WRAPPED UP IN YOU by Jill Shalvis

September 25, 2019

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Heartbreaker Bay, Book 8

From the publisher:

It’s love. Trust me.

After a lifetime on the move, Ivy Snow is an expert in all things temporary—schools, friends, and way too many Mr. Wrongs. Now that she owns a successful taco truck in San Francisco and an apartment to call home, Ivy’s reinvented life is on solid ground. And she’s guarded against anything that can rock it. Like the realities of a past she’s worked hard to cover up. And especially Kel O’Donnell. Too hot not to set off alarms, he screams temporary. If only his whispers weren’t so delightfully naughty and irresistible.

Kel, an Idaho sheriff and ranch owner, is on vacay, but Ivy’s a spicy reason to give his short-term plans a second thought. Best of all, she’s a tonic for his untrusting heart, burned once and still in repair. But when Ivy’s past intrudes on a perfect romance, Kel fears that everything she’s told him has been a perfect lie. Now, if only Ivy’s willing to share, Kel will fight for a true love story.

This is one of my favorite series, so I was ready to love this latest installment – and I did! I didn’t remember either of these characters but it didn’t matter. The series revolves around this small neighborhood in San Francisco, and peripherally the fountain that promises true love if you wish for it. Most of the characters in the series fight believing in such nonsense, but all are bound by its success.

Ivy and Kel are no different. Ivy is a tough, cautious woman who has been burned so many times already. Kel has had his heartbroken, and is determined to guard it at all costs. He is suspicious and fearful, yet somehow Ivy worms her way into his heart. And he into hers, fight it as she does. But Ivy has family problems. Her brother is a troublemaker from way back, but Ivy loves him and has been protecting him her whole life, despite all his betrayals. This time, though, he may have gone too far.

Lots of struggles in this romance, but the happy ending is worth it all. I really enjoyed watching Ivy grow and come out of her shell.

This series does not need to be read in order, and this book especially stands on its own.

9/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

WRAPPED UP IN YOU by Jill Shalvis. Avon (September 24, 2019). ISBN 978-0062897787. 384p.

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HEIRESS GONE WILD by Laura Lee Guhrke

September 24, 2019

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Dear Lady Truelove, Book 4

From the publisher:

Dear Lady Truelove,

My ward is driving me crazy. I have to marry her off and get her out of my life. There’s just one problem…

When Jonathan Deverill promised a dying friend he’d be guardian to the man’s daughter, he envisioned a girl in pigtails and pinafores, a child he could leave behind in some finishing school. Problem is, his ward is actually a fully-grown, defiant beauty whose longing for romance threatens to make his guardianship a living hell.

New York heiress Marjorie McGann wants a London season and a titled husband who can help her spend the Yankee millions she’s inherited, and she thinks her new British guardian is the perfect person to help her find him. But Jonathan has no intention of letting his friend’s fortune be squandered. Under his watchful, protective eye, Marjorie finds romance hard to come by . . . until one fateful night when her own guardian’s devastating kisses makes her wonder if the greatest romance of all might be right in front of her.

Lady Truelove is the name of a Dear Abby type column in a newspaper in London. Jonathan Deverill was supposed to run the paper, but after vehement disagreements with his father, his sister took it over. Jonathan was disowned and left for the New World.

Jonathan becomes a millionaire in America, along with his business partner. But when his partner dies, he returns to England to check up on his new ward. And a romance begins. However, Jonathan has no desire to ever get married. When his father disowned him, his fiancee dumped him as well, breaking his heart and souring him on marriage. But his ward, Marjorie, is stunning and their attraction is instantaneous and sizzling. On the other hand, Marjorie has led a very sheltered life. Being raised in a school since the age of seven, she knows nothing of the world outside its doors.

Marjorie is a great character, innocent and rebellious. I couldn’t help but root for her to find her happy ending, and in Jonathan’s arms, she did. I loved this lasted entry into a terrific series.

9/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

HEIRESS GONE WILD by Laura Lee Guhrke. Avon (September 24, 2019). ISBN 978-0062853714. 384p.

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COLD STORAGE by David Koepp

September 23, 2019

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The novel opens as U.S. government bio terror operative, Roberto Diaz, and his partner, travel to a remote area in Australia. They are there to investigate the possible presence of a bio terror attack.

