Blog Tour: Bully (Fall Away #1) by Penelope Douglas

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Bully

A Fall Away Novel, Book #1
By:  Penelope Douglas
Release Date: June 17, 2013
Tour Organized by: 
As the Pages Turn

Purchase Link: Amazon eBook | Amazon paperback

Summary:

My name is Tate. He doesn't call me that, though. He would never refer to me so informally, if he referred to me at all. No, he'll barely even speak to me.

But he still won't leave me alone.

We were best friends once. Then he turned on me and made it his mission to ruin my life. I've been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got more sadistic as time wore on, and I made myself sick trying to stay out of his way. I even went to France for a year, just to avoid him.

But I'm done hiding from him now, and there's no way in hell I'll allow him to ruin my senior year. He might not have changed, but I have. It's time to fight back. 

*This novel contains adult/mature young adult situations. It is only suitable for ages 18+ due to language, violence, and sexual situations.

**This book is the first in a series but can be read as a STAND ALONE. The next books will focus on side characters from this story.

Welcome to our stop on the Bully Tour.  To Follow the rest of the tour click HERE

Lindy's Thoughts

Bully was a great coming of age story that focused on two main characters, Tate and Jared.  These two were inseparable childhood best friends at one time in their lives.  They were next door neighbors who grew up together, and knew everything there was to know about one another.  Jared was there for Tate when her mother died at the tender age of 8, from cancer, and most of her favorite memories as a child included him.  Then, when Jared turned 14, his dead beat father wanted to meet him, and have him come live with him for the summer.  Once Jared returned, he was a completely different person.  Tate's carefree, sweet, best friend was gone, and replaced with a cold, callous, and emotionally distant bully.  Tate didn't understand why Jared has changed.  Her once best friend had turned in to her worst tormentor, spreading nasty rumors, playing mean pranks, and turning her life into a nightmare.

Tate's junior year, she went to high school in France, and when she returned, she had completely changed.  Tate was always pretty, but now she was a knockout, and all of the guys wanted a date with her.  Her best friend K.C. talked Tate into standing up to Jared instead of avoiding him, or running away, like she had always done in the past.  I couldn't stand the way Jared treated Tate, but I loved watching her stand up to him and his best friend, Madoc.  She became strong, sassy, snarky, and anything Jared and Madoc dished, she could give it back, and many times would one up them.  I loved seeing this new side of Tate.  It was obvious to me that Jared and Tate may have claimed to hate each other, but their feelings ran deep, were conflicted, and the sexual tension between these two was intense.  


Bully was a real page turner.  I devoured this book, and was sad to see it come to an end.  The characters were interesting, the plot was filled with twists, the romance was beautiful, and all of my questions were answered.  November cannot come fast enough, as I am really excited to read the extended version, and Jared's point of view in Until You.  For those of you readers that enjoy a great, friends to lovers story, filled with angst, drama, steamy love scenes, and a great storyline, I recommend Bully.  

My Rating

I give Bully 4.5 Consuming, Impassioned, Provocative, and Seductive Stars.  For a fast paced read, that you will not want go put down, read Bully.  I enjoyed watching the transformation of the relationship between Tate and Jared.  The Antagonists in the story, Piper and Nate were devious and made the story more entertaining, although I wanted to slap Piper many times throughout the story.  I enjoyed being introduced to the fun, exhilarating, and exciting world of car racing, which made for an interesting aspect in the story.  There was a lot of comedic relief whenever Madoc came on to the page, and I am looking forward to reading his story, as well as getting more Jared and Tate!

My Favorite Quote

"Jared moved his head from side to side trying to catch my eyes, his lips inches from my face.  If I ever lay my hands on you, he said low and husky, you'll want it.  He brought his lips in even closer.  The heat of his breath covered my face.  Do you?  Want it, I mean?"

