(Blog Tour) Attempting Elizabeth, by Jessica Gray

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Kelsey Edmundson is a geek and proud of it. She makes no secret of her love for TV, movies, and--most especially--books. After a bad breakup, she retreats into her favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice, wishing she had some of the wit and spirit of Elizabeth Bennett.

One night at a party, Kelsey meets handsome Australian bartender Mark Barnes. From then on, she always seems to run into him when she least expects it. No matter how Kelsey tries, she always seems to say the wrong thing.

After a particularly gaffe-filled evening around Mark, Kelsey is in desperate need of inspiration from Jane Austen. She falls asleep reading Darcy’s letter to Lizzy and awakens to find herself in an unfamiliar place that looks and sounds suspiciously like her favorite book. Has she somehow been transported into Pride and Prejudice, or is it just a dream?

As Kelsey tries to discover what’s happening to her, she must also discover her own heart. Is Mark Barnes destined to be her Mr. Darcy? In the end, she must decide whether attempting to become Elizabeth is worth the risk or if being Kelsey Edmundson is enough.




Welcome to my stop on the Attempting Elizabeth blog tour!

Confession #1: I have never read Pride and Prejudice.  I've started it a half-dozen times, but I've never really understood the hype. 

Confession #2: I love--LOVE--Australian accents.

Confession #3: I'm a sucker for time travel/historical fiction romance.

Jessica Gray's Attempting Elizabeth is a quick, fun read that meets two of my guilty pleasures; I didn't care that it referenced a book that I hadn't read.

Kelsey is a girl after my own heart: she is a total nerd who prefers to stay home and read a good book than to hit the bars until all hours of the night.  She's endearingly awkward around Mark, and I couldn't get enough of their accidental run-ins; I would have loved to read more of these conversations.

I've often wondered what it would be like to enter the world of one my favorite books.  I would totally be friends with Eleanor & Park.  I know I'd end up a tribute in The Hunger Games.  And be placed in Hufflepuff at Hogwarts.  

So I loved reading about Kelsey's experience within Pride and Prejudice, her own favorite book.

How cool would it be to wake up with your favorite characters?  (So cool!)  How crazy would you think yourself?  (So crazy!)  Is it surprising that Kelsey thinks that she's gone insane? (So not surprising!)

The transitions between the real world and the book world were done well; even though the audience didn't have all of the information about how it was happening, it made sense within the story itself.

If you're looking to snuggle up with a book, give this one a shot.


About the Author

Jessica Grey is an author, fairytale believer, baseball lover, and recovering Star Wars fangirl. A life-long Californian, she now lives in Montana with her husband and two children, where she spends her time writing, perfecting the fine art of preschooler-wrangling, and drinking way too much caffeine.

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(Blog Tour & Giveaway) Play With Me, by Piper Shelly

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Ryan Hunter's parties are legend. And tonight she's going to be there.

Liza Matthews anticipates the return of her best friend and only love since kindergarten from soccer camp. But when Tony finally shows up, his mind is more focused on another girl. And worse, she's a soccer player. Fighting for the attention Liza craves, she's just a hairbreadth away from making a very stupid decision. But when extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, she's prepared to play ball to get her man.

The tryouts are hell, the first match ends bloody, and the morning after the selection party she wakes up in the worst place possible—in the arms of the captain of the soccer team. The hottest guy in school. Ryan Hunter.




Welcome to my stop on the Play With Me blog tour, hosted by Xpresso Book Tours.  Click here to check out other participating blogs. 

Coming in at just under 200 pages, this was a quick, light read; I finished the book in just a couple of hours.  I wish it had been longer!  Piper Shelly could have added another hundred pages to really flesh out the characters and give them more background.  Everything seemed to happen at warp speed and there was lack of motivation in a few spots.  I would have given Play With Me four stars had it delved deeper into the various relationships and provided more than a glimpse into the characters' lives.

I have not read the sequel, so maybe it's addressed later on.