Instead, they find a highly contagious viral entity that, if allowed to spread, could very well wipe out the entire population of Earth. The two find the town that has been attacked filled with dead bodies of people killed by the virus. The virus is contained by the simple expedient of aerial bombing the town and area around it destroying everything. A small portion that survives the destruction is placed in a sealed container, taken back to the U.S. by Roberto and placed in an area that is underground and heavily fortified

Years later, we get to the “exciting” part of the book. The virus has leaked and is attacking the storage area it is contained in. Two security guards have detected it, and called the government agency indicated on an instruction sheet they are told to use if a leak has been detected by an internal guidance system. Roberto Diaz, now retired, is called upon to travel to the site and take any measures necessary to contain it. He does so and in an informal team up with the two security guards, takes those measures deemed necessary to destroy the virus. And WOW.

“Cold Storage” is the first book published by David Koepp, although his background certainly points to his ability to capture and keep his readers. As indicated in a resume of his credentials, we learn that he was the screenwriter for “Jurassic Park.”

That the novel is one that keeps the readers unable to put it down is a fact. I am anxiously awaiting his next book with an eye to being first on line to get it. And also wondering if the novel will be made into a movie; if so, it would be one exciting video experience.

9/19 Paul Lane

COLD STORAGE by David Koepp. Ecco (September 3, 2019). ISBN 978-0062916433. 320p.

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BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, VOL. 1 by Jordie Bellaire

September 22, 2019

High School Is Hell

Buffy Summers just wants to be a normal teenager and make friends at her new high school. Being normal, however, is difficult when you are the one Slayer chosen to fight vampires and the forces of evil.

Graphic novels based on beloved television franchises can be hit or miss, and do not necessarily capture the magic of their source material. To be clear, this new series should not be confused with the graphic novel continuation of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series (Season 8, Season 9, etc.). Instead this new series seeks to answer the question: What if Buffy Summers was a teenager in 2019 instead of 1999? Volume 1: High School is Hell achieves this mission with varying degrees of success. Volume 1 is not a retread of stories told in the television series, and instead tells a new story set in Sunnydale and featuring familiar characters. The story moves quickly, and Bellaire has done a respectable job of recreating all the main characters in graphic novel form. The voices of the Scooby Gang, Giles, and Spike all feel true to character. There are also some positive updates. Willow is openly gay and has a girlfriend, and Sunnydale High features diversity that was clearly lacking in the television series. Some changes, however, are a little more puzzling. In seeking to recast Cordelia as a nice popular girl, much of the character’s edge has been lost, and this Cordelia comes across as far too naive and trusting. For the most part, the dialogue is witty, but there were a few times that I felt Bellaire’s attempts to capture the iconic “Whedon speak” of the television series were not entirely successful, and instead read closer to parody. Dan Mora’s illustrations are full of energy and felt like a good fit for the story. He showed close attention to detail to familiar settings, such as the library, and the characters were all recognizable- just updated to 2019 fashion and style.

Was it entirely necessary to revisit this series in a current day setting and replace Buffy’s pager with an iPhone? I’m not too sure. But I am intrigued enough, and Volume 1 ended on enough of a cliffhanger, that I will check out Volume 2 when it is released in February 2020.

9/19 Caitlin Brisson

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, VOL. 1: HIGH SCHOOL IS HELL by Jordie Bellaire. Illustrated by Dan Mora. BOOM! Studios (May 28, 2019). ISBN 9781684153572. 128p.

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THE FIFTH COLUMN by Andrew Gross

September 21, 2019

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Andrew Gross’s latest novel is a well-done story dealing with falling and subsequent redemption. The book takes place in New York City during a period just prior to the U.S entering World War II. Europe is ablaze with war with Great Britain, and France was confronting a German military machine set to overrun them. Feelings are running high in the U.S. with than president Franklin Roosevelt trying to keep the country out of the war. There are groups of pro-Nazi sympathizers pushing an agenda for America to enter the war on the German side and others favoring the Allies.

