'Breaking the Reins' by Juliana Haygert Book Blitz

Breaking the Reins by Juliana Haygert

Release Date: 08/19/13 Summary from Goodreads: Horses, mansions, tea parties, and lies are twenty-year-old Hannah Taylor’s life. To others, her family and her relationship with Eric is perfect. But she knows the truth. She lives it.

After a fire takes her grandma's life and kills her horse, Hannah's immaculate life spirals out of control. Her father disapproves of her decision to run her grandma’s ranch instead of focusing solely on learning the family business; Animal Control brings her Argus, a mistreated horse that she can't turn away even though she's not ready for another horse; and her boyfriend, Eric Bennett, a world famous polo player, becomes possessive and authoritarian. Despite her best efforts to disguise it, Hannah grows wary of him.

Then, Leonardo Fernandes struts onto the polo scene. A cocky rookie with a messy life of his own, he’s drawn to Hannah and isn’t afraid of showing it, even when Eric makes it clear she is his and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way. Hannah suffers for Eric’s jealousy. The abuse only gets worse when Leo steals the title of best polo player in the world from Eric.

But the title isn’t enough for Leo. He wants Hannah too, and she can’t deny her attraction to him either. Somehow, she must find a way to break free from abusive Eric before he breaks every bone in her body.

**New Adult Contemporary Romance Novel**

Read an excerpt:

After greeting Blaire and Andrea, who I wasn’t too close with, we ordered tea as the conversation continued. They talked about shoes and the latest Roberto Cavalli creations. I spoke a bit here and there, though I would have preferred talking about Country Outfitter instead. Suddenly, the subject changed to trips. Carmel, Aspen, Paris, Rome, and other fancy places.

And I was bored.

My gaze drifted from side to side, and I noticed Sandra had left, but I wasn’t really looking for anything.

Until I found him.

The first thought on my mind was, what the heck was he doing here? The second, damn, he looked good. The third, I shouldn’t be thinking that.

Dressed completely inappropriate for a polo club—in jeans, a blue T-shirt, and cowboy boots—Leo walked up the path to the right of the tennis courts, flanked by three guys and a girl. They talked animatedly, smiling and touching each other’s arms or shoulders occasionally. A few feet behind them, a couple holding hands followed. By their similarities, I would bet they were all related.

The girls kept talking and giggling about whatever, but their voices were a buzz in my ears as I strained to catch anything, any word, from Leo and the ones with them. They were too distant, and even the few words I heard were spoken in fast Portuguese.

A few steps from the main house, Leo looked at the courts, following the game closest to him for a couple of seconds, before his gaze continued on.

Until he found me.

His eyes wide, Leo stopped in his tracks, and the guy behind him bumped into him.

“Hey,” the guy said, taking off his baseball cap and sunglasses. He looked familiar, somehow.

“Why is that guy staring at our table?” Megan asked, giggling.

I averted my eyes and pretended I didn’t know what she was talking about.

“What guy?” Blaire asked, turning in her chair. “Oh, he’s cute. All four of them are.”

“Look at them,” Andrea said. I didn’t, but from her eyes, I noticed they were moving again. “They must be the team playing against the Knight House.”

I knew Eric was going to play against an international team, but in all his dealings with France, it never occurred to me the team could be from somewhere else.

t be? Eric playing against Leo? And why did I care? Leo was nobody.

“Oh yeah,” Megan said. “Ohmygosh, I’ve seen one of them here before. He was an exchange player, with a team from Florida.”

Really? So that was why one of them looked familiar. Or it could be because they all looked like each other, and I’d taken my time observing Leo the other day. The urge to peek in his direction was strong, but I avoided it at all costs.

“True,” Blaire said with a big smile. “What’s his name again? Oh, Ricardo Fernandes. He was swoon worthy. I bet he still is.”

The girls giggled, and I forced a smile so they didn’t notice how disturbed I was.

“Maybe we should go welcome them to the club,” Megan suggested, wiggling her eyebrows. Then she patted my hand. “Lucky you. Practically married to a gorgeous man while we have to chase potential dates around here.”

I was lucky, wasn’t I? Eric was handsome, educated, generous, kind, and a great polo player. He was a little too jealous for my taste, but I reminded myself that was because he loved me so much. What else could I need?

