Friday, August 31, 2012

Winner for Thrill Week Promotion




Thank you to all that helped with getting the word out.  One more day and Thrill Week starts.

Promotional Giveaway - If you post the Thrill Week button on your blog linking here in a post or on your sidebar, I will enter you into a $20 Giveaway, book of your choice from Book Depository.

True Random Number Generator (note, I put in 13 but it switched to 100??)




2


THE WINNER IS - Clarissa Draper
Congratulations, email me on marceblogspot(at)hotmail(dot)com



Wednesday, August 29, 2012

WoW - Legal Thriller

 ACPCOVER


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event spotlighting upcoming releases we are highly anticipating. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.



Book Summary

A brutal murder, missing documents and an unscrupulous opposing counsel lead attorney Vernetta Henderson on a quest for justice-and ultimately-revenge. The hotshot L.A. lawyer takes on a corporation with a long history of discriminating against women. While Vernetta simply wants justice for her clients, the corporation's hired gun wants to win . . . and she doesn't care how. On the home front, Vernetta's infamous sidekick Special has finally found true love. But is the price more than she's willing to pay?


There is a Book Tour planned for Sept 4 - Nov 29
Other books by Pamela Samuels Young I have enjoyed


Buying Time
Murder on the Down Low
Guest Post from her on "Make Your Dreams a Reality"



Thrill Week - Mystery, Suspense, Thrillers......



Thrill Week II: Sept 1 - 8

Saturday will be the beginning of The Thrill Week, we will begin with a Thrill Ride/Blog Hop. I look forward to your participation.

During the week there will be lots of networking, giveaways, interviews and of course fun. The bonus will be finding another blogger or two to follow and many books to add to your already huge Wishlist.


What is Thrill Week

It is all about Networking with Bloggers and Authors who love to read and write Thrillers, Mystery, Suspense and/or Horrors. The goal is to find new blogs and bloggers with similar interest in those genres and of course add to our huge TBR and Wishlists.


NOTE: Please only post on Saturday, September 1st, not before, I am putting it up early for those that are busy and prefer to schedule posts.  The Linky will go up Midnight and will stay open for the week.

Glimpse of authors that will be stopping in, click here.



  The Thrill Ride Questionnaire  
all responses relating to Genres: Mystery, Thriller and Suspense              



1)  Introduce yourself




2) What has been your top 3 reads this year? Link your reviews




3) What are you currently reading during Thrill Week?




4) Do you have an all time favourite cover in the genres above?




5) What debut author(s) or new to you author(s) have you read within the last 12 months that have impressed you?




6) Favourite trilogy or series you recommend to others to read in the genres above?




7) What popular author(s) have you NOT read but is on your Wishlist?




8) Other than blogs, share with us what other tools you use or subscribe to in order to keep up with the latest news on authors, new releases, book tours, etc?




9) What current book is hyped among the blogosphere that you want to read or are not interested in? Why or why not or link your review if you have read it.




10) What is most important in these genres to you? Plot, characters, location, dialogue, red herrings, narrator or what mix of them?



11) Recommend a book made into movie you thought both were good?




12) Recommend a book you would like to discuss with others and possibly the author? Note – I will do a poll with participant’s choices at the end of Thrill Week and then we can agree on a date for Q&A. I will try and arrange the chosen author to participate.



Monday, August 27, 2012

It's Monday, What is everyone reading

Sheila over at Book Journey has an incentive for networking so go over and have fun while continuing to add to your 2012 Wishlist.


The 2nd part of the year so far for reading has been amazing, definitely making up for the first part, yaaaaaay.  I look forward to what you are reading and reading reviews from last week.

Currently Reading - so good so far, I'm 30% on kindle


 
 
I just completed, review will be up this week
 
 
 
 
Last week I reviewed, really great Thriller, my review
 
 
 
 
I posted my review, also good, review here.
 
