Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 81
February 8, 2024
Blog Tour: FANNY FITZPATRICK AND THE BROTHER PROBLEM by Dana Hammer
Fanny Fitzpatrick and the BrotherProblem
by Dana Hammer
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GENRE: Middle Grade GreekMythology
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BLURB:
Dion Isaacs (the reincarnation of Dionysius),Athena’s brother, is wreaking havoc. After to an unfortunate bee-venompoisoning at his wine business, he is down on his luck and crashing at Athena’splace. But the former god of wine, feasting, and excess is a bad influence onFanny’s best friends, with his partying, wacky business schemes, and generaldebauchery. Sure, Dion is a fun guy. But there is such a thing as too much fun,and Fanny seems to be the only one who sees it.
Meanwhile, Fanny’s mother is suffering fromhyperemesis gravidarum, which basically means she pukes all the time, becauseshe’s pregnant. With her mom unable to work, her dad is taking extra shifts tomake more money, and things are getting tense at home. Fanny is excited to be abig sister, but all this sickness and stress over money are starting to taketheir toll on her.
Can Fanny save her friends from Dion’s negativeinfluence, while also solving her family’s money problems? Of course she can.She’s Fanny Fitzpatrick.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
I wake up inthe morning to the sound of my mom puking. She’s not a quiet puker. It soundslike she’s trying to vomit up all the organs in her body while also running achainsaw or something. And, worse, she’s been doing it for days now. Lastnight, we were eating dinner and she couldn’t keep any of it down. She said itwas the onions, but she normally likes onions, so I think she’s just very sick.
At first, Ithought it was just a stomach bug or maybe food poisoning. I remember one timeI got food poisoning from some bad tacos, and it was the worst thing ever. Iwas so miserable I wanted to die.
But like Isaid, it’s been days now. She should be feeling better. And for the first timeI’m really worried about Mom. I wonder if it’s something serious. I remember acouple years ago when Toya’s mom was vomiting all the time because she washaving chemotherapy for breast cancer. Her mom is fine now, but she was reallysick for a long time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fanny Fitzpatrickand the Brother Problem — favorite scene to write
by Dana Hammer
I’ve long beenfascinated with the world of competitive eating. At first, it was just morbidcuriosity. Who are these people who eat such huge quantiles of food, so quickly?Do they have eating disorders? Do they have magically expanding stomachs? Dothey puke? Do they feel guilty about wasting food? Also, why?
Then it became amore nuanced fascination. For instance, I’m truly impressed by the gurgitatorswho can eat super spicy chilis without dying. I’ve spent far too much timewatching videos of regular looking people consuming peppers that I could notsniff without pain. I’ve learned much more than I need to know about methods ofgetting large bits of hot dog down the throat without choking. Basically, I’mkind of a fan of competitive eating. And also, kind of horrified by it.
So my favoritescene to write was the one where Gemma starts training Dion for the big icecream eating competition. Gemma is my favorite character to write in thisseries. She’s quirky in all the best ways. She’s a creative, stylish girl whoappreciates the finer things in life, and knows a disturbing amount abouttaxidermy. So naturally, she follows the sport of competitive eating veryclosely, and is the perfect mentor for Dion in his quest to win the ice-cream-eatingprize money.
She takes her jobseriously, and is not afraid to use negative reinforcement techniques to keepDion focused and on-track. I love that she sprays Dion in the face with a waterbottle like a bad dog when he underperforms. In the original draft, she poked himwith a stick, but my publisher had me change it to something less violent. Iactually think it’s a good change. Spraying him in the face is funnier, andalso practical, as it helps to wash the sticky ice cream off his face.
