Book Tour & Giveaway: Chupacater and the Haunted Piñata by George Lopez & Ryan Calejo

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the CHUPACARTER AND THE HAUNTED PIÑATA by George Lopez & Ryan Calejo Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About the Book:

Title: CHUPACARTER AND THE HAUNTED PIÑATA

Author: George Lopez, Ryan Calejo, & Santy Gutiérrez (Illustrations)

Pub. Date: May 30, 2023

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 320

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/CHUPACARTER-AND-THE-HAUNTED-PINATA

In this hilarious follow-up to ChupaCarter, world-famous entertainer George Lopez delivers a spooky tale of mystery, revenge, and friendship starring 12-year-old Jorge and Carter, the fearsome but friendly Chupacabra!

Inspired by his own childhood and packed with clever illustrations, George Lopez's sequel to ChupaCarter sees Jorge finally feeling at home in his new town, thanks to his awesome friends Liza and Ernie—and especially Carter, the chupacabra.

New kid Jorge is shocked to learn that his beastly friend Carter isn't the only legendary creature in Boca falls. Every few years, the town is terrorized by a haunted . . . piñata? Rumor has it that the petrifying party decoration floats around setting eerie fires to avenge a long-ago betrayal. Jorge can't help but laugh, until a rash of green fires forces the townspeople to consider moving away, including the parents of his pals Ernie and Liza!

With Carter at their side, the three friends are in a race against time to catch the real culprit before they're separated forever . . . or the whole town is set aflame. Which will come first?

 

Get Book 1, CHUPACARTER now!

 

My thoughts...

I'm halfway through this entertaining and humorous children's book. Jorge and his friends are searching for an arsonist. It may or may not be the dreaded, terrifying haunted piñata, which makes an appearance in this small town every six years. Together with Carter, their chupacabra friend, Jorge and his friend muster up the courage needed to chase down the clues, many with laugh-out-loud outcomes. They haven't yet found the culprit, but I'm excited to continue reading to see how the rest of the story unfolds.

Oh, and I can't forget to mention the lively illustrations sprinkled throughout the book. 

About George Lopez:

George Lopez is a New York Times bestselling author, stand-up comedian, actor, and talk show host. He made waves as the star of the most successful English-language prime-time television series about Latin Americans in recent history. His successful stand-up comedy showcases his idiosyncratic point of view and impeccable comedic timing. He lives in Los Angeles.

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon

 

 

About Ryan Calejo:

Ryan Calejo is an award-winning author born and raised in sunny south Florida. His critically acclaimed Charlie Hernández series has been featured in half a dozen state reading lists and has earned starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus, was a Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection, and won an International Latino Book Award, a Sunshine State Young Readers Award, and a Florida Book Award (Gold Medal). He lives in Miami.

 

Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will win a finished copy of CHUPACARTER AND THE HAUNTED PIÑATA, US ONLY.

Ends June 20th, midnight EST.

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/22/2023	Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer	Review or Excerpt/IG Post
5/23/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
5/24/2023	yabookscentral.com	Excerpt/IG Post
5/25/2023	Log Cabin Library	Excerpt
5/26/2023	onemused	IG Post
5/27/2023	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt

Week Two:

5/28/2023	@allyluvsbooksalatte	Review/IG Post
5/29/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
5/30/2023	@bookish_cherie	Review/IG Post
5/31/2023	Lifestyle of Me	Review
6/1/2023	Jeff_of_allmedia	IG Review
6/2/2023	Confessions of the Perfect Mom	Review/IG Post
6/3/2023	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post

Week Three:

6/4/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
6/5/2023	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
6/6/2023	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post
6/7/2023	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post
6/8/2023	FUONLYKNEW	Review
6/9/2023	Carly Sunshine Books	Review/IG Post
6/10/2023	The Book Countess	Review/IG Post

Week Four:

6/11/2023	@pagesforpaige	IG Review
6/12/2023	@stargirls.magical.tale	IG Review
6/13/2023	Jaime_of_gryffindor	Review/IG Post
6/14/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
6/15/2023	Author Z. Knight’s Guild	Review/IG Post
6/16/2023	Books With a Chance	Review/IG Post

Guest Author: Emilia Ramos Samper

I'm delight to welcome Emilia Ramos Samper to my blog. She is a young author of fantasy novel, CROWN OF SCALES AND WONDER. But instead of me telling you more about this talented young lady, I'm going to let her. Please help me welcome Emilia to my blog!

