Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

ACTS OF VANISHING by Fredrik T. Olsson

May 3, 2018

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Olsson presents a novel based upon the next stage of enemies of the human race. This is AI (Artificial Intelligence) the existence of foes that started out by being made by mankind, evolved their own persona and began attacking their creators believing that humans were their own worse enemies.

The events begin in Stockholm, Sweden just prior to Christmas with a sudden citywide blackout: television, radio, phones, internet and all electric lights wink out throwing the area into chaos. In the city room of a silenced major newspaper, Christina Sandberg tries to piece together the reason for the blackout and has the eerie feeling that her ex- husband William is somehow involved. On his part William who is a cyber security expert and professional code breaker had received an e-mail just prior to the blackout occurring with very specific instructions to be followed. The military police, aware of this correspondence take him into custody before he can act on the contents of the email.

We follow William, as he becomes free and begins tracking the blackout, and subsequent attacks on many nuclear plants around the world trying to find the cause of these disruptions and take action to thwart them.

Explanations of what is going on are well delineated by the author and while the novel could be categorized as science fiction, current events and discoveries do make it a near term possibility. Why is William thought of by authorities as the cause of the attacks and sought by police and military is a fair question to broach.? Will he be able to determine what is happening, why, and fix the problem? Olsson is very conversant about the area he postulates and immediately grabs the reader’s attention supplying clues and bringing his audience to accepting the events of a very engrossing novel with central characters acting as they certainly would under the circumstances. Be prepared for some missed sleep when reading the book.

5/18 Paul Lane

ACTS OF VANISHING by Fredrik T. Olsson. Little, Brown and Company (April 24, 2018). ISBN 978-0316335027. 464p.

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SOMEONE TO CARE by Mary Balogh

May 2, 2018

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A Westcott Novel, Book 4

Just when I was truly starting to think that there are more young, handsome Dukes in England than shells on the beach, Mary Balogh pulls a fast one on me. I don’t think I’ve ever read a historical romance about people in their forties. Yes, middle aged people who are lusty! Want companionship! Have fun! Until it all comes crashing down on them.

Viola Kingsley was stripped of her title, Countess of Riverdale, when it turns out their was a bit of bigamy going on. The family is lovely though, and they all stick together, but she is tired of it all and wants to escape, by herself, for just a little while.

Marcel Lamarr is shocked to see the countess all by herself at an inn. He has been widowed for many years, and has the well earned reputation of being a terrific womanizer. He always had a crust on Viola, so he is determined to try and have a fling with her now that appears to be somewhat vulnerable.

Lamarr’s plan works, and he suggests they rendezvous at a house he owns in the country. They have a lovely time, but both are falling in love and refuse to recognize it. Until their children show up, worried and now upset to find them alone like this. Lamarr announces their engagement, which mollifies everyone but Viola, because even at this age, true love can not be conquered without a lot of trouble.

Another terrific read from Balogh. Her fans will love it, as will new readers.

5/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SOMEONE TO CARE by Mary Balogh. Berkley (May 1, 2018). ISBN 978-0399586088. 384p.

Kindle

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LOVE GAME by Maggie Wells

May 2, 2018

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Love Games, Book 1

I usually enjoy contemporary romances that involve sports, and this book really takes it to the next level. Usually these types of books revolve around a pro athlete and their athleticism. Occasionally the female protagonist is also an athlete, or a trainer or a physical therapist, but here our heroine, Kate Snyder, is a former Olympian and the winningest women’s college basketball coach, and she rules the school. Until they hire a new football coach for their last place football team.

Danny McMillan is a former pro quarterback who was fired from his Division 1 college coaching position for a number of infractions, including having an affair with a student. True, she was a grad student and certainly of age, but that was just the icing on the cake. He was made an example of, and it rankles. He takes the job but there’s a morals clause in his contract.

Kate is pissed because the new football coach is being paid way more than she is but her contract is coming up for renewal and she knows the latest national championship means she’ll be able to get the big money. But she decides to hate the new coach anyway. Danny is shocked to find he is strongly attracted to Coach Snyder, she’s not his usual type but he can’t help himself. The university wants to play up their animosity and they oblige, until their feelings for one another threaten both their jobs.

