A Song For Us White Trash Trilogy #3 By: Teresa Mummert Published: April 22, 2014 Publisher: Gallery Books Source: Publisher Mature Content: 18 & Up Add to Goodreads Purchase At: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo
In this highly anticipated follow-up to White Trash Damaged, Cass and Tucker have finally found their happily ever after, but can Eric, the band’s brooding drummer, ever let go of his past and find love?
From a small-town boy with fantasies of superstardom to rock star on tour with the suddenly famous band Damaged, Eric’s life has not been an easy journey. Now he struggles to let go of his past of physical abuse, a past that still haunts him. His anger is causing him to spiral out of control and he risks losing everything he has worked so hard for.
Only one person has ever gotten him to open up about his past: Sarah, the lead singer of Filth, the opening act on their first national tour—a fellow rocker with a confident façade that masks her own painful secrets. But their bands’ rocky past and Sarah’s tumultuous relationship with her bandmate and boyfriend Derek force her to keep Eric at a distance. As their friendship begins to grow into something more, Eric has to find a way to let go of his tortured past, or it could jeopardize his only chance for a happy future..
My Thoughts:
I have been invested in the White Trash Trilogy, ever since I read the first book in the series, White Trash Love Song. The first two books in the series are about Tucker and Cass. In their story, we met Tucker's bandmates; the twins, Terry and Chris, as well as the moody drummer, Eric. We also met Sarah, and Derek, who are from a separate band, Filth, that they were touring with. Cass and Sarah developed a very close friendship with one another, being the only girls on the road. Sarah had a very dysfunctional on again, off again relationship with Derek, who cheated on her repeatedly. Eric, the drummer from Damaged, also developed a strong friendship with Sarah. In fact, he had stronger feelings than friendship for her, but never got the chance to tell her, before she got back together with Derek. In White Trash Love Song, we get Sarah and Eric's story, told from their dual perspectives. Sarah and Eric haven't spoken in months, because their bands are not touring together anymore. Derek is jealous of Sarah and Eric's friendship, so she has stopped speaking to him in order to save her relationship. Sarah and Eric see one another again, when everyone comes together to celebrate Cass and Tucker's nuptials. Eric's feelings for Sarah have not changed. They both miss each other's friendship, and have shared intimate details about their pasts with one another that they have not shared with anyone else. It is easy to see what they share is very special. Unfortunately, Sarah continues to stick out her relationship with Derek. Everyone around Sarah can see that Derek is not good for her, except for Sarah. He has cheated on her in the past, and even though she thinks that he is now faithful, he hasn't changed one bit. He tells Sarah he doesn't believe in marriage, and it is pretty obvious that the guy has a wandering eye. Damaged's new band manager, Donna, has developed a friendship with Eric. She knows that he is hung up on Sarah, but that she has a boyfriend. Pretty soon Donna starts flirting with Eric, and tells him that maybe if Sarah see's him with another woman, she might realize what she's missing out on and see him in a different light. Donna and Eric are both lonely and start to flirt and spend a lot of time together. Pretty soon, things become complicated as Sarah starts to realize that she has feelings for Eric. Sarah, Derek, Eric, and Donna spending time together for the week is a recipe for disaster, as the plot thickens, and chaos ensues. I loved White Trash Love Song! The plot was full of twists and surprises! I've been attached to all of these characters since book one, and I loved every moment of spending time with Tucker, Cass, Sarah, Eric, and the twins. The intimate friendship between Sarah and Eric was beautiful to watch. They both had pasts that haunted them, and shared a special connection with one another, as they shared their lives with one another. I couldn't stand Derek! The fact that he was disrespectful and a cheater made me very angry. I was also very frustrated with Sarah for staying with him. She kept trying to deny her feelings for Eric, and was very indecisive when it came to making a decision about who she wanted to be with. I loved seeing how Cass and Tucker were doing. I had missed them, and it was great experiencing their wedding, and love for one another all over again. This story made me very emotional, and had a lot of angst. I cried a few times throughout the story, and my heart broke for both Sarah and Eric. They both had experienced a lot of pain in their pasts, and as they were relieving the tragedies in their lives, I felt like I was going through their experiences right alongside them.
My Rating:
I give White Trash Love Song, by Teresa Mummert, 4.5 Tragic, Emotional, Angsty, New Beginning Filled Stars! This is a great series. If you enjoy books by Jessica Sorensen, you will love Teresa Mummert! They both write about damaged characters, angst, love, and healing from the past.
