Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 28
June 2, 2025
Blog Tour: MISGUIDED TRUST by Lauren Wagner
MISGUIDED TRUST
Lauren Wagner
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GENRE: Eco Thriller
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BLURB:
Followinga catastrophic nuclear war, Sara lives in a town where the government controlsevery drop of water. Strict rationing tightly regulates residents’ lives, andto fall sick is to be executed. Sara’s life becomes more dangerous andcomplicated when she first hides and cares for a small boy who has fallen sick,then takes him in when his parents are taken by the authorities.
Determinedto care for the helpless child while struggling to keep alive the memory of herlong-dead best friend, Sara leans on her friend’s older brother, Josh, anemployee of the domineering water company that controls the water rationing.But Josh is under suspicion, and the city’s enforcement unit begins to observetheir daily activities. Despite knowing that she’d be executed if her actionswere known, Sara finds herself deeply and distressingly attracted to the leadinvestigator, navigating a complicated romance and finding a glimmer of hope ina world long dominated by fear and control.
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ExcerptTwo:
Interfering with water restoration and conservation laws isstrictly prohibited.
I scrutinize the large mahogany desk positioned before me asI sit in my shrink’s office later that afternoon. The legs curve out into clawswith such immaculate details. I can’t help but wonder if the claws are supposedto symbolize each one of her patient’s secret desires to claw away at theirskin. It’s morbid, really. It just makes people yearn for it more, long for theinevitable pain that accompanies the fight. Place a sword in a knight’s hand,and he will want to fight. Put a claw in a psychiatrist’s office and make itresemble a razor blade.
“Sara? Sara, are you even listening to me?”
Dr. Hammid slides her glasses down her nose and glares atme.
The black rims make her face look pointy and sharp aroundthe edges.
I look up at her without changing the expression on my face.She is an older woman with wrinkles forming around the smile lines on her face.Her short hair makes her look captivating. She is actually brilliant, in smalldoses. And only brilliant on the days I am willing to listen to her. It’s likeeating a piece of chocolate. Tasting one makes you want another, but it leavesyou feeling nauseous after a handful.
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What elements are needed to make agood story in this genre and why?
If you’ve everfelt like the world is teetering just a little too close to sci-fi chaos,you’re already in the right mindset to write a good dystopian story. The keyingredients? Start with a society that’s taken a wrong turn — maybe technologyhas gone too far, the government is a little too controlling, or basic humanrights are now part of a subscription plan. You’ll need a main character whodoesn’t quite fit in, someone who starts questioning things others accept, nota full-on action hero, just someone tired of the nonsense. Dystopias thrive onstrange new “normal” rules that make readers pause, like curfews that make nosense or mandatory emotional check-ins. Add a powerful antagonist who trulybelieves they’re doing the right thing, and you’ve got some moral tension towork with. And of course, even in the bleakest story, a thread of hope isimportant — just enough to suggest that change is possible. The best dystopiasdon’t scream “the end is near!” — they quietly ask, “What if we keep going likethis?” and let readers fill in the rest.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
LaurenWagner’s love for reading started as a young adult after discovering her town’spublic library. After carrying out pilesof books at a time, and re-reading them over and over again, she discovered herlove for writing. She writes fantasy and science fiction as well as post-itnotes about her future stories.
Shegrew up in the western suburbs of Chicago where she presently resides with herhusband and two children. She currently teaches upper elementary students tolove and obsess over written works of art.
Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/LoloWags
Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Misguided-Trust-Lauren-Wagner/dp/1962308340
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GIVEAWAY
LaurenWagner will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
May 30, 2025
Review: BEST FRIENDS by Shannon Hale
6th grade was going tobe awesome, right? Wrong! That was a time when you couldn’t figure if youshould be mature or still a kid. I totally get how Shannon felt. This takes meback to 5th grade when the other girls were fawning over JasonPriestley of 90210 and I was still into Power Rangers. You just don’t seem tofit in no matter what you do. Should you be a grown up already in the 6thgrade? Yep, and this was definitely the age when you should ask yourself: Areyou too big for the kiddie rides, or should you ride the big rollercoaster? 6thgrade was big, giant rollercoaster! But the bigger question for Shannon was:Are you too old for a best friend?
The illustrations were cute andfunny! A classic growing pains story!
