Socrates' Book Reviews...: March 2015

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Monthly Reads - February and March 2015

I didn't post my February reads, so I'll combine both February and March in one post.

Here's what I've been reading....

February

Gooseberry Island by Steven Manchester
All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner (audio)
Death By Didgeridoo by Barbara Venkataraman (audio)
Community Affairs by Michele Lynn Seigfried
The Case of the Killer Divorce by Barbara Venkataraman (audio)
Flamenco, Flan and Fatalities by Mary McHugh
The Deep End by Julie Mulhern
Quirky Essays for Quirky People by Barbara Venkataraman (audio)
Borrowed Crime by Laurie Cass
Bringing in the Thieves by Lora Lee

March

Unbelievable by Cindy Blackburn
Admit to Mayhem by D.J. Adamson
Cat Man Deux by Maureen Murphy Williams
The Mysterious Doll by Linda Weaver Clarke
The Glassblower by Joanna Campbell Slan (Blog Tour coming next week!)
Snow Way Out by Christine Husom
Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton (audio)

That's it...not too bad.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Review: Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton (Agatha Raisin #1)

Labels: 2015 My Kind of Mystery RC, 4 kitties, cozy mystery, Foodie's Read 2015, I Love Library Books Reading Challenge 2015, review

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
Audio

Publisher:
Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Release Date:
December 2012

Sunday/Monday Posts - March 29th and 30th

Labels: Stacking the Shelves, Sunday Salon, The Sunday Post, The Sunday Salon, TSS, what are you reading

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

If you'd like to participate with The Sunday Salon, it is now a Facebook group.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. This is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I'm also linking to Stacking The Shelves which is hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews.

Spotlight: Protect This by Cami Checketts

Labels: spotlight

I'm so excited to announce the prequel to the Tenderness and Terror series. It's available now for only $.99 at the following vendors:

Amazon * B&N * iTunes * Kobo * Scribd * Inktera

With five female college students on the missing persons’ list, and the perpetrator still at large, Natasha is nervous about dating anyone. But, it’s hard to say no to Tony, the hot graduate assistant she’s been drooling over all semester. Too bad she’s not sure who to trust and all the men around her feel more like suspects than heroes. When Natasha gets into trouble and the man that should have been the safest…turns out to be her worst nightmare, Natasha has no choice but to fight for her life and the man she almost gave up.

Blog This: Book 1 of Tenderness and Terror

Will protecting children throughout the world cost Natasha her own family?

Devastated by the loss of her brother, Natasha Senecot works to expose the dangers of Matthew Chrysler's violent video games, succeeding in bankrupting and humiliating him.

Chrysler retaliates and sends a hit man after her. Natasha is forced to fake her own death to protect her children, but after witnessing another tragedy, Natasha won't hide any longer.

In a race against time, can Natasha expose Matthew Chrysler before his assassin murders her family and shatters her world?

"Cami Checketts is a genius! She writes about topics that aren't widely discussed, in and out of books, and she does such a brilliant job of crafting these things into wonderful stories that touch your heart and remain with you for days afterwards.I sat down in the library and started reading this book, just for a little while. Three hours later the book was finished and I was regretting reading in such an open environment without at least 20 packets of tissues handy. There are so many emotions in this book, so many different layers of love and bravery and hope and I loved every moment of it!" Myra, Blogger, Pieces of Whimsy

Redeem This: Book 2 of Tenderness and Terror

Some men are beyond redemption. Alex is one of them.

After Alex Chakhota was blackmailed and manipulated into becoming a hit man to protect his sister, serving time as the FBI's assassin doesn't do much to ease his conscience. His next assignment brings him face to face with Brittany, a beautiful woman that believes he's more than the killer he's been made into. The road to redemption is long for someone with a blackened soul, and with lives hanging in the balance, Alex has a short deadline.

Detective Scott Bentley's days of law enforcement are behind him. When he's asked to host agents at his secluded ranch for an FBI sting operation, Scott cannot refuse. Ivy McMahon shows up with the team, and Scott gets more than he signed up for. Not only can she hack into the any computer system, she's found a way into Scott's heart. The trouble is that she's in protective custody and when the job ends, she'll disappear. Is redemption possible for those whose lives are scarred by the past?

