Virtual Book Tour for Southern Attraction by Tracy Kauffman

Welcome to my stop on Tracy Kauffman’s Virtual Book Tour for Southern Attraction.  Please leave a comment or question for Tracy to let her know you stopped by.  You can follow Tracy’s tour here.

Southern Attraction
by Tracy Kauffman

Publisher: KG Book Publishing
Release Date: April 19, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Romance
Length: 176 Pages

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Book Description: 

Heather has everything she ever wanted; money, clothes, friends, popularity and parents that adored her. One terrible day, she is uprooted to a small town in Alabama with an uncle she doesn’t know.

The small town of Huckleburg was nothing like Manhattan. Country rednecks owned the town and no one accepted Yankees from New York. Heather didn’t think things could get worse until a tornado comes and blasts through the small town. Heather has to lose herself to rediscover what life is all about. She meets two guys that she can’t decide between who she really wants.

Join Heather as she discovers that there is more to life than money and fame. Will Heather ever fit in and find true love or will she stay an outsider living in the south?

Buy Links

Amazon │Barnes & Noble │ KGBooks

Excerpt

Heather was awakened by the sound of her alarm. Today is the first day of the rest of my life, she thought as she stretched and yawned. She jumped up out of her bed, hit the silence button on the alarm, and went to her closet to pick out her clothes for the day. After looking through all her clothes, she sighed deeply.

What can I wear to this illiterate, rustic school. If I dress up, then people will think I’m a snob and snub me. If I dress down, then I will blend into the crowd, and I will not be able to accomplish anything. I guess I have my answer. I need to be seen in order to make a difference, whether good or bad.

Heather picked out her black leather skirt, a white dress shirt, a black fringed soft leather jacket and her black leather boots. At least I’m wearing boots, that way I’ll blend in somewhat, she thought. She styled her hair the way she always did and put on her makeup with a little more emphasis than usual.

Heather heard a knock on the door, “Yes, what do you want?” she asked. “I’m going to be outside. My cotton pickin’cow, Molly, got out of the fence, and I have to round her up. Be back after a while,” Mick said through the door. “All right, but I’m leaving in a few minutes, so I’ll see you after school,” Heather replied.

“Okey dokey, see ya later,” Mick responded.

“Okey dokey! I can’t believe I’m living with a redneck, dirt farmer,” she said as she rolled her eyes. Heather glanced at the alarm, “Crap, I’m going to be late”, she said as she grabbed her purse and ran out the door. The door slammed behind her as she ran to the car. She looked around for Mick, but didn’t see him anywhere. I guess he’ll realize I’m gone when he doesn’t hear from me, she thought.

As Heather drove down the narrow gravel road she looked for the right road to take to get her to the school. She saw Mick with a belt whipping his cow. “Now I’m seen everything,” she said as she laughed.

As Heather approached the school, a green ford truck ran right in front of her. She paused for a second after giving him the finger. I can’t believe these idiots, she thought. She pulled into the parking space closer to the front of the school, and she looked over to the green pickup truck.

A scruffy looking guy with long hair climbed out of the truck. “You need to watch where your going. This ain’t New York, this is my town,” he said very hatefully with a smirk on his face. “No, you need to watch where you are going, you hick. You’re the one who ran in front of me,” Heather replied as she pointed her finger at him. Heather was a little tougher than she looked. She wasn’t going to let some corn fed hillbilly talk to her like that.

“How do you know I’m from New York anyway?” she asked.

“That is for me to know and you to find out,” he replied as he turned away from her.

Heather wasn’t used to people treating her this way, especially boys. She was the most popular girl in the whole school at Manhattan High School. Now she was in a place that was oblivious to the fact that she wore an eighteen hundred dollar Armani jacket and Louboutin boots. How can anyone not care about fashion, she thought. Fashion is what made her so popular. Everyone in Manhattan wanted what she had. She was the envy of all the girls at her school. Now she felt like she was an outsider looking in through a dark stained glass and no one could see her. 

