COOKING FOR PICASSO by Camille Aubray

March 5, 2017
Click to purchase

Click to purchase

I admit I fell for the title of this book, thinking it would be a foodie book. It really isn’t, although food does play a part. But it is more a family saga, moving between small towns in France and New York, spanning almost a hundred years.

It starts just before World War II when Ondine helps her mother with the cooking and cleaning in the family’s cafe. She is just sixteen years old when an important artist rents the house down the road for the summer. The mysterious “patron” wants his lunch delivered every day, and Ondine rides her bike with her basket of food for Picasso.

He is laying low, caught in a mess – he’s married and has mistresses, all of whom are goading one another. Ondine eventually models for him, and he promises her the painting. But Picasso takes off without giving it to her.

Ondine’s parents try to marry her off to the town baker, thinking his influx of money will help the cafe. But Ondine is waiting for her boyfriend Luc, gone off to sea to make enough money to marry her. Eventually she ends up in New Rochelle, New York, with her own restaurant. Things go awry and she moves back to France with her daughter, in search of the painting that was promised her.

There are two story lines going on here. Ondine’s granddaughter returns to France to try and find the Picasso, so it moves back and forth between timelines, and the mystery makes for a very entertaining and interesting read. There is a bit of romance as well, but it feels more like a device to further the plot.

Historical novels based on someone famous have become quite popular. Fans of Paula McLain (The Paris Wife) or Nancy Horan (Loving Frank) will probably enjoy this book, although I don’t know how much of it is historically accurate. Perhaps the bits about Picasso and how he lived are the most authentic but it is all interesting. I found it a bit slow in the beginning but it picks up once the dual story line kicks in, ended up being a terrific read. Book groups will find much to discuss here.

3/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

COOKING FOR PICASSO by Camille Aubray. Ballantine Books (August 9, 2016). ISBN: 978-0399177651. 400p.

Kindle

 


Author Clare Mackintosh on her first significant pieces of writing

March 4, 2017

Author Clare Mackintosh (I SEE YOU) talks about her first pieces of writing that reached a wide audience, and the surprising aspects of being a writer.

Click to purchase

Click to purchase

I SEE YOU by Clare Mackintosh

The author of the New York Times bestseller I Let You Go propels readers into a dark and claustrophobic thriller, in which a normal, everyday woman becomes trapped in the confines of her normal, everyday world…
 
Every morning and evening, Zoe Walker takes the same route to the train station, waits at a certain place on the platform, finds her favorite spot in the car, never suspecting that someone is watching her…

It all starts with a classified ad. During her commute home one night, while glancing through her local paper, Zoe sees her own face staring back at her; a grainy photo along with a phone number and a listing for a website called FindTheOne.com.

Other women begin appearing in the same ad, a different one every day, and Zoe realizes they’ve become the victims of increasingly violent crimes—including murder. With the help of a determined cop, she uncovers the ad’s twisted purpose…A discovery that turns her paranoia into full-blown panic. Zoe is sure that someone close to her has set her up as the next target.

And now that man on the train—the one smiling at Zoe from across the car—could be more than just a friendly stranger. He could be someone who has deliberately chosen her and is ready to make his next move…


Reckless Read Giveaway!

March 3, 2017
Click to purchase

Click to purchase

To celebrate the publication of

A LADY’S CODE OF MISCONDUCT by Meredith Duran

Fifth in the Rules for the Reckless Series

One lucky reader will win an autographed copy of

Click to purchase

Click to purchase

Fool Me Twice!

FROM THE USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FOOL ME TWICE, THE 2015 RITA AWARD WINNER FOR HISTORICAL ROMANCE

AND LUCK BE A LADY, AN RT BOOK REVIEWS NOMINEE FOR BEST BOOK OF 2015 HISTORICAL NOVEL

I am really delighted to be a stop on the blog tour for Meredith’s latest!