Praise for Breaking the Reins:

“Breaking The Reins by Juliana Haygert is a real treasure. It’s a sexy, heartbreaking and romantic ride you won’t want to miss.” —Sawyer Bennett, USA Today Bestselling author of Off Side, Off Limits, Off the Record, and Off Course.

“A breath of fresh air in the New Adult market. Juliana Haygert’s new contemporary novel is one not to be missed!” —Magan Vernon, international bestselling author of The Only Exception

“A swoonworthy love interest and a fantastic backdrop make Breaking the Reins a New Adult read you don’t want to miss!” —Alyssa Rose Ivy, bestselling author of The Crescent Chronicles, Clayton Falls Series, and The Hazards of Skinny Dipping.

Book links

Also available at Amazon UK

About the Author:

New Adult author and contributor at NA Alley blog.

While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.

http://www.julianahaygert.com/

http://www.julianahaygert.com/blognews/

https://twitter.com/Juliana_Haygert

http://www.facebook.com/juhaygert

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4952544-juliana

http://pinterest.com/julianahaygert/breaking-the-reins/

http://naalley.blogspot.com/

***GIVEAWAY*** 

2-ebook copies of Breaking the Reins (INT)

1-ebook copies of Destiny Gift (INT)

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Review of 'Scarred Love' by M.S. Brannon

New Adult/Romance
Date Published: 6/6/2013

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.

**My thoughts**

This book had me completely mesmerized from the very beginning. When we first meet Darcie, she is deep in her abuse, waiting for something, anything, to rescue her. She could take the easy way out and wish for death, but has a strength in her that is compelling her to hold out for something better. She knows deep down that she is actually worth something and deserves better. Finally, her knight in shining armor arrives, and whisks her from her terror.

Her new life serves her well, but she is not completely out of the woods. There are still some secrets that threaten her very existence. She still has a lot of unresolved anger about what happened to her, and rightfully so. I just want to smack her upside the head when she lets that temper get the better of her, though. Getting into fights isn't going to solve anything. Her supposed toughness is just a front for all of the pain that still haunts her.

I will never understand those who abuse children. What Darcie had to endure is worse than I can wrap my head around. Be forewarned, if you are sensitive to severe abuse, you are not going to want to read this book. It does come up again and again, yet I feel is handled well. It's a part of the story that needs to be told. It's going to make you squirm, but can't be ignored and have the story be the same.

I am glad that Darcie has an adopted family that cares for her so much. She is very fortunate to have found such a thing, and to have avoided the horrors often associated with the foster care system. They are truly a group of misfits that work well together. I wish they could have gotten her more help, because it is obvious to me that she needs a significant amount of counseling. At the same time, I understand why they are hesitant to let in more outsiders.

I have to admit that the relationship and attraction between Darcie and Reggie made me uncomfortable for a while. They are ten years apart in age. He is her guardian. She is a minor. At the same time, I can understand the attraction that they have for each other and commend them for trying to hold off until it is more appropriate.

This is one of those books that is going to make you hurt. It's going to make you think. It's going to keep you completely engrossed through the entire rollercoaster ride, filled with ups and downs and lots of twists. I was able to figure out one major twist in the plot, but wasn't completely positive until it was revealed. I really liked it and almost wish to find out what happens to Darcie in the long run.

Buy links

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

'Rebel (Legend of the Spider Prince)' by Margo Ander Book Tour Blast!

Legend of the Spider-Prince: REBEL 

Wyl is a young rebel whose life of dangerous lies and hidden truths has cost him his childhood and his ability to trust. He is fanatically loyal to the rebel leader, a woman embroiled in a blood-feud with Trascolm's ruling clan. When he’s not away spying, he’s her secret bodyguard—she needs protection from her army of renegades and outlaws as much as from bounty-hunters and assassins sent by her archenemy.

But when the rebellion meets with disaster, the rebel leader's strategy changes. Wyl is thrust into a hostile royal court of underage teens—mere children, to his mind. He’s expected to embrace this more civilized way of life, but his brutally-honed instincts betray him, and he makes enemies instead of friends. Wyl—a boy raised by outlaws—is in over his head and must somehow master the subtleties of court intrigue well enough to keep the rebel leader and her rebellion alive, despite the treacherous machinations of her enemies, and do it without getting himself killed.

