Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 352

Review: DEMONS FROM MY PAST by J.L. Leslie

Working for your father when you haven’t spoken to him in years? Oy! Where do you fit in a girl with tattoos in the corporate executive world?
On the eve before she begins work for her father, Kingsley shares a heart-stopping kiss with an alluring stranger. But who was he? It turns out he’s one of the suits she has to work with at her father’s company. Double Oy!
I like Kingsley’s strong will and determination. I mean, who doesn’t like a challenge, especially when you were expected to fail? Kingsley knows that she was a wild child and she made some mistakes. Her only hope is to redeem herself in the eyes of those she has wronged, namely her father, and be free from the term “junkie.” Basically, this is all about a girl facing the demons from her past as neatly and succinctly as possible. Paxton might be just the thing she needs to help her get through it, but he also demons of his own. No doubt that the two had a sizzling attraction for each other. Of course Paxton would end up being Kingsley’s new drug (I liked the metaphor, by the way.) I found it slightly bothersome that the POV kept changing. I mean, I thought it was going to be strictly in the POV of Kingsley, until we suddenly switched to Paxton.
A short, quick read. In fact, it was a little too quick—very cut-and-dry. Nonetheless, story had some sweet, endearing moments—as well as a few fun surprises—which rates it a decent read.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: TAME ME by J.L. Leslie

$70K for a housekeeper? More like a personal slave with all the requirements on the job. But Wren needs the money to help with her sister’s medical bills. But who would’ve thought Mr. Zane would be a gorgeous millionaire? The two are instantly captivated by one another. So what happens when boss and servant give in to their desires?
Like the previous book, this is written in he said/she said fashion; but unlike before, it has a better flow. Love scenes were sizzling, but they can be somewhat vulgar. Personally, I prefer a cleaner romance. Not that I have a problem with sex scenes, I just don’t like them too graphic. Generally, though, I enjoyed the connection between the two characters, but I felt the love between maid and boss shared the same story line as a porno flick, especially when you hear dominant phrases like “You belong to me” by Mr. Zane, a name often called out by Wren. At times, his relentless pursuit to overpower her leads to some aggressive lovemaking.  I guess “Tame Me” was more than just the title; it was pretty much the whole theme.
Short and quick, this is a simple, sensual romance.

My rating: 3 stars 

Review: A PORTRAIT OF MY LOVE by Jennifer Young (Book 1)

Skye Ashton is a 21-year old approaching her final year at the university.  “Balanced on the edge of everything and a little bit scared to step off. Dreaming all the dreams that girls of my age do, of a career. Running my own business. Turning the tedious studies of the business management classroom into a real-life adventure. Running my own marketing consultancy. Being a serious player.” (7)
“While my mother and sister flaunted their romances, I kept my first serious boyfriend as secret as it was possible to do….My dreams were of the conventional kind; a life of safety and security, a career where I knew what I was doing and could follow a defined path. They didn’t include a roller-coaster of romance when I wouldn’t know which day was my anniversary of which wedding to which husband.” (10)
Right away you have to admire the young girl’s thrive for independence, but she’s so dependent on Zach, who is 28 years old—a little too old for her, really. It’s true though—being someone’s “inspiration” carries the shackles of commitment. And I could certainly understand Skye’s reluctance to settle down. What better way to get over Zach than to take a holiday in Italy? Yay!
Of course, Zach feels that Skye could be in charge of her destiny and still be in love with him.
Set against the lavish scenes of Edinburgh, Scotland (another place on my bucket list) AND Verona, Italy, A Portrait of My Love is an artsy romance of the hazardous beauty of love gained and love lost. “Curious, how that was what love did, how it held you like a bird on a sticky branch, always able to flap your wings but never able to fly free.” (84)
I especially liked the artistic manner in which she described Zach’s drawing ability.  “He saw things no-one else did—a lizard clinging to a wall in defiance of gravity, someone sitting peacefully on a self-made island of quiet framed by a cloud of busyness, a child investigating a crack in the pavement with wide open eyes; the world through his eyes was a special place.”(50) Such vivid descriptions throughout that I felt I was right there.
Overall, this was a lovely and well-written account of self and love’s journey. Skye and Zach care for each other so much, but unknown forces and personal demons keep them apart. The reader will feel the connection of their souls and hope they get back together. The story obviously centered on them. I wasn’t too keen on the whole family feud surrounding the hotel business or Leona’s $50 million net worth. I thought those were odd pieces in this worldly, vibrant puzzle. Still, albeit a bit slow and jaded at times, this was a nice story.  Mostly I wondered what would become of Skye and Zach and whether he would draw her portrait.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: GOING BACK by Jennifer Young (Book 2)