Rating:4 stars
Review: MAGIC TREEHOUSE: DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK by Mary Pope Osbourne
A treehouse full of books. What ifthe treehouse could make all your wishes come true?
In this first book, Annie and Jackfind themselves transported to Dinosaur Land. Way cool!
Loved the illustrations! Some ofthe text was a little too small to read, but the awesome pictures show thestory well and take you on a grand adventure. The illustrations were really thebest part. Sure, the dinosaurs were cute and friendly…until you get to theT-Rex.
A high-flyin’ adventure! Can’twait to read Book 2!
Rating:4 stars
Review: MISS QUINCES by Kat Fajardo
Sue and her sisters were going toHonduras to visit family. Sue was dreading it because she wanted to have funthis summer. The art work was colorful, but I didn’t like the text change fromblack to blue—it made it hard to read.
I could relate to Sue’s refusal tohave a quinceañera. A big, loud party while wearing a poofy, ridiculousdress? Bleh!
“Why can’t my journey to womanhoodbe replaced by just cutting a cake and spending the day reading a book in myroom?” Yeah!
In this funny comic, Sue has totry on high heels, write a speech, and learn to dance. Oy, the quinces!
This was a cute and decent readalthough I didn’t quite enjoy it as much I thought I would. A fairly nice one.
Rating:3 stars
May 29, 2025
Spotlight: DEEPLY EXAMINED by Lexi Davis
She came in for a routine checkup. She left with a prescription for trouble.
Jessica never expected her annual exam to change everything. But the moment she steps into Dr. Adam West’s office, the air between them crackles with unspoken tension, awakening forbidden desires she’s never dared to explore.
He should keep his distance. She should walk away.
But when her safety is threatened, West’s protectiveness crosses a line—he demands she move into his luxurious penthouse. There’s something about him—something dark, something that calls to her in ways she doesn’t understand—that makes her agree.
Under his roof, boundaries blur and rules shatter. Late-night conversations turn into whispered confessions. Their fiery, physical connection transforms into something far more dangerous: trust.
But the closer they get, the more Jessica realizes—West was never a stranger. And she was never just another patient.
Now, she’s tangled in a web of obsession and desire, where love and control blur. When West’s past and present collide, one question remains:
Will love save them… or ruin them both?
Author Bio: Lexi Davis is the pen name for Melissa Dymond. She loves long walks on the beach, drinking iced mochas, and writing smut. She believes in the ultimate power of love to both heal and transform. Her greatest hope is that her books bring joy to readers and allow them to escape one page at a time.
Purchase links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F19KJH33
Social Media links:
Website: https://www.melissadymondauthor.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/43899311.Melissa_Dymond
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissadymondauthor/reels/
May 28, 2025
Blog Tour: Macateer Brothers box set by ML Nystrom
When you get your slice of life's happiness, take it in bothhands and run with it.
MacAteer BrothersSeries Box Set
Books 1-5
by ML Nystrom
Genre: Contemporary romance, Romantic suspense, Friends to lovers,Opposites attract
This box set containsfive delicious brothers all finding their HEAs.
Follow the lives of five handsome, hard-working brothers,who connect with five incredible, feisty women and discover what it means tofall completely. Read how these flawed yet lovable men find true happinessthrough heartache, forgiveness, and falling in love.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”Loved this series so happyall the MacAteer brothers got their happy ever afters”.
Books Included InThis Box Set:
Book 1: Run With It
Two people building new lives. Two people with no time orenergy for love. Bev and Connor are determined to stick to their plans, butlife has other ideas—now they just have to run with it.
Book 2: Ready For It
A woman who seems to have it all, a shy construction workerwho prefers to keep in the shadows, and news that will blow their worlds wideopen.
Book 3: Hold It Close
A man recovering from a toxic relationship and slowlyhealing. A woman recovering from a divorce and seeking a new life. When theirworlds collide, will Garrett and Bertie finally heal and find their happilyever after?
Book 4: Risk It All
A woman with a painful past, a player who revels in being abachelor, and an unlikely agreement that will turn their worlds upside down.
Book5: Give It To Me
A woman with secret desires, an alpha construction workerwho enjoys his darker cravings, and a chance meeting that will changeeverything.
