Fiction | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover

August 28, 2016

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Lily grew up in an abusive home; she wasn’t abused, but her father beat her mother on a regular basis and Lily grew to hate him for it. Her escape was watching the Ellen Degeneres show each afternoon, and her way of venting was her journal, but instead of “dear diary” she wrote her journal entries as letters to Ellen instead. She never sent them, of course, but she kept all her journals and considered Ellen a friend, one that basically saved her sanity.

Atlas is homeless teen and he moves into the abandoned house behind Lily’s, and she befriends him. Eventually they fall in love, but Atlas had an uncle who was willing to take him in, so he left the small town in Maine for Boston, and then joined the Marines.

Lily moves to Boston too, starting her own floral business. Her first employee is Allysa, who wanders in and not only becomes Lily’s right hand but also her best friend. It’s only kismet that the most attractive man Lily ever met ends up being Allysa’s brother Ryle. And then Lily runs into Atlas, stirring up those old feelings, but she’s determined to make things work with Ryle.

This is a story about friendship and relationships and abuse and love. Growing up in an abusive home, Lily – like many people – judged her mother for not leaving. But as an adult, when she finds herself in a similar situation, she learns how difficult it is to leave, and why so many women stay.

This was a one night read for me, I couldn’t put it down. These characters were so well drawn that they really brought this story to life. Abuse isn’t always a black and white situation, and Hoover illustrates that beautifully.

The amount of abuse that goes on in this country is absolutely horrifying, and this book may be powerful enough to get even one person to leave, or at least to understand what may be going on in their family or with friends, and that would be a wonderful thing. Either way, the level of compassion and empathy expressed for both the abuser and the victim is refreshing, educational and inspirational.

It Ends with Us is an important and compelling read, and sure to make my best books of the year list. Don’t miss it.

8/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

IT ENDS WITH US by Colleen Hoover. Atria Books (August 2, 2016). ISBN 978-1501110368. 384p.

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3 Comments | Book Reviews, Fiction, Women's Fiction | Permalink
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PRESSURE by Brian Keene

August 26, 2016

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The underwater waterfalls of Mauritius – an effect caused by sand runoff into a deeper underwater rift – have always been a fascination. But when the falls begin to grow rapidly and local marine wildlife begins dying off in droves, environmental activists worldwide become concerned. Carrie Anderson, a well-known free diver and marine biologist, is part of a team investigating the incident. Their hope is to understand exactly what’s causing the massive growth of the falls and determine the ramifications if that growth continues.

When a routine dive results in the death of her diving partner, Carrie is the first to admit that she herself was lucky to have survived. But giving voice to exactly what went wrong is more difficult than it might seem. See, Carrie witnessed and experienced something she can’t quite explain. Something that defies everything she’s ever experienced in her dives before. Something so potentially terrifying that it could mean devastating results for everyone.

But she’ll need proof if she’s to have any hope of getting people to listen.

Unknown terrors from the deepest depths of the ocean… Brian Keene’s latest seemed like it would be the perfect summer horror read. Unfortunately, Pressure doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

The story and characters are quite thin. There’s no science, no development of the plot, and no atmosphere. Nautical-based horror should have tons of atmosphere, in my opinion. And as someone with major fears of open water, I’m pretty easy to satisfy in that regard. As for the characters, most of them get a few lines of backstory and that’s about it. No fleshing out, no emotion, and nothing to connect the reader to them and make us care about what happens.

There is, in spite of all of that, a certain amount of simple fun to Pressure. If you’re willing to forgo rich detail and simply appreciate the fact that it’s short and doesn’t require a whole lot of attention or thought. And that’s fine sometimes. I simply hoped for – and expected – something more from Keene.

8/16 Becky LeJeune

PRESSURE by Brian Keene. Thomas Dunne Books (June 21, 2016). ISBN: 978-1250071347. 288p.

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THE ONE MAN by Andrew Gross

August 24, 2016

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Andrew Gross has written probably the most moving novel that I have read.

To say that it is an emotional roller coaster is the truth, but does not do it the justice it deserves. The book involves a lengthy look at the real horrors of a Nazi concentration camp and the daily struggle of the people trapped there just to somehow survive.

I am a fan of Mr. Gross, and in my opinion this novel is far and away the best work among many good works that he has given us.

