Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 86
March 12, 2024
Blog Tour: TOOTHBRUSH ANIMAL HUNT by Carleen Dehaney
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Carleen Dehaney will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Embark on a delightful adventure with Toothbrush Animal Hunt, the perfect children's book to encourage daily toothbrushing habits in a playful and enjoyable way.
From a clapping sea lion at the beach to a cheeky squirrel in the forest, children will be fascinated as they learn about toothbrushing through the actions and antics of these charming creatures. And don't forget to spot the toothbrushes hidden throughout the pages, making this hunt, a delightful game of discovery.
Say goodbye to toothbrushing struggles and let the adventure begin!
Enjoy an Excerpt
Review: Go on a fun hunt in this wildlyentertaining and colorful book. A group of kids take a stroll with nature and lookall around. Every time they spot something, a toothbrush appears in the cornerand proceeds to go into a tip about brushing. Each new animal find reflects thefun lesson in brushing. A great way for kids to learn—combining animal sounds andappearances with the brushing.
A cool book about animals anddental hygiene! Highly recommended book for kids!
My rating: 5 stars
About the Author: Meet the author, Carleen Dehaney! Carleen is a mother and wife. She hails from the UK but now calls Canada home. This enchanting book draws inspiration from a tenacious 2-year-old in need of some toothbrushing magic. Carleen embarked on a whimsical journey, incorporating playful animal sounds into her daughter's brushing routine, and thus, the idea for this captivating book was conceived. Today, her little one, who has since outgrown her toddler years, recites this tale back to Carleen, forging cherished moments between them.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Toothbrush-Animal-Hunt-Carleen-Dehaney/dp/0228877024/ref=sr_1_1
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Blog Tour: LOOKING FOR A LEPRECHAUN by Richard Lopez
Book Details:
Book Title: Looking for a Leprechaun by Richard Lopez
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 30 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Three Little Birds Publishing
Release date: Apr 2023
Content Rating: G. Suitable for everyone.
Book Description:
Looking for a Leprechaun is the story of a boy named Rich who lives in a magical world, but everywhere he turns he hears people saying he doesn't belong. When a fairy tells him if he finds a Leprechaun it will help him find where he belongs, Rich sets out on an adventure. The search for a leprechaun is difficult. Close to giving up, Rich hears some words of wisdom. Will he be able to find what he is searching for? What if it's been inside him all along?
Young children and their parents will be amazed by the positive story and exquisite illustrations of this Mom's Choice Awards Gold recipient. Looking for a Leprechaun has been named among the best in family-friendly media, products and services.
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Audible
B&N ~ BAM
add to Goodreads
Review: “If you find a leprechaun…it willhelp you find where you belong.”
And so begins the search for themagical leprechaun. A young boy named Rich goes in search of where he belongs. Richencounters several places where he DOESN’T belong. These places had somestrange-looking creatures and not one of them was a leprechaun.
What if I don’t belong anywhere?
The illustrations were so vibrantand colorful. I liked how the text curved and naturally drew your eye acrossthe pages.
This was a great story about nothaving to look far to find what you had all along. A nice read!
Rating:4 stars
Meet the Author:
Richard Lopez is an award winning children's author originally from Hialeah, FL. He has a high school diploma and has worked in healthcare information technology for the past 15 years. He started to focus on writing in 2003 when he went back to school and completed a certification for Sound Engineering at S.A.E. He had a few poems published in books by the International Library of Poetry. The Best Poems and Poets of 2003, Invoking the Muse, and The Best Poems and Poets of 2005. He currently resides in St. Petersburg, FL and enjoys going to see live music, and being outdoors. He started Three Little Birds Publishing for his work on children's books. Looking for a Leprechaun is his first children's book.
connect with author: website ~ instagram ~ goodreads
Enter the Giveaway:Looking for a Leprechaun by Richard Lopez Book Tour Giveaway
March 11, 2024
Spotlight: INVASIVE SPECIES by D. Bohica
Summary:
In a realm where magic intertwines with the forces of nature, a formidable orc gladiator, Roar'Z, joins forces with Becky, his steadfast companion, in an urgent quest for survival. This epic tale unfolds in the mystical Enchanted Expanse, a land teeming with powerful druids, ferocious dragons, and other mythical beings.
