Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

ON THE ROCKS by Erin Duffy

September 5, 2014

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Abby and Ben are finally ready to tie the knot. It’s an event everyone has been waiting for – ten years in the making, in fact. But just months before the big date Ben breaks it off. Via Facebook.

Mortified and single once again, Abby is facing a summer as a shut in binging on Ben & Jerry’s. Her friend Grace has other plans, though. A coworker’s summer rental has fallen right into Grace’s lap and offers both of the girls an opportunity to get out of the city and enjoy some fun in the sun. Abby finally agrees, also vowing to hit the dating scene while she’s there. Sadly, a lot has changed in the decade since Abby was last single.

Erin Duffy’s Bond Girl was hilarious and witty, setting the bar quite high for On the Rocks. Fortunately, Duffy’s second release is just as charming and funny as her debut. This time instead of Wall Street Duffy takes on the world of dating, and it’s horrible. Dating, that is – not the book. Anyone who’s dated – ever – can sympathize with Abby’s experiences.

But On the Rocks isn’t just a summer romance, or a story about a girl searching for romance. It’s a story about friends and being there for one another. Sure, it’s filled with lots of hilarious dating horrors, but it’s also packed with the warm and sweet sentiments that are shared by the best of friends. The ones who stick by you when you’re down and try to pick you back up again.

9/14 Becky Lejeune

ON THE ROCKS by Erin Duffy. William Morrow (April 22, 2014). ISBN 978-0062205742. 320p.

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PERSONAL by Lee Child

September 4, 2014

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It’s rather hard to believe that this is the 19th book in the Jack Reacher series, which doesn’t even count the Kindle shorts (short stories) that Child’s put out. And somehow, this series doesn’t grow stale, doesn’t get tiresome, and the predictability is always enjoyable.

The book opens with Reacher wandering, toothbrush in pocket, riding a bus. He finds an issue of the Army Times, and takes a look at the personals. He’s a bit surprised to find an ad with his name, but since he realizes it’s from a General that he owes a favor to, he follows it up and finds himself flying on a private jet to the Pentagon.

One of America’s best military snipers had killed a man, and Reacher was the military cop who proved it. John Kott served 15 years in prison, and a year after his release was suspected of attempting to assassinate the President of France. Since Reacher caught him before, he’s asked to try again. Except they are not 100% sure it’s Kott – it could also be a Russian or British sniper.

Reacher is off to Paris and London, with the usual double crosses, near misses, and plenty of action. He is teamed up with a young, inexperienced woman, who brings back memories of another young woman that was killed. Reacher still feels guilt about her death, so he’s extra cautious with his new partner, who appears to deal with stress via pharmaceuticals.

I loved the bad guy, Little Joey, who towers over Reacher and lives in a giant’s house. Child created some really vivid scenes between these two; what he didn’t create was any Reacher romance. Maybe next time.

It would be simple to say that this is just another chapter in the Reacher series. Personal is exciting as expected, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, but that is no easy feat to pull off. If you read any series, you know how difficult it is to create nineteen books that are really all terrific.

If you’re a fan of the series, you’ll love it. If you haven’t read any, this is a fine place to start.

9/14 Stacy Alesi

PERSONAL by Lee Child. Delacorte Press (September 2, 2014). ISBN 978-0804178747. 368p.

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction | Tagged: Thriller | Permalink
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THE JEWEL by Amy Ewing

September 3, 2014

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In Violet Lasting’s world royalty have lost the ability to birth viable offspring. Amazingly, girls from the lowest levels of their society have shown a remarkable DNA strain that has become highly sought after. Testing is required for every girl and any that test positive immediately begin training for surrogacy. Violet is one of them and her time for auction has come.

