C.J. Ives Lopez's Blog, page 13
July 19, 2022
Ashes to Ashes
QOTD: What would you do if someone came after your child?
Ashes to Ashes by Preston Holt Wilder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I resonated with the main character Evan in a bonding way.
I loved how the author created such a strong character, but she wasn’t an overbearing “I am a woman hear me road” kind of way that made you go, okay, don’t overplay the role.
The storyline was interesting and pulled me in. What started in tragedy kept building to the end and allowed me to understand so much about why the character had the undying strength to endure what Evan did.
When the author brought in the support character of Max, I was like, SWOON!
Every detail brought into this book was essential to the plot and made it more alive.
I appreciated the little dashes inside the killer’s mind, but not so much that it made me cringe because, let’s face it, sometimes going inside a killer’s mind may be too much.
This author hit on everything for me, and I will be reading more of their work because it is vivid and alive and kept me wanting to know so much more until the end.
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July 8, 2022
Born in a Bar
Born in a Bar: The Untold Stories of Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children by GySgt Jesse Esterly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am a little late writing this review because I want to share this book with everyone.
I was brought back to my childhood when I laughed at totally inappropriate things and didn’t feel bad for it. This book became somewhat of storytime in our house as I sat down in my recliner, opened it up, cracked up, almost peeing myself, and my husband would look at me and ask, “what the hell is so funny.” I would commence telling him the story, and he would laugh and then commence telling me stories of his infantry days. I would then start telling him some stories of my times in the Air Force.
It took some time to read because we would go off on tangents and relive our youth. The stories in this book were delightfully hilarious, totally inappropriately comical, and something every person in the world needs to have in their house.
I think this book crosses every boundary in the human world and can bring us all together because we can laugh at everything. I find that comedy and laughter break down walls, and this book can do that.
Yes, there are some uncomfortable situations, but we tend to fail as a human race if we can’t learn to laugh at ourselves.
This book confronts the very issue of mental health comically because it allows you to blow off steam and find a way to ease the pain of what society tells you to be ashamed of, to hide in the dark behind and not talk about.
Bravo, Gunny, you are a total rock star. The marines you get to lead and be around are absolutely rock stars. No wonder we sent you guys in first, and I am honored to have this book signed in crayon by you!
I will cherish it all my days and continue to read stories out of it. I will share it with my children, their children if the little buggers ever have any, and neighborhood kids if they ever decide to cross my lawn.
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June 16, 2022
A.D. Anderson
A.D. Anderson is a HYBRID author of Fantasy
Amber has five books published
The Rising Tide,
The Spirit of Fire,
Fresh Fangs,
A Tiger’s Spirit
Purchase Page: ADAndersonauthor.com
Amber Finds Inspiration in the magic of the world around her.
Amber’s Professional Bio: If you’re looking around for Amber during the day, you can find her working at her family’s medical clinic in Northeastern Oklahoma.
She enjoys spending time with her family and would not want to be anywhere else. These interactions give her life a great deal of meaning, and she is incredibly thankful for each day she spends in that tiny office. It also helps that her employers (AKA–her parents) are fully supportive of her writing career, and have inspired her every step of the way.
Once the work day is finished, the rest of the night is pretty much up in the air. Since she is an introvert, you can very likely track her down at her house. She is either sitting out back playing with her pack of rescues, or writing on her laptop in the bedroom. Along with spending time with her loved ones and writing, Amber also enjoys reading a good book, hiking, venturing onto Cavanal Hill, and watching comedies!
Us writers have to get those creative juices flowing somehow, right?
Favorite Quote: “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf.”
Favorite book The Assassin’s Blade!
Engage with Amber to learn why and how she writes these outstanding books.
LINK BELOW!
https://www.facebook.com/rebmaanderson
“There are three important things in life: books, dogs, and coffee.”
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June 14, 2022
Ava Cates – Speechless Series
A Review of Ava Cates – Speechless Series by Ava Cates
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Ava Cates Speechless Series had me at the book cover.
I also was making this post thinking that there were only four books in the series then I woke up this morning and found out there was another one and literally almost fell out of my seat and/or jumped up and down super happy.
I fell asleep last night perfectly content after the end of fearless. I loved this series.
When you see the cover, you think of a cozy small-town romance where the beautiful girl is going to get the guy. Well, let me tell you, the cover is so not assuming of the book, yet you will love the books just as much as this gorgeous cover.