The Story of a Ten-Year-Old Published Author

Emilia Ramos Samper

Hello, my name is Emilia Ramos Samper, and I am the kid author of the fantasy novel Crown of Scales and Wonder. I’m so glad to be here on Cherie’s blog sharing my experience as a young author! Since I published my debut novel, it’s been my mission to support other young writers. The most common question they ask me is: Why write so young? What inspired you to write?

Well, it all started during the pandemic. Ever since I can remember, reading and writing have been my escape from a not-so-perfect world. When I write, I become a different person in a different world. One day after virtual school, I sat down at my computer and started writing an idea that had been stuck in my head. I read it to my family during dinner, and they begged me for the next chapter. Really, I owe my writing success to my family and the quarantine.

Writing was hard, as are so many of the things we love. I would sit down every day and wouldn’t stop until I wrote 1,000 words. Throughout the course of the quarantine, I plunked out every idea in my head. Today, it has taken form as a 240-page fantasy novel with a sequel coming out next year!

While writing, I struggled with imposter syndrome quite a bit: You’re too young. You’re never going to make it as a writer. For this reason, I’ve begun to speak at schools and share my journey with other young people. It is my mission to make sure that no other kid ever feels like they’re alone in the pursuit of their dreams.

The world is a blank page. And it’s never, ever too young to start writing your story.

Crown of Scales and Wonder

Author: Emilia Ramos Samper

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

A princess of dark blood. An agent of a scarred revolution. A kingdom tormented by scale and shadow.

Blurb: In a kingdom torn apart by dark magic and a million-year war, Princess Naomi Elistaire searches for answers amidst the facade of her palace imprisonment. With an irreversible gift ready to destroy her and a martyred father buried in a web of lies, who’s to say which way fate will turn?

Deep underground, Agent Ez Shores trains everyday at the dragon base, waiting for the revolution, the day to kill the Queen. But as dangerous bloodlines reveal themselves and a seemingly suicidal mission is handed to him, Ez finds himself locked in the palace dungeons, facing the daughter of his worst enemy.

Lies.

Love.

Revolution.

Grab your copy today on Amazon!

About the author:
Emilia Ramos Samper is one of the youngest people to ever publish a novel. She published her debut novel, Crown of Scales and Wonder when she was ten and her second book is coming out this year. She has won 1st place in the LaPlume Young Writer's Contest, as well as the Literary Icon Award at the 2022 LitFest.

Connect with Emilia:

Instagram: @emiramsa ~  TikTok: @emiliaramossamper ~ Pinterest: @emiramsa 

Do you have a favorite fantasy creature?  

Dragons are one of mine!

Thanks for stopping by!

Book Tour: Of Light and Shadow by Tanaz Bhathena

I'm excited to participate in the OF LIGHT AND SHADOW by Tanaz Bhathena virtual book tour organized by Xpresso Tours. Below you'll find the playlist for this book. And Tanaz Bhathena will be awarding a print copy of the book to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 

Of Light and Shadow
Tanaz Bhathena
Publication date: May 23rd 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

When they don’t give us our birthright, we steal it.

Roshan Chaya is out for justice. Abandoned by her parents at birth and adopted by the kingdom of Jwala’s most notorious bandit before his brutal murder, she is now leader of the Shadow Clan, a gang of farmers-turned-bandits impoverished by the provincial governor’s atrocities and corruption. Roshan’s goal: to avenge her adoptive father and earn back rights and dignity for her people.

Prince Navin has always felt like an outcast. Second in line for the throne, he has never been close to his grandmother, Queen Bhairavi of Jwala. When a night out drinking with friends leads to his capture by the infamous Shadow Clan, Navin schemes to befriend Roshan and use her as a means to escape. His ploy, however, brings Navin closer to the corruption and poverty at the heart of Roshan’s province, raising questions about its governor and Navin’s own family.

To further complicate things, the closer Roshan and Navin get, the harder it becomes to fight their growing attraction. But how can they trust each other when the world as they know it starts to fall apart?