This was a really fun read with a bit of sex thrown in here and there. But it’s the terrific characters that drive this story and it’s a good one. Seeing a strong woman come out on top makes me happy.

5/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

LOVE GAME by Maggie Wells. Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 6, 2018). ISBN 978-1492651499. 384p.

Kindle

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Win the May ’18 bookshelf of signed thrillers!

May 1, 2018

Welcome to the May bookshelf of signed thrillers! Lots of terrific books to win this month. More books may be added throughout the month, so check back often.

To enter, go to the Win Books page.

Best of luck!

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THE SIXTH DAY by Catherine Coulter & J.T. Ellison: A Brit in the FBI, Book 5. When several major political figures who are linked to sophisticated drone assassinations die under mysterious circumstances, the Covert Eyes team follows leads to a wealthy cybersecurity genius and descendant of Vlad the Impaler who is desperate to unlock the secret of curing his severely ill twin brother’s blood disorder.

OVERKILL by Ted Bell: When his young son is dramatically abducted from a burning ski tram in the Swiss Alps at the same time Russian leader Vladimir Putin escapes an attack on his presidential jet and goes missing, Alex Hawke recruits a group of elite soldiers and hostage experts for a rescue mission that is complicated by Putin’s plans for a triumphant return to Moscow.

WICKED RIVER by Jenny Milchman: As newlyweds Natalie and Doug Larson attempt to get away from it all on a backcountry honeymoon in the isolated Adirondack forest, a man stalks them from the shadows, threatening everything they hold dear.

BLACKOUT by Alex Segura: The new book in Alex Segura’s Pete Fernandez series, in which a cold case brings Pete back home, where he ends up in the crosshairs of a fanatical and dangerous cult leader, threatening his newfound sobriety and his life as well.

YESTERDAY’S NEWS by R.G. Belsky: Belsky introduces Clare Carlson, a journalist who became an overnight media superstar and won a Pulitzer with her coverage of the disappearance of eleven-year-old Lucy Devlin. Now, new evidence, new victims, and new suspects plunge Clare back into this sensational story—challenging every fiber of her ethical code and forcing her to confront dangerous elements and long-hidden truths from her own past.

A DEATH OF NO IMPORTANCE by Mariah Fredericks: A highly skilled ladies’ maid working among in the upper echelons of 1910 New York society uses her insider knowledge of her entitled employer’s family to investigate the class-driven case of her mistress’ brutally murdered playboy fiancé.

FORSAKEN by Michael McBride: When scientists at a research station in Antarctica awaken a strange and ancient organism that they are unable to control, a half-human hybrid that is still evolving is unleashed on the world and has the hunger and power to wipe out the human race.

You can win autographed copies of these books! If you are new to the site, each month I run a contest in conjunction with the International Thriller Writers organization. We put together a list of books from debut authors to bestsellers, so you can win some of your favorites and find some new favorites.

What makes this contest really special is that all of the books (except eBooks) are signed by the author! Books with multiple authors will be signed by at least one of the authors.

Penguin Random House books for giveaway were provided by the publisher. #PRHpartner

Don’t forget, if you subscribe to the newsletter or follow this blog, you get an extra entry into every contest you enter. Check out the Win Books page for more information on all these books and how to enter this month’s contest.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

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DARK TERRITORY by Leo J. Maloney

April 29, 2018

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Maloney has written several books with Dan Morgan as the principal character. Dan is a member of an ultra elite group dedicated to finding and eradicating enemies of the United States.

In a previous novel, Dan’s daughter Alex joins the group much against the will of her father. Her desire is to become one of the best operators belonging to the organization and it is with this in mind that the novel opens with Alex in Russia. Her task is to take out a sadistic North Korean officer.

Succeeding with her mission she boards the Trans Siberian railway, the longest railroad in the world and her designated means of escaping Russia. Not surprising, instead of a long restful ride she encounters a fiendish plot and the people planning it on the train.