About Teresa Mummert:
Teresa Mummert is an army wife and mother whose passion in life is writing. She is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels White Trash Beautiful and Suicide Note. Born in Pennsylvania, she lived a small town life before following her husband's military career to Louisiana and Georgia. Check out her website for samples and updates! TeresaMummert.com
White Trash Damaged White Trash #2 By Teresa Mummert Published: October 8, 2013 By: Gallery Books Source: Publisher Mature Content: 18 & Up GR's Summary: Rocker Tucker White saved down-and-out waitress Cass Daniels from everyone in her life who was hurting her—except herself. In the much-anticipated follow-up to White Trash Beautiful, Teresa Mummert’s New York Times and USA Todaybestseller, Tucker and Cass are finally together, but does that mean they get their happy ending?
Living on a tour bus with your boyfriend’s rock band is nothing like living in a trailer with your drug-addicted mother—except for the drama. After all the pain and grief that marked the beginning of Cass and Tucker’s relationship, they’re finally building a life together—just the two of them, his three bandmates, some groupies, and thousands of screaming fans. And not everyone is as happy about the couple’s reunion as they are.
The last thing Cass wants to do is create friction within the band—especially when Damaged is on the brink of achieving the success Tucker has worked so hard for. She’s thrilled to finally be with a man who loves and protects her as much as he does. But how can she carve out a place for herself in this new rock star world . . . without being swallowed by the shadow of Tucker’s fame?
White Trash Beautiful, was a story that touched my soul. I loved the story, and for myself, it became so deeply ingrained in my heart and in my thoughts. It is a story that I know I will remember forever. Getting the opportunity to read White Trash Damaged made my day. I had been highly anticipating this sequel ever since I was first made aware of it. On a side note, the book cover is absolutely beautiful, and inside, each chapter has a guitar embossed in the background, with the chapter number written in a beautiful cursive font.
White Trash Damaged begins on a very melancholy note. Cass' life had been completely turned upside down. She shared a loss so deep and painful with Tucker, that I felt my heart break for what this couple had to endure. Now that Cass and Tucker have reunited, they have decided that they never want to be apart again. Cass decides that she is going to be with Tucker as he travels to various venues for his tour. However, it is important to her that she doesn't come between him and the band, and that she contributes in whatever way she can, as she travels with the band. Along the way, Cass grows closer to each member of the group. She develops a very special friendship with Eric, the bands drummer, because the two relate well with their painful pasts.
I loved watching the friendships develop between Cass and Tucker's bandmates. At first, they were all a bit distant with Cass, but she won them over just by being herself. She was always looking out for the best interests of everyone. Cass was special. She was a caring and compassionate person with such a giving heart. Pretty soon, the guys became very protective of Cass, and they all became a surrogate family for her. Cass and Tucker's relationship was consistently tested with groupies, a band manager who was determined to remove Cass from the picture, and most of all, their own insecurities. Tucker lived in constant fear that Cass would leave him again, and Cass feared that Tucker would eventually get tired of her.
Cass went through a huge amount of character growth. She was very insecure at the beginning of the story, but eventually found her niche. She started using her pain to create beautiful poetry, that the band turned in to song lyrics. Where Cass had never really had friends, she became really close to Sarah, the lead singer of Filth, the band that Tucker's group, Damage, was opening up for. Cass and Sarah became a sounding board for one another, did girly things like makeovers, and partied together. Cass became the glue that held the band together, and was an excellent peacemaker. She had an easy and quiet way about her. Yet, she affected everyone's lives around her with her giving, and caring ways.
White Trash Damaged was an emotional story that tugged on my heart strings. The story flowed seamlessly, and beautifully from each page. Cass and Tucker have reserved a permanent spot as two of my most beloved fictional characters. As you read this story, your relationship with Cass and Tucker will grow and strengthen. Ms. Mummert portrays authentic characters and creates a beautiful fictional family that you will fall in love with. Your heart will break for everything that Cass and Tucker have to endure, and then soar with hope as you see the happiness and love these two bring to each others lives.
