Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 273

Review: ONCE UPON AN EQUINOX by Dovie Ruth

Once Upon An Equinox (Mystic California Cozies #1)

by Dovie Ruth

Genre: Dark Paranormal Cozy Mystery

Age category: New Adult, Adult

Release Date: August 31, 2019

Blurb:

When Delaney Fox made up her mind to attend a session at The Tilted Plume Writers' Retreat in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, she had no idea how winding and treacherous the road was going to be. Eerily, none of the other students showed up. And perhaps Delaney should have stayed home, too. After all, she was five months pregnant.



Mavis Beasom, a renowned romance writer, enjoyed the life of a hermit at her glorious but isolated retreat, She was a towering and formidable woman nearing sixty, and she was certainly not one to mince words. She made no attempt to hide her black cape with the pointed hood.



Delaney wasn't interested in writing romance novels. She wanted to become a terrific author of thrillers. She had even brought along her unpublished novel in hopes of getting some advice.



Mavis soon made it clear that she had another agenda. She had lured Delaney to The Tilted Plume to be the thirteenth member of her own coven for an imminent celebration of the spring equinox.



To insure Delaney's participation, Mavis locked the heavy front cattle gate to her wilderness property. She also refused access to her landline, which was the only means of communication with the outside world.



When Delaney asked to leave the retreat, Mavis gave her student an amused look. “If you’re going to be a writer who's up to snuff, Delaney, you’re going to have to experience things outside of your own sheltered life. Tonight, you will participate in a rebirthing ritual. Ostara is the perfect time for you.”



“Ostara?”