Of course, Fannydisapproves of the Gemma-Dion partnership, and for good reason. It brings out amean side in Gemma, and Dion does not have a good sense of what is appropriatefor a child do be doing with her time. And so, while I am glad that Fanny is ableto help her friend extricate herself from Dion’s wild schemes, I have to admitthat I was a little sorry to see the Gemma-Dion partnership end, because it wasfun to write, and fun to witness.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Dana Hammer is a novelist, screenwriter andplaywright. She has won over forty awards and honors for her writing, few ofwhich generated income, all of which were deeply appreciated. She is not acannibal, but she is the author of A Cannibals Guide to Fasting. Dana is alsothe author of middle grade fantasy My Best Friend Athena which was inspired bya desire to write something her 9-year-old daughter could read.
https://www.amazon.com/Fanny-Fitzpatrick-Brother-Problem-Hammer/dp/1962308014
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144280278
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GIVEAWAY
Dana Hammer will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawnwinner via rafflecopter during the tour.
February 7, 2024
Blog Tour: THE VERY CONTRARY FAIRY by Julia Hurley
The Enchanted Garden Series Book 1
Children’s books
Date Published: December 1, 2023
Publisher: Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.
The very contrary fairy sure has a lot to say about what she must do each day. But when she decides to run away, will she make it home in time and stay?
Excerpt:
A long time ago
In a kingdom far away
Lived a beautiful fairyprincess
Who was contrary in everyway
When she did not want toeat her food
She copped a royalattitude
She would throw her soupand give a cry
And bid her dinner guestsgoodbye
…
She stewed and stirred
And paced and griped
Until contrary fairy
Left one night
As she snuck out
Into the night
She had convinced herself
That she was right
Review: Once upon a time, there lived afairy princess that was contrary in every way. You could not force her to doanything she didn’t want to do. Not eat, not clean her room, not take a bath.She was the queen of tantrums and a royal pain in the neck!
If her father was having her doall these things, then she would simply run away.
“I don’t need your stupid rules. Iwill make my own. I will be so cool.”
But were things really betteroutside her home?
With colorful and vibrantillustrations, this book shows the hard lesson of what happens when a kid runsaway and what they will undoubtedly miss when they do. I especially enjoyed thelively and animated expressions. They reminded me of the cartoon charactersfrom Hey Arnold.
A great read!
Rating:5 stars
About the Author
[image error]When not writing books, hosting the Emmy nominated television series, Selling Knoxville, hosting her podcast, ConnectTheKnox, or Brokering her office, Julia can be found camping with her family, snuggling with her dog Ripp, or cooking a gourmet meal with her best friend and partner for life, Joe. Julia can be contacted via email at julia@justhomesgroup.com.
Contact Links
Purchase Links
February 6, 2024
Blog Tour: The Hope series by E.C. Jackson
Book Details:
Book Title: A Gateway to Hope: Hope Series, Book 1 by E.C. Jackson
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 296 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: June 19, 2015
Content Rating: PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
This novel catches your attention in a dramatic opening and holds your attention while you follow the ups and downs of a love story. It is a rarity to find a romance that focuses on the fine tuning of character building and adjustments couples have to make for their relationship to work, particularly while also trying to hold onto faith and personal convictions. There is a place in this day and age for well written literature that goes against the grain of popular media. - review by Catherine Ndhovu Book Description:
Twenty-one-year-old Neka is a bit of an introvert, she also happens to be stunningly beautiful.
When she discovers her friend James is about to be dumped, she sees the perfect opportunity to escape from her quiet life. Can she summon the courage to leave it all behind?
James Copley comes from a ruthless family. It’s rubbed off.
Years ago, he disengaged from his brother’s smear campaign, but now his father has offered him an ultimatum, “Get married or lose your seat at the table.”
Plotting to stamp his design on the family business, he proposes to a woman, even though he doesn’t love her.
But his carefully laid plans start to unravel when she leaves him on the day she’s due to meet his family.
Could years of planning his comeback vanish with her departure?
A possible solution comes in an unexpected form: Neka. She’s not only a friend, but the daughter of his benefactor. And she’s right there, offering to support him.
But will her support stretch to marriage?
He attempts to win her over to his plan but collides with her powerful father who wants to leverage the situation for his own gain.
In their fight for survival and love, they are forced to face some uncomfortable truths.
Can they overcome thwarted dreams and missed chances to find true love, or does forcing destiny’s hand only lead to misery?Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N
Bookbub
add to goodreadsAlso Featured on This Tour:
Book Details:Book Title: Overflow With Hope: Hope Series, Book 5 by E.C. Jackson
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 241 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: Nov 9, 2023
Content Rating: PG + M. These books contain mature themes.Book Description:
Two men. One wrong choice.