I am concerned about the slut-shaming and fat-shaming that occurs throughout the book.  The last thing that young women need is to read about female characters who are disparaging members of their own sex.  It's already so pervasive in the media that it reinforces negative stereotypes when it's part of a YA novel.

To women everywhere: it is unfair to label another woman a "bimbo" simply because she is attractive and likes the same guy that you do.

That being said, this was a quick, fun way to spend an evening.


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(Blog Tour Teasers): Jenny's Blue Velvet, by Angela Carlie

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Jenny's stuck.

She's tried just about every occupation she can think of and will be digging out of student debt for a very long time, but has nothing to show for it. Her everyday routine feels like a prison. And her marriage? Well, let's just say it's been a little one-sided lately and the money she threw down on the toys from Lover's Erotic Store was well worth it and then some.

Jenny decides her next big step is to become a romance writer. Romance books are flying off the virtual shelves, after all. This will be her big break, her escape from the prison, and a way to freedom. Self-publishing is all the rage these days. She'll be a best seller in no time.

When Jenny makes friends with a woman named Cassandra from the gym, she instantly decides that her new friend will make a perfect main character in her upcoming book. After the first chapter, real life begins to resemble the fiction she's writing. Her friendship blossoms, sex with her husband turns into a daily feast, and her job gets more interesting with each chapter written.

Out of the blue, a person who is a close friend with her husband and who is dating Cassandra disappears. As the mystery behind the missing person unfolds, Jenny wonders if she might be responsible for his possible death. And if she is, what will be the consequence? What has this writing business gotten her into?

Jenny's Blue Velvet is a dark, humorous, romantic thriller for adults only.




Welcome to my stop on the Jenny's Blue Velvet blog tour, hosted by Xpresso Book Tours. 

Ready for some fun Teasers?

I’m going to write a romance novel. I’ve never really read one, but they seem to be selling like bonbons to housewives on a hot summer day. My romance novel is going to be a bestseller. Once I figure out what it’s going to be about.

It does seem like everyone is writing a romance novel these days, doesn't it?

Leo brushed blond strands from her face. His breathing felt warm on her cheek. She could lose herself in those soft blue eyes for an eternity. They held this moment for several heartbeats, just them, alone, staring at each other as though they only now discovered how wonderful it felt to be so close. If they were to move, the world would melt around them.

*sigh*

My life should be filled with blooming flowers, singing birds, and the music of the crashing waves on the shore. I’m meant to be in a place surrounded by these things. Hawaii, to be precise. Not in a vacuum that’s sucking my soul away.

Agreed! Let's hop on a plane and go.

There’s something to say for people who have patience. What that may be, I don’t know because I don’t have it.

Oh, shit. Is she talking about me?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I’ve lived in the state of Washington my entire life. Sure, it rains a lot, but that’s what makes it so beautiful here. I’d like to say it’s the most beautiful place on the planet, but I have yet to travel the world. Someday I’ll know for sure.

I write fiction involving young people. Mainstream publishing would label my writing as YA or middle grade. Since I’m an indie author, I can skip over the labels and tell you that each one of my stories is unique, can be read and enjoyed by all ages, and almost always has a young person as the protagonist. Authors write what they know and I don’t know old yet. I may someday write about older people, but that’s so far in the future that I can’t see it yet.

(Book Tour & GIVEAWAY) The Silent Swan, by Lex Keating

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Release Date: August 26, 2013
Publisher: AltWit Press

Once upon a time – better known as “now” - Gabriel Pritz reigns as king of his high school. Easy grades, perfect baseball season, a pretty date for prom—he's coasting into a golden future. Until his parents demand he cook dinner once a week. Caught between kitchen fires and ballpark withdrawal, Gabe is thrown into Tam Swann's orbit. Hostile, friendless, and stubborn, she's exactly the sort of person he'd prefer to avoid.

