Book Reviews | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

ASHES TO DUST by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir

March 12, 2015

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A Thora Gudmundsdottir Thriller

Thora is used to odd cases but her latest seems innocent enough at the start. Markús and his family were residents on Heimaey Island when the volcano erupted in 1973. Their house, along with many others, was buried under layers of ash and abandoned in the aftermath. Now, a group has begun excavating those houses and Markús has tried everything to stop his from being dug up.

Thora is unable to halt the excavation, but she is able to get Markús permission to be the first to enter the house’s basement. He swears, though, that he knew absolutely nothing about the three murdered men and the disembodied head that he found when he entered under Thora’s watchful eye. Now Thora’s job has gone from a simple intervention to a full-blown murder investigation. If she can’t prove that Markús not only had no part in what was hidden in his family’s basement but that he also had no previous knowledge of the apparent crime, he’ll go away for murder. And when the only witness who could prove Markús’s innocence is also found dead, Thora begins to worry that her task could be an impossible one.

This third in the Thora Gudmundsdóttir series begins with one of the most bizarre murders I’ve ever read. And it does set the tone for the rest of the book. Once again Sigurdardóttir weaves fascinating Icelandic history into the story – the eruption on Heimaey Island and the Cod War (yes, Cod War).

I do love the setting and Thora, but there are some little inconsistencies throughout the story that I generally have to err on the side of being possibly lost in translation. It was pretty maddening, though, when the characters kept returning to what seemed like very apparent clues without ever unraveling them. Regardless, I have to say I’m a solid fan of Sigurdardóttir and her work. Each book proves to be more weird and twisted than the one before.

3/15 Becky LeJeune

ASHES TO DUST by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir. Minotaur Books; Reprint edition (March 27, 2012). ISBN: 978-0312641740. 368p.

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WORLD GONE BY by Dennis Lehane

March 11, 2015

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Joe Coughlin Series (Book 2)

World Gone By is a continuation of Live By Night, which is perhaps the only flaw in a fascinating novel by Lehane. The book brings the characters created in the first book ten years into the future during the time of the Second World War, but without the information of the first novel there is a loss of continuity that the reader will miss.

Joe Coughlin, who had built an empire in Tampa, Florida for the Boston crime family he worked for, sees his work destroyed and his beloved wife killed in the first book, and is now the consigliere to the Bartolo crime family traveling back and forth for them between his home base in Tampa to Cuba. Joe works with and meets the mob families of Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano, connections with naval intelligence as well as the mob financed Cuban dictator Batista.

Lehane describes the rise of the mobs during World War Two, the murders, public official corruption and the intercine battles between the mob families. A gun battle on Ash Wednesday on the streets of Ybor City, Tampa is described in exacting detail bringing to life the violence and the complete disregard of law and order of the mobs.

The ending serves up a picture of ultimate payment by many of those that have lived a life without regard for the rights of others. It is another superb read served up by a master of his craft. Very well done.

3/15 Paul Lane

WORLD GONE BY by Dennis Lehane. William Morrow (March 10, 2015). ISBN: 978-0060004903. 320p.

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ASYLUM by Jeannette de Beauvoir

March 10, 2015

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There is a serial killer loose in Montréal, and the mayor asks Martine LeDuc, his director of PR, to act as liaison with the police department. Four women have been killed, their bodies left posed obscenely on park benches.

When the police charge a homeless man with the murders, Martine is afraid they are grasping at straws and the real killer is still out there. Luckily, renegade police detective Julian Fletcher is assigned the case, and they both go rogue.

Martine uncovers a link between the four women; all were involved with the Duplessis orphans, a decades old scandal. Orphanages found they could get more money from the government if the orphans were mentally ill, so the children were sent to asylums where many of them received lobotomies, electroshock treatments and hallucinogens and other drugs.

The story alternates between the present day investigation and one of the orphans telling their story, which really brings the tragedy intimately to life. Why the Duplessis orphans are involved after so many years is at the crux of this complex and heartbreaking mystery.

3/15 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ASYLUM by Jeannette de Beauvoir. Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (March 10, 2015). ISBN 978-1250045393. 320p.