Let me just list everything you will get in this series.
#secrets
#virgin
#fish out of water
#alpha hero
#opposites attract
##forbidden love
#small town romance
#disability trope
#farm life
#paranormal elements
#evil villian
#high school romance
#mean girls
#BFFs
#save the world trope
#under dog saves the day
#enemies to lovers
If that doesn’t have you salivating and wanting to read this right now, then I don’t know where your mind is at.
I fell in love with the main character right away, then slowly but surely all of the characters, even the ones you love to hate.
Some in the beginning I hated and ended up loving.
Like, even the villain I ended up loving at the end, WHO DOES THAT.
Anywho, go and read these books to escape to a world that you never knew you would enjoy more than reality itself.
The only thing I would say to be on the lookout for is a couple of transition issues; however, I was so intertwined in the books that I would stop and re-read to catch my place and move on from there. At the beginning of a couple of them, the author re-instated the premise again so if anyone hadn’t read the previous book they could start on that book and not skip a beat. Either way, it didn’t phase me!
I love THIS STORY and i’m on to book 5
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May 27, 2022
Alice Hanov
Alice is a Self Published author of YA Epic Fantasy
Alice is working on Book #5 with Book #1 and the prequel being published in June.
The Spare who Became the Heir and Other Stories – prequel given away in my newsletter.
The Head, the Heart, and the Heir – debut novel releasing June 14, 2022
Purchase Page: alicehanov.com
Alice Finds Inspiration in her family
Alice’s Professional Bio: Alice Hanov is a writer who graduated with a degree in Rhetoric and Professional Writing from the University of Waterloo. She’s been writing and dreaming up stories since she was seven and only now decided to get them on paper after enthralling her children with them. She’s working on her debut series The Head, The Heart, and The Heir, with the first three books in edits, and the next three in starting drafts. When she isn’t writing Alice is raising her three kids with her husband, helping run their software company Hanov Solutions, or can be found reading, painting, knitting, and chasing after their three super busy, artistic children who aspire to be artists or you tubers themselves.
Favorite book Little Women is the all-time book b/c it got me into reading, and last year my top indie book was Sedendum by Bekah Berge b/c it was different and the trickster God messing with people was too much fun.
Engage with Alice to learn why and how she writes these outstanding books.
LINK BELOW!
https://www.instagram.com/alicehanovauthor/
My prequel short story is now available for free if you sign up for my newsletter, https://dl.bookfunnel.com/knen0exnfh
I love making swag so my merch shop is bursting with colourful book sleeves I made and lots of other fun things!
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May 26, 2022
Justina Luther
Justina is a Traditionally Published author of sweet romance, suspense, thriller, fantasy, horror, young adult, and new adult books
Justina has written 25 books to include
Tulips to Kiss at Midnight
The Compact
These Four Walls
Destiny’s Knight
Would You Have Believed Me
Justina’s Inspiration can come from anywhere. Sometimes, it’ll be something as simple as a strip of light bleeding beneath a doorway in a dark room or a painting on a billboard.
Justina’s Professional Bio: Justina Luther has never been one to fit into any one box; as a girl she was a tomboy in high heels.Raised in a house that didn’t swear, she keeps her books the same way. While she won’t write a scene that would make your grandma blush, her words will push your emotions to the brink with twists you’ll never see coming.From thrillers to romance, fantasy, and horror, she goes where her imagination leads, writing characters with integrity, transparency, and flaws, who don’t quite fit the box.
Favorite Quote Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Favorite book A Walk to Remember, by Nicholas Sparks. I remember reading this book when I was about eleven, and it stuck with me. I didn’t want to read it at first because I didn’t like the cover, but my mom encouraged me to try it, and I ended up falling in love with the characters. When I’m in a reading slump, it’s still my go to.
Engage with Justina Luther to learn why and how she writes these outstanding books. LINK BELOW!
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeNCcXXW/
“Whether you read one or twenty-five of my books, I appreciate you!”
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May 25, 2022
A Good Girls Guide To Murder
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A bookstagrammer recommended this book, and I’m not one who usually reads murder mysteries, but let me tell you, I am hooked now and forevermore.
I say read, but I listened to the audiobook on a long road trip.
It’s funny because. Who reads murder books while road tripping? Well, this girl does, and it was well worth it. Amateur sleuthing extraordinaire was in the works all over this book, and it was super good. Think Nancy Drew meets modern-day storytelling.
