Archive for November 4, 2013

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An excellent first in a series and I will look for more of Destinee Faith Miller. ~Rantin’ Ravin’ and Reading

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TIARA TROUBLE

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Tiara Trouble: A Destinee Faith Miller Mystery

New Series  Publisher: Cozy Cat Press (August 27, 2013) Paperback: 230 pages ISBN-13: 978-1939816160 E-Book File Size: 609 KB  ASIN: B00EWSB3GG

Synopsis

What happens when Dynasty meets Honey BooBoo, they have a baby, and that baby is raised by Charlie’s Angels? You get TIARA TROUBLE, a bedazzled cozy mystery full of gritty glitz.

One foreign policy question five years ago sent Destinee Faith Miller’s dreams of being Miss American Universe up in flames and landed her back in her hometown of Phenix City, Alabama, with her tail between her legs. But like the mythological bird that her hometown is misspelled after, she rose from the ashes to create Destinee’s Dolls, a thriving pageant consulting business knee-deep in pink, prints and tulle.

A death at the local level of a national event lands her the job of pageant emcee, and Destinee dares to dream of bigger things—maybe even a reality TV show! But when judges start dropping like flies, she has her hands full keeping herself alive long enough to see those dreams come true. Contending with catfights, car bombs, and the camouflage-colored funeral of a redneck’s dream, Destinee gets a little help from her friends, family, and a pit bull named Clarabelle.

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My Review

I’ve never been much for watching the beauty pageants so I wasn’t sure about Tiara Trouble.

It turns out I really enjoyed it.

The story opens seven years earlier,  as Destinee recalls how far one slippery contestant would go to win the crown. Then you flash forward to one year ago and the fun begins.

You’ll learn everything there is to know about beauty pageants, all the tricks, training, and preparation it takes. I never knew some of this and found it very interesting. The lengths these women go to is astonishing.

It takes a very brave, confident, or crazy woman to try to sell themselves as the product. When I look in the mirror, I see my flaws and I imagine, no matter how beautiful a woman is, they experience the same thing.

Destinee won my heart. She’s a southern gal, with all of the grit, humor, and sass that goes with it. I live on the Gulf Coast and always love reading books that revolve around it. She is whip smart, very competitive, and an astute business woman.

Tiara Trouble was told from Destinee’s point of view and it worked very well for me. I felt like we were friends. She is full of quips and slips of the tongue that had me laughing out loud and thinking, “I wish I’d said that.”

Cozy mysteries are a genre I’ve been reading for many years. The quirky titles and the charming, colorful covers just draw me to them.

Add in plenty of colorful characters and some amateur sleuthing and you get books like this.

Good clean fun, lots of belly laughs, and a mystery you think you know, but you don’t, until the surprise ending.

4 Tiaras

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Thanks so much to Lane Buckman and Great Escapes Book Tours for gifting me a copy of this delightful book and a fun tour.

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About Lane Buckman

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Lane Buckman is a former beauty queen from Phenix City, Alabama. Growing up, she wanted to be Miss America, a criminal lawyer, a super model, the President, a Bond girl, a brain surgeon, a journalist, a back-up singer for Duran Duran, and a college professor of Medieval Literature. In order to fulfill those dreams, she became a writer. She lives in Texas with her family, and enjoys every miserably hot second of it. Her solo debut novel, TIARA TROUBLE, is available from Cozy Cat Press on October 28, 2013, with a sneak peek launch the week prior at the BOSTON BOOK FESTIVAL. TIARA TROUBLE, a light-hearted cozy mystery, marks a departure from Lane’s earlier works in the darker horror/fantasy genre.

The well-received THE ORDER OF THE BLOOD (Black Bed Sheets Books, April 09, 2011), co-authored with Nicole Vlachos, was Lane’s first novel. She has ghost written and consulted on two others. Follow Lane on Facebook and Twitter, and keep up with her world on her blog.

Facebook / Twitter / Website

Purchase Links:

AMAZON  /  B & N

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To follow the tour, click on the banner below.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew.

For all of my giveaways click on the Tiara below.

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Sierra 99 cents

I’ve read every book Taylor Dean has written. She’s a favorite author of mine and I’m always looking for her next book.

Once you read one of her stories, you’ll be like me, excited and bursting to tell someone about it.

Sierra is Taylor’s favorite of her books and it’s mine too.

Read my 5 star Review Here.

I was lulled by the cover art but that was just the outside of the book. What happens once you begin reading is a romantic suspense that grabs you and spins you out of control. Setting you down only to grab you again.

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sierra cover

Sierra by Taylor Dean

Have you ever been lost in the woods?

Alyssa Fontaine’s life, loved ones—everything familiar and dear—are brutally taken from her.

Taken captive by two men, she endures a horrific nightmare. A new life is forced upon her and even a new name.

Just when it appears that no hope is in sight, she is saved by an unlikely twist of fate. Trapped in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains, life will open its arms to her again and she will embrace it. She will find love such as she never knew existed.

Sierra is a heart-wrenching story of the power of the human spirit to survive amidst impossible circumstances and severe losses. It is a story of survival . . . and hope.

