Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

THE UNYIELDING FUTURE by Brian O’Grady

September 2, 2015

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Brian O’Grady brings his readers into a world that introduces the concept of forces that act as Yang and Yin in the course of human events. They can prevent massacres, on the other hand arrange for murders and guide the actions of humans. These are not just abstract entities, but humans, long lived, 2 thousand year old humans that can interact with normal people if they so wish.

O’Grady puts a doctor and his family into the paths of two of these entities when they are part of a major accident and a seemingly old man arrives on the scene. In spite of what appears to be advanced age and consequent weakness this individual saves many lives and appears normal once the deed is accomplished.

The novel is both perplexing and enticing. What is the motivation of these people since there is more than one. Are they truly the Yang and Yin of our world representing opposite reactions to events, or they are part of the same following similar patterns and drives. The answers are not so clear but do cause thinking that might admit that such forces exist and influence events. A compelling read and certainly stimulating a desire to read more of Brian O’Grady’s books.

9/15 Paul Lane

THE UNYIELDING FUTURE by Brian O’Grady. Story Plant, The (September 8, 2015). ISBN: 978-1611882162. 350p.

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Win the September ’15 bookshelf of signed thrillers!

September 1, 2015

Lots of great books to win this month including NY Times bestsellers, favorite series & a debut! Plus all these books are signed by the authors…best of luck!

THE SOLOMON CURSE by Clive Cussler & Russell Blake
The outstanding new Sam and Remi Fargo Adventure from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author. “Cussler and Blake have given us another riveting thriller. Sam and Remi are fearless, honest, curious, and resourceful in all situations. Fasten your seat belt for this wonderful read!” — Library Journal

MAKE ME by Lee Child
Stephen King calls Jack Reacher “the coolest continuing series character”—and now he’s back in this masterly new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child.

THE SCAM by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg
Nicolas Fox is a charming con man and master thief on the run. Kate O’Hare is the FBI agent who is hot on his trail. At least that’s what everyone thinks. In reality, Fox and O’Hare are secretly working together to bring down super-criminals the law can’t touch. This series is one of my newer favorites!

PRETTY GIRLS by Karin Slaughter
A standalone thriller from one of my favorite writers! Lee Child says it’s “stunning… certain to be a book of the year.” Kathy Reichs calls it “extraordinary… a major achievement.” Jeffery Deaver says that “fiction doesn’t get any better than this.” Gillian Flynn says of Karin Slaughter: “I’d follow her anywhere.” See for yourself what these #1 New York Times-bestselling authors are talking about!

Robert B. Parker’s THE DEVIL WINS by Reed Farrel Coleman
A Nor’easter blows into Paradise and churns up the past—in the stunning new addition to Robert B. Parker’s New York Times–bestselling series featuring Police Chief Jesse Stone.

THE SEARCHER by Simon Toyne
The author of the acclaimed Sanctus trilogy conjures an eerie epic of good and evil, retribution and redemption—the first novel in the mesmerizing Solomon Creed series in which a man with no memory of his past must save a lost soul in a small Arizona town.

HOSTAGE TAKER by Stefanie Pintoff
From Edgar Award winner Stefanie Pintoff comes the start of an electrifying new thriller series featuring Eve Rossi, head of a secret division of the FBI—one made up of ex-convicts with extraordinary talents, oversized egos, and contempt for the rules. Perfect for readers of Iris Johansen and Catherine Coulter.

PATRIOT by Ted Bell
Intelligence officer Alex Hawke takes on power-hungry Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is wielding a terrifying new weapon, in the latest adrenaline-fueled thriller in Ted Bell’s New York Times bestselling series.

PERIL BY PONYTAIL by Nancy J. Cohen
The latest entry in the terrific Bad Hair Day Mysteries! Marla and Dalton’s honeymoon at an Arizona dude ranch veers from dangerous to downright deadly faster than a horse headed to the corral. “Cozy fans will have fun.”—Publishers Weekly

HER FINAL BREATH by Robert Dugoni
Ryder Creed and his K9 search-and-rescue dogs return in the second installment of an exciting new series, teaming up once more with FBI profiler Maggie O’Dell in their riskiest case yet. Publishers Weekly says, “Exciting . . . . [an] intense thriller, which builds to an explosive conclusion.”

THE GATES OF EVANGELINE by Hester Young
From a unique new talent comes a fast-paced debut, introducing a heroine whose dark visions bring to light secrets that will heal or destroy those around her . . .”[H]aunting, heartbreaking, yet ultimately hopeful…Young handles the spectral elements with restraint as her tremendously sympathetic heroine seeks to build a new life after death.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

DANCE OF THE BONES by J.A. Jance
J. P. Beaumont and Brandon Walker, two of New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance’s most acclaimed series characters, join forces for the first time in one of the most suspenseful works of her career. “Jance satisfies fans of both series with an energetic plot resplendent with believable twists, leaving readers eager for Beaumont and Walker’s next outing.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

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!