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LIFE OR DEATH by Michael Robotham

March 8, 2015

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What would cause a man to escape from prison one day before he is to be released? A perplexing question seeing that if caught escaping he faces another 20-25 years behind bars.

Audie Palmer does just that. After 10 years in jail, subject to constant physical and mental harassment, and without telling anyone Audie escapes. He was imprisoned after being caught at a holdup of an armored car carrying seven million dollars in which four people were killed. He pleaded guilty to participation in the crime and a plea bargain sent him away for the 10 years. During the robbery he was shot in the head by police arriving at the scene but survived after months in the hospital.

Michael Robotham, in a mesmerizing novel, answers the questions posed and treats his readers to an excellent read. The seven million dollars stolen from the armored car never reappeared and Audie is suspected of knowing where it is. Moreover, the cash is old bills, unmarked and destined for destruction by the authorities as a normal activity to keep the money supply clean. This means that it is easily spendable and untraceable. The armored car company has a contract to collect these bills from several banks at set periods and transport them to the site where they will be burned.

Robotham fleshes out the characters involved in his book quite well. Audie is a complex individual with a very high I.Q. who thinks things out and does not act rashly. We meet the authorities chasing him and learn to understand their motives in what is happening. This is definitely a book to finish in one sitting in order to satisfy the interest in what is really happening. Easily a five star novel and one that, if the reader has not read a book by Michael Robotham yet, will make sure that his future writings are anticipated and obtained.

3/15 Paul Lane

LIFE OR DEATH by Michael Robotham. Mulholland Books (March 10, 2015). ISBN: 978-0316252058. 432p.

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CATCH A FALLING HEIRESS by Laura Lee Guhrke

March 5, 2015

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This is my second try at a Laura Lee Guhrke book and I liked this one a lot – more than How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days.

Linnet is a wealthy New Yorker in search of a husband. Her mother is convinced that she should marry an English peer, someone with a good title and there are plenty of impoverished Earls, Barons and so forth who could use a little American money. But Linnet isn’t interested in buying a husband; she wants to marry an American and stay in New York.

Nonetheless, her mother drags her off to London for the Season, where she collects several marriage proposals but turns them all down. After arriving back home, she meets Frederick, whom she had a serious crush on as a girl. To her surprise, he declares he’s madly in love with her and begs her to elope. She’s a bit hesitant but intrigued, and she agrees to a clandestine meeting. That meeting is interrupted by the Earl of Featherstone, who manages to ruin her reputation with one kiss. He immediately proposes, but Linnet is too angry to even answer. Linnet knows she needs to marry and fast, but she doesn’t want to be bartered in a business deal.

Finding true love is never easy, but it is a lot of fun in this clever, lighthearted romance.

3/15 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

CATCH A FALLING HEIRESS by Laura Lee Guhrke. Avon (January 27, 2015). ISBN 978-0062334657. 384p.

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance | Tagged: Historical | Permalink
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EAT CHOCOLATE, LOSE WEIGHT by Will Clower

March 3, 2015

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New Science Proves You Should Eat Chocolate Every Day

As part of my job at the library, every morning before we open I look for books that people have asked us to hold for them. One morning I pulled this Chocolate diet book. We had it in with all the older diet books; we have a section in the front of the library for the new and popular books, but with nonfiction, it is often a judgment call. We have limited space in the new book section, so invariably some of the new nonfiction just ends up in the older section.

When I picked up this book, I laughed to myself, wondering how old this book was. I immediately thought of the 1970s with all the fad diets like the Cabbage Diet, the Grapefruit Diet and the Hard Boiled Egg Diet. I assumed that this was one of those, a fad Chocolate diet. But as I thumbed through the book, I quickly learned that it had a copyright date of 2014 – how could this be? I put a reserve on the book and waited for another copy to come in, sending the one I pulled off to whoever had asked for it.

A few days later my book came in. I sat down with it and sped through it, unable to believe my eyes. In this day and age of science and nutrition, this was the wackiest diet I had seen in a long time. And claiming that science was backing it up just seemed ludicrous to me. I know that chocolate, in moderation, is considered to be a good food, but was this moderation? I wasn’t sure. I also wasn’t sure about the rest of the diet.