Violet is purchased by the Duchess of the Lake, a member of one of the four founding families. For all intents and purposes, Violet Lasting is no more: she is now 197, a possession belonging to the Duchess. Her sole purpose is for the continuation of the Lake bloodline. The change is hard for Violet and as the realities of life as a surrogate become more clear, she realizes that her fate is more dangerous than she’d ever imagined. But things become even more difficult when Violet begins to fall in love with a boy who’s not meant for her.

Amy Ewing’s The Jewel does bear a marked resemblance to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, I found I quite enjoyed it. The intrigue and the danger are darker than most dystopians because of the ramifications involved in using teenage girls as brood mares and the world itself is quite intricate.

The Jewel is the first in a projected trilogy and so there are the usual cliffhangers and unanswered questions. As an opening story, though, I was completely hooked and I can’t wait for the next book to come along.

9/14 Becky Lejeune

THE JEWEL by Amy Ewing. HarperTeen (September 2, 2014). ISBN 978-0062235794. 368p.

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ANNIHILATION by Jeff VanderMeer

September 2, 2014

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The latest expedition of Area X is about to begin. The team – a psychologist, an anthropologist, a surveyor, and a biologist – are all tasked with keeping detailed journals of their experiences and their observances. Strange things have been known to happen at Area X and it’s important that everything is carefully documented, especially after what happened to the last team.

Annihilation is the first installment in Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach trilogy. It’s a strange little book – and a dense one at that – that reads as the biologist’s journal of the expedition.

The reader very quickly realizes that the biologist isn’t necessarily trustworthy. Little is revealed about the previous events at Area X, mostly because the biologist is unaware of those details. She doesn’t know the true purpose of the expeditions or what happened to the eleventh team (hers is supposed to be the twelfth) even though she’s got a significant connection to the previous expedition.

All in all, Annihilation is a weird but undeniably intriguing read. It leaves the reader with more questions than answers, to be totally honest. Fortunately, book two, Authority, picks up immediately after Annihilation and book three, Acceptance, is out now in bookstores. This is definitely a series that lends itself well to binge reading if only so you can find out what’s really going on.

9/14 Becky Lejeune

ANNIHILATION by Jeff VanderMeer. FSG Originals; First Edition edition (February 4, 2014). ISBN 978-0374104092. 208p.

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Win the September bookshelf of signed thrillers!

September 1, 2014

Breaking news! Two more thrillers up for grabs, NO TIME TO DIE by Kira Peikoff and BONES NEVER LIE by Kathy Reichs!

I updated the Win Books page for September with some terrific new thrillers! This month there are a few NY Times bestsellers, several follow ups, and a newbie.

Jack Reacher is back in PERSONAL and it’s signed by the thriller master himself, Lee Child. Reed Farrel Coleman steps into some big shoes by taking on the Jesse Stone series since Robert B. Parker’s passing, and is offering up the latest entry into the New York Times bestselling series with BLIND SPOT. Barry Lancet is back with his sophomore effort, the fabulous TOKYO KILL.

The formidable Steph Cha brings back her hard bitten heroine, Song, in BEWARE BEWARE, which Booklist calls, “prime L.A. noir with a feminist slant.” Adrian McKinty, the author of the Troubles Trilogy and the Detective Sean Duffy novels has something new, sure to appeal to history buffs; THE SUN IS GOD is set in 1906 Colonial New Guinea.

In a coveted starred review, Publishers Weekly says about EVERYONE LIES, “AD Garrett balances the intricacies of forensics with the cerebral instincts of crime investigation.” Karen Harper introduces the Cold Creek Trilogy, set in Appalachia in “a small town where the enemy is us.” She offers up the first book, SHATTERED SECRETS, with two more to come in the next six months.

The debut this month is SABOTAGE, Matt Cook’s thriller for those who love the puzzles of technology, cryptology, and people. Finally, DEADOUT is the thrilling follow-up to Jon McGoran’s highly acclaimed eco-thriller, Drift.