Readers AreSaying About The MacAteer Brothers Series:
★★★★★ “These MacAteer boys areall turning out to be the standard for book boyfriends. Loved it”
★★★★★ “I seem to fall more inlove with the brothers as I read each of their books.”
★★★★★ “Wonderful, laugh-out-loudbook with all the feels!”
★★★★★ “Powerful stories,perfectly written.”
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PICK UP YOUR COPYTODAY. THE MACATEER BROTHERS ARE WAITING!
Read ALL FIVE books, over 250,000 words, with ONE KindleUnlimited download.
I've spent most of my life as a performing musician and bandinstrument repair technician, but that doesn't mean I'm pigeon-holed into onemold. I've been a university professor, belly dancer, craftsperson, soap maker,singer, rock band artist, jewelry maker, lifeguard, swim coach, and whateverelse I feel like exploring. As one of my students said to me once, "Life'stoo short to ignore the opportunities." I have no intention of everstopping so welcome to my story world. I hope you enjoy it!
Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
Follow the tour HERE for special contentand a $25 giveaway!
May 27, 2025
Blog Tour: WAR AT THE ICE SCREAM STORE 2 by Cheryl DaVeiga
Book Details:
Book Title: War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm by Cheryl DaVeiga
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 4 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Waterhole Productions LLC
Release date: May 6, 2025
Content Rating: G. This children's book is for everyone.Book Description:
The sequel to the award-winning War at the Ice Cream Store: Bully Vanilli vs Mustachio Pistachio
It’s a perfect Sunny Sunday in July—The ultimate ice cream day! But wait… uh oh… Trouble is brewing down at the Frozen Frogg Ice Cream Store! A swirly, twirly, category five twister is out of control!!
Could this be the first summer Sunday EVER without ice cream? (Say it isn’t so!) Or can the flavors and toppings whip up a plan before it’s too late? Buy the Book
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM
add to goodreadsAlso For Your Reading Enjoyment:
Book Details:
Book Title: War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli—Collector's Edition by Cheryl DaVeiga
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 32 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Waterhole Productions LLC
Release date: May 2025
Format available for review: print-softback (USA only), ebook (GIFTED KINDLE, PDF)
Will send print books out: USA
Tour dates: May 19 to June 6, 2025
Content Rating: G. This children's book is for everyone.Book Description:
New Collector's Edition—Reillustrated with enhanced story and bonus content.
In the Frozen Frogg Ice Cream Store, Bully Vanilli is the most popular ice cream and self-proclaimed king of the flavors. Lonely Mustachio sits at the back of the freezer. No one ever picks him. Every night, after the store door is locked, Bully Vanilli begins his bullying and Mustachio is his favorite target. One night, Vully kicks Mustachio's bucket. Poor Mustachio falls SPLAT on the floor, and it's... War at the Ice Cream Store! (And there's a song!)Buy the Book
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM
add to goodreads
Review of War at the Ice Scream Store 2: The perfect ice cream storm was here and wreaking havoc. It was cute and funny how they relayed this story has a news bulletin. “It’s a perfect July ice cream day. Closing the Frozen Frogg would be a Category 5 disaster.” Such a fun and enjoyable sequence of illustrations and wacky text. You can’t help but smile when reading this book. It’s like reading a comic strip! A great read!Rating: 5 stars
Meet the Author:Cheryl DaVeiga is an award-winning songwriter and children's book author who loves to combine humor, rhyme, and wordplay to create stories and songs that bring on the giggles. You can find her books and animated sing-along song videos on her website for kids and kid-lovers—BiffBamBooza.com. Biff Bam Booza books have received numerous awards and high acclaim, including Mom's Choice Gold, Purple Dragonfly, Eric Hoffer, and Literary Titan book awards, Readers' Favorite 5-star ratings, and Kirkus Review Magazine features. Cheryl lives in Tucson, Arizona, and spends her summers in her native New Jersey.
connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ X ~ bookbub ~ goodreadsEnter the Giveaway: WAR AT THE ICE CREAM STORE 2 Book Tour Giveaway
May 26, 2025
Q&A with Geoffrey R. Jonas, author of BEING BROKEN
A young woman dies alone in a hotel room, her fentanyl-poisoned cocaine still on the desk. She had been missing for nearly 2 weeks. Social Services had been trying to find a place for her to live with her 3-year-old son, whom she had left with her parents. Six months later her father fights for his life in intensive care, but succumbs to his illness because of a lifelong use of alcohol and tobacco. A month after his death her mother is assessed by doctors to be unable to care for herself because of her Alzheimer's and mental health issues brought on by benzodiazepine and alcohol addiction.
