Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 197
February 5, 2022
Review: KILLING KATIE by Brian Spangler
A woman, happily married with kids, dreams of one thing: killing Katie, her best friend.
It’s got an easy, casual diary narrative that keeps the reader fairly interested in this character’s head. She’s a normal person with a dark fantasy—something we can all relate to. The whole thing is pretty long and slow. It takes forever to get to an action sequence. I mean, when does somebody die already? Somebody will die, right?
If you want to hear about a married woman’s life, boredom, and fantasies, then this would be it. And that’s it.
Rating: 3 stars
Review: MY TEACHER IS A VAMPIRE by Max Waters and SB Hamdani
One of Jack’s classmates was missing. More and more were disappearing and Jack seems to be the only one who remembers them. What was going on? Could it have something to do with the teachers?
This is an okay camp fire story. It’s kinda slow and repetitive in certain areas. Decent enough.
Rating: 3 stars
Review: THE BIG FOOT BLUNDER by Amanda Lee
Since she was a kid, Charlie Rhodes has always had visions of the future with a slight case of telekinesis. Cool! She finally gets a job as a paranormal investigator and was, apparently, part of a paranormal league with a team of eccentric and fairly dull characters. It’s really not as interesting as I thought it be.
Rating: 2 stars
Review: DON’T WAKE UP THE DEAD by C.C. Wood
So we have this girl that sees and talks to ghosts all the time. Sounded interesting, right? Although witty at times, she yammers on an awful lot. Gets you bored fast.
Rating: 2 stars
February 4, 2022
Blog Tour: BENTLEY'S BEST BIRTHDAY EVER by Claire Eckard
Join us for this tour from January 31 to February 18, 2022!
Book Details:
Book Title: Bentley's Best Birthday Ever! by Claire Eckard
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 32 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Mill City Press, Inc
Release date: September 28, 2021
Content Rating: G for everyone.
Book Description:
Bentley’s Best Birthday Ever!
Bentley is back, and it’s his birthday! Bentley is excited to share his special day with his new friends, but they are nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, Bentley meets Bella, a lost dog whose family has recently moved to Bentley’s neighborhood. Tia, Bentley’s Fairy Dogmother, and the Dog Pack have a BIG secret! They are planning a surprise birthday party for Bentley, and when Tia is around there is always some magic. Wait till you see Bentley’s reaction to his surprise party, and especially to the special guest that Tia brings!
This book once again highlights Bentley's kind nature, and also shows that moving to a new neighborhood can be fun! Beautifully illustrated by Anne York, Bentley fans will not be disappointed as they follow Bentley's latest adventure.
Buy the Book:
Claire Eckard
Amazon ~ B&N ~ IndieBound
add to goodreads
Review: It’s Bentley the dog’s birthday! And you know what that means? A party!
But where were his friends? He looked all over and couldn’t find any of them. Would no one be at his birthday party? What a sad birthday for Bentley.
Meanwhile, Bentley finds another sad dog named Bella, who was lost. Through the power of a microchip scanned by the vet, Bentley was able to reunite his new friend with her family.
And what were Bentley’s friends planning behind the scenes? Would this turn out to be Bentley’s best birthday party ever?
Full of fun and colorful illustrations, story is a proud example of fun and friendship. A good read!
Rating: 4 stars
Meet the Author:Claire Eckard is an animal lover and believes in volunteering to give back to her community, especially to the homeless animals that need to find their forever homes. Her animals often inspire her writing, weaving their way into the stories that she writes, blending reality and fiction to entertain, teach, enlighten, and share the joy that animals bring to our lives! Claire is an author, poet, songwriter, wife, mother and grandmother! She lives in Arizona, splitting her time between her home in Yuma, Arizona and her ranch in the mountains of Prescott. Claire has three dogs, eight horses, and a miniature mule!
connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~instagram ~ goodreads ~ bookbub Tour Schedule:
Jan 31 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
Jan 31 - Because I said so adventures in parenting – book review / giveaway
Feb 1 – Splashes of Joy – book review / giveaway
Feb 1 - The Momma Spot – book review / giveaway
Feb 2 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
Feb 2 – fundinmental – book review / giveaway
Feb 3 – A Mama's Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
Feb 3 - @twilight_reader – book review
Feb 4 – Sandra's Book Club – book review / giveaway
Feb 7 – Lynchburg Reads – book review / giveaway
Feb 8 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Feb 8 - Westveil Publishing – book review / giveaway
Feb 9 – Reading is My Passion – book review
Feb 9 - The Phantom Paragrapher – book review / giveaway
Feb 10 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / giveaway
Feb 11 – Chit Chat with Charity – book review / giveaway
Feb 14 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
Feb 14 - Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight
Feb 15 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway
Feb 15 - Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 16 – Pause for Tales – book review / giveaway
Feb 16 - Kam's Place – book review
Feb 17 – @jayme_reads – book review / giveaway
Feb 18 – Pick A Good Book – book review / giveaway
Enter the Giveaway:
Bentley's Best Birthday EVER! Book Tour Giveaway
February 3, 2022
Book Blast: TALK OF TOKYO by Heather Hallman
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Heather Hallman will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
CAREFUL WITH YOUR WORDS
1897 Tokyo is no different than anywhere else in the world: men are exploiting women. Specifically, Western men are exploiting Japanese women, and Suki Malveaux holds no punches in her condemnation of their behavior in her weekly column in the Tokyo Daily News.
Suki knows firsthand when Western men arrive at Tokyo Bay there’s only one outcome for Japanese women: a child and new mother left behind as nothing more than discarded shrapnel from the heartless war on love.
Griffith Spenser is her latest target. He’s been seen with Natsu Watanabe, one of Tokyo’s esteemed war widows. Under full anonymity of the moniker “The Tokyo Tattler,” Suki makes sure Griffith knows exactly why his behavior with Natsu won’t be tolerated.
Away from her Japanese mask as a columnist, Suki never intended to meet the cad. When he seeks her out to hire as a tutor for his niece and nephew, she’s faced with seeing him day in and day out without him ever knowing who she really is.
Caught in her struggle for anonymity so she can keep battling for women’s rights, Suki’s about to learn the full impact of her words on the people behind the story, especially on Griff.
Read an Excerpt
Tokyo 1897
Foreign Quarter of Tsukiji
Fluttering her eyelashes in a coquettish manner, which had much in common with trying to dislodge a flying insect, Suki faced the man who held her fate in the palm of his rather well-shaped hands. “I was admiring your fine home.”
“I quite like it myself.”
“Was it constructed after the quake of ’94?”
“We commissioned its construction when we arrived in ’95. I’m assured by its builders it could withstand another earthquake of that intensity. Japanese-style homes fare better than brick and stone.”
“Mother Nature has given us many opportunities to rebuild.”
“Mother Nature?” Spenser furrowed his brow. “I thought it was the giant catfish residing under Japan flipping its tail that caused all these earthquakes.” His tone was teasing, while the observation revealed Spenser as the type of foreigner who bothered learning about traditional culture.
“You know your Japanese folklore,” Suki replied.
“I like to be prepared for all the dragons and ghosts I’m certain to encounter,” Spenser said with a smile that brought out creases along his soft brown eyes. “I should introduce myself, although introductions are probably unnecessary. I’m Griffith Spenser, arrived from England, resident of Tsukiji for almost two years.”
Suki mentally added to the introduction: Spenser counted minor members of the British aristocracy among his family, although he himself had no chance of inheriting a title; his company was the most highly regarded foreign-owned trading firm in Tokyo; he’d arrived with a new bride who left him a year later; and he now graced the bed of war widow Natsu Watanabe. Also, he played lawn tennis.
The Tokyo Tattler’s job was to know these facts about Tsukiji’s most illustrious residents, and Suki needed to continue doing this job, which was why she couldn’t let Spenser’s allure compromise her defenses. The man had asked her to his home without explanation. Although she’d like to imagine he’d summoned her to discuss the modern significance of Japanese mythology, she was a realist. Spenser had a score to settle with the Tokyo Tattler, and all this pleasant banter about earthquakes was merely diversion.
About the Author:
Heather Hallman writes witty, sensual, contest-winning romances set in Meiji-era Japan (1868-1912). She is the author of the Tokyo Whispers series that includes Scandals of Tokyo and Talk of Tokyo. She is fluent in Japanese language, history, and culture, and earned a doctoral degree in cultural anthropology based on fieldwork research in Japan. She lives in Tokyo with her professor husband and two young daughters. In her free time, she can be found translating ancient Japanese poetry and observing the passing of seasons while sipping green tea. Just kidding, she has no free time. But she does watch something that makes her laugh while she does the dishes.