Praise for A Lady’s Code of Misconduct:

“Political intrigue and conspiracies abound in Duran’s engrossing fifth Rules for the Reckless Victorian romance (after Luck Be a Lady), which boasts plot twists galore…Duran is at the pinnacle of her craft as she weaves together humor, forgiveness, and love in a flawlessly executed plot. Jane, Crispin, and the rest of the characters are all well drawn, and the love scenes strike the perfect balance of steamy and sweet. Each layer in the story is suspenseful and delightful, making this the best installment so far.” Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

“A sham marriage, political intrigue, and a case of amnesia provide a backdrop for this absorbing Victorian romance. Although Duran (Luck Be a Lady, 2015, etc.) has written a novel as layered as an onion, the characters are well-drawn and the plot flawlessly executed. Add in some very steamy sex, and the fifth installment of Duran’s Rules for the Reckless series can’t help but delight. This book weaves its spell so thoroughly that the most fortunate reader will be the one who has time to read the entire thing in one sitting. A masterful tale of suspense, forgiveness, and love.” Kirkus STARRED REVIEW

About A LADY’S CODE OF MISCONDUCT :

USA TODAY  bestselling author Meredith Duran’s A LADY’S CODE OF MISCONDUCT is the fifth sizzling novel in the Rules for the Reckless series—a sexy and evocative Regency romance between a famous heiress and an infamous crime lord. 

A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL…
Trapped in the countryside, facing an unwanted marriage and the theft of her fortune, Jane Mason is done behaving nicely. To win her freedom, she’ll strike a deal with the most dangerous man she knows—a rising star in politics, whose dark good looks mask an even darker heart.
 

…NEVER GOES TO PLAN.
The bitter past has taught Crispin Burke to trust no one. He’ll gladly help a lovely young heiress, provided she pays a price. Yet when a single mistake shatters his life, it is Jane who holds the key to his salvation. And in a world that no longer makes sense, Crispin slowly realizes that she may be the only thing worth fighting for…
 

About Fool Me Twice:

In the vein of Sarah MacLean, a sexy and evocative Regency romance between a vengeful duke and a fiery redhead from an author who is a veritable tour de force in the genre. “Readers need to make room on their keeper shelf for Meredith Duran” (Fresh Fiction).

A LADY WITH A SECRET

Running for her life, exhausted and out of options, Olivia Holladay wants nothing more than the chance to make a home for herself. So when she realizes that the infamous Duke of Marwick might hold the key to her freedom, she boldly disguises herself as the newest and bravest in a long line of the duke’s notoriously temperamental housekeepers. Little does she know that the wickedly handsome Alastair de Grey has very different plans for her.

A MAN WITH A PASSION—FOR VENGEANCE

As his new employee, Olivia is a fearless upstart. As a woman, the daring redhead is just what Alastair needs to rouse him from darkness to the siren call of revenge. He has suffered a betrayal so deep that he will use whatever means necessary to destroy his enemies—even his brazen and beautiful domestic. But his vengeful plan fails to account for his single weakness: an irresistible and growing passion for the enigmatic Olivia.

meredith-duranAbout the author:

Meredith Duran is the author of ten previous novels, including The Duke of Shadows (winner of the Gather.com First Chapters Romance Writing Competition); Wicked Becomes You (included on the Woman’s World List of Best Beach Reads for Summer 2010), and the USA TODAY bestseller and RITA Award Winner Fool Me Twice. She blames Anne Boleyn for sparking her lifelong obsession with British history, and for convincing her that princely love is no prize if it doesn’t come with a happily-ever-after. She enjoys collecting old etiquette manuals, guidebooks to nineteenth-century London, and travelogues by intrepid Victorian women. Visit her at MeredithDuran.com, on Twitter @meredithduran and Facebook AuthorMeredithDuran.

To win an autographed copy of FOOL ME TWICE by Meredith Duran, please send an email to contest@gmail.com with “FOOL ME TWICE” as the subject.

You must include your U.S. street address in your email.