About the Author

Tracy Kauffman is a Christian fiction author of Young Adult and Children Stories. She grew up in North Alabama, where she still resides with her husband and daughter. She loves taking cruises and traveling with her family. Her favorite place that she has been to is the Grand Canyon.

Tracy has an Associates Degree in Nursing. She is a registered nurse and works part time in a local nursing home. The rest of the time she spends her time writing books and marketing them. Her titles include: Gwendolyn’s Wish, Southern Adventures, Richard the Lionheart, My Boyfriend the Squire, Southern Attraction, and Captain Honey Bear Saves Goldie Locks.

Tracy started writing poetry at a small age and won the title of editor in her school newspaper, when she was in second grade. She had her first poem published in an online writing contest called, The Cosmetology Student. She decided to write her first book, Southern Adventures, when her son left home for the Air Force.

She loves writing and hopes to be able to inspire her readers into living a happy healthier life. She feels like her own life experiences have made her a better writer. Learn more about her by visiting her website or blog.

Connect with Tracy Kauffman
Website | Blog | Facebook | Goodreads

Virtual Book Tour for Call Me Crazy by Quinn Loftis

Welcome to my stop on Quinn Loftis Virtual Book Tour for Call Me Crazy.  Please leave a comment or question for Quinn to let her know you stopped by.  

Call Me Crazy
by Quinn Loftis

Publisher: Quinn Loftis
Release date: May 29, 2013

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 393 Pages

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Book Description: 

“I’m looking out from inside the chaos. It must be a one-way mirror because no one seems to be able to see back inside to where I am. The looks on their faces, the judgment in their eyes, tells me everything I need to know. The most frustrating part about the whole messed up situation is that even though I’m the one that they stare at in shock, I am just as shocked as they are. I know no more than they do of why I lose control. What they don’t know is that I am more scared of myself than they could ever be.” ~ Tally Baker

After a devastating turn of events, seventeen year old Tally Baker is admitted to Mercy Psychiatric Facility where she is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. She has come to a place where she honestly believes that her life is over. Her mind tells her that she will never smile or laugh again, that she will never be normal again. It is in this unlikely place that she meets two people, different in every way, yet both critical to helping her realize that she has so much more living to do.

Candy, a cantankerous sixty year old Mercy Psychiatric patient, is hell bent on driving everyone as crazy as she is. Candy shows Tally that, regardless of her diagnosis, the ability to push on and live her life to the fullest is her choice and hers alone. In the midst of Tally’s oftentimes humorous, sometimes heart-wrenching, escapades with Candy, a new patient is admitted to Mercy—a native American woman named Lolotea. Along with this new patient comes a daily visitor, her son, Trey Swift. At first glance, it is obvious to Tally that he is incredibly handsome and unbelievably caring. But what she learns through her second glance, and many thereafter, is that there is much more to Trey than he ever lets on. 

It is during these daily visits that Trey and Tally build a friendship far deeper than either of them truly realize. With Trey, Tally feels for the first time since being admitted that someone is looking at her as a person and not as a disease. Trey begins to make it clear that he wants more than friendship, but she knows that she can never give him more. How can she, when she won’t even give him the truth? Tally doesn’t tell Trey that she is a patient at Mercy, and she doesn’t ever plan to. Her plans go up in flames when she finds out that Trey is a new student at her school, the school where her brokenness was found out in the floor of the girl’s bathroom in a pool of her own blood.

Buy Links

Amazon Paperback │ Kindle │ Smashwords │ Nook 

Excerpt Call Me Crazy Chapter 8

“For a brief moment I feel a strange kinship to the predators of the animal kingdom. I realize that I am not so different from the wolves, the great cats, or the bears. Like them I find that I am possessive of what I consider mine, I long to tear into one who would dare enter my territory and I have a need to provide for the female who belongs by my side. We men deceive ourselves when we claim civility. At the core of our being, we are animals.”

~ Trey

It’s been three days since I have been to the hospital, two days since I put a hole in my wall, one day since I worked for sixteen hours straight at the ranch. And still I burn on the inside. I have gotten in too deep, too fast. My father told me once that the men of our blood only know how to love one way; with our complete being; with the depths of our soul, with the beating of our hearts, with the marrow of our bones and with every thought that invades our minds—we love completely.