Tam's sphere of influence expands beyond Gabe's sad domestic skills, rapidly invading everything from his favorite game to parts of his soul he didn't know existed. It's uncomfortable, it's hard work, it's...making him a better man. And that's just what she does to people she doesn't like. The better he gets to know her, the more he has to face the truth: this sharp, heart-breaking outcast is worth fighting for. How many families, fairy tales, and felons will he go through to ride to the rescue of the bravest person he's ever met?




I absolutely, positively hated putting this book down.  I was drawn in to Keating's world immediately and loved how the characters grew throughout the story.

There were parts that seemed confusing and choppy--and I felt like I had missed something--but it didn't take away from the story.  That may be the fact that I didn't know the fairy tale behind the story until I finished the book.  It makes somewhat more sense now that I know it's a derivative.

Gabe was highly irritating at the beginning: a spoiled brat who couldn't get over himself enough to cook dinner for his family once a week.

Gabe had nightmares all week, about being chased by oven fires and flying saucepans.

A little melodramatic, aren't we?  But it totally worked in the context of the story.  Gabe is actually pretty funny, even if I didn't enjoy all of the physical fighting and "threats" to kill his brothers.

Mike stood there, staring, as she pedaled out of the neighborhood with considerable speed.  "She has really good balance."
Gabe smacked the back of his head. Hard.
"Ow!"
"You weren't looking at her balance," he said darkly.
Perverts. They started so young these days.

My only other pet peeve in the book was the name-calling and slut-shaming.  A girl who is mean and deceptive should not be called a "ho."  A bitch?  Sure.  An asshole?  Absolutely.  But not a whore.

Gabe's strategic thinking helps him throughout the book.  Not only as a baseball coach, but also when he decides he likes Tam and wants to be with her.

Gabe needed to tackle this less like a game and more like a government grant.  Hard work, dedication, research.  This entire campaign would depend on one woman's vote.  Look out, Tam.  This candidate was coming for her.

And then he starts getting all moony-eyed over her.  It's terribly sweet.

She made his life better--not simpler, but more full--and she challenged his character.

Aw!

But he still snarks about his siblings.

Brothers.  Put on this earth solely to make him look like the smart one.

I also found some great advice re: public speaking.  It's especially timely since I am starting to work on my final speech for my Toastmasters Competent Communicator designation.

A captive audience needn't be entertained, but neither are you best served by talking for the pleasure of hearing yourself.

and

Whether they're interested or hostile, people respond better to sincerity.  It cuts down on a lot of posturing, and it leaves you with only the important words.  Harder to hear, sometimes, but it also makes silence an effective tool.

Point taken!

I doubt I would have read this book were it not for the blog tour, so I'm very happy that I took part.

Highly recommended for fans of YA Contemporary fiction.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lex Keating has been engaged in a passionate affair with books ever since the Velveteen Rabbit wanted to be real. She graduated from a liberal arts college with a BA in literature, and currently resides near Charleston, South Carolina, in a swamp full of barbarians and all their cats. She has been a teacher, a paralegal, a computer programmer, and a hospice caregiver. She currently divides her time between studying old fairy tales and making up new ones.


Quotes used in this review were pulled from the ARC version of this book.  Wording may have changed during the publication process.

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(Blog Tour: Excerpt) Instinct, by Mattie Dunman

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To tell the truth...it doesn’t really matter if you lie.

It’s impossible to lie to Derry MacKenna. For as long as she can remember, Derry has been plagued by the extraordinary ability to hear, see, and feel the truth. But when Derry and her erratic, self-centered mother move to historic Harpers Ferry, she discovers she is not the only one with hidden talents.

As the newest reporter on the school newspaper, Derry learns of a high school student’s unexpected suicide and recognizes that the truth behind her death may still be hidden. When tragedy strikes, Derry is drawn into a deadly battle of wits with the only person whom her abilities don’t affect.

Driven by guilt and an obsession with bringing the killer to justice, Derry finds herself in danger from a vindictive murderer, a sadistic deviant who preys on the weak, and trapped in the middle of a treacherous triangle of attraction between two brothers whose abilities rival her own. Derry must trust her instincts to guide her to the truth and bring her enemies to justice even as she fights for her own survival.