Set in a magical world inspired by the badlands of 17th century India, this standalone epic fantasy novel by Tanaz Bhathena is packed with political tensions, dangerous schemes, and swoon-worthy romance that asks the age old question: can love conquer all?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

OF LIGHT AND SHADOW Playlist:

 

Sholay theme - RD Burman

Enemy - Imagine Dragons

Heart of Courage - Thomas Bergersen

Monster - Shawn Mendes & Justin Bieber

Garaj Garaj - Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty

Demons - Imagine Dragons

A Fistful of Dollars - Ennio Morricone

Sayonee - Junoon 

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly theme - Ennio Morricone

Set Fire to the Rain - Adele

Bella Ciao - Manu Pilas

Mehbooba Mehbooba - RD Burman

Alvida reprise - James

Warriors - Imagine Dragons

Author Bio:

Tanaz Bhathena is an award-winning Zoroastrian author of contemporary and fantasy fiction. Her books include Of Light and Shadow, Hunted by the Sky which won the Ontario Library Association’s White Pine Award and the Bapsi Sidhwa Literary Prize, and The Beauty of the Moment which won the Nautilus Award for Young Adult Fiction. Her acclaimed debut, A Girl Like That, was named a Best Book of the Year by numerous outlets including The Globe and Mail, Seventeen, and The Times of India. Born in India and raised in Saudi Arabia and Canada, Tanaz lives in Mississauga, Ontario, with her family.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

Stress Busting Book Festival

Salted Caramel Bliss and a Wedding Kiss is an N.N. Light Book Heaven Battle Stress book pick!

Battle the boredom at home with N. N. Light’s Book Heaven Stress Busting Book Festival. 24 books, 22 authors, a huge giveaway plus tips from award-winning, bestselling and top-rated authors to bust through the stress!

Click here to read an excerpt and learn how I combat stress on.

Click here to follow the event!

Enter the Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What's your favorite way to combat stress?

Chatting with author Debra Daugherty

I'm thrilled to have Debra Daugherty with me today for a round of speed questions and to tell you about her picture book THE MEMORY JAR. This wonderful picture book with it's heartwarming story and adorable illustrations helps children not only understand dementia, but provides a positive project that can help a loved one.

First, let's get to know Debra with a speed round of questions!

Good guys or bad guys? Good guys

Good girls or bad girls? Good girls

Morning or night? Night

Favorite food? Pizza

Favorite beverage? Raspberry tea

Coffee or tea? tea

eBook, paperback, or audiobook? paperback

Plotter or Pantster? Pantster

Favorite season? Fall

Dogs or cats? Dogs

Favorite holiday? Christmas

Favorite movie? Romancing the Stone

Ironman or Superman? Superman

Wonder Woman or Top Model? Wonder Woman

Night on the town or cozy evening in? Cozy evening in

Favorite book? Pride and Prejudice

Favorite fictional world? Medieval England

Last book read? The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

Black or white? White

Stilettos or flipflops or sneakers? Sneakers

Favorite song? The Wind Beneath My Wings

Chicken or steak? Chicken

Cake, cookies, or pie? cookies

Favorite junk food? Kettle corn

Favorite thing to do to relax? Watch a movie

Paranormal or Historical? Historical

Favorite TV show? Call the Midwife

Hot or cold? Hot

Favorite vacation? London

Beach or mountains? Beach

About the book

THE MEMORY JAR

Author: Debra Daugherty

Genre: Picture Book

When Amelia learns Grammy has dementia, she wants to help her remember the special events in her life, but how?

Blurb: 

Amelia's grandmother doesn't remember her because she has dementia, but Amelia is determined to find a way to help. She knows that if she can get her grandmother to talk about the stories she told Amelia over the years, then it will help bring the memories back and make all of them happy. Amelia comes up with a clever plan to assist her grandmother...but will it be enough?

Grab your copy today

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the author: Central Illinois author, Debra Daugherty, enjoys eating cold pizza for breakfast and watching PBS mysteries. She’s a huge fan of London, but her travels are now closer to home. Debra wrote THE MEMORY JAR as a tribute to a beloved aunt who had Alzheimer’s. Debra’s excited to announce she has a contract with Young Dragons Press for two more picture books, GRANDPA’S BARN and HEART OF STONE. A fun fact: Debra has kissed the Blarney Stone, but admits she has always had the gift of gab.

Connect with Debra

Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Website 

Do you have anything in common with Debra? 

Thanks for stopping by!

Book Blast & Giveaway: Shattered by Cassie Swindon

I'm excited to participate in the SHATTERED by Cassie Swindon virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Cassie Swindon will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Title: Shattered

by Cassie Swindon

Genre: Fantasy, romance

Blurb:

 
Darkness is gnawing at my soul. The shadows swallow me a little more each day. But someone needs to destroy Elana Elidi. And I may be the only one who can. There’s a spell to stop her from destroying the remaining Ordulls. But it requires a sacrifice from my true love. The problem is—who does my heart belong to—Jadox or Isaac?

Grab your copy

Peek between the pages...