If you are new to the site, each month I run a contest in conjunction with the International Thriller Writers group. We put together a list of books including bestsellers and debut authors, 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.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

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THIRD RAIL by Rory Flynn

August 30, 2014

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It’s likely that Eddy Harkness will never live down the notoriety of the Turnpike Toreador case. And yet he does hold out some hope that if he keeps clean while on forced leave he may one day be welcomed back to his old team. Until then he’s taken a job on his old hometown force, quietly waiting for his punishment to run up.

Unfortunately, a night of binge drinking leaves Eddy suddenly – an unofficially – relieved of his service weapon. He hopes he’s mislaid it in his drunken revels but it soon becomes clear that the gun has been stolen. Eddy is well aware that he’s on borrowed time: once his slip up is discovered, he’s finished. His only choice is to find the gun before that happens.

In the meantime, he still has a job to do.

The town of Nagog has had a growing number of accidental deaths of late. No one seems terribly concerned but Eddy believes it warrants a little more attention. What he discovers is a possible link to a new designer drug and what he suspects is a connection to his stolen gun.

Third Rail essentially begins in the middle of a story. Eddy is down and out thanks to a former case (nicknamed the Turnpike Toreador), the specifics of which are revealed only as the book progresses. It’s clear Eddy is no regular beat cop – he’s clever and seemingly pretty good at his job in spite of the way he’s treated. Turns out he was part of a special squad, one that also suffers in the wake of the case that made Eddy a household name in Massachusetts law enforcement. Eddy’s own reputation isn’t the only thing that’s at stake. Any and all attention is on him as fellow cops and criminals wait for another screw up.

I really had no idea what to expect out of Third Rail. A dark and gritty crime novel, sure – and it certainly is that – but Third Rail was so much more. In fact, it’s one of the best crime fiction releases I’ve had the pleasure of reading so far this year. Eddy is an excellent character, one I can’t wait to see more of, and his story is something of a genre standout in my opinion.

This is the debut title by Rory Flynn (aka Stona Fitch) and the first in a new series.

8/14 Becky Lejeune

THIRD RAIL by Rory Flynn. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (June 10, 2014). ISBN 978-0544226272. 224p.

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THE WORKING DEAD by David Thayer

August 29, 2014

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Thayer has written several other books featuring his detective Armond diPino who operates in New York. This novel opens with DiPino working in a relative’s store in San Francisco in order to fully recover from a gunshot wound received in another book.

Why in San Francisco and working in a relative’s store is beyond me but there he is. He has relatives conveniently living in Frisco and gets involved in helping them out of a criminal conspiracy involving human trafficking. Along the way he meets several women including Emily, an ex-love who is filthy rich and involved with the family in the plot.

Perhaps if I had read the other DiPino books I might have a better understanding of what is going on in this one. But I didn’t and won’t.

This novel is helter skelter and leaves the reader pretty confused with what is going on, epecially when DiPino’s partner from New York appears in California to help out. Wonder if his supervisors know that he is not in New York during these trips. Does he magically have jurisdiction in San Francisco?

8/14 Paul Lane

THE WORKING DEAD by David Thayer. David Thayer Consulting; 1 edition (December 28, 2013). ASIN B0095ZJS2W. Print Length: 228p.

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TRAITOR’S BLADE by Sebastien de Castell

August 28, 2014

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The death of their king has left the once proud Greatcoats in ruins. Brought together by an idealistic monarch and tasked with upholding his law, they were the keepers of peace and justice in an otherwise dark and lawless land. But the various dukes, landed gentry throughout the kingdom, banded together to bring down the Greatcoats’ king.

They’re considered the lowest of the low now. Looked down on by the very people they once protected, believed to have failed their king. Since Paelis’s death, Falcio, Brasti, and Kest have been forced to take work where they can. Their latest is the protection of a tradesman who may just be able to bring the Greatcoats together once again. But when their employer is murdered under their watch, they find themselves on the run.

They win positions as guards for another caravan but soon find that their new charge is at the center of another of the dukes’ plots. If the dukes succeed, it would mean chaos for the kingdom as a whole.

