Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 339

Review: SAVING GRACE by William Graney

"Technically, the new millennium wouldn’t begin until 2001 but most of the world considered December 31, 1999 to be the last day of the century and the dawning of the next thousand years. While celebrations were beginning on the other side of the planet, Grace sat peacefully with a latte and contemplated the possibilities of Y2K catastrophes and what life would be like when the yearstarted with a two instead of a one." (5)
This New Year's also marked Grace's 50th birthday. With loved ones long gone, Grace has come to accept her solitary existence with no husband or children in the foreseeable future.
During a routine jog on the start of a new year, Grace encounters a middle-aged man named Levi. Like Grace, Levi was also lonely with the divorce from his ex-wife and the death of his only daughter. The two find an instant connection through their grief and hope. As the two get to know each other, they come to realize they have much in common, including the struggle to make it and trying to make the world a better place. Even though each have their own skeletons in the closet, both Grace and Levi find peace in running and passion in their profession (Grace as head ER nurse and Levi as a high school English teacher.)
Meanwhile, Laura, a convicted woman who killed someone near and dear to Grace, was due for a parole hearing and executed a plan for release and revenge.
Story was simple and well-written. I enjoyed the bond between Grace and Levi--two dark souls that found a light in each other. Graney did a wonderful job developing characters with true depth and raw emotion. As the story is written in the POV of these characters, we feel the torrent of emotions that swirl through, like Levi's overwhelming love for Grace and Grace's cautious optimism for a man that has re-awakened her spirits. We also feel Laura's poisonous and methodical mind as she manipulates her cohorts and plots to kill our sweet Grace.
Of course, the pace was languid and the story tended to wander. Laura's cold-hearted revenge was a very compelling angle in the story, but the premise was too drawn out, trudging along insipidly and going almost nowhere. All we hear about is her time in the halfway house and her sweet thoughts of revenge. Okay, so where does that take her? I was rooting for a final showdown concerning Laura, but the whole thing was rather anti-climactic. The bulk of the book was mostly on the new couples (Grace/Levi and Michelle/Robbie,) which was okay, I guess.  
Still, the story was, for the most part, interesting, but not quite up to my tastes.
My rating: 3.5 stars 

Review: MY DADDY, THE SERIAL KILLER by Cindy Kovacik

Katelyn was six years old the first time she saw a woman chained in the cellar. She will never forget the pain in her face and she could never figure out why her father would do such a thing. It’s at that point that she decides her father is “mean,” and aims to get out of that house.
As years go by, Katelyn becomes more withdrawn, which subjects her to the relentless teasing of the other kids. That just angers her. After biting the boy she hated, Katelyn soon realized that her father might not be so bad after all, especially when she didn’t get punished for it.
As more time goes by, the girl sees more grisly things. She doesn’t know what’s going on or why, but she knows that she’s afraid. She knows that the man she’s living with is not her daddy anymore.
Just like the title says, this is the story of a sadistic and twisted father told from a little girl’s point of view. The whole thing is basically a compilation of memories—fragments of what she witnessed in that house and how she felt. It was like a frightened girl’s diary. Storyline was simple and the writing was good, but I thought the pace lagged a little too much. All I kept on hearing about were the sick and twisted things the father did; how the girl would try to stay out of his way; and that she would vow to leave someday. I just thought that was a little daunting and redundant. What I liked best is that we don’t get into gory, bloody details. I think that stories can say a lot without revealing too much.
Overall, I thought this was nothing but the inane ramblings of a psychologically damaged child. Well, of course, who wouldn’t be damaged with a serial killer daddy?

My rating: 3 stars

Review: ROUGH DAY: DETECTIVE LOTTIE KING SHORT STORIES (VOL 1) by Shelley Coriell

This is a collection of short novellas starring Lottie King, a kick-ass, crime-fighting grandma. One thing I wondered was exactly how old this lady was. In any sense, I thoroughly enjoyed these stories.
A true blood to justice, Lottie King defends the innocent and seeks out the bad guys, not stopping until they get what’s coming to them. In “Rough Day,” Lottie searches for a kidnapped girl. In “Locked Room,” Lottie relays a 30-year old case about an apparent suicide to her granddaughter’s Girl Power troop. And that’s exactly what you get in these crime stories—Girl Power!
Smart, witty, and well-crafted, stories just entice you to read more!
My rating: 4 stars

Review: FINDING MOLLY: AN ADVENTURE IN CATSITTING by Justine Prado

This is a graphic novel about a girl named Molly, who works at a book shop, and feels uninspired and listless. Before, she was an ingenious artist looking to take the art world by storm. And, now…well, now she has her cat.
It seems that her cat is involved in every aspect of Molly’s life. He’s just there—always there! What?! What do you want?!
To top it all off, Molly has her parents, who explicitly stated, “Listen, either you look for a job today, or you look for a husband.” *Sigh* Why do Mexican fathers feel we should be traded in for beans at the first sign of puberty?
“Stuck in the suburbs. Living with my parents. Artistically stagnant. I’m tempted to call this my blue period, but I’m sure there are exciting new lows I’ve yet to reach.”
Suddenly, an offer is on the table—someone is willing to pay $200 for a portrait of their cat. Uh, where do I meet you? Sounds pretty good, right? Until the cat basically attacks her. AAAHHHH! Gee, didn’t know the job came with bruises and scratches. Heh….Yeah, cats are not nice. They’re arrogant, prissy, and just plain vicious!