My Rating:
I give White Trash Damaged, by Teresa Mummert, 4 Self-Empowering, Beautiful, Soul Searching Journey, Love Filled Stars!!! The White Trash Series, is a story with depth, authentic characters, the realistic struggles in life, and the healing power of love. It perfectly displays the old adage, "What doesn't kill us, makes us stronger." Cass is like a phoenix, rising from the ashes. As she sheds her old life, she empowers herself, and begins anew. Her strength is inspirational, and her resiliency is admirable. Read White Trash Damaged, for characters that leap of the pages! You will connect and care about them. They will become a part of your family, and you will shed tears beside them, cheer them on, and root for them to get the happily ever after that they deserve!
My Favorite Quotes:
"We all have shit that scares us. For you it's getting hurt by someone you love. Tucker is afraid to trust. I'm scared to be alone. We all have our demons, but if we can get our demons to play nice with someone else's, well, that makes life worth living." (Pg. 250)
~Sarah
"Tucker was the only one who had ever been there for me, no matter how hard I tried to push him away. His arms wrapped around me as he pulled me tightly against his chest. His cheek rested on top of my head as he cocooned me. As much as I tried to fight it, from fear of being hurt, he wasn't going to leave me. No amount of jealousy or family drama was going to make him run away. I finally felt safe." (Pg. 296)
~Cass
"When I used to try to picture what the future held for me, I could barely see past the trailer park. My only goal was to survive. But now, for the first time, I had a reason to live." (Pg. 304)
Teresa Mummert is an army wife and mother whose passion in life is writing. She is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels White Trash Beautiful and Suicide Note. Born in Pennsylvania, she lived a small town life before following her husband's military career to Louisiana and Georgia. Check out her website for samples and updates! TeresaMummert.com
"From the book you are currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering. Try to make the Swoon 140 characters so you can tweet it. Add the #YABOUND hashtag when you tweet."
White Trash Damaged White Trash #2 By: Teresa Mummert Published: October 8, 2013 Publisher: Gallery Books Add to Goodreads HERE
GR's Summary:
Rocker Tucker White saved down-and-out waitress Cass Daniels from everyone in her life who was hurting her—except herself. In the much-anticipated follow-up to White Trash Beautiful, Teresa Mummert’s New York Times and USA Todaybestseller, Tucker and Cass are finally together, but does that mean they get their happy ending?
Living on a tour bus with your boyfriend’s rock band is nothing like living in a trailer with your drug-addicted mother—except for the drama. After all the pain and grief that marked the beginning of Cass and Tucker’s relationship, they’re finally building a life together—just the two of them, his three bandmates, some groupies, and thousands of screaming fans. And not everyone is as happy about the couple’s reunion as they are.
The last thing Cass wants to do is create friction within the band—especially when Damaged is on the brink of achieving the success Tucker has worked so hard for. She’s thrilled to finally be with a man who loves and protects her as much as he does. But how can she carve out a place for herself in this new rock star world . . . without being swallowed by the shadow of Tucker’s fame?
What Made Me Swoon:
" 'I love you so much, Cass.' I pushed my lips against his, not wanting to spend another moment contemplating what would be best and just do what felt right in this moment. I wanted nothing more than to make love to the man I fell in love with. Tucker kicked off his shoes, never breaking our kiss as he held on to my waist and guided me backward toward the bed. I slipped off my shoes, nearly tripping us both, and our lips pulled apart for us to laugh, but he quickly covered my mouth with his again. I grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up, running my hands over the ridges of his stomach muscles. He yanked his shirt over his head, not wanting to waste another second. I smiled as the back of my knees made contact with the mattress. I grabbed my shirt and pulled it over my head. His gaze dropped to look over my body before he pressed his warm chest against mine. His fingers slid around my back, finding the closure to my bra. He rolled it between his fingers until it went slack. His fingertips ran over my shoulders and he dragged them down my arms, leaving goose bumps in their wake as he pulled the straps from my shoulders. I let my bra slide down over my hands and fall to the floor between us. 'You are so beautiful.' His fingers tangled in my hair as he pulled my mouth to his, sucking my lower lip. My hands explored his toned chest as he worked to rid us of the rest of our clothing. He undid the closure of my jeans and shoved them over my hips. I stepped out of them as I ran my nails down his stomach, his muscles flexing beneath my fingertips as his breath caught. I loved that my touch gave him that reaction. I unhooked his belt and undid his jeans as my tongue tangled with his, and he kicked his jeans off. We lost our balance and fell back onto the bed. Tucker laughed, brushing my hair from my face as he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. 'We don't have to do this tonight. I'll wait as long as it takes. We have forever.' I slid my hand in his messy hair and pulled his lips back to mine. The playfulness was quickly replaced with hunger for each other. He wanted to spend forever with me, and I didn't want to waste another second of it second-guessing myself."
