Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 290

Review: THE EXTRA by Megan Walker and Janci Patterson

When one career door slams in your face, another one opens. In L.A, who’s NOT desperate to get into the acting world? Certainly not Gabby. But, to her friend, landing a role in a daytime soap opera was a dream come true.


Since losing her job, Gaby certainly had more time on her hands. Of course, she was going to miss all the things money could buy. That’s when her friend suggests she be an extra on the soap opera. An extra for Passion Medical. Suddenly, Gabby is thrust into the world of acting.


This was an okay story. It didn’t really captivate me that much, but it was easy to read and witty at times. Story really drags you in the Hollywood scene, which, at times, can be vapid and shallow, but I liked the character and the writing was pretty good.


My rating: 3 stars

Review: THE CINDERELLA ARRANGEMENT by Vanessa Waltz

Jessica was a recent college grad and desperate for a writing job. While scouring the job boards, a magazine article catches her eye. “How I made $5000 by being a Sugar Baby.” Basically it was rich men needing college girls as escorts with no sex. That’s what they say, right? Could Jessica “prostitute” herself for money? Heck, yeah! She needed to pay rent. It wouldn’t be so bad. She would merely be eye candy.


At first, the guys who responded looked pretty sleazy—old-looking DOM’s looking for hot, young things. Yuck! Then she gets a proposition she couldn’t refuse--$2000 just to meet with the guy. Turns out that this was a really hot, young millionaire. Soon, she becomes Cinderella—the poor girl getting wined and dined by the millionaire. He whisks her to Europe—the most romantic getaway. The whole thing was just nothing but wooing. It’s an okay story.


My rating: 3 stars

Review: FAITH IS FEARLESS by D. Pichardo-Johansson

Fe’s rule: Never, ever date a doctor.


“Everything happens for good is the trick to changing your attitude. And everything is about attitude.” (2)


“Even what seems like senseless bad luck will always bring something good in the long run.” (3)


Fe is a divorced, Latina, single mom. Even though her marriage to an egotistical and manipulative man ended badly, her marriage gave her wonderful kids. Still, she learns not to make the same mistake twice.


Dr. Shawn has always had bad luck. On a bike run, he runs right into a woman—into Fe.


Both characters have good hearts. I enjoyed the streak of back luck (funny and ironic.) If it hadn’t been for this bad luck, they never would’ve met. Too bad she doesn’t date doctors.


In an effort to steer clear from the handsome doctor, Fe learns about the rumor about Shawn: the rumor was that Shawn killed his wife. What? Fe didn’t need to get mixed up with all that. She was having a hard enough time putting together her own speech therapy business, especially since her ex—the respectable doctor—was bad-mouthing her all over the medical community, running her reputation and her career prospects. But what happens when Shawn’s autistic son becomes a hopeless case and Fe is the only answer?


In the midst of trying to clear their good names, Fe and Shawn work together to help his son. And Fe is actually really good with him. The two characters actually connect over the child’s disability. Even though I did think Fe dressed too inappropriately (I mean, she’s around kids for godsakes!) I think they were good people that deserved love and happiness.


Story was quirky and enjoyable.
My rating: 3.5 star

Review: THE LAST DANCE by Aimee Brown

Can you truly forgive and forget?


“We’ve been best friends since the day we met during my freshman year of high school. It was about as anti-romantic as things could get right from the start.” Ambri and Henry maintained their friendship ever since then, especially after Rory’s death. Rory was Ambri’s sister and Henry’s wife.


“As destructive as it is, death seems to bond people in a way nothing else can. He’s become so much more than my best friend over the last year.” (12)


I can’t have feelings for him; it’s against the rules. I’m not sure exactly which rulebook I’m following but me and Henry, romantically involved, feels like crossing some kind of invisible line in the sand. (13)


Could a girl who always picked the wrong guy choose the guy with the good heart? How could a gorgeous and perfect guy possibly match up to a girl that doesn’t have her life together?


This was an enjoyable friends-to-lovers tale. I loved Ambri’s down-to-earth style and I loved Henry, who loved and accepted Ambri just the way she was. Even though he was married to her sister, Ambri still knew him better than she did.


The story is written in a diary format with each character relaying their doubts, fears, and inhibitions about the potential love between them. Flashbacks of their past also flitter through their minds as the two become closer. The summarization style expressed the characters emotions fairly well, but, at times, it slowed the story’s overall progress. I also found their constant overanalyzing doubts to be quite daunting sometimes. Still, I was endeared by this unique, companionable love that’s so hard to find but is often right under your nose.


It’s a nice love story between friends.


My rating: 3 stars

Review: STORM IN A CUP OF COFFEE by Keren Or

Eli was at a low point in her life, which is why she visited the “coffee witch,” a foreteller that could see things with just a coffee stain. At first, Eli didn’t believe in such nonsense, but then Lena ended up knowing things about Eli that she never really told anyone. One visit, Lena told Eli that in a few months, she would get a new job, where she would meet her future husband. And that’s why Eli decided to uproot her whole life. All Eli was looking for was a quiet, uncomplicated relationship, and that was NOT Lucas. Lucas was a divorced father of a 6-year old son.


“If you don’t try, you don’t live.” (20)


Suddenly, Eli gets it in her head that Lucas was The Chosen One, which turned Eli into a nuisance. All of a sudden, she becomes desperate for his attention and would try anything to cross paths with him at work. And why were we reliving her teen years?


Overall, this story was thought-provoking and well-written. I thought it had a good start with the mystique of the “coffee witch,” but then I was getting a little annoyed with Eli, who professed to be independent and self-sufficient.


I thought this had a nice cover. It was a true embodiment of the story. I liked how the coffee stain encircles a lonely woman and a splotch stamps a loving couple in the corner. But the cover didn’t compensate for the story droning on and on in a flowery prose without really going anywhere.