Roar'Z, renowned for his brute strength and battle prowess, faces an array of daunting challenges. His journey is one of valor and resilience, marked by intense battles that test his mettle and leadership. With each skirmish, Roar'Z harnesses his fierce rage to overcome adversities, leaving a trail of awe in the wake of his flaming darts and strategic combat.
In stark contrast, Becky embodies a spirit of hope and healing, her presence a beacon in the direst of circumstances. Together, they navigate treacherous terrains, confronting both external threats and internal conflicts. Their bond, rooted in unshakeable loyalty and courage, proves pivotal as they confront the formidable Crimson Ruby, a dragon whose presence looms large over their fate.
Their path is fraught with danger, from a harrowing escape from the Gladiator Gulague to a tense showdown on a seaweed-strewn platform surrounded by perilous waters. These encounters underscore the story’s central themes: the resilience of the spirit, the power of unity, and the relentless pursuit of safeguarding one’s kind against overwhelming odds.
In this high-stakes adventure, alliances shift like the winds, and the line between friend and foe blurs. Each chapter is a testament to the extraordinary strength found in togetherness, even in the darkest of times. The narrative races towards a climactic confrontation, where the fate of Clan Rotem hangs in the balance.
This novel is more than a story of survival, it is an exhilarating journey through a world brimming with danger and unexpected alliances. It's a vivid portrayal of heroism, steeped in fantasy and rich in emotional depth. Prepare for a riveting experience that resonates with courage, echoing in the heart of every reader who dares to delve into this fantastical world.
Scene:
While the twogladiators prepared for the evening's final fight, the announcer gave anuninspiring introduction of the two fighters. He completed his speech byannouncing this evening's contest would only be to first blood.
Roar'Z walkedthrough the arena to a stand with a water bucket, mirror, and straightrazor. He used the straight razor to cut off his skull's two weeks of hairgrowth. He made many deep, painful cuts on his head, drawing blood.
Blood and pain makerage and anger flow. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as feralenergy coursed through him. His wounds began to heal with remarkablespeed, fueled by an unstoppable rage.
Roar'Z did not knowthat his extraordinary healing ability had been passed down to him from one ofhis grandparents, a pure-blooded Troll. The pain and steady flow of bloodlasted only a few seconds. The sight of congealed blood covering Roar'Z'sface and neck was horrifying. Roar'Z threw the sharp razor up into thesky.
Roar'Z gloweredfiercely at the elephant man, the airborne razor ignited, it landed and stuckin the wooden stand. Flames engulfed the stand, licking its surface as ifeager to devour any trace of its existence.
Roar'Z drank fromIandel's dragon blood-filled water skin.
GlauKus's floppyears quivered with anticipation...
Author's Social Media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/D.Bohica
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/d_bohica/
TickTock - www.tiktok.com/@d.bohica
Webpage - https://dbohica.com/
March 9, 2024
Review: THE RUNNING GIRLS by Matt Brolly
Randall, after having beenconvicted for murdering his wife, was officially released. With nowhere else togo, he returns home, where relatives still remember what had happened. Laurie,a homicide cop and also married to Randall’s son, still remembered how theyfound Annie that day—positioned on the ground like if she was running.
In his old house, Randall contendswith the haunting memories of his old life, his loss, his trial, and his brokenfamily.
The writing was good—lavish andvivid—however, the prose was a little slow. By chapter 6, Laurie begins toinvestigate a missing girl that was last seen running the night before. Thepace was slow all the way. The family drama seems to get too much in the way.When do we find a dead body? It was just one long search with not much to showfor. I was kind of enjoying it up until about a ¼ of the way in. Then it juststarted becoming a drag.
It can be a fairly nice read ifyou’re patient enough to stick with it.
Rating:3 stars
Review: THE CABIN BELOW by NL Hinkens
A couple working on their marriagewas embarking on a cruise. On the first day onboard, Allison’s expensivenecklace is stolen. At first, it became a question of whether the necklace wasstolen or if Allison simply misplaced it. Story gets more interesting whenAllison starts suspecting that her husband might be trying to kill her. Itturns out there were various characters on this ship with motive and secrets.
The mysteries here were random andunspecific, but they were alluring. It certainly made you think, which I liked.
About halfway through, we don’tget Allison’s POV anymore, so we begin to wonder what happened to her—anothermystery and probably the biggest one here. What happened to Allison? Did shefall overboard? Was it suicide? Or murder? Now we’re really riveted to thestory.
