CALL ME IRRESISTIBLE by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

August 18, 2014

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Good thing you can’t judge a book by its cover, otherwise, I never would have picked this one up. But Phillips is one of my favorite authors, so despite the cover I read it anyway – and I’m happy I did.

Lucy and Ted are getting married; that is, until Lucy’s best friend and maid of honor, Meg shows up. Meg takes one look at her friend and knows something’s wrong, and keeps pushing until Lucy admits she really doesn’t want to marry Ted, and takes off, leaving him at the alter.

Ted is no ordinary jilted bridegroom. He is the town hero, their mayor, their favored son, Mr. Perfect. Tall, good looking and rich, every woman in town was after him but they accepted Lucy with good grace. But Meg is blamed for the debacle, and everyone in the small Texas town of Wynette is mad at her.

That complicates things for Meg. Her father, a superstar actor/writer and her supermodel mother have cut her off, demanding the free spirit earn her own way. Meg has a problem – she thought Lucy’s family was paying for her hotel, but they’re gone and she’s stuck with the bill, no cash and a maxed-out credit card. She tries to sneak out of town in her old rustbucket of a car, but is stopped by the Sheriff and the Mayor, the jilted groom himself.

Her only options are work as a maid at the hotel to pay off her bill or go to jail. Meg chooses work. She has no money and no where to live so she is sleeping in her car. She remembers Lucy showing her a beautiful old church that Ted bought for her, and she decides to crash there. You can bet that is going to create additional problems.

The economy is bad and Ted is trying to lure a wealthy investor to build a sustainable golf course on the old landfill, and everyone in town is hoping it goes through. When the old rich guy takes a shine to Meg, Ted knows he needs her help. Meg is the only one who sees through Ted’s perfection and he doesn’t know how to handle it. They end up having an affair and Meg falls hard for Ted, distressed that she is now acting like every other woman in town. But Ted falls too, only it takes him a while to figure it out.

The crazy characters of Wynette add a lot of humor to this romance, and a hero like Ted is hard to resist, so don’t even try. Just sit back and enjoy turning every page – I did.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

CALL ME IRRESISTIBLE by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Harper Collins Publishers India; Reprint edition (March 27, 2012). ISBN 978-0061351532. 384p.

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INVISIBLE by James Patterson & David Ellis

August 17, 2014

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Overall, a fairly routine serial killer novel, only this time the murderer uses fire to cover his crimes.

Unfortunately for him, one of his victims is the sister of Emmy Dockery. an FBI researcher. Now all she has are the newspaper clippings that wallpaper her bedroom, and her recurring nightmares of an all-consuming fire.

Not even Emmy’s ex-boyfriend, field agent Harrison “Books” Bookman, will believe her that hundreds of kidnappings, rapes, and murders are all connected. That is, until Emmy finds a piece of evidence he can’t afford to ignore.

More murders are reported by the day–and they’re all inexplicable. No motives, no murder weapons, no suspects. Could one person really be responsible for these unthinkable crimes?

I found the interplay of chapters “written” by the killer and the search for him to be off-putting. Not a good Patterson.

8/14 Jack Quick

INVISIBLE by James Patterson & David Ellis. Little, Brown and Company (June 23, 2014). ISBN 978-0316405348. 432p.

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THE BONE SEEKER by M.J. McGrath

August 16, 2014

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An Edie Kiglatuk Mystery

Edie still hasn’t fully recovered from the loss of her ex stepson. As such, it is suggested that she spend the summer away from Autisaq. Her friend Derek Palliser has helped set her up with a place to stay in Kuujuaq while she takes on a summer teaching position in the local school. Then one of her students goes missing and is later discovered having been brutally murdered. The townsfolks immediately turn to the nearby military base for a scapegoat and tension is beginning to run high. Edie has no desire to get caught up in yet another investigation but Kuujuaq is grossly unequipped to deal with such a case. The ME and forensics folks are tied up elsewhere and Derek needs all the help he can get if he’s to do the girl’s case justice.

This third release in the Edie Kiglatuk series returns readers to the Canadian Arctic, this time during the literally endless days of summer. It’s an insular and harsh landscape, one that comes through quite clearly in McGrath’s prose.

While the main focus of the book is the murder there is a subplot concerning the military – both past and present. It’s actually a quite fascinating subplot that McGrath weaves quite well into the main story.

This latest is not without issue: the pacing is a bit off and there are hangups that prevent it from being a smooth and quick read. Overall, though, this is a satisfying addition to the series as a whole.

8/14 Becky Lejeune

THE BONE SEEKER by M.J. McGrath. Viking Adult (July 24, 2014). ISBN 978-0670785803. 352p.

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THE ARRANGEMENT by Mary Balogh

August 15, 2014

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I can’t believe I’ve never read this author before – Balough is one of the queens of the Regency romance, and now I know why.

This is the second book in the series, which focuses on a group of men who all sustained injuries during a battle. This book centers around Vincent Hunt, Lord Darleigh, who was blinded when a cannon misfired.