Perennial obsessions include the weather forecast (she checks three different apps at least three times a day, as no single app can be trusted), Baltimore Ravens football (hometown obsession), and making smoothies that taste like candy bars.
Feel free to chat her up about any of her obsessions, or, even better, about historical Japan—any era is fine, she loves them all. She also enjoys exchanging book recommendations, discussions about the craft of romance writing, and stories about life in present-day Tokyo.
Website
Goodreads
BookBub
TikTok
Buy links for Talk of Tokyo:
Boroughs Publishing Group
Amazon
iBooks
a Rafflecopter giveaway
February 2, 2022
Blog Tour: CINDI'S CHOCOLATE VALENTINE by Beverly Reichman
Join Us for This Tour from February 1 to February 14!
Book Details:
Book Title: Cindi's Chocolate Valentine by Beverley Reichman
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 36 pages
Genre: Children's Book
Publisher: Book Baby
Release date: January, 2022
Content Rating: Rated G. Suitable for everyone
Book Description:
Cindi isn’t sure about this holiday called Valentine’s Day, but after her people pair dress her up like a flamingo and take her for a walk in front of her friends, and her handsome new neighbor dog, Chip, she doesn’t like it at all! She and her BFF, Pitty Pat, have been watching Chip ever since he moved next door. She wants to meet him, but not like this! Have you ever changed your mind about something? In this outrageously funny story, meet some of Cindi’s fur-friends and find out if she changes her mind about Valentine’s Day.
Cindi’s Chocolate Valentine is an especially SPECIAL book because it features 17 pets that were chosen as winners in the Cindi Features a New Friend contest last summer. As you can imagine, their ‘people families’ are beyond excited about their pets being part of the story. They had over 750 pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, hedgehogs, and even a chicken, goat, donkey and monkey enter the contest!
Buy the Book:
BookBaby
Amazon ~ B&N
18% of the Cindi series book sale proceeds is
donated to animal rescue and shelter organizations.
Review: What was that sound? And why were there flowers and pink balloons everywhere? It’s Valentine’s Day!
In this little story, Cindi the dog and her housemate, Pitty Pat, learn all about the holiday of love, which meant donning silly scarfs and flowery caps. Such confusion all around. As soon as the two went outside, they noticed everyone staring and laughing at them. Well, of course, look how they were dressed.
But when a certain handsome dog that Cindi’s had her eye on takes notice, suddenly, it didn’t seem so bad. It certainly changed her mind about Valentine’s Day.
This was a nice, little story. The images were simple, colorful, and child-like with their basic shapes and strokes of crayon. A good read!
Rating: 4 stars
Meet the Author:Beverley Reichman is a devoted mom, retired elementary school teacher and author. She co-authored her first book, Justice and Honor for My Sister: The Story of Margie Grey in 2018 and published her first children’s book, Kevin Can, in 2019. The second book in her Kevin series, Kevin is a Smart Cookie, and the first book in her popular Cindi the Teenie Chiweenie series were published in 2020. Her delightful and beautifully illustrated Cindi book series include: Cindi’s Chocolate Valentine, Cindi and Sparkles Howl-oween Ghoulfriends and Cindi’s Christmas Kitten Surprise, which earned a 5-Star Readers’ Favorite review.
Beverley teaches, tutors, and mentors children and shares with them her passion for learning, literature, living in faith, and experiencing life to its fullest. Beverley currently resides outside of Atlanta, Georgia.
connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads Tour Schedule:
Feb 1 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
Feb 1 - Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 2 – Splashes of Joy – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 2 - Sandra's Book Club – book review / giveaway
Feb 3 – @twilight_reader – book review
Feb 3 - Stephanie Jane – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 4 – Kam's Place – book review
Feb 4 - Books are a Blessing – book review / giveaway
Feb 7 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
Feb 7 - Captive Dreams Window – book review / giveaway
Feb 8 – Lamon Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 8 - Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Feb 8 - Older & Smarter? - book review / giveaway
Feb 9 – icefairy's Treasure Chest – book review / giveaway
Feb 9 - The Phantom Paragrapher – book review
Feb 9 - fundinmental - book review / giveaway
Feb 10 - Lisa Everyday Life - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Feb 10 – Pause for Tales – book review / giveaway
Feb 10 - Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Feb 11 – A Mama's Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
Feb 11 - Nighttime Reading Center - book review / giveaway
Feb 11 - Books for Books – book review
Feb 14 - Reading is My Passion – book review
Feb 14 - Lisa's Reading – book spotlight / giveaway
Enter the Giveaway:
CINDI'S CHOCOLATE VALENTINE by Beverley Reichman Book Tour Giveaway
February 1, 2022
Blog Tour: PEOPLE OF THE SUN by Ben Gartner
PEOPLE OF THE SUN
by Ben Gartner
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Middle Grade, Action Adventure, Time Travel, Historical Fiction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
The explosive reveal about who John and Sarah really are and why they’re traveling through time, with their most gut-wrenching challenge yet.
