Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 225
July 28, 2021
Blog Tour: THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER by Audrey J. Cole
The Pilot's Daughter
by Audrey J. Cole
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GENRE: Thriller
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BLURB:
Welcome aboard Pacific Air Flight 385, with nonstop service from Seattle to Honolulu.
Cora is scared to fly again after her husband died in a recent helicopter crash in Pago Pago.
A thousand times she has told herself to turn around, not get on the flight, go back to her young children.
But now, she’s seated in first class across the aisle from the girlfriend of a famous billionaire pharmaceutical entrepreneur.
Halfway across the Pacific, the flight is hijacked. Six people are dead—including the pilots.
Cora is a young widow, mother, and emergency room nurse...but as the world closes in around her, she’s also a pilot’s daughter.
Lost off radar in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, the motive behind the hijacking remains a mystery. Not knowing who to trust, Cora works with the man seated beside her, Seattle Homicide Detective Kyle Adams, to save herself along with the remaining one hundred and fifty-four souls on board.
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Excerpt Two:
Oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling above each row.
“What’s going on?” Alana heard someone yell from behind her.
Alana threw her phone onto the seat next to her and pulled on her mask.
She turned around. The three men behind her were all in their seats, pulling on their masks. In the main cabin, passengers rushed to their seats. Alana watched a mother put a mask over her little boy, which brought tears to her eyes.
Linda stood in the middle of the main cabin, calling out to passengers to put on their oxygen masks. Alana watched her don a spare mask from one of the rows before she helped a passenger secure their mask. Once the aisle was clear, Linda moved slowly up the cabin, taking a breath from a spare mask that hung from each row as she went.
Alana faced forward. She reached for her seatbelt when she noticed the older woman in front of her struggling to get her mask on. She could see the woman’s frail hands above her seat. They were shaking as she tried to pull the strap over her head.
Alana stood up and leaned over the seat to help the woman secure her mask. The woman patted her hand as if to say thank you before Alana sat down and buckled her seatbelt.
When Linda reached first class, she paused beside Alana’s seat to take a few breaths from the spare mask that hung above her row.
“Why aren’t we descending?” the corporal yelled from the row behind her.
No one had an answer.
Linda moved to the front of the cabin. She pulled on a mask from the first row while she opened the overhead compartment. The first-class passengers watched her withdraw an army-green oxygen bottle. Linda switched her mask to the one attached to the tank and used the shoulder strap to sling the bottle behind her back.
Alana stared out the window at the vast ocean below. Something was terribly wrong. And she wasn’t ready to die.
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My review: A typical flight turns into a hijacking nightmare in this dramatic tale. The story takes a slow lift-off, giving readers the view of several passengers before a gunman hijacks the plane around chapter 14.
The writing was pretty good, enriched with a descriptive narrative that sets the tone well. Tensions run high throughout this complex and lengthy story. The author does a fairly good job at keeping the reader on edge. Overall, a pretty good read for thriller fans.
My rating: 3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Audrey J. Cole is a registered nurse and a USA TODAY bestselling thriller author. She resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children.
Connect with Audrey:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AudreyJCole/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audreyjcole/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/audre...
You can also visit her website: www.AUDREYJCOLE.com
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Audrey J. Cole will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
July 27, 2021
Blog Tour: THE GREAT WEIGHT DEBATE by Amy Newman Shapiro
Join Us for This Tour from July 19 to August 6! Book Details:
Book Title: The Great Weight Debate: Get the Facts and Choose the Diet That's Right for You by Amy Newman Shapiro
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 188 pages
Genre: Self-help, Health and Fitness
Publisher: Snewman Media
Release date: January 2021
Content Rating: G
Book Description:
The Great Weight Debate helps you evaluate which diet will work for you and which can hurt you. It is your essential, trusted resource to sift through the minefield of recommendations and misinformation when choosing the best diet for weight loss success. The Great Weight Debate summarizes many popular weight loss plans and explains the principles and research behind each diet. It also highlights the factors that may or may not make the diet a healthy choice for you. It explains why and how to choose a diet that takes into account your food preferences and meets the needs of your lifestyle, schedule, and food availability. It will help you discover and understand the rules, food restrictions, and health risks of each diet. In addition, read up on the new trends, the latest buzz, and the results of the most up-to-date research science has to offer. So...Whether you choose Paleo, low carbohydrate, intermittent fasting, Whole30, or Mediterranean, do it with realistic expectations and do it smartly. Find weight loss success with The Great Weight Debate. Buy the Book:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads
My review: Have you ever wanted to lose weight? Of course, who hasn’t, right?
This book gives you a basic introduction to the great weight debate, discussing the fads, the myths, and the various types of diets out there. The narrative is honest and insightful. It provides historical references and biology factors, proving all the research that went into this book. However, rather than being helpful and easy to relate, the content reads more like an academic essay or thesis, which doesn’t always keep the reader invested. At times, it can be a little scientific for my taste. But some of the suggestions can be valuable and worth considering.
My rating: 3 stars
Meet the Author:
Amy Shapiro RD, CDN, CPT is a registered dietitian and professional speaker promoting wellness in corporate, clinical and private settings. With degrees in both Psychology and Nutrition, Amy’s focus is on behavior modification and lifestyle management. Additionally, Amy is a personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise and a wellness coach. With thirteen years of experience educating and coaching clients and worksite wellness groups to achieve weight loss success, Lose It For the Last Time is Amy’s first book. She is the mother of two grown children and lives with her husband on Long Island New York.