Is redemption possible for those who lives are scarred by the past? With danger crowding close, not even love may have a chance to redeem before it's too late.

"This book was so good I couldn't put it down. I was fun to see so many characters from the first book, Blog This. I suggest you read that one first....by the end of the first book you start to like Alex. Yet, you want to hate him for all he has done. This book is really his redemption. You fall in love with all the characters even Alex. It is fast paced excitement the whole way through and such a great story! I was glad to see both Scott and Alex get the chance for love that they didn't get in the first one. Cami is one of my favorite Authors and once again she writes a really great book!" Julia Lance, Reviewer, Book Reviewing Rocks

"I cannot tell you how excited I was to read this book! Cami Checketts is one of my favorite authors. She knows how to write romantic suspense and I am always so drawn in by her books. I usually steam roll right through them because I cannot put them down. Redeem This grabbed me from the very beginning. The suspense is there from the very first chapter. There is a fantastic balance of suspense and character/relationship building. I could not put this book down!

Alex. Oy. Here's a guy that will make your heart squeeze. Honest. He is seeking redemption. Forgiveness. Acceptance. He's strong, handsome and yes, a bit dangerous. I'm telling you, heart SQUEEZE.

One of the other things I love about not only this book but all of Cami's books is that they are clean. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the no swearing/no sexual content.

Redeem This is the sequel to Blog This. If you haven't read Blog This yet, you really need to! Not only is it a fantastic book, it must be read before reading Redeem This."

Aimee, Reviewer - Getting Your Read On

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Review: Snow Way Out by Christine Husom

Labels: 2015 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge, 4 kitties, Berkley, cozy mystery, Cruisin' thru the Cozies, review, where are you reading challenge

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
Paperback

Publisher:
Berkley Prime Crime Mystery

Release Date:
January 2015

Follow Friday Four Fill In Fun Blog Hop-Week #206

Labels: blog hops

This is a fun meme and it's hosted by Hilary at Feeling Beachie. Check out her lovely blog, if you'd like to participate.

The Friday 56

Labels: 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 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

It's that simple.

This week I'm reading...

Book Giveaway Winner

Labels: winner

The winner of The Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop is:

Jill O.

Jill wins these cozy mystery books...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17157654-gilt-trip?ac=1

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20821037-nightmares-can-be-murder?ac=1

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23505722-geared-for-the-grave?ac=1

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18492463-a-roux-of-revenge?ac=1

The winner has already been notified by e-mail.

Congrats to Jill!

Thanks to all who participated!

Cat Thursday - March 26th

Labels: cat thursday

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.

Blog Tour: Admit to Mayhem by D.J. Adamson (Review)

Labels: 2015 My Kind of Mystery RC, 4 kitties, mystery, review, where are you reading challenge

About the Book

Book Giveaway Winner

Labels: winner

The winner of The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson is:

Suzy

The winner has already been notified by e-mail.

Congrats to Suzy!

Thanks to all who participated!

Teaser Tuesdays/First Chapter Tuesdays - March 24th

Labels: first chapter Tuesdays, Teaser Tuesdays

Every Tuesday Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where we share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book we are reading or thinking about reading soon. Care to join us?

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...

Sunday/Monday Posts - March 22nd and 23rd

Labels: Stacking the Shelves, Sunday Salon, The Sunday Post, The Sunday Salon, TSS, what are you reading

Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop

Labels: blog hops, book giveaways

I'm participating in this year's Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop. It's sponsored by Kathy at I Am A Reader. As you might expect, I'm giving away some cozy mysteries to one lucky winner.

Here's what you can win...(Click on the covers to go to Goodreads to read their synopsis.)

Here are the rules...

1) You must fill out the rafflecopter form below.

2) Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old

3) US Residents Only

4) For one extra entry: Tweet about this giveaway.

5) For one extra entry: Follow this blog...old followers, too! Just let us know how you follow and under what name.

6) For one extra entry: Follow me on Twitter

7) For one extra entry: Follow or friend me on Goodreads.

8) For one extra entry: Leave a message to welcome Spring 2015!

No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.

The giveaway begins on March 20th (midnight est) and ends on March 26th (midnight est).

The winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter. The winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen. I will announce the winner here on my blog.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the rest of the giveaways in the hop...