The son, brother, stepson is the only one left to pick up the pieces. He begins a journey of the self and finds out the truth of his family. After going over letters, notes, emails, videos, and text messages, he uncovers a disturbing picture of the abuse his sister suffered at the hands of their parents. He also begins to better understand his own struggles with mental health and substance addiction because of the trauma and abuse he also suffered from their parents.
Follow the son as he looks through his family history to discover the generational abuse that trickled down through the years. Learn about how parents who suffer from narcissistic personality disorder emotionally abuse and manipulate their children. See how the abuse and trauma becomes mental illness in the abused, and how they fall into vicious traps of addiction, eating disorders, self-harm, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Witness the transformational change of the son as he works on the recovery of his inner child and tries to become the man he was meant to be.
WHATWAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS BOOK?
Simply put, thedeath of my sister. After her death, I began to research how such a thing couldhappen. I had already been studying Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and trauma formany years; however, this was the first time I started looking directly into myfamily. The writing began as essays, discussing the abuse and trauma and how itrelates to SUD. Once I started connecting the dots between trauma and SUD, Iwanted to incorporate real-life examples of our experiences to bettercommunicate that relation.
HOWDID YOU COME UP WITH THE TITLE FOR THIS BOOK?
The title has adouble meaning. First, to represent the process of how one becomes brokenthrough abuse and trauma. Second, to describe living with Complex PostTraumatic Stress Disoder (CPTSD), as it feels to me. There’s a process to beingbroken by our parents, and there’s living with the consequences of the feelingof being broken.
DIDYOU DO ANY RESEARCH FOR THIS BOOK? IF SO, WHAT?
I did a lot ofresearch for this book. Authors, studies and research, videos, courses: I didmore than I could name here. I have studied trauma and SUD for almost 10 yearsnow, and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) for more than 3 years. While Ido not have an alphabet of diplomas and degrees behind my name, I feel that Idid my best to educate myself to the facts and evidence so that they would bewell represented in the book.
PLEASEDESCRIBE YOUR WRITING JOURNEY FOR THIS BOOK. TELL US WHAT A DAY FOR YOU WASLIKE.
As mentioned above,it really started with the essays. As a man of science and evidence, I neededto understand what happened. I had been writing essays about my own journeywith SUD and it evolved into understanding trauma and child abuse.
The writing processfor me is about both writing and editing at the same time. While many authorschoose to write everything that comes to mind for extended periods and thengoing back and editing, my process is typically to write and edit at the sametime. I will write a sentence or paragraph and then go back and edit it untilit is perfect before moving on.
Writing this wasdifficult though. Writing about your own trauma, and that of my sister, couldbe very overwhelming. I would tackle a difficult topic, which may only be acouple of paragraphs, and I would have to stop for the rest of the day, or acouple, before I could get back to the keyboard.
HOWIS YOUR BOOK DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER BOOK IN THIS GENRE?
I believe that theinclusion of the science alongside the relative experiences sets my book apart.Similar to Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry’s book What Happened To You?,where they take Bruce’s research and apply it to real-life experiences ofOprah, I wanted to show the correlation of my, and my sister’s, experienceswith the evidence of the relation of trauma and SUD.
WHAT CRITERIA DID YOU USE WHEN SELECTING THE COVER FORYOUR BOOK?
I wanted to honour my sister’s love for creating collages with the angstshe felt towards what was happening to her. I also wanted to have it reflectthe chaos of her life.
WAS THERE A MESSAGE IN YOUR BOOK THAT YOU WERE TRYING TOCONVEY?
That we need tochange the collective mind of how we approach SUD. We need to look at SUD asnot a cause, not a disease, but as a symptom, a behavioural disorder that canbe unlearned. A vast majority of people with SUD have suffered some kind oftrauma in their lives and they are using street drugs as a form of medicationto manage their untreated mental illness. Addiction is not about ‘partying’ or‘having fun’, it is about trying not to feel bad, to feel normal. However, leftuntreated, or mistreated like my sister, the addiction spirals out of controland the result of my sister’s case was her death.