Tempia Wade’s life had jumped the rails.
One fateful night, she believed a stranger’s lie rather than the assurance of a trusted friend. For her lapse in judgment, she paid an agonizing price.
Her now-bankrupt life featured shattered dreams, ruined friendships, and the loss of a promising relationship. Now, two years later, the twenty-three-year-old prayed for a second chance with the man she had fallen for at first sight.
Would Cory Sanders finally overlook her egregious mistake in accepting a next-day date and liaison with another man? Or would she have to truly accept life without him?Buy the Book:
Amazon
Bookbub
add to goodreadsAlso Featured on This Tour:
Book Details:
Book Title: A Living Hope: Hope Series, Book 2 by E.C. Jackson
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 286 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: July 31, 2016
Content Rating: PG + M. These books contain mature themes.
E.C. Jackson weaves a story of imperfect people working through misunderstandings, secrets, traumas, and just plain stubbornness. In other words,her characters are like many of us! She builds complex characters with believable struggles. Happy endings don't come easily, but must be worked through with prayer, honest communication, and the willingness to step out in faith and do the right things.
This is a worthy successor to Jackson's earlier novel, A Gateway to Hope.
-- review by Hog on Ice: Books and Independent Learning Book Description:
It was a match made in heaven. Or so everyone thought. Sadie Mae Cummings is all set to marry her childhood sweetheart, Kyle, when she is assigned to tutor Lincoln, the new college football running back. This sophomore phenomenon has all the girls on campus knocking on his door. But Sadie isn’t interested in his advances.
Lincoln’s overblown ego doesn’t take well to being shunned, and he resolves to make Sadie his own. He pursues her relentlessly, until finally Kyle finds himself shut out of Sadie’s life, with their shared future crumbling around him.
After two years, Sadie’s relationship with Lincoln ends, and she is left having to put the pieces of her life back together. She desires nothing more than to recapture her relationship with Kyle. He has stayed true to the dreams they had planned together, living the vision even without Sadie by his side.
When she moves back to her hometown, she labors to rekindle their love. But things have changed, and Kyle has moved on. Sadie quickly discovers how hard it is to rebuild burned bridges.
Follow Sadie’s story as she fights for a chance to restore broken dreams. Will love endure?
This inspirational romance by E. C. Jackson is book two of the Hope series and is a standalone book.Buy the Book:
Amazon
Bookbub
add to goodreads
Book Details:Book Title: The Certain Hope: Hope Series, Book 3 by E.C. Jackson
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 261 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: Dec 5, 2018
Content Rating: PG + M. These books contain mature themes.The title of this novel is perfectly suitable to its meaning. The Certain Hope is the one of a couple of lonely guys that decided to marry after two weeks of dating. The groom believes that everything will go fine, especially if the bride will do only what he wants. He is control addicted, she is a romantic girl who believes in having met the man of her dreams. Through this behavioral contrast, the author built a great story, focused on the burning topics of marriage, loss and control addiction. In my view, the novel is a little, big literary masterpiece for the underlying meaning that oozes from every chapter. I believe that The Certain Hope deserves to be translated internationally and this thought is my certain hope for the success of this gripping romance novel. -- review by Advices books Reviews Book Description:
Love at first sight. It’s every girl’s dream. But Tara Simpkins is finding out it’s not as easy as it seems. Is this truly the man God sent to be her husband, or is she just desperate to escape her loneliness? The recent loss of both parents has left her reeling, and close friends don’t think she’s in any position to make major life decisions. She and her new-found love are convinced they can live happily ever after in the home of their dreams. His family thinks he’s moving way too fast and might disappoint the kind-hearted woman he’s fallen head over heels for. And then there’s Leah. Leah is supposed to be part of his past, but what if she decides she’s his future? Tara’s match made in Heaven may be over before it truly begins.Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N
Bookbub
add to goodreads
Book Details:Book Title: The Confident Hope: Hope Series, Book 4 by E.C. Jackson
Category: Adult Fiction 18+, 271 pages
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: Sep 15, 2020
Content Rating: PG + M. These books contain mature themes.Book Description:
Is there hope for this love between friends?