This story is a sequel to A Portrait of My Love, but instead the focus is on Leona and the family feud in her history. Actually, this story takes place exactly where the first book left off, rehashing the events of her wealthy inheritance, her impromptu holiday with Skye, and her abduction in Italy in a news article. In all honesty, I didn’t take too much of a liking to Leona when she was first introduced in Book 1. I thought she was hyperactive, impetuous, and bossy. Although she was fairly generous with her newfound wealth, I found her to be too much of a flippant, spoiled busybody.
Going Back is just as it sounds—going back to Italy, going back to Nico and Faustino, going back to that tense family history. I wasn’t very consumed by the long feud in Leona’s family when I first started hearing about in Book 1 and I was even less enthused continuing the saga in this second book.
Again, the Italian scenes were rendered in vibrant and rich colors (I do LOVE Italy,) and Young has a talent for artistic and soulful composition; however, I wasn’t particularly moved by the plot.

My rating: 2.5 stars

Review: JUSTICE FOR JESSICA by Alretha Thomas

“Tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us.” (27)
Stacey has always been envious of her best friend, Jessica—too rich, too thin, too…dead. Imagine the shock and horror she felt when she found her body on the bed in a pool of blood. Yikes!
Rachel Storme has had enough of being a cop and decides to make early retirement official…until she hears of the high-profile murder case. Interesting.
First of all, Rachel isn’t who you thought she’d be—a young, kick-ass blackbelt with curves to die for and nerves of steel. In actuality, she’s a 55-year old broad with hot flashes and a salt n’ pepper bun. She’s a regular Marian the Librarian. Nonetheless, Rachel possesses good instincts, a crafty wit, and a gentle heart—exactly what she needs to solve this murder.  
Written in the POV of Stacey and Rachel, story is a simple yet thorough investigation of a serial murder. By getting the views of both the friend and the detective, the reader is sensitized to the beloved victim while diving into the investigative mind to solve this heinous crime.
Although Stacey and Rachel have a vast age difference between them, they also share similarities. For instance, both are average girls with insecurities and a failed marriage (in Stacey’s case, a marriage that is failing.) The best part about Stacey and Rachel was how real and relatable they were.
As I pondered, Jessica wasn’t the nicest person in the world (she was underhanded, ruthless, spoiled, and secretive;) yet, every intention is set on getting justice for Jessica.
Everyone is a suspect in this book and readers will enjoy figuring out the clue that will crack the case.
Wonderfully gripping!

My rating: 4 stars

Review: THE QUIET ONES by Betsy Reavley

“The speed at which the flames lick up the walls smotherin’ everythin’ is the loveliest thing I’ve ever seen. I can’t take my eyes off the fire.So many colours. Whoever knew destruction could be so beautiful? I slip my hand into my black nylon jacket pocket and fumble with the box of matches. An erection stirs. The noise the match made when I struck it was hypnotic. The way it burst into life. Somethin’ Born out of nothin’. Like me.” (4)
Written in 1st person perspective, The Quiet Ones begins with a writer, a “dinosaur” that still can’t come to terms with the Kindle. At first, you really don’t know who’s talking. It begins with the POV of a pyromaniac (male) and goes on to the view of a writer (female.) Who is Charlie? Yes, he’s the writer’s husband, but does he end up being the pyromaniac? Wouldn’t that be something, huh?
It starts off reading more like a summary, a list of points and actions being taken place; then it graduates into the realm of literary fiction—quite ambiguous literary fiction. You can tell the author wants us to fill in the blanks. And rather than chapters, the story is divided into dates, which basically dictates a diary entry for the day.
The writing was generally enjoyable and well-versed. Obviously the day-to-day life of a writer trying to create a story was relatable to me. The writer is a British lady with an eloquent and witty demeanor, and as you read on, you get to know her better. The twisted thing is that there is also a sick murderer, one whose thoughts we also hear in gruesome detail. Where does he tie into all of this? Will he shatter the life of this peaceful writer? Will he go after her, too? But, more importantly, who are the Quiet Ones?
This book definitely had more questions than answers. So it’s a mystery—an oddly compelling mystery that’ll keep you reading. Readers will be surprised by what they discover. Trust me, I certainly didn’t see it coming.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: CHILD OF PRIVILEGE by Ross Ponderson