In 1944, Alfred Mendl is taken away from his family in Poland, and along with many others is sent to a men’s concentration camp. His notes and papers on his work are taken from him and destroyed. The Nazis have no idea that they confiscated work that only one other person in the world has, and which when combined with work done by other scientists could start a war – or win one.

Nathan Blum, a Polish Jew who has successfully escaped from Poland but was forced to leave his family behind to be slaughtered, has certain requisite qualities that make him the ideal man for a scheme to rescue Mendl from the camp. He is Semitic in appearance, speaks both Polish and German. He is assigned to desk work for the U.S. army in Washington but desperately wants to do something more important for the war effort. The plan to rescue Mendl involves actually breaking into the camp he is at, and bringing him out to be sent to the United States to work with the scientists currently at work attempting to build a nuclear weapon. To be successful there must be an almost impossible combination of events that occur.

There is not one single way to put down the book without finishing it, and the reader arrives at a surprising end literally drained of emotion. Vivid descriptions of the horrors prevalent in the camp cannot fail to stir any reader who has only experienced the Holocaust through reading history. Andrew Gross brings us there and creates an ambience that will stay for quite a while.

8/16 Paul Lane

THE ONE MAN by Andrew Gross. Minotaur Books (August 23, 2016). ISBN 978-1250079503. 432p.

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FIRST STAR I SEE TONIGHT by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

August 23, 2016

A Chicago Stars Novel

First I ramble…

Many years ago I learned a speed reading technique of sorts. It’s not for reading books, but rather looking at books. As a librarian, we get in tons of new books every day and there is no way to read them all. But this technique, that started out as How to Read a Book in Five Minutes then progressed to Ten Minutes, is very helpful at getting a good feel for a book.

I decided to test it out and asked a co-worker, Barbara, to pick out five romances that she was very familiar with, since I hadn’t read a romance in probably twenty years. I locked myself in a room and spent about an hour using this technique and looking at these books. Then I sat down with Barbara and told her about each of the books. We were both astounded at how much I got out of these ten minute reads.

Spring forward a few years and I’m in library school, where my professor assigns us to read a book out of our comfort zone. I chose a romance, again because back then I wasn’t reading any. The book I selected was NATURAL BORN CHARMER, the winner of the American Library Association Genre Fiction Award as the Outstanding Romance of 2007. As I was reading it, I kept thinking it seemed so familiar yet I knew I had never read it. The further I went, the more it kept gnawing at me until I finally realized that one of those ten minute reads was by this same author.

I loved that book and by now I think I’ve read all her books, so I’m always excited when she has a new one. The Chicago Stars series is like most romance series, it is completely unnecessary to read them in any kind of order, they all stand alone beautifully. The series centers around the fictional Chicago Stars football team and each book is about one of the team. Phillips writes smart, sexy books that have a lot of humor, and I would say she is my favorite contemporary romance writer.

First Star I See Tonight is another excellent addition to the series and it has one of the prettiest covers Phillips has ever had.

Cooper Graham was the star quarterback for the Stars, and for some reason, a woman is following him. Piper Dove is that woman and she is determined to live up to her father’s legacy and become a top notch private detective. Except Graham spots her, so she improvises, telling him she’s actually his stalker, albeit a harmless one. And that my friends, is the “meet cute.”

Graham is newly retired from football, and has opened up an exclusive, swanky night club. He eventually hires Piper, ostensibly to help out with security – but she quickly becomes his bodyguard, not that he thinks he needs one. They are a great couple, but face a lot of bumps along the way. But this is a romance and a happy ending is required, and Phillips does not disappoint. Another winner in the Chicago Stars series, and a terrific read. I loved it.

8/16 Stacy Alesi AKA the BookBitch™

FIRST STAR I SEE TONIGHT by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. William Morrow (August 23, 2016). ISBN 978-0062405616. 384p.

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance | Permalink
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CURIOUS MINDS by Janet Evanovich & Phoef Sutton

August 17, 2016

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Knight and Moon Series, Book 1

In the first entry of the Knight and Moon series, Evanovich and Sutton have teamed up again (Wicked Charms) to introduce the eponymous Emerson Knight and Riley Moon. Moon is a Harvard MBA with her first job as an analyst for Blane-Grunwald, a large, privately held bank, and Knight is their largest depositor; young, good looking and a bit of an eccentric.