Pamela Hayes is a smart, successful business owner with a supportive family and a thriving bakery. She should be the happiest girl in the world. But she can’t shake the melancholy that accompanies every conversation she has with her best friend, Mark. Pamela doesn’t know how much longer she can hide her true feelings.
Why can’t Mark see how perfect they would be together? She would make a much better girlfriend than the one he currently has. Pamela prays he’ll come to his senses soon and realize he’s with the wrong girl. But when her dream comes true, it isn’t the fantasy she had envisioned.
There is trouble in paradise from the start, and all the red flags she’s been ignoring are starting to threaten her confidence…and her relationship with Mark. She’ll have to rely on family and her faith in God to help her secure the hope she so desperately needs.Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N
Bookbub
add to goodreads
Book Details:Book Title: Pajama Party: The Story by E.C. Jackson
Category: Teen & Adult Fiction (13 to 18 yrs), 241 pages
Genre: Teen & Young Adult Fiction / Teen & Young Adult Christian Fiction
Publisher: E.C. Jackson
Release date: Sep 30, 2017
Content Rating: PG + M. These books contain mature themes.Book Description:
Most sleepovers are simple. Food, fun, and pillow fights. But sixteen-year-old Karen Duncan has bigger plans for her slumber party. Family troubles have changed her over the past year, and she’s no longer the petty, selfish girl she used to be. Now she’s ready to shake things up with her friends. The guest list comes as a surprise to some and a slap in the face to others. This popular girl has invited some not-so-popular guests. Even more shocking, she’s left out some of the girls she’s hung out with since middle school.
Diane and Evette are outsiders, nervous about being stuck in a house with the same girls who tease them at school.
Kathy, Lisa, and Joann come to the party with the confidence of the in-crowd, but they’re masking inner-turmoil that is bound to surface.
Sandy and Angela are usually the voices of reason…usually. And then there’s Linda, the friend that got away. She may not ever forgive the girls who abandoned her years ago. Karen hopes to change her mind. Her agenda is ambitious, and it could spell disaster. But Karen is convinced God will use this party to spark a new beginning for everyone involved.
This companion book to A Living Hope gives us the inspired story Sadie Cummings wrote for the girls of Shiatown.Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N
add to goodreads
Meet the Author:E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play "Pajama Party." Thirty-one years later, she adapted the play into Pajama Party: The Story , a companion book to the second book in the five-book standalone Hope series.
Jackson’s favorite pastime is reading fiction. She enjoys taking the journey along with the characters in the books. That also led to her unorthodox approach to story writing. Her vision for each book she writes is to immerse readers into the storyline so they become connected with each character.
“The Write Way: A Real Slice of Life” is the slogan on her Facebook author page. She feels that if every person reading her books feels connected to the characters, her job is done.
connect with the author: website ~ amazon ~ facebook ~ X/Twitter ~ bookbub ~ goodreads
Enter the Giveaway:The Hope Series by E.C. Jackson Book Tour Giveaway
Blog Tour: EFFIE by Rhonda Lee
Effie
by Rhonda Lee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: FICTION / Romance /General
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB: Effieis the heartwarming story of how a young couple, killed in a pickup truckaccident in the spring of 1959, fulfill their dream of getting married in theSmoky Mountains of Tennessee some forty years after their deaths, by helping ayoung widower and father find true love a second time in life, and a new motherfor four-year old Effie.
Witness the incredible power of love, the undeniableforce of destiny, and the enduring spirit of those who have passed before us.Get ready to be moved, inspired, and reminded of the beauty that can be found,even in the face of tragedy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt One:
VENICE BEACH,CALIFORNIA,
Spring, 1999
His eyes do aslow sweep over the objects settled behind its protective glass doors, comingto rest on an Academy Award. Pulling a door open, he lifts the gold-platedOscar, engraved with the words Best Screenplay, from the shelf and reads hisown name inscribed on it—a significance less clear to him now than when it wasgraciously accepted. The dreams, goals, purpose and commitment he steadfastlypursued to earn such a coveted prize have faded, now meaningless. There areother awards, stacks of scripts—from his first written to his last—framedphotos, and newspaper articles. A California Angels baseball, protected in itsoriginal clear plastic cube, signed in 1966 by the famed “singing cowboy” andteam owner, Gene Autry, sits dusty, patiently waiting for salvation. Vaguenesshas long replaced ambition—an emptiness that’s settled for long walks on thebeach and activities to keep a four-year-old happy.
