Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 227
July 16, 2021
Review: DEATH BY WINDMILL by Jennifer S. Alderson (Book 3)
A Mother’s Day tour in the Netherlands! Lana hadn’t spoken to her mother in years. The last thing she expected was to be set up on a trip with her. The first day on tour, a troubling guest rises to the surface—a mother/daughter. Of course, you get the drama from the mommas.
The whole thing was slow. Why is a museum of bags and purses interesting? I enjoyed the tension between Lana and her mother, and I liked that Lana tries to make the best of the tour (it’s her job, after all.) But the tour itself was kind of boring and, as in previous books, the body doesn’t appear ‘til the very end. Why does it have to be so long?
This travel mystery series is very promising and could be great, but some of these stories just bore you to death.
My rating: 2 stars
July 15, 2021
Blog Tour: ALICIA CONNECTED: THE BIG GIFT by Derek Fisher
Join us for this tour from June 28 to July 16, 2021!
Book Details:
Book Title: Alicia Connected: The Big Gift by Derek Fisher
Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 86 pages
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
Publisher: Securely Built
Release date: May 2020
Content Rating: G for everyone.
Book Description:
Alicia has finally entered a new world of technology when her parents give her a tablet for her birthday. She has watched and listened to her friends who have already been enjoying the games and apps in a connected world that Alicia has yet to experience. Until now. But using technology can bring a set of challenges that are new to both Alicia and her parents. Understanding the different apps and games and how to use them properly can be tricky. Will Alicia know how to use it in a way that is fun and allows her to connect with her friends while being safe and secure? Both her and her parents will face the excitement and challenges together as she jumps headfirst into using her new tablet.
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N ~ IndieBound
Author Website
My review: It’s Alicia’s birthday and she was hoping for a big gift: a tablet.
Story carries a nice and easy narrative as Alicia goes through the obstacles of school and friendship. It summarizes the story well, often focusing on menial tasks. At first, it was all on how she was desperately hoping to get a tablet for her birthday. Then (surprise) she actually gets it. Then it becomes a compass of useful tips on how kids can be save and have fun while on the tablet.
“With great power comes great responsibility.”
The whole thing’s really more of a how-to guide to kids using the tablet safely. It didn’t much of a story to it. Still a nice read overall.
My rating: 3 stars
Meet the Author:
Derek Fisher has spent decades in the computer engineering field with the last decade in cybersecurity as a leader, speaker, and instructor. His passion has been to take complex security topics and make them simple and easy to understand. He holds several security certifications and teaches cybersecurity at Temple University where he is also an external advisory board member to the cybersecurity program.
connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ goodreads
Tour Schedule:
June 28 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
June 28 - Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
June 29 – The Momma Spot – book review / giveaway
June 30 – Writer with Wanderlust – book review / guest post / giveaway
July 1 – A Mama's Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
July 2 – The Bespectacled Mother – book review
July 6 - Lisa's Reading – book review / giveaway
July 7 – icefairy's Treasure Chest – book review / giveaway
July 8 – Splashes of Joy – book review / author interview / giveaway
July 9 – Reading is My Passion – book review
July 12 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / giveaway
July 13 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / author interview / giveaway
July 13 - @twilight_reader – book review
July 14 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
July 14 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
July 15 – Sandra's Book Club – book review / giveaway
July 16 – Kam's Place – book review
Enter the Giveaway:
ALICIA CONNECTED: The Big Gift Book Tour Giveaway
July 14, 2021
Blog Tour: BENTLEY AND THE MAGIC STICKS by Claire Eckard
Join us for this tour from June 21 to July 16, 2021!
Book Details:
Book Title: Bentley and the Magic Sticks by Claire Eckard
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Mill City Press, Inc
Release date: April 2021
Content Rating: G for everyone.
Book Description:
Bentley and the Magic Sticks follows this extra-large canine as he finds out that his favorite sticks have magical powers, thanks to a wonderful Fairy Dogmother called Tia! Because other dogs are afraid of his large size Bentley has no one to play with. However, with his magic sticks he manages to make new friends and he also discovers the special secret of why he is so big.
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N ~ IndieBound
add to goodreads
add to bookbub
My review: Watch out, Clifford, here comes Bentley!
Bentley was a very, big dog. A gentle giant he was, meaning he would never hurt anyone. But the other dogs feared him because of his massive size and that left poor Bentley sad and lonely. Luckily, Bentley had his sticks. But, one day, the sticks turned into something magical for Bentley.
The illustrations were so cute and darling. Goes to show you that wishes can come true. A wonderful, magical story about friendship and forgiveness.