Charles Mossman is a young man with little or no political agenda who is in the position of just losing his job teaching at the university level and also facing the end of his marriage. He is in a bar getting drunk, across the street from a pro-Nazi rally in Madison Square Garden in Manhattan when several pro-Hitler men draped in Swastika flags and drunk enter the bar. Charles gets into a fight with them and in a drunken wild swing accidentally kills a young man standing close to the melee.

Sentenced to prison for one count of accidental homicide, he serves two years and is released into a situation with no prospects for a job due to his prison record and his wife not wanting him around. The only bright spot is that his wife does allow him visits to Emma, his daughter twice a week. They live in a section of New York City with many people showing support for Hitler. In the course of his visits Charles meets neighbors Trudi and Willi Bauer living across the hall from his family and develops a feeling in his gut that these people are not the Swiss they claim they are but secret Nazi sympathizers.

Gross, in a mesmerizing chain of events, tells the story of Charles’ actions and results with what he knows and what he finds out. The attack on Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entrance on the side of the allies in the war is a well-described background to the story. Certainly a compelling all night read, “The Fifth Column” continues the author’s sequence of excellent books.

9/19 Paul Lane

THE FIFTH COLUMN by Andrew Gross. Minotaur Books (September 10, 2019). ISBN 978-1250180001. 336p.

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BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE by Evie Dunmore

September 20, 2019

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A League of Extraordinary Women, Book 1

Annabelle Archer is one of the first female students to attend Oxford University. Her education is being funded by the National Society for Women’s Suffrage and in exchange for her scholarship Annabelle must campaign for the women’s suffrage movement. When she is assigned to recruit Sebastian Devereux, the Duke of Montgomery, to the cause it seems like an impossible task. After all, Sebastian has been tasked by Queen Victoria to lead the Tory Party’s campaign during the upcoming election. When Annabelle and her suffragette friends get snowed in at the Duke’s home following a holiday party, she and Sebastian naturally clash. Yet their chemistry and attraction are undeniable, despite being separated by political and class differences.

Evie Dunmore’s debut novel has earned many rave reviews, and with good reason. She takes common tropes in romance, enemies to lovers and lovers separated by class differences, and makes them feel fresh. Most historical romances are set in the Regency period (or Jane Austen times), but Dumore sets her story in 1879 and makes the Victorian period come alive. The author really delves into the history of the women’s suffrage movement, and women’s rights in general, during the Victorian era. This social history gives the novel added depth sometimes lacking in historical romances. In addition to a vivid historical setting, Bringing Down the Duke also features well-drawn characters. Annabelle is an intelligent, witty and strong- willed heroine. She values her education and has high aspirations, yet Dunmore does not shy away from the difficult realities of life for women in the Victorian time, or the social consequences of Annabelle engaging in a romantic affair with a Duke while lobbying for women’s suffrage. Sebastian’s character is similarly complex and the banter between him and Annabelle was fun to read. Annabelle and Sebastian’s struggle to be together despite his noble title and her status as a commoner may not be a unique conflict in a historical romance, but the journey to their eventual happy ending is well worth it.

A solid debut filled with history, likable characters, and a grounded romance. For those who enjoy “Bringing Down the Duke,” it is the first book in the League of Extraordinary Women series and a second novel is scheduled to be released in 2020.

9/19 Caitlin Brisson

BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE by Evie Dunmore. Berkley (September 3, 2019). ISBN 978-1984805683. 368p.

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AFTER by Anna Todd

September 19, 2019

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The After Series, Book 1

From the publisher:

Experience the internet’s most talked-about book, now a major motion picture, from Anna Todd, the writer Cosmopolitan called “the biggest literary phenomenon of her generation.” Now with new exclusive material!

There was the time before Tessa met Hardin, and then there’s everything AFTER… Life will never be the same. #Hessa

Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. She’s got direction, ambition, and a mother who’s intent on keeping her that way.

But she’s barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, and tattoos, Hardin is cute and different from what she’s used to.

But he’s also rude—to the point of cruelty, even. For all his attitude, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does—until she finds herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark mood grabs her, and when they kiss it ignites within her a passion she’s never known before.

He’ll call her beautiful, then insist he isn’t the one for her and disappear again and again. Despite the reckless way he treats her, Tessa is compelled to dig deeper and find the real Hardin beneath all his lies. He pushes her away again and again, yet every time she pushes back, he only pulls her in deeper.