All entries must be received by March 10, 2017. One (1) name will be drawn from all qualified entries and notified via email. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age in the United States only. Your prize will be sent by Simon & Schuster.

One entry per email address. Subscribers to the monthly newsletter earn an extra entry into every contest. Follow this blog to earn another entry into every contest. Winners may win only one time per year (365 days) for contests with prizes of more than one book. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone.

3/17  Stacy Alesi AKA the BookBitch™

 

 


RADIANT CHILD by Javaka Steptoe

March 2, 2017
Click to purchase

Click to purchase

The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat

Winner of the 2017 Randolph Caldecott Medal
Winner of the 2017 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

As my regular readers know, I don’t review many children’s books but I can’t resist reading the Caldecott winner each year. They are always excellent children’s books and this year was no exception.

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

From the publisher:

Somewhere in Brooklyn, a little boy dreams of being a famous artist, not knowing that one day he would make himself a king.

Jean-Michael Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocketed to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art world had ever seen. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. Now, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe’s vivid text and bold artwork echoing Basquiat’s own introduce young readers to the powerful message that art doesn’t always have to be neat or clean–and definitely not inside the lines–to be beautiful.

I love Basquiat so this book was a natural for me. I didn’t know about how difficult his life was as a child, only that he died young of a drug overdose. Learning about his early influences and his compulsion to create his art was really interesting. I was reminded of Chaim Potok’s My Name is Asher Lev, about a Hasidic boy with a passion for art that is forbidden by his family and his culture. Nevertheless, as a young child he wakes up to find drawings on the wall next to his bed. Basquait also drew during the night.

My only criticism of the book is the child Basquait is inspired by Picasso’s “Guernica” when his mother takes him to see it. That famous, disturbing piece is reproduced on an angle in the book, but is not labeled in any way, so unless the reader is familiar with it, there is no way to tell what it is.

But that is minor criticism indeed. This is a gorgeous book and a fantastic introduction to art for the elementary age child.  “In his house you can tell a serious ARTIST dwells.” You certainly can.

3/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

RADIANT CHILD by Javaka Steptoe. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition (October 25, 2016). ISBN 978-0316213882. 40p.


Win the March ’17 bookshelf of signed thrillers!

March 1, 2017

Welcome to the March bookshelf of signed thrillers! Tons of new books to win – some favorite authors or find a new author. To enter, go to the Win Books page. Best of luck!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

VICIOUS CIRCLE by C. J. Box: Rescuing his daughters from the violent Cates family, game warden Joe Pickett realizes that his new adversaries have plotted revenge against his entire family before teaming up with his friend, Nate, to take defensive steps.

 MISSISSIPPI BLOOD by Greg Iles: The exhilarating, highly anticipated final volume in the epic trilogy featuring Penn Cage from #1 New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles. Grief-stricken and with his world collapsing around him, Penn Cage is shut out of trial preparations by his once-revered Southern doctor father, who is about to be tried for murder in the wake of revelations about a mixed-race child and KKK associations.

RIGHT BEHIND YOU by Lisa Gardner: After a double murder begins a shooting spree through the wilds of Oregon, Quincy and Rainie’s main suspect is the older brother of the 13-year-old orphan they plan to adopt. By the #1 New York Times best-selling author of Find Her.

MOST DANGEROUS PLACE by James Grippando: Defending a woman accused of murdering the man who sexually assaulted her, Miami lawyer Jack Swyteck must uncover where the truth lies between innocence, vengeance, and justice in this spellbinding tale of suspense—based on shocking true-life events—from the New York Times bestselling author of Gone Again.

IN FARLEIGH FIELD by Rhys Bowen: World War II arrives at the ancestral home of Lord Westerham and his five daughters when a soldier with a failed parachute falls to his death on the estate and MI5 operative and family friend Ben Cresswell is covertly tasked with investigating at the same time one of the daughters takes a secret job at Bletchley Park.

