TALK by Michael Smerconish

June 26, 2014

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Narrated by James Edward Thomas

I must admit to having a bit of a crush on Smerconish, so when I heard he wrote a novel I wanted it. I might have been happier had he read it, or not – usually authors are terrible readers, but despite the narrator (who did an excellent job,) I still had Smerconish’s voice in my head.

I thought the name was pronounced “Smer CONE ish,” like my name should be pronounced “A LEE see” (but rarely is) but turns out it’s “Smer KAHN ish.” I like learning stuff, and this was only the beginning.

If you are not familiar with Smerconish, he is a long time talk radio host based out of Philadelphia airing on Syrius XM’S Potus channel and more recently, host of his own TV show on CNN. I found him during his four years of guest hosting for Chris Matthews on MSNBC, but he’s not a left leaning liberal. He’s much more middle of the road, so CNN seems like a good fit.

Talk centers around a right wing talk radio host, Stan Powers, based out of Tampa but with an eye on the national stage. While Stan doesn’t necessarily espouse all the drivel he spiels, he likes his paycheck and is willing to do what it takes to get on top of the ultra competitive media pile.

Set slightly in the future, the liberal president (after Obama) has decided not to run for re-election, causing both parties to move into high gear for the primaries. The frontrunning Democrat is the governor of Florida, so Stan is in a good place for national attention.

The machinations of talk radio, political TV, and the politicians themselves was just fascinating. Stan is a great character, flawed but very likeable, and he’s surrounded by a cast of interesting people from his agent to his mentor to the first lady of Florida, with whom he had a brief college fling. The characters all ring true, which may be unfortunate, but nonetheless help make the story all the more compelling.

This is the first “adult” audiobook that I’ve listened to that held my attention throughout. Smerconish is a smart cookie, writing about what he knows, and anyone who listens to talk radio or watches FOX or MSNBC will be hooked on Talk – I was.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

TALK by Michael Smerconish. Audible Audio Edition. Audible Studios (May 6, 2014). ASIN B00JRABMY2. Listening Length: 8 hours and 31 minutes.

Hardcover: Cider Mill Press (May 6, 2014). ISBN 978-1604334906. 272p.

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THE MARRYING OF CHANI KAUFMAN by Eve Harris

June 25, 2014

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I found this book on the long list for the Mann Booker prize in 2013 and it was published here in the U.S. by Grove Press in April.

I always find books about the Orthodox Jewish community fascinating, it’s a whole different culture from anything I’ve personally experienced. This story is set in London, which adds another layer to the story.

Chani Kaufman is getting married. She’s 19, she’s had three dates with Baruch, who is looking for a wife before he goes off to Jerusalem to rabbinical school. Baruch comes from a very wealthy family, but Chani does not. Her father is a good man, a rabbi himself, but of a small congregation.

Baruch’s mother is none too pleased with her son’s choice. She wants him to find a rich girl to subsidize his studies, and to keep things on an even playing field. But Baruch sticks to his guns and Chani thwarts her future mother-in-law’s plans to end the relationship.

The book is about these families, and also about the Rebbetzin that Chani is studying with. She is a deeply unhappy character, and the book moves between these various characters and  their families, as well as moving back and forth in time, but it is always interesting and easy to follow. Definitely for fans of Naomi Ragen’s books or The Innocents by Francesca Segal.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE MARRYING OF CHANI KAUFMAN by Eve Harris. Grove Press, Black Cat (April 1, 2014). ISBN 978-0802122735. 384p.

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TOP SECRET TWENTY-ONE by Janet Evanovich

June 24, 2014

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There is something comforting about the Stephanie Plum series. For the most part, the books come like clockwork every June. The characters were developed long ago (21 books ago, in fact) and don’t age or grow or change. Some people don’t like that in their characters and books, but I love these characters – I’m invested in them. I don’t want them to change and apparently neither do millions of readers, and Evanovich respects that.

All the usual suspects are here; Stephanie Plum, the world’s most inept bond enforcement officer, along with her sidekick, the former “ho” Lula, are after Jimmy Poletti, one of Trenton’s wealthier car dealers. Turns out Jimmy was dealing more than cars, and when he jumps bail, Stephanie and Lula are on the case.

Jimmy’s poker buddies are dying quickly and violently, and his former accountant, the nasty little person, Randy Briggs, is the object of several bombing attempts. Briggs convinces Stephanie to house him, and she figures he’ll be the bait to bring Poletti out of hiding. Another skip is a homeless man with 10 chihuahas, and Stephanie & Briggs end up babysitting the dogs.