Our heroine is Sophia Frye, born a lady but whose father was a rake and a gambler and cut off from his family. When her mother left, he raised her but when he passed, she was left in care of family members who didn’t care about her and barely kept her fed and clothed.

Lord Darleigh’s family is determined to get him married, and he escapes their matchmaking attempts to return to his hometown, and a ball is thrown in his honor. Sophia’s aunt and uncle are determined that he shall marry their daughter, and a scheme is hatched to get them in a compromising position and force the issue.

But Sophia interferes, enraging her family who throw her out into the night. Lord Darleigh hears what happened and approaches Sophia with an unusual arrangement. He is tired of his family’s matchmaking and he knows he needs a wife; she needs a place to live and someone to take care of her. An arrangement is reached, and within a week of meeting, they are wed.

Sophia is bright and imaginative, and it was fascinating seeing her come up with ideas to give her blind husband more independence, including what has to be one of the earliest examples of using a guide dog.

This is a richly detailed story with warm, engaging characters and a happy ending, of course. A terrific read and I look forward to exploring more from this prolific author – she has written more than 60 novels.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE ARRANGEMENT by Mary Balogh. Dell (August 27, 2013). ISBN 978-0345535870. 400p.

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SERVANTS OF THE STORM by Delilah S. Dawson

August 14, 2014

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Dovey has spent much of the year since Hurricane Josephine hit Savannah in a drug-induced haze. The loss of her best friend Carly – who was swept away in the storm before Dovey’s own eyes – hit her harder than anyone expected. But the pills that are supposed to keep Dovey calm and guard against the episodes that increased in occurrence and intensity after the storm leave Dovey a shadow of her former self. Her memory is plagued with fog and holes and now she’s starting to see things she suspects may not be real. Like Carly.

Dovey drops her meds and immediately begins to see things more clearly. Then she sees Carly again. Dovey chases her into a strange part of the city and thus begins a terrifying adventure.

Delilah S. Dawson’s teen debut is completely creepy and odd, just what I’d expect based on her Blud series for adults.

I loved the progression of the story. It begins with the hurricane and then jumps to almost a year later. With the exception of the storm aftermath, everything in Dovey’s world is achingly normal. Then she sees her dead friend and it all goes downhill from there. Servants takes on a bit of an Alice in Wonderland feel (if Alice were packed with even more bizarre and murderous characters than it already is) as Dovey’s world is turned upside down.

Servants of the Storm is a teen read but I think it’s quite dark and unique – enough to satisfy Dawson’s Blud fans for sure. And while there’s no connection to that series there is a fabulously chilling abandoned amusement park that’s certainly reminiscent of Criminy Stain’s carnival.

8/14 Becky Lejeune

SERVANTS OF THE STORM by Delilah S. Dawson. Simon Pulse (August 5, 2014). ISBN 978-1442483781. 384p.

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THE FROZEN DEAD by Bernard Minier

August 12, 2014

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Commandant Servaz is a top-notch investigator for the city of Toulouse, France, at the foot of the Pyrenees, who relies more on his gut than on science. Servaz is annoyed when he is called away from an investigation to a new crime scene at the hydroelectric plant of Arruns, so high above sea level that the only way to reach it is by cable car.

A body is hung on the upper deck, stripped and beheaded. However, it is not a human body, but rather a thoroughbred horse hung high above the Pyrenees. This disturbing scene only gets more disturbing when the DNA of an inmate at Institute Wargnier, the nearby psychiatric prison, is found on the horse.

This case gets priority as the horse belonged to Eric Lombard, CEO of a multinational company and member of a very influential family with strong political ties to the area.

In a parallel story, Diane Berg, a new psychologist, has arrived at the Institute Wargnier and is not entirely welcome, especially as she finds many inconsistencies and flagrant mistreatment of the prisoners.

The pervasiveness of evil makes for very compelling reading, with the suspense bordering on horror. It is a very tense and disturbing story coupled with interesting and well developed characters, and is a true page turner. Translated from the French. Should appeal to readers who enjoyed Pierre Lemaitre’s Alex or like Scandinavian thrillers.

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8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

The Frozen Dead by Bernard Minier. Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (August 12, 2014). ISBN 978-1250045539. 496p.

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THE BOY IN THE SNOW by M. J. McGrath

August 11, 2014

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Edie Kiglatuk Mystery Series #2

When Edie agreed to be part of her ex-husband’s Iditarod team, she never expected to become embroiled in another murder mystery. And yet, when Edie stumbles across the body of a baby boy buried in the snow she can’t help but get involved.

Local investigators are convinced the person responsible is part of a nearby religious group called the Old Believers. The group has long garnered criticism and the fact that the body is found on land owned by the group doesn’t help. Neither does the fact that Edie witnessed two of the Old Believers passing by just moments before making her discovery.

To Edie’s eye, however, the infant had been in place and undisturbed for quite some time and the Old Believers seem to be too easy a scapegoat. Unfortunately for the Old Believers, the discovery of the body coincides with the current governor’s race and the local hopeful is set on having this case solved as quickly as possible.

