Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 319

Blog Tour: THE ANTIQUITIES HUNTER by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

Gina “Tinkerbell” Miyoko is not your typical private eye. Armed with a baby blue Magnum, a Harley blessed with Holy Water by her dramatically disposed mother, and a Japanese mingei tucked in her pocket (a good luck charm from her Sherlock Holmes-obsessed father) Tink spends her time sniffing out delinquent dads in the San Francisco Bay area and honing her detective skills.  
But when her best friend Rose, an undercover agent, discovers there’s a stalker on her tail, she hires Tink as a bodyguard. Someone must be trying to intimidate Rose and scare her out of testifying in an upcoming case on looted Anasazi artifacts.  But when Tink tries to flush-out the stalker, things take a far more dangerous turn.

Now, with a dead black-market dealer and an injured Rose on her hands, Tink must take her best friend’s place and follow the looters’ trail towards a powerful and lucrative antiquities collector in Cancun, Mexico. Equipped with an ingenious disguise and a teasingly coy persona to match, Tink is determined to find out who is behind the attack on Rose and the illegal trafficking of these priceless artifacts. Along the way, she will find help in the most unlikely of partners…

Deep in the jungle and far from civilization, Tink must decide who she can trust as she tries to unearth the ones responsible behind the pilfering and bloodshed―and still make it out alive. 


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When you are alone in the dark, hurting and frightened—no,terrified—that the next sound you hear will be the dyingscream of a friend, or a round being chambered, you findthings to do.
I prayed. I checked my watch. I checked my jacket pockets.
I had a little pack of Kleenex, my compass, my camera, and a hair clip.That was on the practical side. On the arcane side, I had a jumble of goodluck charms: a Hopi tinu, an obereg, and a piece of wire from an old Cadillac’staillight. And then, firmly in a class of its own—Things That WereOnce Practical But Are Now Junk—was the cell phone that wasn’t muchof a cell phone this deep underground.
I turned it on and was immediately mesmerized by the pale luminescenceof the little screen. I hoped there was enough kick left in its battery to lightmy tiny world for a while. I used the wan light to check my bandages. Theywere fairly dry. I had stopped bleeding.
Mercy.
I shut off the cell phone-cum-flashlight and mentally checked the restof my personal inventory. Earrings, a fake engagement ring, a watch, mySaint Boris medallion. I had a small custom tattoo on my right hip. Or atleast I had before tonight. For all I knew, the bullet that had grazed my hiphad cut a bypass through that neighborhood.
I prayed not. I was a bit superstitious about that tattoo. It was a RussianOrthodox “Old Believer” cross with a Buddha seated in an eight-petaledlotus in the heart of the second crossbar and surrounded by beams of light.I’d gotten it the year I obtained my private investigator’s license. Otherthan the tattoo artist who put it there, my best friend Rose and I are theonly two people in the world who know that tattoo exists. No one else hasever seen it. Not even my mom. It’s probably the only secret I’ve ever beenable to keep from her.
My reeling mind wandered to places more pleasant than the pitch-blackguts of the Mayan temple, in which I was trapped like a wounded animal,aware that tons of rock pressed down on my hiding place, and that a man Ihad once liked and trusted pursued me with one aim—killing me.
How had I come to be here, you might wonder? Hell, I wondered myself.One day I’m chasing down delinquent dads in San Francisco, the next I’mtrying to avoid becoming part of a South American archaeological site. AllCruz Veras’s fault.
A jolt of raw terror shot from one end of my body to the other; I wasfalling asleep.
I couldn’t fall asleep.
Okay, so the Wicked Witch of the West had routed me through herinfernal poppy fields. I’d think of snow.
I pulled myself up off the stone stairs I’d been huddled on, wobbly anddizzy. My hip whinged. I took deep breaths and held them for three seconds,then let them out . . . quietly.
I was in my fifth rep when I heard something that woke me utterly: agunshot.
A gunshot.
I pressed myself to the wall and moved down the stairs one shallow treadat a time, pausing to listen. Sounds found my ears—movement, shoes onstone. In the maze of tunnels under Itzamnaaj Balam, I couldn’t tell whereit came from. All I could do was continue to move, descending slowly toeven lower levels. I paused, put my head against the cool stone, and listened.Sounds rose up from below, sounds that might have been the scurrying ofmice anywhere else. But there were no mice down here.
My eyes were starved for light, yet dreaded to see it. It would be him,searching for me.
Keep moving, Gina. Just keep moving.
I fell into a sort of stupor, shuffling through the shadow lands, listeningand watching. So when my eyes finally saw light, it didn’t immediatelyregister with my brain that it meant Something Bad. I found myself beingdrawn toward a strange, gray, faded spot on the left-hand wall of the corridorahead. I was nearly on top of it when I realized that it was reflectedlight from a cross-passage to my right.
I flattened myself to the near wall and peered around the corner.
Ambient light washed out of everywhere and nowhere to illuminate thenarrow way. I could see clear through to its other end, where there was awall as solid and opaque as the one behind me.
Where was the light coming from? Curiouser and curiouser.
I stepped cautiously out into the junction. And was turned to stone. Heseemed to emerge from the very wall of the maze not four yards distant, hisflashlight in one hand, his revolver in the other.
I gasped.
He swung slowly toward me, bringing the muzzle of his gun to bear. Istood and clutched my useless cell phone and waited for him to shoot me.
He didn’t.
“Hello, Gina,” he said, sounding like Eeyore—relieved to have foundme, but depressed as hell. “You don’t look so good.”