A Russian scientist has been kidnapped, along with his daughter, and is being forced to use an invention of his to either destroy Washington or Moscow or both. The daughter is being held as a means of forcing her father to comply with the demands of the terrorists. Alex figures out what is happening and enters into the fray in order to stop the destruction before it begins.

Dan learns that his daughter is on the train and may be in danger. He gets his organization to fly him over to the scene of the action. Needless to say, Maloney gives us an ultra fast thriller with the scene shifting back and forth among the protagonists and causing the reader to become caught up in the events. The book is typical of a Dan Morgan thriller, keeping the reader glued to the action and certainly awaiting the next novel in the series. A well done and satisfying read.

Kindle single only.

4/18 Paul Lane

DARK TERRITORY by Leo J. Maloney. Lyrical Underground (April 24, 2018). ASIN B074DHCNML.

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THEN SHE WAS GONE by Lisa Jewell

April 29, 2018

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Laurel Mack had the worse thing that can occur to a parent happen to her ten years earlier. Her perfect daughter Ellie, her youngest, disappeared suddenly. Laurel and her husband Paul went through every attempt to find her: the police, ads, word of mouth, and looking around their area. When Ellie didn’t appear, the event devastated both parents and drove them apart.

The hardest hit for the couple was when the police ceased their efforts with the verdict that Ellie had run away. This decision broke any semblance of a bond between the couple with the result that Paul left Laurel.

Seven years after the breakup, Laurel meets a man while having coffee. After so much time alone Laurel makes the decision that she needs companionship in her life and enters into a romance with Floyd. The relationship proceeds normally until it is time for Laurel to meet her new boyfriend’s family. The surprise is Floyd’s daughter Poppy. The girl bears an uncanny resemblance to Ellie and awakens memories and reactions for Laurel that were buried deeply.

Jewell has written a fascinating novel touching on the psychological reactions and motivations of the principal characters in the book. There is first and foremost those of Laurel, then of course Ellie. In addition there is a tutor that had been working with Ellie just prior to her disappearance. Memories are dredged up and once again the question of what happened is examined. The resolution of the question: what happened to Ellie and those involved with her is a masterpiece of psychological narrative and marks Lisa Jewell as quite adept at the genre. An all nighter and one allowing the reader to begin awaiting Jewell’s next book.

4/18 Paul Lane

THEN SHE WAS GONE by Lisa Jewell. Atria Books (April 17, 2018). ISBN 978-1501154645. 368p.

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THE PERFECT DUCHESS by Erica Taylor

April 28, 2018

The Macalisters, Book 2

Lady Clara Masson badly wants to attend the Mcallister birthday ball. Her brother is her guardian, and he has been spreading vicious rumors about her ever since her twin sister jilted the Duke at the altar and disappeared. The ton enjoys nothing more than good gossip, so Lady Clara hasn’t been receiving many invitations. But off to the ball she goes, where she rekindles her friendship with Andrew, the jilted Duke of Bradstone.

When her reputation is further compromised, Andrew feels obligated to offer for her. Although they both have feelings for one another, neither is willing to believe it until circumstances force them to find their happily ever after.

This is a good Regency romance, witty with a bit of sensuality as well, and a very enjoyable read.

4/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE PERFECT DUCHESS by Erica Taylor. Amberjack Publishing (April 17, 2018). ISBN 978-1944995577. 392p.

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THE SOUL OF A THIEF by Steven Hartov

April 27, 2018

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A really well done book dealing with war is generally anti-war in the final analysis. Certainly “The Soul of a Thief” is well done by any measure.

It is set during the final years of the Second World War and deals with a soldier serving with a unit of the German SS, a particularly crack unit with much glory attached to it’s record. Shtefan Brandt has been forced into the unit by circumstances beyond his control but is in no way enamored with becoming a hero and bringing glory upon himself. By chance Shtefan becomes the adjutant to the colonel commanding and eventually feels himself lucky to have this position. Shtefan by then current German law should not have been allowed to serve in the army since his grandmother was Jewish. His commander may or may not be aware of this but Erich Himmel not only brings Shtefan into the prominent position he holds but also treats him as he would a relative.

