Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 334

Review: GARBAGE COLLETORS: STORIES FOR YOUNG ENGINEERS by Mike Grabois

I honestly didn't get the idea behind the garbage collectors. Something that had to do with a volleyball net and ropes?

 
Clearly, this didn't compel me as much as I'd hoped.

 
My rating: 2 stars

Review: TICK TOCK: A STITCH IN CRIME (Anthology)

Stories were pretty well-written and organized. Some were a little daunting, but, honestly, they didn't really do anything for me. I felt a little "meh" about them. Nothing exciting about them, really.

 My rating:  2 stars

Review: UNREAL ENCOUNTERS by Milo James Fowler

This is a collection of short stories that make you question the scheme of things. These twisted tales are certainly full of dark irony and otherworldly elements. You don’t always get them. At times, you reach the ending and go “huh?” 
 
Stories are described as “Twilight Zone-ish,” which is blatantly obvious once you start reading. They’re bound by confusion, mystery, and illusion. You don’t know where you are and you’re out in the middle of nowhere; then you’re taken on a trippy ride and you don’t know how you ended up there. It’s kind of weird, but you appreciate the dark setting and are strangely allured by it.
 
Some stories were certainly better than others.  Like I said, some I didn’t get at all. The words I’d use to describe them would be: weird, dreary, and unreal.

 
My rating: 3 stars

Review: FIRST CRUSH, LAST LOVE by Elizabeth McKenna

Ever since high school, Jessie has made a nightly wish to make Lee love her, but, alas, he only ever had eyes for another girl, one who didn’t love him like Jessie did. For years, Jessie has stood idly by in the friend zone, hoping and praying that Lee would see her—truly see her.  

Jessie’s patience and wishful thinking were commendable; she truly believed that she and Lee were meant to be together. But when Lee ditches her to make out with his ex-girlfriend at the Spring Fling, she suddenly seemed like a pathetic, love-sick fool.  Why was she putting herself though this?
 
After graduation, Jessie finds herself in a miserable marriage to a bossy, drunken playboy, and Lee discovers his fear of commitment runs far deeper than he realizes.
Years later, Jessie and Lee unexpectedly run into each other, provoking the two to reminisce on their high school days and ponder the last 10 years of separation. Old wounds are certainly re-opened at their class reunion.

Written in three episodes, story follows the narrative of an unrequited love in the midst of life’s trials and tribulations. Nostalgia and regret are key elements. Characters are so appealing and relatable; they are so fleshed out that readers feel like they grew up with them, naturally feeling a sense of empathy for their hopes, fears, frustrations, and heart aches.

 
Can Jessie and Liam forget the past and find a future?

 
Well-written, captivating, and endearing.  A worthy novel!

 
My rating: 4 stars

Review: THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARTY by Wendy Delaney

Charmaine is a detective specialist with a new case. Marty suddenly died at his birthday party, possibly from a cardiac arrest. But there’s been some speculation that the wife may have had something to do with it.
 
Although the story gets right to the case from the start, it kind of has a lagging progression. Charmaine certainly tries to play the quirky, off-beat character, which makes her slightly likable; however, she didn’t quite reach the par.  She was okay, but not great. There were also a few too many characters—something I tend to get annoyed about on a regular story, but especially more so in a murder mystery. That may have over-complicated the plot a bit. Actually I had a hard time weeding through the plot, to be perfectly honest. I think I would’ve liked it better had the story started before Marty’s death. Maybe I would’ve understood it better had I been acquainted with the events leading up to Marty’s death, but  I guess that was really up to Char to figure out. It’s just that I wasn’t too keen on her style.

 
My rating: 2 stars

Review: YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT by Kevin J. Kennedy and J.C. Michael

Four writers. One test. And a fatal judgment call. Remember, YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT.

 
The task is to write the best story ever. Those deemed that write a good story will live and those that don’t will die. Oooh, chilling!

 
This was an interesting premise. I mean, you’re basically writing under duress—practically with a gun to your temple the whole time. Forget writer’s block; try writer’s impotence.
We begin with Fiona, who writes a story about a kidnapped girl. Readers have the opportunity to read through their submitted stories. Fiona’s wouldn’t get my vote. Actually, neither of them would get my vote. So test done—kill them all! He, he!
The most disturbing one of the bunch had to be Drexl, who apparently has killed before.

I guess each was trying to write a story of “suspense and horror.” Problem was they all felt lukewarm to me.  What I liked best was the anxiety and pressure by the situation, but the story didn’t progress fast enough. I mean, this is supposed to be harrowing. You’re sitting on the edge of your seat here. Sweat pouring down your skin. The clock is ticking. One wrong move and the bomb goes off. Right?

 
Well, I certainly wasn’t riveted by it. In all honesty, I didn’t really need to read the writers’ stories. I was mainly interested on who was going to get it in the end.  Story obviously had an interesting premise, but I was rather disappointed with the execution.

 
My rating: 2.5 stars

Review: THE RUNAWAY ROCKSTAR by Veronica Blade

A rockstar that’s had enough and needs a break flees to the open road, eventually stumbling across a country diner/bar, where he’s captivated by the alluring waitress. The waitress can’t help but be attracted to the bad boy Adonis that sits at her table. But Emma has been burned enough by one too many bad boys.
 
I know they say that you shouldn’t be fooled by tabloids slinging celebrity brawls, but, in the case of Liam, it’s pretty much true with his temper and fighting history. He surely can’t stand by and watch the sweet waitress being harassed by a#holes.
 
For a while, Liam and Emma do everything they can to avoid their attraction for the other, especially since Liam was just passing through town and would soon return to his rockstar life anyway. So a good chunk of the book is mostly on denial while Liam tries to conceal his celebrity identity.
 
