{BLOG TOUR: FRACTURED STEEL} BY T.J. LOVELESS + GIVEAWAY

Title: Fractured Steel

Author: T.J. Loveless

Release Date: February 15, 2014

Genre: Thriller/Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis

After a bloody tour in Iraq, all Karen Barnes wants is a simple life, surrounded by horses and the mountains of Wyoming. But when a stranger tries boarding a famous horse worth millions at her stable, Karen grows suspicious that the horse has been stolen. When her worse fears are confirmed and her life is threatened, her instinct for survival kicks in. But things are far worse than she could have even imagined when she discovers that the theft is just a coverup for espionage. With the lives of those she cares for at stake, can she find the courage to fight one more battle, or will the violence and carnage tear her to pieces?

Buy Links

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IGI2BHS

Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fractured-Steel-T-J-Loveless-ebook/dp/B00IGI2BHS

Amazon CA - http://www.amazon.ca/Fractured-Steel-T-J-Loveless-ebook/dp/B00IGI2BHS

Amazon AU - http://www.amazon.com.au/Fractured-Steel-T-J-Loveless-ebook/dp/B00IGI2BHS

(My Review)

I received an ARC of Fractured Steel in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Just Wow. There is a strong message in this story. I honestly don't know what to say…

There are bits and pieces that were left out. I was trying to figure out what in the world happened. It was confusing, yet at the same time I didn't want to stop reading. From the very beginning there is action. You don't know what the hell is going to happen next.

Karen was a Captain in the in the Military. Now she takes care of horses, trains them, etc. It's her passion and the one thing that's basically keeping her sane after her last tour. A Stranger comes to her ranch trying to board a horse….a horse that she knows a lot about and one that she knows something is off about. When her fears come to life and it's basically a fight for her life, i'll just say, "Nothing is as it seems." This poor woman goes through hell, yet she still finds the strength to keep going. For that she deserves all kinds of standing ovations etc. Things she finds out are not easy to stomach. She finds people she thought she could trust, end up being people that betray her. Her father isn't what she though he was. It goes a lot deeper than just a horse being stolen.

If your wanting a suspenseful read. Then I suggest you buckle up and hold on tight, because it's one hell of a roller coaster ride.

I wish it was longer. I wish some things could of been more described. I have soooo many questions. *sigh*

I rate Fractured Steel 4 stars.

There is a quote at the end of the book in a Note from the Author. I just had to share it:

For those of you who also live with PTSD:
"Every day you get up, and put your feet on the floor, is a victory. You count, you are worthy, you are not broken beyond repair. It is not “just in your head.” You are my heroes. I’m here for you." ~ TJ

Playlist

Theme song: The Fight by September Sky (free download: www.septemberskyband.com)

50 Ways to Say Goodbye – Train

6 Gun Quota – Seether

Absurd – Fluke

Addicted – Saving Abel

All American Nightmare – Hinder

Applause – Lady Gaga

Battle Born – Five Finger Death Punch

Battlefield – Jordin Sparks

Between the Raindrops – Lifehouse (feat. Natasha Beddingfield)

Broken – Lifehouse

Burn It Down – Linkin Park

Carry On – Fun.