 
 
 
 
September 1 - 8 is Thrill Week II, Dan Wells, Amanda Stevens and James Houston Turner will be visiting and networking with us.  Come join us, more info here.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Friday, August 24, 2012

Review - White Lies by Jeremy Bates




Book Summary

While driving to a charming village tucked away deep in the Cascade Mountains of eastern Washington, where she is to begin a new job teaching high school English, Katrina Burton picks up a young hitchhiker who turns out to be drunk and predatory. Fearful for her safety, she lies about her destination in order to get him out of the car. But when she later discovers that he is a teacher at the same school, she finds herself feeding that initial lie with more lies.

Then Katrina meets a mysterious man. Handsome, charismatic and strong, he is exactly what she needs to extricate her from the expanding network of lies, now spinning out of control. She falls fast and hard for him.

Her perfect solution, however, soon becomes a nightmare that lands her in the middle of a grisly murder. And Katrina’s problems don’t stop there. She must decide whether to betray her new love or to cover up the murder and hope for the best…until she discovers that the choice may not be hers to make.


My Review - 4 Great to the last Drop

A simple innocent lie meets professional lies ending with murder.  This was a thrilling novel, fast paced edge of your seat build up, pace is a strong point of Jeremy Bates.  For those that enjoy Adult Fiction but want to try a Thriller go for this.

My main issue is the hitchhiking, who the hell still picks up hitchhikers this day in age.  I am sorry, completely unbelievable which made me have the oh whatever feel while reading.  And then it is Katrina's first day on the job and she realises Zach, the man she picked up will be her colleague.  I was able to suspend belief and enjoy the circumstances that became thrilling and mysterious.  Why the hitchhiker issue is big, seriously, it is a dark and stormy night........ really.  Ok I am done with my vent but that took away a whole star rating.  I cannot handle complete utter foolishness.

I wanted to like Katrina, but with every lie on top of another it just became this silly game of cat and mouse.  I got the feeling Zach and her would end up together because they took to much time being concerned with each other and trying to have one up over the other. I'm not complaining this was entertaining to say the least.

Katrina then meets dark and handsome Jack and she is smitten, never using her head correctly and gets caught up.  I then begin to realise they are both compulsive liars, she is remorseful but he totally gets the thrill of living on the edge.

We are compounded with lies and then murder.  Instead of getting cops involved there are more lies to cover it up which of course leads to more murders and everyone is at risk and also scared to death of Jack.

You will not like any characters, you will think they are all fools and to think majority are suppose to be professionals, teachers, omg, what a scary thought but seriously you can only laugh at this.

After reading my review it may seem I didn't enjoy it but I did, after suspending my belief of course.  The fast pace, thrill sold me, I was engaged.  If your in the mood for a smoking hot book full of lies, give it a try.  I can see White Lies on the big screen and be enjoyed by many.





About the author, Jeremy Bates

Jeremy Bates has spent the last ten years traveling the world, visiting more than thirty countries. He has lived in Canada, the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.
Bates is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario with a degree in English literature and philosophy. He is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Inc, and Crime Writers of Canada.
His frightening debut novel, White Lies, is set in a small village in the Cascade Mountain range of eastern Washington. In the book, he succeeds in bringing world-class terror to this tranquil community.
To find out more please visit http://jeremybatesbooks.com


This was a review request. Thank you to Tracee, Virtual Assistant from Pump up Your Book

 

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

My Top Ten since Blogging



Welcome to Tea Time with Marce


I have been blogging for 3 years next month, what a fascinating time.  My favourite genres are Thriller, Suspense and Mystery but I definitely have an eclectic mix here.  In my opinion many still had a mysterious element to them.






If you have been following my blog you could have guessed this one.  Psychological Thriller, LOVE





(YA - Paranormal Suspense)




Adult Fiction




Gorgeous Classic, I was wow'd




Horror/Mystery/Paranormal (Love the character John)




Classic/Mystery - Stunning, Loved it



Adult Fiction - New favourite author




Verse Novel/YA - My new simple pleasure




Mystery/YA




Currently reading The Prophet but the trilogy is a favourite, definitely The Restorer


 


Review and Teaser - The Reluctant Dom by Tymber Dalton





Teaser on Kindle at 34%

It wasn't even so much a sexual experience as it was an emotional one, like she'd been viscerally stripped bare and trusted him to keep her safe until she could function again.