It would seem that Molly’s life was going nowhere fast—until one cat portrait turns into catsitting. Oh, the horror! So, deciding to put her BFA from art school to good use, Molly starts drawing comics of her catsitting adventures and posts them on a blog. And what wonderful feedback she receives! Not to mention the mullah from these rich cat owners.
The illustrations were awesome and hilarious! Art was so colorful! Facial expressions were so lively and animated. Molly totally rocked! I loved her snarky and candid repartee. She is so funny, down-to-Earth, and relatable. I totally saw myself in her. The artistic block, the desire to create an epic masterpiece, the fear that no one will like your work, the pitiful lack of money, the envy of those more successful than you, and the creative rut you fall into when all else fails—all things I, and so many artists, can relate to. Being of Mexican descent and an artist, I definitely think we need more Latina characters like her in books and comics.
FINDING MOLLY is a testament to staying true to yourself and finding your way. It’s a tribute to the art world. Such a fun story! Love, love, loved it!

My rating: 5 stars

Review: COVERED IN PAINT by Donna McDonald (Book 5)

This is the final installment of the Art of Love series.
In this one, Drake is an artist and an art professor and Brooke, Jessica’s daughter, is a philosophy professor. Drake knows that he has something for the young, elusive Brooke, but something is holding him back. And Brooke’s obsessive fear concerning Drake’s job, more so his constant exposure to young, perky breasts, has her feeling insecure and lost, until you realize that there’s an underlying health concern behind the reasoning.
Quick and easy. Story had true-to-life characters that didn’t necessarily leap off the page, but you could empathize and relate in some way. The love story was honest and hopeful, and the wrap-up was clean and simple albeit a bit too convenient.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: CAPTURED IN INK by Donna McDonald (Book 3)

This one centered on the blossoming romance between Shane, Will’s other son, and Reesa, his one-night stand, whom he can’t stop thinking about. As soon as he finds her, he realizes how much he can’t live without her and decides to prove it to the reluctant Reesa.
Although Shane is sure Reesa fell for him that night, how could it possibly work with Reesa’s busy schedule and her constant struggle to raise her dead sister’s four kids? That was definitely an honorable quality in her. She would need somebody that is responsible and hard-working, and she doesn’t think that fits Shane Larson, the graphic novelist with the long hair and tattoos. He’s basically a big kid himself. Well, she’s got enough kids to take care of. But then she realizes that Shane was making her and the kids smile again. Shane was doing everything possible to prove that he was in it for the long haul. Still, the boy moved pretty fast. Wanting to marry her already? In love with her? Jeez! The Larson boys don’t like to wait, do they?
I admit that hearing about all the other people being coupled and about the upcoming wedding of Will and Jessica was daunting and blasé. Must we keep on hearing about all these couples and marriage? Another annoying thing was the overuse of phrases like “he laughed” or “she laughed” with dialogue. I mean, seriously, how could they laugh out their speech all the time?
Overall, this was another kinky romance, but I was just getting tired of it all about midway through.

My rating: 3 stars

Review: CARVED IN STONE by Donna McDonald (Book 1)

This is the first book in the Art of Love series, so, naturally, there are artists in here.
Will is a 50-year old bachelor, a father of two adult sons, and a sculptor of penis statues. Actually, they’re more like self-portraits. Jessica is a 46-year old art teacher that hasn’t worked on her art in years. When the two meet, it was a sizzling chemistry and the sexual innuendos begin instantly.
Readers feel for Jessica once you know the full meaning of her risqué sculptures. Still, I didn’t see how she could be a shameless flirt considering. Perhaps her art signified her own sexual exploration. But, then, what was Will’s excuse? Loneliness perhaps? Or was he compensating for what he lost in his most recent divorce? Well, the good thing about art is that it’s open to all sorts of interpretation.
The attraction is palpable between the two, but how could Will believe that this is “it” for him? Wasn’t too soon, especially since he just got divorced? I liked the conflict that the ex-wife played between the new couple.
And, although the story centered more on Will and Jessica, Michael (Will’s son) also had a romantic downfall with his one-night stand getting pregnant. Of course, he doesn’t think it’s so disastrous considering he’s in love with her. Another fool who thinks he’s in love. But, since Carrie can’t stand the sight of him for hurting her so many years ago, that just provokes him to offer her a business deal: Marry him until the baby is born and, if she chooses to leave, she can do so. Of course, his secret plan was to convince her to stay married to him. Interesting, huh? Obviously, this is a story that continues in Book 2.
There were a few typos here and there, and I didn’t quite get the nude art. Still, the characters were fun and endearing, and the story flowed nicely. It was a quick, simple romance.