When Knight demands to see his gold deposits, Moon is dispatched to placate him at his home, Mysterioso Manor, which boasts wild animals roaming freely and a classic car collection. The two of them fall into an adventure looking for the missing Grunwald partner that gets significantly more dangerous as they stumble onto an evil plot to steal the world’s gold.

The humor occasionally borders on silly, but the one liners fly as fast and furious as the pages do in this auspicious start to the new series. Evanovich fans will find this series closer in style to the Stephanie Plum series rather than the slightly more sophisticated Fox & O’Hare series.

8/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

CURIOUS MINDS by Janet Evanovich & Phoef Sutton. Bantam (August 16, 2016). ISBN 978-0553392685. 336p.

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2 Comments | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: Humor | Permalink
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RISE THE DARK by Michael Koryta

August 16, 2016

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Markus Novak Novels, Book 2

Markus Novak lost his wife when Garland Webb killed her and left her body in a ditch in Casadaga, Florida, home to a large psychic and spiritual community. Webb was never caught and Novak is on the hunt, his only clue is his wife’s last entry in her journal, the mysterious phrase, “rise the dark.”

Across the country in Montana, a high voltage linesman is accidentally killed while his best friend, Jay, is just a few feet away. Jay and his best friend’s sister, Sabrina, move away, ostensibly to keep Jay safe and on the ground. When the power goes out, he goes to work but Sabrina is kidnapped while Jay is instructed to take down some heavy duty power lines.

Meanwhile a beautiful young woman is traveling the country on her way to Montana, leaving a trail of dead bodies behind. These disparate stories eventually come together in a frightening story about the holes in the U.S. infrastructure and security, and a villain who seems too smart to be stopped. Novak’s dysfunctional family comes to the forefront in this excellent second book in the Markus Novak series.

8/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

RISE THE DARK by Michael Koryta. Little, Brown and Company (August 16, 2016). ISBN 978-0316293839. 400p.

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THE GIRL BEFORE by Rena Olsen

August 9, 2016

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Clara is home brushing her daughter’s hair when a group of armed men swarms the house, arresting her and her husband Glen, and taking all her daughters away. This disturbing scene is set at the opening of the novel, and the story moves back and forth in time in alternating chapters titled “Then” and “Now” until we piece together the horror that unravels Clara’s life.

The last thing Glen says to her is, “say nothing,” and as always, Clara is obedient to her husband. She learns that he is in jail, but she is in a psychiatric hospital under the watchful eye of a couple of federal agents and a therapist, and they force her into group therapy with other young women. Clara doesn’t understand why she is in this group; she feels her story is nothing like theirs.

But as the mystery of her life unfurls, Clara’s point of view starts to change. This is superb psychological suspense; Clara starts to question everything she thought she knew about her family and her life and slowly starts to emerge from her cocoon-like existence.

The Girl Before is a compelling, albeit difficult read, but is almost impossible to put down, much like Room by Emma Donoghue.

8/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE GIRL BEFORE by Rena Olsen. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (August 9, 2016). ISBN 978-1101982358. 320p.

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THE COMMODORE by P.T. Deutermann

August 7, 2016

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Ex-Naval Captain Peter Deutermann spent his career as an officer with the United States Navy. Upon retirement he commenced an equally successful career as an author of adventure novels, including several based on events during wartime.

The Commodore is his latest book and is based upon the sea battles surrounding the invasion of Guadalcanal by the Marines. Harmon Wolf is a naval officer born on a Minnesota Indian reservation. He has never been thought of as an acceptable career officer since he does not fit into the traditional image of a by the book sailor.

The navy has been taking a pounding by the Japanese fleet and admiral “Bull” Halsey, a maverick in his own right, is looking for non-traditional answers to that problem.

Wolf is appointed commander of a destroyer and immediately demonstrates an ability to bring aggressive solutions to problems. He quickly earns promotion by Halsey as Commodore of an entire destroyer squadron. Applying original answers to questions about naval tactics gains a much sought after victory over a Japanese fleet bringing reinforcements to Guadalcanal.

As always, Deutermann’s descriptions of naval engagements, military tactics, weapons and armament are couched in easy to understand language for the reader. His gift for language keeps his audience glued to the book, and easily picturing the situations populating the novel. When Wolf is injured during the battles and cannot be safely sent to sea, a unique solution to continuing making use of him is set up.