About the Legend of the Spider-Prince series 

In a war-torn land where men have unbridled influence, but women hold the reins of power, a young rebel becomes entangled in a deadly web of magic, court intrigue, and revenge amid an escalating wave of events that will ultimately destroy magic, overturn governments, cause the near-collapse of civilization, even threaten the very existence of life on Eryth—and make him a legend.

Buy on Amazon | B&N | Smashwords | iTunes | Kobo | Diesel | Paperback

About the Author

I loved fairy tales as a child, but could never get enough of them until I learned to read for myself. I spent my formative years with my nose in a book or playing dungeon master for my sisters long before there were actual games requiring one. Our Barbies fought Klingons, conquered the galaxy—and always had room on their spaceship for horses.

I am a horsewoman, an archer, a fencer, a former military officer, and a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism—all useful skills and experiences for a fantasy novelist. I am currently holding down a day job in Mississippi, USA, where I live with my husband and two daughters, and am presently down to one horse, one cat, and one dog—and ‘way too many books.

Visit me on the web at www.margoander.com

My Facebook author page is at www.facebook.com/AuthorMargoAnder

I have a blog, www.margoander.wordpress.com, where I review books I like by other indie authors.

I have another blog, marguerot.wordpress.com, where I blog about writing.

Follow the Tour

Prize is an autographed poster of the book cover and a $25 VISA gift card. Fill out the form below to enter
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Meet Arthur J. Gonzalez, author of 'The Photo Traveler'

Please extend a warm welcome to Arthur J. Gonzalez, the author of 'The Photo Traveler.' Can I just say how much I love this purple cover?

Congratulations on publishing your first novel! This sounds like a fun new twist in the YA sci-fi genre. How did you come up with the idea?

Thank you! J

THE PHOTO TRAVELER was created after one of the most important individuals in my life lost his grandmother. He was looking at an old black and white photo and said, “I would do anything to jump into this photo.”

In that moment the idea came to me.

I thought, Oh my god. What if we could?

Imagine having the ability to time travel to and revisit old memories or moments in time!?

Quickly, I developed the story line with that very premise, living the experience vicariously through Gavin.

This is Book One in the Photo Traveler series. How many books do you anticipate? When can we expect the next installment?

I anticipate there being three books in the series. I am looking at an end of year release for the second installment, THE PEACE HUNTER.

How much do you have in common with Gavin?

I relate to Gavin in regards to him wanting to find his greater purpose. Actually, I think this is something everyone can relate to.

What kind of research did you need to do for this book?

I researched countless books and websites so I can accurately depict the historical aspects of THE PHOTO TRAVELER. I wanted everyone to feel as though they were actually there.

Do you have any other book ideas in mind, outside of this series?

My children’s novel, Monty and the Monsters, will hopefully be ready by end of summer/end of year. The story is about a newborn human boy, Monty, who’s taken from his world and raised by monsters (in a hysterical monster world I created, called Gloomsbury). Monty is raised by monsters his entire life, carrying the burden of feeling different, but never knowing he is actually a human. His life is filled with isolation and loneliness, constantly being the target of heavy bullying.

On Monty’s 15th birthday, he is informed of the truth of his origin and given the opportunity to venture to his human world; where there, Monty will have to decide if he will stay in the world he was stripped of, or stay with the monster parents he has grown to love, in a world that has always shunned him.

The story is about love, blended family, acceptance, bullying, and finding your way.

My young adult superhero series, tentatively titled LADY ELEMENT (a series meant to break passed the typical male superhero mold, by focusing on a female main character, Charlee, who has developed her abilities to summon the elements. She is on the hunt for her scientist parents whom she discovers have been kidnapped by an underground governmental program, designed to create new strands of diseases for population control. Charlee suffers from body dysmorphia, has a hunky gay best friend, and in a matter of words…is quite fierce.).

The third novel is part one in a still untitled YA series surrounding the end of the world. This story, though, takes place ten years after the fact, where five 5 teens wake to an earth that has evolved into a completely different planet than they remember.