Fortunately, a new friend on theship wasn’t going to let this go.
You eagerly await for this complexweb of deceit to unravel. You’re just itching to find out. What a surpriseending!
A spectacular read!
Rating:5 stars
Review: IF YOU WERE HERE by Alafaire Burke
The news storyof a mysterious superwoman saving a promising young teen on the subway track.Was there something here? The reporter doing the story didn’t expect torecognize the face on the video. It was the face of a woman that disappearedwithout a trace 10 years ago. If the woman was alive, where had she been thiswhole time?
This mysterysort of lures you in. For a while, McKenna reminisces about Susan—how she wasand how she introduced her to her husband. Then she gets down to research. Thenarrative was pretty good—decent—but still slow. The progression was evenslower. I will say that this Alafaire Burke book held my interest longer thanall the other books I’ve tried to read. Still, this wasn’t a 4 or 5-star readfor me. The MC McKenna spends way too much time writing her book.
The read,overall, was fairly nice, but I just expected more excitement and a fasterstory. I wanted more suspense. This was probably the best book I’ve read fromthis author and it got no more than 3 stars from me.
Rating:3 stars
Review: 21 DARES by JC Gatlin
This one takes a long while to getgoing. I was actually surprised at how long it was taking. First, we had a longchapter of Abbie’s sister getting taken or killed or whatever. Then we get aneven longer storyline of Abbie’s life in college. Pace was very slow! It justseemed like we were taking forever to get to the 21 dares. I was like 10chapters in and there were no dares. Get on with it already! This was not whatI was expecting. Just terrible!
Rating:1 star
Review: FIND ME by Alafair Burke
It’s been 15 years. She’d beenliving under a new name: Hope. The first chapter ended on an interesting note,I have to admit. However, getting into the second chapter kind of confuses youon the timeline. This was supposed to be later in the day, right?
The prose keeps a consistentlyslow pace. Time jumps around so much that it makes you dizzy and it mainlyfocuses on character backstories rather than a mystery. Does something happensoon? This book showed promise, but it was a big flop.
This was very disappointing. I’mreally starting to hate this author.
Please find me a good book by thisauthor!
Rating:1 star
March 8, 2024
Blog Tour: PETRIFIED PRUNELLA by Sophie Jupillat Posey
Join Prunella on a journey of self-discovery as she navigates thefears surrounding her first tooth loss in a new country in this newbook, Petrified Prunella.
Petrified Prunella
by Sophie JupillatPosey
Genre: BilingualChildren’s Book
Join Prunella on a journey of self-discovery as she navigates thefears surrounding her first tooth loss in a new country in this newbilingual book, Petrified Prunella.
Sweet Prunella issoon to lose her first tooth. She dreads the pain and the LittleMouse who in France whisks your pearly whites away.
But as sherelocates to the United States with her family and learns about newtooth traditions, will Prunella be able to conquer her fears andinhibitions?
Petrified Prunella motivates children toovercome their fears, inspires them to embrace change, educates youngreaders about different cultural traditions, and empowers them tomake choices. This book will help you raise open-minded, confidentkids.
Get your copy today and join Petrified Prunella onthis heartwarming journey from France to the United States, as shediscovers the magic hidden within every gap-toothed smile.
Meet Prunella, a sweet girl thatcould not hurt any living thing. See how gentle she was with all living things.The art work was lovely.
Prunella had many good qualities.But she also had fears, and the fears multiplied when she was forced to moveout of her country. Everything was new to her and she was scared of everything.Meanwhile, she was having pain on her tooth and was afraid of a rodent thatmight come take it. I kind of felt that there were two separate issues herethat didn’t quite coincide.
Oddly enough, it was her toothsuperstition that opened her up to the new kids at school.
Story was a good reflection of thedifferences in cultures around the world. Was this more a story about Prunellafacing her fears as the new kid in a new country? Or was this more aboutPrunella figuring out the legend of the Tooth Fairy? Either way, it was aboutPrunella getting over her fear.
A nice read!
Rating:4 stars
I Really REALLY Don’t Want Braces
by Sophie JupillatPosey
Genre: BilingualChildren’s Book
Join Mario as he gets his braces and learns to stand up against hisnot-so-friendly friends in this bilingual book.
Mariohates his braces. They are painful, they look ugly, and his food getsstuck in them all the time.