FACIALS CAN BE FATAL by Nancy J. Cohen: When a major donor to a historic building preservation society winds up dead in Marla Vail’s day spa, Marla investigates, uncovering a scandal involving a greedy land developer, a mortician, and the Asian mob.

SNOWBLIND by Ragnar Jonasson: Ari Thâor Arason, a rookie policeman on his first posting in a Northern Iceland fishing village, confronts the secrets and lies of a community he cannot trust after a young woman is found bleeding and unconscious in the snow and an elderly writer falls to his death.

POLICE AT THE STATION & THEY DON’T LOOK FRIENDLY by Adrian McKinty: In 1988 Belfast, a man is killed with a crossbow in front of his own house, and uncovering who is responsible for the murder will take Detective Sean Duffy down his most dangerous road yet, a road that leads to a lonely clearing on a high bog where three masked gunmen will force Duffy to dig his own grave.

BEFORE SUNRISE by Rick Mofina: Before Sunrise is based on an earlier Rick Mofina short story, “The Last Pursuit,” and includes scenes and characters from that work. Coming in at about the same length as The Old Man and the Sea, Before Sunrise is a powerful, heart-wrenching story of love, heartbreak, courage and enduring human spirit. (e-book)

BLOOD’S ECHO by Isabella Maldonado: Detective Veranda Cruz leads an elite task force on the Phoenix Police Drug Enforcement Bureau. Bartolo Villalobos is the ruthless heir apparent to the most powerful cartel in the world. No one on the department suspects the secret motive behind Veranda’s obsession with the cartel . . . until an operation goes horribly wrong.

SAY NOTHING by Brad Parks: When their children are abducted by a man who blackmails them to follow instructions at the risk of the children’s lives, a judge and his wife endure a terrorizing ordeal of no-holds-barred deceit and bond-breaking suspicions.

BLOOD’S ECHO by Isabella Maldonado: Detective Veranda Cruz leads an elite task force on the Phoenix Police Drug Enforcement Bureau. Bartolo Villalobos is the ruthless heir apparent to the most powerful cartel in the world. No one on the department suspects the secret motive behind Veranda’s obsession with the cartel . . . until an operation goes horribly wrong.

SWANN’S WAY OUT by Charles Salzberg: A friendly poker game leads Henry Swann out to Hollywood where he tries to find the man, Rusty Jacobs, responsible for embezzling $1,000,000 from his client, and then bring back the dough.

NEVER LET YOU GO by Chevy Stevens: Ending a marriage to an abusive man sentenced to prison, Lindsey starts over with a new business while raising a traumatized daughter who she is challenged to protect when her ex is released and someone begins stalking through their new hometown.

NO DARKER PLACE by Debra Webb: Searching for the serial killer who murdered her husband and child, Detective Bobbie Gentry, fueled by rage and revenge, becomes more and more reckless in her attempts to lure the Storyteller out of hiding—until she meets, and falls under the protection, of Nick Shade, who is on the same mission.

You can win autographed copies of all 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 you to enter this month’s contest.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Giveaway!

February 28, 2017
Click to purchase

Click to purchase

Published to coincide with Disney’s live-action 3D musical film
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, starring Emma Watson

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Classic Tales About Animal Brides and Grooms from Around the World
Edited by MARIA TATAR

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

“A rich, intriguing volume highly recommended for fairy tale fans.”
Booklist

Fairy tales and folklore are a deep well from which both literary and popular culture continually draw; we look to these stories for entertainment and guidance from the first years of childhood through the last years of old age. Penguin Classics has teamed up again with the acclaimed Harvard fairytale scholar Maria Tatar to present the remarkable collection BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Classic Tales About Animal Brides and Grooms from Around the World (Penguin Classics; On sale March 7, 2017; $16.00; ISBN: 9780143111696), which features one of our most beloved and elemental fairy tales in versions from across the centuries and around the world.