Quinn Loftis Author Bio

Quinn is a 32 year old wife, mother, nurse, and writer, not necessarily in that order. She lives in beautiful West Arkansas with her husband, son, Nora their Doberman pinscher and Phoebe their cat (who thinks she is a ninja in disguise). She loves writing, reading, and crocheting. Her favourite holiday is Christmas, favourite book(s) is Pride and Prejudice, The Alpha and Omega Series by Patricia Briggs, and the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. She loves to be silly and have fun, loves music and thinks there is no greater sound in the world than that of her little boy's laughter.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5014564.Quinn_Loftis

Website: http://www.quinnloftisbooks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuinnLoftisBooks

Twitter: @AuthQuinnLoftis

Virtual Book Tour for Scarred Love by M.S. Brannon

Welcome to my stop on the Virtual Book Tour for Scarred Love by M.S. Brannon.  Please leave a comment or question for M.S. to let her know you stopped by.  

How do you avoid the rejection blues by M.S. Brannon

Determination is a huge factor when you’re ready to publish your manuscript. Initially, I had a horrible experience with my first beta reader, who agreed to read my manuscript during a certain time frame and found out later she did not give her honest opinion to me, the author, but was more than happy to share it with others.  The first editor I hired did not adhere to any of her deadlines. Promised me written report in which I never received and responded to my email approximately 3-4 weeks after they were sent. But I was unwilling to give up on my new found dream.

I was determined to get my book published and began really researching various author pages, blog sites, etc.  When I came across one of my favorite author’s blog page, Jessica Sorensen, and read the advice she gives to aspiring writers, a deeper passion was fueled for getting my manuscript published. I came across her editing team, C&D Editing, and a great working relationship was soon formed.  They helped me learn the ins and outs of self publishing, as well as marketing Scarred Love.  Utilizing blog sites I was able to find not only my editors, but my beta reader and cover designer.

Another major factor in fighting the rejection blues is hearing supportive words from my friends and family. This has proven to keep my head up in times of frustration and rejection. My husband is amazingly supportive and is always willing to give me positive words of encouragement to keep me moving forward.  I have a very close relationship with my sister, Cindi, who is always willing to dissect plot ideas with me and is my shoulder to lean on when writing gets stressful. I could not do this without either of them.  

Scarred Love
by M.S. Brannon
Sulfur Heights, Book 1 

Publisher:  M.S. Brannon
Release Date: June 5, 2013

Genre: New Adult 
Length: 418 Pages

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Book Description: 

Darcie Claiborne spent several years of her young life living with a monster, always fearing what he would do next. Clasping onto her last ounce of hope, Darcie releases a scream. It’s her final attempt to live; to survive the villain of her reality. Sweeping her up in his arms, Darcie’s knight in shining armor rescues her from the hell she’s been living; from the stepfather she's feared for all those years.

Reggie Evans has been forced to grow up before he’s ready when his mother dies of an overdose, leaving him responsible to raise his younger brothers. One fateful night, Reggie jogs by an old, run down house and discovers a young girl clinging to life as she screams for help.

Three years later, Darcie is healing and always protected by the man who saved her, but now she's fighting with something she isn't prepared to face. The growing love for the man who saved her life three years ago, the same man who’s nine years older. All the while, Reggie fights to protect Darcie from the demons of her past and new ones of her present.

Buy Links

Amazon Paperback │ Amazon Kindle │ Nook

Excerpt:  

Darcie

Suddenly, I am transported back in time to three years ago. The feeling of being pinned down by my arms and legs, the feeling of a man’s weight restraining me and the inability to breathe flashes into my mind. I start to violently shake my head from side to side. My breathing gets short and fast. Without even realizing it, I start to scream; just like I did the night he planned to touch me.

Jake freaks out and quickly releases my body from under his. 

“Shit, Darcie, I’m sorry. I forgot how you get.”

I’m still screaming, unable to move. I’m frozen to the carpet. I’m still in that house. Lying on that urine soaked bed.