They are forced to resuscitate their kind and reestablish civilization. But they soon realize why their world ended and discover that earth is still at its mercy.

And then I’m also working on an adult Fiction series surrounding Greek Mythology, The Olympian Chronicles: Hades. Think True Blood with Greek Gods, rather than vampires and werewolves. It’s an edgy, sexy, and modern take on Greek Mythology, with a 21st century twist.

What would our favorite tales look like if they took place in today’s world?

Do you engage in any photography?

I don’t necessarily engage in formal photography, but I’m constantly taking pictures on my iPhone. I love to capture memories.

What kinds of photographs attract you, making you want to dive into them?

I have several ‘Wonder of the World’ and ‘Landscapes’ coffee books. I love losing myself in how photographers capture the essence of our world. Have you seen some of these photos? They look like they’re apart of some mythical, fantastical world. It’s stunning! I also love the work by Peter Lik.

You were born and raised in Miami. What are some of your favorite things about that area?

I love the fact that culturally, you can see it all in Miami. I was fortunate to be raised in a city that is comprised of all types of races, cultures, beliefs, sexual orientations, etc. I think it’s been a major contributor to my more liberal mindset and the deep respect I hold for others.

What are some travel destinations that are on your bucket list?

Brazil, Greece, Monte Carlo, Tokyo, Dubai, Fiji, Hawaii, Sydney --- Oh, I can keep on, trust me. ;)

What is something that readers may be surprised to learn about you?

I went by myself to volunteer in Haiti, just two months after the 2010 disastrous earthquake. That trip changed everything I thought I knew about myself.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you in advance for the support and love! Feel free to sign up for my mailing list for exclusive updates, cover reveals, first-look excerpts, and giveaways at: www.arthurjgonzalez.com

Thank you so much for your time!
 

About the Author:

THE PHOTO TRAVELER is young adult author Arthur J. Gonzalez's first novel. Arthur was born and raised in Miami surrounded by his loud Cuban family. He graduated from the University of Florida, where he acquired his coffee obsession and his chocolate hoarding antics. He's the proud father of one baby girl, Sookie--his miniature schnoodle dog. Arthur is a self-professed goofball who spends 98% of his life laughing. He's now working on his second novel.

www.thephototravelerbook.com

www.facebook.com/thephototraveler

www.twitter.com/arthurjgonzalez

www.arthurjgonzalez.com

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17254840-the-photo-traveler

The Photo Traveler
The Photo Traveler Series

Book One

Arthur J. Gonzalez

Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction

Publisher: Fahrenheit Publishing

Date of Publication: Feb 20, 2013

ISBN: 978-0988891630

ASIN: B00BI4KEQC

Number of pages: 420 pages

Word Count: 87K

Amazon Paperback  Amazon Kindle   Amazon UK 

BN  eBookpie.com  Kobo Sony Smashwords

Book Description:

Seventeen-year-old Gavin Hillstone is resigned to being miserable for the rest of his life. Left alone in the world after his parents died in a fire when he was four, he was placed in foster care, which for him meant ending up in an abusive home with an alcoholic adoptive father. Gavin’s only escape is in taking and creating images. His camera is his refuge from the unending torture and isolation of daily life in his “family.” Until he learns by accident that he isn’t alone in the world after all. His father’s parents are still alive and living in Washington DC.

When he takes the plunge and travels 3,000 miles to find his grandparents, he learns that they—and he—are part of something much bigger, and more dangerous, than he could ever have imagined. Something that has always put his family at risk and that will now threaten his own life, while forever changing it. He learns that he is one of the last descendants of a small group of Photo Travelers—people who can travel through time and space through images.

But his initial excitement turns to fear, when he soon discovers that he and his grandparents are being pursued by the fierce remnants of a radical European Photo Traveler cult, the Peace Hunters. What Gavin has, they want! His adventure will take him to past eras, like The Great Depression and the Salem Witch Trials.

Gavin will have to discover who he really is and must make choices that spell the difference between life and death for himself, for the relatives he now knows and loves, and for the girl he will come to love. For Gavin, life will never be the same.

Read an excerpt:

PROLOGUE

What do you do when a sudden gust of wind forces your boat totally off course and into the unknown? When from one moment to the next, the life that you thought you’d always be living morphs into one you’d never imagined?