Book Summary - Erotica

Love hurts...if you're lucky.

Kaden's dying, but before he goes he has one problem to solve--he must ask his oldest and dearest friend, Seth, to take over as Dom and Master to his beloved wife, Leah.

Seth has always seen himself as the perpetual screw up and Kaden as the strong and steady one, so his friend's request rocks his world. He also knows there's no way he can refuse Kaden this.

Now Seth finds himself immersed in a role he's far from comfortable with--inflicting physical pain to provide emotional comfort to the woman he's secretly loved for years. Can he deal with his crushing grief over the impending loss of his oldest friend and still learn the skills he must master in time to become The Reluctant Dom?

My Review - 4 Great to the Last Drop

What an unorthodox loving story.  I was caught up in the love, grief, relationship between best friends and lovers more so than the lifestyle of BDSM.  I found the author did a great job at character development, this is not the average erotica novel. As much as it involves M-F-M scenes, spanking, use of toys etc in the Dungeon for show, it truly is the undercurrent theme of the novel.  If you are not offended over those I think this is a gem with an unique relationship.

The Reluctant Dom will have many in tears. I loved how it showed the emotional sensitive side of men and how they deal with these issue of love and loss.  Kaden is dying from Cancer and he has made arrangements for his wife that include his best friend Seth.  Their lifestyle was a secret to their loved ones but they told all to Seth throughout this journey of him taking over to become the Dom of Leah.  He initially thought they were both out of their minds but in this case love heals and becomes the overpowering important reason of showing love.

Throughout the story it was broken up with the memory, Kaden's dying.  It was reality but for me a little overdone.  Also, the fun banter between Kaden and Seth on the fact "i'm not doing you", it was exaggerated for sure.  If you cannot handle M-M scenes, there are none in this book.

Leah is a submissive.  If you do not understand the lifestyle or hate subs I would pass on this one.  This is such a touching novel, if you want an erotica to try this is a good place to start.




Sunday, August 19, 2012

Monday - Reading Reading Reading

Sheila over at Book Journey has an incentive for networking so go over and have fun while continuing to add to your 2012 Wishlist

I had such a hard start to the year with reading and wham the second half has been great, I am so pleased.  With that has came falling behind on my reviews.  I read, I review, that is my norm.  Now I am 2 reviews behind and 2 earlier in the year I won't even try to now, sigh.

So i'm reading reading reading and loving it.

My current read - love this trilogy, this is Book 3.  Amanda Stevens will be here for Thrill Week




I read this one in 2 days, this weekend, wow, what an adult fiction/thriller.  I received it for review, will go up on Friday.




I also read this, a beautiful novel about loss, grief and love but with the BDSM lifestyle.  I need to review.






What is next - Thrill Week is coming up and I may read a book from last years recommendations.  My Must Reads from Thrill Week I








 I look forward to Networking with you, enjoy the week.





Friday, August 17, 2012

Friday Finds - Mix of Genres

FRIDAY FINDS with MizB, showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your To Be Read (TBR) list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the library — wherever! (they aren’t necessarily books you purchased).


I have been fascinated with mix of genres lately.  My true love will always be Suspense, Thrillers and Mystery but I do mix it up often.

Here are the books and bloggers I took the recommendation from.  I have linked the bloggers review.


Blogger - Lynne's Book Reviews



Memoir

Book Summary from Amazon

Michael Schofield’s daughter January is at the mercy of her imaginary friends, except they aren’t the imaginary friends that most young children have; they are hallucinations. And January is caught in the conflict between our world and their world, a place she calls Calalini. Some of these hallucinations, like “24 Hours,” are friendly and some, like “400 the Cat” and “Wednesday the Rat,” bite and scratch her until she does what they want. They often tell her to scream at strangers, jump out of buildings, and attack her baby brother.