My rating: 4 stars

Review: A HOLIDAY OF WITCHES by Amanda M. Lee

After reading Any Witch Way You Can and Every Witch Way But Wicked, I was looking forward to this new book by Amanda Lee.
This is a collection of novellas centered around the holidays. I was looking forward to the snarky, candid, funny repartee of the Winchester witches, particularly those from bitter, old Aunt Tillie. I’m sorry to say that this collection fell short.
Most of the stories weren’t even told in the POV of a Winchester witch. What I liked best about the previous stories was that they were told by Bay Winchester, the witch that can see ghosts. But, no, these didn’t have that. There was only one story that was told in the POV of one of the aunts, but the rest were narrated by random strangers that generated more confusion than anything else.
“A Solstice Celebration” – This was the only story I loved because this one had good ole’ Aunt Tillie. This one gave better insight to the Winchester clan as they prepare to celebrate their annual solstice celebration. However, it seems that this could be ruined by the presence of a lost ghost, something that only teenage Bay could see. Humor and mystery: two things that I love!
“Bewitched” – This was narrated by somebody named Sam, who has the same ability as Bay (they can both see ghosts.) Although this had the same witty puns and humor, this story mainly concentrated on the romantic interest between Sam and Clove. There was really no mystery. Okay, there was a missing girl from a teen party, but that’s about it. Still, there was too much lag and not enough mystery, magic, or Tillie.
“Witchdependence” and “Happy Witchgiving”, I admit, I didn’t even finish reading because they were too much like “Bewitched”—told in the POV of strangers with the Winchester witches playing in the background.
So to rate this as a whole, I’d first have to rate individually: 1. “A Solstice Celebration” – 52. “Bewitched” – 33. “Witchdependence” and “Happy Witchgiving” – 1
So the average rating would be 2.5 stars. This book was such a disappointment.

My rating: 2.5 stars

Review: FINDING KYLER by Siobhan Davis

After the horrific death of her parents, Faye Donovan has no one else she can count on…or so she thought. Suddenly, she’s being sent to live with the Kennedy’s. No, not those Kennedy’s, but these people are just as filthy rich as any of them. And, according to her parent’s will, she must live with an insanely rich uncle she never knew about. Whoa, talk about intimidating.
Right away the reader feels for young Faye as she battles the devastating loss of losing her parents and being shipped off to live with a stranger in another part of the world. The thing is that she doesn’t know how to deal, so she drowns her sorrows, hoping to numb the pain. But that all seemed to change when she meets Kyler, one of the cousins, whom she finds a sizzling attraction for. No, it wasn’t love at first sight because Kyler starts off as a total douche bag that opposed this whole living situation. Keep out of my way and I’ll keep out of yours. What a warm welcome. Of course, once she enters the mansion, she sees that it’s nothing but a beacon to male hotness and obnoxious testosterone. It’s a rich boy’s club!
Needless to say, Faye has a tough time adjusting, especially living in the rich boy’s club with their crude remarks and inexcusable behavior.  That alone would annoy me to no end. But, soon, Faye realizes that Kyler is different somehow. Yes, he’s a nagging pain, but that’s because he is in pain, which she can relate.
Overall, story was well-read with some lagging areas here and there. It was kind of hard to keep track of all the Kennedy boys. To me, they all seemed the same—all screwed up. Obviously, this centered on the connection between Faye and Kyler, but how inappropriate to fall for your cousin? That has scandal written all over it, especially when you’re a Kennedy.
This book didn’t intrigue me as much I expected. I thought it was too complicated and daunting. I mean, who wants to hear the problems of a bunch of rich kids? Just drama, drama, drama.


My rating: 2.5 stars

Review: STORMY WEATHER by Glen Ebisch

When a meteorologist is involved in a murder, life gets stormy.
Stormy McCloud, according to her stage name, makes her living on the weather. When the senior meteorologist, one who did not appreciate the competitions of his successor, turns up dead, Stormy becomes a suspect. How did he end up in Stormy's backyard? Was it a set up?
Not wanting to risk possible imprisonment, Stormy appoints herself to help the detective on this case.
Apparently, there is a slew of people that this guy dead. The challenge was trying to keep track of everybody. Sometimes, I forgot who was who.
Story carried a witty dialogue and an easy pace. The investigation might have been a bit too slow and daunting, but the fact that the killer was out there was interesting enough, especially when he or she returns to the scene of the crime. And for what? To settle a score with Story?
Overall, this was an easy read with some lagging areas. An okay mystery.

My rating: 3 stars