Of course, the story is not without its moments. The way Liam acts around Emma’s daughter is endearing and his protective nature makes him a lovable character. I liked how Liam and Emma get to know each other first, that it’s not one of those “slam-hard” romances.

 
Even though the book is written in typical he said/she said fashion, story progresses nicely; it’s not just a diary of the characters’ private thoughts. Story was somewhat lagging at times, but, overall, this had a decent combination of sweet and passionate.

 
My rating: 3 stars

Review: THE TULIP SHIRT MURDERS by Heather Weidner

Delanie Fitzgerald is a private investigator aiming to catch cheaters and liars through espionage and trickery. With her partner, Duncan—the techno-geek—she takes on a CD bootlegging case for a music company.
 
Delanie and Duncan are certainly a great P.I. duo with Delanie obviously having a natural knack for this spy stuff; however, the plot had a steady lag. Although the bootleg case had a mildly appealing angle, it certainly wasn’t interesting enough to sustain a lengthy narrative.

 
Story was certainly well-written and well-informed, but I guess I was kind of wondering where the murders come into play here. Someone was going to die, right? Perhaps this just didn’t move fast enough for me, which is ironic considering this was deemed as a “fast-paced mystery.”
 
Nonetheless, story had a thorough investigation and a strong female protagonist. Pretty good for those mystery lovers.

 
My rating: 3 stars

Review: VALERIA'S PASSPORT by Jennifer Russon

In this coming of age love story, Valeria Ortiz has grown up without a father. She lives in a happy world all her own, cherishing old movies and reading too much. Her job as a maid, plus a little boozy help from her grandma, have gotten the Ortiz Family only so far. When her mom begins dating a college professor, Dr. Damon Mills, it’s a rude awakening when he falls for the wrong girl, and the wrong girl falls for a bullfighter. Wanderlust ensues!

It is 2002, and for Valeria, the perfect year to travel to the most beautiful and mysterious parts of Spain, tracing her father’s roots. Throughout her adventures that span both Europe and the U.S., Valeria lives in what is best described as a soap opera, punished by some of her decisions and gratified by others. When she gets her first taste of independence in a Victorian themed boarding house, it heaps a new layer of responsibility on the quirky teen than perhaps she is ready for. 

But her luck starts to change when her boss takes her to his Spanish estate. It is the journey Valeria must make to feel safe, understand her birthright, and find true love – not just for her, but for everyone she meets in this lighthearted and funny romance. If you like your chick lit with a little flamenco dancing, this book is for you. 



My thoughts: Valeria was a struggling high school student growing up with an absentee father, a promiscuous mother, and a boozy grandmother. She has a culinary gift and her work as a maid has contributed to the family. Soon envy and desire take place―she becomes envious of a friend's opportunity to study abroad and infatuated with one of her mom's gentleman callers. The theme behind Valeria's Passport is wanderlust, which I totally understand having been under the influence, prompting excursions to Italy and London.
Valeria is a sensitive character that feels lost most of the time. It is only when she journeys through Spain that she truly discovers what life has to offer. Her best line was: "I plan on finding myself." She has bold tenacity and a quiet strength that would endear readers. Her story was illustrated in soft and lyrical tones that felt almost poetic; however, certain narratives were lagging and seemed superfluous. Although commendable, this whole adventure felt scattered to me. I felt just as lost as the main character, which might be a good thing to feel just "lost" along with her in this little adventure, but it's not exactly conducive to a clean plot structure.
I think this was a good story to tell, but I just wished it would've been quicker and clearer.
My rating: 3 stars

Review: COLLECTING SECRETS by PE Kavanagh

A grieving heiress.
A celebrity psychologist.
A decade of friendship.
Undone by one bold move.

When Camille first met Jackson she was too young.
Too innocent.
Too traumatized.

Friendship was less than what she wanted, but all she could handle.

Ten years later and she’s a different woman. Strong, successful, brave.

At exactly the wrong moment, one bold move threatens everything.
The safe harbor of Jackson’s family.
The unconditional commitment of his friendship.
The collection of secrets she never knew existed,

Claims and confessions come hard and fast as Jackson and Camille navigate all that has never been said.

Each step they take, closer to the truth and each other, demands another layer of secrets must fall.  




My review: Camille has just suffered a humiliating break-up, and her best friend, Jackson, crosses the line with a searing kiss. Ever since the two met 10 years ago, Cami has wanted Jack, but he has always been untouchable, which was hard considering he had such a hot body.
 
After an awkward wedding rehearsal, Jackson confesses his feelings for Cami. The chemistry between them was sizzling. For years, they danced around their attraction and just when they come so close to giving in, something pulls them back, ruining the moment. I have to admit this was a little annoying. The characters had several “missed opportunities,” thrilling the reader with sensual scenes & dialogue, only to be left disappointed by not closing the deal. Talk about getting “blue-balled.”

 
I liked the characters, and Jackson was, of course, hot and lovable. Their story was well-written for the most part. It definitely had an engaging start, but sort’ve tapered off once they decided to start “dating.” I mean, does Jackson really start psychologizing the whole thing? Of course, it made since considering he was a psychologist, but was it really necessary while they were both naked? How annoying.

 
I think it would’ve been best had the story moved forward instead of going back a lot. There was too much back-and-forth, going to their first meeting, their first fight, etc. Was that also necessary? I get that this was a friends-to-lovers story, so some flashbacks would create the foundation, but too many made the whole thing lagging.

 
I think this was a fairly good romance. Friends definitely make the best relationships, but I just think I was left a little too “blue-balled.”

 
My rating: 3 stars