At six years old, January Schofield, “Janni,” to her family, was diagnosed with schizophrenia, one of the worst mental illnesses known to man. What’s more, schizophrenia is 20 to 30 times more severe in children than in adults and in January’s case, doctors say, she is hallucinating 95 percent of the time that she is awake. Potent psychiatric drugs that would level most adults barely faze her.    


Blogger - Book'd Out


The Betrayal - Y.A. Erskine



Crime/Mystery

Book Summary from Amazon

A gritty, thought-provoking novel from the author of THE BROTHERHOOD. As a former Tasmanian police officer, Y A Erskine gives a blisteringly authentic portrayal of police life. Will appeal to both crime fiction fans, and fans of Dilemma Fiction, such as Jodi Picoult and Caroline Overington. As with THE BROTHERHOOD, each chapter is narrated from a different character's point of view. When telling the truth is the ultimate crime ...


BloggerKathy at Bermudaonion's webblog          
 


    Fiction      
Book Summary

Grace feels isolated living in Macau, China with her husband. She doesn’t speak the language and her husband is busy with work and she’s learning to accept that they will never be able to have children. When she notices a vacant restaurant for rent Grace decides to open a coffee shop and bake the beloved macarons her mother introduced her to as a child. She names the coffee shop Lillian’s, after her mother, and finds a family in the women who gather there – both employees and customers.


I look forward to your new Finds.  Have a great weekend.


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

The Power of Books during Thrill Week




Welcome to Tea Time with Marce

I am the Host for Thrill Week II.  We will be starting off with a Thrill Week Questionnaire on Sept 1.  I will post the questionnaire next week in order for everyone to plan and schedule posts. During the week there will be lots of networking, giveaways, interviews and of course fun.  The bonus will be finding another blogger or two to follow and many books to add to your already huge Wishlist.

What is Thrill Week

It is all about Networking with Bloggers and Authors who love to read and write Thrillers, Mystery, Suspense and/or Horrors. The goal is to find new blogs and bloggers with similar interest in those genres and of course add to our huge TBR and Wishlists.

We will highlight authors that write in these genres or new authors with amazing debuts.

There will be a 'Thrill Ride/Blog Hop' to start off the event, I would like to request only those that review minimum of twice a month in the above genres to participate.

A glimpse of some of the authors coming to Tea Time with Marce to celebrate Thrill Week II


Dan Wells
(Trilogy of I am Not a Serial Killer and Partials)


Amanda Stevens
(Series of  The Graveyard Series)


James Houston Turner
(Department Thirteen - my favourite character of the year Talanov)




Promotional Giveaway - If you post the Thrill Week button on your blog linking here in a post or on your sidebar, I will enter you into a $20 Giveaway, book of your choice from Book Depository.

Enter your link here by Aug 30 and I will use random.org at midnight to choose (one) winner .
Thank you for your interest and helping spread the word. 

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Review - Dead End Deal by Allen Wyler



Book Summary (not an exciting summary)World renowned neurosurgeon Jon Ritter is on the verge of a medical breakthrough that will change the world. His groundbreaking surgical treatment, using transplanted non-human stem cells, is set to eradicate the scourge of Alzheimer’s disease and give hope to millions. But when the procedure is slated for testing, it all comes to an abrupt and terrifying halt. Ritter’s colleague is gunned down and Ritter himself is threatened by a radical anti-abortion group that not only claims responsibility, but promises more of the same.

Faced with a dangerous reality but determined to succeed, Ritter turns to his long-time colleague, corporate biotech CEO Richard Stillman, for help. Together, they conspire to conduct a clandestine clinical trial in Seoul, Korea. But the danger is more determined, and more lethal, than Ritter could have imagined.
A smart, unique, page-turner, Dead End Deal delivers

My Review - 4 Great to the last Drop

Great fast paced thriller.  This was a run for your life before getting "Locked Up Abroad" thriller.  Allen Wyler is a Neurosurgeon turned author and it comes across with a genuine feel of medical details while still keeping the reader engaged and on the edge of their seats.  The main character Jon is also a Neurosurgeon so we get true technical details.