“The spring equinox, my dear.”

~~~

My review: Delaney was a mother-to-be and an aspiring writer. After years of writing, she have yet to see any of her stories published. Perhaps a writer’s retreat would help.
Story certainly was promising, but it did have a lagging start. I mean, it takes her a while before she even gets to the retreat. Perhaps there was a little too much time spent on the landscaping. Did we really need to see pictures? This was supposed to be a mystery, right?
It takes a while in the story for the reader to realize that Delaney had stumbled upon a coven of witches, who were looking for a new recruit.
The writing was pretty good, and I liked the premise, but the overall execution could’ve been quicker and more focused.
My rating: 3 stars


You can find Once Upon An Equinox here:

- Amazon

- Bookbub



About the Author:

From the time Dovie learned to write, she took solace in her pen. Children in her family were to be seen, not heard. She was fearless in her observations –– even with the knowledge that her journal would be breached periodically and read aloud to the family.


But nothing stopped Dovie's quill from dissecting the guarded veils of family life, the hidden stories that swam in academic fishbowls, and the nature of the universe. Fueled by the transgressive examples of Sylvia Plath, Ken Kesey, Shirley Jackson, and John Steinbeck, Dovie has inked her observations about courage, mental illness, disabilities, alternative lifestyles, the dark side of academia, and the baffling fit of traditional religions in the modern world. She was also fascinated with the weavers of mysteries such as Alfred Hitchcock, Agatha Christie, and of course, Carolyn Keene.



The subject matter of the author's novels might be heady, but Dovie Ruth's stories are delivered in a lively, juicy, provocative tone that leaves the reader questioning the status quo.



You can find and contact Dovie Ruth here:

- Twitter

- Amazon

- Bookbub

Review: THE FIREFLY by Nancy Gray

The Firefly (Spine Chillers)

by Nancy Gray

Genre: Horror

Age category: Middle Grade

Release Date: November 19, 2018

Blurb:

Leila’s sister has come down with a terrible fever that the doctors can’t explain. It started with the fireflies that mysteriously appeared in November, and then when she was visited by “the bug man.” When Leila confronts the FIREFLY that has made her sister sick she must make a terrible choice to save her sister or offer it another victim to satiate its terrible appetite! The monster needs to feed on blood and it needs another body to inhabit. His eyes are set on Leila!

You can find The Firefly on Goodreads



You can buy The Firefly on Amazon




My review: Fireflies! Leila loved to catch them. She didn’t expect to see a scary face in the woods. That’s when her little sister started having dreams about the Bug Man; the next morning, she gets a fever.


The way this thing starts almost sounds like the previous stories—with a face. I don’t even understand how the kid gets sick. Must’ve been the bug that flew in. Well, at least, Bug Man actually made an appearance in his grotesque and slimy form. What did Bug Man do to her sister?


Her sister’s fever was getting worse and time was running out. This definitely had a race against time.


All in all, an okay read.


My rating: 3 stars




About the Author:

Nancy Gray has published a number of works including her young adult fantasy series Blood Rain. Her short story “Chosen” appeared in Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal Author Quest: a Penguin Special from Grosset & Dunlap. Her work also appears in various anthologies.

Nancy Gray has been writing for over ten years. Gray lives in South Carolina with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys books, video games, anime, manga, and horror.



Other Works by Nancy Gray:

Blood Rain

Blood Moon

Blood God

Spine Chillers: The Scarecrow

Spine Chillers: Big Bad Wolf

Spine Chillers: The Beast of Black Pond

Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes

Spine Chillers: The Firefly



You can find and contact Nancy Gray here:

- Website

- Blog

- Facebook

- Goodreads

Review: THE BEAST OF BLACK POND by Nancy Gray

The Beast of Black Pond

by Nancy Gray

Genre: Horror

Age category: Middle Grade

Release Date: 15 October 2018

Blurb:
“Mrs. Snider,” Duane asked. “Do you know anything about Black Pond?”

“There isn’t some monster drowning children. It’s a dangerous, polluted pond,” she said.



But there is a monster that lurks silently in the water, watching and waiting; hungry for its next meal. Duane has seen THE BEAST OF BLACK POND, and the beast has his scent. The beast hunts him from the pond, to the lake by the dam, even to his own swimming pool. Duane will need all his wits, and the help of his friends if he wants to avoid being pulled under to a watery grave.

You can find the Beast of Black Pond on Goodreads



You can buy The Beast of Black Pond on Amazon





My review: It all started with a prank in the pool by Duane’s little sister. He almost drowned, so it wasn’t funny.


While hanging out with friends, he thinks he sees something by the pond.


The pace is rather slow. It just seemed like the kids are constantly talking. When does the beast come out?


Not too exciting.


My rating: 2 stars



About the Author:

Nancy Gray has published a number of works including her young adult fantasy series Blood Rain. Her short story “Chosen” appeared in Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal Author Quest: a Penguin Special from Grosset & Dunlap. Her work also appears in various anthologies.