Ever since I could remember, I believed there had to be something more to life than the one I’d been thrown into as a child. Even though I sometimes told myself I had to be crazy because just the idea seemed so hard to imagine—given how things had gone so far, anyway.

I would ask myself if it was wrong for me to feel this way. If I was being naïve to think there was something greater out there. Something that really belonged to me. But what do you if you feel an unknown force pulsating through your blood, constantly reminding you of it? Are you just supposed to ignore it?

 

I suppose that most of the time that’s what they teach us to do. You know, “Forget it. Take the easy way out.” Sure. Never the right one.

That’s what they kept telling me. “You’re kidding yourself if you think you can have a better life.¬ Learn to live with what you’ve got.” Things like that.

Maybe that’s why I started taking photos as soon as I got my hands on my first camera. It was a way I could distance myself from the life I was being forced to live. It let me create images of the world around me, finding life in the most ordinary moments…like when the sun makes a lonely tree sweat and it in turn gives water to a struggling, thirsty grasshopper below. Those things were real. Not the crappy life I’d always been trapped in.

And then, just a few weeks ago, my life took a turn for the unexpected. And now all I have to say to you is—believe in your gut instinct. Intuition is what kept me alive. It’s what made me believe. At the end of the day, it was all I really had that was mine. And you can find what’s really yours, too.

CHAPTER ONE:

The walk home is brutal. I was hoping that the sun would have begun its descent by now, but it’s still as blazing hot as ever. I remember them saying on the news that this was going to be one of the hottest summers ever. Though I feel like they’ve been saying that for the past five years. Global warming or something.

I know that nothing good is going to be waiting for me when I get to the house. For sure, Mel’s already gotten back and is showing Jet what I did to the car and batting her lashes and blaming it all on me. Equipped with her fake tears, she’s probably made up a lie about how I “blew up” on her and refused to go back with her even though she “begged” me to get in. It wouldn’t be the first time her lies have gotten me into trouble. And no doubt he’s now in a violent rage and shouting about how I’m going to “get my ass kicked” and how “useless” I am.

I trudge along trying to prepare myself for the tempest that’s going to hit me when I finally get back. I don’t even need to close my eyes to envision the fury in his bloodshot eyes and smell his liquor breath and see his large, flaring nostrils.

If only Leyla were still alive. God, I miss her. Because of her, Jet actually used to be a decent father. He always had a short fuse, but he wasn’t the angry, pathetic drunk he turned into after she died and he got serious about drinking. Looking at him today, with his beer belly lapping over his belt and the patches of thinning hair on his scalp, I find it hard to remember that he actually used to be a handsome, well-groomed guy. And not a bad foster father, either. I remember him getting home early from the construction site with a smile and he’d sometimes even have a toy for me. Things really do change, I guess. 

I was four when my real parents died in a house fire while I was at daycare. I ended up in foster care because I had no other relatives to claim me.

I’ve never quite known how Leyla and Jet took me on, but after a year of fostering they legally adopted me. And until I was about eight, I was a generally happy kid even though Mel and I never really got along. I think she always felt threatened by me, and my guess is that she was jealous because Leyla and Jet had brought this random kid into her home and she had to share their attention with me.

I guess it would’ve bothered me, too, if I’d been in her place. But it’s not like it was my fault. I wasn’t intentionally trying to steal them from her or something. I would never do that.

That day, Leyla took me and Mel to the convenience store two blocks from our place. I was whining nonstop because I wanted sour bear gummies, and I wasn’t going to let up until I had them. But while I was happily grabbing my bag of candy, two masked men with guns barged in and ordered the clerk to hand over all the cash in the register.

I had no idea what was happening, but I was so scared that I started crying. One of the guys pointed his gun at me and shouted, “Shut up, kid!” That made me cry even louder and harder.

“I said shut up!” he repeated, and took a step toward me.

“Leave him alone!” Leyla shouted. She grabbed me and put me behind her, shielding me with her body. Mel was crouched in a corner near the Slurpee cooler with tears running down her cheeks.

“Hey!” the guy said. “Whaddya got in that purse?” He made a grab for it. She backed away from him, but he grabbed her and threw her to the filthy, sawdust-covered floor. His buddy ran over, held her down, grabbed her purse, and tore it open.

