Saturday, February 27, 2010

Review - Book in Verse Style - I heart you, You haunt me on Kindle

Review
I started this book just to get a sample as I had never read a book in Verse before..... I was hooked immediately, read in 1 day (approx 2 hours) which never happens as I don't have the time but it was just that good.
It is a very short book, on Kindle it was 100 pages as it went 1% each page.

Ava loses her boyfriend, her shining star that makes her world brighter. Now she can't see him or touch him, unless she allows herself to dream. She can't hear his voice, except for the faint whispers in her mind. Most would think she's crazy, but she knows he's here.

Jackson understands true love and is there for Ava even after death. He's back from the dead, as proof that love truly knows no bounds.

I was pleasantly surprised with this, I think everyone will enjoy it. I just finished an intense book so wanted something easy, this was beautiful ease.

Here are teasers of the style of writing.

When you meet someone

so different from yourself,

in a good way,

you don't even have to kiss

to have fireworks go off.

It's like fireworks

in your heart

all the time.

&

The sun starts to set and tangerine orange

turns to

cotton candy pink

and I wish

my man

Jackson was here

to give me some

cranberry red love.

I give this a 5 - Tea Time Perfection

Thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Friday, February 26, 2010

Review - The Manufactured Identity by Heath Sommer

Summary on back of book

Months after his mysterious disappearance from a routine fishing trip, no one really expects over-the-hill Texas housewife Lory Latchley to find her missing husband—especially her husband. The Manufactured Identity is clinical psychologist Heath Sommer's ever-escalating immersion into the world of unlikely friends who each awaken to find their faithful companions missing without warning or reason. Desperate to find meaning in their pain, they are thrust by the auspices of fate into a common thread of mystery and human frailty. In the end, the fate of all may reside in the unstable hands of rookie pastor John Joe, but ultimately Lory and her newfound partners will uncover a truth so unnerving it makes even infidelity look palatable.

My Review

Brilliant, oh my, if you enjoy psychological thrillers this is a must read. This book will mess with your head. If you love a good debate especially about marriage or how the mind works, you have to get this. This is a MUST. I loved it and I will definitely read again just to be able to know the ending and have that in my mind for the ride. You know the feeling of going on roller coaster ride for the first time then doing it again, that is the excited feeling I have now.

This is a book so hard to review because the story is complex and I don't want to spoil it.

I am an Employee Relations Manager and love the idea of counseling but am not a 'qualified counselor' so for me I enjoyed being in the mind of the counselor and also the clients.

The flow of the chapters were great also, I enjoyed the style, here are the headings for the parts of the book.....

Part 1 The First Awakenings

Part 2 The Second Awakenings

Part 3 The Dawn of Understanding

Part 4 The Manufactured Identities

This book is not for everyone, I can see many hating it, if you have strong opinions about religion and homosexuality maybe you should pass on this one.


I give it 5 stars - just brilliant

This book is for my Thriller & Suspense Challenge


Thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Thursday, February 25, 2010

My Personalized Book Rating - What do you think?


One of my goals this year is to personalize my blog more beyond the books I choose to read.
What do you think? Please be honest as I wouldn't ask if I didn't respect honesty.
My Idea
5 - Tea Time Perfection or Delightful - Perfect Blend
4 - Great to the Last Drop
3 - A Good cup of Tea or More Sugar Please
2 - Not my Cup of Tea
1 - Tea bag busted, threw out
* would be for 1/2 points - * a touch more sugar
Also, don't forget about my giveway..... Take a look.
Thank you for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Monday, February 22, 2010

Teaser Tuesday - The Manufactured Identity

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


http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com


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!

My Teaser is from The Manufactured Identity, Heath Sommer

pg. 76

The number one rule that I laid down from minute one was that this group would be a safe place for anyone, including pigs, idiots, Nazis, pedophiles, murderers, or whatever. Now, we all have problems, and how are we ever going to get over them if every time someone tries to be honest, he or she gets punched in the face?

I am enjoying this one so far.

Thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Book vs Movie (The Time Travelers Wife)

Movie vs Book

I am interested in what many of you thought.

Did you read the book, watch the movie or both?

I abandoned the book, I really didn't enjoy the back and forth style at all, it was so confusing it wasn't worth continuing, and I really tried.

After watching the movie I realised I read right up to her last miscarriage.

Did I like the movie - yes, it was worth the watch for me, not one I will tell friends they have to go out and watch. I think I liked it because I love Rachel McAdams, she is a favourite since The Notebook.

Did you think it was a good adaptation from book to big screen? I thought the time traveling was amazing.

I gave the book 2 stars, I would give the movie 3 stars.

What were your thoughts?

Thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Also don't forget to check out my Giveaway

http://teawithmarce.blogspot.com/2010/02/followers-thank-you-worldwide-giveaway.html

Sunday, February 21, 2010

10 Things that make me Happy - Happy 101 Award





Thank you Christina for passing on the Happy 101 Award.

The rules are that I must list 10 things that make me happy and then pass it on to 10 bloggers.


Go visit Christina here.

http://reading-extensively.blogspot.com










10 Things that Make me Happy

  1. Sex always makes me happy
  2. When my daughter let's me sleep in :-) she is 3
  3. Earl Grey Tea
  4. Reading a great book, especially by a new author, so it is a happy surprise
  5. Networking in real life and online
  6. Shopping especially for shoes and books
  7. Traveling
  8. Friends and Family
  9. My internet Friends especially ivillage friends
  10. Spending time alone with my man

And I would like to pass the Happy 101 Award on to the following. I am sure many of you have received this so I would like for you to post your link so I can learn more about you :-)

Am I the only one that thinks passing on to more than 3-5 is extreme?

Tina – http://willowdustreviews.blogspot.com

Guatami – http://readbookswritepoetry.blogspot.com

Caitlin – http://chaoticcompendiums.com

Missy - http://missysbooknook.blogspot.com/

Aths http://booksonarainyday.blogspot.com/

April http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com/

Nikki http://ahauntofancientpeace.blogspot.com/
Steph http://stephthebookworm.blogspot.com/

Jennifer http://www.crazy-for-books.com
Brizmus http://brizmusblogsbooks.blogspot.com/


Thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce


Review - Heartsick by Chelsea Cain on Kindle

I saw this on Marcia's blog - The Printed Page, thanks for the recommendation.

Summary


Det. Archie Sheridan led the Beauty Killer Task Force for ten years, before the Beauty Killer (Gretchen Lowell) caught him, tortured him for ten days and then mysteriously let him go and turned herself in. Now it’s two years later and Archie, addicted to pain pills and still obsessed with Gretchen, is called off medical leave to hunt a second serial killer. Pink-haired girl journalist Susan Ward is assigned to profile Archie. She knows he’s hiding something. But what?

Review

I was intrigued by the 2nd book in this series, Sweetheart, but had to start from the beginning when I realised it was a series. I am glad I did as it really did set the tone for what I think will be a great thrilling series. I was hoping for it to scare me or have me sitting on the edge of my seat, maybe sleepless nights, but it didn't though. (Can you recommend one?)

Heartsick - experiencing or marked by or expressing sorrow especially associated with irreparable loss. The interesting part of this book is the Detective was the Beauty Killers victim is alivebut the irreparable loss is HIM, he is alive with his marked up body but he might as well have died. He knows he is screwed up but unable to fight back. He visits Gretchen every week, unable to move on without her being a part of his life, he is dependant on her. You think, has he lost his mind, absolutely.

I couldn't wait for the book to get into the weekly meetings with Gretchen the psychopath but then I started understood the twist, it was about so much more than her.

Susan Ward is assigned to write a story about the Detective and is right there, front and center during investigation, even tagging along to murder scenes. Her story helps connect everything together. She knew the Detective was hiding something but who would have thought the connection. Great suspense.

This was not what I expected but it was good. Definitely not 'The Silence of the Lambs' as comments said and I got excited about.

I very much look forward to continuing the series.

I give it 3 1/2 stars. This is for my Thriller and Suspense Challenge

Thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Click here to see my current giveaway for my Followers.

http://teawithmarce.blogspot.com/2010/02/followers-thank-you-worldwide-giveaway.html

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Friday Finds - The Murderer's Daughters


Friday Finds with MizB - to participate, network and get some ideas to add to your TBR list go here http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!









Publish Date - Jan, 2010

Author - Randy Susan Meyers

Summary

A beautifully written, compulsively readable debut that deals with the aftermath of a shocking act of violence that leaves two young sisters with nothing but each other—in the tradition of White Oleander, this haunting novel is a testament to the power of family and the ties that bind us together, even as they threaten to tear us apart

Mama was “no macaroni-necklace-wearing kind of mother.” She was a lipstick and perfume-wearing mother, a flirt whose estranged husband still hungered for her. After Mama threw him out, she warned the girls to never let Daddy in the house, an admonition that tears at ten-year-old Lulu whenever she thinks about the day she opened the door for her drunken father, and watched as he killed her mother, stabbed her five-year-old sister Merry and tried to take his own life.