Terrified of making any sudden movements, I crossed the room at a snail’s pace. Kyra patted the floor beside her without taking those obsidian eyes off me. Haunting, unnatural eyes.

Another shudder threatened to rip through me, but I held it back, using all my energy not to spook her. One wrong move might push the thing possessing her to lash out. As a child, I had heard Gemm tell a story about spirits, but it was only supposed to be a fairytale.

I gulped down what felt like a pile of stones and carefully sat beside her. The healing spell was at the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t want to scare her. Instead, I silently chanted Terra angakok. Terra angakok, again and again, praying to the Divinity above that it would save her from whatever monster bewitched her body. It didn’t work. Kyra stared at me like an empty shell.

My heart rammed chaotically against my chest. I needed help. Reinforcements. Where was fuckin’ Nilson when we actually needed him? Maybe if I distracted her, it’d break the stupor. Terror seized my soul, and I didn’t move a single muscle. What the Flames was I supposed to do? If I touched her, would she snap out of the trance? Had someone cursed her? Why were her eyes the color of death? Sweat dripped down my back, and time ceased to exist.

“Hallie wants me to buy a puppy.” She stroked my dog’s head again and again. The sweetness of her voice had an actual scent; it was like ice cream dipped in poison and spider webs.

“Kyra, Hallie died. She’s not here anymore. I think we should go to bed and —"

“No!” she bellowed. “I don’t have to go to sleep. I don’t have to choose one of you! I don’t have to save anyone.”

I clenched my fists into balls by my side, then released them. Clenched. Released. There was a fundamental wrongness in the air. Gemm had never taught me how to deal with dark Magik as a child. This wasn’t something I had ever trained for. It was time for a new approach.

“Kyra, it’s okay. I think you’re sleepwalking,” I pleaded, hearing the uncertainty in my voice.

She laughed, but the sound was foreign to my ears, veiled in jagged, harsh edges. “No, I’m awake, right, Hallie?”

If I knocked her unconscious and carried her inside, maybe Narelle or Caspian would have a solution. Or we could call Gemm. But there was no chance I’d leave her here alone to search for them.

“What if I die soon?” Kyra asked, her tone sweeter a scrumptious pie.

“What?”

Her gaze latched onto all my fears. That fraudulent smile returned, slithering up her face and claiming it. I had to stop this. Whatever controlled Kyra was taking another piece of her with every passing moment.



About the Author:

Cassie Swindon isn’t only an Indie author of six fiction books, but she has also tackled a stranger for a pair of Michael Phelps’ personal goggles, cried when the Cubs won the World Series and chose where to move cross-country by the flip of a coin. If you’d like to learn more about how her cat caused a flood in her house, or maybe to buy a book or two of hers, then check out the social media accounts below.


Email
Website
Instagram
Twitter
Amazon

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In honor of Throwback Thursday: Embrace

 

Hi! And welcome to my blog. In honor of Throwback Thursday, I have an excerpt from my debut novel EMBRACE. This was my first book baby, the one that took me from aspiring author to published author. Madison Riley and her friends are still some of my favorite characters. The magic in this book inspires the magic in my later books. 

Be sure to read to the end, I have exciting news!

Peek between the pages

Ishould have cared what I wore, but I couldn’t quite get there. I didn’t see any point in dressing up just to get knocked down. Now, if my best friend had said, Epic party and we’re going, I would have rushed upstairs and changed out of the cream tank top I’d rescued from the hamper that morning, and I would have put on my new jeans, the ones with the rhinestones on the pockets. But that’s not what Kaylee said.

“Your life’s about to change, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

That’s what she’d blurted into the phone just after she had told me she’d be by in fifteen minutes to pick me up for the party at Wingaersheek Beach. She hadn’t said, I have a great surprise for you, or, You’ll never believe how happy you’re going to be. She hadn’t said anything to hint this change was good, and that bothered me.

For me, change meant major adjustments in my life. It meant learning to live without people I loved. Taking on responsibilities I wasn’t ready for. It meant even a tub of chocolate and peanut butter ice cream and all the lattes in the world wouldn’t make things better.

I called her back several times. She wasn’t answering. Whatever she had to tell me, it had to be bad or she would have told me over the phone.

Grab your copy!

Add to Goodreads

EMBRACE, Book 1

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/Thriller

Blurb:
Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve.

Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him.

Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own.

Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.
Dangerous, intoxicating, and darkly romantic, Embrace is a thriller that will leave you spellbound.

~~~

I have a special thank you coming soon to my Book Insiders. Join my mailing list, and you'll receive it too!

QOTD: Do you believe in magic?