The author is a doctor – a PhD in neuroscience, according to his website. I only have a Masters degree in library science, so I am no expert in the field of nutrition. I don’t know how much nutrition is covered in a neuroscience doctorate program either. The website espouses a Mediterranean lifestyle, and there is a nutritionist attached to it as well. But this chocolate diet is not the Mediterranean diet by a long shot.

What really got me going was the “meal” plan, and I use the term loosely. Breakfast is strictly optional, and the section begins, “If you are not hungry, do not eat,” which basically is setting back nutritional science a decade or so. It is suggested that if you are a little hungry, have a handful of almonds or walnuts, or if you’re really hungry, have an egg. Yes, one egg.

Lunch and dinner are preceded by a “thumb size” piece of chocolate, and another is for after each meal unless you choose a dessert like chocolate covered strawberries. It is recommended that the dieter consume dark chocolate, but it is not a requirement. The amount of chocolate the dieter consumes does get greater – up to 10 servings a day – of the 85% or greater dark chocolate. It is suggested that “if you become full while you’re in the middle of eating your meal, never, ever finish your dinner.” Allowable drinks include wine, beer, coffee, tea, juice, carbonated water and milk. No diet drinks or diet sodas though.

Since I need to lose some weight, I decided to give it ago. I bought a Trader Joe’s 85% dark chocolate bar, drank wine, and ate nuts for breakfast. I stuck to it for 4 days and gained 2 pounds. ‘Nuff said?

3/15 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

EAT CHOCOLATE, LOSE WEIGHT by Will Clower. Rodale Books; 1 edition (February 4, 2014). ISBN 978-1623361273. 288p.

3 Comments | Book Reviews, Nonfiction | Tagged: Diet | Permalink
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THE VOICES by F. R. Tallis

February 26, 2015

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Christopher and his wife, Laura, have found the perfect new house for their soon to expand family. It’s an old Victorian in a nice neighborhood, a house that’s been empty long enough that even with Christopher’s planned renovations it still falls within their budget.

Soon after moving in, though, strange things begin to happen. First, the builders find a bunch of old stuff apparently connected to a medium who’d previously owned the home. Then the couple begins to hear noises: knocking on the walls and voices that Christopher decides will make a great subject for an experimental recording project. But as he becomes more and more obsessed with the voices, Laura becomes convinced the strange occurrences are having a negative effect on them all.

Much of The Voices is about the deterioration of Christopher and Laura’s relationship. The longer they live in the house in question, the more time Christopher spends in his studio devoting all of his energy to the voices. And Laura is correct in believing that the voices are bad.

The setting is a definite stand out. Tallis set his tale in the mid 70s, which adds another layer of friction between the couple – the changes in both of their chosen industries and societal changes as well.

Tallis, whose background is in psychology, no doubt intended this to be a subtler haunted house story. On the one hand I admire it and admit that it does make for a different approach; it’s a clever spin on the classic ghost story. On the other hand, I really wanted more of the thrills and chills and more of Maybury’s story.

2/15 Becky LeJeune

THE VOICES by F. R. Tallis. Pegasus (December 14, 2014). ISBN: 978-1605986562. 352p.

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Permalink
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ONE GOOD EARL DESERVES A LOVER by Sarah MacLean

February 24, 2015

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Rules of Scoundrels (Book 2)

First up, I must confess I didn’t read book one of this series. That said, after reading this one I probably will.

Our heroine drew me in right away, described as “brilliant, bespectacled daughter of a double marquess [who] cares more for books than balls.” I was hooked by reading the back cover.

Lady Phillipa, better known as Pippa, is engaged to be married to a very nice Earl, but a rather simple one who doesn’t seem too interested in her. Pippa is resigned to the fact that she will spend the rest of her life living with a man she likes but does not love, but who will allow her to keep her dogs and her scientific experiments.

When she’s two weeks away from the wedding, Pippa decides she needs to learn more about sex than she can find in books, and she figures the best way is to ask a scoundrel to help her out.