Effectively orphaned by their mother’s death and father’s imprisonment, Lulu and Merry, unwanted by family members and abandoned to a terrifying group home, spend their young lives carrying more than just the visible scars from the tragedy. Even as their plan to be taken in by a well-to-do foster family succeeds, they come to learn they’ll never really belong anywhere or to anyone—that all they have to hold onto is each other.

As they grow into women, Lulu holds fast to her anger, denies her father’s existence and forces Merry into a web of lies about his death that eventually ensnares her own husband and daughters. Merry, certain their safety rests on placating her needy father, dutifully visits him, seeking his approval and love at the expense of her own relationships. As they strive to carve lives of their own, thespecter of their father, unrepentant and manipulative even from behind bars, haunts them. And when they learn he’s about to be paroled, the house of cards they’ve built their lives on teeters on the brink of collapse.



I am happy this is available on my Kindle.

Thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Followers - A Thank you Worldwide Giveaway



I want to say Thank you to all those that have became followers, I hit the 100 milestone. I started blogging as a creative way to improve on my writing skills and a place to keep track of what I read.



I had no idea of the blogging community, no one had ever discussed it. So I was totally WOW'd



I have learned so much, LibraryThing, BookBlogs, Book Depository, Challenges and the best is networking with others that have similar taste in books or just have great interesting blogs.



So this is my thank you to all those that are current followers. As I am international this will be a worlwide giveaway. I know giveaways draw attention to blogs etc but my goal is to thank those that already follow not to gain additional ones, of course new ones are appreciated.


I have decided to give away the following Books:


Still Alice - a new favourite that would be in my all time favourite collection. I read this before blogging but you have to read it. - my recommendation





The Weight of Silence - a favourite from 2009 - my review..... http://teawithmarce.blogspot.com/2009/11/review-weight-of-silence.html



Wake - my favourite of 2010 so far - my review.......













Giveaway Rules


1) comment stating which book you are interested in

2) leave your email address eg. marceblogspot(at)hotmail(dot)com Note: less/no spam

3) either say worldwide or US (I am separating out so I get a winner in both categories)

4) you must be a follower, I will confirm this


I am going to have fun and put all responses in a large Tea Pot and let my daughter who is 3 years old choose.


1 choice will be for worldwide, another US and the 3rd will be all together.


7 is my favourite number so I first thought I will keep this open for 7 days but I think I will leave it open until March 7th at 7pm Atlantic Time.


The winners will get to choose which book they will like to receive, so all may choose the same book as I am using Book Depository to mail them directly to you. There will be 3 winners that will receive 1 book.


Again, thank you for being a follower of Tea Time with Marce and if you know you are a frequent commenter huge THANKS.





Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Teaser Tuesday - Heartsick by Chelsea Cain

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

http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com


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!



My teaser is from Heartsick by Chelsea Cain, you can see cover on my sidebar.


Teaser from 30% - Reading on Kindle


There is nothing in her face. No anger. No pleasure. No pity. Nothing.

"Whatever you think this is going to be like," she whispers. "It's going to be worse."


Summary


Det. Archie Sheridan led the Beauty Killer Task Force for ten years, before the Beauty Killer (Gretchen Lowell) caught him, torDet. Archie Sheridan led the Beauty Killer Task Force for ten years, before the Beauty Killer (Gretchen Lowell) caught him, tortured him for ten days and then mysteriously let him go and turned herself in. Now it’s two years later and Archie, addicted to pain pills and still obsessed with Gretchen, is called off medical leave to hunt a second serial killer. Pink-haired girl journalist Susan Ward is assigned to profile Archie. She knows he’s hiding something. But what?tured him for ten days and then mysteriously let him go and turned herself in. Now it’s two years later and Archie, addicted to pain pills and still obsessed with Gretchen, is called off medical leave to hunt a second serial killer. Pink-haired girl journalist Susan Ward is assigned to profile Archie. She knows he’s hiding something. But what?



Thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Monday, February 15, 2010

International Giveaway - Steph Su Reads Blogoversary


In just 1 year Steph has over 800 followers, how amazing is that. CONGRATULATIONS STEPH

You have to go over and see her giveaway and if you haven't seen her blog i'm sure you will enjoy browsing around and becoming a follower.

She also won a Best Newcomer award from People's Choice.

Go here for a chance to win fabulous prizes.

http://stephsureads.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-blogoversary-giveaway.html

Ends Feb 28th, don't wait go over now ;-)

Sunday, February 14, 2010

It's Monday - What are you reading?




Last week J Kaye passed the torch of this meme to Sheila over on
Go over and network, Sheila also has an incentive to have fun with networking and adding to your TBR list. :-)









I am currently reading.

Heartsick by Chelsea Cain, this is for the Thriller & Suspense Challenge.

