Perhaps no fairy tale is as widely known as BEAUTY AND THE BEAST—and perhaps no fairy tale exists in as many variations. To some, it is a love story, demonstrating the transformative power of compassion; to others, it is a cautionary tale, helping sort out sexual politics, marital roles, and feelings of ostracism. Nearly every culture tells the story in one fashion or another. From Cupid and Psyche to India’s Snake Bride to South Africa’s “Story of Five Heads,” the partnering of beasts and beauties, of humans and animals in all their variety—cats, dogs, frogs, goats, lizards, bears, tortoises, monkeys, cranes, warthogs—has beguiled us for thousands of years, mapping the cultural contradictions that riddle every romantic relationship.

In this fascinating volume, preeminent fairy tale scholar Maria Tatar brings together tales from ancient times to the present and from a wide variety of cultures, highlighting the continuities and the range of themes in a fairy tale that has been used both to keep young women in their place and to encourage them to rebel, and that has entertained adults and children alike. With fresh commentary, she shows us what animals and monsters, both male and female, tell us about ourselves, and about the transformative power of empathy.

Prefacing each story with an introduction that establishes its place within culture and within the anthology, Tatar provides not only an entertaining collection but also a way to appreciate how cultures around the world have used animals in storytelling to understand those who are different or foreign or otherwise outside of their communities.

About the Editor
Maria Tatar is the John L. Loeb Professor of Folklore and Mythology and Germanic Languages and Literatures at Harvard University. She is the author of many acclaimed books, as well as the editor and translator of The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen, The Annotated Brothers Grimm, The Classic Fairy Tales: A Norton Critical Edition, The Grimm Reader, and The Turnip Princess and Other Newly Discovered Fairy Tales. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Classic Tales About Animal Brides and Grooms from Around the World
Maria Tatar ▪ Penguin Classics ▪ $16.00
On sale March 7, 2017 ▪ ISBN: 9780143111696
ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN EBOOK

To win your own copy of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Classic Tales About Animal Brides and Grooms from Around the World edited by Maria Tatar, please send an email to contest@gmail.com with “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” as the subject.

You must include your U.S. street address in your email.

All entries must be received by March 7, 2017. One (1) name will be drawn from all qualified entries and notified via email. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age in the United States only. Your prize will be sent by Penguin Classics.

One entry per email address. Subscribers to the monthly newsletter earn an extra entry into every contest. Follow this blog to earn another entry into every contest. Winners may win only one time per year (365 days) for contests with prizes of more than one book. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone.


WHY I MARCH

February 27, 2017
Click to purchase

Click to purchase

Images from the Woman’s March Around the World

There will be no denying the size and scope of the January 21, 2017 Women’s March – not with this historical record. This is the first book to come out recording this event. WHY WE MARCH is another visual record of this event and will be available 3/7/17.

From the publisher:

On January 21, 2017, five million people in 82 countries and on all seven continents stood up with one voice.

The Women’s March began with one cause, women’s rights, but quickly became a movement around the many issues that were hotly debated during the 2016 U.S. presidential race—immigration, health care, environmental protections, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, freedom of religion, and workers’ rights, among others.

In the mere 66 days between the election and inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United States, 673 sister marches sprang up across the country and the world. ABRAMS Image presents Why I March to honor the movement, give back to it, and promote future activism in the same vein.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

All royalties from the sale of the book will be donated to nonprofit organizations affiliated with the March.

3/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

WHY I MARCH by Abrams Books. Harry N. Abrams (February 21, 2017). ISBN 978-1419728853. 264p.


SUNSET IN CENTRAL PARK by Sarah Morgan

February 26, 2017
Click to purchase

Click to purchase

From Manhattan With Love (Book 2)

Paige, Eva and Frankie have been best friends forever. The first book in this series, Sleepless in Manhattan, introduced all the characters but was really Paige’s romance. Somehow I missed this book and jumped to the third, Miracle on Fifth Avenue, which was Eva’s book, only to end up here with Frankie’s story.

