Book Reviews | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

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
Posted by Stacy Alesi

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
Posted by Stacy Alesi

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
Posted by Stacy Alesi

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.

Comments Off on ONE GOOD EARL DESERVES A LOVER by Sarah MacLean | Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance | Tagged: Historical | Permalink
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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.

Comments Off on THE PORTLANDIA COOKBOOK by Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein & Jonathan Krisel | Book Reviews, Cookbook, Nonfiction | Tagged: Humor | Permalink
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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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THE FORGETTING PLACE by John Burley

February 19, 2015

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Dr. Lise Shields has concerns about her latest patient. Jason Edwards arrives at Menaker State Hospital with no referral or patient information in his chart. It’s against protocol in every way, but Lise has been assured that everything is fine. Why then does it seem that Jason shouldn’t even be a patient at all? Why, after questioning his case, does Lise suddenly find that she’s being followed? And why are the FBI approaching her to talk about Jason?

This latest from John Burley is a fascinating psychological suspense read. The characters are fabulously drawn and the plot is quite deftly woven.

The only hiccup here is that a well-read fan of this type of tale might be able to untangle the thread of the plot a bit easier than they’re meant to. Burley does it well, but it’s not as unique as I’d have hoped, to be quite honest.

2/15 Becky LeJeune

THE FORGETTING PLACE by John Burley. William Morrow Paperbacks (February 10, 2015). ISBN: 978-0062227409. 352p.

Comments Off on THE FORGETTING PLACE by John Burley | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: Dystopian | Permalink
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LITTLE BLACK LIES by Sandra Block

February 17, 2015

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Dr. Zoe Goldman is a resident in psychiatry at a Buffalo, New York hospital. She takes a real dislike to one of her patients, Sofia, a beautiful sociopath who murdered her mother, maimed her brother and has spent more than twenty years in one hospital or another. Zoe’s supervisor suggests that Sofia be released, which makes Zoe very uncomfortable.

Zoe is dealing with some personal issues as well. Her boyfriend recently moved away and the long distance relationship is strained. The mother who adopted her is suffering from increasing dementia, and Zoe is desperate for information about her birth mother. All she has is a name and a photograph, but doesn’t know much more.

The deeper she delves into her past the more confused she gets. She is having recurring nightmares from her childhood, when she was caught in a house fire, and her therapist reluctantly tries hypnosis with minimal results.

This is a serious look at a variety of mental illnesses, especially blocked memories, and the suspense keeps building throughout until the shocking ending. This is a riveting debut from a promising new thriller writer.

2/15 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

LITTLE BLACK LIES by Sandra Block. Grand Central Publishing (February 17, 2015). ISBN 978-1455583737. 352p.

3 Comments | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: Thriller | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

MY SOUL TO TAKE by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir

February 16, 2015

Thora Gudmundsdottir Novels of Iceland

Thóra Gudmundsdóttir isn’t averse to cases that are a bit weird, but her latest might be hard to defend. A client intent on opening a wellness spa claims that his recently purchased land is haunted. This supposed haunting is bad for his business’s mojo and he believes the previous owners had to have been aware of it. Even his employees talk as though it’s been a long-time subject of local gossip.

Thóra is definitely skeptical but the promise of some R&R and spa treatments convinces her to at least take a look. Things become complicated, however, when her client’s architect turns up dead the same day Thóra arrives. Now, what should have been a weekend interview and a few formalities has become a murder investigation with Thóra’s client as the prime suspect.

I really enjoy this series, particularly thanks to the incorporation of Icelandic history and folklore in the plot. In this instance, it’s WWII history and the folktales of Jón Árnason. So far there’s a nice supernatural leaning to each of the books as well, something that’s promised to continue in the subsequent titles (there are currently four books available in the series with the fifth set to hit shelves shortly).

There’s lots of great development as far as Thóra is concerned, what with her relationship and her children, and I’m thoroughly enjoying following her character. As for the mystery itself, this second of the series wasn’t quite as tightly plotted as its predecessor, Last Rituals, but was still pretty enthralling overall.

2/15 Becky LeJeune

MY SOUL TO TAKE by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir. William Morrow (February 3, 2015). ISBN: 978-0062330260. 352p.

Comments Off on MY SOUL TO TAKE by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: International | Permalink
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STORM FRONT by John Sanford

February 15, 2015

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A Virgil Flowers Novel (Book 7)

A Minnesota college professor is keeping a secret that could change the world’s history as we know it.

Dying of cancer he has stolen an object from an Israeli archeology dig and is trying to sell it to gain money to pay for the care of his wife who suffers from alzheimer’s. For Virgil Flowers, and his investigation, the case is more dangerous and far-reaching than he can possibly imagine. And as usual, great work from Sanford.

2/15 Jack Quick

STORM FRONT by John Sanford. Berkley; Reprint edition (September 30, 2014). ISBN: 978-0425270240. 416p.

Comments Off on STORM FRONT by John Sanford | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Permalink
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