“You can’t take our money!” I yelled. I ran over and kicked him in the shin to try to get him away from her. He swung the gun around at me and Leyla sprang up from the floor and lunged in front of me as the gun went off.

It hit her in the neck, and seconds later she was gone.

Before I could even process what had happened, the gunmen ran out of the store. I’ll never forget leaning over Leyla’s body and staring at the pool of blood spreading over the floor. Her jungle-green eyes—Mel’s exact eye color—were wide open, but I somehow knew that she couldn’t see me even though her tears never seemed to stop. 

“MOM!” I screamed. “Mom! Mom! Mom, I’m sorry!”

I kept calling her name over and over and over even though I knew she would never answer me again. Finally I knelt down in all the blood and laid my head on her stomach until Mariela, the Mexican clerk who’d been working at the store ever since I could remember, hurried over and peeled me away from Leyla’s body.

“Dios Mio! Mijito!” she sobbed, “Ven conmigo.” And as I started to hear the police sirens in the distance but getting louder every second, she led me into the stockroom so I wouldn’t see any more. Then she went back out to Mel, who was still huddled on the floor rocking back and forth in shock. She didn’t talk for almost a month. I’ve never eaten sour bears again.

Even worse, the next day Jet told us that Leyla was pregnant and that they’d been planning to surprise us with the news that night at dinner. So I’d been the cause of two deaths. A double loss. Go me.

Jet never stopped holding it against me. And Mel’s jealousy turned into outright hatred.

 

I’m not sure either of them hated me more than I hated myself.

Jet turned to alcohol. He spent his days binge-drinking on the couch that he and Leyla had chosen together. He stopped taking construction jobs and finally took a temporary leave of absence that somehow turned into a permanent one. Two years later he married Dina, who not only puts up with his brutal attacks and constant verbal assaults, but for some unknown reason actually defends him.

She’s as pathetic as he is, and that bothers me because she’s actually a sweet woman. It’s like she’s under some kind of spell. What kind of woman puts up with a man who bruises her constantly and hurls hateful remarks? Last night he called her a “filthy pig”. And he’s always calling her a “fat ass”, which I don’t understand because she’s not even pudgy in the least! And trust me—I know chunky. I was a size Hefty for most of my childhood.

In all honesty, I think she feels she has no choice. She doesn’t have enough education to get a good-paying job, so Jet supports her—although I’ve always wondered how, since he hasn’t really worked for years now. I figure that Leyla had some sort of insurance policy.

On top of everything else, Dina was Leyla’s best friend. Maybe she feels guilty about marrying Leyla’s husband and inheriting her family. I don’t know. From my understanding, Jet and Dina became each other’s “support” after Leyla died, and eventually the feelings “just happened”.

I call BS on the whole thing. I think they just found it convenient and used all the other stuff as excuses.

In any case, all three of them hold me accountable. It’s been almost ten years and they’re still holding it against me. They never let it rest. Not a week goes by that Jet doesn’t snarl at me. Usually while he’s beating me. “Adopting you was my biggest mistake! If it wasn’t for you, she’d still be alive!” The hate in his words when he says it…I know he means it every time. 

The worst part is, I accept everything he says because I’m still pretty much blaming myself too. I know that if they hadn’t taken me in, Leyla probably would still be alive. And so would their second kid, the little brother or sister who never got a chance to be born.

That hurts to think about, because Leyla was a great mom. If more people had a mom like her, there’d probably be less crazies in the world. She read to me every morning. Sang to me every night. I can still hear her humming lullabies to me whenever I had nightmares about the fire. I remember drifting off to sleep with my fingers wrapped around a strand of her curly blonde hair. I loved her curls.

“Mom, they’re just like Slinkies!” I used to tell her. I would tug at them to straighten them out and then let them go to spring back into curls. Slinkies were my favorite childhood toy. Now I can’t stand the sight of them. Especially the neon-green ones, because they remind me of the one she brought me one day as a joke.

At night when I have trouble sleeping I can still hear her sweet voice reaching out to me and crooning, “Let the night take all your fear... Let my voice be all you hear...”