The unit sees action throughout Germany and France but also on the Russian front. They comport themselves as brave and loyal soldiers should with Himmel setting the pace with his solid leadership. While stationed in a town that has French citizens living there Col. Himmel discovers a nurse working at the hospital treating German wounded. Gabrielle Belmont is a beautiful girl and a good nurse. She is also Jewish and supposed to be beneath the attention of a German officer. But Himmel finds her very attractive and forces Gabrielle into a relationship with him. She must submit to his attentions or he will kill a group of Jewish orphans held in the area. In getting his colonel and Gabrielle together for evenings of love Shtefan and Gabrielle fall in love; a love that could have both of them executed if Himmel finds out.

The final complication is reached when Himmel receives information that a certain train carrying Nazi treasure will be traveling through the area that Allied soldiers will be marching through after their successful invasion of Normandy. Himmel makes the decision to desert a war effort that certainly looks like a losing fight for Germany. He plans to hijack the train take the treasure and desert the army and his German wife taking Gabrielle with him to a refuge planned for South America. Shtefan finds out what his colonel is planning and obviously wants the exact same thing for himself and Gabrielle.

A beautifully written book with extremely well done characterizations will not disappoint readers that will certainly be unable to set the novel down without finishing it. An extremely well done adventure into a bygone period of total war and a novel that left me with a warm feeling of having experienced something beyond the normal in its reading.

4/18 Paul Lane

THE SOUL OF A THIEF by Steven Hartov. Hanover Square Press (April 17, 2018). ISBN 978-1335144577. 304p.

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Fiction | Tagged: Historical | Permalink
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DOCKSIDE by Susan Wiggs

April 26, 2018

The Lakeshore Chronicles, Book 3

This third entry into this wonderful series centers around the town mayor, Nina Romano. A teenage mother, her own daughter is now a teenager and off to college and Nina is a bit at loose ends. That combined with a town scandal, she decides she’s had enough of being mayor and is determined to follow her dream of restoring and running the Inn at Willow Lake.

The bank makes her a deal; they will put her in charge of the project and once it is up and running, she will qualify for a small business loan and the bank will sell her the inn. Except right before this is all going to happen, someone else buys the inn out from under her. Greg Bellamy, newly single dad to two kids who also happens to be Nina’s teenage crush. Nina is furious and feels she’s been double-crossed, but Greg doesn’t understand. He just knows he needs her to run the place and wants to renegotiate her contract.

Once Nina gets past her anger, she realizes the increase in salary will make her life easier, plus she now has the home she’s always wanted, the apartment above the boat house with the fabulous views – which include the house where Greg and his children are now living. Romance is in the air but they both are fighting it every step of the way.

I’m enjoying this series but one thing is sort of bugging me – it seems like every one of these romances in these first three books of the series are about first loves coming full circle back to happily ever after. I know there is something special about a first love, but I also think it is rare that it is the only way to happily ever after. But not in these books – it’s the only way. I’m curious to see if the next few books follow this same pattern.

4/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

DOCKSIDE by Susan Wiggs. MIRA; Reissue edition (June 22, 2010). ISBN 978-0778329640. 400p.

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THE WINTER LODGE by Susan Wiggs

April 26, 2018

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The Lakeshore Chronicles, Book 2

Jenny Majesky runs the family bakery since her grandparents died. Her mother disappeared when she was a toddler and was never heard from again. Jenny has accepted it but still always wonders why. In the first book in the series, she finds out who her father is and then in this book, she starts to get to know him and her sister, but that’s only a small part of the story. This is a romance, after all.

The local police chief, Rourke McKnight, has some sort of relationship with Jenny that slowly unfurls as the book moves between their childhood meeting and their present day. They don’t really speak to one another, in fact, they avoid each other. But then there is a horrific fire in the middle of the night – Jenny’s house burns to the ground and Rourke is frantic that she may still be inside. It turns out she was at the bakery, and is now homeless. Rourke insists she move in with him and their relationship starts moving forward, in a very rocky way.

The mystery of the missing mother lends another layer to this story, and it is an excellent sequel to Summer at Willow Lake.

4/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE WINTER LODGE by Susan Wiggs. MIRA; a edition (December 22, 2009). ISBN 978-0778328919. 416p.

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