Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Blog Tour: Fierce by Ginger Voight {Review + Giveaway}

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Expected Publication: June 4th 2013
Author: Ginger Voight
Format: eARC provided for tour


All her life, Jordi Hemphill was told that she needed to change to fit in and be accepted. She talked too much, laughed too loud, and most definitely, indisputably and inexcusably weighed too much. In fact, she wore her size-20+ clothes without so much as an apology. She didn’t care to fit in. She didn’t want to be beautiful. Instead, she wanted to wear her hair in funky colors, she itched for tattoos and piercings, and dreamed of a life much bigger than working at the local Burger Palace for minimum wage. She had been born with the voice of a superstar, and something inside her told her it was OK to dream big, even if she had to do it in secret. On her eighteenth birthday, she takes every last cent she has and buys a one-way ticket for Los Angeles. She is sure her talent will get her noticed by those more open-minded to see it. Then and only then will she show all the naysayers in her hometown that she was a somebody no matter what they thought. Unfortunately Los Angeles wasn't any more welcoming. Jordi didn't fit into their pop machine no matter how well she sang. Other pop princess had the "full package," whereas Jordi still needed to change if she wanted her dreams to come true. It took a plus-size TV producer to take a chance on her, casting her for a reality talent show called "Fierce," which put attitude and talent far above the traditional pop star image. Thanks to Giovanni Carnevale, the lead singer of "Dreaming in Blue" and “Fierce’s” rock star judge, Jordi gets a chance to fight for her place on a national stage. But will America embrace this alternative diva? Or will they too expect her to conform in order to be accepted... to be loved? Despite the acceptance of new friends and supporters, old ghosts continue to haunt Jordi on her new journey. It will take handsome fellow contestant, Jace Riga, to finally help expose and exorcise the demons that drive her self-destruction. "Fierce" continues the story introduced in the Ginger Voight novel, "Mogul," where Jordi joins a hodge-podge of other contestants to battle for the championship that dares every single hopeful to live large, to be FIERCE. Ginger Voight, the author of the best-selling "Groupie" series, brings fame once again to the forefront with her new adult story, "Fierce." The characters you grew to love in the "Groupie" trilogy and "Love Plus One" are back to help the incomparable Jordi Hemphill carve a place for herself as a pop princess despite the odds in this coming-of-age Rubenesque romance.



MY TAKE
This is the heartbreaking and emotionally intense story of 18 year old Jordi Hemphill who moves away from her oppressive small town to Los Angeles to pursue her music career. After turning 18 and finally realizing her mother will never accept her dreams and Eddie, the boy she's been in love with her whole life wants her for nothing more than sex, she strikes out on her own to make her dreams happen. Living in L.A. is tough for anyone just starting out, but when you look like Jordi it's even more difficult. Jordi is a big girl, weighing in at 260 lbs, she doesn't fit the typical "superstar" role the music industry is looking for. Being turned down for several auditions has caused her to become depressed and she ultimately gains more weight when she turns to food for comfort. It's not until her lovable gay roommate finds an open casting call for a new reality show that's right up her alley, does her luck turn around.

Jordi makes friends with several of the shows contestants including the very sexy and charming Jace Riga. A wounded war veteran with an amazing voice and an even bigger heart. As they grow closer the longer they stay on the show Jordi starts to fall for him, until her mother and Eddie show up contacted by the studio to show support for her. Jordi is torn between her growing attraction for Jace and her lifelong love for Eddie. As the weeks go by in the competition Eddie becomes more and more volatile and Jordi learns just how wrong she was about him all these years. Fighting to live her dreams while surviving the oppression that Eddie brings into her life on top of her budding feelings for Jace and her mother's control she faces difficult choices that could derail all her hard work.

Nobody knows how to torture a character or a reader for that matter like Ginger Voight. After barely surviving the Groupie trilogy I was a little more hopeful that this story wouldn't be as gut wrenching. I quickly found out that this one was just as tough to read through as the other series. 

Jordi being overweight is something I could relate to in her character and I loved that about her. Being plus sized myself I felt in tune with her in that area. Watching her in the beginning of the competition was very fulfilling. She was confident on stage finally after being told most of her life that her stage presence was too much. I loved watching her let go and be the girl she wanted to be. That was until her shitty ex whatever he was came into the picture. I don't think I have ever hated a character this much. Eddie the hometown hero, high school football star and most popular guy in school was a DOUCHE! He was the most vile character I have yet to read about. The way he manipulated Jordi and used her was very tough to watch and I hated every scene he was in. There wasn't one redeeming quality about him, he was just awful. He called her names, he said ugly things to her about her weight and just overall treated her like shit and her MOTHER! *head desk* Her mother was even worser than Eddie!!! By allowing him to degrade her daughter and never stepping in for her? I wanted to saw her head off with a chainsaw! Why would a mother let a man mistreat her daughter? I couldn't understand that! I hated how Jordi just let them both run over her the way they did. I wanted to slap her and shake her and slap her again! 

