DUALED by Elsie Chapman

June 27, 2014

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Some people say that everyone has a twin somewhere in the world, but for West Grayer this is her reality.

After the universal cold vaccine left everyone sterile, it was up to science to ensure the continuation of the human race. With war waging everywhere, a small group set off to begin their own city. Citizens of Kersh are protected from the wars of the Surround, and each section of the city produces a necessary commodity. But with the population now healthy and booming, resources have become limited. To ensure that only the strongest and most worthy survive, each child is born with a genetic twin, or alternate. When they come of age, each twin is set with the task of killing their alt in order to complete.

West has lost everyone she loves. Her mother was a PK or peripheral kill, and her father couldn’t take the loss. Her older brother Aave and her younger sister Ehm both died at their alt’s hands. She and her brother Luc are the only ones left until she loses him as well. But now West has to set aside her misery because her own assignment has come up, and her alt is going to be ruthless, set on her own survival.

This new series from Elsie Chapman is dark, dark, dark. It’s a teen read similar in theme to other dystopians (like the Hunger Games) and (also like the Hunger Games) features a strong female lead. In spite of those similarities, Dualed is fairly different from other titles in the dystopian vein. West is an assassin and much of the book takes on an urban warfare kind of feel. There is a romance but it’s almost pushed to the background with the main plot focused on West’s finding and surviving her assignment. The world building and politics are fairly light in this first outing, but are featured more prominently in its sequel, Divided.

6/14 Becky Lejeune

DUALED by Elsie Chapman. Ember; Reprint edition (May 27, 2014). ISBN 978-0307931559. 320p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

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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Posted by Stacy Alesi

HAUTE DOGS by Russell Van Kraayenburg

June 25, 2014

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Nothing quite says summer like breaking out the grill – and hot dogs are generally my grilled meal of choice. Simple or complex, I do love ‘em, which is why Russell Van Kraayenburg’s new cookbook, Haute Dogs, was a must have for me.

From classics like the Chicago Dog and the Coney Island Dog to more unique entries like the São Paolo Potato Dog and The Norwegian, this cookbook has every variety and combination you can imagine and some you’d probably never come up with on your own.

Best of all, Van Kraayenburg includes recipes for just about every component in each recipe: chilis, sauces, and other condiments as well as the dogs themselves and even homemade buns. There are also variations and shopping suggestions for some of the harder to find ingredients.

So far we’ve tried the cabbage, jalapeno, and cream cheese topped Seattle-Style, the Colombian Pineapple Dog (complete with homemade pineapple relish and Van Kraayenburg’s Salsa Golf), and the Coney Island Dog paired with the book’s tasty cole slaw.

While I likely won’t try my hand at making my own dogs, I do have plans to try many more of the recipes in this unique and so far excellent book.

6/14 Becky Lejeune

HAUTE DOGS by Russell Van Kraayenburg. Quirk Books (April 29, 2014). ISBN 978-1594746758. 168p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

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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Posted by Stacy Alesi

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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Posted by Stacy Alesi

SOUS CHEF by Michael Gibney

June 22, 2014

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24 Hours on the Line

Everyone has eaten in a restaurant but do you have any idea of what’s involved in getting your food to the table? The small glimpses garnered from the Food Network and other cable TV shows merely hint at what is involved. Here, Gibney defines it for us and takes us along on his wild ride.

This is the first book written in second person that I ever loved – and I mean loved it. I read it in one sitting. Dibney takes us through 24 hours in the life of a sous chef, the second in command in a kitchen. In effect he makes the reader a fly on the wall of his kitchen.

The restaurant is nameless, but is described as a neighborhood French restaurant that is upscale for sure, but not the toast of New York City. We meet the crew, from the executive chef, the man in charge, through the line cooks, prep cooks,and even the dishwashers. Front of house staff – the servers, waiters, et al, – are merely on the fringe here. This is a book about cooking.

Everyone here is passionate but not everyone is ambitious, which is probably a good thing. Kitchens can be very competitive, and indeed Gibney describes competitions he has with himself in putting together his mise en place. But it is serving the customer that is at the heart of this kitchen.

The pacing is relentless, the writing superior, and all in all this is just a fascinating read. I loved it.

6/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SOUS CHEF: 24 Hours on the Line by Michael Gibney.Ballantine Books (March 25, 2014). ISBN 978-0804177870. 240p.

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Food, Memoir, Nonfiction | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

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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Posted by Stacy Alesi

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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Posted by Stacy Alesi

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