Sunday, January 30, 2011

Sunday Salon - January 30th



If you'd like to participate with The Sunday Salon, just click the button above.

I've had a pretty good reading week...

I finished two books:

The Innocent by Vincent Zandri (Review will be posted during a blog tour on 2/8)
Soul Sacrifice by Leanore Elliot

Both are new to me authors and great books.

I finished an audio book...

Dead As A Doornail by Charlaine Harris

I so love the Sookie series.

I'm now reading Kiss the Girls by James Patterson. This is the second book in his Alex Cross series and it's way past time for me to get involved in this series. I read the first one Along Came A Spider awhile ago. The only reason I stopped was because there are just so many books to read out there. Fortunately, this week the library got it in for me as an ebook, so I had to push all other books to the side and read this one before the library takes it away from me (no renewals on ebooks!) This is really a good one, but definitely not for the feint of heart :)

I'm also listening to the next Sookie book, Definitely Dead. This one is starting out slower than the others, but I'm sure it will start to pick up...vampire Eric is back in the picture. LOL

On Friday I'm hosting a Blog Tour for How Sweet It Is. I'll post my review then and announce the winner of the book giveaway. Then the following week I'll be hosting a Blog Tour for The Innocent by Vincent Zandri. On February 7th the author will be posting about writing thrillers and on the 8th I'll post my review of his book.

Of course we're supposed to have another major snow storm this week. It would be our 8th storm. Spring can't get here soon enough!

Hope you all have a great week!

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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Anything Goes on Saturday - Series Books



This is a new meme called "Anything Goes on Saturday". It's a chance to choose any topic you want and talk about it on Saturday - it can be about a book, TV show, movie, a recipe or just an update on your week. Whatever you choose.

If you'd like to join in, take the button above and blog about it. Use the linky below to post your direct link to your post. Then, go and visit other blogs and see what's on everyone's minds this week. Enjoy!

This week I'm thinking about series books. I've always liked books that continue. I think it's because I love to get to know characters and watch them grow. Sometimes I can get a bit annoyed when I don't know a book is part of the series and the first one I read is in the middle somewhere. I absolutely become anal about it and have to start with the first book in any series, even if they are advertised as being standalone books.

Here are some of my favorite series books...

Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Series



Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series



James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series



Shirley Rousseau Murphy's Joe Grey series



Rita Mae Brown's Mrs. Murphy series



Plus there are all the cozy mystery series that I love to read. Returning to these books makes me feel like I'm spending time with old friends. Currently, I'm reading the Alex Cross series by James Patterson, but I'm only up to the second book and this series has been going on for years.

It's funny, but as much as I love series books, I have more unfinished series than I do finished or "caught up on" series. I jump around alot. LOL


Do you like reading series books? Which ones?

Friday, January 28, 2011

The Friday 56



This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join on the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

It's that simple.



Both her arms appeared to have been dislocated, perhaps as she twisted and struggled to free herself from the leather bonds and the tree behind her.

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Book Blogger Hop - January 28th-31st

Book Blogger Hop>


The blog hop is hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books

This week's question comes from Aliyah who blogs at Des Absurdités:

"What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011? Why are you anticipating that book?"

My answer...

Since I'm reading a James Patterson book at the moment, it's one of his upcoming books that first came to mind - the next book in the Women's Murder Club series. It's one of my favorite series and one of the few series I'm actually all caught up reading. The next one comes out in June and it's called 10th Anniversary.



I always love re-visiting this series and catching up with what's new with all the characters. They are like old friends.

Follow Friday 40 and Over



This a fun blog hop hosted by Java at Never Growing Old. It's for all bloggers over 40. Here are the rules...

1. Grab the button
2. Add your link to the list
3. Visit as many other blogs as you can
4. Follow the ones you like (and comment on their blog to say that you are following)

Sign up at Never Growing Old.

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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Soul Sacrifice by Leanore Elliot



Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Silver Publishing
Release Date: January 2011
Format: EBook

This is a very unusual book based on a Creole curse that began in 1889. Beautiful, rich and spoiled Cessoline disguises herself in a very unflattering costume to avoid marry her brother's best friend Reeves. Her plans backfire and they both lay dying. Only one person can save them, but at what cost?

Then we are taken to 1989, a hundred years later when Cesso's heir, Jubilee tries to break the curse. She contacts reporter Charlie Sanders and and requests she come to Avalonde Plantation to assist her. Charlie meets up with Ravens, who also can help with getting rid of the curse.

This is three romances in one...Cesso/Reeves, Charlie/Ravens and Jubilee/Nick. Nick is a detective out to find the truth.