In the time of the Aztec, a scoundrel named Cortés arrives and the kids are forced to make an extremely difficult decision: If you could change history, should you? For more twists, more danger, and more fun, read the third book in The Eye of Ra series, People of the Sun!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
JOHN
The ground shook like the end of the world.
At least, that was how it felt to John, who had never experienced an earthquake while growing up in Colorado. And they’d only lived in Maryland for a month before taking this trip to California to visit their aunt. On their second day in the steep mountains of Santa Cruz, while hiking through an old-growth redwood forest that reminded John of a fairy tale, he suddenly felt woozy. But he wasn’t sick. His legs swayed like he was dancing the hula, as if the ground beneath his feet were the roiling sea. Birds took to the sky. Their aunt’s dog, Nickel, barked and snapped at the air, her ears tucked back and tail between her legs.
“Sarah?” John looked over to his sister and held out a hand to steady himself.
She wore the same expression of bewilderment for a moment, then realization dawned across her face. “Is this an earthquake? Cool!”
Her voice rose and fell with the waves just like her knees riding the shifting earth as if it were a skateboard or a pair of skis. Dander like fireflies floated down from the trees and sparkled in the sun’s rays.
“Earthquake,” Aunt Lorraine confirmed. “Just a little one. Hold on, it’ll end in—”
The earth eased to a halt.
“There ya go, all done.” Aunt Lorraine heaved a breath. “For now.”
“For now?!” John hunched over, ready to fall flat on the ground if it got any worse.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Ben Gartner is the award-winning author of The Eye of Ra time travel adventure series for middle graders. His books take readers for a thrilling ride, maybe even teaching them something in the meantime. Ben can be found living and writing near the mountains with his wife and two boys. https://BenGartner.com
WEBSITE
https://twitter.com/BGartnerWriting
https://www.facebook.com/BenGartnerAuthor
https://www.instagram.com/BGartnerWriting
BUY LINKS
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/People-Sun-Eye-Ben-Gartner/dp/1734155280/
Local bookstore: https://indiebound.org/search/book?keys=author%3AGartner%2CBen
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/people-of-the-sun/id1578394762
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/people-of-the-sun-ben-gartner/1139909512?ean=9781734155280
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/people-of-the-sun-2
Everywhere else: https://books2read.com/people-of-the-...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY:
One randomly drawn winner will receive a $50 Amazon/BN GC.
a Rafflecopter giveawayJanuary 29, 2022
Review: DIARY OF A CHEATING WIFE series by Nicole Keleigh
CHEATING IN VEGAS (Book 1)
A sexually bored wife had a crush on her co-worker. The business trip to Vegas seemed like a fantasy come true.
A short read, but slow. The sex was explosive. I especially liked how she kept comparing the stud to her flaccid husband.
A decent read.
Rating: 3 stars
ANOTHER MAN (Book 2)
Guilt settles on the cheating wife, but what her husband didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. Once again, she starts fantasizing about another man.
It’s another slow one and a repeat performance of the first story, but, of course, the sex was fun.
Rating: 3 stars
PERMISSION (Book 3)
Did the cheating wife have permission to cheat?
This one was a quicker read and included two hot sex scenes. Nice and naughty!
Rating: 4 stars
DATE NIGHT (Book 4)
The cheating wife’s affairs seem to be a turn-on for the husband…and the reader. Another hot read!
Rating: 4 stars
Review: DOCTOR BABY DADDY by Vivian Gunn
She left town for good after her affair with the doctor ended. Now, she was back, and, for one hot night, the two reunite. But after leaving for the second time, she had a secret—a love child belonging to the doctor.
This was a very good read. A sweet and hot story!
Rating: 4 stars