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Excerpt: SCARLET REIGN: MALICE OF THE DARK WITCH by R.D. Crist - Chapter 12 - Fright Night

After the unexplainable death of her mother on the eve of Natalie’s fourteenth birthday, she is suddenly forced to grow up. Compelled to leave her dismal and deceptive life behind by a mysterious woman who claims to be an old relative, Natalie carries with her the highly coveted, scarlet stoned ring she reluctantly retrieved from her mother upon her death.

Following Natalie’s irreversible decision, she unexpectedly finds herself alone and thrust into a peculiar all female orphanage where her arrival was strangely anticipated by the inhabitants, and greeted by some with ire. Ultimately, young Natalie must quickly learn to fend for herself against bullies, unexplained forces, a male suitor, and something lurking for revenge. Does she have both the strength and resolve, and can she set the past aside, to uncover the secrets necessary in order to fulfill her destiny?


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Natalie swung, but it fell way short.  She reached closer to Melissa and jabbed, but still fell short of posing any real threat—physically and psychologically. After a few more swings, she gained confidence and drew even closer.  She swung again, then repeated, but reached a little closer, almost close enough to land a punch.  Then, she drew even closer, and in a blink, it was all over.
Natalie tried to push herself up to stand, but stumbled back into the girls, who held her up.  “It’s okay, I can walk,” she claimed as they let her go, and she began to fall again.“Girls, help her to the mat and give her a few minutes,” directed Zadie.  “Melissa, you may be excused.  In fact, the class is dismissed early.”Natalie gazed around.  “Did I win?” she asked.Emma said out loud to the other girls, “I think she’s still dreaming.”“What happened?”Susan helped Natalie sit up.  “Dude, she totally jumped up in the air, wrapped her legs around your neck, and pulled you down to the ground.  We told you to tap out once she had you in the choke hold, but I don’t think you heard us at all.”“Are you sure I didn’t land a punch?  I thought I hit something.”“Just the ground,” replied Susan.  “Come on, there’s no shame.  It’s time for some fun.”Zadie checked to ensure Natalie was unharmed; then, she dismissed the remaining girls to enjoy the night.Back in the dorms, surprisingly, Natalie had a few girls congratulate her.  She found, barring a few girls, most were impressed with her courage to challenge Melissa rather than making jokes about her.A number of girls surrounded Natalie, more interested in her than in the night’s adventures.“Natalie, do you want to explore the lower levels of the arena with us?” asked one girl.“No,” said another.  “We’re going to Mitzi Forest, aren’t we, Natalie?”“Calm down,” said Susan.  “She’ll decide in a minute.  Give her some time, alright?”“Yeah, she’s going to need some time… after that beating,” added Melissa.  “Tell me, Natalie, what were you thinking before the fight?  Oh, that’s right, you don’t remember.  You looked good though… until I decided to fight.”Melissa, Rebecca, and Isabella all had a good laugh at Natalie’s expense, but the other girls just mirthlessly stared at them.“Leave her alone, Melissa.  You’re an anomaly.  It took courage for her to face you.”Melissa’s capacity to elicit fear with nothing more than a stare was enough to make even Ms. Haggle proud.  “If she is indeed courageous, then she’ll have no trouble at the cemetery tonight.”The girls gasped collectively, and one asked, “You… you wouldn’t expect her to go to the cemetery on a full moon night?”“Why not?” replied Melissa.  “I’m an anomaly, and she stood up to me.  Isn’t she courageous enough to visit a little cemetery?” Changing her tone from facetious to hostile, Melissa told Natalie, “You’re going to the cemetery, Natalie. To the big stone entrance, and you’re going to tell me what it says above the keystone.”“Reads,” corrected Toddi.“Shut up,” snapped Melissa as she backhanded Toddi. “Or perhaps there’ll be another fight tonight.”“But everyone knows what it says… uh, reads,” said Susan.  “Here lie the dead, for all to revere.  They are resting now, in peace and still.”“Not on a full moon night.  Tell me what it reads.”“I’ll go,” said Natalie.“No you won’t!” exclaimed Susan.  “There are things up there.  Things you don’t understand.  You can’t go!”“She’s going,” insisted Melissa.  “And you’re going with her.”


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Review: FOOTSTEPS IN THE ATTIC by James Peter Usavage

It all begins with a young girl named Rita and her fascination with a Ouija board in her attic. In search of answers, she decides to see the local fortune teller. It was then that she learns she was "born under a veil" and that she too has a "gift." Well, she always had a feeling she was different.
A man named John did not meet Rita until she performed tarot readings at his birthday party. Soon, the two begin dating. Then there was this long summation involving a wedding, a remote vacation, and, finally, a mystery of some sorts.
I liked the average and simplistic style of the story, however, I felt that certain areas lagged a bit and I often wondered if these parts were even necessary. There were also a few too many characters for my liking. I just hate it when I can't keep track of everybody.
What started off as an okay read turned out to be way more complicated than I thought. I would've liked for it to be kept simple. I wasn't that thrilled with it.
My rating: 2 stars

Review: BLOOD MAKES IT WRONG by Valentina Latin

A bizarre love triangle...between a boy and his mother. Oy, that is so wrong.
Ramona decided, once and for all, that this Synthia girl her son brought home had to go. Then, suddenly, she disappears.
Although  I applaud the allure of mystery lent by Synthia's disappearance, I felt that the focus was more on this family trio (Peter, Ramona, and Mark.) Evidently, the boy was having nightmares of some kind.  The mother was more worried than ever and the father didn't know what the hell was going on. There was no clear connection. I guess I couldn't really see where this was going.
This story really wasn't that great. 
My rating: 2 stars

Review: BATTLE FOR A SOUL by Manuel Meléndez

Story takes you back to the good ole’ days of Old New York.  This story certainly follows the same structure as When Angels Fall, but it just seemed a little complex. First of all, I thought there were a few too many characters. Second, I wasn’t as instantly captivated by it like I was with the first book. Perhaps there were too many perplexing angles. The story was certainly well-written. The author has a talent for blending poetry, religion, mystery, and horror.
Overall, this was pretty good, but I liked the first book better.
My rating: 3 stars

Review: ONE NIGHT’S STAY by C.B. Collins

Thirteen strangers check into the Sunset Inn hoping to find rest. When one of them is murdered in the middle of the night, the survivors realize they’ve found something else entirely; an ancient evil looking to satisfy an undying hunger. If the guests want to make it through the night, they’ll have to discover the secret behind the motel and the mysterious town it serves. However, in uncovering the truth, they might find that the town’s past is nowhere near as dark as their own.