Salvation arrives.

Reggie appears out of the nowhere. He kneels down beside me. His hands are wiping the anger away from my face as he whispers into my ear, “Shhh, Darcie. It’s okay. I won’t let him hurt you again, never again. As long as there’s breathe left in my body, he will never harm you again.” His voice is all I need to hear. My eyes begin to focus. My brain begins to register the only true protector I’ve had in my life.

M.S. Brannon

M.S. Brannon was born and raised in the Midwest. She still resides there today with her wonderful husband and son. When she is not writing or reading, M.S. Brannon spends time with her family, watching movies, and discovering new music. She writes romance because she believes love and heartache is the rawest emotion one can experience.


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MS-Brannon/361712440596820?notif_t=page_new_likes

Blog: http://msbrannonblog.blogspot.com/


Twitter: @MSBrannonAuthor

Email: MBrannon16@gmail.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7103293.M_S_Brannon

My Review

An emotionally angst filled book, highlighting the struggle today’s teens face on a daily basis, Scarred Love by M.S. Brannon gives us the story of an abused young girl falling in love with the young man who saves her.  Well developed characters, frank and adult language, violence and a mystery of sorts kept me turning the pages to discover what was going to happen next.  Gritting and realistic, with the action taking place in the “wrong part of town”, Ms. Brannon’s book is both haunting and captivating.   

Physically and verbally abused from the time her mother got remarried, Darcie Claiborne was rescued from the monster by a young man she considers her “savior” and “knight in shining amour”.  Now a junior in high school; Darcie lives with “Reggie”, her 27 year old savior, and his three younger brothers.  Still physically and emotionally damaged from her experiences in life, Darcie has become a survivor and refuses to be anyone’s victim again.

Having to become responsible for his family at the age of 18 has made Reggie Evans the man he is today.  Rescuing Darcie from the monster who was abusing her was second nature, taking care of her, while not always easy, is something Reggie excels at.  Keeping her safe from the demons of her past and her present is something he intends to continue to do.

The scenes between Darcie, Reggie and his siblings are well written, filled with emotional angst and showcase their struggles to make it through life as best as they can.  Ms. Brannon does a good job developing their characters and showcases their strengths and weaknesses.  She also shows us a young woman who’s falling for the man who’s always taken care of her, even though he’s older and has struggles of his own.   

Ms. Brannon does a very good job showcasing what today’s teens face today.  A public school system that’s failing them, adults busy with their own lives who either can’t or choose not to intervene when they need to and too many of society’s vices which are readily available (alcohol and drugs).  Giving us insight into how some teens are dealing with the challenges they face; violence against themselves and others, promiscuity and addiction, Ms. Brannon paints a grim but realistic picture.

The secondary characters all contribute to this book and the “monster” of Darcie’s past continues to play a part in Reggie and Darcie’s life from the start.  I think Ms. Brannon does an interesting job drawing out the mystery of how the monster will be dealt with.

Will Darcie be able to convince Reggie their age difference isn’t important and that he’s the only man she’ll ever be able to love?  Will Reggie be able to make life safe for Darcie and provide a future for them together?  You’ll have to read Scarred Love to find out.  I enjoyed it and look forward to seeing where Ms. Brannon takes us with her new series.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Crowns

FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I did not receive any additional compensation for my opinion of the reading material.

Promo - Reading Addiciton Blog Tours Summer Sale

Time is almost up to take advantage of the Reading Addiction Blog Tours Summer Discount. All Tours/PROMO's must start before August 31st to be eligible.  *Note, there is a 2-week notice for all PROMO's and a 4-week notice for all Tours! So make sure you book ASAP! * Summer Discount PROMOTION Reading Addiction Blog Tours will is offering 15% Off to All Authors who book a Tour/PROMO this summer! (Tours must start by August 31st) Contact us HERE and mention the CODE WORD: SUMMER

Review Tour & Giveaway for Catherine's Cross by Millie West

Welcome to my stop on Millie West’s Virtual Review Tour for Catherine’s Cross.  Please leave a comment or question for Millie to let her know you stopped by.  You can enter her tour wide giveaway filling out the Rafflecopter below.  You can also check out her other tour stops here.  My kindle died and I had to wait on my replacement so my review will post a little bit later today.  