As everyone at school makes fun ofMario and he is disheartened by all the mocking he faces, willMario’s elder brother, Tony, be able to help him stand up againsthis bullies and finally accept his braces?
I Really REALLY Don’tWant Braces inspires children to embrace their braces, educatesthem on the benefits of braces, teaches children to stand up forthemselves, and motivates young readers to discover their innerstrength. This book will help you raise confident and resilientlittle humans.
A kid doesn’t want to get braces.
The are is nice and the words arewritten in a poetic limerick. It was cute and funny. It expresses the agony ofhaving to get and living with the braces. Oh, the pain and shame!
This is a story that mostkids—those that have had braces—will be able to relate to. A good example oftaking things in stride and not letting the taunts bother you. I especiallyliked how the kid kept changing the colors of his braces all year round. It waspretty cool!
A great read!
Rating:5 stars
French-Venezuelan Sophie Jupillat Posey wrote a poem about spring inthe 4th grade and started a mystery series a year later. She’s beenhooked to creating stories ever since. She studied writing and musicat Rollins College. She’s had numerous short stories and poetrypublished in literary magazines since 2014. She enjoys reading andwriting anything from science fiction and fantasy, to paranormal andmystery novels. When she isn’t writing, she is composing music,creating albums, and teaching English to students in France. She canbe reached on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok and her website.
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Blog Tour: WHEN THE STARS ALIGN by Emery Cruz
A fake dating, movie star romance
Loving a Star
When the Stars AlignBook 1
by Emery Cruz
Genre: ContemporaryRomance
Pretend to date the broody, ridiculously handsome movie star whilewriting the score for his film… It’s a great gig until we scorein other ways.
In my teens, Ethan Stone was one of thebiggest stars, and I had a huge crush on him. Until a decade later,while I’m standing next to him on a movie set and he opens hismouth. What a jerk!
Luckily, I’m here to write andperform the songs for the movie. So I don’t have to work with himat all.
That is until the director and Ethan’s agent askme to fake date him to generate some tabloid gossip about themovie.
I’d rather shower naked with a hungry bear.
ButI’ve made a promise to myself, so I need to see this project to theend. And if I play this right, I might just be able to do that andget the hell out of this selfish, backstabbing industry.
ButEthan has a secret, and I’ve just fallen in love…
**Only.99cents!**
Unlucky in Love
When the Stars AlignBook 2
Dating your childhood idol is never a good idea. That doesn’t meanI won’t do it.
When my client auditions for the role ofa lifetime, I cross paths with the casting director—former teenagebad boy Joey Radnor all grown up and even more delicious than Iremember. But he’s also broody, rude, and self-centered. I want torun when he asks me out, but I can’t tick off the guy in charge ofhiring my client.
Our date is even worse than I expected,and once it’s over, I ignore him rather than admit I can’t standthe man I spent most of my teenage years drooling over. But when hecuts my client from the roster, my job and reputation are on theline. Meeting him face to face again is a bad idea. We’re oil andwater. We don’t mix.
But when I look into those gorgeouseyes, I know we can beat the odds…if we don’t kill each otherfirst.
Love in the Spotlight
When the Stars AlignBook 3
I didn’t start the conversation with Teddy, but now all I want isfor it to continue.
Ready to leave modeling behind, Istrut into an A-lister event to pitch my cosmetics line. Investorsare swarming until a self-absorbed movie star barges in and asks meout. I’m dumbfounded when the investors scatter, but Teddy is goodlooking, famous, and most importantly, rich.
A few datescertainly couldn’t hurt.
Teddy’s agent thinks I’mbad news, but dating him is better publicity than modeling. WhenTeddy and I become closer, though, his agent makes him choose betweenme and his career. Hurt when he hesitates, I end it forhim.
Depressed and alone, I cling to his fading spotlightand release my cosmetics line early. When sales explode, the pressclaims our relationship was a stunt to sell products, which was maybetrue…at first.
When my personal life implodes, I realizethe one solid thing in my life had been Teddy, and I’d let ambitionruin that.
He has no reason to take me back, but with therest of my life in ruins, I have nothing left to lose.
**On Sale - Get the box set for only .99cents!! **
Loving a Star - Excerpts
Mila
Outside, a car iswaiting for me, and I climb in, feeling a little throb of excitement in mychest. I have no idea how tonight is going to go, but I’m sort of excited tofind out. I know it’s going to be weird, playing up to the cameras andpretending like I actually enjoy Ethan’s company, but I can do it, right?