Meanwhile, Rangeman has been the subject of a chemical attack, forcing Ranger and his men into a safehouse. A Russian hit man is after Ranger, and Stephanie gets caught up in the trouble as well, landing in an Atlantic City casino. Grandma Mazur is working her way through her bucket list, she and Lula show up, and Morelli suffers through all the insanity with his usual charm.

This was a quick afternoon read for me, and as a bonus there’s a short story at the end featuring Kate O’Hara and Nick Fox, the protagonists of Evanovich’s other series (written with Lee Goldberg.) If you haven’t read those, this is a nice introduction to the new series (2 books so far,) which I like a lot.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

TOP SECRET TWENTY-ONE by Janet Evanovich. Bantam (June 17, 2014). ISBN 978-0345542922. 352p.

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RECKLESS DISREGARD by Robert Rotstein

June 23, 2014

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In this follow up to last year’s Corrupt Practices former child star turned attorney Parker Stern is still facing the same crippling stage fright that has him avoiding the courtroom. But when a famous video game designer reaches out to hire him, Parker finds it impossible to say no.

Poniard is the anonymous entity behind Abduction!, a game that proposes to make the player the investigator in the unsolved disappearance of actress Felicity McGrath. In the game, Poniard accuses well-known Hollywood personality William Bishop (aka William the Conqueror) of killing McGrath and now faces a libel suit in return. When Parker finds out that his ex is prosecuting, he agrees to take on the defense even when his fears about appearing in the courtroom start to seem minimal compared to the danger he faces in taking on William Bishop.

The tangled web of Hollywood happenings, cults, and courtroom drama makes Rotstein’s series a standout in thrillers (legal or otherwise).

Parker Stern is intriguing in that he has a tendency to attract danger in spite of everything. Here he is actively avoiding trial by working for a group that aims to settle disputes before getting as far as a courtroom, when he’s dragged not only into a courtroom battle but one that pits him against a man who is by all accounts completely ruthless. And why does he agree? First because of a woman and second because his new client threatens to expose a secret Parker has been trying to hide most of his life: that he is the once famous child star Parky Gerald.

Parker’s “Parky” persona is a big part of the plot of Corrupt Practices and I would definitely suggest reading that one before diving into its sequel. Both books are well worth it as Rotstein has a knack for clever storylines and engaging character development. I should note, though, that the Parker Stern series is so far a fairly dark one. There are elements in both novels that likely will not appeal to fans of cozier tales.

6/14 Becky Lejeune

RECKLESS DISREGARD by Robert Rotstein.  Seventh Street Books (June 3, 2014). ISBN 978-1616148812. 352p.

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ROBERT B. PARKER’S CHEAP SHOT by Ace Atkins

June 21, 2014

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Spenser series, Book 42

Say, haven’t I read this before on ESPN?

Kinjo Heywood was a college all-American at Auburn and is now a ferocious Pro Bowl middle linebacker for the New England Patriots. Unfortunately, he has a penchant for off-the field violence as well.

When he thinks he’s being followed, his agent hires Boston private investigator Spenser to find and discourage the followers. But Spenser’s simple bodyguard duty turns serious when Kinjo’s 10-year-old son is kidnapped.

Perhaps it was masterminded by the boy’s mother, Kinjo’s ex-wife. Nope. She has an alibi and is every bit as invested in the boy’s return as Kinjo. How about the current trophy wife? Nope again; Spenser eliminates her fairly quickly. Perhaps the kidnapping goes back to Kinjo’s possible involvement in a shooting death at a New York dance club.

The three superheroes – Spenser, longtime running buddy Hawk, and Spenser’s protégé Z – employ their usual investigative techniques of intimidation and smart-ass repartee to solve the case. Spenser is as tough and funny as ever, and Atkins has become a worthy successor to Parker.

6/14 Jack Quick

ROBERT B. PARKER’S CHEAP SHOT by Ace Atkins. Putnam Adult; First Edition edition (May 6, 2014).  ISBN 978-0399161582. 320p.

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THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley

June 20, 2014

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Eve’s son Tyler suffers from a rare genetic disorder called xeroderma pigmentosum: exposure to uv light of any kind can be lethal. For fourteen years, Tyler’s disorder has ruled every facet of the family’s life. For Eve, it means almost total devotion to the protection of her son – at the expense of everything else. Her husband commutes to another state for work because Eve is too afraid of the risk in moving her son, her daughter’s behavior is a direct reflection of her feeling left out, and Tyler longs for nothing more than a normal life.