Catherine’s Cross

By Millie West

Publisher:  BQB Publishing

Release Date: May 5, 2013

Genre: Mystery/Suspense

Buy Links:  Amazon │B&N │BQB Publishing

Book Description: 

When Jenks Ellington experiences a sudden, alarming sense of panic about her identical twin sister Gigi, she has to wait until nearly midnight before learning the reason for her unease: Gigi has drowned while diving for artifacts in a Low Country river near Beaufort, South Carolina. 

Although Beaufort County detective Seth Mason is suspicious of Gigi’s diving partner, there is no evidence of foul play. But, when Gigi’s Port Royal home is broken into and ransacked, Jenks discovers two clues—one of which leads her to the home of a local Gullah medium.

In a painstaking search for answers, Jenks delves more deeply into her twin’s life. Along the way, her bond with Detective Mason reaches unexpected depths. And what secrets could medium Meta Jane be holding? Was Gigi’s death really an accident?

Author Info

A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Millie West has a background in aviation, as well as in real estate, and has owned and been the broker of her own company. A licensed pilot, Millie was one of the first pilots hired by United Parcel Service when they started their flight crew department.

An artist in her own right and a collector of regional art—especially from Charleston—Millie is a supporter of charitable organizations, higher education, and the preservation of South Carolina’s historical treasures. A South Carolina history buff, Millie has spent countless hours exploring the rich historical vestiges of her home state. Her love of the fascinating, complex, and compelling history of the South is expressed in her writing.

Millie resides with her family near Columbia, South Carolina, and is an active participant in her local writer’s group, the Chapin Chapter of the South Carolina Writers Workshop.

Author Links

http://milliewestauthor.com/books
http://bqbpublishing.com/authors/millie_west/

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Cover Reveal for Weak At the Knees by Jo Kessel

Welcome to my stop on the Tasty Cover Reveal Tour for 
Weak at the Knees by Jo Kessel.  Please leave a comment or question for Jo to let her know you stopped by.  

About Weak at the Knees

By: Jo Kessel

“We got so busy living life that we forgot to live our dreams.”

Danni Lewis has been playing it safe for twenty-six years, but her sheltered existence is making her feel old ahead of time. When a sudden death plunges her into a spiral of grief, she throws caution to the wind and runs away to France in search of a new beginning.

The moment ski instructor Olivier du Pape enters her shattered world she falls hard, in more ways than one.Their mutual desire is as powerful and seductive as the mountains around them. His dark gypsy looks and piercing blue eyes are irresistible.

Only she must resist, because he has a wife – and she’d made a pact to never get involved with a married man.But how do you choose between keeping your word and being true to your soul?

Weak at the Knees is Jo’s debut novel in the new adult, contemporary romance genre – a story about love, loss and relationships, set between London and the heart of the French Alps.

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And now the moment we’ve all been waiting for………

About the Author:

Jo Kessel is a journalist, working for the BBC and reporting and presenting for ITV on holiday, consumer and current affairs programs. She writes for several national newspapers in the UK including the Daily Mail, the Telegraph, the Guardian and the Express and was the anonymous author of the Independent’s hit column: Diary of a Primary School Mum.

When Jo was ten years old she wrote a short story about losing a loved one. Her mother and big sister were so moved by the tale that it made them cry. Having reduced them to tears she vowed that the next time she wrote a story it would make them smile instead. Happily she succeeded and with this success grew an addiction for wanting to reach out and touch people with words. Jo lives in London with her husband and three children. She loves traveling and since becoming a mother anything even remotely sad makes her cry. She’s a sucker for a good romance and tearjerker movies are the worst. She’s that woman in the cinema, struggling to muffle audible wails as everyone else turns round to stare.