Last week I finished The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge, my review is here.

http://teawithmarce.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-quickie-by-james-patterson.html

















For those new to my blog, I am a mood reader so it is hard to say what I will read next, but here is what I think I may attempt.

  1. Fade by Lisa McCann, 2nd in Trilogy series
  2. Manufactured Identity by Heath Sommer

Thanks for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Review - The Quickie by James Patterson


I do not think I have ever read a book with so many jaw dropping twists. This suspense story was superb.


I wasn't able to give a Teaser from it and now I don't even know what to write as a Review without spoiling it for you.


Honestly how is it possible to have that many twists and surprises. This is not a wait to the end to find out what happens, this is a race to put all the puzzle pieces together to see the end result of brilliance. Lots of action, suspense, romance and LIES.


In the beginning I did roll my eyes a little because I was just like how unethical, that won't happen but it was good and kept me interested and once the first surprise happened I was hooked.


James Patterson along with Michael Ledwidge gave us a Brilliant Suspense story, go out and buy this one now.


I give it 4 1/2 stars


Book Summary


With the perfect marriage and a great job, Lauren Stillman loves her wonderful life . . . until she sees her husband with another woman. Devastated and lusting for revenge, Lauren has her own affair. It's supposed to be a quickie, but Lauren's night of passion takes a shocking turn when she witnesses an unbelievable and deadly crime. Now her horrifying secret threatens to tear her life apart, pitting her need to uncover the truth against her fear that the truth may be too horrible to bear. And whichever choice she makes may cost her dearly-her job, her marriage . . . or even her life.


Thank you Kari - The Kari AnnAlysis, for the recommendation. This is her review.


http://kariannalysis.com/2009/09/annalysis-the-quickie/


My very first giveaway I asked bloggers to comment, at that time, with their favourite 2009 book so far and Kari was the winner when I chose The Quickie.
Thank you for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Monday, February 8, 2010

Teaser Tuesday - Wake by Lisa McCann

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

http://shouldbereading.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/teaser-tuesday-feb-9/


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!

Wake by Lisa McCann

On Kindle at 64%

Teaser - Janie smiles in her sleep. She watches over heerself in the dream, and plunges back into it, taking it in different directions, starting over at various spots to make it fun, or sexy, or beautiful, or silly.

This is my review. I'm going to read Fade the 2nd in the series next.

http://teawithmarce.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-wake-by-lisa-mcmann-on-kindle.html

Note - I'm reading The Quickie by James Patterson but I can't choose something interesting without it being a little spoiler and I don't want to randomly choose ahead because I don't want to spoil something for myself. - So far a great read.

Thank you for visiting Tea Time with Marce

Friday, February 5, 2010

Review - Wake by Lisa McMann on Kindle


Summary

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....



My Review


I was pleasantly surprised and can say I loved this book. Can you imagine having a secret like being a dream catcher, WOW. Even though I loved the idea of that power, talk about great entertainment but poor Janie does not understand what is going on and also passes out from the dreams and or nightmares. I hope she embraces her power in the following books, we will see.
Janie feels like a freak so she keeps it a secret.

Can you imagine seeing dreams that your best friend, mom, boyfriend, and even school teachers are having. OMG

I will not go into further but if you are intrigued you should totally pick this one up. This was the first time for me to read something and immediately want to read the next. This series, Wake, Fade and Gone will definitely get read this year for me. Loved it!
The only reason why I am not giving it 5 stars is because I would have liked more details of the dreams.

4 ½ stars


Here are the covers of the whole series. Gone comes out February 9th.






















Thank you for visiting Tea Time with Marce










Thursday, February 4, 2010

Booking Through Thursday - Cold, Winter, Curl Up Reading

BTT question - The northern hemisphere, at least, is socked in by winter right now… So, on a cold, wintry day, when you want nothing more than to curl up with a good book on the couch … what kind of reading do you want to do?

http://btt2.wordpress.com/2010/02/04/winter-reading/


I am in Bermuda and it is FREEZING to me, lol, it is 61 degrees today so we are not snowed over or anywhere close to what many of you are experiencing but for us this is a cold and breezy day.

I am very much a mood reader, I can change my mind from 1 - 5 different books when considering what is next. It doesn't matter to me about the weather, so Winter reads, Beach books etc doesn't do it for me, it is what my mind needs.

I love a good suspense story but my interest changes all the time, good variety I think I have. It could be romance, thriller, memoir, YA but suspense/mystery is my favourite.

So when I am curling up with a good book and have the heater on a large cup of Earl Grey Tea and sometimes hot chocolate will always be there for the reading experience.

So how about you?

Please leave a comment and go to the link above to enjoy networking with other bloggers.

Thank you for visiting Tea Time with Marce