This first in Sebastien de Castell’s new series is a swashbuckling fantasy clearly inspired by classic adventure tales the likes of The Three Musketeers. It’s a fun start to what promises to be an exciting series full of action, intrigue, magic, and dirty political plotting.

8/14 Becky Lejeune

TRAITOR’S BLADE by Sebastien de Castell. Jo Fletcher Books (July 15, 2014). ISBN 978-1623658090. 384p.

1 Comment | Book Reviews, Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy | Permalink
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SEFLIN Virtual Conference – User Experience

August 27, 2014

Find out more and register for User Experience: Seeing Your Library Through the User’s Eyes at: http://tinyurl.com/seflinvirtconf2014

September 19, 2014, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Eastern Time, US and Canada)

Conference sessions and presenters include:

· The Future of UX in Libraries: Learning Everywhere
Michael Stephens (Assistant Professor, San Jose State University)

· Improving Your Library with User Experience Design
Aaron Schmidt (Principle at Influx Library User Experience Consulting)

· Practical UX Research Tips for Librarians
Kathryn Whitenton (User Experience Specialist at The Nielsen Norman Group)

· Designing Your Spaces, Services, and Organization Around Your Users
Elliot Felix (Founder and Director of BrightSpot Strategy)

· Make Your Website UX Rock
David Lee King (Digital Services Director, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library)

Library Directors and Leaders: This conference is a cost-effective and highly relevant educational opportunity for anyone in the library field. Register as a group so your entire staff can attend sessions that fit their schedules. Forward this announcement to your staff and colleagues.

Recordings of the conference sessions will be available after the conference to all registered attendees.

The registration fee is $40 for individuals and $125 for groups.

There is no registration charge for library staff working in the State of Florida.

Seats are limited, so register ASAP.

Find out more and register at: http://tinyurl.com/seflinvirtconf2014

Produced by:

Southeast Florida Library Information Network
777 Glades Road
Office 452, Wimberly Library
Boca Raton, FL 33431
ph: 561-208-0984
fax: 561-208-0995
web: www.seflin.org

1 Comment | Ramblings | Tagged: Library | Permalink
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HEROES ARE MY WEAKNESS by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

August 27, 2014

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Phillips is my favorite contemporary romance writer and I always look forward to her books. That said, if this was written by any other writer I probably would have put it down 10 pages in. The main character is Annie, a ventriliquist, and the book opens with Annie conversing with her puppets. Not my thing but since it was Phillips, I kept going and I’m very glad I did.

This book is a bit of a departure for Phillips. Our hero is Theo Harp, a young widower returned to hide away in his childhood home, a spooky mansion on an isolated island off the coast of Maine.

Annie’s childhood friend Jayce is keeping house for Theo. Jayce is a single mom with a mute 4 year old daughter and Annie tries to rekindle their friendship.

Annie has recently lost her mother, who had a vacation home down the hill from the manse that she inherited along with an unusual deed restriction. Annie must stay on the island for the requisite number of days, or the property reverts back to the original owner, Harp’s family. Annie has returned to the island, a failed actress, destitute, and recovering from an illness that has left her having trouble breathing.

Annie and Theo grew up together, but had a major falling out as teens. Theo appeared to turn violent and frightened Annie badly. She’s still somewhat frightened of him, but also strangely attracted to him. Then sinister things start happening. Her cottage is trashed, a threatening warning is written on her bathroom mirror, and a gunshot narrowly misses her.

Eventually the romance kicks in but the gothic atmosphere is pervasive throughout, an obvious nod to one of the original Gothic romances, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. The requisite happy ending had even the puppets finding a higher purpose. Bottom line? Phillips is a great storyteller and has penned another winner.

8/14 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HEROES ARE MY WEAKNESS by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. William Morrow (August 26, 2014). ISBN 978-0062351128. 384p.

2 Comments | Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi