Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 244

Review: SOME LUCKY WOMAN by Carmen DeSousa

 

Jana found out that her husband got some other girl pregnant. After taking a bat to his truck, she files for divorce, leaving her with practically nothing. Without a dime and left on a tight budget to raise her son, she goes back to her love for reading in the hopes of starting a book blog that she could make money off of. She just had to learn how. Then she meets a man that loves to read? Interesting.

Soon, she starts offering services for book reviews and editing. Nice! Turns out that the library volunteer she’s been working with is a published author and tells her that she can get complimentary books directly from the author in exchange for an honest review. Even better!

It thought this was a pretty good read and totally relatable. But the story was too pedestrian. She goes on about the books she wouldn’t review if less than 3 stars or labeled as DNF. She even tells us what DNF means. Who doesn’t know what that means? This whole thing was almost like a how-to on getting your life started or put back together. I admired her persistence and go-getter attitude.

A pretty good read.

 

My rating: 3 stars

Blog Tour: SOPHIE WASHINGTON: CLASS RETREAT by Tonya Duncan Ellis

 

 

Sophie Washington: Class Retreat

by Tonya Duncan Ellis

 

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GENRE: Children's Middle Grade

 

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BLURB:

Sophie is going on a 2-day camping retreat with her friends. Hiking, eating smores, swimming, and, of course, running into Big Foot.

A nice, fun read for kids!

 

My rating: 4 stars

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Tonya Duncan Ellis was born and raised in Louisville, KY. She loves reading so much that as a child she took books with her everywhere. She knew she wanted to become a writer after an article she wrote was published in her hometown newspaper when she was a teen. Since then, Tonya has worked as a journalist and freelance magazine writer. A graduate of Centre College of Kentucky and Washington University in St. Louis, she’s an Amazon bestselling and award-winning author of the Sophie Washington children's book series, geared towards readers ages 8 to 12. The books recount adventures of Houston, TX preteen Sophie Washington and her diverse group of friends. Each funny and heartwarming story teaches lessons about friendship, responsibility, truthfulness and perseverance. Books in the series include Queen of the Bee, The Snitch, Things You Didn't Know About Sophie, The Gamer, Hurricane, Mission: Costa Rica, Secret Santa, and Code One. When she's not writing, Tonya enjoys reading, biking, swimming, travel, and spending time with her husband and three children. She lives in Missouri City, TX.

 

tonyaduncanellis.com

Instagram: @tonyaellisbooks

Facebook: @tonyaellisbooks

Twitter: @TonyaDEllis

https://www.amazon.com/Tonya-Duncan-E...

 

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

 

Tonya Duncan Ellis will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

RAFFLECOPTER:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: SIARRA JONES: SKATING INTO TROUBLE by Paul Breau

 

12-year old Siarra Jones loved ice skating, so she was super excited when her parents let her start skating lessons. If she could pass, then she could go to skating camp this summer.

Witty and refreshing, story endears the reader with youthful exuberance and a fun tale. I enjoyed Siarra’s enthusiasm and determination, but, of course, like most kids, she still had her doubts. She’s such a good kid. Even in the face of subpar skills and mean bullies, Siarra wouldn’t let anything bring her down. She was a skater, period. If she trips and falls, she’ll just get right back up. This is a wonderful example of doing what you love.

 

Nice illustrations and a fun read!

 

My rating: 4 stars

Review: DARLY DILLY, DON’T BE SILLY by Dimitra Merkouris

 

Darla Dilly is just a regular girl. As the middle child, she has to share everything. Why can’t some things be just for her? Any time she comes up with something, she always gets the same old response: “Darla Dilly, don’t be silly.”

This time, Darla wants a pet of her own, but where in the world would she keep a mermaid? In the tub? Well, how about a dragon? But how would she feed it?

Of course, Darla was getting nowhere with her parents, so she goes the Big Guy instead: Santa.

Then, finally, Darla gets the perfect pet: a caterpillar that can turn into a butterfly. At this point, the story becomes informative on the various stages of a caterpillar’s growth.

Story was simple, taking you into the mind of an imaginative child that believes anything is possible. And the illustrations were colorful, fun, and pleasant to look at.

A nice, little read!

 

My rating: 4 stars

Review: THINGS FEEL DIFFERENT by Jessica Brzezinski

 

A story about the recent COVID pandemic from a child’s perspective. It tells about things like going back to school under restrictive guidelines, having to sanitize all the time, and just how things feel different.

Nice watercolor-style illustrations give the story a somber and reflective mood, although some were a bit too child-like, but, still, it gets the point across. Also, the text was too small to read and couldn’t be enlarged on my Kindle. It would’ve been better if the text had been more interactive with the images to create more contrast and playfulness.

Honest, kid-friendly, and quick.

 

My rating: 3 stars

Review: WHEN THE SQUIRREL SINGS by Shana Hollowell

 

Who hasn't been taken by the running squirrel that steals our glimpse? Squirrel!

This little tale is all about the squirrel―what it's like, what it eats, and what it likes to do. But, most of all, the squirrel likes to sing.

Nice paintings of the singing squirrel. Very colorful and vibrant. It's like a party for the animals. A cute read!

 

My rating: 4 stars

Review: MY TIME WITH PAPA by Shauntae Spalding

 

An endearing tale about a little girl who has lost her dad. She realizes that he’s not really gone and can still be with him in her memories.

Lovely illustrations – so bright and colorful! A nice tale that teaches kids that one is never lost as long as you keep loved ones alive in your memories. “As long as you remember me when you close your eyes, we will continue on.”

 

My rating: 5 stars

Review: MY PERFECT DOG by Lindsey Scarola

 

A fun, playful, and colorful rendition about a boy and his dog. Dogs are just great! They sit and stand, and fetch and lick. It’s a Dr. Seuss ode to a boy’s love for his dog. If only his dog could do more, then he’d love him that much more.

But the truth is: his dog is perfect just the way he is.

A great story for any dog lover!

 

My rating: 5 stars

Review: LITTLE MOUSE'S SWEET TREAT by Shana Hollowell

 

The little mouse wants a sweet treat. So, off he goes in search of a treat.

The illustrations were rendered in a crayon-like fashion, which made them child-like and lovable. I enjoyed the poetry. Another cute tale.

 

My rating: 3 stars

Review: I CAN DO STORIES by Sally Tears

 

Nice colorful illustrations! In one story, Sammy the Scared Seagull, learns how to fly and leave the nest. But it didn’t come as easy to him as his other siblings. Everyday he practiced flapping and flapping. And guess what? He finally flies! Another story is about a Little Wave that wanted to wave to children. In another story, Olly the Octopus tries to learn the difference between the B’s and D’s.  

The moral of these stories: Practice makes perfect.

Fun and insightful! A must read for kids!

 

My rating: 4 stars