My review: Out in the middle of West Virginia, two college students run out of gas and stop for a night. The motel certainly doesn’t look like much. In fact, it sort’ve looked like the Bates Motel. Not a good time to mention the West Virginia cannibals from Wrong Turn.
One by one, the rooms of this desolate motel get booked for one night’s stay with a cast of colorful characters. Then welcome the Halloween Hacker, whom Detective Nick Rollins has been hunting for ever since the murder of his sister. So now the motel was fully booked.
"Somebody was going to die tonight. But who?"
This was an interesting little mystery full of darkness and terror. Author cleverly combines multiple character stories into one, although with the constant change of POV’s, it was sometimes hard to keep track. The hunt for the Hacker was slightly daunting and lagged a little. I would’ve preferred a little more speed in the process. But, all in all, this was a pretty creepy tale, just the thing for a scary night in.  
My rating: 3 stars

Review: LOVING GIA TO DEATH by Rena Koontz

Blake Matthews is caught in a deadly Catch-22 predicament. In order to save his daughter, he must prove his wife is a monster. He’ll divorce her and move out, but that leaves five-year-old Gia alone in the house with the very person he suspects is hurting her. But proving his ex-wife is deliberately harming Gia is next to impossible. Few police agencies are familiar with Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy. It doesn't help that his ex points an accusatory finger at him.

Nurse Noreen Jensen is suspicious of both parents and afraid for Gia after she treats the child for a broken arm. Too many unanswered questions overshadow that so-called accident and she undertakes her own investigation into Gia’s numerous hospital emergencies. The more questions she asks, the more intrigued she is by Blake, who grudgingly provides the answers. It’s obvious his devotion to his daughter is steadfast but why did he leave her?

Blake is a firefighter, dedicated to serving the public, just like Noreen. Can he convince her he's one of the good guys?

And together, can they stop her mother from loving Gia to death?




My review: For Lt. Blake Matthews, nothing was too good for his little Gia. Although he didn’t get along with his shrewd ex-wife, he still had his daughter’s best interest.
Suddenly, a 9-1-1 call sends Gia to the hospital. Lately, Gia’s been having a lot of emergencies. Could it be that she was just accident-prone? Surely, his ex-wife couldn’t have anything to do with it…right?
Blake battles the mean ex-wife (A.K.A. The Captain) constantly as worry over his Gia eats away at him.
“He’d die for his daughter. Or kill for her.”
Nurse Jensen seems to be the only one that can see the truth. Blake feels a connection with her as they both share a love for Gia. Readers fear for Gia’s safety, but, fortunately, she has a father that would do anything to protect her.
It’s a powerful story of a father’s love, even though it felt kind of slow at times. It certainly felt more like drama than suspense. But, overall, it was a pretty good read.
My rating: 3 stars