INSTINCT focuses on a gifted, intelligent, and loyal heroine who must contend not only with the inherent dangers of high school bullying and backstabbing, but with loss, grief, and guilt. Against issues of sexual abuse, teenage suicide, and destructive relationships, the heroine learns to cherish the strength of real friendship, understand accountability, and experiences the healing touch of first love.



Oooh!  Intriguing!  And I like the fact that it's set in Harper's Ferry.  It's always nice to read about a location that you've seen before; it's much easier to imagine the surroundings.  Read below for an excerpt of Instinct.


    The sign over the doors reads “John Brown High School.” I don’t see anything else because there isn’t any truth to conceal. The building is exactly what is advertised, and my nerves calm their ragged dance slightly at this reassurance. Taking a deep breath, I put my hand out and get ready to open the door. 

    It swings open, nearly swatting me in the face, and I stagger back, almost tumbling down the stairs I just climbed. An angry looking boy in a black wool pea-coat and dark jeans stalks past me, not even glancing my way or noticing the way I’m cradling my arm where the door struck it. I consider saying something, but the hard set of his shoulders prevents me from forming words. I swallow my irritation and rub my forearm until the stinging passes. The boy runs down the stairs and halts before he crosses into the street. He glances around as though searching for something and then slowly pivots and locks his gaze on me.

    My chest constricts and I can’t breathe. An invisible hand is gripping my throat and deliberately tightening until my head is no longer connected to the rest of my body. The inside of my mind burns like molten lava being poured in my brain and my legs and hands start to shake uncontrollably until I almost cannot remain standing.

    Just as suddenly it stops and the vise on my neck is released. My mind clears with no residue of pain, as though the past few seconds never happened. I see the boy widen his eyes in surprise before he jerks abruptly and turns his back to me, crossing the pick-up lane and turning the corner, out of my sight. I am left breathless and stiff with terror.

    I don’t know how, I don’t know why, but I can’t help feeling that somehow that boy just nearly killed me with a look.

(Blog Tour & Author Interview) Autumn Fire, by Cameron D. James

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Dustin likes the closet. It’s warm, comfy, and dark. Who needs to be out when you can get all the anonymous sex you want via the internet? And, besides, coming out is messy and gets you nowhere—certainly not a relationship. Real gay love is fiction.

When Dustin meets CollegeJock22 for a quick blow-and-go in the university library men’s room, everything he thought he knew crumbles. He can’t get that man out of his head and will do almost anything to have him. The only problem? CollegeJock22 is even more in the closet than Dustin. He’s in so deep he can’t even see the crack of light under the door.




Damn.  I was all set to read some nice boy-boy porn-without-plot when THIS came along.  There's an actual story in here?  Huh.

And oh, what a story.  This is a short book—coming* in at under 150 pages—but the characters were well-hung developed and fleshed** out.  Most importantly, the characters were real.  At least, to this straight-woman-who's-never-had-to-come-out-of-the-closet reader.  Usually I would wonder if that's actually how a guy would act, but since this book was written BY a guy, I'm going to trust his words.

I did raise my eyebrows at the speed with which everything took place.  It's something that I see consistently in Young Adult and New Adult fiction: the timelines are short and it's all over prematurely***.


* see what I did there?
** and there?
*** I crack myself up


Let's Meet the Author!

When Cameron D. James isn’t writing gay erotic romance, he can be found studying for his Masters, working in his dull office job, or reading five books at once. But really, you’re most likely to find him writing. He loves crafting hot, sexy, sweaty, throbbing scenes, interwoven with lust and deep emotions for an orgasmic whole. He writes out of a love of characters, wherever those characters may lead.


Thank you so much for joining us here today!  Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about Autumn Fire?

First of all, thanks for having me here!  I appreciate the opportunity to come by and talk about my work.  My name, as I guess is apparently already, is Cameron D. James, and I live in Canada.  I currently work at a GLBT community resource centre by day and I’m pursuing my masters through online studies at night.  Somewhere in the midst of all of that I manage to fit in some time to write.