The couples are drawn together in a sizzling, steamy romance. The women are strong heroines and the men are deliciously hot. Readers will be entranced with these two parallel stories. I found it intriguing how the author goes from 1889 to 1989 without skipping a beat. It's a story that will keep you turning the pages until the very end.

Soul Sacrifice is the first book of a unique trilogy. I'm looking forward to reading more about these interesting characters.

Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris



Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Recorded Books
Release Date: May 2005
Format: Audio

This is the 5th book in the Sookie Stackhouse series and it's just as good as the previous books.

Here's a synopsis of the book...


When Sookie's brother Jason's eyes start to change, she knows he's about to turn into a were-panther for the first time. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population-and Jason's new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who's behind the attacks, unless the killer decides to find her first.

My thoughts...

There's really not alot to say about the Sookie books that I haven't already said. Like I've said many times, I'm loving this series and this book was as fun as the previous ones. I'm so glad I'm listening to these on audio. I find it so much fun to catch up on this series through the audio books and listening in my car. My only wish is that we'd get more of vampire Bill in these books.



For reading challenges:

Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge
Audio Book Reading Challenge

Library Thursday Blog Hop



This is a weekly meme hosted by Lazy Girl Reads. Each week, we list which books we've picked up, put on hold, skimmed through at the library.

This week I got from the library...

The audio version of the next Sookie Stackhouse book on my list....



I also downloaded an ebook...

Cat Thursday - January 27th



Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! This fun meme is hosted by The True Book Addict. Go over to her site to join in the fun.

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Booking through Thursday - Heavy, Thick Books



If you'd like to join in on Booking Through Thursday, just click the button above.



This week's question...

What’s the largest, thickest, heaviest book you ever read? Was it because you had to? For pleasure? For school?

My answer...

I can't remember what I read in school, but more recently - in the past couple of years - I'd have to give Stephenie Meyer the award for thickest books I've read...The Host and Twilight, both were for pleasure.



Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays - January 25th



If you'd like to play along on Teaser Tuesdays, just click the button above.


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


This week I'm reading



It was then that I felt pure terror as my breath was stolen away from me, as if to steal my very soul, sending me into a whirling dizziness.

Monday, January 24, 2011

How Sweet It Is Blog Tour Giveaway



On February 4th, we will be hosting a blog tour for "How Sweet It Is" by Sophie Gunn. I recently had the pleasure of reviewing this book and will post the review on the 4th.

Until then, we are hosting a book giveaway. Thanks to Anna at Hachette Books, I can offer 3 copies of "How Sweet It Is".

If you'd like to win a copy for your own, here are the few simple rules:

1) Comment here that you want to be entered.

2) Leave a valid email address in your comment (I need a way to contact you! No email address, no entry!)

3) For an extra entry, follow my blog. If you already follow my blog, just mention that in your comment.

4) US and Canada residents only, no P.O. boxes.

5) For an additional entry: If you follow me on twitter, you'll get an extra entry. Just mention it in your comment!

6) Subscribe to my blog and mention that in the comments, too, for another entry! If you already subscribe, mention that in the comments!

7) If you blog about the giveaway on your blog, you get 2 extra entries!

All entries must be submitted by February 3rd, midnight est. I will contact the winners by email. If I don't get a response within 3 days, another winner will be chosen.

All winners are picked by Random List.org. I will announce the winners on the 4th during the blog tour!

Good luck everyone!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Author Interview: Heather Wardell




Please welcome author Heather Wardell (author of Go Small or Go Home) to the Socrates’ Book Review Blog. I was lucky enough to review Go Small or Go Home at the beginning of the month and loved it. It was my first and only (so far) winner of my “Great Book Alert Award” for 2011. Heather has graciously agreed to allow me to interview her and be a guest on our blog.

So, let’s begin…

1. Go Small or Go Home is set in the world of professional hockey and the hero is a hockey player. That makes me wonder, are you a hockey fan? If so, do you have any team you root for?

Well, I am Canadian and I live in Toronto, so yes, I am a Leafs fan. I think I'm required to be by law. :) I'm not obsessed with the game but I do watch regularly and have been lucky enough to go to a few live games, including one which exploded into a fight after just three seconds (which I duplicated in "Go Small or Go Home").

2. Did you do any research of the sport? If so, what kind?

I largely used my own knowledge, but I had my husband and a friend who plays hockey read the most hockey-related scenes and make sure that what I'd said actually made sense. I didn't want the book to be a "learn hockey guide" but at the same time I didn't want to turn off any readers who knew hockey well.

3. Can you tell us how many books you’ve had published and what genres they are?

As of right now, I have five books available, and I'm aiming to release another three in 2011. I call them as "women's fiction with depth, humor, and heart" - I want my readers to have fun but I also want my books to be more than fluff. I believe ebooks should be affordable, so my first is free and the rest are only $0.99 each.