A word-of-mouth bestseller that’s captivating readers with its honesty, grit, and headstrong heroine, White Trash Beautiful is a story for anyone who has ever felt trapped in life, cheated by love—and longed for something more . . .
Cass Daniels isn’t waiting for her knight in shining armor. She knows that girls like her don’t get a happily ever after. Not if you live in a trailer with your mom, work at a greasy spoon diner, and get leered at by old men. Maybe that’s why she puts up with Jackson—her poor excuse for a boyfriend, who treats her like dirt. Cass has learned to accept her lot in life. That is, until he walks into her diner. . . .
His name is Tucker White, and he’s different from any man Cass has ever known. Tall, tattooed, and bad-ass gorgeous, he’s the lead singer of the rock band Damaged. From the moment they meet, Tucker sees something in Cass he just can’t shake. Something beautiful. Something haunted. Something special. And he’s determined to find out what it is—if only he can get her to open up and let him in. . . .
My Thoughts:
White Trash Beautiful, by Teresa Mummert, has completely blown me away! I was invested in this book immediately, and couldn't put down this story! I found myself falling asleep with the iPad in my hand, because I didn't want to put it down to go to sleep. Then, while I was dreaming, I found myself dreaming about this book! After I woke up, I picked up the book right away, and continued reading. I found myself completely, and utterly mesmerized by White Trash Beautiful. The story is told by the main character, Cass, who has had a very difficult, and unfortunate life. She tells the story in the present tense, but often looks back at her past memories, as the story continues. Cass was raised by her mother and father in poverty, with lack of the bare essentials of living. Her mother tried to give her a good childhood, and shield her from as much family dysfunction as possible. However, Cass' father physically abused her mother, and as finances got worse, Cass' father abandoned them both.
As Cass grew up, she met Jackson (Jax) in high school. He was popular, good looking, confident, and defended Cass against bullies. He was Cass' first love, and knight in Shining Armor. Eventually, Cass and Jax became inseparable, and he moved in with Cass and her mother. He ended up buying them a rundown Trailer, in a trailer park. Cass was a hard worker, and was a waitress at a little hole in the wall diner. She worked endless hours, and stashed away a small amount from her tips, with the hope of bettering her life, getting her family out of the trailer park, and into a home. Unfortunately, she ended up being the sole provider when her boyfriend Jax started selling drugs. He became hooked on the product that he was selling, and got Cass' mother addicted as well. From that point on, any money he made went on drugs, he began beating Cass, and would constantly harass her at work for more money to support his drug habit. There was never any food in the house, and Cass begged her mother and Jax to quit doing drugs, but to no avail. Cass became stuck in a hopeless, and bitter life, and developed a hardened heart, and a large attitude.
Little did Cass know how much her life would change the day she met Tucker, a gorgeous, 6'3", tattooed, 23 year old man. He came to the diner Cass worked at, and engaged her in small talk, was very friendly, and tipped generously. He continued visiting Cass at work, and she found herself not only attracted to Tucker, and enjoying her time with him, but saw him for what he was, a genuinely good guy. As Cass and Tucker's friendship grew, things got very complicated in Cass' life. Then, she found out that Tucker was the lead singer in a successful band called Damaged, and thought that what she felt for Tucker was only a fairytale, and not her reality. However, real love is powerful, and can't be underestimated in the scheme of life.
There were many reasons that I enjoyed, White Trash Beautiful. I loved the progression of Cass and Tucker's relationship. It developed at a good pace. They started out as friends, and even though their feelings grew for one another, they did not act on them for quite a while. The transition from friends to lovers was smooth, and natural. Also, even though at times I would get frustrated with Cass for going back and forth about Tucker, and not leaving Jax, I understood her rationale. She felt like she wasn't good enough for Tucker, and had very low self-esteem. She didn't feel worthy of love or happiness, and it was no wonder, with the dysfunction of her childhood. Also, she felt like Jax had "rescued" her when she was in high school, and he needed her help now that he was addicted to drugs. She also felt responsible for her mother's well being. I felt bad for Cass. She worked hard, and tried to take care of her mother and Jax, but had no one to take care of her. When Tucker came into the picture, he really was like a modern day knight in shinning armor. It was easy to see why he was attracted to Cass. He had a tough childhood, and they could relate to one another. Plus, he had never felt loved or wanted, until he was "rescued" one day, and he saw a lot of himself (and who he used to be) in Cass. Tucker was extremely swoon-worthy! He really knew how to sweep a girl off her feet, by treating her like a priceless treasure, and lavishing her with attention, romance, gifts, and adventures! I fell in love with Tucker myself!