He drops theeight-and-a-half-pound award into a box at his feet, like garbage tossed into atrash can, and reaches to remove the first of two framed movie posters from thewall behind. Once proudly displayed, soliciting many conversations thatundeniably promoted a healthy ego, the posters have long been half hidden by anaging Kentia Palm, taller and grander than the blockbuster advertising itshadows. Exhaustion suddenly overwhelms him. He props each poster hastilyagainst the wall, as if dismissed members of a once popular fraternity, andsteps over to the sweeping ocean-view window. Constructed to slide on a trackup into the ceiling, the entire wall-sized window’s impressive design is anindulgent invitation to step out onto the second story balcony, simply for abreath of salty ocean air, or to ease into one of the rattan sun loungers tochill and take in the spectacular landscape. With the push of a button, ascreen can be brought down, preventing one of the many different species ofbirds from entering at their own free will.
Today, they’reboth closed. As he gazes out over the glittering sand, not paying anyparticular attention to the seagulls, surfers, Muscle Beach bodybuilders,skateboarders, rollerbladers, artists, sun worshippers, or anyone else enjoyingthe various other activities on the busy boardwalk, he ponders a promise hemade many years ago. He glances at Effie as she rolls a 1956 Ford pickup truckmodel that had once belonged to her mother along a marble-ledge bookshelf builtinto the wall. Only days before, it had held the weight of education; now, itwas relegated to a donation box. And in that moment, he decides with reneweddetermination that he must carry on with his plan.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Rhonda Lee resides in South-Western Ontario, Canada, and is aformer talent agent for the film and television industry.
Ever since being introduced to the town of Gatlinburg—nestled deepin the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee—by her parents when she was a younggirl, Rhonda has continued to make the trek to the Smokies at least twice ayear.
It was in the spring of 1987 that she first brought her husband toGatlinburg, and it was during that same weekend, while attending their firstF-100 Supernationals pickup truck show, that he introduced her to the mid-50sFords, affectionately referred to as Effies, and thus, this story was born.
CONNECT WITH Rhonda Lee
INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/rhondaleeauthor/
PURCHASE LINKS Effie
AMAZON.COM
https://amazon.com/dp/0228835488
AMAZON.CA
https://amazon.ca/dp/0228835488
APPLE BOOKS
https://books.apple.com/us/book/effie-a-love-story-that-transcends-time/id6466886411
INDIGO CHAPTERS
https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/effie-a-love-story-that-transcends-time/9780228835493.html
BARNES & NOBLE
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/effie-rhonda-lee/1144085576
BOOKTOPIA
https://www.booktopia.com.au/search.ep?keywords=9780228835486
WALMART
https://www.walmart.com/search?q=9780228835486
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GIVEAWAY
Rhonda Lee will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winnervia rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveawayFebruary 5, 2024
Blog Tour: CHARLIE CHALOOSY IS OFTEN QUITE CHOOSY by Brad Mason
Book Details:
Book Title: Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy by Brad Mason, Ed. D.
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 32 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Yorkshire Publishing
Release date: January 2024
Content Rating: G. Suitable for everyone.Book Description:
The Charlie Chaloosy book series kicks off with its inaugural offering, Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy .
The first book focuses on Charlie's experiences as he learns lessons, gains new experiences, and grows up in a world that happens to rhyme. The story is told through the use of a playful rhyme scheme and enhanced with beautifully colored illustrations of Charlie tackling new adventures in whimsical detail. The book ends with Charlie providing two pages for the reader to become an author by writing their own story.Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N
add to Goodreads
Review: Charlie Chaloosy was a picky eaterand was often quite choosy. He had a favorite food, a favorite outfit, and afavorite activity. He wouldn’t swing, swim, or spin. But what if he tried newthings? Would his favorites expand?