My rating: 5 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:
June 21 – Cover Lover Book Review – book review / giveaway
June 22 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book review / author interview / giveaway
June 23 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review / guest post / giveaway
June 23 - @twilight_reader – book review
June 24 – A Mama's Corner of the World – book review / giveaway
June 25 – Writer with Wanderlust – book review / guest post / giveaway
June 28 – The Bespectacled Mother – book spotlight
June 29 – Lisa Everyday Reads – book spotlight / guest post
June 30 – Laura's Interests – book review / guest post / giveaway
June 30 - Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
July 1 – icefairy's Treasure Chest – book review / giveaway
July 2 – Cheryl's Book Nook – book review / giveaway
July 6 – Pick a Good Book – book review / author interview / giveaway
July 7 – Reading is My Passion – book review
July 8 – Pause for Tales – book review / giveaway
July 8 - Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / author interview / giveaway
July 9 – Lisa's Reading – book spotlight / author interview
July 12 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
July 13 – Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting – book review / author interview / giveaway
July 14 – Sandra's Book Club – book review
July 15 – Splashes of Joy – book review / author interview / giveaway
July 16 – Kam's Place – book review
Enter the Giveaway:
Bentley and the Magic Sticks Book Tour Giveaway
July 13, 2021
Blog Tour: EAT YOUR HEART OUT by Shirley Goldberg
Eat Your Heart Out
by Shirley Goldberg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: ROMANTIC WOMEN'S FICTION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
When a tyrant in stilettos replaces her beloved boss, and her ex snags her coveted job, teacher Dana Narvana discovers there are worse things than getting dumped on Facebook. Time for the BFF advice squad, starting with Dana's staunchest ally, Alex—hunky colleague, quipster, and cooking pal extraordinaire. But when the after-hours smooching goes nowhere, she wonders why this grown man won't make up his mind.
Alex Bethany's new lifestyle gives him the confidence to try online dating. What he craves is a family of his own until a life-altering surprise rocks his world. He knows he's sending Dana mixed messages. Alex panics when he thinks he's blown his chance with his special person. From appetizers to the main course will these two cooking buddies make it to dessert?
Funny and bittersweet, Dana and Alex's story will have you rooting for them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
“So, this is what it’s like being on a date with you.” Dana hesitated—caught herself. “This isn’t a date, is it?
Her voice flattened and she took a sip of wine. “Oh, I’m not belittling your gesture, bringing me to this fine establishment. But it isn’t a date because you’re seeing that woman, aren’t you? The one you asked me for advice about.”
Alex fidgeted. Idiot. Asking Dana how to recognize the signs a woman was interested––what had he been thinking? What could be more awkward? This. This was definitely up there on the list of more awkward moments.
“You’ve always been straight with me,” she said, holding the wine glass in midair.
That little flash of skin whenever she raises her arm. He picked up his wine glass. At this rate, he’d have to order a second bottle, simply to block his mind from going where it shouldn’t.
“Alex, do it again, be straight.”
He leaned in, took the glass from her hand and put it on the table. “Come closer,” he said. “I want to whisper sweet somethings in your ear.”
She bent toward him, a puzzled but amused expression percolating, her face glowing in the subtle lighting.
“Yes?” Her voice throaty, challenging.
“This is a date,” he said and tilted his head, brushed her lips with his, pulled back slightly, and did it again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Shirley Goldberg is a writer, novelist, and former ESL and French teacher who’s lived in Paris, Crete, and Casablanca. She writes about men and women of a certain age starting over. Her website http://midagedating.com offers a humorous look at living single. Her books FINISH THIS and dating in mid life, and her friends like to guess which stories are true. Eat Your Heart Out is the second book in the series Starting Over. Middle Ageish, the first, is available now. Her characters believe you should never leave home without your sense of humor and Shirley agrees.
Contact Links:
Website/blog: http://midagedating.com
https://www.facebook.com/midagedating
https://twitter.com/mylifeasadate
https://www.instagram.com/shirleygoldbergauthor/
Other(s): https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3916624.Shirley_Goldberg
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3531427862?list=following
Purchase Links for Eat Your Heart Out to come
Purchase Links for Middle Ageish, 1st book in series
Amazon 1st book: https://www.amazon.com/Middle-Ageish-...
APPLE https://tinyurl.com/y37cbc5u
Nook/Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/yyuwpq6o
Google: https://tinyurl.com/yypcdp7t
Kobo:https://tinyurl.com/y3ezzmhk
The book will be on sale for $0.99 during the tour.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Shirley Goldberg will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
July 12, 2021
Q&A with Luis Rosas, author of A SAVAGE JOY
TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW BOOK
A: A Savage Joy follows the story of Hector Vidal, a soldier whose team has been assigned to escort a new client to a tumultuous Iraq. But for Kelly, his wife, this is one mission too many.
Struggling between saving his failing marriage and leading his team on a dangerous mission, Hector is compelled to lead his team one last time. But the mission becomes more complicated when he learnt who the client is: Jessica Beaumont.
The lovely, intelligent lawyer is ever man’s dream: attractive, confident, smart—a femme fatale. There’s just one thing: she is also Kelly’s estranged stepsister, and a dangerous distraction for the husband and soldier focused on saving his marriage and the mission.
And Jessica is dangerous in more ways than one. A dark secret she’s been running from has followed her—and her shadowy past is about to about to burst into light with violent consequences for all, thrusting Hector in his most dangerous mission ever.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK?
A: Any couple or family that has endured a military deployment can attest to the hardships, heartaches, and tribulations they bring. After multiple deployments overseas, I needed to find an outlet. Writing this book was that outlet, but I still needed a story. The plot was born from a need to combine the action of thrillers I enjoy reading and the romance from those novels. Yes, I read romance novels as well as thrillers and mysteries. Jack Carr, Corinne Michaels, and Lisa Gardner are among my favorite authors.
WHAT DRIVES YOUR CHARACTERS IN YOUR STORY?
A: My characters are all alpha type personalities who lost something in the pursuit of their careers. For Hector and Kelly Vidal, they want to return to a honeymoon state when they were united as one, but their need to accomplish their missions and goals is keeping them from that. For Jessica Beaumont, she wants to get back the life before she went on the run, but her dark past is keeping her from it.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS A PIVOTAL SCENE IN YOUR BOOK AND WHY?
A: That’s a tough question. If I were to chose one, without giving anything away, it would be when Hector decides to go on the mission despite Kelly’s ultimatum. This is his Rubicon. If he goes on this mission, he knows that any hope of salvaging what is left of his marriage evaporates. But the risk to his team, his brothers, by not being with them is too great. Or is it that his need to feed his adrenaline addiction is too much?
IF YOUR BOOK WERE TO BE MADE INTO A MOVIE, WHO WOULD BE YOUR CAST?
A: I may surprise some of your readers with these answers. For Hector I would cast Diego Luna or Osvaldo Benavides (from Netflix’s Monarca). For Kelly, I would cast Abigail Spencer, from Timeless and Suits. For Jessica, I would cast Emily Blunt. Lastly, I would cast Naomi Watts as Betty Masters and Daniel Craig as Chuck Masters.
WHAT CRITERIA DID YOU USE WHEN SELECTING THE COVER FOR YOUR BOOK?
A: As you may know, selecting a cover is a lot more difficult than it sounds. Particularly because you have to convey EXACTLY what you want to a cover designer you haven’t met, much less be in the same time zone. If I had to choose one criteria, it would be balance. The cover had to balance the portrayal of the main characters without taking away from hints on the settings and the added balance of vibrant colors with the right font. Elena from L1 Graphics was able to help me find that balance.
WAS THERE A MESSAGE IN YOUR BOOK THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO CONVEY?
A: I didn’t write A Savage Joy with the intent of delivering a message, but if there is one, it is redemption. I think everyone has something in their past they are not proud of or wish they could relive, and having that guilt or remorse is a heavy burden to carry. But I also think everyone is capable of redeeming themselves, if they choose.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE AS A WRITER?
A: The greatest challenge is probably taking an idea and turning it into a story. I think that is why most people give up on the idea of writing a novel. Once you accomplish that, the next challenge is to edit and polish until you have a story someone will love. And to do that, you may have to kill off a character you bonded with from the start. There certainly are no shortages of challenges as a writer.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR NEW WRITERS?
A: The best advice I can give is to never give up. If you have a story that you NEED to tell, then start with the first sentence and don’t give up. Time and Patience are your greatest warriors. With both, your story will flourish. You know more about your story than anybody else, so don’t let people (even agents) tell you otherwise.
DO YOU HAVE A BLOG OR WEBSITE READERS CAN VISIT FOR UPDATES, EVENTS AND SPECIAL OFFERS?
A: I have a page in Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/The-Author-Page-for-Luis-E-Rosas-328910781889065/ and I have a website, https://luisrosasbooks.com/ where your readers are welcome to visit and leave their comments.
Thank you for the opportunity to share with your readers.
A Savage Joy is available on Amazon and B&N
July 9, 2021
Review: THE SEER OF POSSIBILITIES AND OTHER DISTURBING TALES by Thomas O
Eerie messages from a blank computer screen gives a man tasks to complete, setting off a series of events that come back to haunt him. A mission for a great work of art has deadly consequences. A Christmas wish goes horribly wrong.
Stories were full of dark twists and irony. Just loved it!
My rating: 4 stars
Review: GIRL NUMBER 13 by Amy Koto
It all begins with the job application, which took up much more of the story than it should’ve. It had very minute and fine detail.
A random message is received: Don’t take the job. Now we got some intrigue. Unfortunately, it just stops at intrigue.
The writing was okay, but the whole thing is so very SLOW—so slow that you eventually lose interest in the whole thing and forget about it.
My rating: 1 star
Review: BEAST by Anna Willet
Stories weren’t really as thrilling as I thought they’d be. It had too much narration and not much story. They were just “eh.”
My rating: 2 stars
Review: IT’S NOT PMS, IT’S YOU by Rich Amooi
A corporate woman living and working in a man’s world. Her story is definitely all work and no play. There’s a feeble attempt at humor, but there’s not much else to keep the reader interested. To be honest, it seems the King of Romantic Comedy is losing his touch. It’s like seeing the new, young Elvis against the old, fat one—you can see he’s a has-been. Eh, not worth it.
My rating: 1 star
Review: A WEDDING TO DIE FOR by Heather Haven
Lee Alvarez’s best friend was getting married and the groom is arrested for murder. The character rambles too much about inconsequential things and it takes way too long to get anywhere. When does somebody die already!? My rating: 1 star