This book pissed me off hardcore but the one redeeming factor throughout the whole story was JACE! *swoon* How can you not love a character who is A) a wounded war veteran and B) has a voice like melted butter and tells a girl he won't make love to her until she dumps her douche "boyfriend" because it would break his heart to see her go back to him? You can't! It's impossible not to love Jace and watching him treat Jordi so AMAZING after all the shit she endures from her mother and Eddie is like eating cake frosting out of the canister while sitting in your undies watching reruns of the Golden Girls! Jace was a charming, funny and sweet   character that added so much heart and wonderfulness to the story. Jace brings out the best in Jordi's character and even helps her get past some demons she's been running from all her life. They share a sweet and passionate chemistry that draws you into their love story and makes you root for them to be together so badly you feel like you will cease to exist if it doesn't happen. Nothing in Ginger Voight's world stays happy for long when Jordi discovers Eddie has incriminating evidence that could ruin hers and Jace's futures in the competition and has to make a quick decision that has repercussions to be felt into the next installment.

Overall I had a love/hate relationship with this book. I loved Jace and everything he did for Jordi, the supporting characters, mainly her gay roommates were another bright spot in the book, as well as a return of Graham and Maggie from the Groupie series. I loved her camaraderie with the shows cast of characters. I hated her mother and Eddie and sadly I just felt like for every singular beautiful moment there were twice as many shitty moments. It felt bittersweet and the payout wasn't as big as I had hoped. After seeing what happened with the Groupie gang I don't think I can handle another round of gut wrenching angst between the two love interests in this one because I loved Jace so much that I couldn't handle seeing him go through what Graham did with Andy. I may or may not continue to the next in the series but I do recommend this for fans of Voight's Groupie series, who may be stronger than I am in dealing with emotional turmoil. With plenty of drama, heartache and some sweet romance Fierce definitely lives up to it's name!


QUOTES:
"You came out here to show em' what you're made of. Carpe that fucking diem, girl." eARC 10%

"I've wanted to kiss you for a long time. I won't apologize for that. The only thing I regret is that I didn't do it sooner." eARC 31%

"You're never going to be anything other than a complete fraud until you shed every pre-conceived notion of who the world expects you to be and simply allow who you are to shine through." eARC 61%

{Click The Banner to follow the tour}

GIVEAWAY:




Click HERE to join the Fierce Facebook event for even more prizes to be given away!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ginger Voight is prolific author, freelance writer and optioned screenwriter. Her fiction is diverse, with novels like the edgy, coming-of-age drama DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS, and the fun family adventure for kids of all ages, COMIC SQUAD. Having grown up reading different authors like Danielle Steel and Stephen King, Ginger has always been drawn more to story than to genre. This shows up in her various stories. Titles such as MY IMMORTAL and TASTE OF BLOOD are a delicious, heady mix of horror, suspense, and romance. Genre romance, however, has held a special place in her heart, ever since she read her first Harlequin novel when she was only eleven. As a result, Ginger is making a name for herself writing romances of her own, starring women who look more like the average American woman rather than those traditionally represented in the size-biased American media. Her Rubenesque romances were created especially for those heroines with fuller figures, who can still get the man of their dreams if only they believe they can. Such titles include UNDER TEXAS SKIES, LOVE PLUS ONE, GROUPIE and PICTURE POSTCARDS. Ginger was included in the best-selling book by Smith Magazine NOT QUITE WHAT I WAS PLANNING, featuring her six-word memoir.

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8 comments:

  1. I've read and love The Groupie trilogy! <3 Great review! Can't wait to read Fierce! Would love to win an e-ARC copy! Thanks so much for the giveaway! :)

    Tess xx

    tess_halim (at) hotmail (dot) com

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  2. I never have never read any of her books bot rhis one has beautiful cover

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  3. I just learned about Ginger Voight with the cover reveal for this book. I haven't been reading for pleasure for a couple of decades, and this story called out to me. I'm looking forward to is and appreiate the opportunity to win a copy.
    Thanks!
    starznstripes24@yahoo.com

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  4. I love the Groupie Trilogy and I can't wait to read Fierce

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  5. THIS: "After barely surviving the Groupie trilogy...." I just don't know. You know I loved Graham and you also know that I wanted to smash my kindle with the Groupie Trilogy. It has nothing to do with the author's writing. Obviously, if she can evoke these kinds of emotions, she's doing something right. Great review babe. I'd have to seriously think on this one before picking it up.

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  6. I own many but I have yet to read one!! I will soon though!

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  7. I just found Ginger Voight and I've added her books to my TBR list! I can't wait to start reading the Groupie Trilogy!! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  8. Thanks so much for participating in the tour! I'm glad you enjoyed (endured?) "Fierce." I look to have book #2 available in the fall. :D

    I do hope you read the next books in the series. Jordi and Jace were never written to fit the Andy/Vanni/Graham triangle paradigm. It's a brand new story.

    BUT... it won't be an easy road to get there. Otherwise, there would be no story. ;)

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