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!

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

TRULY MADLY PIZZA by Suzanne Lenzer

August 30, 2015

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My long time, regular readers know that we are pizza aficionados at my house. My husband built a wood burning pizza oven in my backyard. We go on vacation and plan out which pizza places we are going to visit.

It’s not just us, either. Pizza has gone beyond your local mom and pop stop and way beyond the chains. I am proud to say that it has been years since I’ve eaten any pizza from a chain restaurant, I just can’t do it. I’d rather go hungry. In a nutshell, we are serious pizza lovers.

And we are not alone. According to Sam Sifton, food editor of the New York Times, “Those who track the business say pizza is a $40 billion industry in the United States, in no small part because 97 percent of us eat the stuff, most of us regularly, to the tune of 2.1 slices a sitting.”

So why make it yourself? Well, would you believe it is quicker than ordering delivery? Cheaper and healthier? And way more delicious? Trust me, I wouldn’t lie to you.

Lenzer has come up with an easy, fool proof pizza dough recipe that is so simple, you can make pizza for dinner any night you want, even after a long day of work, in less time than some other chef’s famous thirty minute meals.

The secret is to make the crust on the weekend, or whenever you have a little time – and I mean little, it takes 30 minutes from start to finish, including pulling the ingredients out of your pantry, throwing them in the food processor, letting the dough rest while you clean up the food processor and put away the ingredients. Then you wrap the dough in plastic, and throw it in the freezer. The day you want to make pizza for dinner, take the dough out of the freezer and put it in the fridge in the morning while your coffee is brewing. This is sheer genius! And best of all, it makes a delicious, crispy yet still chewy around the edges pizza.

The rest of the cookbook is full of drool worthy photographs from photographer Christopher Testani, who obviously loves his job. There are tons of pizza recipes with really interesting combinations, like Shredded Chicken with Sweet Corn and Cherry Tomatoes; Prosciutto, Roasted Asparagus and Fresh Peas with Parmesan; Caramelized Onion and Pancetta with Parmesan; Curried Cauliflower with Tomatoes & Cilantro; Ramps with Poached Eggs and Pecorino. The combinations are incredibly creative and seemingly endless.

Keep a variety of cheeses on hand ready to go. Use fresh tomatoes instead of sauce. But the trick here is this: for a family friendly, quick pizza dinner, use your leftovers! Leftover cooked veggies, the last few slices of salami or ham, that handful of spinach you never got to, all make for wonderful toppings for pizza.

Kudos to Lenzer for basically recreating the wheel here. By making pizza so simple, so fast and so easy, there are no excuses for not making it yourself. Go forth and make pizza!

8/15 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

TRULY MADLY PIZZA by Suzanne Lenzer. Rodale Books (April 7, 2015). ISBN 978-1623362188. 240p.

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THE UNINVITED by Cat Winters

August 29, 2015

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Ivy has only just recovered from the flu, but when she hears that her father and brother have murdered a local German shop owner she knows she can’t stay in their house one moment longer. Ivy has always seen spirits – they’re harbingers of bad things to come – and the last thing she can take is seeing the ghost of the man her father murdered.

When she arrives in town, though, she finds that Buchanan has been hit hard by the war and Spanish flu. The hospital is bursting at the seams and turning away patients with the wrong background or address. Fear is a predominant feeling amongst the locals – fear of being called out for being unpatriotic, fear of getting sick, fear of losing one more loved one… Ivy knows that fear makes men like the one her father murdered prime targets but she still feels a responsibility to the dead man’s brother and is desperate to make amends. At the same time, Ivy is certain something awful is about to come to pass. Why else would she be seeing her dead brother at every turn?

Cat Winters makes her adult debut with The Uninvited. It’s historical fiction set in an imagined town that’s pretty wonderfully representative of the era: the undertone of sadness and dread and the overwhelming anxiety of the town certainly feels true to the time.

Imagine watching your brothers, classmates, and sometimes even fathers going off to fight a war against an enemy overseas. Imagine being told that your neighbors could be collaborating with that enemy. And now imagine that a truly deadly and virulent sickness is making its way through your town as well. This is Ivy’s reality and her only relief comes from music and a love that’s pretty much forbidden.

There’s more than a hint of the supernatural to this tale – Ivy does see ghosts, after all – but The Uninvited is somewhat less of a ghost story than I’d initially expected. It’s more a story about human nature and the terrible effects of war. The combination makes for an eerie and emotional read.

8/15 Becky LeJeune

THE UNINVITED by Cat Winters. William Morrow Paperbacks (August 11, 2015). ISBN 978-0062347336. 368p.