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After eight years on the job, Blake knew the staff in the emergency room by their first names and he nodded a silent greeting to each one he passed. Likely they’d been informed already of the incoming transport. He snagged a cup of coffee from the EMT hospitality room and paced at the emergency entrance, barely sipping the brew. In minutes, the ambulance arrived. He ran to the rear and waited for Rob and Joe to open the doors.
Gia sat upright on the cot, an oxygen hose clipped to her nose. Nevertheless, her face erupted into a wide smile. “Daddy!”
Perched beside her, his ex-wife scowled. He stepped out of the way while Rob and Joe rolled the cot out of the ambulance, his anxiety allayed by Gia’s pink cheeks and cheerful greeting. They whisked her toward the emergency doors and he turned to follow when Lynne called out to him.
“Really, Blake. Would you at least help me out of this box?”
Her hand stretched toward him in anticipation of his assistance. He fleetingly entertained the urge to leave it hanging there and walk away but his mother raised him better. He respected women and treated them accordingly. Even though his mother wasn’t a fan of The Captain, Lynne’s self-created position in their life, his mom would expect him to be courteous. He reached for Lynne’s hand, eyeing the red high heels and mini skirt. There was a time when an outfit like that would motivate him to crawl into the ambulance with her and lock the doors behind him. But not anymore.
Seductively, she placed both hands on his shoulders and shoved her breasts in his face when she jumped out of the ambulance. Before she could speak, he released himself from her grip and ran double-time toward the emergency doors.
Rob and Joe stood at the counter completing intake paperwork. Joe directed him to the cubicle where they’d rolled Gia’s gurney.
The minute he threw back the curtain and reached her bed, Gia jumped to her feet and launched herself into his arms, causing the oxygen line to snap out of her nose and an intravenous pole to roll forward when the line tugged.
“Daddy!” Her arms wrapped around his neck, a feeling he long ago decided he’d never tire of.
Blake hugged her and then, with his hands on her arms, eased her backward. “Hey, peanut. What’s up? Are you sick?”
Behind him, Lynne’s high-pitched response pierced the air and immediately, Gia’s smile disappeared. “Of course she’s sick. Why else would I summon an ambulance? She’s been puking all over the house. It’s been a helluva mess for me to clean up, I’ll tell you that. By myself no less.”
He ignored her and gazed into his little girl’s eyes. “Honey, tell me where it hurts.”
Wide-eyed, Gia plopped to the bed, crossing her legs Indian style. Her gaze dropped to a spot on the blanket. “I’m all better now, Daddy. It’s okay.”
Blake cupped his daughter’s chin, the skin beneath his hand as soft as flannel. Was it?

Review: TANGLED TRUTHS by Shelley Coriell (Vol. 4)

Detective Lottie King, granny sleuth, is back! Newly retired, she is now working part-time at a private detective agency with newbie partner, Fig. The 60-year old portly granny still has her uncanny wits about her, and she will need them to solve cases like the homicide that literally falls into her arms.

Cases were intriguing, but the best part of all was the common theme in each story—Fig’s financial trouble that could have something to do with an old murder he may have been involved with. Could he have killed someone?  This was Lottie’s best case.


Another good one by Shelley Coriell. 


My rating: 4 stars

Review: ODDS AND ENDINGS BY Joe DeRouen

A woman questions her sanity while trying to figure out whether the tall tales her grandmother told her were true in “Merryland.” 


A man realizes his past lovers are being maimed in an effort to create his “perfect woman.”


A water bottle that grants wishes on the condition that “whatever you wish, your best friend will get halved and your worst enemy will get doubled.”


And an author learns the hard way about never replying to a bad review on Amazon.


A white owl is the common element threading these wonderful tales together.


Well-written stories full of dark irony! A wonderful blend of mystery, horror, and fantasy. DeRouen is a fantastic story teller!


My rating: 5 stars

Review: HOLA AND GOODBYE by Donna Miscolta

Described as “una familia in stories,” these reflect the lives of four women yearning to get by and aspire for a better life. Lupita, Rosa, Ana, and Irma—each with their own struggles and ruminations.
This carried a poetic feel that’s often reflective and somber. With a languid pace, tales are a beacon to the prose of serious women’s fiction. It wasn’t as humorous as I would’ve liked it to be, although there were some Spanish catchphrases dispersed throughout that may give a chuckle. It was mostly about immigration and settling into a new culture.
Stories, for the most part, were well-written and endearing.
My rating: 3 stars