We have to change thepublic view of people with addiction to not see them as criminals anddegenerates, but individuals that are suffering from horrific traumas and needour help, not condemnation.
WHATARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE AS A WRITER?
Perfectionism andImpostor Syndrome. My perfectionism is a result of the abuse where I wasregularly criticized and judged if everything wasn’t perfect, or made to feelshame about mistakes. My Impostor Syndrome, also a result of the abuse, is whenI am complimented or positively judged for my work and I can not accept itbecause I feel that I do not deserve it.
The consequence ofthese two factors is procrastination. I will avoid the work so that I do notfeel the shame and low self-esteem that occurs when things are not as good as Iwant them to be, or the anxiety of a review that isn’t perfect.
DOYOU FEEL THAT YOUR BOOK IS CONTROVERSIAL? IF SO, IN WHAT WAY?
I am challengingthe status quo when it comes to my view of SUD and recovery, which can be quitecontroversial. For so long, the belief was that addiction is a disease of thebrain as a result of the drugs changing the brain; however, while drugs can causechanges to the brain, those changes can be reverted, through neuroplasticity,by a cessation of the drugs. We can unlearn the adaptive behaviour of usingdrugs to treat our mental illness caused by trauma. The root must be pulledout, so to speak, and the desire or need to use drugs will lessen.
Challenging 12-stepprograms is another controversial topic. Some people believe in the 12-steps soblindly, due to its societal prevalence for so long, that it causes greatcognitive dissonance. I have had people lash out or even threaten me because Italk negatively about the 12-steps. The steps, and the Big Book, are a100-year-old theory that doesn’t hold up to today’s addiction science. Wouldyou ask your doctor for a 100-year-old treatment for an illness when there arenewer and better alternatives?
ISTHERE A SPECIFIC AUDIENCE FOR THIS BOOK? IF SO, WHAT?
I wrote this book for people suffering from similartypes of abuse, as well as SUD. Many people in abusive relationships,especially caregiver relationships, are not even aware that they areexperiencing abuse. I wanted to portray that they are not alone with what theyare going through and that there is hope for recovery.
As for SUD, Imentioned previously that challenging the status quo views on addiction mayallow people to see that there are alternative treatment options out there andthat it is not something that you have to live with forever. SUD can beovercome and we can live a life free of the cycle of substance use.
WHYSHOULD READERS GET THIS BOOK?
I think people whoare interested in learning more about NPD, narcissistic parental abuse, andtrauma and SUD would be interested in this book. People who feel that there areimprovements that can be made in recovery treatment programs for SUD and CPTSDwill find key, and alternative, options in this book.
I also believe thatthe information in my book is helpful in recognizing NPD abuse, the symptoms ofCPTSD, and the science of addiction to allow people to protect themselves fromthe harms of these types of abuse and the resulting disorders that may result.
IFYOU COULD DESCRIBE YOUR BOOK IN THREE WORDS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
We can heal.
AREYOU WORKING ON ANOTHER BOOK? IF SO, TELL US ABOUT IT.
I am not currently working on another book. This book was very difficultfor me to write. I do have some ideas rattling around in my head, perhaps afollow up called “Getting Fixed”, but most likely I will be trying my hand atfiction. I am an avid reader of fantasy and science fiction and have manycharacter backgrounds, stories, and ideas written throughout the years that maycome together into a science fantasy series.
Thank you.
May 24, 2025
Review: CHEFS, CEREMONIES, AND CRIMES by Cindy Bell
The chef at the restaurant hasbeen killed. Now, Wendy had to find a new venue for an upcoming client weddingand find a killer to hopefully get an innocent man off the suspect list. Thecase definitely gets you interested. A good read!
Rating:4 stars
Review: TIDES, TRAILS, AND TROUBLE by Cindy Bell
Dune House was housing abirdwatcher’s club. On a quest to spot a rare bird, the club has aconfrontation with a surfer. Soon after, that surfer turns up dead in thewoods. Apparently, he fell from a tree, but was it an accident? Police soonconfirmed it was murder and the girls of Dune House were on the case. Could oneof the birdwatchers have done it? Like always, you easily get caught up in themystery. A good read!
Rating:4 stars