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THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE by Amy E. Reichert

August 27, 2015

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One of my favorite movies is You’ve Got Mail, the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan romcom written by Nora & Delia Ephron that is set around NYC bookstores. Much as You’ve Got Mail was a love letter to New York City, Coconut Cake is a love letter to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Reichert did an amazing job – I want to go! The Coincidence of Coconut Cake is the foodie equivalent of Mail, and that completely worked for me.

Lou is a talented chef who is sweating away trying to make a success of her small French restaurant, Luella’s, named after her beloved grandmother. She has a core group of regulars, and is just making ends meet. Her personal life is a little bit better; her fiancé is successful but not entirely supportive of her endeavors. And then everything falls apart.

Lou walks in on her fiancé with another woman and she dumps him. She’s off to work, heartbroken, humiliated and angry, not the best way to cook. She alienates most of her staff, and the food suffers terribly.

Of course this is the night that the new food critic in town visits the restaurant. Al is quite acerbic in his reviews and is building a nice following. One meal at Luella’s is all that he needs to eviscerate the restaurant, sounding the death knoll for the struggling restaurant.

Meanwhile, Lou and Al literally run into each other and she decides to show him around Milwaukee, a city he is sorry he landed in. By the time she’s through with him, he loves the city and Lou – but it takes a while before he realizes who she is and she finds out who he is. Fireworks ensue, but it is the journey that is so delicious.

This was a fast moving story with warm, likeable characters and a fun plot.

8/15 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE by Amy E. Reichert. Gallery Books (July 21, 2015). ISBN 978-1501100710. 336p.

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2 Comments | Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction | Tagged: Book Discussion, Food | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

WHEN A SCOT TIES THE KNOT by Tessa Dare

August 26, 2015

Castles Ever After Series

This was such a fun read! I admit, I have a thing for Scots – at least Scots men in kilts – thank you, Diana Gabaldon. And I love Tessa Dare. So when I heard about this at ALA (the American Library Association annual conference) I knew I had to get my hands on it. And I was so glad I did.

The premise of the book was creative and original. Madeline Gracechurch was supposed to be “coming out” but is so shy and awkward, not to mention smart in the science sort of way not heavily favored by the English gentry, she makes up a suitor, “Captain MacKenzie,” sends him off to war, avoids English society and starts a correspondence with her imaginary lover.

Imagine her shock when years later Captain MacKenzie shows up at her door, ready to claim her for his wife. He’s been at sea, and all of her letters have landed in his lap. His lands have been taken by the British, and here is a convenient way to get something back for him and his men.

He convinces her to marry him or risk exposure and humiliation, and one thing leads to another and the oh so happy ending. But not before lots of angst, sex and a bit of history are thrown into the mix. I haven’t had this much fun reading a romance in a while, and I highly recommend it.

8/15 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WHEN A SCOT TIES THE KNOT by Tessa Dare. Avon (August 25, 2015). ISBN 978-0062349026. 384p.

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X by Sue Grafton

August 25, 2015

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Hallie Bettancourt’s biological son has just been released from jail. Hallie put the boy up for adoption over two decades back and has since become quite wealthy, so even if her son doesn’t want to meet her, she wants to offer some sort of help. And that’s where Kinsey comes in. Hallie has hired the PI to find out where the parolee lives and provide contact info so Hallie can reach out to him. Nothing could be simpler from Kinsey’s perspective.

But that simple job becomes less so when the feds show up investigating a marked bill that passed through Kinsey’s hands. A bill Hallie paid Kinsey with. Kinsey soon discovers that Hallie Bettancourt doesn’t exist. But why would anyone go to so much trouble to pull one over on Kinsey?

Meanwhile, Pete Wolinsky’s widow has grown concerned over some calls she’s received on Pete’s behalf from the IRS. Since Kinsey was the last one to go through Pete’s files – files Ruthie recently trashed – she’s hoping Kinsey might have come across something that can help. Kinsey never saw any financials but she did hang onto one old Byrd-Shine box that has a few curious items she decides are worth a closer look.

Kinsey is back in this twenty-fourth installment of the series. That’s right. Twenty-four. That means, sadly, that there are just two more to go.

Of all the long-term series that I read, this is by far my favorite. Kinsey – still trapped in the 80s, still enjoying her pb & pickle sandwiches, and still renting Henry’s guest house – is a character you want to be with for a while. And in spite of how it sounds, this isn’t a series that’s stagnant or stiff at all. Kinsey is constantly growing – this far along she’s a bit more cynical and a bit more snarky, which is why she’s so certain that the files she finds are another shady scheme of Pete’s. And while Ruthie is a staunch supporter of her husband, Kinsey really wants to stick to her guns based on what she thought she knew about him.