Nancy Gray has been writing for over ten years. Gray lives in South Carolina with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys books, video games, anime, manga, and horror.



Other Works by Nancy Gray:

Blood Rain

Blood Moon

Blood God

Spine Chillers: The Scarecrow

Spine Chillers: Big Bad Wolf

Spine Chillers: The Beast of Black Pond

Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes

Spine Chillers: The Firefly



You can find and contact Nancy Gray here:

- Website

- Blog

- Facebook

- Goodreads

Review: THE KRAMPUS by Nancy Gray

The Krampus (Spine Chillers)

by Nancy Gray

Genre: Horror

Age category: Middle Grade

Release Date: December 12, 2018

Blurb:

Christmas is a time of peace and good dreams, but for Nick it would soon become a nightmare. When he starts skipping classes to hang with the bullies at school, strange things begin to happen.



A horrifying apparition haunts his dreams and tears his Christmas stocking into shreds! Finally, the beast crashes through Nick’s bedroom window, throws him in a sack, and spirits him away to its lair.



Nick finds himself in a world of perpetual twilight where he will have to find his way home before becoming trapped forever, or worse. THE KRAMPUS is hungry, and the oven awaits a fresh meat pie!

You can find The Krampus on Goodreads



You can buy The Krampus on Amazon





My review: It’s the holiday season and Nick was being anything but nice with him skipping class to hang with the school bullies. Upon getting caught by the teachers, Nick spots a stranger in a mask. Were they being watched?


Having to deal with his angry parents only made his day worse…until he sees the face in the flame…and hears noises in the chimney? Could it be Santa? This was no Santa. It was a monster!


From that point on, Nick was in a frenzy.


He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake! (Creepy song, by the way.)


It would seem Nick was having a hard time being good this year. The whole time he was getting punished for something.


A nice, easy read.


My rating: 3 stars




About the Author:

Nancy Gray has published a number of works including her young adult fantasy series Blood Rain. Her short story “Chosen” appeared in Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal Author Quest: a Penguin Special from Grosset & Dunlap. Her work also appears in various anthologies.

Nancy Gray has been writing for over ten years. Gray lives in South Carolina with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys books, video games, anime, manga, and horror.



Other Works by Nancy Gray:

Blood Rain

Blood Moon

Blood God

Spine Chillers: The Scarecrow

Spine Chillers: Big Bad Wolf

Spine Chillers: The Beast of Black Pond

Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes

Spine Chillers: The Firefly



You can find and contact Nancy Gray here:

- Website

- Blog

- Facebook

- Goodreads

Review: EMPTY EYES by Nancy Gray

Empty Eyes (Spine Chillers)

by Nancy Gray

Genre: Horror

Age category: Middle Grade

Release Date: October 26, 2018

Blurb:

“You will face a difficult task in the future. The card is reminding you that every person has a part of themselves they like to hide. Even when times are hard, you must not lose yourself.”



Ian frowned as Mrs. Marcas read his fortune. The school Halloween carnival was supposed to be the highlight of Halloween, but something about the card he picked seemed ominous. As he headed for the storyteller, things quickly took a turn for the worst when the school bullies chased him into an abandoned house. Inside, the children with EMPTY EYES decided to make Ian their friend. A black living mass twisted and coiled in his chest and closed in on his heart. Time was ticking away with every infected beat, and if Ian didn’t act quickly he really would lose himself forever.

You can find the Empty Eyes on Goodreads



You can buy Empty Eyes on Amazon



My review: Every year, Ian looked forward to the Halloween Carnival. It was just another night of eating candy and playing games until his mom picked him up. In the end, he didn’t expect to be chased down by bullies, forcing him to hide out in what appeared to be an old, abandoned house. That’s where he meets the kids with the black eyes, eyes that looked almost empty. They wanted Ian to be their friend. But evidently they did something to his heart, because there was a black mark on his chest and it looked like it was…moving. What’s going on here? Was Ian having a heart attack?


But then Ian was realizing that he was changing, growing more sinister. And his eyes—they were turning black! He didn’t want to be a monster. What could he do?


I thought this was a pretty good read. I liked the gremlin effect in the boy and I think the story could’ve done more mischief with it. Some kind of reckless chaos. That would’ve been fun. It just seemed that Ian was pondering a lot over what he was turning into. But it’s still a good read.


My rating: 4 stars



About the Author:

Nancy Gray has published a number of works including her young adult fantasy series Blood Rain. Her short story “Chosen” appeared in Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal Author Quest: a Penguin Special from Grosset & Dunlap. Her work also appears in various anthologies.

Nancy Gray has been writing for over ten years. Gray lives in South Carolina with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys books, video games, anime, manga, and horror.