Eve is always so careful. Always in control. All it takes, though, is one minute. Just one minute when she lets her guard down. One minute when she isn’t completely on point. And in that one minute, everything changes. Now Eve is carrying a secret so big it could tear her family apart. As always her only desire is to protect Tyler but as time goes by her secret becomes harder and harder to conceal.

The Deepest Secret wrecked me! Eve’s desire to keep her son safe is so overwhelming that even in the midst of a truly awful decision it’s impossible not to sympathize with her. As the story progresses, the tension builds to a breaking point for both Eve and the reader as the certainty (and dread) of what’s to come for her and her family draws nearer.

While Buckley’s latest is certainly not a thriller, it does read like one. It’s tense enough to appeal to fans of Harlan Coben’s work but issue-y enough to appeal to Jodi Piccoult fans and book clubs looking for a great discussion book.

6/14 Becky LeJeune

THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley. Bantam; First Edition edition (February 4, 2014). ISBN 978-0345535245. 448p.

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ELEANOR & PARK by Rainbow Rowell

June 19, 2014

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Narrated by Rebecca Lowman & Sunil Malhotra

This was the first audiobook I’ve listened to in a while that completely captured my attention to the point where I kept the car idling so I could keep listening (on more than one occasion.)

I met Rainbow Rowell of the fabulous alliterative name at the audiobook dinner at the Public Library Association meeting in Indianapolis this past March. She claimed nervousness, yet was gregarious and charming. I just adored her.

After hearing her speak (she was a last minute replacement for an ailing Walter Mosely) I was completely entranced. She talked about how she never wanted to listen to her books on audio because she already had the voices in her head. But she was asked for input on the readers for this book, so she succumbed and listened. She said these readers brought another dimension to the book that she wasn’t expecting. I was intrigued and decided to give it a listen. I’m very glad I did.

Set in 1986, Eleanor (read by Lowman) is poor, so poor she doesn’t even own a toothbrush. Her mother is married to an abusive second husband who had thrown Eleanor out of the house for over a year. She lived with friends of her mother’s, and her father was just out of the picture. She has returned to live with her mother and younger siblings when the book opens. She meets Park (read by Malhotra) on the bus when he is the only one to let her sit down. Eventually they form an uneasy alliance, which turns to friendship, and eventually to love.

Eleanor’s family life is difficult at best, and Park’s more normal family seems almost like a fairy tale to Eleanor. Her troubles grow as she is picked on in school, and on the bus, and eventually all her troubles come to a head with her stepfather. Some of this was pretty disturbing, and it is a credit to the author and the readers that I felt so drawn to these characters and their story.

Although classified as Young Adult, the themes of love, dysfunctional families and more are universal and I never found myself thinking that this book was not written for adults. The story is completely engrossing, the characters full developed, and the setting and time period were interesting and believable. I loved it.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ELEANOR & PARK by Rainbow Rowell. Listening Library (Audio); Unabridged edition (February 26, 2013). ISBN 978-0385368261. Listening Length: 8 hours and 56 minutes.

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A BETTER WORLD by Marcus Sakey

June 18, 2014

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The Brilliance Saga, Book Two

A continuation of Sakey’s novel “Brilliance,” in which we learned that beginning about 1980 approximately 1% of the population was born with gifts formerly only dreamed of. Some were very high level geniuses, some could sense the inner most thoughts of people they came in contact with, move around virtually unseen or make fortunes predicting the movements of the stock market. There arose a divide between the “Brilliants” as they were termed and the remainder of the population
deepening over the 30 years that followed.

Present day and the opening of this book finds a terrorist organization composed of Brilliants launching attacks against the normal population, crippling three cities by preventing communications, deliveries of goods to stores, no answers to 911 calls for help and fanatics among the group actually burning people alive.

Nick Cooper, introduced in “Brilliance” is a Brilliant, working for the U.S. government, opposed to the people launching war against the normals, volunteers to help the president combat the revolutionaries. He works against them as the country moves inexorably towards civil war with the revolutionaries determined to change the status quo even if it means destruction and devastation of the nation.

