Dirty Little Secret Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway!

Title: Dirty Little Secret
Author: Jennifer Echols
Publication Date: July 16th, 2013
Genre: YA - Contemporary

"From the author of the “real page-turner” (Seventeen) Such a Rush comes an unforgettable new drama that follows friends-turned-lovers as they navigate the passions, heartbreaks, and intrigue of country music fame.
Bailey wasn’t always a wild child and the black sheep of her family. She used to play fiddle and tour the music circuit with her sister, Julie, who sang and played guitar. That ended when country music execs swooped in and signed Julie to a solo deal. Never mind that Julie and Bailey were a duet, or that Bailey was their songwriter. The music scouts wanted only Julie, and their parents were content to sit by and let her fulfill her dreams while Bailey’s were hushed away.
Bailey has tried to numb the pain and disappointment over what could have been. And as Julie’s debut album is set to hit the charts, her parents get fed up with Bailey’s antics and ship her off to granddad’s house in Nashville. Playing fiddle in washed-up tribute groups at the mall, Bailey meets Sam, a handsome and oh-so-persuasive guitarist with his own band. He knows Bailey’s fiddle playing is just the thing his band needs to break into the industry. But this life has broken Bailey’s heart once before. She isn’t sure she’s ready to let Sam take her there again…" ~See it on Goodreads!

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My Review:

Dirty Little Secret is the first book by Jennifer Echols that I’ve read, it’s a shame I know! I’ve been meaning to read some of her previous work but I never seemed to get around to it, but I’m really glad I finally did. It’s no secret that I’m a Contemporary lover, and this one satisfied that itch I’d been having lately to read a good Contemporary!

I really liked Bailey’s character, she was a really dedicated and talented musician. Her parents really neglected her and let her fall to the wayside in order to support her sister Julie as soon as she got signed to a record label. She had her flaws and was a nit bitter about the whole situation and how they treated her, but who wouldn’t be? I like when I can see a character change and grow/mature in a story and we definitely got to see that with Bailey. I kind of had a love/hate relationship with Sam, there’s no denying he’s pretty swoon-worthy and quite the charmer, and not to mention really dedicated to his music like Bailey. But there were times when honestly I just wanted to smack him one good time for how he was acting. As the story continues you see that he really is a good guy and a gentleman at heart but there were definitely times when it was questionable, but I think that added some realness to the story.

I really liked how Ms. Echols portrayed the Nashville setting, as a country music fan myself I thought it was realistically done and I thought the mall impersonator circuit was an interesting and unique twist on it! I think the author did a really good job of bringing that element of southern charm to the story and there was a good deal of focus on the actual musical aspect of the book and since that’s what the book is mainly based around I’m glad to say it didn’t fall short in my expectations.

This was a fun and enjoyable read and I’m really glad I got the chance to pick it up. If you love Contemporaries then Dirty Little Secret is definitely worth the read, especially if you happen to be a country music fan! I’ll definitely be picking up more books by this author in the very near future!

3.5 Stars!

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About The Author:

Jennifer Echols was born in Atlanta and grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama—a setting that has inspired many of her books. She has written nine romantic novels for young adults, including the comedy MAJOR CRUSH, which won the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the drama GOING TOO FAR, which was a finalist in the RITA, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Book Buyer’s Best, and was nominated by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults. Simon & Schuster will debut her adult romance novels in 2013, with many more teen novels scheduled for the next few years. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and her son.

Official Links:

Website: http://jennifer-echols.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferEchols

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 Also be sure to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win! It's tour wide and will be on every tour stop!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Chasing Dirt Roads by Pixie Lynn Whitfield + An Exclusive Excerpt!

Okay lovelies, I'm so ridiculously excited to announce the cover reveal of Chasing Dirt Roads, which is a New Adult, Contemporary novel written by my dear friend Pixie Lynn Whitfield! I'm really excited for this book to come out! I'm a huge Contemporary lover so it's right up my alley!

Well I know you're all dying to see this cover (which happens to be gorgeous by the way!), so without further ado, I'd like to present the cover for Chasing Dirt Roads!

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Synopsis:

Chasing Dirt Roads:
"LOVELY HEIGHTS, MISSISSIPPI.
It's the last place I wanted to be during the most important summer of my potential photography career. I was used to this though. Mom and I have been running the roads since I was thirteen while I stood by quietly and let her take me wherever. Cans and bottles littered our junked-out old Buick with the boxes. But something was different about the place this time. His name was Cooper Reed...
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When eighteen-year-old Kenley Brooks moves to Lovely Heights, she's tired. Tired of moving around the country. Tired of taking care of her drunk mother. She just wants to finally settle down, live a normal life and get back into pursuing her photography dreams. After meeting Cooper and his friends, she thinks she could. But she has deep secrets and people are starting to gossip." ~See it on Goodreads
Estimated/Expected Release Date: January 2014

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Now for a little extra treat, here's an exclusive excerpt from the book!!

"I heard him before I saw him, but when my eyes adjusted, I saw the young man standing on the inside of the fence, slightly off to the side. When I turned my head toward his voice, he came forward. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and took a quick step backward. I couldn’t make out all of his features in the darkness.