Jon has been doing research for ten years, waiting to test in order to find a cure for Alzheimer's.  A personal decision as his grandmother died with Alzheimer's.  After receiving the grant, then it being pulled from under him he couldn't accept 10 years being for naught and found a way to continue.  This decision almost cost him his life.

The beginning of the book was a good setup of characters and manipulation.  Almost exactly half way the run for his life began and wow, what a race until the end of the book.  Who can you trust?  I did think Jon should have figured out who was behind it all but when it is a matter of life and death how can you think straight.  I enjoyed the fact that everyone thought they were in control not realising continuous obstacles.

This thriller was more about the race from Korea back to US without being caught and killed by the man trailing him.  The research and surgeries were the background story.

I definitely recommend this one.  I look forward to reading more from Allen Wyler.

Thank you to Anna, Associate Publicist from www.BlueDotLiterary.com for sending me this review copy for my honest review, I truly enjoyed the thrill.




Friday, August 3, 2012

Book Blogger Hop



This is my first Hop for the year, if you want to join go over to Jennifer's blog here - Crazy For Books

Question for the week -

When a book goes “viral” (Hunger Games, Fifty Shades, Twilight), do you rush out to read it like everyone else, even if it’s not in your typical genre?

I am a mood reader so the hype doesn't affect me.  If a book is on my Wishlist before it is Published that I am excited about I will rush to read it mainly because I don't want to be swayed with all the reviews, positive or negative. 

Since blogging I have gave in to the hype of classics that have passed the test of time.  To Kill a Mockingbird, Rebecca, And Then There were None and up next is Moonstone.
I read Fifty Shades as a ARC, i'm so glad I read it before anyone was talking about, I was able to enjoy it and review it without shame.  All the headlines and hype of it now I don't think you can truly read it without prejudice in some way.

I read Hunger Games long after all the hype, I didn't enjoy it but was happy to understand the hype which I did understand, dystopian just isn't for me.

I have never been interested in Twilight, before blogging or since.  I watched the first movie, not for me.

Overall, super hyped books don't seem to be me, I can't think of any that I gave a 5 star to during the peak of a hype, many times a 3 star.

A list of Super Hype Books (in my opinion) I have read.

Hunger Games (3)
Fifty Shades of Grey (5)
Gone Girl (3)
Still Missing (3)
Still Alice (5)
The Time Travelers Wife (DNF)

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Readalong for Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

I just did a post this week asking if I should try Moonstone or The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.  Interesting enough, many have not read either but they are on their TBR list.  Well, today I came across a Readalong for Moonstone, you can go here to participate at Reading Rambo.  There are currently 10 others participating.

This week we are introducing ourselves.

I am Marce, my genres of choice are Thriller, Suspense, Mystery and Adult Fiction but I do try a little of all.

I am 36, live in Bermuda and have a 5 year old daughter.  Next month will be my 3rd year of blogging and I will be celebrating with my 2nd year of Thrill Week, click on the image on my sidebar for more information.

I'm looking forward to this readalong, I think they are great for learning a little bit more when out of your norm. Another classic I get to add to my reading collection. 

I look forward to meeting everyone.






The Moonstone
Stolen from the forehead of a Hindu idol, the dazzling gem known as "The Moonstone" resurfaces at a birthday party in an English country home — with an enigmatic trio of watchful Brahmins hot on its trail. Laced with superstitions, suspicion, humor, and romance, this 1868 mystery draws readers into a compelling tale with numerous twists and turns.

The schedule is..........

August 1st: Intro posts. "My name's Blahblah and since I don't know all of you, here's this and this about me, and I'm doing this readalong because I love blah." [insert joke about Wilkie's forehead, because we clearly haven't done enough of those]

August 8th: Prologue THROUGH First Period, Chapter XIV.

August 15th: Chapter XV through Second Period, First Narrative, Chapter VI

August 22nd: Chapter VII through Second Period, Third Narrative, Chapter VII

August 29th: Finish