Mikki's Review

Bully by Penelope Douglas was nothing like I EVER read before. The story was unique, the emotions raw and the writing style was PERFECTION! I can't even believe that this is her first novel! Many times when I open a book I have expectations. I read the synopsis, I decide if it's my cup of coffee, I buy it and I read it. When I read the synopsis for BULLY my heart was already breaking for Tate. I was already having a love and hate relationship with Jared and the book was not even on my ereader yet! I wanted to FEEL this book more than I read it. And, that is exactly what I got. I felt every single emotion that Tate was feeling. I was a total mess while reading this book!

**Warning** Do not start this book if you can't finish it all in one day! Next thing I knew is that it was 4am on my alarm clock and I had to wake up in 3 hours to go to work! HOLY.MOTHER.OF.GOD!!! I could not get Jared and Tate out of my mind!! They intoxicated me!!

Tate and Jared were childhood best friends, but after Jared spends a summer away from home, at his dad's house, everything changes. Jared and his friends start bullying Tate and she suffers many humilations. She moves away to France for one year and when she comes back she has a talk with her best friend and she decides that ENOUGH is ENOUGH and it's about time she starts fighting back. She will stop at nothing to find out what happened to HER Jared.

Tate was PHENOMENAL!!! She is one of the most memorable characters that I have ever read. I loved the way she fought back. She became more confident with every situation that was coming her way. Tate loved more and hated less. That is the reason why she was able to break the walls that Jared had put up. My heart completely broke at one point of the book, I actually had to put my  ereader down and stop my ugly crying. I could not believe what had just happened to Tate. How can this be happening? Holy Twist ! After that was done, I had to pick up all the little pieces of my broken heart. I wish I could have been there to give her a hug. That was a hurricane that I never saw coming!

Jared stole my breath away! I developed a love/hate relationship with him, just like Tate did. Jared hated more and loved less. Whatever happened to him made him that way. I suffered so many SWOON ATTACKS while reading this book! Ladies, JARED TRENT is not your typical book boyfriend. Not many male characters made me so angry while reading a book. He was really mean when it came to Tate. I had a hard time accepting what he was doing to her. I wanted to kick his butt so many times! I'm a very calm person, but Jared really got under my skin. I knew that I would end up falling for him and I know the exact moment that it happened. The monologue scene did it for me, I could feel that Tate's words marked his heart and soul. After that, I kept on falling until I was completely under his spell.

Tate and Jared have an explosive chemistry! I had shivers while reading their story, my heart was racing and my ereader was almost lost at the hands of this book. Penelope Douglas is now in my TOP Favorite Authors list! I am counting down the days for the release of UNTIL YOU (Jared's POV). We got a sneak peek at the end of the book and he says it like it is and I love it!  Madoc (Jared's Best Friend) and Jax (Jared's Brother) will also get their story. I'm so excited to read about these characters.

I give BULLY by Penelope Douglas 5 Deliciously Intoxicating stars! This book is BRILLIANT! We got to see what bullies are made of and watch a victim fight for RESPECT. This book sure does teach you some life lessons. Add BULLY to your TBR list... You won't be disappointed!

Casting

Tate

Jared

Book Trailer

Picture Teasers

About the Author

Penelope Douglas is a writer and teacher in Las Vegas. Born in Dubuque, Iowa, she is the oldest of five children. Penelope attended the University of Northern Iowa, earning a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, because her father told her to "just get the degree!" She then earned a Masters of Science in Education at Loyola University in New Orleans, because she hated Public Administration. One night, she got tipsy and told the bouncer at the bar where she worked that his son was hot, and three years later they were married. To the son, not the bouncer. They have spawn, but just one. A daughter named Aydan. Penelope loves sweets, the show Sons of Anarchy, and she shops at Target almost daily.

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Giveaways

***Tour wide giveaway***

Penelope is offering up (3) $25 Amazon gift cards (INTL) and (5) signed copies of BULLY (US/CA) up for grabs.  Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST 09/01/2013.

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***PER BLOG GIVEAWAY***

 (1) eBook copy of BULLY from Amazon (INTL) up for grabs

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