Ms. Mummert's descriptions were seamless. I pictured every detail from the trailer park, to the diner, to all of Cass and Tucker's dates. The primary and secondary characters came to life for me. I felt like I knew Cass, Tucker, Cass' Mom, Larry (Cass' boss), "The Twisted Twins" (Tucker's bandmates,) Dorris, (Tucker's adoptive mother) and pictured everything, as if a movie reel was playing in my head! My connection to the story was so strong that I found myself on an emotional roller coaster from the very beginning to the very end of the story. I felt heavy hearted at times, hopeful, scared, devastated, excited, melancholy, and was overwhelmed with so much feeling! I'm happy to say that White Trash Beautiful, did not have a cliff hanger ending. However, it is the first book in the White Trash Trilogy. The second part, titled Damaged, will be coming out October 8, 2014, and the final book, White Trash Love Song, will be on sale January 14th, and they will be published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster! I can't imagine having to wait so long to read the rest of the series, but I know one thing for sure, Damaged and White Trash Love Song will both be auto-buys for me!
My Rating:
I give, White Trash Beautiful, 5 Fast-Paced Favorite, Phenomenal, Fantasy Lover, and Frenzy Filled Passionate Stars! This story is fantastic! It is a story filled with the harsh realities and struggles that occur in some people's lives, and deals with heavy topics, such as drug abuse, abandonment issues, poverty, and domestic violence. As you can imagine, this story is angst-filled, and will make you feel a array of emotions as you read it. As a reader, I felt anger, frustration, sadness, and also, excitement, hope, elation, and joy for the main character, and her circumstances. I would put this in the same category as other great angst-filled, and passionate New Adult Romances, such as, The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay, Hopeless by Colleen Hoover, and The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorenson! Read this book! It is a deep, thought provoking, story of substance, that will stay with you long after the last page has been read!
My Favorite Quotes:
"After being told for so long that I was worthless and no one else would want me, I began to believe it." (eARC, Loc. 239)
~Cass
"He represented everything I wanted in life. He was freedom, he was a fantasy. A dream that played inside my head since I'd learned how cruel this world could truly be. (eARC, Loc. 1656) ~Cass
"Sometimes we don't know what we are missing until we find it." (eARC, Loc. 2910)
~Tucker
"I love you, Cass, or Anne, whoever the hell you want to be. I have never ever wanted anyone else. I told you-money, fame, fans...none of it really means anything. It doesn't make you happy. If you don't have someone to share that stuff with, you will still be lonely. I'm lonely without you Cass. I need you in my life." (eARC, Loc. 2933)
Teresa Mummert is an army wife and mother whose passion in life is writing. She is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novels White Trash Beautiful and Suicide Note. Born in Pennsylvania, she lived a small town life before following her husband's military career to Louisiana and Georgia. Check out her website for samples and updates! TeresaMummert.com
We would like to invite the talented Teresa Mummert to our blog! We are both honored, and excited for you to share a little bit about you, with all of us!!
What are 5 things that you like to do in your spare time?
1. When I am not writing I try to come up with some fun things to do with my children. They don't get to see a lot of me when I am tucked away in my writing cave. We like to take trips down to Orlando and spend time at Disney or just down the road to Savannah.
2. When we aren't out and about I spend a lot of time reading. It is by far my favorite way to pass an afternoon. It also helps get the creative juices flowing for my next book.
3. My family and I are also into watching films. We try to catch all the latest movies when they come out. It is the second best thing to reading for me.
4. When I'm not out having fun, I am writing book outlines for future projects. Believe it or not, it’s something that I genuinely enjoy! I always have at least four projects going on.
5. I also make most of my own covers and promoting takes up the rest of my spare time. I love it! I work really hard but think it is important to play just as hard.
A Song For Us