With cute and colorfulillustrations and fun rhymes, this book takes the reader on Charlie’sexperimentation with new things.
“Sometimes it’s fine to have somefears, like our friend Charlie Chaloosy. But take a chance: do something new!What have you got to loosy?”
A great inspiration and a goodread!
Rating:4 stars
Meet the Author:My passion for children's literature stems from 30+ years in education and my re-entry into bedtime stories with the addition of my beautiful grandchildren. I created Charlie as a means for children to learn with Charlie by having a growth mindset when it comes to facing new experiences and learning new things. Children live in a world that is traveling ever faster and my desire is to help them slow down and enjoy childhood through the adventures of Charlie Chaloosy. I hope children have fun with Charlie while engaging their minds through stories that encourage them to read, write, illustrate, and dream a little.
connect with author: website ~ facebook ~ instagramEnter the Giveaway:Charlie Chaloosy is Often Quite Choosy by Brad Mason Book Tour Giveaway
Blog Tour: SLAUGHTERHOUSE by K.A. Lugo
Slaughterhouse
by K.A. Lugo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Thriller, Mystery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
It'sthe anniversary of the date he lost his family and Jack doubts he'll ever findthose responsible. Depression has taken hold, and he pulls out his Beretta forthe last time. As he fingers the trigger, Ray shows up with the identity of theman who’d killed himself in Jack’s house weeks before, leaving a note simplysaying, ”I’m sorry.”
Jacksoon finds himself dragged into San Francisco's underbelly and his lifethreatened at the hands of the city's deadly Chinese gang, the Jade Dragons.When things become more dangerous, Jack must keep pushing forward, even knowingit could mean his death because the gang's leader, Li Zihao, may have theanswers Jack’s looking for—who destroyed his family and what happened to Leah.
IsJack ready for the truth?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ExcerptThree:
Jack looked up when the nurse, Markus, rushed through thedoor to his side. “Are you all right, Mr. Slaughter? The monitors are going offat the nurses’ station like a Saturday night disco ball.”
“Sorry, Markus. Just trying to get comfortable. Not easywhen you’re weak as a puppy.” Jack glared at Haniford.
Markus’ bright smile accentuated the deep color of hiscomplexion. His almond-shaped brown eyes with their long lashes hinted at amixed heritage.
“Don’t you worry, honey. You’re still a big dog.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Review: Jack Slaughter had lost it all—hisfamily, his daughter, his dog, his life—and he was ready to end it once and forall. What stopped him was possibly finding out more about the man that killedhimself in his house, a house also referred to as Slaughterhouse. Really, hewanted to find out why. Why was his daughter killed and why was his wife taken?Just as soon as he figured out the why, then Jack could finish what he startedand eat his own gun.
So, this kicks off on aninteresting case. We have a couple of rough guys scouring the streets,searching for clues. The urban ruggedness brought a level of machismo that wasquite enticing and authentic. Of course, the case can get a little too complexwith the excessive details and the prose can be quite long at times. There wassome excitement and good dialogue, but I would’ve liked more clarity. Ihonestly didn’t quite get the whole Chinese gang and how it all tied intothings. This is a decent read for crime thrillers, but you would need to payattention to the fine details.
A fairly nice read.
Rating:3 stars
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
K.A. Lugo is anative Northern Californian who grew up in Carmel-by-the-Sea, part of a largercommunity founded by artists and writers, including John Steinbeck, GeorgeSterling, and Jack London. Over the years, she's worked with several Carmelnotables, but it was in 1997 she left the employ of Clint Eastwood to live inIreland for six months. It was during this time she met the man she would marryand relocated to live in Ireland full time.
Since 2005,K.A. has published fourteen titles in genres including romantic suspense,erotic romance, and cozy mystery as Kemberlee Shortland, and now thrillers asK.A. Lugo. Slaughtered was the first in the new highly acclaimed Jack SlaughterThriller series and is currently being adapted for the big screen. Witness toSlaughter was the InD’Tale RONE Award finalist in 2021 for Best Thriller.