Autumn Fire is my first publication.  It’s a New Adult m/m erotic romance, released by Carnal Passions this past July 2nd.  It’s a love story between Dustin and Kyle, two young men at a Toronto university.  The only problem?  Both are in the closet and don’t want to come out, and thus can’t have a relationship.  Dustin tries to get over it by escaping into the world of anonymous hookup sex, in an effort to forget about Kyle’s loving touches, but no matter what he tries, he can’t get over the man.


Who does your book appeal to?  Who is your target audience?

It’s been classified by some people as a New Adult book, which means that it features characters in the 18-26 age range, which tends to be a crucial transitional period in life—and Dustin and Kyle are certainly in that stage.  As a New Adult book, part of its target audience is those in the new adult age range, 18-26.  But that’s like saying adults can’t read Harry Potter because it’s a children’s book, or adults can’t read Twilight because it’s a YA book.  I firmly believe that Autumn Fire can be enjoyed by all age ranges.  So far, the wonderful reviews I’ve received have been from people not in that age range (I’m trying my hardest not to call people old!).

And for gender?  Well, the biggest readership of m/m erotic romance titles are women, so definitely women would be my target audience.  Since this is a New Adult title, then another target audience would be young gay men, who might be going through some of the same experiences.


::nodding::  I can verify that straight women are big fans of m/m smexy times.  Tell us about the experience of writing this book.  What were the challenges?

My biggest challenge was figuring out what makes a plot.  Prior to this, I was writing Science Fiction, and in there, I have whole worlds at stake, massive political upheaval, and secret conspiracies.  Autumn Fire is about two young men at university who fall in love... I can’t blow things up to create dramatic tension.

So I took a step back.  When I write, no matter the genre, I start with developing solid characters and I find the story flows from there.  Once I followed my own advice, Autumn Fire began to piece together.  There was definitely a learning process in there, but in the end, I’m proud of what I created.  I really like Autumn Fire and I hope my readers do, too.


Tell us about your main character, Dustin, and some of the challenges he faces.

Dustin is a character that thinks he knows what he wants, but then finds out he’s completely wrong.  He’s built walls around himself: he’s closeted; he gets anonymous sex through online hookups when he needs it; and he doesn’t want a relationship.  He’s grown up believing that gay romance—true gay love—does not exist; that a gay couple is really nothing more than two roommates that sometimes have sex.

But when Dustin meets Kyle, everything Dustin thinks he knows shatters.  Suddenly, he’s confronted with deep feelings for another man and the way he used to live his life holds absolutely no appeal for him anymore.  He’s in major crisis mode where he doesn’t know what’s true or what’s real; he has to figure himself out all over again.


I love how Dustin and Kyle grow into themselves throughout the book.  How do your characters relate to your plot?  Are they separate from it or integral?

For my plot in Autumn Fire—and in anything I write—characters are everything.  If I didn’t have these characters, then my story would collapse like a house of cards.  The characters, their interactions, their issues, their feelings, their desires... everything about them is absolutely integral to the plot.  I love reading books like this, where the characters drive everything, so it’s no surprise I end up writing such books.


Do you want to leave your readers with any final thoughts or comments?

I think my only final comment would be that I truly appreciate the opportunity I’ve had to write and publish this book through Carnal Passions.  And so that means my number one job—above anything else—is to please my readers.  I want to make them happy they’ve picked up Autumn Fire.  I want to make them feel a range of emotions as they go through the story, to get involved with the characters and their lives, and to blush when it gets to the good parts.  I tried to make it steamy hot, and from what people have told me so far, it’s super steamy.

And, once again, thank you for hosting me here on your blog.  I’m very grateful for the
opportunity.


Ahem...yes...well...the steamy parts were more than sufficient.  Thank you again for stopping by, Cameron D. James.  It was great speaking with you today.