Cross is a well known rogue and owner of gambling hell, but when Pippa propositions him in her scientific way, he is determined to treat her like the lady she is. But she is smart and tenacious, and she perseveres. Cross is as smart as Pippa, and just as determined not to let her get her way or learn about the skeletons in his closet.

It is a lot of fun watching the two of them spar. Pippa is so smart about some things, and very naive about others, and that really helps make her character come to life. There is a lot of heat in this romance, but a lot of tenderness too. I really enjoyed it.

2/15 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ONE GOOD EARL DESERVES A LOVER by Sarah MacLean. Avon (January 29, 2013). ISBN 978-0062068538. 384p.

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THE PORTLANDIA COOKBOOK by Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein & Jonathan Krisel

February 20, 2015

Cook Like a Local

This is the companion cookbook to the popular TV show that has just been renewed for 2 more seasons (that’s 6 & 7 in case you aren’t caught up!) It includes 50 recipes from a variety of sources.

If you haven’t seen Portlandia, it is a comedy sketch show starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein. They play several different regular characters and the stories are all set in Portland. I hesitate to say they make fun of the local culture, but they do, with great affection.

The book is half comedy, half cooking with actual recipes, and they all tie in to an episode of the show. Fans will get the references, newcomers may be bewildered. For example, there is a recipe called “Butterflied Chicken Roasted Over Bread” that is a direct reference to the series premiere episode. That episode featured this nice young couple who are dining out and ask about the spatchcocked chicken on the menu. They are told it’s locally raised, and then the waitress brings them a dossier on the chicken whose name is Colin. They decide to visit the farm where he was raised to make sure he had a good life before they eat him, and it just gets crazier from there. portlan Colin

While I might actually try to make the Butterflied Chicken recipe, most recipes didn’t really inspire me to try them. The borscht had carrots in it, and I don’t remember my grandmother doing that (although the beets episode of the TV show is one of my favorites.) I did make one of the first recipes in the book, the “Brussels Sprouts with Bacon” which was great. It also had hazelnuts which added a nice crunch, but let’s face it, how can you go wrong adding bacon to a veggie dish!

As a cookbook, I wouldn’t really recommend it but any fan of the show will definitely want it.

2/15 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE PORTLANDIA COOKBOOK: Cook Like a Local by Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein & Jonathan Krisel. Clarkson Potter; 1St Edition edition (October 28, 2014). ISBN 978-0804186100. 176p.

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BRED TO KILL by Franck Thilliez

February 20, 2015

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It’s been a year since Franck Sharko and Lucie Hennebelle were brought together in the strange and shocking investigation of Syndrome E. And while the two were undeniably drawn to one another, fate has since torn them apart. Sharko has forgone retirement but has taken a voluntary step down in the ranks so that he can once again work the streets. Hennebelle, though, has left the police force altogether in an attempt to heal after the tragic events that led to their breakup. And yet, another odd case will force the two back together once again.

Sharko is called to the scene of a brutal attack at a primate research facility. The victim is a student who had been doing her graduate studies there. The case looks to be pretty airtight – the suspect, a chimp, is found locked in the pen alongside the girl’s body. But things aren’t quite as they seem. The chimp, trained in sign language, describes the killer to the best of her abilities and the evidence seems to indicate she’s telling the truth. And so Sharko must turn to the victim to find a motive behind her murder. At the same time, Lucie has started her own off the books investigation – one that brings her straight into Sharko’s territory and is undeniably linked to the student’s murder.

Franck Thilliez brings together science and mystery to create some of the most fascinating plots I’ve ever read. This time the two cursed detectives (‘cause Thilliez really does throw them to the wolves) uncover a link between evolution and violence that could trace all the way back to the Cro-Magnons. Their hunt for the truth takes them to some of the darkest recesses of the world and forces them both to confront the very thing that ripped them so suddenly apart.

Bred to Kill is just the second of Thilliez’s titles to be translated into English, though it does appear to be the fourth installment in the series (Syndrome E was apparently book three). There’s no word yet on future translations, but given that this has quickly become a favorite of mine I do hope we’ll see more of them here in the years to come.

2/15 Becky LeJeune

BRED TO KILL by Franck Thilliez. Viking (January 8, 2015). ISBN: 978-0670025978. 384p.

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