Henry, Rosie, William, and the regulars are back, but there are a few cameo appearances by past favorites too (Dietz.). But that doesn’t actually mean that you have to have read all of the books in order to be able to get into X. In fact, it could serve as a good starting point if you’ve yet to dive into the series.

8/15 Becky LeJeune

X by Sue Grafton. Marian Wood Books/Putnam (August 25, 2015). ISBN 978-0399163845. 416p.

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CHIMPANZEE by Darin Bradley

August 22, 2015

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Chimpanzee is a look at what might be the future of the U.S. based on current trends and misguided government policies. In a society that has collapsed, with unemployment being the norm for most workers Benjamin Cade an expert in cognition has just lost his job as a university instructor. Like most people he is forced to default on his loans used to finance his education. The government with no hope of recouping these funds now due to advances in cognitive science and chemical therapy can repossess their property, i.e., Ben’s education. A medical advance allows the government to utilize the process of “repossession therapy” as this is termed to treat mental disorders and improve the cure rate of these disorders.

But Ben is not going to take the loss of some of his knowledge to the government without a fight. He begins to give free lectures in the park in order to distribute some of his learning before it is gone. And as a result of these lectures “Chimpanzee” arrives. As a protest Chimpanzee’s icons begin to appear spray painted all over the city. Young people wearing Chimpanzee masks start massive rallies against the government and its economic failures. And the finger for the blame points directly at Ben.

Bradley utilizes a “stream” of consciousness” in his writing, succeeding in properly describing Ben Cade’s thoughts and action. A frightening but logical look at the possible consequences for a society that has lost sight of what are really the costs involved in massive giveaways without considering the price for doing so. People become financially overextended and cannot buy goods and services to keep the economy healthy giving rise to a society with no way to insure the growth of that society. A book guaranteed to leave the reader with much to think about in terms of where we might be going with trends as they currently are.

8/15 Paul Lane

CHIMPANZEE by Darin Bradley. Underland Press (August 11, 2015). ISBN: 978-1630230142. 216p.

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THE PROFESSOR by Robert Bailey

August 21, 2015

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In an afterword of the book, Bailey writes a tribute to Paul “Bear” Bryant, world class football coach at the University of Alabama. While he did not play for Bryant, known as the “man,” Bailey echoes the adoration many have for him. The novel begins when Tom McMurtrie who played for Bryant and a brilliant law graduate in his own right accepts a position with a major law firm. Prepared to begin work for that firm he is approached by “The Man” who strongly suggests that Tom take a position at the law school of U of Alabama as a teacher.

With the faith Tom has for Bryant he does accept the teaching position and spends the next 40 years as a Professor of Law. A change in personnel at the executive level of the school causes Tom to be pushed out of his position and at the same time find out that he is suffering from cancer.

Bitter and angry at the fate that pushed him to the sidelines he passes on a case offered to him. The young family of a friend of his has been killed in a truck-car accident and Tom feels impelled to offer the case to a former student of his, Rick Drake. There is some bad blood between the two since Tom had prevented Rick from receiving a job offer that would have been the making of his legal career.

Rick does accept the case and while working it finds that the facts are muddled by the trucking company owning the vehicle involved in the accident. They resort to arson, murder, bribery and greed to disguise the truth of the matter. A pertinent factor for the trucking company is an impending extremely advantageous merger that would be cancelled if a lawsuit was successfully filed against them.

In a fast and engrossing read, the main portion of the book involving the trial of the trucking company is described and the reader treated to an excellent plot and a look at the characters, good and bad, involved in the process of the legal proceedings. The book is the first of a series of legal novels about the prospective law firm of McMurtrie and Drake. These should be well worth the wait.

8/15 Paul Lane

THE PROFESSOR by Robert Bailey. Exhibit A (January 28, 2014). ISBN: 978-1909223585. 416p.

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THE RECKONING by Carsten Stroud

August 20, 2015

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Book Three of the Niceville Trilogy

Hearing voices in your head takes on a deadly new meaning in this disturbing conclusion to the macabre Niceville trilogy. The evil “Nothing” in this Florida town has moved inside, so to speak, and the towns people are on a murderous rampage.

Detective Nick Kavanaugh, and his wife, attorney Kate, figure out what is going on; all they have to do is figure out how to stop it. Rainey Teague, the orphan they’ve taken in, has always had issues but things are really spiraling out of control.

The Kavanaughs enlist the help of local historian Lemon Featherlight, and ex-cop Charlie Danziger is also on the hunt for answers. There are lots of characters that each have their own story, but Stroud manages to pull it together and make sense of it all, as much as possible in the mystical world he has created.

While this is the last book of the trilogy, each book does stand on its own. Niceville is a real town on the west coast of Florida, and this thrilling supernatural trilogy has surely put it on the map.

8/15 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE RECKONING by Carsten Stroud. Vintage (August 18, 2015). ISBN 978-1101873021. 432p.

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