Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 249
October 26, 2020
Spotlight Feature: RELEASING HER POWER WITHIN by Madilynn Dale
Family secrets lead to an explosive discovery in this enthralling first installment. Things don’t seem to add up and her life is constantly threatened in the pursuit of love. Is there a way to find an answer for it all?
Liz is your typical overworked Physical Therapy Assistant. She loves her job but has come to a time in her life where the stress from being overworked, and the passing of her mother, has left her with a sense of wanting. Adventure hasn't always been on her list of things to do, but it seems that this next chapter of her life may not exactly be what she had in mind. The cabin that was left for her when her mom passed is originally her grandmother's and has many stories to tell. Unfortunately for Liz, these stories reveal a tale that she was not quite ready for.
After some thought and external pressures, Liz decides to make the leap and go the road less traveled. She moves to the cabin and takes the new job. With renewed life and purpose, she also uncovers mysteries surrounding the cabin and her heritage. There's a shift in the winds. Can Liz come to understand it? Or will the winds drown her out?
Q&A with the Author
TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW BOOK.
Releasing Her Power Within is the first thrilling novel in the Fae Shifters series. Liz takes a chance to move into the family cabin after her mother’s death. She didn’t expect the multiple threats on her life that came with the move or the family secret. She has to navigate through her new life and love to figure it out before someone else tries to kill her.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS BOOK?
This was my first novel to write and I wanted to share this story with the world. It has bits of me scattered through out and I feel that it really gives readers an escape from reality.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL GAIN FROM YOUR BOOK?
I hope they will gain joy and a sense of courage to take the path less traveled.
WHAT CRITERIA DID YOU USE WHEN SELECTING THE COVER FOR YOUR BOOK?
I thought about how Liz is leaving a dull and boring life to embrace something new and magical. She’s essentially entering a magical portal to a new life.
WHEN AND WHY DID YOU BEGIN WRITING?
I began writing while I was pregnant with my son who is now two. I did some research and discovered that self-publishing seemed the best path for me. Writing to me is like an extension to my reading. It’s a way to share my own thoughts and stories.
DESCRIBE YOUR WRITING STYLE.
My style is pretty relaxed. I like to make my characters engaging and realistic. I want my readers to be able to picture where they are in the story.
WHAT WAS THE HARDEST SCENE YOU HAD TO WRITE IN THE BOOK AND WHY?
The hardest scene was the scene where Liz discovered her abilities. There were so many different ways it could have played out and I wanted to portray her emotions to the readers.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE AS A WRITER?
Finding the time to sit down without being disturbed is the hardest thing for me right now. My two-year-old likes to be in my space constantly.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR NEW WRITERS?
Don’t give up on your work. There is always room for improvement and reach out for help when you need it.
ARE YOU WORKING ON ANY NEW PROJECTS?
Yes, I am currently working on the third book in this series that I hope to have out in January.
DO YOU HAVE A BLOG OR WEBSITE READERS CAN VISIT FOR UPDATES, EVENTS AND SPECIAL OFFERS?
I have a Facebook page and a website will be up in a few weeks. I will share it on my Facebook page when it’s completed. https://www.facebook.com/MadilynnDaleAuthor
Review: DREAM YOU INTO REALITY by J.C. Blu
“I’ve always been a dreamer, believing in fairy tales and mystical things…I believe that we live many lives, and our other half is always with us in every lifetime.” (3) This is the story of one woman’s quest for a soulmate. In the process, it just seems like she almost loses perception, often escaping to the realm of dreams and fantasy. I’m not sure if that was healthy. The result was her going from one meaningless relationship to another.
The writing was in strict diary format—quick, easy, not too involved. The bulk of it was on her constant ramblings within the narrative. I didn’t really see a point to all this. Just saw one loony woman.
My rating: 2 stars
Review: THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS by Idelle Kursman
Ryan is a celebrity actor, one of Hollywood’s best and brightest. His life is full of one-night stands and his only goal is to win an Oscar for one of his movies. One day, he receives a blackmail letter about his…son? What?
Christine is happily married with kids. Her world crashes around her when she realizes her husband may be dying.
Well-written, insightful, and evocative. The many intricacies in this captivating story include mysteries, memories, and blackmail. It is indeed called the book of revelations as truths finally come out for everyone. A well worth and captivating read!
My rating: 5 stars
Review: NO GUTS, NO GIRL by Tessa Kavanagh
She walked into the library and he was instantly smitten with her. This is the story of one shy, introverted guy. It’s not really what I thought it would be. It summarizes his romantic woes and general life as he admires this woman from afar. He does all this while working at a library, where you meet not-so-interesting characters and not much happens. I don’t see where this is “hilarious.” It wasn’t funny and I expected funny. It’s just nothing but monotony.
My rating: 2 stars
Review: KINGDOM OF SPADES by Violet Hart
Alex Wade left a life of privilege and fled to Las Vegas, where he fell under the tutelage of the most skilled poker player. Years later, he was settled with a rich life but still longed for companion. Then along came Scarlett. A big stakes game would set him up for life, but it results in his biggest loss—in more ways than one.
Mediocre and decent read. Short and easy. It summarizes the gains and losses of one arrogant player.
My rating: 3 stars
Review: HER BEST FRIEND by K.D. Jac
Two kids growing up best friends.
Short and simple for the most part, but gets confusing with the changing POV’s and many characters. I mean, I get that the story wanted to illustrated the different views from each character, but why have all the names in there? I couldn’t get into it as much as I wanted to.
My rating: 2 stars
Review: ATANCIA by Wren Figueiro
Atancia is a college student living with her nana after her mother left her. The last words her mother asked of Nana were: “If she ever starts to worry about her heart, tell her to seek the light of peace.” A mother’s mystery prompts Atancia to search for answers, starting with finding De La Paz.
Story was simple with an easy narrative. It’s a nice coming-of-age story about a young woman overcoming her shy awkwardness and living her life. In the midst, there’s this mystery, which is quite extensive, but, oddly enough, it drives the character in the story. At times, the story felt slow with certain areas being repetitive and redundant.
Decent YA read.
My rating: 3 stars
Review: GREENSMITH GIRLS by Raven Snow
Rowen returns to her family home, the Greensmith house with Greensmith witches. In the midst of this awkward family reunion, 2 dead bodies are found. Since this was mentioned before she went home, I’m not really too sure about the timeline of these bodies.
Regardless, this was strange and boring.
My rating: 2 stars
Review: LOST by Ron Vitale
Nothing but the whiny diary entries of Cinderella. Each month, she just cries and whines about something. So NOT GOOD.
My rating: 1 star
Review: REMEDIAL ROCKET SCIENCE by Susannah Nix
For Melody, rocket science she could handle; talking to cute guys was a whole other subject. Melody was weird. Of course she wasn’t going to have anything in common with Hot Guy. Who can name a Japanese film? But it was nice of him to save her from Creepy Guy.
Surprisingly the rich, spoiled good-looking boy was easy to talk to, so then Bookworm and Hottie hook up for one night.
Three years later, they meet again. Only Jeremy was now in the role of adult CEO with a girlfriend. That’s good! Melody didn’t want any complications; just a network. But she didn’t realize that he was heir to the multi-billion-dollar company she was recently hired at. The problem with Melody is that she overthinks things too much as it relates to that one night she had with Jeremy. It’s weird that the girlfriend befriends her. Why can’t she just go to work and come home like everybody else?
Some parts were good, but the whole thing has a lag. An okay read though.
My rating: 3 stars