Tessa already has the perfect boyfriend. So why is she trying so hard to overcome her own hurt pride and Hardin’s prejudice about nice girls like her?

Unless…could this be love?

Age Range: Adult

Where to start? Okay, I’ll just say it. I hated this book. The writing is awful. The story is incredibly repetitive. And boring. These characters are in college, and Tessa is a virgin. Not just a virgin, she’s barely been kissed by her boyfriend of many, many years. They were saving themselves for marriage. An appealing goal to some, to be sure. But in this story, it’s just a challenge. Literally. Like these short, choppy sentences? Then this may be your book.

Despite the length of this book, the main character, Tessa, is not very well developed. She is a one-dimensional caricature of a naive 18-year-old who has never had a drink or seen anyone with a tattoo. Oh, stereotypes run hard here. Tattoos and/or piercings and/or Kool-Aid colored hair equals bad. Clean cut equals good, just like in real life. Because you can always judge a person based on their haircut, and everyone knows only good people wear preppy clothes. Like Robert Chambers, for example.

Hardin, a year or so older, is the male protagonist. He is slightly more developed, although it takes an inordinate amount of time (and pages) to get his story out. We know he has wildly shifting mood swings, and Tessa constantly refers to his probably bipolarity or other mental illnesses (see sentence above about stereotypes.) The way he is portrayed, and talked about, in my humble opinion, does grave disservice to those who suffer from mental illness. On the bright side, Tessa is an English major and a huge Jane Austen fan. If this book makes young people read Austen, then it may all be worth it.

This is a couple whose time is spent veering between sexual fumbling and screaming matches. It was painful to read, over and over and over and over and over again. It doesn’t help that proper grammar was tossed out the window, and a good editor, or any kind of editor, was nowhere in sight. I understand that “new adults” like to read about characters like themselves. The “new adult” designation means these are older teens who have a lot of sex, versus “young adult” who are younger teens who also have a lot of sex.

I picked up this book because I was curious. It was made into a movie that has a really bad 17% Rotten Tomato score, while the audience rating is 72%. It has over a 1000 reviews on Amazon and tops out at four stars. A friend told me this was originally published on Wattpad, a self-publishing platform, and was fan fiction based on Harry Styles of One Direction. I’m a few generations removed from that, so it didn’t mean much to me, and I did a little digging. I found this article at The Atlantic (spoilers galore) that tells the whole story of this publishing phenom. The After series seems to be at the cusp of a major shift in publishing, and frankly, it does not bode well for the future.

9/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

AFTER by Anna Todd. Gallery Books; Media Tie-In edition (March 12, 2019). ISBN 978-1982111007. 608p.

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ELEVATOR PITCH by Linwood Barclay

September 18, 2019

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Events in this novel begin on a Monday when an elevator in a high rise office building breaks through its safety features and plunges down, killing all four passengers riding in it. Popular conjecture is that it is a fluke in as much as elevator accidents are fortunately very few and far between. But another accident occurs in a different building on Tuesday indicating quite clearly that these are not accidents. Then again a third accident takes place on Wednesday.

The public in New York City, the scene of the accidents panics and the city is thrown into chaos with doubt in everyone’s mind about the safety of riding elevators up and down going and coming from work. A body is then discovered that has had its fingers cut off, and is tied to the elevator tragedy.

The novel then follows the work of two New York City detectives and an active journalist in looking at the facts discovered, the possibilities that exist, and key persons to solve the mystery.

Barclay, as is his custom and his talent, grabs hold of his readers and holds them until the very logical ending. Personal facts brought out about each of the individuals working the case make for a better read in the sense that each becomes more of a real person. The use of elevators as murder weapons and the reasons for doing so are clearly explained and help the novel become another typical interesting Linwood Barclay read.

9/19 Paul Lane

ELEVATOR PITCH by Linwood Barclay. William Morrow (September 17, 2019). ISBN 978-1250182296. 464p.