My first thought was to read the books in order, especially since there are only three. But reading this second book last, I realized there is enough back story given that for a while I almost felt like I had read it already. Then it veered more into Frankie’s story and it stopped feeling that way.

Frankie hides behind baggy clothes and fake glasses, due to some poor romantic choices early on. So when Matt finds out the glasses are fake, she freaks out. And in a way, so does he. Matt’s sister is Paige, and they’ve all been friends their whole lives and Matt thought he really knew Frankie. And he’s been in love with her for years but knew he couldn’t rush her. But the glasses made him realize she was hiding more than he realized.

Gradually he worms his way into her heart, but her past keeps her from believing she could have a relationship that lasts. Her parents divorced when she was a teen due to infidelity and her mother essentially became  the town whore after that. Lots of baggage always makes for an interesting romance and it really does here.

I do wish the NYC setting was more prominently featured, it feels like it could be set in Any City, USA, which is a real missed opportunity. I love these characters though, and that makes all the difference. Can’t wait to see what Sarah Morgan has up next now that this series is done.

2/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SUNSET IN CENTRAL PARK by Sarah Morgan. HQN Books (August 30, 2016). ISBN: 978-0373789238. 384p.

Kindle

 


Thriller Books | Six Picks

February 25, 2017

Read It Forward editors Abbe and Emma give six recommendations for thriller books!

 

The Girl Before by JP Delaney

In the Woods by Tana French

The Informationist by Taylor Stevens

Lola by Melissa Scrivner Love

Wilde Lake by Laura Lippman


DARE YOU by Jennifer Brown

February 24, 2017
Click to purchase

Click to purchase

Nikki Kill Series, Book 2

Jennifer Brown’s synesthete heroine returns in this follow up to last year’s Shade Me.

In the months following her discoveries regarding Peyton Hollis and her murder, Nikki Kill has tried to live a fairly normal life But really, how normal can you get when you discover your mother had another child who was murdered by her own shady (but ridiculously rich) family. And considering said family then set their sights on Nikki, killing yet another Hollis child (Nikki’s boyfriend) instead… But crazy Luna Hollis is behind bars and the rest of the Hollises have fled the country, so Nikki is seemingly safe.

Safe enough to graduate, anyway.

When Nikki is arrested at a post-graduation bash, however, she finds out Luna is free once again. Not only that, but the DA’s office has now turned to Nikki as their number one suspect in Peyton’s murder. It’s clear Nikki’s being framed and it’s also clear Luna is the one responsible. But that doesn’t mean Nikki will have an easy time proving it.

Nikki’s story is a tangled web of secrets and lies, and she only barely scratched the surface in Shade Me. Considering her investigation seemed to be at a dead end, though, I was interested in seeing just how Brown would continue the tale.

Brown does a great job with this sequel. A witness allows Luna to be released, leaving Nikki once again the focus of crazy Hollis rage and obsession. And it turns out Peyton’s clues from before have more meaning than Nikki originally gleaned from them.

Nikki is a bit like a darker, more troubled Veronica Mars. No, Nikki doesn’t have a cop turned PI for a father. But Brown works the story in a way that it does make sense for Nikki to be investigating a murder and (as she has by now) to gain the trust of an actual cop in the official investigation. Her synesthesia isn’t a super power, but it does allow her to see things differently than those around her, giving her an added set of clues on top of anything the police might have at hand. And considering Peyton used it as their own secret language, it also makes sense that Nikki would uncover revelations the police aren’t clued into.

This is technically a teen series, but it absolutely has cross over appeal for adult mystery/thriller fans. Dare You does satisfactorily address some of the remaining questions left from Shade Me but also leaves the current duology open to continuation. And given how this second outing ends, I definitely hope to see more of Nikki Kill.

2/17 Becky LeJeune

DARE YOU by Jennifer Brown. Katherine Tegen Books (February 14, 2017).  ISBN 978-0062324467. 480p.

Kindle