Other Works by Nancy Gray:

Blood Rain

Blood Moon

Blood God

Spine Chillers: The Scarecrow

Spine Chillers: Big Bad Wolf

Spine Chillers: The Beast of Black Pond

Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes

Spine Chillers: The Firefly



You can find and contact Nancy Gray here:

- Website

- Blog

- Facebook

- Goodreads

Blog Tour: THE MATCHMAKER CLUB by Kaley Wood

The Matchmaker Clubby Kayley Wood
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Romantic Comedy/Chick lit
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
This feel-good rom-com is quickly becoming another fan favorite in the hilarious and sweet Club Series.
"I couldn’t put the book down. The story was great." - Jillian – 5 Stars
"OH THE FEELS! A great read!" - littleboodamommy - 5 Stars
"If you like heartwarming romantic comedies then you’ll definitely enjoy this book!" - Amanda Beaumont - 5 Stars
"There are several moments that will leave you giggling, and even more that will leave you sighing in content. You cannot go wrong when you click a book in this series." -Des - 5 Stars
Hilarious. Sweet. Sassy.
It is an indisputable fact that Reed women are not marriage material.
The great-granddaughter of a famous burlesque dancer, the granddaughter of an ex-hippie, and the daughter of an eccentric artist, Taylor quickly learns the heartbreaking lesson of her family curse after her first love ends in rejection.
Apparently, Reed women are not girlfriend material either.
Nestled in a small town in Maine, Cedar Gardens is the worn-down estate which the Reed women call home. But there’s one catch: It doesn’t belong to them. Almost seventy years ago, Mortimer J. Freeman bought the place for his long-lost love, Marlena Reed. Now, his great-grandson—and heir to billions—Lucas Freeman is in town with an agenda: to quietly reclaim the estate and Mortimer’s old love letters to Marlena while avoiding a family scandal. But Taylor’s grandmother has another plan: to play matchmaker with Taylor and Lucas before all three Reed women are kicked out of the only home they have ever known.
The problem? Taylor can’t stand the brooding billionaire, who doesn’t understand the gravity of a triple dog dare or the fun of blowing bubbles in your milk. Responsibility, reliability, and routine are Lucas’s mantra. That is, until the fiery Taylor schemes up a hilarious to-do list to break him out of his habitual shell and, in the process, turns his world upside down.
But falling in love wasn’t part of any of their plans.
Does Cedar Gardens have enough magic to bring Taylor and Lucas together, or will the Reed family curse win out in the end?
THE MATCHMAKER CLUB is the heartwarming, yet hilarious third installment in the Club Series. A New Adult Romantic Comedy full of lol moments, lovable characters, strong female bonds, and gives all the feels!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
 
I slipped off my shoes and curled up into the side chair. The windows were open and the crickets were going full force under a clear night sky.
“Have you looked into any houses yet?” My grandmother pulled a needle through fabric meant to add to her collection of bed pillows.
“No,” I said.
“Have you changed your mind about what we talked about?”
“The man lives and breathes rules and routine. I couldn’t get through to him if I tried.”
“He’s been through a lot recently. Sometimes routine can be a comforting way to deal with it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you know he was engaged not so long ago?”
Probably a business merger.
She pulled the needle up and through the fabric again. “Beautiful woman. Vibrant. She’s a fashion buyer who travels all over the world.”
That did not sound like someone Lucas would end up with.
“What happened? Did he call it off?”
“From what the tabloids said, she did, and not long after he proposed.”
“She probably realized how uptight he is and decided to save herself a lifetime of misery.”
A creak sounded from the staircase, and we all turned to find Lucas standing there, his stare even more brooding than usual.
Oh no.
I turned away and sunk down in my chair.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~



My review: Reed women are not marriage material. That’s what Taylor led herself to believe. I mean, really all the fathers of the family’s children were unknown? Geez…


Not only was she not marriage material, but she wasn’t even girlfriend material.


But Taylor doesn’t mind because she feels that she is guided by her dead mom through the Matchmaker Club.


While working her job as a waitress, Taylor meets a man named Lucas or, as she liked to call him, Mr. Intensity.


I liked the easy writing style, and the story certainly had some humorous quips.  It takes a while to learn that Lucas is the heir to the home of the Reed women. While Taylor can’t stand his stony and arrogant demeanor, her grandmother is playing matchmaker. Ya gotta love her!


Story carries the enemies-to-lovers theme rather well; however, it was also laced with some complexity, especially with the business aspect of it. Fortunately, the author tries to keep it light and airy so not to drag down the reader too much.


It was a pretty good read. A story that any romance reader would like.


My rating: 3 stars


AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Kayley has three simple rules in life:
1. Surround yourself with some incredible, kick-ass women you call friends.2. Don't worry about failure or mistakes. It's how you respond to them that makes all the difference.3. An appletini is never complete without two cherries.