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Smashwords / Amazon

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Excerpt from Sierra:

This is one of my favorite scenes in Sierra. It’s a pivotal moment, wherein Alyssa’s life can change for the better–or for the worse. After facing extreme cruelty, she is faced with utter kindness. I love the marked difference between her experiences. ~Taylor Dean

“Please sit,” he whispered. Her eyes were drawing him in. She didn’t seem to be scared of him, she seemed to know he wanted to help her. First, he filled a glass with water and held it to her lips. She drank thirstily, but then shook her head negatively when he wanted her to finish all of it. At the sink, he filled a small plastic tub with warm water, grabbed shampoo, and went back to Alyssa. The kitchen sink doubled as his bathroom sink. He had all he needed to clean her up, including a small first aid kit. He knelt in front of her. Once again, he gently touched her chin and lifted her face to his. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. She had the biggest brown eyes he’d ever seen.

“Just relax and let me take care of you, Alyssa,” he whispered softly.

She responded with a slight nod. Sitting in the kitchen chair, he had her slowly lean her head back till it was resting just above the tub. He gently began to wash her hair, first getting it wet and then massaging the shampoo into her scalp. She winced when he touched the spot where dried blood matted her hair, so he was extra gentle there. Her long hair was tangled and filled with dirt and bits of dried leaves. It took some time to get it clean and several refills of warm water in the tub as he rinsed. Alyssa closed her eyes and relaxed for probably the first time in days. He worked conditioner into the long locks and then had her sit up as he gently combed through it, removing all of the snarls. He then parted the hair where the wound on the scalp was located and took a look at the gash. It was angry and red, and it needed stitches, but would have to wait till he could retrieve his medical supplies from the supply room. He disinfected it with alcohol and moved on.

He again knelt in front of Alyssa. Her eyes opened and stared deeply into his, desperately trying to communicate without words. A lone tear fell, drizzling down her cheek. He brushed it away with his fingertips. This was harder than he thought. He knew this was the first gentle touch she’d felt in days. The abuse she had suffered was obvious to him as he noticed her many bruises. He grabbed his kitchen stool and sat before her. Using a washcloth, he began to wipe her face clean. As he worked, their eyes met and held. Ever so gently he wiped the dirt and grime away from days spent outdoors. And with it he wiped away tears and pain.

“Please help me,” Alyssa whispered.

Alex stole a glance at Pa and Adam. Pa’s eyes were closed and a soft snore emanated from him. Adam was wide awake, his shotgun pointed at Alex, but he stared into the fire sullenly. Alex leaned forward to grab the tube of anti-biotic ointment on the table. With his lips to her ear as he brushed past, he whispered, “Everything’s going to be all right, Alyssa. I won’t let them take you, I promise.”

Alex then applied the salve to the small cuts on her face and lips. Each and every one of his ministrations clearly brought relief to her. Every time Alex looked her in the eyes, she met him with eyes that spoke volumes. He refilled the tub and washed her arms and hands and then took his time cleaning her fingernails, occasionally massaging her hand as he looked into her eyes. He also applied cortisone cream to her numerous mosquito bites. Next, he decided to tend to her neck and wrists. He cringed inside at the raw, bloody skin underneath the ropes. The first thing he’d wanted to do was cut the ropes, but he didn’t want to push his luck. However, now it was time. He went to the kitchen counter and unsheathed a kitchen knife. The sound of the knife being unsheathed brought Adam to his feet immediately.

Shotgun aimed at Alex, he yelled, “Put it down, Doc.”

Alex faced him without flinching. “I’m cutting the ropes. They’ve rubbed her skin raw and it’s going to get infected,” he said with steel in his voice. “You can have the knife when I’m done.”

Pa awoke from his snooze in the commotion. “Sit down, Adam. Doc’s right. Let ‘em fix her up,” he growled.

Adam continued to stand, anxiously waiting while Alex cut the rope on her neck and freed Alyssa from her leash. He then cut the other ropes and freed her wrists. She closed her eyes and Alex could see the relief on her face. He wondered just how long she had been bound. He handed the knife to Adam roughly and stared him in the face. “Satisfied?”

“Won’t do any good, I’ll just be puttin’ the ropes back on ya know,” Adam taunted.

Not if I have anything to say about it, thought Alex.

Book Trailer

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfodo9vCZRU&w=480&h=270]

Praise for Sierra:

Every now and then you come across a novel that profoundly takes your breath away, and Sierra is that novel. -Kathleen of Jersey Girl Book Reviews

Riveting from beginning to end. Be prepared to read straight through. -Sherry of Fundinmental Book Reviews

I thought I had read romances before, and books like “Jane Eyre” and “A Tale of Two Cities,” I had always considered the peaks of romantic literature. Let me say this. This is the most romantic book I have ever read in my 38 years on this planet! -Ruth of My Devotional Thoughts

What I like most about Sierra was how Taylor lulls you in the beginning, then she shreds the peaceful scene to pieces. It happens so fast you barely have time to comprehend what is going to happen. Just like in real life. -Laura of FUONLYKNEW Book Reviews

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TaylorAuthor Taylor Dean

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding that she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of romance in her line-up.

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BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 11/22/13

Click on the rafflecopter link below to enter.

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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You can read my reviews of other books by Taylor Dean by clicking on the titles.

Lancaster House

Lancaster House 

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The Middle Aisle (Lancaster House)

The Middle Aisle

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I Have People

I Have People

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Reviewing shortly.

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Finished reading and will review soon.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go HERE.