This is the second installment in M. J. McGrath’s Edie Kiglatuk series – a mystery series with a half Inuit lead. This is something of a unique premise for a series and I thought McGrath handled it really well. Edie seems authentic in terms of heritage and viewpoints. There’s enough cultural reference to set the tone for her and the Alaskan setting quite nicely, too.

I should note that this was my introduction to Edie and her story and while there are plenty of mentions of the case that is the focus of the first book I never felt lost or confused. The Boy in the Snow is a fair jumping off point for anyone new to the series and a great introduction to Edie.

8/14 Becky Lejeune

THE BOY IN THE SNOW by M. J. McGrath. Penguin Books; Reprint edition (October 29, 2013). ISBN 978-0143124146. 400p.

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MISS MOLLY ROBBINS DESIGNS A SEDUCTION by Jayne Fresina

August 10, 2014

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Sydney Dovedale (Book 4)

This is a rather unique historical romance. Molly Robbins is a poor ladies’ maid who leaves her bridegroom at the altar. She makes her way back to the Earl Carver Danforthe’s home, where she spent years taking care of his sister. In a drunken moment, the Earl had offered her money to start her own dressmaking business, and she decides to take him up on it.

The earl has always been intrigued by the woman he calls “Mouse” and knows that she has never approved of his rakish lifestyle. He agrees to the loan, and finds great amusement in the contract she proffers, which includes a clause that says no “tomfoolery.”

Her business takes off, and his interest in it and her continue to grow. When he returns her contract with the tomfoolery clause crossed out, she agrees to become his mistress but only for a set period of time, which works for him – until he realizes he’s in love with her. But can a titled earl find happiness with a ladies’ maid/dressmaker?

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Molly, a strong female character in Regency England, was most unusual, the earl had an interesting backstory, and almost all the characters were well developed. I also enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout. Looking forward to more from this author.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MISS MOLLY ROBBINS DESIGNS A SEDUCTION by Jayne Fresina . Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 4, 2014). ISBN 978-1402285011. 384p.

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THE GIRL FROM THE WELL by Rin Chupeco

August 9, 2014

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Tark has lived most of his life in a state of fear. When he was very young, his mother tried to kill him. She has since been institutionalized but there has never been any explanation for her actions. Nor has there ever been any explanation for the tattoos she adorned him with when he was a small boy.

Okiku is a spirit whose sole purpose has become avenging the deaths of children. And while Tark isn’t a victim yet, there’s something about him that fascinates the ghost. Something that draws the dark and malevolent to the boy. Something only Okiku can protect him from.

Rin Chupeco’s debut is a little hard to sum up in a nutshell. There’s a lot going on. The main character here is Okiku, of the legend “Okiku and the Nine Plates” – the same legend that inspired The Ring and many other horror films. She is a vengeful spirit who becomes drawn to Tark for reasons even she doesn’t quite understand and ends up vowing to protect him. Interestingly, the story is told from Okiku’s point of view, which is just the first thing that makes The Girl From the Well a pretty stand out read.

Tark is a very special boy indeed and his problems extend well beyond that of an ordinary teen. As his story unfolds, he and his family end up traveling to Japan where eventually the truth behind his mother’s madness is explained.

Chupeco’s use of Japanese folklore elevates this story beyond much of the usual horror fare. Okiku alone would have made The Girl From the Well reminiscent of The Ring, The Grudge, etc but she’s really just the tip of the iceberg. All in all I found Chupeco’s first outing to be frightening and enthralling.

8/14 Becky Lejeune

THE GIRL FROM THE WELL by Rin Chupeco. Sourcebooks Fire (August 5, 2014). ISBN 978-1402292187. 272p.

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THE SCANDALOUS ADVENTURES OF THE SISTER OF THE BRIDE by Victoria Alexander

August 8, 2014

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Millworth Manor #3

While this is the third book in the series, it’s my first look at this author. I have learned that while I generally prefer to read series in order, with romances, it’s not absolutely necessary since the main characters usually differ in each book, as is the case here.

Lady Delilah Hargate is a young widow who has traveled to America as chaperone to her sister. While there she indulges in an “adventure,” a one night stand with an American named Sam, who she believes is a low level employee of a friend of her sister’s affianced, and he believes the chaperone, “Mrs. Hargrove,” to be a distant relative of his friend.

Delilah has always been very proper so this was a shocking escapade for her. In the morning, she slips out, determined to never see him again. She returns to England to help her sister Camille prepare for her wedding and finds out that her fortune is in danger. Someone is claiming to be her late husband’s heir, and her funds will be tied up until it is resolved.

Several weeks ahead of the wedding, the groom’s best friend Sam shows up, along with a business proposition – he wants to invest in Mr. Benz’s new horseless carriage business. He is shocked to find out the woman who has preyed on his mind since their night together is the lady in residence, and she is horrified to find herself sitting across the table from the dalliance that has plagued her dreams.

I really enjoyed the humor here, the characters were warm and engaging, and the story had some depth to it. All in all, this was a Victorian romantic comedy and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be looking for more from this author.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SCANDALOUS ADVENTURES OF THE SISTER OF THE BRIDE by Victoria Alexander. Zebra Books (Mass Market) (April 29, 2014). ISBN 978-1420132243. 400p.

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