~  Laura Burks  ~

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Paranormal Romance

HOME PAGE:           http://lauraburks.com/                     

EMAIL ADDRESS:  lauraburks@cox.net 

AUTHOR'S BIO:

Laura Burks began her writing career as a freelance writer as well as a creator and writer of a business newsletter. Public speaking and writing those speeches are what led her to dig deep and find her true passion—writing young adult novels. She lives in the beautiful Deep South with her husband and their two teenage children. Laura is a member of Romance Writers of America and Heart of Louisiana.

REVIEWS/QUOTES:

Altered Quote: Laura Burks begins her writing career with a mid-teen suspenseful Paranormal. What could a teenager know about real love? And what would a young high school girl be willing to dare for her first romance? Can she remember to stick by her Grandfather’s rules…or will she give in to a bad boy’s flirty eyes?

This book really touched the cockles of my heart, and drew me back to the days of my own very first affaire of the heart. It is a wonderful story of magical romance, promises, love and trust. -- JoEllen Conger

Altered Review: Teenager Jenna Larson is excited to spend her whole summer vacation once again at her grandfather’s remote property in New Roads, Louisiana. While walking through the woods behind his home one day she is spooked when a man’s voice calls her name…but she finds no one there. A hauntingly weird prickling sensation stirs through her veins.

After meeting the flirtatious motorcycle riding Jess Parkin, who tempts her to disregard the promises she has made to Pops, she lies to the one man in her life she ought to trust, just to be with her new exciting boyfriend.

Jess’ heavy drinking, card playing, motorcycle jamming uncles are as bad as they come. When she discovers just who Jess’ uncles really are, can she find the right magic to protect her grandfather from their horrendous ways? Each time the notorious spooky Louisiana ground fog creeps through the woods, and across the small fish pond near the house, strange things begin to happen. -- Review Rate: 4, Reviewer: JoEllen Conger, Conger Books Reviews

Altered: "Altered is everything I could have asked for and more! Laura Burks delivers paranormal, suspense, and a touch of romance in a major way. Altered is beyond 5 stars!"
 
Altered is an amazing story, one which kept me guessing all the way through. I loved that this was not your typical paranormal title. The paranormal aspect of this novel was more subtle, more disturbing. Let's talk about Louisiana and a curse from a deal gone wrong. This title makes you think twice before shortchanging someone you have made a deal with. Altered makes you think again before deciding to have your cake and eat it too. 

I enjoyed reading about the budding romance between Jenna and Jess. It was slow, sensual, and deliberate. Jenna and Jess would let each other know where their heart was. There were no games. No drama. It was honesty in it's purest form. To just be with each other was enough. Every hand held, every gaze in each other's eyes, every secret shared was monumental. They lived in the moment with each other. I was often taken back to the days when my young heart was filled with that much innocence, when I experienced my first throws of love. The romance in Altered will make your heart leap more than once in fond remembrance. 

Burks kept surprising me at every turn of the page. I would have it in my head where I thought the story would go next, and it never did. I was glued to this book. Quite literally. Every second I had, I whipped out one of my devices - HTC smartphone, iPod Touch, Kindle, HP Touchpad - to finish a chapter or read one more sentence. Altered is just that good of a novel! Laura Burks writing style is flawless. I don't remember seeing a typo nor did I have to reread a paragraph to understand what was going on. She kept her plot tucked away nicely, waiting on the right moment to reveal information to the reader, and as a result, everything fell smoothly into place.
 
Laura Burks is a seriously talented author and very creative to boot. Altered, her debut novel, is a hit and a personal favorite. I can't wait to read more novels from Laura! :)
--Zee at firepages.blogspot.com

Altered: Eighteen-year-old Jenna is spending the summer with her grandfather at his home in Louisiana. When she arrives, she has no idea of what kind of crazy things are about to happen. It all begins when she hears her name called by a voice in the woods. Curiosity leads her to a deserted cabin where she discovers an old book that had been buried under the floorboards. Soon she finds herself involved with a group of cursed criminals. She must alter the curse in order to save both her grandfather and Jess, the man who holds her heart.

Altered is a compelling novel that grabs the reader from the very beginning. The voice from the woods happens in paragraph two. Of course the reader wants to know who is calling Jenna. Then the reader wants to know about the mysterious book from the cabin. Then, when handsome Jess enters the picture, the reader wants to know what's going to happen between Jenna and Jess.

The story is told by Jenna in a first-person point of view. This allows the reader to really feel Jenna's fears, concerns, and desires. The rich, descriptive writing allows readers to clearly visualize the setting and events of the story. Altered is a wonderfully written combination of romance and the paranormal. Readers age fourteen and older who enjoy these genres will really enjoy this book. -- 5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating Novel the Holds Readers to the End, By Sherry Ellis - author of children's books. www.sherryellis.org

Altered:  Laura Burks has a true gift with words. Altered is a compelling, suspenseful, page turning book full of unexpected twists and turns. The descriptions of the setting and characters are life-like and believable. The story line was well developed and fast paced. I was unable to put it down!
I am definitely looking forward to more by this author. -- 5.0 out of 5 stars, Two thumbs up for Altered!, By Christa

Altered: This book is a great read for someone looking for romance peppered with mystery. What begins as a straight-forward summer romance soon evolves into an eerie tale of past events with a touch of the supernatural. The love story appeals to anyone who remembers that first special feeling of attraction, while the unusual characters keep mystery fans turning the pages to the end. Looking forward to more from this talented author. --5.0 out of 5 stars Great first novel--looking forward to more from Laura Burks , By Shirley Harmon

Altered: Laura Burks’ first novel Altered is a captivating bundle of mystery, suspense, and forbidden love. I would definitely recommend this book for young teenage girls, typically from ages 14-16 (especially if they also enjoy the book series Twilight).

