 17 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
Feb 17 - Splashes of Joy – book review / giveaway
Feb 18 – A Mama's Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
Feb 22 – Reading is My Passion – book review
Feb 22 - Lynchburg Reads – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 23 – Sandra's Book Club – book review / giveaway
Feb 23 - @twilight_reader – book review
Feb 24 – icefairy's Treasure Chest – book review / giveaway
Feb 24 - The Phantom Paragrapher – book review / giveaway
Feb 25 – Writer with Wanderlust – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 28 – Faith and Books – book review / author interview / giveaway
Feb 28 - Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Mar 1 – The Page Ladies – book review
Mar 2 – fundinmental – book review / giveaway
Mar 2 - Pause for Tales – book review / giveaway
Mar 3 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway
Mar 4 – Kam's Place – book review
Mar 4 - Westveil Publishing – book review / giveaway
Mar 7 - Lisa's Reading – book review / giveaway Enter the Giveaway:
LULU AND THE MISSING TOOTHFAIRY Book Tour Giveaway
Blog Tour: CALLED by Kira Saito
Spirits of Savannah Book #1
Paranormal/Romantic Suspense
Date Published: 01-28-2022
Sophie seems to have it all, a thriving career at the MET, a handsome soon-to-be fiancé, and an eccentric father who is the toast of the academic world. Yet, fate has other plans for her. After the death of her father, she starts to see visions of a beautiful woman who claims that Sophie needs to return home and take care of some unfinished business.
But where is home? And what business? Unexpectedly, she receives a strange invitation from a mysterious organization in Savannah, Georgia. Determined to find out more about the circumstances surrounding her father’s death and her sudden ability to see the dead, she accepts.
Welcome to Savannah, Georgia, a city so beautiful that it was spared from the wrath of Union General William T. Sherman. In this city filled with the spirits of the dead, arching live oaks draped in picturesque Spanish moss, luxurious looming mansions, and men who have impeccable manners and voices as smooth as butter Sophie is an outsider. Yet, she begins to discover that maybe the answers that she has been searching for are closer than she expected… Step into the haunting yet beautiful world of Sophie and Savannah where the dead walk among the living and every nook and cranny has a mystery that demands to be solved.
About the Author
Kira Saito is the author of the Arelia LaRue Series and The Girl on Prytania Street. She loves writing twisty books with soul, suspense, and magic.
Contact Links
Purchase Links
February 22, 2022
Book Blast: THE MOST ELIGIBLE BRIDE IN LONDON by Ella Quinn
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be giving away a $20 Amazon/BN Card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Love conquers even the most unlikely lord in USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn’s delightful Lords of London series, as a reformed rogue endeavors to prove himself worthy of his chosen bride . . .
Mistakes happen, to be sure. Rarely are those mistakes as unfortunate as the one made by Nathanael, Viscount Fotherby, when he abducted the now Lady Merton to save his friend from marriage. Nate has been trying to make amends ever since, leaving behind his self-centered ways to fulfill his duties—and that includes finding a wife of his own. One woman sparks his interest above all others—a lady he helped when she was rescuing a child. Alas, there is a devilish complication . . .
Miss Henrietta Stern, Lady Merton’s younger sister, is intrigued by the stranger who comes to her aid—until she learns his identity. Nate’s stunt could have ruined her sister’s reputation, and her family may never forgive him. With beauty, connections, and a sizeable dowry, Henrietta has plenty of admirers. Yet no other suitor quickens her pulse quite like Nate does. Her heart insists that the gentleman has changed for the better. But can a renowned scoundrel possibly prove himself to be the perfect husband?
Read an Excerpt
“Miss, what should we do?” the messenger, a young boy named Toby they had hired for messages and odd jobs, asked Miss Henrietta Stern.
“Where is Mrs. Perriman?” She and her sister, Dotty, Marchioness of Merton, had assisted in the rescue of many children and infants during the time Henrietta had been in Town for her first Season. However, due to her sister’s pregnancy, they had asked Mrs. Perriman, the widow and daughter of army officers, who ran their charity, the Phoenix House, to perform the rescues. Normally Henrietta would not have hesitated, but she had never gone alone before.
“She’s out on another call, and I don’t know when she’ll be back.” The lad bounced from one foot to the other, clearly distraught. “The boy who brought the message said the baby’s mam died and the babe was poorly.”
There was only one thing to do. “I shall go.” Henrietta had read the short, barely literate note stating the sender had a baby they were willing to sell. “We’ll need to have a wet nurse brought here.”
“Miss Henrietta.” Parkin, her brother-in-law’s butler’s eyes rounded. “Neither her ladyship nor his lordship would approve.”
“It’s not as if I am going to St Giles or worse. It is still light and will be for the next hour. If we do not rescue this child now, it may die.” The butler’s stern countenance did not change. “I’ll take Cullen with me.” He was the largest of all Merton’s tall footmen. Henrietta suspected the man had been a soldier at one time, as many of the footmen were. “I shall be perfectly safe.” She would also take the Manton pistol that had been made for her.
“You will need a groom as well,” the butler said.
Henrietta stifled a sigh of relief. Parkin was not happy about this, but he would not stop her. “Yes, of course. Thank you.”
By the time she had changed into a sturdy, dark-blue wool serge gown she’d had made by the modiste at home, donned a plain bonnet, tucked her pistol in the pocket she’d had sewn into her mantle, and taken the coins needed from the strongbox kept for the purpose, the unmarked town coach was waiting in the street. “The address is just down from the Whitechapel workhouse. We must hurry. I do wish to be there and gone before it is dark.”
“Yes, miss.” The footman, now dressed in regular clothing, closed the coach door behind her, and the coach dipped as he climbed on the back.
The journey would take about a half hour, and the sun was already lower in the sky than she would have liked. Still, the chance to save another child was worth the risk, and she had three servants with her. Granted, two would remain with the coach. Still, Cullen would be enough to keep her safe.
A large traveling coach almost blocked the street, but they slid past the vehicle and pulled up on the other side of the road. It was still light enough, but the sun was sinking by the minute. The narrow street and tall buildings did not help.
The coachman opened the hatch in the roof. “The street we want is just ahead on the left.”
The footman opened the door and helped her out. “I’ll stay a bit behind you just in case they’re up to no good.”
About the Author:
USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side (political science professor and lawyer). Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them. She is married to her wonderful husband of almost fourty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, a Great Dane named Lilibet, and a cat named Winnie. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true lived on sailboat for three years. After cruising the Caribbean and North America, she completed a transatlantic crossing from St. Martin to Southern Europe. She's currently living in Germany, happily writing while her husband is back at work, recovering from retirement. She expects to be back on the boat in 2022.
Ella loves when readers connect with her.
Author Contact and Social Media:
Website
Goodreads
BookBub
Amazon
Buy Links:
Amazon
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