4. Thinking about your own reading preferences, what’s your favorite genre to read?

Definitely women's fiction. I like there to be more in a book than just a romance (although I like an element of that too) and I love reading about people who could be real.

5. Are your fictional characters based on real life people or a creation of your own imagination?

I make them up. :) I do borrow from my own life on a regular basis (the main character in "Go Small or Go Home" flying with an active ear infection is sadly something I experienced and did not enjoy) but the characters themselves are not based on anyone I know.

6. Who is your biggest influence in your writing career?

I think it'd have to be a tie between my husband and my sister Holly. My husband is unbelievably supportive as I get my career going, and Holly has read everything I've ever written and provides amazing motivation.

On a writing level, I love Stephen King's book "On Writing". Such a great way of looking at creating books, from a man who's made so many.

7. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

In 2005, my husband went away for a six-week business trip. Bored, I decided to fiddle around with a novel. By the end, I knew I loved it.

8. What is the very first thing you wrote?

Other than short stories in English class during school (which I actually didn't enjoy so much, since I like the freedom to dig deep that novels provide), the first thing was that novel in 2005. After many rounds of editing, it became my free novel, "Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo".

9. Do you have any favorite authors or books?

I love Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella's non-Shopaholic books (I loved the first one but not so much the rest), and Jennifer Archer.

10. Can you tell us any info about your next book?

Certainly! It's in second draft at the moment and I'm hoping to release it in the summer. It's currently called "The Twenty-Eight-Year-Old Teenager", although that might change, and it's the story of twenty-eight-year-old Andrea who tries to recreate her life, after her boyfriend of fourteen years dumps her, by doing the opposite of everything she usually does. It's focused on how little changes can make a huge difference in your life.

Thank you, Heather, for spending time at Socrates’ Book Review Blog!

Thank YOU so much for this opportunity! If your readers would like to read excerpts or get more information about my books, they can do so at http://www.heatherwardell.com

Anything Goes on Saturday - Getting Rid of Books



This is a new meme called "Anything Goes on Saturday". It's a chance to choose any topic you want and talk about it on Saturday - it can be about a book, TV show, movie, a recipe or just an update on your week. Whatever you choose.

If you'd like to join in, take the button above and blog about it. Use the linky below to post your direct link to your post. Then, go and visit other blogs and see what's on everyone's minds this week. Enjoy!

My topic for this week is ...what to do with older books.

Last week Literary Feline at Musing of a Bookish Kitty discussed getting rid of books from our TBRs. I'm going to be doing that soon, too, if I can motivate myself :)

Anyway, I have a huge amount of books - literally over 10,000. Now that I have an ereader, I only want to read on my Nook so I want to get rid of all my old books and get my guest room back (the guest room is currently housing the 10,000+ books). My dilemma is what do I do with my old books?

I do have a used bookstore near me, but they don't take old romances (which most of mine are) and, besides, I don't want anything in return. The same with Bookmooch or Paperback Swap...if I put books there, I'd get something back and that would defeat the purpose. I just want to get rid of everything. It would take forever to sell them on EBay and a pain in the neck to package and send out.

So, what do I do? I can take some to the library, but are there other places that accept books? Old romances, as well as other genres. Any suggestions? I'd kind of like to spread the wealth :)

My husband thinks they should just be thrown out, but it's against my religion to do that :)

Have you ever donated books? Where do you donate them to? Inquiring minds want to know :)

Friday, January 21, 2011

The Friday 56



This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join on the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

It's that simple.



Tommy stood there, his eyes moving from the open window to me and back to the window again, like I was guilty of something and about to use the window as a means for a quick getaway.

Follow Friday 40 and Over



This a fun blog hop hosted by Java at Never Growing Old. It's for all bloggers over 40. Here are the rules...

1. Grab the button
2. Add your link to the list
3. Visit as many other blogs as you can
4. Follow the ones you like (and comment on their blog to say that you are following)

Sign up at Never Growing Old.

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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Booking through Thursday - Periodically



If you'd like to join in on Booking Through Thursday, just click the button above.



This week's question...

Even I read things other than books from time to time … like, Magazines! What magazines/journals do you read?

My answer...

I read very few magazines. I read Romantic Times. For those who don't know, this is a monthly magazine that lists all the romance books coming out in a month. It's how I make my shopping list :) They also have a couple of pages for science fiction and mysteries, but mainly it's romance and romantic suspense.



The other magazine I subscribe to is Weight Watchers, but I never seem to have time to read it. Whenever I get reading time, I prefer to read a book.

Cat Thursday - January 20th



Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! This fun meme is hosted by The True Book Addict. Go over to her site to join in the fun.