This book was a surprise for my taste, and I was all in. The narration set it up from the beginning, and I loved that the different character voices added to the intrigue.
I loved the storyline and how she was doing a high school senior project, and the characters in the story were so believable and relatable.
The little romantic play intertwined into the storyline was excellent, and I was like, okay, side character line that needs to be its own story, let’s go for it, LOL.
There was heartache underlying the whole time, but not enough to make you cry. It was there but so undertoned that you were more interested in the mystery of it all, and it made you forget that a young girl’s life had been taken, and that is the whole reason the storyline existed.
While the story was false and a complete work of fiction, it was so believable that it could have been real life. I fell in love with this, and when it ended, I was like, okay can this character have another story because I will have another road trip and need something else to listen to? LOL>
Great job, author, and they picked the proper narration for it.
I will have to read more of this type of stuff because I was fully awake the whole trip.
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May 24, 2022
Razorblade Tears
Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I listened to this audiobook during a road trip from Texas to Missouri. Let me tell you how much I fell in love with these two fathers. I was watching the movie in my head as they talked. I listened to Idris Elba play one father, and Billy Joe Thorton plays the other as they worked through the inner turmoil they felt in their hearts. Every emotion came out of the narrator’s voice.
The storyline was so realistic, modern, and heartfelt. It was as if the whole book was written from a first-hand account. I even put faces to the slimy politician, bikers, and criminals. I didn’t have characters or prominent actors for them because I wasn’t as invested. I mean, they weren’t my fave, let’s say.
When you lose someone, you weren’t on good terms with yet loved with all your heart, it puts a scar on you like no other. These fathers lost more than anyone else, and they would not sit by idly and let it rest. The badassery in this book had me pumping my fist on the steering wheel. I’m sure a few passerby’s thought I was crazy, but I don’t give a damn.
Gosh, I want to go and listen again just writing this review. Let me tell you, listen to the audiobook, and you will do yourself a favor.
Bravo, bravo, bravo.
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April 22, 2022
Doug Berry
Today in the spotlight, we are featuring Doug Berry
Doug is a Self Published author of children’s books
Doug’s current books are:
The night I spent in a people house
A day at the beach with Jasper and Friends
Doug’s Inspiration – Just want to write fun books that let kids be kids.
Doug’s Professional Bio:
I’m a 20 year retired US Air Force Veteran. I served as an Armament Systems Specialist on both the A-10 & F-16 Aircraft. My career took me to Tucson, AZ, South Korea, Sumter, SC, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and other smaller training Temporary duty assignments. What made me decide to start writing children’s books? Well, we read a lot of books to our children and I always felt I could write one, I just had no idea what to write about. Then one day my son caught a little rabbit in our backyard. Consequently, it spent the night in our house and was released the next morning my son named him “Jasper” and a story was born! I couldn’t help but think about the little rabbits’ perspective and what his woodland friends would think when he told them, and “The night I spent in a people’s house” was born. Sales and reviews were so good and even though I really had no plans to write a follow-up
Favorite bookThe Bible
**Engage with Doug **
To learn why and how she writes these outstanding books.
LINK BELOW!
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April 21, 2022
The Dukes Pursuit
The Duke’s Pursuit by Golden Angel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Let me start by saying I flipping LOVE PIPPA!!
OMG, every man in the world needs to read this book and then return to us. Or better yet, transport me to this place if I wasn’t married already.
Pippa or Phillipa, a recently widowed woman, is out to find what pleasure is, but discreetly.
I found so much emotion in this book that I was left with whiplash, but in a good way. I was hopeful, gutted, lustful (I know, bad, but good).
In the book, there was a point when a character said, “Dear Lord, Give me Strength, ” which left me giggling aloud. Trust me. You will, too, when you find out why.
Then a scene where one of the main characters said: “Bloody Hell Pippa,” left my eyes bulging—looking around the room, wondering if anyone could see me wiggling in my seat.
The love/sex scenes are unparalleled to anything I have ever read. They are so vivid and descriptive yet tasteful. Like, I seriously was like, Oh My “Honey, let’s head to bed” LMAO.
I didn’t find it obscene, I found it delightfully written with a storyline that swooned my heart into a place that was hopeful and content in the end, and I felt peaceful happiness that made me think back on my own life, and I know I will smile for a while from this book.
Thank you to the author for writing it this way because I feel like many people will resonate with this book.
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