Very well done indeed.

8/16 Paul Lane

THE COMMODORE by P.T. Deutermann. St. Martin’s Press (August 2, 2016). ISBN 978-1250078070. 304p.

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YOU WILL KNOW ME by Megan Abbott

August 4, 2016

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I’m a long time Megan Abbott fan so I was just thrilled to see all the buzz this new book is getting. There have been great articles in The Atlantic, The Independent and The Guardian, and a great interview (and excerpt) in Entertainment Weekly.

In an ever so Olympic timely way, this domestic thriller is set in the world of competitive gymnastics – but not in the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan kind of way. In this story, the victim isn’t a gymnast at all, and is murdered.

Devon is a gymnastics prodigy, despite her deformed foot, the result of a childhood accident. The whole town vacillates between rooting for her and hating her for her immense talent. Her family is super supportive, to the point of pretty much ignoring her younger brother and going into serious debt to pay for all her coaching. Second mortgages are de rigeur in this world.

Devon is close with both her parents, who have been attending her meets and practices for as long as she can remember. But they are having some problems, there seems to be a distance between them. And once the murder happens, things really start to go awry.

Abbott has a deft hand with character development and building suspense, making this a really fast, really tense read. A great book to take on your last summer weekend to the beach.

AUTHOR BIO:

Megan Abbott is the Edgar®-winning author of the novels Queenpin, The Song Is You, Die a Little, Bury Me Deep, The End of Everything, Dare Me, and The Fever, which was chosen as one of the Best Books of the Summer by the New York Times, People Magazine and Entertainment Weekly and one of the Best Books of the Year by Amazon, National Public Radio, the Boston Globe and the Los Angeles Times.

Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Salon, the Guardian, Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times Magazine, The Believer and the Los Angeles Review of Books.

Born in the Detroit area, she graduated from the University of Michigan and received her Ph.D. in English and American literature from New York University. She has taught at NYU, the State University of New York and the New School University. In 2013-14, she served as the John Grisham Writer in Residence at Ole Miss.

She is also the author of a nonfiction book, The Street Was Mine: White Masculinity in Hardboiled Fiction and Film Noir, and the editor of A Hell of a Woman, an anthology of female crime fiction. She has been nominated for many awards, including three Edgar® Awards, Hammett Prize, the Shirley Jackson Prize, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Folio Prize.

To win YOU WILL KNOW ME by Megan Abbott, please send an email to contest@gmail.com with “YOU WILL KNOW ME” as the subject. You must include your U.S. street address in your email.

All entries must be received by Aug. 20, 2016. One (1) name will be drawn from all qualified entries and notified via email. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age in the United States only. Your prize will be sent by Tandem Literary.

One entry per email address. Subscribers to the monthly newsletter earn an extra entry into every contest. Follow this blog to earn another entry into every contest. Winners may win only one time per year (365 days) for contests with prizes of more than one book. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone.

YOU WILL KNOW ME by Megan Abbott. Little, Brown and Company (July 26, 2016). ISBN: 978-0316231077. 352p.

2 Comments | Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: Thriller | Permalink
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PARADIME by Alan Glynn

August 3, 2016

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Danny Lynch is floundering since his return from Afghanistan, where he worked for a private company feeding the troops. He gets fired after witnessing a deadly riot.

Afraid to say anything, he meets with one of the corporate big shots who assures him all is well as long as he keeps his mouth shut, and offers to help Danny find a job. He is grateful for the job as a prep cook in a fancy midtown Manhattan restaurant; he is settling in, his girlfriend is happy he found a job and things seem to be looking up.

While looking out the kitchen window into the restaurant one afternoon, he sees a man who looks familiar. Very familiar. In fact, it is like looking in the mirror. Teddy Trager is the mega-successful founder of Paradime Capital, and Danny becomes obsessed with his doppelganger.

Eventually they meet with devastating results, and then things really start spiraling out of control. Suspend your disbelief and go along for a really fun, really fast rollercoaster ride with Danny.

Glynn wrote The Dark Fields, which was adapted into the movie and television series “Limitless.”

8/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

PARADIME by Alan Glynn. Picador (August 2, 2016). ISBN 978-1250061829. 272p.

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