Connect with the Author: Website ~ Facebook
Tour Schedule:
July 19 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
July 20 – Pick a Good Book – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
July 21 - Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
July 22 – Lamon Reviews – book spotlight / author interview
July 22 - Laura's Interests – book review / guest post / giveaway
July 23 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
July 26 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews - book spotlight / guest post. giveaway
July 27 – Sandra's Book Club – book review
July 27 - Olio by Marilyn – book spotlight / author interview
July 27 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / giveaway
July 28 – Kam's Place – book review
July 28 - Library of Clean Reads – book review / giveaway
July 29 – Older & Smarter? – book review / giveaway
Aug 2 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Aug 2 - Splashes of Joy – book review / author interview / giveaway
Aug 2 - Lisa's Reading – book spotlight / giveaway
Aug 3 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Aug 4 – @twilight_reader – book review
Aug 5 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
Aug 6 – Reading is My Passion – book review
Enter the Giveaway:
THE GREAT WEIGHT DEBATE Book Tour Giveaway
July 24, 2021
Review: A HOPELESS CHRISTMAS by Daniel Carson (Book 5)
A TV offer in New York? A last attempt to catch a crime boss? And a chance to leave Hopeless?
Sounded like Hope had a lot to think about. While trying to decide her future, she also gets rooked into a Christmas Cookie tournament. What could be worse than binging on cookies? How about one of the bakers winding up dead—poisoned by a cookie?
This is another good Hope Walker mystery! I especially like her ballsy, candid, and wry humor.
My rating: 5 stars
Review: CRIME AND NOURISHMENT by Miranda Sweet
Angie runs a bookstore in Nantucket, and she just heard that the town miser was raising the rent for all the small businesses in town. Was this all about some old family grudge? Unless…the people were willing to do “favors” for him. What an insufferable, old coot! I could relate to Angie’s love for books, but this book was just too slow and long. Way too adorned with embellishments on the town and the history. Snooze…Snore…
My rating: 2 stars
Review: ALOHA ALIBI by Jasmine Webb
A human finger at her door leads her out of town and into Hawaii. I thought this would’ve been a good read. Instead, it’s slow and uninteresting. The narrative was okay, but it didn’t keep me going.
My rating: 2 stars
Review: EASTER EGG HUNT MURDER by Rachel Woods
“Beanie” and his wife were invited to an annual Easter egg hunt for a work party. Socializing at events like this was necessary for his wife’s career as an adjunct professor. If only the people weren’t so dull and pretentious. The writing was pretty good. A few too many characters for my liking. Story had a slow start with the introduction of all these characters as they settled into the Easter festivities. It was hard for me to get into the mystery with its dawdling effects and staggering pace. I just didn’t find it interesting.
My rating: 2 stars
Review: DEADLY DEALS AND DONUTS by Cindy Bell
Brenda and Joyce run a donut food truck. The competition is fierce among the food trucks, especially when one of them finds the dead body of the hot dog guy. Could it have had something to do with somebody selling hamburgers to outdo the hot dogs? Of course, the donut duo was the case. Unfortunately, this is not your typical Cindy Bell mystery. Normally, you just fall right into and get caught up in the mystery. But not this time. There’s too many suspects and not enough intrigue that it almost loses the reader.
My rating: 2 stars
Review: SWEET DEAL SEALED by Judith Barrett
Karen O’Brien A.K.A. “Teach” was in prison. For what, I don’t know. She believed that women should be literate. In prison, a friend of hers was stabbed during lock down. At first, you think that this might be the murder she solves. But NO. The first chapter deals with books and putting together a reading program for the inmates, which totally doesn’t parallel the donut theme on the cover. I thought this was about donuts. Mmm…Maybe the donut part comes later. In any sense, the first chapter lags so much that I don’t even get through it all. By chapter 2, she gets released from jail and goes house-hunting. What a waste of time!
My rating: 1 star
Review: SWEETS AND STABBING by Harper Lin
Amelia finally did it! She was standing in front of her pink food truck, ready to sell cupcakes. One of the food truck owners is found dead, stabbed repeatedly. The neighbor’s son is accused of the murder.
This is an easy read overall, but it does take a while to set the tone. An okay mystery.
My rating: 3 stars
Review: MUMMIFIED MERINGUES by Leighann Dobbs
Lexy Baker has a dessert contest to get ready for. This year’s theme was: meringue. While trying to clean up a house they were trying to sell, Jack and Lexy find a mummy in their basement. A mummy, really? Who sealed the poor guy in the wall and why?
Because it was found in Jack’s house, he was the number one suspect. Of course! But, in actuality, the cops didn’t really seem to make a big deal out of this. Lexy was more concerned about selling the house as quickly as possible than about her husband going to jail. That’s why she wanted to solve this thing fast. Sounds like a job for the Ladies Detective Club.
So they’re all looking into an old case while Lexy is trying to perfect her meringue recipe for the contest. Who cares who stuffed the guy in the wall over 70 years ago?
Not really the best mystery.
My rating: 2 stars