“In a dark corner of a cavernous walk-in closet packed with designer clothing from New York, London, Paris, and Rome, a little girl with sandy-brown hair tightly pulled her tiny, fragile form into a cowering fetal position and huddled low on the floor.” (LOC 71) A child of privilege trapped in a nightmare.
Her father, a rich and powerful attorney, is a horrible monster. Can you blame the girl for running away?
For the first time in her life, it seems that Dana is free from the nightmare. Even though she has no money, no prospects, and virtually no idea where she’s going, it’s still a whole lot better than being stuck in that mansion.  However, her evil father will stop at nothing to bring her back. Injure her if you have to—those were the vile words he spoke to the P.I. Chilling! After all, what matters most are image, perfection, and winning.
Eventually, Dana hides in the comforting pastures of Small Town USA, which slowed this accelerating thriller to a peaceful—albeit daunting—pace. There, she meets Deputy Greg, a kind and considerate man who truly loves Dana.
Well-written and vivid, Child of Privilege is a raw and endearing story of fear, hope, and freedom. Keep running. Words that follow our courageous and fragile heroine throughout this grueling and heartless quest, which only inspires the reader to keep reading.  The price of freedom is a high one with the humiliation, degradation, and loneliness of surviving on the streets. She will do anything to avoid going back to Hell, including doing a striptease to a bunch of rednecks and spending a night in jail. Even though the simplistic cover does not do the story justice, you will root for sweet Dana all the way. One might wonder why she never tried to fake her own death. Nonetheless, you’ll want to see how this all ends.
A gripping read, and an enticing and bittersweet novel.

My rating: 4 stars

Review: MEGAN’S BROOD by Roy Burdine

Megan’s Brood is the tween’s version of Gremlins. You remember those slimy, icky creatures that wrecked havoc that Christmas Eve? They were hideous, yet strangely adorable? Same scenario here.
It all started with a glowing membrane sac hidden deep in the attic. She didn’t know what it was, but she knew something was growing inside.
Eventually, a “brood” hatches from this massive membrane, odd creatures that were strangely fascinating. Being an eccentric kid, Megan had no fear and instead cared for the little dumplings. Little did she realize that this brood would turn her world upside down.
I loved the illustrations—monochromatic with strong contrasts for a spooky and mysterious feel.
Story was simple, relatable, and a fitting candidate for Middle Grade readers. Although this had some frightening elements, the book is not scary. It’s a fun story! Can’t wait for the next adventure in the series!

My rating: 4 stars

Review: PUT AWAY YOUR PHONE! by Tracy Bryan

This seemed like an interesting and certainly relatable story. Everywhere you go, people are glued to their phones. And why? What’s so important that you need to be on your phone 24/7? It just makes me want to hate cell phones. Sometimes I feel like shouting, “Put Away Your Phone!”
And that’s what Emma does in this story. On a trip to the zoo, she decides to count the number of people who were on their phone. As the number increases, her saying of “Put Away Your Phone!” gets louder and more noticeable.  By the end, she shouts it to the world: “Put Away Your Phone!” Wise words we should all live by every now and then. I mean, c’mon, people!
“Smartphones should be called Dumbphones.”  Funny and cute!
Illustrations were colorful and showed Emma in wild and animated gestures, clearly making her the focal point. I loved the animals’ expressions and gestures as Emma got more and more frustrated. Yeah, the animals didn’t get it either.
Eventually she comes to realize how vital phones can be in an emergency.
A fun, relatable children’s story with a rewarding message!

My rating: 4 stars

Review: P.I. PENGUIN AND THE CASE OF THE TREETOP TAGGER by Bec J. Smith

Another colorful tale by Bec Smith.
In this book, P.I. Penguin must catch a villain that defamed a tree. “A secret carved by tooth or claw. Yes, such graffiti breaks the law.” (22)
With the help of some wacky zoo characters, Penguin tracks down the clues with fun rhymes and witty repertoire leading all the way.
A fun series!

My rating: 4 stars