Author Links

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18195781-weak-at-the-knees

Website: http://www.jokessel.com/

Blog: http://www.jokessel.blogspot.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kesseljo

@jo_kessel

Spotlight and Review for Elysium Dreams by Hadena James

Elysium Dreams

By Hadena James

Dreams & Realities, Book 2

Publisher:  CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Release Date: July 8, 2013

Buy Link:  Amazon

Book Description:

He skins his victims alive - How many women will he claim as trophies before he goes head to head with the sociopathic Aislinn Cain and the Serial Crimes Tracking Unit?

In the cold, dark nights of Alaska, a hunter is stalking his prey. Once found, he takes them into the woods and skins them alive, prolonging the experience as much as he can, but the satisfaction always wanes.

Aislinn Cain and the Serial Crimes Unit head for the north to find this brutal and cruel killer. The climate is harsh, the locals are hostile, and each day the unsub moves closer to claiming his next trophy - Aislinn.

Character Profiles

I was fortunate enough to become involved in an online discussion with Ms. James and I asked her about who she would like to see act out the parts of her characters if any of the books featuring Aislinn Cain were made into a movie or t.v. show.  Here are Ms. James choices:

Milla Jovovich as Aislinn Caine 

or Alexa Davalos as Aislinn Cain

Chris Hemworth (a little more beefed up and older) as Lucas McMichaels

Adrian Brody as Xavier Reece  

Max Martini as Gabriel Hendricks

Mary Louise Parker as Nyleena McClachan

And Eric Balfour as Malachi Blake

My Review

A twisted serial killer and a sociopath turned US Marshall, along with her team of misfits, all take center stage in Elysium Dreams, the second book in the Dreams & Reality series by author Hadena James.  Continuing the world building she began in Tortured Dreams, Ms. James gives us further insight into Aislinn and the US Marshalls Serial Crimes Unit as they continue to bond and capture the worst offenders known to man – serial killers.  Giving us insight into both Aislinn’s and the killer’s point of view, Ms. James ramped up the psychological and physical action in this installment in her series.

Barely home two days from the last case assigned to the Serial Crimes Unit, Aislinn Cain and the rest of her team, find themselves headed to Alaska to capture a serial killer skinning his victims.  Not a fan of the cold, she’s already suffered from hypothermia once, and a little tired and cranky, Aislinn is annoyed to discover the only reason they’ve even been summoned to help with the investigation is due to a nosy reporter more interested in catching “a big break” than in helping to the catch a killer.  While she may be a sociopath, Aislinn values all living things and has little to no tolerance for “monsters”.

As Aislinn and her team begin their investigation, it soon becomes apparent their serial killer has a working knowledge of police investigative techniques and forensics.  As the team works together to solve the case, we get to know Aislinn’s sidekicks even better.  While Dr. Lukas McMichael is still a big part of the team, and still keeps a very keen eye on Aislinn and what she’s going through, this book focuses more on Dr. Xavier Reece, his peculiarities and his growing relationship with Aislinn.  While they are not romantically linked in any way, they do tease each other a lot and we discover that Dr. Reece is in love with Aislinn’s cousin and best friend, Nyleena Clachan, who we do see some of in this book. 

Ms. James also lets us see former FBI Liaison Gabriel Hendricks in his new role as the supervisor of the Serial Crimes Unit.  I’m really beginning to like him as a character on his own and the interactions between him and Aislinn provided some of the comic relief this story needed.  Though to be frank, Aislinn does that for me on her own, she really makes me laugh and if she was real, I’d definitely want to be a part of her posse.

Will Aislinn and the team catch the serial killer before his body count hits triple digits?  Will Aislinn manage to come out of this case alive and unharmed?  You’ll have to read Elysium Dreams to find out.  I loved it, have already re-read it several times, and I’m already jonesing for Mercurial Dreams, the next book in the series.  As an added tease, Ms. James does provide the first couple of pages of Mercurial Dreams at the end of Elysium Dreams.  If you haven’t started reading this series yet – I really don’t know what you’re waiting for.

My Rating:  5 out of 5 Crowns

FTC Disclosure:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I did not receive any additional compensation for my opinion of the reading material provided.