The future of mycareer—or rather, the lack of it—hinges on it.
I arrive outsidethe restaurant and sneak a look around to see if there are any photographerstrying to snatch a picture. Nobody yet, at least that I can see.
I brush down thedress and balance on my heels to make my way inside without falling flat on myface. The pointy black stilettos are precisely ten inches higher than anythingI have ever worn before—at least, that’s how they feel—but I need to act asthough it’s natural to me.
“Mila?”
I look up, and mybody floods with relief when I lay eyes on Ethan. Damn, I never thought I wouldbe happy to see him.
He takes my armand smiles at me. “You look great,” he murmurs, letting his eyes travel up anddown my body slowly.
I feel a littleshiver. He looks really good, too. He’s in a sleek suit with a tie that matcheshis eyes, making them stand out even more than usual.
Ethan
I watch as the carpulls away and stare until it vanishes around the corner. Then I close my eyesfor a moment and remind myself this is nothing more than another role for me. Butdamn, it’s been hard to make myself believe that tonight.
It started themoment I saw her at the door of the restaurant, dressed up in that sleek blacknumber that showed off her curves, her long, slender legs. With her hair downaround her shoulders, she seemed to be someone else entirely, ready for the redcarpet instead of for an argument.
She seemed nervousat first, but I just sat there and took her in. She’s gorgeous in a way I nevernoticed before, and she didn’t walk in trying to pick a fight with me, sothat’s a start.
I have to becareful here. I don’t want to let any attraction to her get in the way of whatI’m here to do. I just … wanted to treat it like a real date, like this was areal chance for us to get to know each other, a real chance for me to see underher tough exterior and find out what drives that attitude of hers.
Mila
I sink my headonto the plush couch and close my eyes, just for a moment …
I’m distantlyaware of him coming to sit opposite me, and I shift toward him withoutthinking, closing the distance between us. I feel his arms brush against me,and I press myself into him. I’m so tired I can hardly figure out why what I’mdoing might be a problem, and I don’t give a damn. I just like the feeling ofhis closeness, the feeling of his strong body against mine.
I’m not sure howmany hours have passed by the time I wake up, but when my eyes open again, Ileap away from him.
Holy hell, what amI doing?
He lifts his headup like he has been dozing, too, and smiles at me.
“I should, uh …get back to my place,” I murmur as I get up off the couch and rush to gather mystuff.
What the hell am Idoing? What the hell have I been thinking? Sleeping on his couch like that,nestling into him like the two of us are meant to be together. No. I need toleave. I need to get the out of here before anything else can happen, becausethis? This is so far beyond the realms of what I know is appropriate.
As I pull on myshoes and throw on my coat, I feel a tingle in the base of my stomach. Because,even if it was wrong, there’s something about having his arms around me thatmakes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Something about being held byhim that makes me feel safe and settled in this mess of an industry.
And I start to wonder, deep at the back of my mind,just how much I am really faking all of this.
Loving a StarA new movie was about to be made,which would revive the career of famous actor Ethan and be a big break forfresh-out-of-college musician Mila. Like others, Mila has always had a crush onEthan, but a misunderstanding between them makes her realize that he was justthe playboy starlet she’s always heard about him. The tension in their fightwas off the hook. So much so that the director wanted to keep it going bysuggesting a fake relationship on the set. Are you kidding me?
This was your typical fakerelationship romance where you have two people hating each other at first andfalling in love with each other after. Story was quick and easy to fall into.Your heart definitely softens when you see how much Ethan loves his daughter.The connection between Mila and Ethan felt genuine. Something real andbeautiful was definitely happening here.
But loving a star ain’t so easy.When the media gets a hold of the juiciest story ever, everything falls apart.Can these two handle it?
A sweet and loving Hollywoodstory!
Rating:4 stars
I'mEmery Cruz. I LOVE books! I love to read them, and I love to writethem. My favorites are contemporary romance stories. I like to behooked and twisted and left feeling exhausted and happy ;)
I am a newly published author.I plan to turn my passion into my full-time career. So, I willcontinue to write stories I hope you will love.
If you'd like to receive mynewsletter or be a part of my ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) team, pleasejoin from my website: EmeryCruz.com
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