The ending abruptly sets up a third book in the series and like book one leaves the reader either awaiting the next book or uninterested in continuing. Sakey is a master writer and the middle part of A Better World is well executed, but leaving the reader trying to put pieces together. Well written, but spoiled by abrupt beginning and ending which brings the expectation that the whole would be better if written as one long novel.

Note: According to the publicist, Legendary Pictures is scheduled to start production on the film version of Brilliance later this year.

6/14 Paul Lane

A BETTER WORLD by Marcus Sakey. Thomas & Mercer (June 17, 2014).  ISBN 978-1477823941. 390p.

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THE GLASS KITCHEN by Linda Francis Lee

June 17, 2014

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Read through to the end to find out how you can win your own copy of THE GLASS KITCHEN or a Kitchen Aid mixer!

Portia was the perfect Texas politician’s wife – until he had an affair with her best friend and dumped her. She takes off for New York City, to an apartment she inherited from her aunt. Her sisters inherited the other two apartments in the house, but sold theirs to Gabriel, who seems shocked to find her living downstairs in the garden apartment.

Portia and her sisters grew up in Texas and after losing their parents, all three sisters lived with their grandmother who owned a restaurant called the Glass Kitchen. Portia inherited something special from her grandmother, a gift the family calls ‘the knowing.’

Portia finds herself cooking certain foods, with only the vaguest sense of why, but invariably someone shows up who needs whatever she has prepared, like the dozens of cupcakes made before knowing there was a school bake sale. But after her grandmother dies, and her husband tells her she’s crazy, she fights those impulses as best as she can. Portia just stops cooking. But living on her own in NYC has brought those feelings back, and Porita just stops fighting her gift.

There is a strong attraction between her upstairs neighbor Gabriel and Portia, and they start a secret affair, with him climbing down the fire escape into her bed at night. Gabriel has two children, the precocious 12-year-old Ariel and a rebellious teenager, Miranda. Their mother died the previous year in a tragic car accident, and Gabriel moved them to the city in hopes that would help with their healing. Portia and Ariel form a unique bond, especially after Gabriel hires her to cook for the girls, but Miranda is a much harder nut to crack.

When Portia’s sisters land in financial trouble, they decide the answer to all their problems is to open a Glass Kitchen in New York City. Gabriel is dead set against it, citing harrowing statistics about restaurant failures in the city but the women plunge ahead. Meanwhile Gabriel and Portia keep giving in to their attraction until Portia finds out he’s been lying to her, then she dumps him and hides out with a neighbor.

Romances never run smoothly, and Lee does a more than credible job here, even with the touches of magical realism sprinkled throughout the book. This is a charming, sweet and funny story with wonderful, warm characters you can’t help but care about. If you liked The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender, you should enjoy The Glass Kitchen as well – I actually liked it a lot more. Recipes are included, and the jalapeño mustard is on my list to try for sure.

If you are looking for a beach read with real heart, look no further.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE GLASS KITCHEN by Linda Francis Lee. St. Martin’s Press; First Edition edition (June 17, 2014). ISBN 978-0312382278. 384p.

The publisher is offering up a special contest

Enter to win a Kitchen Aid mixer! 

 

If you would like to win your own copy of THE GLASS KITCHEN:

Send an email to contest@gmail.com with “GLASS KITCHEN” as the subject. You must include your snail mail address in your email.

All entries must be received by July 4, 2014. Five (5) names 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 or Canada. 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.

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THE RED CHAMELEON by Erica Wright

June 15, 2014

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Private Investigator Kathleen Stone is a 25-year-old retired undercover cop with a talent for disguises. Investigating philanderers seems like safe work after living undercover with drug dealers, until one cheating husband ends up dead in an upscale bar.

Unfortunately, Stone is the most likely suspect, but former police academy partner turned detective Ellis Dekker would rather work with her than arrest her. After her apartment and her office are broken into and vandalized, she is asked to unofficially join the investigation.

There is some chemistry between Stone and Dekker, as well as between Stone and her former undercover lover. Her closest friends, a drag queen and a gifted wig maker, help with her disguises and add some humor to the mayhem.

Stone is an interesting, engaging character with a disturbing background that adds another layer to this debut novel. Wright is a little darker and not quite as over the top as Janet Evanovich, but aficionados of humorous mysteries like the Stephanie Plum series or the Lucky O’Toole series by Deborah Coonts will want to add this to their reading list.

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6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE RED CHAMELEON by Erica Wright. Pegasus (June 15, 2014). ISBN 978-1605985688. 320p.

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