“No, no. I’m sorry.” I heard my voice stutter out in a hurry. My mouth felt dry. He stepped up to the fence, placing his hands over the wood, and let out a friendly laugh. It rolled out in gentle baritone waves.

“It was a joke. Yeah, this is our property, but we let everyone come by and go swimming in the pond. Just clean up any trash—cans, bottles, wrappers. That’s all we ask.”

“Oh.” I was barely choking out syllables. I’d always struggled talking with strangers, especially guys. Most especially good-looking guys. Which I realized he definitely was as he got closer.

“You’re new…the new neighbor from down the road, aren’t you?”

I nodded, this time not even uttering a word, and hoped he could see my head bobbing. A goofy grin spread across his cheeks. His teeth were straight, with a slight gap between his front teeth giving him a more youthful, boyish appearance. He couldn’t be much older than me. His hair looked brown, but it was hard to tell which shade in the dark. And he was tall, at least a foot taller than me.

He leaned against the fence and I stepped further back into the road. I turned to head back to the house with nothing else to say to the stranger. It was embarrassing in a way really.

“Welcome to the neighborhood,” I heard him shout behind me as I started to walk away.

“Thanks,” I muttered. My cheeks flamed."

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Be sure to check it out on Goodreads and add it to your TBR lists! You know you want to, and we all have never ending TBR lists anyways so why not?? And while you're there you might just want to check out some of her other work as well! ;)

Also if you want to connect with the lovely miss Pixie Lynn Whitfield you can find her at her book blog: The Bookaholic as well as her authors blog: Pixie Lynn Whitfield

You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter! She loves comments, tweets, ect. from readers and is always looking to make new book loving friends so be sure to look her up!!

Lost Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Title: Lost
Author: Nadia Simonenko
Publication Date: March 25th, 2013
Genre: New Adult - Contemporary Romance

"Sometimes you need someone else to help you find your way.Maria's life was torn apart when she was fifteen, and for seven years she's kept her terrible secret hidden from the world. Now, in her final semester of college, she still struggles against paralyzing fear just trying to speak up in class, and the terror and helplessness linger on in her nightmares.Across campus, Owen sees his scars in the mirror every morning while he gets ready for class. They remind him of the broken home he left behind, the father he hates and fears, and the little sister he couldn't protect. Now, in his final semester of college, he's scared that he may have to return to the hell he called home after staying away for almost five years.When Owen becomes a teaching assistant for one of Maria's classes, they find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. As the two learn each other's secrets and grow closer, they realize that although they may be lost, they're not alone anymore.This new adult contemporary romance is recommended for ages 17+ due to heavy subject matter." ~See it on Goodreads

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About The Author:

Nadia Simonenko is a scientist and author currently living in Indianapolis with her husband, two cats and a dog. When she isn’t writing, she develops new oncolytic compounds and dreams about someday getting to take a vacation.

Official Links:

Website: nadiaromance.com

Twitter: twitter.com/NadiaSimonenko

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Also be sure to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win! It's tour wide and will be on every tour stop!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal" Across the Stars and Ashes by Pixie Lynn Whitfield!!

Okay lovelies, I'm extremely excited to announce the cover reveal of Across the Stars and Ashes, which is the third and final installment in the Guardians of the Night trilogy written by my dear friend Pixie Lynn Whitfield!

As with the first two covers she entrusted me with designing this one as well!! And I'm so glad I was able to take the ideas she had in mind, and create something that really captured the essence of the story and title and make a cover that she loves! :)

Okay so, without further ado, I give you the cover of Across the Stars and Ashes!

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Across the Stars and Ashes (The Guardians of the Night #3):

"In the final conclusion of The Guardians of the Night Trilogy, bonds are tested, unlikely allies are made, and a world is on the brink of destruction.

Zarah has been in captivity with the Fallen Warriors. There she learns that things are much worse for the world than she'd thought. Allies with the humans, the Fallen have started an apocalyptic war sending the world into chaos. Then there's Lucas, Fallen Master and source of a shocking secret. When she makes an unexpected friend out of a Warrior during her captivity, she realizes there's no rescue—only she can be the hero. But at what cost?

Draven never could remember his past. Now he knows why. After learning the truth, the flashbacks start and the memories are returning. He was one of them once.... But what would Zarah say if she knew everything? Because his mission is clear—to get his Bond Mate back, even if it means destroying everything in his path.

Told in dual PoV between Zarah and Draven, Across the Stars and Ashes presents the thrilling final installment packed with action and emotion, romance and family, and supernatural intensity."

Estimated/Expected Release Date: October 22nd, 2013

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Be sure to check it out on Goodreads and add it to your TBR lists!! Also if you haven't read the first two books in the series, Darkness Comes This Way and Through These Wicked Nights, be sure to check those out and add them to your TBR lists as well!

Also if you want to connect with the lovely miss Pixie Lynn Whitfield you can find her at her blog: The Bookaholic as well as her authors blog: Pixie Lynn Whitfield

You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter! She loves comments, tweets, ect. from readers and friends so be sure to look her up!!