Coming Down – Five Finger Death Punch

Deep – Nine Inch Nails

Demons – Imagine Dragons

Diamonds – Rihanna

Don’t Bring Me Down – Electric Light Orchestra

Drag – Black Lodge

Fallen – Volbeat

Feel This Moment – Pitbull

Firefly – Breaking Benjamin

The Fight – September Sky

Fight for All the Wrong Reasons – Nickelback

Flower – Moby

Hall of Fame – The Script feat. Will.i.am

Headstrong – Trapt

Heaven Nor Hell – Volbeat

Hurricane – Theory of a Deadman

I Knew You Were Trouble – Taylor Swift

I’m Alive – Disturbed

I’m Still Standing – Elton John

I Think I’m Paranoid – Garbage

I Will Wait – Mumford & Sons

If You’re Going Through Hell – Rodney Atkins

Immortal – Eve to Adam

Invincible – Adelitas Way

Keep Away – Godsmack

Let Her Go – Passenger

Life After You – Daughtry

A Light That Never Comes – Linkin Park X Steve Aoki

Lonely is the Night – Billy Squier

Radioactive – Imagine Dragons

Right Place Wrong Time – Dr.john

Savior – Rise Against

Sleep – Allen Stone

Smack My Bitch Up – Prodigy

Standing Outside the Fire – Garth Brooks

Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) – Kelly Clarkson

Wake Me Up – Avicii

War is the Answer – Five Finger Death Punch

What I’ve Done – Linkin Park

Wide Awake – Katy Perry

X & Y – Coldplay

You’re Gonna Go Far Kid – The Offspring

Excerpt

Johnny swung the M16 and pointed it at me, “Come here, honey.” He smiled, and I held back the waves of nausea. I knew the smile, what he wanted, knew if he got me out of here, I was going to hurt. “Stop shooting and I will.” I kept my feet planted, hoping the fear didn’t show. He turned and shot a man trying to crawl away. I flinched as blood and thicker things spread over the floor. “You don’t negotiate. Come here, Karen. We have unfinished business.” I took a deep breath, the smell of copper pennies and released bowels covering my nose and throat. Don’t cry, show no weakness. There are others that might survive. I took a step, followed by several more. If I managed to get Johnny and Jake out of here, they could lock down and call for help. Peripheral vision said at least seven survived. The good of the many outweigh the good of the few, or the one, I repeated in my head, remembering the line from the eighties movie, Star Trek: Wrath of Khan. I wasn’t brave like Spock, I was a coward, and couldn’t live with myself. Standing in front of Johnny, I released a punch, sending him reeling. I grabbed his M16 as he lurched to the left, and turned it on Jake. I hesitated, seeing his beautiful eyes, a dozen years of memories flashing in front of me. Shaking my head, I pulled the trigger. His body jumped and moved, eyes wide with pain and surprise. I turned the muzzle to a hunched over Johnny, “Look at me. For once, don’t be a coward, and face the person who is going to take your life.”

About the Author

T.J. Loveless has been reading and writing stories since the fourth grade. A former copy/content editor at a medium sized pub house, she now spends her time writing and helping other authors reach for the stars through Cliffhanger Press, LLC. She lives with The Writing Zoo, a Hubby who prefers her mood when writing, and a teenager who loves to tells stories of Mom on the floor trying to visualize "legs all akimbo" and the long, often yelling, conversations with the computer screen.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Goodreads

20 Fun Facts About T.J. Loveless

I used to race on dirt tracks at the I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Arkansas. I never won, but I’m damn good at crabbing around a corner.
English is technically my second language. I spoke Inupiat first.
I can shovel water like nobody’s business, and drive heavy equipment, learned while working for a construction company in Florida.
I’m obsessed with American classic cars – the muscle cars of the 1960’s, the curves of the 1940’s & 50’s, the roar of a gasoline guzzling engine.
I used to rescue Rottweilers, managed to retrain and place 172 dogs.
I can cuss up a storm, and make an inmate blush.
I love the show Supernatural. My favorite character? Baby. The boys are cute eye candy, but I squee over the Impala.
I have PTSD, and large cities/heavy traffic are my worst triggers. I have a teddy bear I carry with me, if Hubby isn’t available.
I love snakes … I’m terrified of spiders. I once jumped out of the second story window of our house and broke my leg to get away from a wolf spider.
I’m a USDA, card carrying, certified klutz. I trip over nothing, and proud of it.
I’m addicted to coffee. The real surprise is that I didn’t drink coffee until 2003. Raspberry Mocha Lattes with two extra shots from Paramount Café are my Kryptonite.
I adore Star Trek, Star Wars, and used to have a collection of X-Men comics from the late 80’s.
I’m a biologist at heart, and love anything science-y.
My fourth grade teacher still has the first short story I ever wrote. She has it hanging on her living room wall with pictures of her family. I don’t remember what the story was about.
I don’t like popcorn.
I love winter and the long nights.
I have no sense of fashion. Hence, I wear a lot of jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. For fashion advice, I go to Hubby, my teenager, or friends. I didn’t know what Jimmy Chu’s were until a writer friend explained them to me.
I don’t watch scary/gory/horror movies.
I can’t do anything craft-y to save my life. I can imagine it, but the execution looks like a hamster on crack tried to make it.
I had to have Hubby help me think of 20 interesting things to share.