Links:
Amazon purchase: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SZ3KSPDW... www.kayleywood.comFB: www.facebook.com/authorkayleywoodGR: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kayle...



~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Kayley Wood will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: MAD LOVE by Colet Abedi

According to the self-help books, Sophie should be living in the now. Now, she’s on a plane to an exotic destination. Now she was living in the now, right? Well, it didn’t feel that way to her. This vacation was supposed to be her saving grace, her salvation from the real-life drama. Why did she feel so lost and clueless? She broke up with her boring-as-hell-but-perfect-on-paper boyfriend and dropped out of the law career her family wanted her to pursue.


Her desire to be an artist and live her life was admirable. I love how she refused to settle.


Little did she dream that she would meet an Adonis on this trip. She’s practically consumed by his handsomeness.


This was an okay story. It was kinda slow though. Character is kinda neurotic and obsessive. Her gay friends were a hoot and definitely gave her life extra flavor.


My rating: 3 stars

Review: SECOND SEMESTER by Q.B. Tyler

Serena is a 21-year old law student interning at her father’s law firm. On her first day, she becomes instantly attracted to her father’s 43-year old business partner.


Landon knows he shouldn’t think such heated thoughts about his friend’s daughter. But, hey, he’s 43, not dead.


She’s too young, too naïve, too innocent. And Landon just couldn’t help himself. What will they do when her father finds out?


Story starts off with some sexy foreplay, then heats up. Landon is a jealous, possessive alpha. I thought this thing between them was more obsession than anything else. How could this really work? I didn’t really buy those two together. The read was okay though.


My rating: 3 stars

Review: WHEN THE STARS ALIGN by Isabel Jolie

Image Graphic designed by Sandra Lopez

New York City. I can’t stand the place. But when an offer to move to NYC includes a fast track to partner at a well-respected law firm, there’s no way I can decline.

My move to the city goes exactly according to plan, everything falling perfectly into place…until the elevator door in my new apartment building opens, and I come face to face with my past.

Four years ago we parted ways, neither of us willing to change our future career plans. We were too stubborn, too ambitious, and refused to make sacrifices. To add salt to the wound, she ended the year dating my roommate.

But right now, staring at her beautiful face after all this time, I can still feel it. The attraction, the desire—it’s palpable. Four years ago, I wanted forever with Anna. Now, I’m a different man. A relationship isn’t in the cards. She threw that chance away.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun…right?


Available on Amazon



My review: Anna never thought she’d see Jackson again. They haven’t dated or seen each other since college. Suddenly, he shows up again at her apartment building, because, apparently, he has moved in. This couldn’t get awkward…right?
But Jackson has no interest in revisiting the past, especially an old relationship.
At first, the two have animosity and old grudges. Could they be friends? Sure, after clearing up a few misunderstandings. But can they be friends and ignore their mounting attraction for each other, which has only gotten better with age? Sure! It’s called Friends with Benefits.
Story had an easy and comfortable flow that engages the reader. The Friends with Benefits deal was obviously a mix of fun romps to de-stress from their hectic lives, which I thought was a bit trite; however, I liked the comforting quality between them. From the characters’ POV, the reader journeys through the rituals of work and play, constantly hearing about how neither wants anything more. Of course, they wanted the sex without the intimate complications. Somehow (not surprisingly) they fall into a relationship.  But Anna has such an intense fear of commitment that she’ll do whatever it takes NOT to go there.
Can two people pretend…or were they just fooling themselves?
A pretty good read overall.
My rating: 3 stars

Review: BABY, I’M BACK by Laurie Kellogg

Samantha Rivera was a divorced mother of a teen daughter; she was trying to move, but she wasn’t entirely over her ex.


Nick didn’t want a divorce, but his accepting a new job in a new town without telling his wife was the final signature on the papers. As a Latino, he was raised to man up and take care of his family no matter what.


Their teen daughter has a tendency to get sick and has been acting out, being a real brat. It could have something to do with her lack of a male role model. Well, that was just another incentive Nick needed to return home. The two must set their differences aside to do what’s best for their daughter, but Nick hopes that this will be his golden chance to get his family back.


I thought this was pretty good. I liked the personable effect from the characters, but the overall story got long-winded and overly complicated with the history and various characters.


This was an okay returning love story. It was obviously meant to tug at the readers’ heartstrings with the child’s illness and love lost. But, for me, this was mildly amusing.


My rating: 3 stars