K.A. loveshearing from readers and promises to reply to each message. Please visit hersocials to stay up-to-date on this exciting new series.
Find K.A.Online:
Website – http://www.ka-lugo.com
Website - http://www.jackslaughterthrillers.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KALugoAuthor
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/jackslaughter
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ka_lugo
Blog - http://jackslaughter.blogspot.com
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/KALugo
BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/k-a-lugo
TirgearrPublishing – http://www.tirpub.com/kalugo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
K.A. Lugo will be awarding a $20 Amazonor B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
February 3, 2024
Review: PARTED BY DEATH by Caroline Fardig
The next homicide case bringsEllie Matthews back to the scene that started this whole series—the clownamusement park. With the body so badly decomposed, there was very little tocollect for forensic evidence, so right away the case (and the story) was offto a slow start. With no evidence and no I.D. on the victim, the case goescold.
Soon, what seems like either amurder-suicide or a double-homicide springs up. A total bloodbath full offorensic evidence. The time instead was spent investigating this case, whichwas interesting especially when Ellie gets tasked to go undercover at a swingersor “recoupling” party. Oh my!
I enjoyed Ellie’s sassy andsarcastic barbs throughout the whole stressful and humiliating investigation.It was so interesting how the two cases tied together.
A good read for sure!
Rating:4 stars
Review: FLEECED by Carol Higgins Clark
Jewelry diamonds stolen and a deadbody in a tub. Was someone trying to get away with murder and theft?
PI Regan Reilly seemed to be theonly one that could solve this mystery. Apparently, the $4 million dollar salefrom those diamonds was meant to save an apartment building—a place whereresidents run butler schools and matchmaking services—from being closed down.Interesting thing was that the old man hated taking baths and only tookshowers. So, why was he found in a tub?
At first, Regan takes her timelooking around the dead guy’s place. Things get a little interesting when shestumbles on those love letters. Perhaps the guy’s death was no accident.
It turns into a fascinating caseof finding a murderer and a thief.
The mystery style is much quirkierand oddball than her mother’s (Mary Higgins Clark.) There’s a silliness toCarol’s style and tone. I mean, who opens up a butler school? That’s almost onthe same level of opening up a clown college. Could a competing butler schoolbe so desperate to eliminate the competition? It was just useless and silly.
Like MHC, Carol follows themulti-POV pattern of the main suspects and informants. Some people wanted theSettler’s Club to go down. Could that be a possible motive? The whole timeyou’re wondering who killed the two guys and who took the diamonds. I had agood hunch of where the diamonds were and you could see where that was leadingup to. It keeps you reading, for sure.
Although not as suspenseful, thiswas still good read!
Rating:4 stars
Review: STILLWATCH by Mary Higgins Clark
What had driven the popularCongressman to murder and suicide? Patricia hoped that moving into her oldfamily home would reveal some answers. What was indeed the truth behind herparents’ story? The only token Pat had of her father was the limp he left herwith from the night he tried to kill her. What really happened? And why was shegetting phone calls and letters telling her not to come to the house?
Meanwhile, Pat is working on adocumentary of the life of Senator Abigail, who was in consideration for therole of VP of the United States. Looking into the life of the senator can get alittle drawn-out, but there was some juicy tid-bits here and there. It getsbetter when Pat starts getting threatening messages to stop the documentary.But why? What could the senator have to hide? What didn’t she want Pat to findout and did it have anything to do with her father?
An interesting mystery!
Rating:4 stars
Review: WHAT HOLLY HEARD by R.L. Stine
This one takes a while to getgoing. It only really gets good in chapter 7 and 8 when Miriam’s boyfriend getsa little too rough with her and Holly overhears two classmates plotting amurder. But lots of kids get mad at their mom and say they want to kill her.Nobody actually does it. But then this one does. And then Holly turns up dead,too. Murdered. Who was the murderer? And could the murderer be after Miriam andRuth next because of what Holly heard?
I liked this one, but I didn’tlike the smashing of the poor hamsters.
A chilling and mysterious read!
Rating:4 stars
