Tara West

YA paranormal/fantasy and New Adult author


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That Boy by Jillian Dodd

292423_338429826240397_1675995336_nOnce in a while, I’ll pick up a book that is just so amazing, I feel I need to share it with my readers. Today that book is That Boy by Amazon bestselling author, Jillian Dodd.

Blurb: You know, being friends with two cute boys does have its benefits. 

There’s Danny. Danny is a golden boy in every way. He has dreamy blue eyes and blonde hair that always looks perfect, even when it’s windblown or been stuck under a football helmet. He’s the boy every girl crushes on. The boy I get into trouble with, the boy I fight with, the hot quarterback no girl can resist, not even me. Being with Danny is like being on an adventure. He has a bright, contagious smile and abs to die for. He’s pretty much irresistible.

Equally crush worthy is Phillip. Adorable, sweet Phillip, who I have known since birth.  Phillip has dark hair, a perfect smile, brown eyes, and the sexiest voice I have ever heard. He’s the boy I talk to every night before I go to sleep. The boy who rescues me, the boy who can read my mind, the boy who is always there for me, the boy who tries to keep me out of trouble, the boy who irritatingly keeps getting hotter, and whose strong arms always seem to find their way around me.  And when he gives me that grin, I can never say no.

One boy will give me my very first kiss.
One boy will teach me to make out.
One boy will take me to prom.
And finally, one boy will ask me to marry him.
They will both be my best friends.
But only one of them will be the boy I fall in love with.
Only one of them is That Boy.

I spent an entire day reading this compelling new adult novel, and That Boy is by no means short. I ignored everything, last minute Christmas shopping, groceries, exercise, even making the family dinner, because I just could not stop reading JJ’s story. I have not been so engrossed in a book in quite a long time. I clung to every word, unable to turn off my Kindle after each chapter. The narration and author voice is fast-paced and refreshing. I think any girl, any age, can relate to the protagonist and swoon over Phillip and Danny. In the end, the boy JJ chose was, in my mind, the most perfect prince of a guy. I adored him, and I just know you will adore these refreshing characters as well. Warning, there’s a heart-wrenching and explosive twist thrown right in the middle of the book, so have your tissues handy. Be prepared to laugh out loud, cry and sigh while reading. IMHO, any book that can unleash so many emotions is definitely a book worth reading.  603440_10151990500515074_763794709_nOn a side note, one more thing I just loved was that Jillian Dodd included several cute and original drawings throughout the book, just like the cover, which she designed herself.

Up next in That Boy series is That Wedding, where JJ must vanquish a lot of personal doubt and demons in order to achieve the happily-ever-after of her dreams. Another awesome book with a satisfying ending. So what are you waiting for? Download the series now!

More books by Jillian Dodd:

STALK ME – Gossip Girl meets Hollywood in this steamy new series by That Boy author, Jillian Dodd.

Keatyn has everything she ever dreamed. Her life is following the script she wrote for the perfect high school experience. She’s popular, goes to the best parties, dates the hottest guy, and sits at the most-coveted lunch table.

She’s just not sure she wants it anymore.

Because, really, things aren’t all that perfect.
Her best friend is threatening to tell everyone her perfect relationship is a scam.
Her perfect boyfriend gets drunk at every party they go to.
It’s exhausting always trying to look and act perfect.
And, deep down, she isn’t sure if she has any true friends.

To add to the drama, her movie star mom has a creepy stalker.
A hot, older man flirts with her and tells her they should make a movie together.
And she’s crushing on an adorable surfer. Dating him would mean committing social suicide.

So she writes a new script. One where all the pieces of her life will come together in perfect harmony.
But little does she know, there’s someone who will do anything to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Book two of The Keatyn Chronicles is KISS ME.

I’ve always written scripts for my perfect life.
But no way could I have ever scripted this.
My life is so far from perfect, it’s not even funny.
All because of a stalker.

I’m at a boarding school, where I have to lie about who I am.
I can’t see my family.
I’m tutoring a hottie god that tortures me with his smile.
The most popular girl already hates me.
But there’s this boy.
This hot, sweet, sexy boy.
So I’m going to stop trying to script my life and just live it.
Because who knows how long I have left.

Jillian Dodd website http://jilliandodd.net/

Jillian Dodd facebook http://www.facebook.com/jillian.dodd.3

Jilliand Dodd goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4833990.Jillian_Dodd?auto_login_attempted=true

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393157_10151382742141303_1993283053_nOn another side note, I’d like to personally thank Jillian Dodd for helping my book, Curse of the Ice Dragon, reach two fantasy bestseller lists. Somehow, she managed to convince Amazon to feature my book, and the books of some other fabulous authors, as their Kindle Daily Deal. Just one more reason Jillian Dodd rocks!

Layout by Michelle Warren.


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Whispers Cover Reveal – Visions of the Witch!

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From Visions of the Witch by Tara West and Heather Marie Adkins. Releasing early 2013.

I ran.

Above me, stars glinted in the black sky like a thousand eyes.  There was no moon to light my path through the field, no pale glow to give me the strength and courage to continue, but continue I did.

My very life depended on it.   

The stalks were taller than I was, and the ground soft enough to mask the sound of my leather shoes on the ground.  I shoved through the corn, not caring whether I tore off leaves or cobs in my haste to find shelter. My long skirts twisted around my legs, hindering my forward movement just enough to frighten me. If I fell…

The running footsteps behind me might catch up.

I veered to the right, wondering if the field would ever end.  I had done nothing but run for weeks, and I was so weary of the chase. How long would I have to hide myself for fear of condemnation?  How far must I travel before finding peace?