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THE STRANGER INSIDE by Lisa Unger

September 17, 2019

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BLOG TOUR

From the publisher:

PEOPLE Best Books of Fall 2019

“A darkly thrilling tale of survival and obsession. Lisa Unger never disappoints.” —Riley Sager, bestselling author of Lock Every Door

Even good people are drawn to do evil things…

Twelve-year-old Rain Winter narrowly escaped an abduction while walking to a friend’s house. Her two best friends, Tess and Hank, were not as lucky. Tess never came home, and Hank was held in captivity before managing to escape. Their abductor was sent to prison but years later was released. Then someone delivered real justice—and killed him in cold blood.

Now Rain is living the perfect suburban life, her dark childhood buried deep. She spends her days as a stay-at-home mom, having put aside her career as a hard-hitting journalist to care for her infant daughter. But when another brutal murderer who escaped justice is found dead, Rain is unexpectedly drawn into the case. Eerie similarities to the murder of her friends’ abductor force Rain to revisit memories she’s worked hard to leave behind. Is there a vigilante at work? Who is the next target? Why can’t Rain just let it go?

Introducing one of the most compelling and original killers in crime fiction today, Lisa Unger takes readers deep inside the minds of both perpetrator and victim, blurring the lines between right and wrong, crime and justice, and showing that sometimes people deserve what comes to them.

Hurricane shutters

I haven’t read a serial killer book this good in a long time. Unger does an incredible job of bringing these characters to life in such a way that I felt like I could have passed Rain in the supermarket. Or helped Rain find books for her kid at my library. Real real!

The idea of a serial killer sitting in judgment and eking out punishment or vengeance isn’t really new, but somehow it feels new here. There are enough twists and turns that it kept me guessing throughout.

I read this over the weekend we were waiting for Hurricane Dorian (which thankfully, blew past us, leaving us unharmed). The thing is, when you prepare for a hurricane, the first thing you do is put up your shutters, unless you have the luxury of having hurricane windows, which I do not. The hurricane shutters we have are metal and completely cover all the windows and sliding glass doors in my house. I’m telling you this because it leaves the house very, very dark. Reading a serial killer book essentially in the dark just brings it to another level. Needless to say, I couldn’t put it down!

9/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE STRANGER INSIDE by Lisa Unger. Park Row; Original edition (September 17, 2019). ISBN 978-0778308720. 384p.

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About Lisa Unger

Lisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of seventeen novels, including THE STRANGER INSIDE. With millions of readers worldwide and books published in twenty-six languages, Lisa Unger is widely regarded as a master of suspense. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations, an honor held by only a few writers including Ruth Rendell and Agatha Christie. The Edgar-nominated UNDER MY SKIN is also a finalist for the prestigious Hammett Prize, and the Macavity Award for Best Novel. And the original short story THE SLEEP TIGHT MOTEL is a #1 bestselling single.

Unger’s critically acclaimed books have been voted “Best of the Year” or top picks by the Today show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, Amazon, IndieBound and many others. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her family. Visit LisaUnger.com

Lisa & The BookBitch back in 2013!

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AKIN by Emma Donoghue

September 16, 2019

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Noah Selvaggio is a widowed and now retired Chemistry professor living alone in New York City. We find him preparing to take a trip back to Nice, a city in the south of France, and the place of his birth. He is planning to take along a series of puzzling photographs that were taken by his mother living there during the Nazi occupation.

He is suddenly disturbed by a call from social service advising him that he is a great uncle to a child he has never seen. And he is the only available relative since the boy’s father has died and his mother is currently incarcerated. Noah reluctantly agrees to take the eleven year old boy with him to France while the agency finds another relative to take the lad in.

The story is about the trip and the relationship of Noah and the boy during the week that they spend together in France. Yes, it is a heartwarming portrait involving several factors. Noah investigates the photos taken by his mother and develops a picture of her past and her role in the French resistance movement. He also begins to look at Michael, the young boy as something other than an inconvenience.

Donoghue is a wordsmith, presenting her wonderful story in a manner that quickly draws in the reader by the creation of people that act and feel as many would if taking part in the happenings described. It’s a five star book, one that will cause a good feeling for the people that read it.

9/19 Paul Lane

AKIN by Emma Donoghue. Little, Brown and Company (September 10, 2019). ISBN 978-0316491990. 352p.