My rating: 3 stars

Review: VICES/VIRTUES by Beatrice De Soprontu

Cristela was a professional by day and a dominatrix by night. Still new to the act, she came to realize that the job could be just as dull as any other job. I mean, one guy liked to be pelted with cupcakes. O-kay.
Cristela never really considered getting into this business until she came across an ad looking for women with good acting skills. Sure, the money was good, but, to me, it seemed like it wasn’t about the money for Cristela. It seemed to be about exploring a new facet in her psyche. Perhaps that was the whole concept of a vice.
The story goes on to tell all about her life, past, and family.
I liked the casual writing and the laid-back way Cristela went about this whole thing. I thought it would be funnier with various dominatrix scenes presenting ample opportunity for hijinx, awkwardness, and general embarrassment. I guess I expected more comical harebrained schemes rather than a narrative journal. Although not as enjoyable as I thought it be, it was okay.  
My rating: 3 stars

Review: ATHENA'S SECRETS by Donna Del Oro

Nine-year old Athena didn't know what was happening to her when the sounds and images sent her brain in a whirlpool. Her mother told her that this would happen, but a little girl could not prepare for such a feat.
Ten years later, Athena is trying to live her life at an art school. She still received images and thoughts that were difficult or even impossible to interpret. When a girl is found murdered, Athena is recruited by police force to help track the killer.
I love stories about psychics, but this story deals more with the science of clairvoyance. It becomes very technical and there's a long, enriching history of the Delphi line. Although the plot was a little more convoluted than previous works, the author is masterful at the craft, creating stories that are well-written and thoroughly researched. It's got international mystery and intrigue.
My rating: 3 stars

Review: FLAWED by Lym Cruz

I am cracked, but not broken.
Andrew couldn't believe his eyes, but he was sure he had found her. It was her.
Her name was Melissa. "The man in my dreams was not fictional, he existed and I had touched him." (12)
Right away the beginning is very cryptic. How could these two people know each other but NOT know each other? I don't get it.
Story is told in the POV of Andrew and Melissa―two perfectly flawed characters. Each have their own drama and issues. Although the writing was good, I wasn't that captivated by the story, which was very informative. In fact, it might've been a little too informative as I became overwhelmed by the various names and characters. Perhaps that's one of the main reasons I wasn't too taken by the story. I was mostly trying to figure out what the heck was going with Andrew and Melissa, because, as mentioned, the whole thing is very cryptic. Did he break her leg? Or did they have a one-night stand? What happened here?
I just wasn't keen on this book.
My rating: 2 stars

Blog Tour: THE WHY-ENTIST AND THE WILD WEATHER by Jane Lowry

The Why-entist and the Wild Weather
By Jane LowryIllustrations by Sukarno Achmad 
Children's STEM Picture Book
Hardback
The Why-entist is a girl who asks a lot of questions! After her uncle cuts down a forest and causes a lot more carbon dioxide to get into the air, the weather gets wild with big winds and storms. The Why-entist asks librarians, an environmentalist, her family and a scientist about the change. They explain green house gas and how global warming works.  She and her friends and everyone in town, except her uncle, decide to clean up the air by planting trees and using clean energy like solar and wind power. Can she and her friends help her Uncle change his mind?


Amazon │Author's Website (20% Discount through the Author's Website with promo code ADDIE20)


My review: Why, When, Where, What, How, and Who? Those were the questions of the Why-Entist, a curious, little girl. In this book, the Why-Entist asks about the weather, and we learn all about climate change and global warming.  She explains the information in such simple and basic terms. And how do we get rid of the greenhouse gases? By planting trees.


Wonderful illustration about the why of the world.  Great for the science kid!


My rating: 4 stars


Meet Author Jane Lowry Since the first time Jane Lowry saw a headlamp shine while pedaling her bike, she has been in love with renewable energy and what it can do.As a former teacher, Jane knows the importance of motivating children to learn more STEM/STEAM material. She believes that it’s never too early to gently introduce young minds to real world vocabulary and ideas in a friendly story.Her love of teaching and energy has taken her as far away as Japan. She’s active in the United Way’s “Read With Me” program.Today, Jane works with engineers and scientists who research renewable energy technology from solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, to biomass.Born in Canada, she now resides in Colorado with her Navy veteran husband, two growing up fast teens, Jasmine the rescue dog, and Pickles and August, her cats. Her love of writing, discovering what clean energy can do, coupled with cooking, travel and what’s new in the delicious world of chocolate keep her busy.

GiveawayEnter for a chance to receive a free hardback copy of "The Why-entist and the Wild Weather"!

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Tour ScheduleOct 3rd -  Sandra's Book ClubOct 4th - A Garden Of BooksOct 5th - Aunt Addie's BookshelfOct 9th - Jorie Loves A Story

Review: WEDDING HELLS by Jennifer Gilby Roberts (short story)

Wedding Hells is a laugh-out-loud British chick lit short story

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Mel Parker’s perfect little sister is getting married and she’d rather cut her own arm off than attend. Her relatives are guaranteed to give her hell about not going first, her dress is unbearable and her beloved best friend Will isn't even invited.

But her boyfriend is there. And there’ll be cake. So maybe it won’t be as bad as she thinks.

Maybe it’ll be worse...

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Wedding Hells can be read as a stand-alone short story, but is also a prequel to the romantic comedy novel The Dr Pepper Prophecies by the same author.




My thoughts: The character describes the hell and torture of being a bridesmaid. Just going to the wedding is bad enough. Gaudy dress, bad food, pointless conversations with relatives you can’t stand. Of course, the cherry on top was getting dumped after the photos. Great. Snarky and witty, this is a funny, little story that will perk up any dull coffee break. 

My rating: 4 stars