I gasped for breath, the air burning my lungs.  I could not run much longer.  For the first time, I realized I may have reached the end of my days.

I burst through the edge of the corn patch.  The sudden openness gave me pause, and I nearly fell before stumbling to a halt.  I whirled around and waited to see if I could hear my pursuer crashing through the maize. The distant howl of coyotes was lonely in the night, accompanied only by the sound of my heavy breathing and the beat of my heart resonating in my ears. 

Not a sound from the cornfield.

I backed away, my eyes trained on the benign stalks as they waved in a slight breeze.  I was afraid to turn my back for fear he was watching me from inside, waiting for me to be at my most vulnerable.

Taking a deep breath, I sent a quick prayer to the spirits of my ancestors, and then turned away, poised to run for the nearest homestead and beg sanctuary.

I did not even manage a single step before strong hands encircled my throat.

The first three books in the Whispers series are available wherever ebooks are sold and in print, all three books for one low price.  Click here to go to my Amazon page. Click here to order the Whispers One-Three Omnibus print.


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Blog Hop Winners!

CurseoftheIceDragon_webCongrats to Hannah, Crystal Craig and Stephanie Andrassy for each winning a free download of either Sophie’s Secret, Don’t Tell Mother, Krsyta’s Curse or Curse of the Ice Dragon. Congrats to Jessica Crawford for winning all four downloads. The entries were creative and awesome and it was difficult choosing a winner. Thanks everyone for playing!

Please email me at tara@tarawest.com to claim your prize.

🙂 Tara


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Win one of three free downloads of Curse of the Ice Dragon or Whispers – Blog Hop Stop!

holiday-blog-hop-3aHey, there. Welcome to Tara West’s Blog Hop Stop. Thanks for stopping by. Here’s all you have to to to win one of three free downloads of my new fantasy, Curse of the Ice Dragon or one of my Whispers books. Plus, one grand prize winner will win downloads of all of my books, Whispers one through three, Witch Flame and Curse of the Ice Dragon.

In Curse of the Ice Dragon, the first book in my Keepers of the Stones fantasy saga, my hero, Markus has the gift of the mighty hunter. His arrow always strikes true.  Other magical characters that have the gift of sight, the power to heal and the ability to speak to the elements. In my paranormal Whispers Series, my teen girls have the powers to read minds, speak to the dead and tell the future. CurseoftheIceDragon_web

***If you could have one magical gift, what would it be? The most creative answer wins! Winner will be chosen December 15. ***

Thanks again for stopping by. And don’t forget to enter HERE for your chance to win a Kindle fire and for many other author giveaways!

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CURSE OF THE ICE DRAGON

From the bestselling paranormal author of The Whispers Series comes a new fantasy saga.

Born with mark of the Mighty Hunter, Markus has the skill and strength to feed his people, but not to confront his own tyrannical father. Shamed by his cowardice, Markus releases his frustration on the forest creatures.

The village prophet warns that Markus’s reckless ways will bring down The Hunter’s Curse, and for every animal MarkuDon'tTell.web.jpgs kills, his loved ones will suffer the same fate. When the warnings go unheeded, the Sky Goddess unleashes her ice dragon. Now Markus must flee the dragon without killing it or his beloved brother will die.

Markus’s flight takes him to the lands of the mysterious Ice People. There, the beautiful maiden Ura helps Markus learn the compassion and courage he needs to face the wrath of the Goddess, but the final confrontation will not be without price, as Markus must choose between the life of his brother and the fate of the girl he loves.


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Win one of three signed copies of my books and new paranormal fantasy release!

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If you could have one magical power, what would it be? Would you levitate or maybe have the power to charm anyone?

In Sophie’s Secret, Sophie and her two BFFs are each gifted with different abilities. Sophie can read minds, AJ sees the future, and Krysta speaks to the dead. You can read Sophie’s Secret, Book One in the Whispers series, for FREE on Wattpad. Books two and three are available at all major ebook retailers.

I am giving away three signed print copies of my Whispers Omnibus collection (Sophie’s Secret, Don’t Tell Mother and Krysta’s Curse) or my new fantasy, Curse of the Ice Dragon. All you have to do is pick your magical power. Leave your answer on my Wattpad giveaway page and three winners will be chosen!

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In other news, I have a new short story out as part of a larger collection including six other talented writers, my writer peeps, The Eclective. It’s just .99 on Amazon. Hurry and download before it’s no longer on sale, or else before The Apocalypse, whichever comes first. 😉

The Apocalypse Collection by The Eclective:

It’s the end of the world as we know it, and the Eclective feels fine.

The Shifting Sands by Tara West: When a jealous goddess threatens to destroy all of humanity, a young woman and her family must overcome impossible odds to survive.

Light by Emma Jameson: In the zombie apocalypse, the hope for humanity’s survival is pinned on Daniel. Unfortunately, Daniel is an android. And humanity may be past all hope…

Alien Butt Plugs by PJ Jones: The aliens are coming! And Jeb’s first line of defense may be worse than the anal probe he fears.

Seeds by M. Edward McNally: For Meats and his fellow Guns, life was simple. Keep your respirator clear, your weapon ready, and an eye on your neighbors. Until one day Meats found some seeds, and everything got complicated.

Cleavers by Heather Marie Adkins: Creatures such as the Cleavers should never exist. But in Tora’s world, they’re real, and death is more likely than survival.

The Last Christmas by Alan Nayes: On the verge of the Apocalypse, a young couple wish to spend one last Christmas together.

Combustion by RG Porter: Kate wakes to find her world scorched and survivors in short supply. She needs to unravel the cause before time runs out.