Cover Reveal! 'Haunting (The Dusty Chronicles Book #1)' by B.J. Sheldon

Book Info-

Title-Haunting

Series- The Dusty Chronicles Book # 1

By- B.J. Sheldon

Genre- YA Paranormal

Published- April 29th, 2013

Published By- Wandering in the Words Press

Review of 'Call Me Crazy' by Quinn Loftis

YA Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 5/31/2013

“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.

**My thoughts**

Chock full of emotion, Call Me Crazy is one that is going to yank on your heartstrings the whole way through. Tally feels like she is damaged goods, thanks to her bipolar disorder. The pain that she feels as she is in the throes of her depression radiates through the pages. I could feel her despair, almost as if it were my own. I was inwardly yelling at her to snap out of it and to pay attention to the good that is around her. But that isn't how bipolar disorder works. And she needed to come to the realization on her own that she was still a good person. Meds and therapy were helping, but a lot still depended on her.

Candy is a great character. We never really find out exactly why she is a patient at Mercy, but she is hilarious. One of my favorite early jokes poked fun at how their situation was like something out of 'Girl, Interrupted,' which honestly was one of my first thoughts when I started the book. (I actually liked this better than 'Girl, Interrupted,' and yes, it is different.) I found myself wanting to write down a lot of her quips, to use as ammo in future verbal battles with people. She has a wickedly naughty streak in her, but actually does more good than harm.

Trey is good for Tally, because they seem to complement each other well. She needs someone to believe in her. He has a big heart and sees her for who she is, instead of focusing on her mental illness like so many other people in her life. It does worry me a bit that they feel like they can't breathe when they are not together. He is very forceful in some ways, but she needs that extra shove to help her get her life back together. I don't like his hot temper, though. I know that he would never hurt Tally, but he does some pretty nasty things to those who do. It rubs me the wrong way.

Tally's best friend Natalie is great. Everyone needs a best friend like her - someone who understands that sometimes you are not in control of yourself, but loves you anyway. She will do anything she can to help Tally. She is forgiving when Tally can't do the same for her, because she knows that at some point, it will be reciprocated.

Tally's parents just need to be smacked. That is often the case in stories like this. I hate that some kids have to go through parents not understanding when they have such problems in their lives. It's not right.

Trey's grandmother is a beautiful person, with whom I would love to converse in person. She has that innate native wisdom that has been passed down for generations in their tribe. She doles it out on an as-needed basis and is always right. Trey's mother is also just as beautiful, though a tragic soul.

I saw a lot of growth in the characters during this book. They all still have a long journey ahead of them, but I think they will be okay. I also liked the personal message at the end, from author Quinn Loftis. She is quite open that she also has bipolar disorder, and leaves a message of hope for others in the same boat. Tally's story should also provide readers with that same hope. 

Book links  

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.

Connect with Quinn Loftis:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5014564.Quinn_Loftis
http://www.quinnloftisbooks.com
https://www.facebook.com/QuinnLoftisBooks
Twitter: @AuthQuinnLoftis

A conversation with Quinn Loftis, author of 'Call Me Crazy'

Please welcome author Quinn Loftis, who has given us some more insight into herself and her book 'Call Me Crazy.'

What was the inspiration behind this book?

I was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder when I was 21, it has been a long and sometimes very dark road and I felt the need to share a part of what I experienced in a fiction story with others.

Which character spoke to you the most during the writing process?

I identified with Tally simply because she is the one who is diagnosed with the mental illness. I knew the exact emotions she was feeling and it was at times very difficult to write.

Which scene is your favorite?

It is a scene close to the end where Trey tells Tally exactly what she means to him, and she sees that not only is she worth something, she is worth something to someone else.

What kind of research did you have to do for this book?

Not much simply because I’ve been through years of counseling, I’ve been to 5 different psychiatrist and I’m currently under the care of a psychiatrist and have read so many books on mental illness that most of it was already in my head ready to be put on paper.

What message are you hoping to send with this book?

That though a person may have a mental illness, they are not broken or defective. They struggle with the same things others do, just at times it is much more intense. I wanted people to see that when a person with Bipolar disorder is living in a depressed or manic state their perception of reality is skewed and they will need a support system to help them get through those times. I also wanted people who live with this disease to know that they’re lives aren’t meaningless or over. They can live a full, exciting life if they take care of themselves, take their meds and do the things they need to do to manage the illness instead of the illness managing them.