The intricate story begins very interestingly. Jenna Larson, the protagonist of the novel, hears a mysterious voice whisper her name. Right from the beginning, the book has already captured your interest. Readers will wonder, what voice? Who called? From then on, the plot only gets more and more boggling. After hearing the unexpected name call, Jenna gets curious and attempts to find who whispered her name. She proceeds into the forest, discovers an abandoned cabin, and finds a worn, strange book under the floorboards.

When I reached that point of the book, I was a little miffed. I found it unrealistic how Jenna tried so hard to find who whispered her name. It seemed like Burks was just trying to find some reason to get Jenna into finding the empty cabin. Also, in my opinion, the discovery of the old book was almost cliché in a way. I thought I knew immediately what the story would be about. The book would have magical powers…have things written in it by itself…be some evil object belonging to some evil person…I figured the rest of the plot would be a knock-off to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Surprisingly, Altered took a whole different turn away from the odd book and more into romance and danger. Jenna soon encounters a beautiful adolescent man named Jess Parkin and of course, love begins to cook between them. However, complications occur and this is when the disturbing, suspenseful parts of the book fall in.

This novel is told in first person. That allows the readers to really understand and feel Jenna’s emotions. The readers can relate to her feelings as well. All teenage girls have felt their heart jump and their bellies go nuts with butterflies whenever they’re talking to someone they like. If the story was told in third person, I think the book wouldn’t have been as spellbinding and relatable.

Altered always keeps you reading. You have no choice but to read, it’s too riveting. You’re forced to keep guessing, and when you think you know what happens next, the author always manages to surprise you. It’s one of those novels that once you start reading, you can’t stop. -- Reviewer: Iris Parks, Allbooks Review Int. www.allbooksreviewint.com  5 Star!

Altered: FINISHED THE BOOK AND LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!! I so enjoyed the characters of Jenna and Jess and their story so much. The book is so well written. It had me visualizing and losing myself in the book. Wasn't able to put it down. Such an easy read and ready for the next book. ~~Karey - 5 stars!


Altered:Laura Burks is an incredible author. I couldn't put this book down, that's how fantastic it was! I can't wait to read more books from her. I'm hoping that there's a sequel coming soon.  ~~ Michelle - 5 stars!  

Altered: Nothing Short of Amazing -Jenna Larson is an eighteen year old, who tends to leave typical teenage trouble to the other teenagers, relying on her sweet and fun-loving side to get through most days. She's looking forward to spending the summer in a small town with her grandfather, who is also known as Pops. When Jenna's curious, high spirited side, discovers a mysterious book filled with blank pages, she thinks nothing of it. Until words begin to appear, bringing with them a curse from another time and putting the whole town and her Pops in danger. Yet, it also brings with it a budding love. Can she alter the curse to save her Pops and her new love?

There were times when the anticipation of what would happen next had my stomach tight with fear, other times a laugh out loud and a few crying spells along the way too. Ms. Burks' ability to bring you into this novel is nothing short of amazing. Her writing style and finesse have you transfixed on Jenna's world, not just wanting, but needing to encounter whatever it was that Jenna was about to face, cheering her on.

This is a wonderful novel that will appeal to both the young adult as well as the cross over to adult. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I tip my hat to Ms. Burks for her fine showmanship of her writing skills in her debut novel. I can't wait to read the next...sequel.
~~ C. Elizabeth - author of Absolute Obsession. 5 stars!

Wow! I loved this book!The plot was so original and engaging. I found myself being so immersed into the book and it was really hard to put down. Jenna is very easy to relate to, the typical teenager who blends in and was just average. You really watch her grow through the book and you get the see her become a strong woman who finds the strength she needs to do the right thing. I also enjoyed the back stories of Jess and Annie and how everything intertwined with Jenna and her grandfather's own history. This book can easily be read by anyone 14+. There was a love story, but it had a very G rating. It was the clean and cute young love stroy that every girl wants and thus its appeal.
It was excellent and though it was a debut novel, you would never know. Laura Burks did a great job with this novel and I really want to read more from her. ~~ Megan M. - Great Minds Think Aloud -  5 Star!

Unique and engaging! Let's start by saying the idea for Altered was pretty amazing. I love my Young-Adult with high doses of romance, paranormal, and mystery. Altered had all of that. The romance was overflowing, the paranormal aspects were creepy and dark, and the mystery was interesting. There were curses, eerie dreams, a love interest with a shady past, and a book that started it all. I'm positive readers will be drawn into this story from the start and won't stop reading until the very last page.
~~ Shana - Sizzling Reads.