Bipolar disorder, among many other mental disorders, seem to be becoming more prevalent among teenagers today. Would you care to share your thoughts on this?

I think that parents need to be careful not to put that label on their child until they have them checked out by a psychiatrist or psychologist, because being a teenager is hard enough with hormones. It can be hard to diagnose at that age simply because their emotions are all over the place anyways. I think that it is important that we validate teens with mental illness and let them know that we hear them, we care and they will be okay, even if they feel like they will never be okay again.

Please tell us about your other published works.

I have two YA Paranormal Romance series. Both are award winning series, one of which has been on the USA TODAY Best Sellers list. The Grey Wolves Series and Elfin Series.

The Grey Wolves Series is about 3 best friends and their journey into the world of the Canis lupis, were wolves. It’s about them finding the guys who will become their mates and the evil they will battle together to save the super natural races.

The Elfin Series is about two girls who find themselves suddenly thrown into the world of Light and Dark Elves. There has been war raging between the two factions for millennia and now the human race is under threat by the dark elf king.

On what projects are you currently working?

I’m working on Book 7 of The Grey Wolves Series which is called Sacrifice of Love and is due out Sept 13, 2013.

What is something readers may be surprised to learn about you?

I love the smell of scotch tape because it reminds me of Christmas.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Just a big thank you to everyone who has given my books a chance! I’m truly blessed beyond measure and give glory to God for the blessings, and humbly say thank you to each of you for your support!

Thank you so much for your time!

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.

Connect with Quinn Loftis:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5014564.Quinn_Loftis
http://www.quinnloftisbooks.com
https://www.facebook.com/QuinnLoftisBooks
Twitter: @AuthQuinnLoftis

YA Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 5/31/2013

“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.

Book links  

'The Mysterious Treasure of Jerry Lee Thorton' by Mike Thomas Facebook Event 8/9

What does a guy do when his best friend starts doing things that are completely out of character?  In the case of Luke McAllister, you can't do anything - until you figure out exactly what it is that is different. 

The fact that his best friend is a girl complicates matters a heap. Nothing makes sense when RaeNell Stephens, the girl that has "the best curve ball he's ever seen", starts blushing and acting like a durned female. All of this at the beginning of the 'summer to end all summers' too. This is the summer that Luke, RaeNell, and their friend Farley Midkiff set out to locate, and cash in on a rogue Civil War soldier's stolen one million dollar Union payroll.

Undaunted by thousands of scholars and fortune seekers having looked unsuccessfully for the treasure for a hundred years, the three twelve-year-old friends search diligently for themselves. What they find is an adventure that leads them on a spiraling path of discovery. 

They discover newness in themselves, their families, and the closeness of a small southern community in the process.  Luke wrestles with his morality, ethics, and his slowly emerging awareness of the difference between boys and girls.  He also discovers that his late father left him an incredibly large legacy of duty, fidelity and caring for those around him.

The telling of the story takes place in imaginary New Caledonia County, NC in 1966. The deep rural traditions, vernacular, and ways of life of the region and community are portrayed in great detail as the story unfolds. 

This is an adventure story, but it is also a story about making good decisions whether you want to or not... It is also a story of relationships. Family and community are underscored, but there is an underlying theme of male/female relationships. It's really okay for boys and girls to be buddies without always having to be boyfriends and girlfriends. It is also a story about innocence. NOT innocence lost, but innocence maintained. 

The three find danger, intrigue, and excitement at every turn!


Book links

 

Join Mike Thomas for some fun and prizes Friday August 8th from 12-6 Pst!! We are going to have a blast, you seriously do not want to miss this one!! Oh, and Mike is offering up a $100 Amazon card to the person who invites the most people to the event!! Just add your name to the pinned post and invite away!!

Check out the awesome trailer for the book!





Connect with Mike:
https://www.facebook.com/TheMysteriousTreasureOfJerryLeeThorton
http://www.mikethomas-writer.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173997.Mike_Thomas
http://www.amazon.com/Mike-Thomas/e/B00DQ7B88W/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

 Hope to see you all there!!

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